2025 Character Creation Challenge - 31 Characters in 31 days [BACKWATER]

[atpollard]

January 1:
[Let's give it a try. NPCs for/from my game.]


Bureaucrat Clerk
(Sir) Bartholomew Tobit (Age 26): Cr150,000

Below average (2-5) STR, END; Average (6-8) DEX, INT; Above average (9-F) EDU, SOC.
Skills: Admin-3, Computer-1, Streetwise (Liaison)-1
Service History: Automatic Enlistment accepted. Commissioned during first term of service as Clerk. Voluntarily reenlisted for second term. [started Tobit Employment, LLC in third term.]

Bartholomew ("Bart" to his friends) was born into a wealthy and influential family. With the death of his father, he was raised by his Mother. Although young Bartholomew dreamed of being a thespian, and was involved in several school plays, his Mother - the strong-willed Matriarch of the Tobit family - insisted that young Bartholomew follow a more pragmatic profession. Yielding to family pressure, he accepted his fate and joined the Civil Service Bureaucracy that controlled the Planetary Government. Status and family connections carried him through his first term as a rising star.

Bartholomew spent his second term working in a small local office of the Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment where he assisted "citizens" in obtaining positions to insure the quota of 100% employment was met and "Every Citizen was contributing their fair share" as the Government required.
Bart's opinion of the work: "That office sucks away your soul like a ghoul draining your life essence. I think government bureaucracy runs on the souls drained from its workers." Working under a petty tyrant, Bartholomew saw the writing on the wall as the end of his second term approached and his mean-spirited supervisor had no intention of renewing his contract.

Inspired to take a chance by a group of grounded spacers, "Bart" Tobit resigned his safe position and started his own agency [Tobit Employment, LLC] where he employs his skills and connections acting as an agent/broker/middle-man for off-worlders attempting to negotiate the Byzantine Civil-Service Bureaucracy of his homeworld and/or its Machiavellian Corporations. He serves as a PATRON with a variety of Job Offers, acting as a broker for a percentage of the contracted fees.

 

[atpollard]

January 2:

(Barbarian)
Juliette Lavoie (Age 20): Cr 2000

Below average (2-5) none; Average (6-8) DEX, END, SOC; Above average (9-C) STR, INT, EDU.
Skills: Blade-3, Bow-2, Streetwise-1, Hunting-0
Equipment: a pneumatic, repeating crossbow (2D6; 3 round burst; 30 round magazine)

History:
Juliette was born into a family of anti-Government survivalists. The "New Dawn" was a Survivalist Community/Movement [Think AMISH Post-Apocalypse Preppers meets "SURVIVORS/NAKED AND AFRAID"] They lived off the grid, in the deep jungle, and if they could not grow/kill/make it, then they did not need it.

SOMETHING HAPPENED [nobody on the planet knows what - or is willing to say] and the 'New Dawn Movement' formed a Militia and began attacking Transportation Convoys. The Government assumed that people living at TL 0-3 would be easily dealt with by the LEO and a small National Guard force, until the Government Forces were completely decimated by Pneumatic Crossbows firing 3 round bursts by a militia using Guerilla tactics that would make a Recon Scout proud. Juliette was raised in this community and "Barbarians" [characters from lower TLs] begin careers at age 14, so she was 16 years old (her second/third year of Term 1) when the War broke out and recruited into a guerilla raiding party.

The Marines were sent in [a Marine Raiding Company equipped at TL 10-11 backed by a larger Army unit equipped at TL 9-10] to destroy the New Dawn Movement. The Community of about 100 fanatical men woman and children refused to surrender and inflicted a 2:1 kill ratio against the Marine raiders and closer to a 5:1 ratio against the Army units before being carpet bombed by COACC and overrun by ground forces. Almost none were captured, choosing to die fighting (including IED suicide attacks). Juliette’s family was wiped out by Government forces, but Juliette survived the massacre of the New Dawn Militia/Community and escaped (wounded) into the jungle.

Four years have passed since the “New Dawn Massacre” and 20-year-old Juliette is “homesteading” in a new, remote wilderness (far from her original community) and in the middle of Barbarian Term 2.

