Living Force represented a Wizards of the Coast RPGA organized play campaign, structured in a similar fashion to other campaigns such as Living Greyhawk. Specifically designed for this campaign, the Cularin system, was the setting, with details found in the Living Force Campaign Guide. Initially, the campaign took place one year following the events of The Phantom Menace, but to align with the movie releases, the timeline of the Cularin system advanced almost a decade when Attack of the Clones premiered.
The Living Force campaign spanned six years, concluding after the release of Revenge of the Sith. The RPGA distributed the campaign's adventures to its members for use at conventions and designated game days. These adventures were supplemented by articles on the Wizards of the Coast website, which provided stories, information about the Cularin system, and updates to the campaign's rules.
Among the Stars was the title of the campaign's primary story arc. A secondary story arc, Law and Order, was under development by campaign staff in Great Britain, but it was discontinued after only four adventures had been published.
As the Mother of the Tarasin Hiironi irstat, the largest irstat on Cularin, Dariana held a position of influence. In this capacity, she held sway among the native Tarasin, possessing the ability to convene a council of elders empowered to make decisions affecting all Tarasin. Dariana frequently documented her memoirs, offering insights into the events unfolding within the Cularin system.
Originally a reporter for the talk show "Eye on Cularin" on Cularin Central Broadcasting, Yara Grugara rose to prominence as a commentator on events within the system. She secured interviews with several key figures, including the crime lord Nirama and Jedi Masters Qel-Bertuk and Kirlocca. Grugara later voiced her support for the Cualrin Militia, which sparked controversy. Despite being viewed by some as superficial, her tenacious interviewing style often yielded unexpected revelations.
At the time of the Invasion of Naboo, Kirlocca held the rank of Jedi Master. As a male Wookiee, he served as the lightsaber instructor at the Almas Academy. Kirlocca possessed a kind and wise nature, believing that martial training was the most effective method for imparting knowledge, guiding younger individuals to channel their energies through fencing. In addition to lightsaber instruction, Kirlocca assisted with basic Force exercises and oversaw aspects of the Jedi Trials. While attending a peace conference with other Jedi, Raik Muun attempted to use two T'salaks to transform the Jedi mediators into crazed killers, intending to discredit the Order. Although her plan failed, Master Kirlocca was killed by the t'salaks, and Raik successfully escaped.
Nirama, an Oblee crime lord, held dominion over all criminal activities within the Cularin system. Formerly an accountant for Riboga the Hutt, he successfully usurped control of his entire Organization. Operating from the Cularin asteroid belt, he developed a deep affection for the Cularin system. His organization aligned with the Cularin Militia in their conflict against the Navy of Thaere.
Lanius Qel-Bertuk was a distinguished Jedi Master and the Headmaster of the Jedi Academy on Almas. He was regarded by some as one of the most insightful Jedi within the Order. Lanius Qel-Bertuk was a Human male, characterized by his ice-blue eyes, raven-black hair, and a greying beard, all set within a friendly, often-smiling face. He bore a burn scar on his left cheek and was missing the third finger on his left hand.
Jir Tramsig commanded the Navy of Thaere within the Cularin system. A man known for his ruthlessness and ambition, he was notorious for prioritizing mission success over the well-being of his subordinates. Driven by the Navy's association with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, he ultimately directed his forces against the Cularin Militia in an attempt to seize control of the system by force.
From 32 BBY to 19 BBY, Lavina Durada-Vashne Wren, a female Human, served as the Senator of the Galactic Republic, representing the Cularin system. Throughout her tenure on Coruscant, she consistently advocated for Cularin, even during the system's decade-long absence from the galaxy. She supported the Cularin Militia's efforts against the Navy of Thaere, championing their cause in the Senate, which resulted in assassination attempts. Recognizing the Republic's trajectory, Wren withdrew Cularin, declaring its sovereignty as an independent system.
The Living Force campaign was structured around a series of story arcs, each lasting a year, with certain narrative threads continuing throughout the campaign. Each year featured four adventure trilogies, three of which contributed to the overarching storyline, while the fourth focused on more tangential events. These trilogies were supplemented by one to three standalone adventures. All adventures were initially released at conventions before becoming available for home play at a later date.
