On Sandbox Settings

One of the reasons it's been so easy to run a Star Wars Open Sandbox game is that there is so much material available on the Star Wars Universe. This is thanks to the Expanded Universe(now called Legends).

Since the first film was released in 1977, LucasFilm has produced numerous films, novels,  comics, books, computer games, and role playing games, with the requirement that the setting for these works be internally consistent. The result of this coordinated, multi-decade project is a fictional world comprising an entire galaxy of inhabited worlds, it's millennia-long history, and detailed descriptions of significant personages and technology. This provides a wealth of material for contemporary creators to build off of.

This is important for running a sandbox game pen and paper RPG. In a sandbox RPG, the Game Master has no idea what is going to happen in a session. The players' choices during a given session are ultimately what determines the direction of the action. The GM's job is to respond to those player choices in a way that is consistent with the game world, as well as just generally bringing the world to life for the players. As such, the GM needs a really strong grasp of the game world, it's current events, and each NPC's motivations. Being able to build off a deeply developed world, be it real or imaginary, helps the DM bring his own game world to life.

My WWII sandbox game All Zombies: Polish Resistance, had a similar benefit since there is tons of information about World War II Europe. Wikipedia and Google Maps provided most of the background for the game world and as GM I just had to choose a specific location, create NPCs, stat up weapons, and come up with the specifics of local events.

The process for a Star Wars game has been remarkably similar. I've gotten 90% of the background material from Wookiepedia, plus some of the local details from Tramp Freighters.

But recently I got stuck. The party has been looking to acquire a large merchant freighter, and while Star Wars wiki has articles on a number of them, these articles have minimal content and no gameable stats. This makes sense since the various official Star Wars games generally have you interacting with military ships, not boring old freighters.  As GM I could just make up some quick and dirty ship stats, but I'd rather use something with a bit more basis.

So I was feeling pretty stuck until I stumbled upon this list of complete stats for Star Wars Heavy Freighters.

What is this wonderful site, you may ask? It is a free, community-driven Star Wars MMORP with player-created content. That's right, where the Expanded Universe leaves off, StarWarsCombine picks up in order to provide a fully gameable Galaxy Far Far Away. Needless to say, this is a great resource for running a Star Wars Sandbox. In fact, I've already been using their Nav Computer tool for calculating hyperspace distances, without realizing what SWCombine was.

Needless to say, I'll be visiting the Combine again in the future for high quality Star Wars game content.

Shipbuilding in Minor and Airam

With the party looking into aquiring a large ship, I need to figure out what shipbuilders are in the area. So far the game has taken place in Minos and Airam sectors or gridquares L20 and M20 on the galactic map. But where can I find a directory of local shipyards?

I started out with a list of major shipyards that I've heard of:

• Kuat Drive Yards
• Corellian Shipyards
• Mon Calamari Shipyards

But these are all located in the Core Worlds. That is very far from our game and I'm not sure how to extend the sandbox that far. Besides that, it doesn't make sense to me that Outer Rim residents travel that far to commission a ship.

The next step I took was to look for a map or list of known Star Wars shipyards. I found this list of 130 or so: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Shipyards

After a bit of digging, I found a familiar name: Eriadu Manufacturing Shipyards. This is great since Eriadu is relatively close, in Seswenna Sector, gridsquare M18. It's also has an interesting political connection for our game since the shipyard is owned by House Valorum, ancient rivals to the Tarkin family.

The article on EM Shipyards also mentions a competitor which is even closer to the Airam, Sluis Van Shipyards, in Sluis sector, grid M19.

Both shipyards can be reached fairly directly via the Rimma Trade route, so that if the party decides to take that trip, the DM won't have an excessive amount of preparation to do.

Paradise System

Paradise System after the fall

Paradise System is the Home System of the Ugor. The Ugor fell from the height of their power with the destruction of the Gravity Well Projector they used to organize their system-wide junk yard. In short order, the system fell into dissaray and became, essentially, one big debris field.

However, in recent decades, an upstart young Ugor was able to acquire a new, albeit less powerful, projector and begin the painstaking process of organizing their system into layers and rings. His success has helped him consolidate his power and earned him a stable appointment as High Priest. The Squib have taken notice and feel threatened by this resurgence of their ancient rivals.