HUNTING RULES:
STEP 1: Detect: (each hour) 2d6, 10+ detect “track / spoor / habitat”

roll 2d6 for TYPE:​

Die​	Animal​	Weight​	Hits​	Armor​	Wounds & Weapons​	Action​
2​	6 Hijacker​	25 kg​	7/3 ​	none​	claws​	A5 F3 S1​
3​	5 Hunter​	400 kg​	18/15​	none​	+2D claws+1, teeth+1​	A1 F4 S1​
4​	7 Carrion​	800 kg​	23/10​	none​	+3D thrasher​	A8 F3 S1​
5​	1 Hunter​	200 kg​	11/11​	none​	+1D claws, teeth​	A4 F7 S1​
6​	1 Intermittent​	100 kg​	11/7​	none​	hooves​	A4 F7 S1​
7​	1 Pouncer​	50 kg​	12/7​	none​	as broadsword​	A0 F0 S1​
8​	1 Intermittent​	25 kg​	14/7​	none​	horns​	A6 F6 S1​
9​	1 Trapper​	200 kg​	17/7​	none​	+1D claws+1, teeth+1​	A0 F4 S1​
10+​	special (including searching for a specific species)​	​	​

STEP 2: Stalk: (each 15 min) roll 1d6, roll higher than speed to follow;
roll 2d6, if roll is equal to TYPE, then find it.
STEP 3: Conquest: (standard combat rules) kill / photograph / contact
ALTERNATE: Ambush: (per hour) wait in blind, 2d6, roll 12+ equals ambush prey [roll TYPE and go to combat rules]

STORY:
Chester: “So what now? …”

Juliette responded. “Now this.” She snatched Chester's ACR and tossed it to Hol “Carry this.“ She grabbed her Crossbow and pulled Chester to his feet “You come with me and WE talk.” Juliette dragged Chester towards her ‘home’ and Hol followed.

For a moment, Chester feared he was being dragged into the woods to be executed, but Hol’s reaction suggested that THIS was something else and his mission and curiosity suggested that he would learn more by following along than trying to fight to escape. Juliette led them into the woods to a tunnel entrance down into a well-concealed mound. A standard Infantry GRID SEARCH would only have had a 50/50 chance to spot it unless they were scanning for underground bunkers.

Inside, the bunker was deep - deep enough to survive surface bombardment except for a direct hit by Starship grade weapons. The walls were lined with uncut fieldstone and braced with heavy timbers. The ceiling was domed slightly and covered in cement plaster. Crude ceramic jars, some as large as ten gallons and covered in woven hemp, lined one wall in a storage area. There was a wood-burning ceramic stove with an electric outlet built into the side and a battery slow-charging from the outlet. [It was the only item in the room that seemed to require electricity]. The two chairs were folding camp stools with legs carved from branches and seats made of animal hides. Juliette racked her Crossbow on wall pegs apparently designed for that purpose. The one-room space had a “place for everything and everything in its place” feel to it.

Juliette invited Chester to “Sit down before you fall down.” as she gestured to the stool. Chester obliged, but the walk and time had done him a great deal of good. He was feeling strong and alert again, but that was information he felt no need to share.

Juliette waved her arms around the room and addressed Chester directly “This is it. This is the ‘New Dawn Movement’ your government is so determined to wipe out. We … which is just me now that you successfully killed everyone else except me … have nothing that we did not grow, kill or make ourselves … myself. It is a LIFE and a PHILOSOPHY of living deliberately and striving for complete Self-Reliance without the distraction and dependence on Technology. I hear that the typical City Worker labors 40 hours per week or more to meet their basic needs. This life requires between 8 and 12 hours per week of labor to meet minimum basic needs.”

Juliette walked over to her crossbow and ran her fingers along it, caressing the hand-carved wooden stock. “The Government sent you to kill me and destroy this to STOP the ‘New Dawn’ at all costs. You are prepared to DIE to kill me and stop this. I am prepared to kill you, and as many more as they send, in my fight to preserve THIS way of life.” Juliette smiled a wry smile. “It would appear that we are at an impasse, would it not? However, appearances can be deceiving. I have been here before. I know how this dance ends. So … MARINE …” Juliette took the Crossbow down from the peg and readied it to fire, unloading and reloading it. Then she took the ACR from Hol and briefly removed and reseated the clip, drew the bolt, set the selector to ‘burst’ and released the safety. Picking up her Crossbow “... If you REALLY want to destroy this and kill me. This is it: Hol, please hand the Marine his weapon. We will kill each other and the New Dawn ends … right here and right now. Without a lot of other innocent Marines and Friends needing to die with us. So MARINE, the choice is yours … are you ready to leave your wife to raise your children alone to destroy all this!” Juliette smiled as she pointed the weapon around the room.

