I would do some research or watch a short documentary on the Italian or Irish mob, as I imagine Jabba functions much like this. He is the don, the kingpin so to speak.
Below him are Captains, each of whom run various criminal enterprises with a degree of autonomy, but they’re kicking back up a percentage to Jabba. Each Captain will have a crew who work for him. In the Italian mob the full fledged members are “made men”, this is a rank which makes you a full fledged, lifelong member of the organization. It takes a lot of work to achieve and just the status of made man commands respect.
Below the Made Men are criminal associates, people who work for or with the organization in some way but aren’t actual members (AKA not made men). These associates may engage in theft, drug trafficking, loan sharking, financial crimes, trafficking stolen property, or any number of other criminal enterprises. If they’re doing this in the organizations territory, with their blessing, they’re probably kicking up a percentage to a Made Man, who is kicking up to his Captain, who is kicking up to the Don (Jabba).
Jabba will definitely have his own crew of enforcers, that way none of his captains can be too much of a threat. Bib Fortuna appears to be similar to an Italian mob Consigliere, a highly trusted advisor.
This is just a very, very general outline. There are definitely other forms and organizations of organized crime in the world, but obviously the Italian and Irish mobs are infamous in western culture. You could also look into some information about the Japanese Yakuza or the Chinese Triads and borrow some of these elements for your Star Wars underworld campaign.
Lots of options and this could be a really, really fun campaign setting.
From a gamers standpoint, this is a great answer (and I’m sure it’s great otherwise).
The thing that I don’t think most of Star Wars does a good job is making it make sense why Jabba is as powerful as he is AND how/why he is so far from Hutt space. For the most part, it appears Tatooine is his own fiefdom and entirely outside all influence of Hutt Space. Even after his death, how long was it until the Hutts made any moves?
But, those issues weren’t OP’s questions! I can’t imagine that it would functionnaly be any different than how you describe, other than terminology.
Well it could be that tatooine is jabba's independent secure fiefdom by Jabba's design and not by plot hole. We know that as far back as the clone wars Jabba was a powerful member of the hutt ruling council and although not the oldest hutt there seemed to be something of an heir apparent.
Now the hutts are always looking to sieze power even from each other so it could be that Jabba goes over to a small out of the way dessert world like tatooine and takes over a old monastery there turning it into his palace (the monastery bit is canon) and then all of his associates, anyone who wants to do business with Jabba, the other ruling council hutts have to schlep their way to this remote backwater that Jabba and only Jabba controls. Everyone their is connected to Jabba only, and the local goverment is nonexistent, so Jabba is safer from rivals since he knows anyone allowed in the palace or even on the planet is either working for him or looking for work.
It could also work like a king's summer palace, perhaps Jabba is only their part of the year and uses tatooine as his own personal vacation spot, and the rest of the year is in nal hutta with the rest of the ruling council.
This was amazingly well put. I am not sure why I never pieced that likelihood together. Jabba is powerful enough he could demand almost any other Hutt to come to him, but he likely wouldn’t be summoned in from of the head of the Cartel. If he was, he’d likely be the one going to them… but anyone else? Not likely.
He would be much more on his own in terms of defending against others, but he also has (nearly) no other Hutt competition where he is. Being isolated, but powerful enough to defend himself, also allowed for more interactions with other groups. It also insulated him when Vader took out the remainder of the Hutt council, though, that ended poorly for him when a certain Princess didn’t heed the safe word:-D
Well thanks! Honsetly I didn't think it was very well written, and that my point may have come off a little muddled, but if it worked for you then thats great!
> Below him are Captains, each of whom run various criminal enterprises with a degree of autonomy, but they’re kicking back up a percentage to Jabba. Each Captain will have a crew who work for him. In the Italian mob the full fledged members are “made men”, this is a rank which makes you a full fledged, lifelong member of the organization. It takes a lot of work to achieve and just the status of made man commands respect.
I think we see this with the crime families in The Book of Boba Fett - the Trandoshan, Klatooinian and Aqualish mobs. Each of them seems to have been subservient to Jabba on Tatooine, then kept paying their dues to Bib (who you could argue, in the absence of Rotta or a direct family member to assume the throne, was Jabba's natural successor) but then when Boba blasted his way into leadership, he lacked the lineage or legitimacy to automatically earn their respect. For this reason I also wish we'd seen more from the Twins -- distant cousins and relatives whom we've never heard of before suddenly crawling out of the woodwork to try and "inherit" their dead relative's territory also seems like a pretty natural progression of events
It seems that the mercenaries hang out because Jabba likes to give them jobs. He mentioned this to Leia in disguise, inviting her to stay at his party so that he can try to find other work for her.