Paradise System Map

An Ugor(illustrative)

High Priest Zorkblag the Infallible's reign has seen growing influence throughout the galaxy with the Ugor acquiring key monopolies over certain types of salvage. They even solidified their grasp over the previously contested Nocto System with its valuable salvage rights. Every year, more and more "Pilgrims" visit Paradise to lay an offering at the temple and to fulfill their salvage needs.

Star Wars 2020 Session 7: University Blues

Darakin University

We're picking up from last time at Darakin University on the planet Dorcin. The party had just convinced Professor Skoff to give them the location of the mysterious Yoberra system.

The Roster:

• Art- Ithorian Force user, tech Rock gardener, healing(Avi)
• Lucky- a Gran with many natural talents, good at dodging, explosives, stock market, interstellar navigation, leadership, pharmaceuticals(Lauren)
• Deeberjay- a spoiled young Ilay Squib prince with mad hacking ability(Art)
• Jonah- a space fighter pilot with a revolver from some primitive planet. Han Solo meets Dirty Harry(Michael)
• Malcolm- this tough spacer Woman is a hyperdrive wiz with blaster(Gittel)
• Roy- NPC scavenger from Nocto II(NPC)

The professor took the party, via train, to the University's spaceport hangar. He asked them about the First Order and Rebels, and whether they would take him to his Rebel contacts on Yelsain to hide from the First Order. They boarded a light freighter, converted to a Research Vessel. Jonah stayed outside to guard the ship while the rest of the party climbed aboard. Professor Skoff started transferring the coordinates to Deeberjay's Astromech unit.

While this was happening, a couple heavily armed characters began approaching the ship. Jonah ran aboard to warn the party. The gunmen demanded the Professor surrender to them immediately. Jonah fired up the ship's engines and attempted to crush the two assailants.

One was crushed, the other fought a cat and mouse battle with the party before eventually being cut-down by Art's lightsabre. Their terminal identified them as bounty hunters who were ordered to bring the Professor to Nodgra V. Deeberjay tried unsuccessfully to discourage Spaceport Security from arriving. 

The party left the professor in his ship and made haste for their shuttle. They successfully bluffed the approaching security team. The space port was on lockdown so Lucky jammed the hanger entrance while Deeberjay hacked the hanger bay doors. The party took off in their shuttle. Once they were safe, they took the opportunity to argue about whether they should have brought Professor Skoff with them.

While heading for their jump point, three A Wings came out of hyperspace and fired warning shots. They announced:

"Lambda Shuttle Space Ball, cut your engines and prepare to be boarded!"

After attempting to flee, the party eventually won the fight and made the long jump to Yelsain.

Supply and Demand in Minos and Airam

So here's another rule extension to our Star Wars/Cyberpunk 2020 mashup, thanks to West End Games' "Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters", published in 1994.

Chapter Four of the guide contains rules for inter-planet trade in commodities. Planets are categorized by technology level, and commodities by type. Given these two variables, the guide provides a chart with the relative availability of buyers/sellers and market price.

Finding a Seller/Buyer

To find a buyer/seller for a particular type of goods, make a Social skill check based on the availability in the chart. The five levels of availability line up nicely with CP2020's skill check difficulty levels:

• VH- 10+
• H- 15+
• M- 20+
• L- 25+
• VL- 30+

For black market good, make a Streetwise skill check instead.

Market Price

The market price is similarly looked up in the table. I'd like to add a random factor though, so roll 1d100-50 and add/subtract that percentage to the price.

Bargaining

Additionally, PCs may be able to bargain their way to a better price. Make a Difficult skill check in Persuasion/Fast Talk. Failure results in a 5% worse price, success yields a 5% better price.

Trying Again

If players aren't satisfied with the price, they can leave the deal and try to find another buyer/seller, but that will take even more time and the availability check will be at +2. Also note that less populous planets or those with well organized cartels may not have another buyer/seller available.

So that's it. I'm looking forward to trying out these rules in next session...

Critical Miss in Hyperspace

Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it.

So, we've already played five game sessions of Star Wars 2020 with the basic space rules I posted previously. Those included travel times and fuel costs of hyperspace travel.

