Open Armor Up & Out Bid

[Pellios]

Spoiler: Music

Open as a unique way of obtaining some vehicle assets for a faction/organization.​

Spoiler: BIDDING RULES/OOC

• Please observe a 48-hour posting window from the Storyteller (DM) post. One post per round per character, please.
• There are 10 Lots to bid on, with the contents of each Lot being secret until it is time to bid on it.
• Since this is a blind auction (i.e. nobody knows what others bid), bids are represented by d100 rolls. The higher the roll, the higher the bid. You do not have to bid on a given item.
• Your character has a pool of SIX (6) d100s to spend throughout this thread. Your character can roll as many of your remaining d100s for a single Lot as they choose, with the highest total rolled representing your bid for the round. If you win the lot, the number of d100s you rolled on the Lot will be deducted from your pool. If you do not win a Lot, the dice rolled are returned to your pool. Once you have rolled your dice for a Lot, you cannot change your bid. You may not combine your dice pool with that of other characters.
• Please put the results of your roll(s) in a Spoiler at the bottom of your post, and observe the blind nature of the auction (no peeking at others' rolls, please!) It is recommended to roll dice on the site for this same reason as Discord is more public, but either method is acceptable.
• In the event of a tie, players will roll one more d100 (not deducted from their pool) to determine a winner.
• There is NPC opposition from indie planets. This is represented by two individual d100 rolls representing other bidders each round.
• DM is @Darasuum . Any questions? Please ask.
• Rules/processes are subject to change at the DM's discretion since this is a new system that's being tried
• Original auction style props go to @SlagathorTheUnknown .

Pellios had been a salesman before, he had been a smuggler before and a few times he had performed the duties of an auctioneer. The graying features of the Devaronian scoundrel still had some charm and the ship captain had enough energy to earn a bit of credits and network at the same time. Traveling to older Free World Alliance planets, mid rim worlds and even a few expansion planets, the man had convinced some private defense contractors and governments to put up their surplus for some extra coin.

There were certainly newer combat vehicles being manufactured today that were better than what Pellios was auctioning. But there were plenty of threats that would make people happy to spend their earned wealth on weapons of war. AMS infected, Killik hordes, droid uprisings, bandit attacks, the list went on as long as one’s own imagination. Pellios smiled as he thought about the profits.

“Greetings everyone. Thank you all for joining us this cycle. The first lot will be announced in a moment at which point we will begin the bidding, so please get comfortable. Get a drink before we begin and don’t forget to tip your servers.” He gave a wink knowing that some people might be attending the auction remotely via holo-call. However for those attending in person there was a plethora of libations and various horderves.

*IN YOUR ENTRY POST, PLEASE ROLL 1D10 AND PUT IT IN A SPOILER FOR DM REASONS (this represents a rumor your character has come across pertaining to what will be up for auction)*​

 

[Dimon Fee Simm]

"Damn this heat!" Dimon waved at Froogle to fan him more rigorously as he entered the auction house. He was sat atop a mechno chair, his cane clutched in his hands, and a terrible sweat adorning his shining brow. "Your excellency, perhaps if you wore something more suited to the clima -"

"Froogle! I do not come to you for fashion advice, thank you." he dismissed his assistant, who had made that suggestion near endlessly on their way here. As the yacht upon which they had arrived vanished behind the closing doors behind him, Dimon couldn't help but think that maybe the aide had been correct. Around his head, he wore a loveti moth fiber shawl, the absolute height of fashion in the core these days, and it perfectly accompanied his brismoss fiber cloak, set in a ruddy red colour, and picked out with chammian ivory buttons.

Sure, it was hot - but by the force he looked good.

Tapping along inside the auction venue, he took up a position in the centre of the crowd. He sent his droid off to fetch him a libation as Dimon tapped through the auction list on his datapad and waited for the critical matter of bidding to commence. Several items on the list were of interest, he remembered from the trip over - now he just needed to jolt his memory. He flicked the file....

+++ FILE CORRUPTED +++​

Spoiler: Roll

I rolled a 1.

 

[Dismas Zaa Fenn]

Dismas of the Zaa Fenn was accompanied by a group of rough-looking pirates that, all credit to them, had tried to clean up for the occassion. Their clothes were ill-matched and definitely not spotless. Yet, for some reason, their bank accounts weren't doubted at the door. A one-legged weequay with a Kowakian Monkey Lizard on his shoulder gave another prospective buyer (@Nor'baal) a mean look and then dismissively turned its head towards Dismas, "That's Dimon Fee Simm, bastard cleaned out old Captain Spyn at the Sabacc table." the old weequay shook his head, "Cost him his ship and his crew, that did." What the weequay -known as 'Tall' Tulo Turner- omitted was the fact that the Captain had merely managed to lose his own share of that week's take and that the weequay had made it out to be a much bigger deal in order to find enough support for a mutiny -so he lost his crew- that took control of the ship and then threw the Captain out of an airlock -so he lost his ship- to laugh and watch him drift away into the blackness of space.