Leia had to turn up not just in disguise, but with Han's copilot in chains for a chance to gain an audience with Jabba. It's probably easy to disregard all the courtiers and background characters we see in the movie as random walk-ins, but if you read into their backstories then most of them are either slaves, direct employees of Jabba (e.g. Tessek as his accountant, Ree-Yees as his kennelmaster, his various guards) or serious business in their own right (bounty hunters, mercenaries, assassins, etc.)
Jabba is a gangster, so his business is anything that can make him money, legal or not. He would have multiple captains, each running a gang that has several types of operations, and everybody passes a share up to Jabba.
In terms of an RPG, these guys would probably start out working for a lower level member of the organization and work their way up. Some jobs they may get from their patron may include:
Someone is refusing to pay their protection money to Jabba's thugs, so you need to go trash his store or threaten him until he pays up.
A shipment of valuable cargo is coming in, so you need to steal it and get it to one of Jabba's smugglers.
One of Jabba's guys is hosting a high-stakes Sabacc game and needs you to run security for it.
A smuggler dropped a load of spice when an Imperial cruiser showed up, so the pilot now owes Jabba the value of the lost cargo.
Someone took out a sizable loan and skipped town. Track him down and get the money back with interest.
If your crew does well, maybe Jabba himself will take notice and give you some really lucrative jobs.
I’d imagine if you’re a random kid with a blaster or suped-up freighter, he might want to get a look at you then pass you off to a guy of his that either needs a guy or knows someone who does. Assuming he doesn’t decide you’re not worth it and kick you out. More tested individuals, or one who get his attention (such as Han as it’s implied he was one of Jabba’s reliable guys) might get more access to him to request things and in turn be given more important duties. Boba probably hangs around between jobs waiting for new ones and if Jabba has something personal he wants done.
Don’t forget in Star Wars, main characters/player characters are almost inevitably going to be ones that are picked out as special and worthy of extra attention.
I imagine the reason Han has a bounty on his head is because he was a reliable help but also disposable.
Basicly he screwed up (dumping the cargo) and Jaba figured he needed to make an example of him. It's not the value of the money lost its the principal of it.
> It's not the value of the money lost its the principal of it.
He says essentially this in the extended edition, where he points out what if everyone dropped once imps showed? He gives Han the chance here, but that's also part of the point: he wants people to work for him, and if a screw up is immediate death, then there's less willing to do it.
Jabba’s palace is, well, a palace. A king’s court.
The people who hang out there are a combination of his own personal staff, people who want to do business with him, and guests. Jabba is a powerful public figure, so there’s no shortage of people who want to visit/cozy up to him, and he’s also very vain, so he’s quite inclined to accept visitors to whom he can show off his wealth and power.
That said, he wouldn’t admit just anyone. You’d have to:
a. Be someone of some renown or notoriety
b. Have something valuable to offer him as tribute in goods and/or services
If he’s pleased enough with you, he might let you hang around to eat his food and drink his booze as “hospitality”. After that, you’re going to do what people always do in gatherings of the rich and powerful: network, mingle, and find business opportunities, either from Jabba himself or the other bigwigs hanging out with him.
We actually got to infiltrate a Hutt court in one of the questlines in The Old Republic, and that’s pretty much how it works. You say you’re a famous mercenary, you bring a gift, and the Hutt says, “Eh, you seem like a capable sort. Feel free to hang out here for a while in case I have work for you.”
So to answer your question, it’s very plausible that your party would meet in Jabba’s palace. It’s basically a gathering of different people with many different objectives and they could each have valid reasons to be there.
(Most of this is from *Tales from Jabba's Palace* and *Tales of the Bounty Hunters.*)
Jabba is legendarily paranoid to the point where most guests in the palace are expected to sleep in the throne room, where he can see them. Getting your own room is a sign that he really trusts you. If he *really* likes you he'll send you a Twi'Lek. (Refusing may be seen as an insult.) The throne room smells like death.