Living Force adventures were generally designed to fit within the four-hour time slots allocated at gaming conventions. A Mon Alone was an exceptionally long adventure designed for two time slots. The adventures were intended for groups of 4-6 players (though the RPGA briefly allowed 3-7), and GMs were expected to adhere to the written adventures without incorporating house rules, ensuring a consistent play experience for all participants. Living Force adventures were typically retired approximately one and a half to two years after their debut. Games played within 30 days of the premiere submitted event summaries to the campaign staff, with the majority of table results determining the overall outcome for the campaign (e.g., if a villain escaped in more than half of the submitted summaries, that villain's escape was considered canon and could influence future events).
Another type of adventure was the interactive, where all players participated together in a predominantly live-action roleplaying (LARP) scenario. Players primarily interacted with each other and NPCs in a social context. These events often included activities such as podracing, gambling, marksmanship competitions, or starship combat simulations. Players could issue orders to meta-organizations like Joh's New and Used Droid Emporium and the Ma'Haffee Shipyard. Some interactives included periods where players divided into groups of 4-6 for short tabletop roleplaying segments. Many interactives were one-time events, with their results becoming the campaign's canon, although a few were later made available at subsequent conventions.
The Wizards website hosted numerous supporting articles for the Living Force campaign. Once the campaign was underway, these articles typically appeared weekly, with most being authored by plot director Morrie Mullins. Many served as supplements to specific adventures, while others detailed events within the Cularin system, often presented as an in-universe component followed by out-of-universe context and/or roleplaying statistics. J.D. Wiker also contributed articles focused on roleplaying aspects, such as portraying a Jedi accurately or crafting a compelling recurring campaign villain.
2001
- Sep: Two Heads Aren't Better Than One · Liriana: Dark Force Witch of Cularin · No Droids for You!
- Oct: The Sivulliq Is Out There -- Somewhere · Over Thaere · Shades of Meaning · Yri Worms Wreak Havoc for Miners
- Dec: Cularin's Lady Senator, Lavina Wren · Troop Movements · The Cartel's Gift
2002
- Jan: Senator Wren's Social Calendar · Gang War
- Feb: Discussions With Lanius · Into the Academy
- Mar: Life in the Shadows · Now I Am the Master
- Apr: A Dark Cult · The Sith Fortress · A Friendly Face
- May: Profile of an Assassin
- Jul: Dragon of the Desert · Dark on Dark · A Changing Galaxy · The Cell Revisited
- Aug: Further Discussions With Lanius · Renna's Transport Service
- Oct: Rebirth · Shadow Droids · The Creaking Gate · Trade and Trade Alike
- Nov: Celebrate SoroSuub
- Dec: That Is Nirama's Word
2003
- Jan: A Mother's Memoirs · Cularin's Militia: Exposed!
- Feb: Friendship in the Order · The Lost
- Mar: Tilnes Falling · Felanil Baaks, Jedi Artisan
- Apr: Something to Mull Over · Jedi Artisan Prestige Class
- May: Stories of Caarimon · Long Live the Republic · Jedi Artisan Contest
- Jun: Burnout · Devan
- Jul: Life's Memories · Trouble Follows Us
- Aug: The Darkstaff · Thurm Loogg Speaks
- Sep: Jurisdiction · You Are Not a Jedi Yet · News of the Wyrd
- Oct: Cularin at Night · Conversations With Lanius
- Nov: Thaere Is Not Your Friend · Who Is Baylan?