Dismas was well aware of this story, yet chose to keep his head and shake his head together with the weequay. "If he's from Ryloth he might know the Xaa Hafven there," the young human pondered out loud for he hadn't seen any of their represenatives yet. He had often heard his mother, the Boss of the Zaa Fenn Crime Family, complain about the Boss of the Xaa Hafven after one of the Crymorah Syndicate's meetings. Something about it her thinking the Twi'lek still missed Covax.

"No one cares about the Xaa Hafven after your uncle shot old Gori," Tall Tulo snickered and handed Dismas the complementary datapad with the details of the auction. Dismas didn't have an uncle, well, not by blood anyway, but he did grow up with Preef Callo in such a role. The legendary rodian gunslinger was still alive, though aging terribly, and beqeauthed his massive fortune to the Zaa Fenn. His only real son, Jon, had become a Jedi and didn't want his father's blood-stained credits. At least that made Dismas one of the richest people at the auction today.. and secured the loyalty of the always-scheming pirates in his entourage.

Spoiler: Roll

I rolled a 6.

 

[Hugo Parasini]

The colonial governor of Opportunity would not be attending this auction physically, but would be doing so via holo-call. He was caught wind of this auction happening and it was said there would be some vehicles here. Although the industrial world is growing and credits are coming in, it's still small and it's defenses on a planetary level are rather... meager to say the least. This could be an opportunity to patch up that flaw.

Now connected, Hugo would simply wait for the auction to begin.

Spoiler: Roll

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Don't peak

Spoiler

Roll: 5

 

[Alderaan]

Silently, Alderaan inserted himself amidst the throng, concealed under the veneer of a private militia contractor named Vidarr Desyk. The anonymity he gleaned from this subterfuge was invaluable, affording him the latitude to participate in the auction while safeguarding the Resistance's covert operations.

The clamor of the auction floor swirled around him like a tempest, a mélange of alien dialects and the hum of eager anticipation hanging thick in the air. Holo-projectors cast kaleidoscopic lights over the motley congregation, bathing the opulent hall in a spectral glow, while the aroma of exotic spirits pervaded the atmosphere, a heady cocktail that lingered tantalizingly on the palate.

Every mechanical contrivance up for auction offered potential dividends for his hidden cause. These war relics, once repurposed, could be instrumental in executing clandestine missions, their conspicuous origins obfuscating the true nature of their deployments. Alderaan couldn't suppress a smirk at the thought - this auction could unwittingly propel the gears of Resistance.

His gaze glided over the crowd, scrutinizing and perceptive, noting the potential competitors and probable alliances. In this game of smoke and mirrors, the stakes were higher than any credit bid. Time was a creeping predator, the seconds ticking by like the measured beat of a war drum. It was a familiar sensation, the electrifying frisson of tension that seized him before every operation.

Sequestered in a corner, Alderaan leaned against a pillar, a casual observer awaiting the grand spectacle to unfold. He reveled in the anonymity, aware of the frenetic energy pulsating around him as he bided his time, the sense of impending action almost palpable.

Spoiler

Rolled a 6.

 

[Kellan Solari]

Kellan Solari took a steadying breath, palms of his hands pressing the wrinkles from his tunic as though they contained the last vestiges of his old self. The assumption of a false identity was not a ploy he was used to playing. But that, he supposed as he approached the auction hall, may have been the entire point of this endeavor.

During his tenure as a pilot in the Imperial Navy, Lieutenant Solari had undertaken a wide array of mission scopes and postings. But never had one come across his desk as enigmatic and cryptic as tonight’s assignment. He was being deployed under incognito to this evening’s auction with the express intent of securing military wares for an undisclosed conflict being fought by undisclosed combatants in an undisclosed system. The credits to achieve this shadowy goal had been provided to him.

The dossier had also informed him that in addition to procuring the necessary lots, his role at the auction was to ‘observe and report’ on the major personalities in attendance. Notable figures and the eagerness with which they bid for particular items was of unique interest to his superiors. As Lieutenant Solari strolled the auction floor marveling at the eclectic crowd of bidders, he wondered how he would ever manage to keep facts straight without recording them.