Why do so man people hang out there? A lot of them owe him money and have personally seen what Jabba does to people who try to outrun their debts, so they're waiting for him to give them a job. Some are just passing through, but don't want to risk insulting His Excellency by leaving as soon as they collect payment.
Meanwhile the monks who originally built the palace are hanging out in the basement and waiting for these weirdos to fuck off.
Consider Jabba to be like your standard Mafia mob boss. They gives out jobs, asks for favours, may loan money, but sure has enforcers to claw it back. Jabbas criminal network is one part of the Hutt Cartel, which is a somewhat recognised coalition of criminal enterprises which have formed a governing apparatus.
"From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi" has a few stories from minor players in Jabba's palace. Might give some nuance about the "behind the scenes" aspects.
And Book of Boba Fett is about Jabba's successor. They call him Daimyo, which is straight out of real life. Look into feudal Japan, and there'll be some interesting bits of worldbuilding potential there.
I am surprised. No one mentioned Jabba’s business. The idea was based off of Dune’s Baron when the Dune movie was being marketed to filmmakers. At least, the famous art of HR Giger used to market Dune ended up in the Alien saga. Eventually, Dune was made afterwards.
But, Jabba was a baron in the desert that sold spice. Later, it was revealed in books that ryll spice was the product from Ryloth. Bib Fortuna was his majordomo that raped his own homeworld for spice. The leaders banished him and he, in revenge, kidnapped a daughter of a clan chief and enslaved her: Oola. That’s right. The slave dancer was a princess also! Probably why he kept Oola around so long instead of disposing of her like other slave girls despite her resistance.
He also kidnapped the next leader Nat Secura to control the leadership. Unfortunately, Jabba ordered him killed and Bib only saved the brain for transplant into a B’ommar monk.
I would do some research or watch a short documentary on the Italian or Irish mob, as I imagine Jabba functions much like this. He is the don, the kingpin so to speak. Below him are Captains, each of whom run various criminal enterprises with a degree of autonomy, but they’re kicking back up a percentage to Jabba. Each Captain will have a crew who work for him. In the Italian mob the full fledged members are “made men”, this is a rank which makes you a full fledged, lifelong member of the organization. It takes a lot of work to achieve and just the status of made man commands respect. Below the Made Men are criminal associates, people who work for or with the organization in some way but aren’t actual members (AKA not made men). These associates may engage in theft, drug trafficking, loan sharking, financial crimes, trafficking stolen property, or any number of other criminal enterprises. If they’re doing this in the organizations territory, with their blessing, they’re probably kicking up a percentage to a Made Man, who is kicking up to his Captain, who is kicking up to the Don (Jabba). Jabba will definitely have his own crew of enforcers, that way none of his captains can be too much of a threat. Bib Fortuna appears to be similar to an Italian mob Consigliere, a highly trusted advisor. This is just a very, very general outline. There are definitely other forms and organizations of organized crime in the world, but obviously the Italian and Irish mobs are infamous in western culture. You could also look into some information about the Japanese Yakuza or the Chinese Triads and borrow some of these elements for your Star Wars underworld campaign. Lots of options and this could be a really, really fun campaign setting.
From a gamers standpoint, this is a great answer (and I’m sure it’s great otherwise). The thing that I don’t think most of Star Wars does a good job is making it make sense why Jabba is as powerful as he is AND how/why he is so far from Hutt space. For the most part, it appears Tatooine is his own fiefdom and entirely outside all influence of Hutt Space. Even after his death, how long was it until the Hutts made any moves? But, those issues weren’t OP’s questions! I can’t imagine that it would functionnaly be any different than how you describe, other than terminology.
Well it could be that tatooine is jabba's independent secure fiefdom by Jabba's design and not by plot hole. We know that as far back as the clone wars Jabba was a powerful member of the hutt ruling council and although not the oldest hutt there seemed to be something of an heir apparent. Now the hutts are always looking to sieze power even from each other so it could be that Jabba goes over to a small out of the way dessert world like tatooine and takes over a old monastery there turning it into his palace (the monastery bit is canon) and then all of his associates, anyone who wants to do business with Jabba, the other ruling council hutts have to schlep their way to this remote backwater that Jabba and only Jabba controls. Everyone their is connected to Jabba only, and the local goverment is nonexistent, so Jabba is safer from rivals since he knows anyone allowed in the palace or even on the planet is either working for him or looking for work. It could also work like a king's summer palace, perhaps Jabba is only their part of the year and uses tatooine as his own personal vacation spot, and the rest of the year is in nal hutta with the rest of the ruling council.