- Dec: Trammel's Move · False Horizon
2004
- Jan: Destabilization · Reidi Artom's Expansion Manifesto
- Feb: Smuggler's Trade
- Mar: Riboga's Legacy · Conflict and Mastery · Manifesto My Foot · Only a Master of Evil · Home of Wisdom
- Apr: Tales of Nub Saar · Martial Arts · The Hunt Begins · Merr-Sonn · A Mother's Memoirs, Continued
- May: Swoop and Dive · Insecurities · Jungle Warfare
- Jun: Political Platforms · The Duel · Metatheran Promise
- Jul: Droid Rights · Double Cross · Into the Woods · Lockdown · Conversation in Shadow
- Aug: Kilassin For Hire · Sacrifices · Cause of the Month
- Sep: Making of a Witch · Further Conversations with Lanius
- Oct: Academic Review · Professionals at Work · View from the Roof · Priorities
- Nov: Zero Zero Zero · Displacement · Ezil's Return
- Dec: Tramsig's Plan · Standoffs · Disapproval
2005
- Jan: Reprieves · The Oblee
- Mar: Simplicity · The Best Defense · Everyone's a Critic
- Apr: A Mother's Memoirs, Concluded · Letters in the Sand
- May: Insider
- Jun: Conspiracy · Banner Days · Conversations With Lanius · Dark Heart · Stone and Steel
- Jul: All Comers · Osten Dal'Nay · Marching Orders · A Hero's Death
- Aug: Cloud Force · Time After Time · Dark Hands · Idiosyncrasies
- Sep: Tilnes · Sith Battlelords · Hearts of Green and Gold · The Believers · Dark Soul
- Oct: Remember When · What Are We, Then? · Yara: The Unauthorized Biography
- Nov: In All Things Balance
- Dec: Home Again · Cularin Emergency Announcement · Farewell · Life According to Meelo
2006
- Jan: Grudge Match · The Price of Neutrality -- Isolation · The Price of Neutrality -- Rebellion · Dark Hope · The Calm Before the Storm
- Feb: Faded Colors · Closed Circuits · Living Force: Dark Shadows · Living Force: From the Cradle to the Grave
- Mar: Living Force: One Minute to Midnight
2007
- Feb: Living Force: Last Stand
General articles
- "Acilaris" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Almas" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Asteroid Belt" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Creature Feature: Cularin Space Slug" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Creature Feature: Swamp Womp Rat!" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Cularin" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Cularin System" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Eskaron" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Genarius" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Morjakar" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Ostfrei" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Tarasin" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Uffel" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Ulbasca" on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
The Living Force campaign was primarily a self-contained narrative, unfolded against the backdrop of events portrayed in the films. Beginning with the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, it incorporated various allusions to the events depicted therein. For example, the Metatheran Cartel, a corporate offshoot that separated from the Trade Federation, served as one of the initial antagonists. However, the early adventures were confined to the Cularin system, and writers were prohibited from utilizing any plot elements or technologies from the movies. To maintain alignment with the film releases, a narrative mechanism was employed to advance the action by ten years to the setting of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. This was achieved by temporarily removing the entire Cularin system from the galaxy using a dark side artifact, only to return it to the galaxy at a later point.
Abel G. Peña's Droids, Technology and the Force: A Clash of Phenomena, published in March 2005, provided one of the first external references to the Living Force campaign, involving Uffel in the Yuuzhan Vong War. Later, in 2006 and 2007, Karen Traviss mentioned Cularin in both Republic Commando: Triple Zero and Republic Commando: True Colors; the Cularin system was characterized as Separatist-friendly, which did not entirely align with the campaign's portrayal. The Cularin system also served as the setting for Echoes of the Jedi, an adventure penned by Peña and Jean-François Boivin for the Dawn of Defiance campaign. This adventure drew upon numerous elements from the Living Force campaign.
Wizards of the Coast also featured the Tarasin, Caarite, and Filordus in their Ultimate Alien Anthology. Furthermore, Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force made frequent references to the Jedi of the Cularin system, even directly quoting a speech delivered by Lanius Qel-Bertuk from Friendship in the Order. In 2008, Nirama and the Metatheran Cartel were mentioned in Millennium Falcon, and subsequently, several characters and locations were included in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Later, the Rebellion Era Campaign Guide incorporated an adventure hook set within the Cularin system. Many of the worlds briefly mentioned in the campaign were listed in the Appendix of The Essential Atlas.