That's fine for when everything goes as planned. But things going as planned is boring. Now let's spice things up with some new rules inspired from Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters

CP2020 Skill Checks

Hyperdrive Mishaps

When making a jump, the PC should make a skill check for their Hyperdrive Tech skill i.e. 1d10+Tech+Hyperdrive Tech at the appropriate difficulty:

• jumping on known hyperlanes within a sector, make an Easy roll
• jumping between sectors on known hyperlanes, Average roll
• under stress or preoccupied, bump up the roll by one level
• jumping within the sector or between adjacent sectors with no known hyperlane, bump up the roll by one level
• if they are trying to jump from within another ship while a Rathtar tries to devour their ship, make a Very Difficult roll



Hyperdrive Types

• if they are trying to jump into a planet's gravity well to avoid the planetary shields, make a Nearly Impossible roll 

Hyperdrive Modifiers

The more advanced the hyperdrive, the harder it is to operate. As such, add a modifier to the roll needed:

• x4 -2
• x3 -1
• x2 +0
• x1 +1
• x1/2 +2

Mishaps Table

Mishap Severity

If the player misses their check, a mishap occurs. First determine mishap severity

• Minor Mishaps: Check missed by <=5
• Moderate Mishaps: Check missed by <=10
• Catastrophic Mishaps: Check missed by <=15
• Fatal Mishap: Check missed by >15

Roll 1d6 on the appropriate chart to determine what mishap occurs. Unless you got a Fatal Mishap that is. In that case you flew your ship straight through a star or something similar!

Playtest

Well, we'll have to give these rules a playtest next game session. I'll let you know how it goes! Hopefully without too many fatalities!

How do You Get From Airam to Minos Cluster?

Airam Sector

At the end of Session 5 of our Star Wars/Cyberpunk 2020 mashup, the party expressed the desire to follow up on the lead to Darakin University, on Dorcin, Dorkin System, Minos Cluster. This raises a simple question: how do you get from Airam Sector to Minos Cluster Sector?

With 40 years of Star Wars lore collected and organized on the Internet, one might assume this is an easy question to answer. But one would be wrong. I couldn't find any discussion or map that answers this question fully. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Most of the star wars galaxy maps are at a high level, including only major Hyperlanes
2. Nav Computer at SW Combine calculates distances, but doesn't specify Hyperlanes at all
3. Airam Sector appears in the Tie Fighter series of Computer games, as well as the Knights of the Old Republic. Neither of these required players to jump between systems so details how to do so seem non-existent

Outer Rim

So now it's time to solve this problem the way any good DM solves problems: by making stuff up!

Galactic Map

From the Outer Rim Map, we see that

• Minos connects to Elrood and the Rimma Trade Route at one end
• Minos connects to Kathol at the other end
• Airam isn't shown as connecting to anything, so we'll need to remedy that

So since Airam's Hinda System has strong political connections to Eriadu(Seswenna Sector), let's put a minor hyperlane there. Specifically:

1. Hinda(Airam)
2. Besberra(Cegul)
3. Rutan(Atravis)
4. Hydian Way to Seswenna

Minos Cluster

From Seswenna one can then take the Rimma Trade Route all the way to Minos. But that is a rather roundabout way to get from Airam to Minos. Is there a more direct route? For that matter, do the Ugor and Squib both use this route out of the sector for their galactic salvage operations? The Ugor might, being in the adjacent system, but for the Squib it seems a bit out of the way...

Minos Sector Map

Now let's have a look at 19th Level's Minos Cluster Map. I like this as a starting point because he already did a his homework on the Cluster. We see the Cluster has two connections

• Elrood Sector
• Kathol- an even remote system

So if there is a more direct route, it is probably going to be via Elrood or Tantra...

Elrood Sector

Elrood Map

Here's a map of Elrood Sector from Operation Elrood. As you can see, the Coyn Route(Rimma Trade Route) passes through the system. There seems to be a lot of asteroids and clouds in the system that would interfere with off-route Hyperspace travel.

As such, it is unlikely there would be a direct route to Airam Sector

A New Hope

So we seem to be stuck. There is only one way out of Airam Sector and it's surrounded by Ugor and Ex-Imperials and it's not really clear how the Squib run their salvage operation. Bummer...

Ah, but then I saw the first line in Wookiepedia describing the Squib Homeworld:

Skor II was a planet in the Squab system and the homeworld of the Squibs. It was located in the Outer Rim Territories just west of the Rimma Trade Route.