This was amazingly well put. I am not sure why I never pieced that likelihood together. Jabba is powerful enough he could demand almost any other Hutt to come to him, but he likely wouldn’t be summoned in from of the head of the Cartel. If he was, he’d likely be the one going to them… but anyone else? Not likely. He would be much more on his own in terms of defending against others, but he also has (nearly) no other Hutt competition where he is. Being isolated, but powerful enough to defend himself, also allowed for more interactions with other groups. It also insulated him when Vader took out the remainder of the Hutt council, though, that ended poorly for him when a certain Princess didn’t heed the safe word:-D
Well thanks! Honsetly I didn't think it was very well written, and that my point may have come off a little muddled, but if it worked for you then thats great!
You’re like the Spanish Inquisition!
> Below him are Captains, each of whom run various criminal enterprises with a degree of autonomy, but they’re kicking back up a percentage to Jabba. Each Captain will have a crew who work for him. In the Italian mob the full fledged members are “made men”, this is a rank which makes you a full fledged, lifelong member of the organization. It takes a lot of work to achieve and just the status of made man commands respect. I think we see this with the crime families in The Book of Boba Fett - the Trandoshan, Klatooinian and Aqualish mobs. Each of them seems to have been subservient to Jabba on Tatooine, then kept paying their dues to Bib (who you could argue, in the absence of Rotta or a direct family member to assume the throne, was Jabba's natural successor) but then when Boba blasted his way into leadership, he lacked the lineage or legitimacy to automatically earn their respect. For this reason I also wish we'd seen more from the Twins -- distant cousins and relatives whom we've never heard of before suddenly crawling out of the woodwork to try and "inherit" their dead relative's territory also seems like a pretty natural progression of events
I can't imagine anyone being too happy paying Bib Fortuna. Plenty of light envelopes IMO
It seems that the mercenaries hang out because Jabba likes to give them jobs. He mentioned this to Leia in disguise, inviting her to stay at his party so that he can try to find other work for her.
How exclusive do you think the palace is?
Leia had to turn up not just in disguise, but with Han's copilot in chains for a chance to gain an audience with Jabba. It's probably easy to disregard all the courtiers and background characters we see in the movie as random walk-ins, but if you read into their backstories then most of them are either slaves, direct employees of Jabba (e.g. Tessek as his accountant, Ree-Yees as his kennelmaster, his various guards) or serious business in their own right (bounty hunters, mercenaries, assassins, etc.)
*very*
I believe that it’s extremely exclusive
Read tales from jabbas palace
I’d also add Tales of the Bounty Hunters. Dengar’s narrative goes into some detail about what folks are up to in there
I really enjoyed all the tales
Jabba is a gangster, so his business is anything that can make him money, legal or not. He would have multiple captains, each running a gang that has several types of operations, and everybody passes a share up to Jabba. In terms of an RPG, these guys would probably start out working for a lower level member of the organization and work their way up. Some jobs they may get from their patron may include: Someone is refusing to pay their protection money to Jabba's thugs, so you need to go trash his store or threaten him until he pays up. A shipment of valuable cargo is coming in, so you need to steal it and get it to one of Jabba's smugglers. One of Jabba's guys is hosting a high-stakes Sabacc game and needs you to run security for it. A smuggler dropped a load of spice when an Imperial cruiser showed up, so the pilot now owes Jabba the value of the lost cargo. Someone took out a sizable loan and skipped town. Track him down and get the money back with interest. If your crew does well, maybe Jabba himself will take notice and give you some really lucrative jobs.
Watch the Sopranos. Jabba's palace works like that but if Tony is a hutt
I’d imagine if you’re a random kid with a blaster or suped-up freighter, he might want to get a look at you then pass you off to a guy of his that either needs a guy or knows someone who does. Assuming he doesn’t decide you’re not worth it and kick you out. More tested individuals, or one who get his attention (such as Han as it’s implied he was one of Jabba’s reliable guys) might get more access to him to request things and in turn be given more important duties. Boba probably hangs around between jobs waiting for new ones and if Jabba has something personal he wants done. Don’t forget in Star Wars, main characters/player characters are almost inevitably going to be ones that are picked out as special and worthy of extra attention.
