This is my entry into Anne’s Summer LEGO RPG Setting Jam. I don’t have my old Lego handy, so I’ve had to make do with images I could find online. I’ve noted the Bricklink codes of the base figures, but the modifications weren’t tracked.
The Bootleg LEGO Star Wars of My Youth
Sure we had Star Wars when I was young: my dad proudly brought them home one day on VHS and we all gathered around the big (“flat-screen!”) CRT and watched together. And of course there were the prequels too, big events on the big screen.
But months later? Years later? My memories of Star Wars were completely down to whatever physical manifestations were available. We had a couple of those big coffee-table books, but mostly we had Lego. So me and my brother would pit Darth Maul against an “Insectoid” in a suburban house built on a “wild-west” baseplate. The police might pull over Qui-Gon for speeding. I remember declaring something to be an “ion canon” (and thus both plot-critical and powerful), but there does not appear to be any contemporaneous set with that element.
So this is my attempt at recapturing the misremembered IP of my youth. I’ve tried to maintain a balance between modern powder-keg and carefree mashup.
There are three notable planets in the system.
Naboo Prime
A completely water-covered planet with flourishing civilization in the shallows. Breadbasket of the system. Beneath the surface, diving equipment is required for all non-natives, precluding other headwear.
The Abyss
When exiled pirates from Corcusant first settled on Naboo Prime, there was much conflict with the aquatic natives. Eventually they were driven into the lightless regions of the planet, living on the edges of the shallows as raiders and foragers. Ironically, only imported crystal goods from Corcusant gave the natives enough light to begin exploring these depths in earnest.
Personalities
- Captain Hook is the lord of the planet, extracting the resources of the farmers and serving as point-person for trade with Corcusant.
- Mate Jane is Hook’s on-the-water enforcer, sailing the seas on her ship and collecting the buoyed crops that farmers send up.
- Manta Ray is an aquatic native, allied with the fauna of the abyss. Cast as a terrorist by the Hook regime, this image problem isn’t helped by the intimidating breathing apparatus he requires above the surface.
- Margaret is a typical human kelp farmer on Naboo Prime, living most of her life indoors or beneath the water in a dive helmet.
Captain Hook (pi024), Mate Jane with and without gear (aq006), Manta Ray (aq012), and Margaret (aq011).
Tattooine
The dry counterpart of Naboo Prime, filled with ruins and vast nothings. Vehicles like buggies and flyers are required to cover any distance.
The Pyramids
Full of scorpions and traps and mummies and more, few brave the ancient ruins of Tattooine. But those who do find them also full of secrets and gold and crystal goods beyond the quality (and control) of Corcusant’s refining processes.
Personalities
- Johnny Thunder is a daredevil and explorer and smuggler. He can pilot any vehicle, escape any quandary.
- Obi Wan is a strange mystic recluse living alone in the desert. He knows more than he lets on but rarely acts.
- Darth Maul is a bounty hunter, obsessed with finding Obi Wan.
- Stormtroopers are extensions of Corcusant’s power on Tattooine, setting bounties and enforcing customs.
Johnny Thunder (adv010), Obi Wan (sw0002), Darth Maul (sw0003), and two Stormtroopers (sw0005 and sw0058).
Corcusant (sic)
Thriving ecumenopolis, center of the system, seat of government. Corcusant is also where all the city sets go: construction vehicles, trains, police stations, zoos, etc.
The Moon
The moon of Corcusant is home to rock monsters, but also the lucrative crystal mines and their secretive refineries. Lunar crystal is used in the shields, lasers, domes, antennae, lightsabers, and more that are required for space exploration and combat.
Personalities
- Darth Skull is lord of Corcusant’s criminal underworld. They aim to capture the crystal refineries and ultimately expand their empire to new systems.
- Foreman Mike is the head of the lunar miner’s union. As rates of mutation are increasing in miners and insectoid raids are increasing, tensions are high in the mines.
- Astronaut is a singular individual who maintains the moon-to-surface transit infrastructure. Little is known about them, but they are implicitly one of the most powerful people in the system.
- Ninjas are ancient Corcusant clans of spies and assassins who fight amongst themselves but ultimately report to Darth Skull.
Darth Skull (sw0004), Foreman Mike (trn002), Astronaut (mm003), and two ninjas (cas049 and cas212).
Space
The core system is small, but space is vast. With a spaceship, you can always find a new planet to explore. But without one, you will need a space helmet to survive, precluding other headwear.
The Hive
The insectoid home ship has recently appeared in the system, an ungainly sprawling network of blinking and beeping pieces.
Knexalon V
A spacious gas giant with cyclopean inhabitants to match. Their body chemistry and mechanics are largely incompatible with the other inhabitants of the system and their constructions comparatively fragile. However, they too can refine crystal into large “marbles.”
Personalities
- Insectoids are inscrutable hi-tech aliens. Their intentions are unknown, and while they have sent out periodic raiding parties (pressuring all the worlds in their own ways) they don’t appear interested in occupation.
- Red is an android of unknown origin. Competent but ultimately disloyal: they are easily reprogrammed by anyone with time and physical access. In the past they have worked on Margaret’s farm, but currently they are in the employ of Johnny Thunder, with a secret override in place that Darth Maul can activate.
Two insectoids (sp030 and sp021) and Red (sp044).
The Jam
The jam goes on for another week, so if you’re thinking about it, you can still jump in! Anne has collected many useful resources for the jam, and there are already several other amazing entries.
The names and images of all Lego products are copyrights of the LEGO Group and are used here without permission. All names and images of Lego products used here are intended to represent Fair Use under the 1976 Copyright Act. Their use is non-commercial, and is part of a transformative artistic project, which is not a substitute for the original products, and should not affect those products’ value.