All right I have a Smuggler who I'm choosing to RP with as an Archaeologist with a deeper greed for credits that puts him as somewhat a Star Wars version of Indiana Jones // Laura Croft..only issue is, is there's almost no information online regarding Treasure hunting (( besides it being a crew skill in SWtOR )) or Underworld Trading or even Archaeologists.. So my couple of questions are:

 

Has anyone else ran into this same situation, and if so how did you go about coming up with material?

 

Does anyone know of any beneficial links that I just haven't been able to locate?

Archaelogists tend to appear occasionally on Sith planets, where they're poking around in some Sith Lord's tomb. At least that's how it's been in many SW entries.

 

 

For material, maybe the crew skill quest description can give you some starters.

Thank you. I have thought about just using the Crew Skill Missions for Archaeology for a "foundation" for RP. Thank you though.

That idea, of using the archaeology mission as Role-play is brilliant. Well done.

Archaeology the Crew Skill in this game is more along the lines of geology or even gemology. It's focused mostly on excavating crystals and very rarely some relic bits. There's not really much there to build RP around.

 

In game most of the treasure hunting people seem to be either tomb robbers or Sith specific researchers, i.e. the Imperial Reclamation Service. You don't get much in the way of that Republic side, which is kind of odd considering Smugglers are Pubs. It's mostly just some academic research on Tython and a bit of past digging on Taris.

 

That being the case, the most profitable venture these days seems to be the excavation of ancient Sith / dark force user artifacts. Since Korriban was rediscovered people have been going there in droves trying to unearth things the ancient Sith lords left behind. There are also force user relics spread out on other worlds for enterprising individuals to dig up and sell to the highest bidder. Athiss and Voss come to mind.

 

The higher the profit the higher the risk, naturally. Treasure hunters and smugglers are not well regarded by the Empire and tend to end up dead or with shock collars around their necks. Even beyond that, though, there's always the risk of booby traps left in the tombs by jealous Sith lords who didn't want their artifacts taken by rivals. On top of that, the dark power in said artifacts has a nasty tendency to try to possess people who attempt to claim them.

 

If you get tired of the force user artifact gig or need a break there's always other ancient civilizations to plunder relics from. Technology in the Star Wars universe is so wonderfully advanced that unearthing ancient relics often equates to finding lost tech rather than fossils and stone tools, which can be pretty cool. The foremost thing that comes to mind would be relics from the Rakata of the Infinite Empire. Those guys were all over the place but you can find a lot of their technology on Belsavis.

 

 

As for template ideas for a character who's involved in that area...

 

A. The Professor - Devoted to science and the pursuit of facts, The Professor has such a zealous need to find the answers (s)he's seeking that (s)he takes matters into their own hands. Petty concerns like intergalactic wars and laws are mere trifles when compared to the secrets of the universe. Still... the pursuit of knowledge can be expensive. If one or two smaller artifacts should find their way into the hands of wealthy collectors what does it matter so long as The Professor finds the answers (s)he seeks?

 

B. The Plunderer - Possession is everything in this galaxy. Those who can take something, deserve to have it and The Plunderer takes great pride in their trophies. Sith artifacts, ancient technology, pirate king treasure, priceless fossilized remains of long-dead creatures, (s)he's taken them all and no one can stop them. On occasion, out of sheer boredom, (s)he'll take a job for someone else who wants a relic from some newly discovered tomb. Maybe (s)he'll deliver it, maybe (s)he'll decide to add it to their own collection. Who knows? There's no vault, no tomb, no dig site (s)he can't infiltrate and no treasure (s)he can't claim.

 

C. The Power Seeker - Too long has life in the galaxy been dictated by Sith, Jedi, Hutts, and anyone else with the power and resources to muscle aside the little people. Everywhere you look are lives destroyed by the petty struggles of the corrupt. It's time someone else stepped up. The Power Seeker has listened to the rumors whispered in the back alleys Nar Shaddaa, spoken to drunken, shell shocked Imperials who mutter about ancient artifacts that surge with dark energies, and found the path they have to take. If power is out there for the taking, then (s)he will be the one to claim it. It might take some acting, pretending to be the humble mercenary just taking a job guarding a dig site or two, but in the end that power will belong to The Seeker. Then the galaxy will find out that it's not just the Sith and the Jedi who can change the course of history...

 

D. The Middle Man - Sometimes greed can get one in over their head. It sounds like such a simple profession. "Acquire" some items a discerning customer wants, then deliver them safely and within the deadline. Simple. All it takes is a bribe here, a fake I.D. there, maybe a passcode or a favor repaid, and some fuel. Next thing you know you've got a reputation as someone who gets things done and you're rolling in the credits. One hardly notices when they turn that corner, though. All of a sudden the clients get more... demanding. The items they want one to "acquire" take a lot more effort to get and the people who have them to begin with aren't fooling around. Then there are the packages that just creep you out. A funny smell comes from the crate, like ozone mixed with rot, and the other guys in your crew start acting weird the longer they're around it. One's gotta wonder if it's worth the creds the client is offering. Little does one know that it's far, far too late to back out now...

 

E. The Professional - Greed is for amateurs. Cheap thrills and tame blockade runs are for Spice heads. It's the challenge of beating unbeatable odds that's the true spice in life. They say that holocron in Naga Sadow's tomb can't be taken. Sounds like a job for a Professional! They say that Rakata fortress discovered in the darkest parts of the forests of Kashyyk can't be entered. Even Czerka couldn't find a way inside. Want to bet the Professional will be the first? Credits are just tokens of esteem at the end of the day, the equivalent of a toast in your name and a free drink. It's the fame of being the best that is the Professional's true reward. Spread the word.

 

 

I probably went a bit overboard here but it was fun thinking of ideas. Hopefully this'll help you figure out a story for your character. Good luck!

Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas. I really appreciate the feedback.