The odd mission parameters themselves were made all the more puzzling by the fact that the ace pilot didn’t even know who had issued them. They neither arrived via official channels nor bearing standard Imperial security protocols. No identifying names, ranks or units were to be found anywhere on the messages. They were so ‘unofficial’ in appearance, that Kellan may have been tempted to ignore them completely had his CO not made it clear they were of top priority by way of issuing his ‘mandatory shore leave’.

Of course, he held his suspicions. Since the departure of the Sith from the Empire, the Imperial Security Bureau had risen sharply in prominence, snaking its tendrils throughout the ranks of the Imperial Armed Forces. Espionage of this caliber was their stock and trade and Solari had heard rumors of more than one enlisted man being similarly ‘vetted’ through mysterious assignments. And of course every Imperial pilot with more than a dozen flight hours under their belt had heard of the tenebrous Blackout Fleet and their clandestine ranks of pilots that worked on behalf of the ISB.

As he took his seat near the center of the bidding floor, he was altogether ignorant of who was pulling his strings for this little sojourn. But true to form, his answer was to excel. To make a sufficient impression on these shadow masters as to prove his worth. The Imperial Empire had purged itself of Sith fanatics, sloughed off their taint as a snake does its dying skin. What was needed now was men and women of will and mettle that sought to restore order from chaos. Solari wished nothing more than to be the harbinger of such order, at blaster-point if needs be.

But first he would need to have the proper doors opened.

Spoiler: Roll

Rolled a 5

 

[Darth Tempest]

As one might expect, Darth Tempest wouldn’t risk attending the auction physically. Instead, the Dark Lord of the Sith arrived at the event through one of the many holographic generators that were established, projecting her cloaked figure in pixelated blue. Her face and identity were obstructed beyond recognition, ensuring that not one seated nearby would be able to guess who they were betting against.

Tempest had caught wind of the auction a few weeks prior - and promptly decided it was worth her time and credits. The Sith Order was in dire need of weapons and vehicles, and the Dark Lord had already dispatched her followers in an effort to secure such resources. Winning them at auction would only help to patch up her defenses quicker.

With both hands knitted against the small of her back, Tempest patiently waited for the auction to begin - allowing her gaze to flick around the other attendants.

Spoiler: Spoiler

I rolled a 1.

 

[Pellios]

Pellios smiled as attendees continued to join the event he was hosting. There were many that came in person but there were holoprojections, display screens and emissaries representing a diverse group of patrons. The well dressed Devaronian took a deep breath and cleared his throat before he made the next announcement.

“Thank you all for coming today. My name is Pellios Reverence and I will be your host today." The man kept up his warm smile as he scanned the assembled crowd. “You can feel confident in spending your wealth here. Your contributions will be well spent on these fine military grade assets I’ll be presenting in short order.” His horned head gave a slight bow before continuing.

The man clicked a small device in his hands that controlled the large holoprojector that would also stream relevant data to anyone signed into the exclusive holo-network. Even remote attendees would be able to access this and be able to review data about the offered vehicles when they were presented.

“First up in lot one the All Terrain Scout Walkers. These are standard Galactic Empire loadout, equipped with two chin mounted blaster cannons, side mounted dual light blaster cannon and grenade launcher. A lone AT-ST only requires a crew of two and can devastate platoons of infantry in combat and traverse various terrains with ease and speed while keeping its drivers protected.” The arms dealer continued to try his best to sell the product.

“This batch of forty (40) were manufactured in years leading up to the battle of Exegol by remnant forces producing them in secret. Since then they have been acquired and maintained by a handful of reputable Expansion and Colony systems. They remain in tip top shape. A single walker such as this is worth seventy five thousand credits on the open market. Let’s begin the bidding, shall we?”

@Altaris @Tic @Aberforth @The Good Doctor @Eccles @Nor'baal

 

[Kellan Solari]

Kellan was studying the corpulent Twi’ilek senator when the first lot erupted into holographic hues of blue and gray. The bipedal vehicles with their oddly jointed legs and oversized “heads” were a familiar sight to the untamed worlds at the outer edges of Imperial Space where they were often deployed to combat a variety of conditions and terrains.

They could deadly indeed in the hands of the right “freedom fighters”. The shortage of details on the proposed recipients for whatever Solari secured made the task all the more difficult, but picturing a force without a use for such weaponry strained the limits of his imagination.

Deftly tapping his Datapad, he entered his bid.