Rimma Trade Route

So it seems that Skor II is specifically known for it's proximity to Rimma. So now I can feel justified about inventing a new hyperlane between Airam and Minos.  Specifically, we'll say that the Squib have a route from Squab/Skor System in Airam to Yelsain System in Minos Cluster. Problem solved!

Star Wars 2020 Session 5- Slain Knights and Broken Steeds

Hey, we got together for another session of Star Wars 2020! So here's what happened...

The Party

First, the party got to add two skill points, due to their past successes.

• Pigman- a Gammorian beater/scavenger/heavy machine user/starship pilot(Avraham)
• Art- Ithorian tech Rock gardener, healing(Avi)
• Lucky- a Gran with many natural talents, good at dodging, explosives, stock market, interstellar navigation, leadership, pharmaceuticals(Lauren)
• The Wookie- a wookie turret gunner, butt kicker(Joshua)
• Roy- NPC scavenger from Nocto II(NPC)
• Snortbert- Gammorian who swore fealty to The Wookie(NPC)

Dead Knight

In session 4, the party was left with a decapitated Knight of Ren and his super rad stealth ship. They started by investigating the ship:

• An encrypted data cube was found near the pilot's seat. The party didn't know how to decrypt it
• The party removed the Stealth Generator from the ship and stored it on their shuttle
• The ship had multiple registrations that it could toggle between, like a smuggler's ship
• The Ship's Nav Computer had way more locations than the party's shuttle does. In fact, it has many systems all over the galaxy. You can view them here: http://www.swcombine.com/navcomp/ (compare with http://geoawesomeness.com/top-galaxy-maps-ever-best-collection-star-wars-maps/)
• The party managed to unlock the Ship's Log. It showed that as the party was boarding the ship, it beamed a message to a location on Myloc IV(in Habeen territory)
• The Ship's log also showed the Ship's route over the past few months:

  

  Airam Sector

1. Ilum(Unknown regions)
2. The Redoubt
3. Utegetu Nebula
4. Rago
5. Ansion
6. (Ansion to Coruscant)
7. Coruscant
8. Perlemian Trade Roune(Coruscant to Brentaal)
9. Brentaal IV
10. Hydian Way(Brentaal IV to Eriadu)
11. Hydian Way(Eriadu to Rutan)
12. Rutan(Atravis Sector)
13. Besberra(Cegul sector)
14. Hinda(entered Airam sector)
15. Myloc
16. Nodgra
17. Myloc
18. Hinda
19. Paradise
20. Nocto
21. Klaatu
22. Aiquin4
23. Klaatu
24. Nodgra
25. Myloc

Myloc IV

The party gave the Knight a Burial in Space and landed at the Nharwaak spaceport. There were plenty of Nharwaaks(here since the days of the Zygerrian Empire) and their slaves. The party worked out a shady deal with a local ship dealer. They gave him this shady ship in exchange for a shady(semi-illegal) 1/2 speed hyperdrive! They sold their hyperdrive and were 10,000 credits in the money!

They heard a rumor in a bar about the Nharwaak leader:

"President Tolmaak has a basement collection of Empire military paraphernalia"

Art creeped out the bar patron with the rumor, talking about bombing the president or looking for a data cube hacker. When the man fled, he force jumped to catch him, but rolled a 1, landing squarely on the terrified drunkard, who began to yell. Art left before security could arrive.

The party visited the Presidential Palace to attempt to sell their extra 4 Stormtrooper Armors. They told the concierge that they were art dealers and she made them an appointment for the next day with a member of the presidential staff.

Habeen Territory

In the meantime, the party jetted over to Habeen territory where the Knight had sent a message. They found a remote farm, looking to have fallen into disuse. They captured a spy, and killed another(narrowly missing being on the wrong end of a thermal detonator). They weren't able to get much info out of the First Order fanatic, but his communications equipment had the message from the Knight.

"This is Miro Sen. I'm being boarded. Will be in touch after I dispatch the pirate scum."

 They also found that the spies had been in touch with someone in the Habeen capital, as well as with starships registered to Nodgra System.

As they left, squib scavengers landed and began to loot the place.

Armor

Back in Narwaak territory, the party had an embarrassing interview with the Presidential Staff, who assured them there was no truth in the rumor. They were escorted out by security.

