A few weeks ago, held the first full session of my Les Miserables-inspired campaign. Set immediately after the close of Return of the Jedi, the PCs are on Coruscant, right after the riot in Monument Plaza. Martial law is in place, and they’re trying to cobble together some equipment, hiding out in one PC’s inn/tavern on a lower level.
One group of four headed lower to check out a junkyard that the tavern owner knew of, where she was owed a favor - she could get their stuff for free. The four get off the lift. The three biological characters fail Perception checks. The last PC - a former Separatist espionage droid - succeeds, and sees the other three’s wallets being stolen by four kids. The kids take off running. Espionage droid: “I shoot at them.” Silence in the room as jaws drop. “O…K. Well…roll. They’re still at medium range.” Droid rolls. Several Successes, Advantages, and a Triumph. “Well…you’ve just blown the heads off of four children.”
The players lose their minds, and all start conspiring to get a restraining bolt on the droid as soon as they get back to the tavern. They plot and plan. Great, I think, Session one, and we’ve got a kid-murdering droid and potential PVP.
Before I can say anything, the droid’s player - who, himself, is about 14-15 - interjects above the chaos of the rest of the players who are still freaking out. “I just want to say, out of character, that I totally understand why the other characters would react this way, and I’m fine with playing out them trying to get the restraining bolt on me. This is not a problem.” The atmosphere in the room lightens immediately. They manage to restrain him and get the bolt put on. The tavern owner holds the controller. She’s also burned her contact with the junkyard. The droid player has been assured that the other PCs will not be allowed to reprogram him, as it would remove player agency. And, any time he wants to resist commands being given to him, he is free to roll a hard Discipline check to do so. All parties are satisfied with these conditions.