Juliette then aimed the Crossbow directly at Chester and waited for Hol to hand him his ACR. “You called this meeting. You wanted to find me. So, which will it be, MARINE. Do we shoot and die, or do we set the weapons down and declare this war over? Make the choice for both of us.”

Hol handed Chester his ACR and stepped back from the Line of Fire.

 

[atpollard]

January 3

(Herbalist)

‘Mother’ Niki (of the White Clan) (Age 68):

Below average (2-5) none; Average (6-8) STR, DEX, END,EDU; Above average (9-C) INT, SOC.
Skills: Admin-2, Medic-2, Survival (herbalism)-2, Electronics-1, Streetwise-1

Mother Niki is the village ‘HERBALIST’ for a small, remote and relatively isolated rural community. Most of her arcane knowledge falls outside the traditional “skills” as she specializes in the effects of alien plants (and drugs manufactured from them) on human physiology.

DRUGS & HERBS

• BOOST: [Cr 400; TL 9] Increases STR and END by +1 each per injection that lasts for 30 minutes.
• BIOFOAM: [Cr 10; TL 8] A temporary wound treatment that provides +2d6 HP per injection that lasts for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, the temporary HPs are subtracted and the damage is restored (which may instantly kill the person).
• Blackroot: [Cr 150/dose] This lichen grows on large rocks and boulders found above timberline (the elevation at which trees do not have enough oxygen to grow). When chewed on, it causes the user to have a pleasant, tingling sensation of the lips, tongue, and gums. As well, it can give the user a sense of mental sharpness and alertness. If swallowed, it causes nausea and vomiting if the user fails an END check. If used for 1d6 hours continuously, the user must make an END check. If failed, they experience nausea, but if passed they gain +1 INT for the next 6 hours. Not inherently addictive, though if used for 2D6 days in a row, the user will feel extremely groggy if they do not use it every morning.
• Code Blue [psi]: [Cr 100/dose] The nickname for “BRKW-7QL4”, a drug that is both a powerful neurotransmitter booster and a deadly toxin. Immediately upon injection (and every 10 minutes thereafter), the character suffers damage to STR, DEX, and END (1d6: 1-3 = 1 point, 4-5=2 points, 6=3 points) until the drug is neutralized. Each 10 minutes of use, the character gains 1 point of PSR and each Psi-Talent functions at +1 level. [for untrained Psions, roll 12+ on 2d6 to activate a talent with +1 for each Code Blue Psi Boost … ie. roll 2d6+1 at start, 2d6+2 after 10 minutes, etc.] The Character must roll HIGHER than their PSR on 2d6 to quit due to the euphoric effect of the drug. Antidote = Cr 30/dose.
• Panacea: [Cr 50; TL 6] A general collection of drugs used to treat wounds and diseases found in MEDICAL KITS. This contains enough “panacea” for 100 Medic-0 skill checks or 10 Medic-1 skill checks or 1 Medic-2 skill check.
• Patch [psi]: [Cr 300/dose] A small packet containing a pinch of herbs (like chewing tobacco). The powder swishes and clings instantly forming crystals, then breaks at the slightest touch only to reform into new crystals. Patch dissolves under the tongue and expands all of the senses. For a “Telepath”, it boosts your effective level by 1 and grants the ability to communicate with plants and animals. Lasts 1d6+1 hours. Upon coming down, it leaves the user feeling physically exhausted [-1 STR, -1 DEX, -1 END] until sleep. At next 8-hour sleep (roll 2d6 for END/2 or less), pass= wake normal; fail = even more tired [-2 STR, -2 DEX, -2 END] until next 8-hour sleep (then wake normal).
• Pipeweed: [Cost Cr 20 for 5 minutes worth of weed.] Dried and smoked in a pipe, it makes the mind both sharper and duller at the same time; making it easy to retain facts [+2 EDU] but hard to concentrate on abstract reasoning [-2 INT] while smoking it. The effects persist for 2D6 hours after the user stops smoking.

 

[atpollard]

January 3

A Mother Niki STORY:

“Well that’s easy. Mother Niki is almost always tending the garden in her apartment.” Christophe pointed to one of the balconies. Mick could see a plethora of potted and hanging plants forming a wall of green. “... but unless it's a medical emergency, I suggest you not disturb her until after 1100. She can be a bit cranky first thing in the morning.”