Spoiler: Bid

Rolled a 77

 

[Hugo Parasini]

After mulling about it, Hugo would pass the bid for the AT-STs. An obsolete vehicle if anything, not even that good as far as vehicles in its weight class goes. Hugo will save Opportunity’s procurement budget for more interesting, more worthwhile things.

 

[Alderaan]

Enshrouded within the flickering, low-lit depths of the auction, Alderaan assumed his faux persona with a seamless ease, the face of a contractor to a private militia company replacing that of the clandestine operative. His sapphire eyes, flecked with secrets, studied the offering of the auction with a discerning gaze, gliding over the luminescent projection of the AT-ST Walkers.

They were formidable machines, relics of the Galactic Empire's arsenal, but their massiveness and blatant audibility were a glaring antithesis to the Resistance agent's modus operandi. The scout walkers were an incongruous match for his covert trade, their stentorian tread would echo loudly in the silent theater of espionage. The embodiment of conspicuousness, these war machines were hardly conducive for clandestine operations requiring finesse and stealth.

As Pellios prattled on, Alderaan sat, ever watchful and wary, ready to snatch up a bargain that would serve the Resistance's secretive ends.

//No bid from me.

 

[Dismas Zaa Fenn]

Dismas looked to his side, to the weequay pirate, and watched how Tulo shook his head. "What ship could transport forty walkers?" the pirate sighed, which turned into a small snicker as he no doubt envisioned the buyer paying a hefty fee to get a corporate bulk carrier offload the walkers on their homeplanet. "Besides," he continued, turning his head towards the young Zaa Fenn with a frown, waiting for Dismas to continue his trail of thought, "Don't want to be canned in on the Dune Sea's shifting sands." The weequay nodded approvingly.

These walkers might be great when you're trying your hand at occupying a planet or more likely a region on a planet. Like a large town that you needed to patrol, so you used walkers to empower your patrols. The Desilijic cartel didn't really work that way, though, and on Tatooine where the Zaa Fenn represented the cartel business interests the threat of being visited by Preef Callo was enough of a deterrence. Even if Preef wasn't available, Dismas hated the thought of using these walkers across the ever shifting sands of Tatooine, getting stuck and subsequently buried alive in a sand storm. No, the Maglev train and speeders worked well enough.

Dismas used the datapad to show that he wasn't going to place a bid and then hailed one of the droids, "Chandrilan rum, please," he asked, perhaps too politely, "and bring one to the Twi'lek over there as well." (@Nor'baal). According to Tulo the senator from Ubrikkia was a gambler.. so it couldn't hurt to arrange a game of Sabacc.

/no bid

 

[Dimon Fee Simm]

AT-STs? Dimon could think of little use for them beyond the ability to resell. He estimated their value at around three-million credits, yet with an already handsome bid submitted, even if he won the round there would be slim margins to be garnered from their sale.

Not that Dimon would ever dream of selling on state resources for personal gain, of course.

"From the spacers at the bar, your Excellency." A serving droid appeared at his shoulder, a beverage placed on a grubby-looking tray. Dimon swooped the drink up, detecting the distinctive twang of rum, one of his particular favourites. He took a sip, and recognised the brand.

He hadn't drunk this vintage since...

No.

Looking over at the motley crew who had sent him the drink, he recognised one of them immediately. Tulo. That card-hustling piece of space trash! What was he doing here?

Dimon smiled and nodded his thanks to Dismas, raising the glass to Tulo as he took a sip. He'd need to keep an eye on that lot, and he thought of a particularly good way to do it - he just needed an in. Reaching into his robe, he withdrew and then placed a single Sabaac card, and put it back on the drinks tray, which the droid then carried back to Dismas.

The invitation to a game was made.

Finally, he shook his head at the auctioneer - passing on bidding for this round.

/no bid

 

[Darth Tempest]

After briefly mulling it over, Tempest opted to place a bid.

Spoiler: Bid

Rolled a 12.

 

[Pellios]

A few moments would pass as Pellios waited for people to enter their anonymous bids. At least, that is what he assumed. But many organizations were choosing to abstain from bidding on lot one. "Thank you all for your submissions but bidding for the first lot has now closed. These walkers are sure to find good use in the hands of their new owners."

A representative of the Red Hand had made the winning bid for the AT-ST walkers. However the Kowakian Devil Fleet and the Taanab Argoecological Coop members had made offers that were a close second and third. Pellios did not mind either way as long as he got his cut.