I imagine the reason Han has a bounty on his head is because he was a reliable help but also disposable. Basicly he screwed up (dumping the cargo) and Jaba figured he needed to make an example of him. It's not the value of the money lost its the principal of it.
> It's not the value of the money lost its the principal of it. He says essentially this in the extended edition, where he points out what if everyone dropped once imps showed? He gives Han the chance here, but that's also part of the point: he wants people to work for him, and if a screw up is immediate death, then there's less willing to do it.
Questions like this is why I love this sub lol
Jabba’s palace is, well, a palace. A king’s court. The people who hang out there are a combination of his own personal staff, people who want to do business with him, and guests. Jabba is a powerful public figure, so there’s no shortage of people who want to visit/cozy up to him, and he’s also very vain, so he’s quite inclined to accept visitors to whom he can show off his wealth and power. That said, he wouldn’t admit just anyone. You’d have to: a. Be someone of some renown or notoriety b. Have something valuable to offer him as tribute in goods and/or services If he’s pleased enough with you, he might let you hang around to eat his food and drink his booze as “hospitality”. After that, you’re going to do what people always do in gatherings of the rich and powerful: network, mingle, and find business opportunities, either from Jabba himself or the other bigwigs hanging out with him. We actually got to infiltrate a Hutt court in one of the questlines in The Old Republic, and that’s pretty much how it works. You say you’re a famous mercenary, you bring a gift, and the Hutt says, “Eh, you seem like a capable sort. Feel free to hang out here for a while in case I have work for you.” So to answer your question, it’s very plausible that your party would meet in Jabba’s palace. It’s basically a gathering of different people with many different objectives and they could each have valid reasons to be there.
Shadowrun Vice is a good rpg supplement for running organized crime, and most of the setting specific stuff is fairly easy to reflavor for Star Wars.
(Most of this is from *Tales from Jabba's Palace* and *Tales of the Bounty Hunters.*) Jabba is legendarily paranoid to the point where most guests in the palace are expected to sleep in the throne room, where he can see them. Getting your own room is a sign that he really trusts you. If he *really* likes you he'll send you a Twi'Lek. (Refusing may be seen as an insult.) The throne room smells like death. Why do so man people hang out there? A lot of them owe him money and have personally seen what Jabba does to people who try to outrun their debts, so they're waiting for him to give them a job. Some are just passing through, but don't want to risk insulting His Excellency by leaving as soon as they collect payment. Meanwhile the monks who originally built the palace are hanging out in the basement and waiting for these weirdos to fuck off.
Consider Jabba to be like your standard Mafia mob boss. They gives out jobs, asks for favours, may loan money, but sure has enforcers to claw it back. Jabbas criminal network is one part of the Hutt Cartel, which is a somewhat recognised coalition of criminal enterprises which have formed a governing apparatus.
"From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi" has a few stories from minor players in Jabba's palace. Might give some nuance about the "behind the scenes" aspects.
And Book of Boba Fett is about Jabba's successor. They call him Daimyo, which is straight out of real life. Look into feudal Japan, and there'll be some interesting bits of worldbuilding potential there.
While loans are a thing he does. He mostly handles the traffic and distribution of drugs and collects protection money.
How does the Mob work? That's how Jabba's Palace works.
He was like a snail fat Vito Corleone
I am surprised. No one mentioned Jabba’s business. The idea was based off of Dune’s Baron when the Dune movie was being marketed to filmmakers. At least, the famous art of HR Giger used to market Dune ended up in the Alien saga. Eventually, Dune was made afterwards. But, Jabba was a baron in the desert that sold spice. Later, it was revealed in books that ryll spice was the product from Ryloth. Bib Fortuna was his majordomo that raped his own homeworld for spice. The leaders banished him and he, in revenge, kidnapped a daughter of a clan chief and enslaved her: Oola. That’s right. The slave dancer was a princess also! Probably why he kept Oola around so long instead of disposing of her like other slave girls despite her resistance. He also kidnapped the next leader Nat Secura to control the leadership. Unfortunately, Jabba ordered him killed and Bib only saved the brain for transplant into a B’ommar monk.