A merchant who heard about the episode offered to buy the armor. The party even got him to show them to a computer expert. When he failed to decrypt the cube, he brought them to an encryption expert who succeed eventually. The party now had Miro Sen's missions from Master Snoke himself:

• Imperial Survivors in Nodgra- help them take over sector, bringing Airam into First Order
• Hinda- helping smuggle in arms from Eriadu Tarkins. Make sure they are keeping up their end of the bargain
• Ilay Squib- try to enlist them
• Habeen- try to enlist them
• Nharwaak- crush or subjugate them
• Ugor- try to enlist them with promises of salvage rights
• Squib- crush or subjugate them
• Yoberra- find them and report on them. Can they be used to our advantage? An academic knows how to reach them(Emiel Skoff, Darakin University, Dorcin, Dorkin System, Minos Cluster)

Star Wars Session 4 Summary

Session 4 was a couple months ago, but I never quite got around to writing the summary. Then, last week I watched season 1 of The Expanse(it was awesome) and got all excited about our Star Wars campaign, so here goes:

...OK, actually I don't remember much so this will be a short one. Picking up where we left off with Session 3...

The party started out in Squab System on the squib home world. They bought a Boarding Rig for their Imperial Shuttle in the hope of capturing hostile(read expensive) ships.

They then jumped, if I recall, to the Paradise System, then Hinda.
In Hinda, they landed on planet, but were given the run around by the local official, a man by the last name of Tarkin. In fact, the planet's ruler is Governor Helmrod Tarkin.

The Knight they Killed

They moved-on to Myloc System. This was when the party started a very fortunate run of luck...

With some nice skill checks, their scanners picked up a small craft hiding in an asteroid field. Not only that, but they managed to sneak up on it and catch it in their boarding rig. The air lock opened and... out jumped a very angry Knight of Ren with a big angry light sabre. He missed his attack(really bad roll on my part) and also royally botched his dodge and stun rolls and was immediately knocked out and subdued. (A big anti-climax for the DM. I was sure he would dispatch a PC or two...)

The party tried interrogating him, but he began to break free with his force powers, so they dispatched him quickly while he was still relatively helpless. He seems to have some sort of electronic brain implant.


As for his ship, it was a small ship, but with very rare stealth capability. A very expensive little prize, if they can actually find someone to sell it...

On his ship, they found a damaged cyber-hand of antique construction. Strange since he has both his hands...

Welcome to Klaatu

Here's another system description for Star Wars 2020.

Klaatu is a star system in Airam Sector. Most of the planet's activity is around Klaatu III and it's moon.

Klaatu III's moon is the location of a Nharwaak mining colony. The primary locations in this system are:

1. Customs Platform- a platform orbiting Klaatu III. Visiting ships must check in at the customs office.
2. Low-Grav Refinery- a space station orbiting Klaatu III. It's a low-gravity metal refinery where mined ores are processed.
3. Deep Core Bore- a deep bore mine near the moon's core. Mines heavy metals.
4. The Rift- metal mine in seismic crack in the moon's surface
5. Nharwaak Colony- small space port, residential, commercial area
6. Garrison Camp- Nharwaak garrison's camp

A mining colony of the Nharwaaks. The Nharwaaks are from the Myloc system, also in Airam Sector, but are of Zygerrian ancestry.

Star Wars 2020 Point Buy

As per request, here is how to create your star wars 2020 character via point-buy rather than random generator.

1. Ability Scores

1. Distribute 48 points between the ability scores Int, Ref, Tech, Cool, Emp, Luck, Body, Force (maximum 10, minimum 2)
2. MA=8
3. Run=MA*3
4. Leap=Run/4
5. Lift(Kg)=40*BODY
6. Save=Body
7. BTM=IF(BODY<=2,0,IF(BODY<=4,-1,IF(BODY<=7,-2,IF(BODY<=9,-3,-4)))) 

2. Species

1. Pick a species
2. Apply the ability modifiers for your species

Races	INT	BODY	REF	EMP	MA
Human
Wookie	-1	1		1	-1
Ewok	-1	-2	1	1	-2
Gammorian	-2	2		-1
Twi'lek			-1	1
Ithorian	1		-1		-1
Mon Calamari
Gran

