Well, it's been a long time coming, but here it is: Ubiqtorate's review of Tales of the Freespirit: Episode I: Discovery. At least I got it done before Episode II comes out in the June issue of the Journal!

"Tales of the Freespirit: Episode I: Discovery," by I. J. Thompson, is an excellent example of what RPG Fan Fiction can, and in my opinion should be. In it, we are introduced to a set of new characters, events, and worlds, presented against the familiar backdrop of the Star Wars universe. Thompson has gone to great lengths to incorporate elements created by other authors into his own story, and the result is something unique and original, but still distinctly Star Wars, and more particularly, Star Wars RPG.

"Discovery" introduces us to Avery Kranzt, who according to the author was played in the RPG campaign by John Arnold. Kranzt is a young aspiring fighter pilot from the backwater mining world of Bodrin in the Elrood sector. While flying in a training patrol above his home planet, Kranzt and his friend, Stav Pollos, are attacked by a notorious pirate in the Elrood sector named Dorok Zalaster. During the battle, the two are rescued by a Ghtroc freighter designated the Treespirit, and just as the fighters are about to make their strike on the pirate vessel, Kranzt is somehow spirited back to the quarry on the planet one day later, devoid of any memory of what happened after the attack. To make matters worse, Kranzt finds himself staring at the wrong end of a blaster, being accused of a murder and theft he knows nothing about.

After evading his accusers, Kranzt returns to the candy shop owned by Stav's family. Stav gives him a brief summary of the events of the past day, but knows nothing of the murder and theft Kranzt is accused of. Kranzt shows Stav a jewel he found in his pocket - presumably the one he is accused of stealing - but Stav does not recognize it. Stav offers Kranzt the use of his cabin, and Kranzt rides away on Stav's Cracian Thumper to live the life of a fugitive.

That night, Kranzt sets off into the woods to follow the sounds of wild animals and blaster fire he has heard while dozing, and finds a female Wookiee and a protocol droid being attacked by a trio of horoks. After the horoks are defeated, the Wookiee, called Grakkata, takes Kranzt back to her ship, the same Treespirit that saved him the day before. Grakkata offers to help Kranzt in exchange for a favor - she wants him to help her steal hyperdrive parts needed to repair her ship.

The two sneak back to the quarry and find a demolition droid who made a recording of what happened to Kranzt earlier that day - the recording shows that Kranzt did not commit the murder, but does nothing to explain the crystal, or the loss of Kranzt's memory. The next morning, Kranzt and Grakkata succeed in stealing the necessary parts and repairing the ship. They narrowly escape an Imperial ground team and a Star Destroyer, presumably sent to capture Grakkata for piracy, and as the ship escapes into hyperspace, we are left to assume that Kranzt has left his homeworld for good, in search of new adventures throughout the galaxy.

"Discovery" has all the elements of a well-played game, and translates very well into a short story. The characters are solid, dynamic, and believable, and echo the heroic spirit we've come to expect from Star Wars. Kranzt in particular, while his character seems to come from the stock "backwater dweller turned brash pilot" mold copied from Luke Skywalker, comes across as a well-developed character, with a strong backstory and personality.

Thompson has done an exceptional job weaving familiar Star Wars elements into a unique setting. The planet Bodrin and its people are reminiscent of rural towns anywhere on Earth, and the inclusion of classic RPG elements such as Cracian Thumpers and Z-95 Headhunters lure the reader into a sense of familiarity. From the first paragraph on, we feel like we know Avery Kranzt and Stav Pollos. We're familiar with their lives, and we know their struggles, so it isn't difficult for us to be drawn in by their story.

"Discovery" is written in an absorbing narrative style, replete with vivid descriptions and dialogue. The action moves quickly, but with enough breaks that the reader does not feel overwhelmed by the flood of events. Both the dialogue and the descriptions contain occasional uses of common Earth slang, and while this is often a pet peeve of mine, Thompson has woven them into his story seamlessly, and the occasional familiar idiom actually adds to the familiar feel of the setting. The plot is engaging, if somewhat predictable, and the entire story seems like time well spent.

"Discovery" also benefits greatly from its artwork. Illustrations are seldom seen in Star Wars fan fictions, and the few stories that do include them are like an oasis in the desert. The illustrations in "Discovery" are good quality, and reminiscent of the drawings we've seen in many Star Wars RPG supplements. They literally add even more color to an already bright story.

There are a few caveats that must be mentioned to the reader of "Discovery," however. The first and most obvious of these is its length - the Microsoft Word edition of the story takes 15 pages to print, and the HTML version on the Web requires 23. For this reason alone, "Discovery" is not for the faint of heart, or rather, the short of time. I recommend downloading and printing the Microsoft Word version to read on-the-go. The second is similar to this - "Discovery" is the first part of what promises to be a very long series, and while the story is complete in its own right, a few loose ends are left hanging, presumably to be tied up in later episodes. For example, an obvious leak in the plot comes in the form of the crystal and Kranzt's amnesia - neither of these are explained in "Discovery," and we can only presume that they will play a role in later episodes.

For the reader willing to commit the time and effort necessary to read "Discovery" (and its impending sequels), the benefits far outweigh the costs. "Tales of the Freespirit" has all the earmarks of a classic campaign, and I for one am eagerly awaiting the next installment of the adventures of Avery Kranzt.

--Ubiqtorate