"Let's not waste time nor money with the second lot. Lot two is thirty All Terrain Defense Pods." Pellios continued, triggering the display to show an image of the elevated terrestrial walker. It was taller than the AT-ST and had some benefits with its height.

"These walkers are simply but also still heavily armed with a single heavy laser cannon and can be modified to suit urban environments or to bolster the edges of the wilderness. They will make a great addition to any defensive or industrial organization wishing to insure the longevity of their assets. Please, make your bids." These the appetizers, surely. But that did not mean they should be disregarded. There were heavier vehicles to come but the arms dealer knew that there needed to be a diverse selection and thus a few scout-grade walkers were the first war machines to be presented this evening.

@Altaris @Nor'baal @Eccles @Tic @Aberforth @The Good Doctor

Spoiler: NPC bids

Spoiler: Are you sure you want to know?

Devil Fleet= 220
Agro Coop = 197
Red Hand = 253

 

[Hugo Parasini]

Hugo already found himself checking his chrono. The next entry is... another combat walker from the Galactic Civil War era, the colonial governor was a bit disappointed. Looking at the data for and information for it, it's basically a larger, slower, and more limited version of the previous entry. Trading away more speed, more versatile armaments for just a single heavy laser cannon. Not to mention there are fewer of them offered.

There was a particular vehicle of interest that Hugo caught wind of before coming here. Hopefully it comes up soon.. It does looks like the auctioneer is going saving the better stuff for last, and hopefully it's not too much longer until they get to the said better stuff.

Suffice it to say on the Defense Pods, Hugo will pass.

 

[Dismas Zaa Fenn]

Dismas took the Sabacc card with an enthusiastic interest. "Looks like he's of the same mind," the young Zaa Fenn grinned at the older -and wiser- Weequay pirate. Tulo, however, frowned. "You be careful, kid-" he shook his head, "-Dimon didn't become senator because he's very good at politics." Still, neither the weequay nor the crew could argue that going for a game of cards with the senator was a bad idea, necessarily. If anything, they could be doing business.

Far more interesting business than they were doing so far and the next lot was another round of walkers that the pirates nor the Zaa Fenn Crime Family had any interest in buying.

/no bid

 

[Kellan Solari]

“Crik.” he swore sourly to himself as the results of the first lot’s bidding were announced.

As the Devaronian auctioneer began outlining the second lot, Kellan felt his disappointment wash into disinterest. A heavy lasercannon on legs was little consolation for a contingent of AT-STs. As the frenetic call-and-response of the bid process began anew, the Imperial turned his attention to the auction’s attendees.

Senator Simm appeared to be engaged in some non-verbal exchange with a rather loutish looking group of spacers who had taken up residence on the far side of the room. What business could a politician such as Simm have with voidrats like them? Kellan could postulate several such possibilities but without evidence they were of little consequence. Out of the bidding for the time being, he opted to wander closer to the pack of pirates in the hopes of overhearing their conversation.

/no bid

 

[Alderaan]

Amidst the ever-dynamic canvas of the auction, Alderaan's attention had been momentarily ensnared by a different spectacle. Across the churning sea of faces, his gaze was tethered to the vibrant figure of a waitress, her silhouette outlined in the iridescent glow of the bar lights.

Cloaked in an artfully contrived aura of nonchalance, Alderaan wove his way towards her, tracing a path through the swarming tableau of patrons. His cerulean eyes sparkled with intrigue and amusement, capturing her with the charm that he wielded with practised ease. A seamless repartee ensued, their banter frothed like the heady brew he had ordered, laced with the exotic aromas of the locally brewed ale. Their laughter blended with the dimmed clamor, a mirthful sonata that unfolded amidst the crescendo of the auctioneer's voice.

However, as he returned to the tumultuous reality of the auction, Alderaan found himself momentarily disoriented. His nebulous attention had allowed him to lose sight of the auction's progression. The holographic image that loomed over the bidding floor bore an uncanny resemblance to the initial offering, a similarly gargantuan and impractical war machine. A frown of perplexity etched itself upon his brow as he grappled to distinguish the separate lots.

The All Terrain Defense Pods bore an uncanny resemblance to their predecessor. Alderaan's momentary lapse had cost him a bid; his confusion rendered him motionless as the auctioneer rattled on, the bids increasing incrementally.

//No bid.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Though it wasn’t visible, Tempest couldn’t help but scowl ever-so-slightly at the walkers. They were downright ancient vehicles - and had a history of being easily brought down in the past. She was starting to wonder if the auction was saving the best for last.

Waiting for something better to come along, Tempest remained silent - opting to place no bids on the current lot.

//No bid.