3. Skills

1. You get 40+INT+REF skill points
2. Assign them to skills(max 10)

BODY	COOL	EMP	INT	REF	TECH	FORCE
Endurance	Interrogate	Sentient Perception	Accounting	Archery	Hover Tech	Force Jump
Strength Feat	Intimidate	Interview	Xenoanthropology	Athletics	Basic Tech	Mind Trick
Swimming	Oratory	Leadership	Awareness/Notice	Brawling	Computer Tech	Phase
	Resist Torture/Drugs	Perform	Biology	Dance	Demolitions	Telekinesis
	Streetwise	Persuasion/Fast Talk	Botany	Dodge/Escape	Disguise	Read Mind
		Riding(Bantha)	Chemistry	Fencing	Droid Tech	Force Healing
		Riding(Bolotaur)	Composition	Handgun	Electronics	Reflex Boost
		Riding(Keffi)	Diagnose Illness	Heavy Weapons	First Aid/Medical
		Riding(Tauntaun)	Education & Gen. Knowlege	Martial Arts	Hacking
		Riding(Eopie)	Gamble	Melee	Paint/Draw
		Riding(Dewback)	Geology	Operate Heavy Machinery	Pharmaceuticals
		Seduction	Hide/Evade	Pilot(StarFighter)	Photography
		Social	History	Drive(Hoverbike)	Pick Lock
			Language(by species/native world)	Drive(Hovercar)	Pick Pocket
			Language(Basic)	Pilot(Starship)	Play Instrument(pick one)
			Library Search	Rifle	Hyperdrive Tech
			Mathematics	Stealth	Weaponsmith
			Navigation(Interstellar)	Turret Gunner	Starship Engine Tech
			Physics	Climbing	Energy Weapon Tech
			Shadow/Track	Diving	Communications Tech
			Stock Market
			Teaching
			Wilderness Survival
			Zoology

4. Equipment

1. You get 1d10 Galactic Credits
2. cloth shoes(worn out), dusty poncho, sand mask
3. 4 items from this list

Anti-Grav Sledge

Bantha

Blaster pistol

Blaster rifle

Bolotaur

Brass bracelets

Camera

Cutting torch

Dancing shoes

Dewback

Diving aparatus

Eopie

Hand weapon(choose)

Heavy Plasteel Knife 1d6

Hip Flask

Infrared binoculars

Keffi

Light spear gun 1d6+1

Lockpicks

Longbow 50m, 12 Arrows 2d6+1

Medikitx5

Metal Detector

Motorized climbing rig

Musical Instrument(as per skill)

Old Hoverbike

Old Hovercar

Pack of Sabacc Cards

Pain killers

pick item of Native dress

Plasteel Sword 2d6+2, sheath

Portable Chemical Analyzer

Portable excavator

Portable Gene Sequencer

Sketchpad, Pencils

Small computer terminal

Small Electronics Kit

Small hacker's terminal

Small tool kit

Salvaged Droid(choose Astromech, Medical, or Protocol)

Tatoo

Tauntaun

Thermal Detonator 7/9d6

Uppers

Water Bottle

Wearable light

Force Combat for Star Wars 2020

After the first session of Star Wars 2020, a Cyberpunk 2020 Star Wars mod, I wanted to add an improved combat skill to the list of force skills. The existing list of skills(below) reflect common force abilities, but there wasn't anything that paralleled Luke's use of the force in combat.

• Force Jump
• Mind Trick
• Phase
• Telekinesis
• Read Mind
• Force Healing

I wanted something that gives a significant bonus, yet doesn't make force users too overpowered. Since Cyberpunk 2020 combat relies mostly on the Reflex ability score, I decided to create an ability that boost's that attribute. Here is the result:

Force Reflex Boost

The force-user concentrates, connecting to the Force. This gives them a boosted reflex ability score.

Skill Check

The force-user must make a skill check to concentrate and connect to the force. The target number depends on how distracted they are.

standard CP2020 difficulties

Effect

The ability is boosted by the character's force ability score, for a maximum of 11. (The player is allowed to make one Spinal Tap joke per session. Additional jokes cause the ability to fail.)

Concentration

If the character is injured or otherwise distracted, they must again make a skill check to maintain concentration. This doesn't use up their action for the turn.

Duration

The effect lasts as long as the character is busy with the current task. Once they start doing something else, the effect is lost. If they want to maintain the effect, they must make a concentration skill check.