The teasing was all good natured and Christophe was happy to introduce you to Mother Niki. Along the way, Christophe shared how lucky the community was to have someone of her medical skill in such a small and remote settlement. “More than a few hunters owe their life to her.” he commented as you bounded up the stone steps to a wooden balcony that formed a sort of walkway-street above the paved street lined with shops. You walked past several glass-walled residences, some closed for privacy and some with their curved doors slid open to allow the inside and outdoors to seamlessly blend together. The walkway contained sitting areas and plants in containers accenting various spots …

Then you reached a jungle of green arranged on tiers of hanging baskets that formed an arbor over the walkway. Stepping inside, it was moister and full of an almost infinite number of strange scents all fighting for dominance. Mick realized that most of the plantings he had passed had been ornamental or flowers, but most of these appeared to be garden herbs grown for scent over appearance. Christophe knocked on an ornately carved wooden door inset with transparent glass panels (unlike the translucent glass of the other homes) and then entered.

Beyond the door was a paneled room with shelves and a desk along one wall, a comfortable sitting area in the center, and an exam table along the opposite wall. It looked like a strange combination of a living room, a doctor’s office and an alchemist’s laboratory from a fairy tale. Alongside the books on the shelves, there were unidentifiable plants in sealed jars and small racks of opaque “perfume bottles” of unknown liquids and powders. A small bell rang as you entered through the door and a distant voice shouted “I’ll be right there, just have a seat.”

Mother Niki entered bearing a tray with a pot of steaming water and several cups which she set on a central table before settling into a comfortable chair. She was an older woman - Mick guessed in her late 60’s - with fair skin and gray hair braided and coiled up. There was a small scar on her face and runic tattoos covering her forearms from the wrist and disappearing at the elbow beneath her vividly-colored comfortable clothing.

“Mother Niki, this is Mick of the House of Hogan. He desperately needs your help. Mick has been having trouble resting and I fear the man is completely incapable of relaxing and enjoying life. I fear he will be dead by 40 if he doesn’t learn to have fun … or find a wife.” Christophe paused briefly “Perhaps you have a sleeping draught … or a Love potion … that could save poor Mick from an early grave.”

“Mick, this is Mother Nicki. She’ll fix whatever’s wrong with you. There, introductions are made.” Christophe rose to quickly leave.

A smile briefly crossed the face of Mother Niki “Do not think you have escaped, Christophe of the House of Tostain of the Black Clan … I will be speaking with your Aunt and she will be speaking with you.” Niki turned her attention to Mick “So Mick of the House of Hogan, would you like a cup of herbal tea? I find it both calming and stimulates the mind.” Niki poured hot water into a cup, some dried herbs into a small perforated sphere and dipped the sphere into the water to create a pale-colored tea. She took a sip and offered a cup to Mick.

Mick Hogan took the cup gratefully and cautiously sipped. He held it in both hands and softly blew over the cup to help it cool just a little.

”He’s right y’know. I do work too much. Need to learn to take it easy…just a little bit. But, I don’t really think ya could help me there! As for that second thing…a wife? Maybe one day. Have to find the right one. Ain’t seen her yet, I think.” Mick looked contemplative.

”I’m not so certain ya can help, but I thought I’d ask anyway. Y’see, I was speaking with someone the other day, and he said something that causes me to pause. He said I should speak with Sophia about it and your name was mentioned. Y’see, I’ve been wondering about an event that took place many years ago. One I just can’t seem to let lie in my memories …”

“… I was hunting on the South Polar Ice. Got ambushed once by an Ice Leopard, got the scars on my chest to prove it. Thought I was a goner…gonna get drug off and eaten by that cat. Something happened I just can’t explain. Something felt like it welled up inside me, more felt than heard … a strange humming. I looked him in the eye and … seemed we had a connection for a few seconds … like I could 'touch' his feelings. After a while, he just turned tail and scampered off up the snowy mountain.”

“Somethin’ strange happened that day. Haven’t been able to shake it. Not haunting me, but I keep reliving it. I don’t talk about it much. But I told it to someone while swapping hunting lies. That’s when he mentioned you and Sofia. Said I should see one a ya.”

“Ah Hell, this was a mistake. I’m sorry for bothering you. I’ll just be leaving now.”

Mother Niki listened. God but that woman had a good poker face. Fortunately, Mick was good at reading poker faces. While Mick was never much on games of chance, Mick had lots of experience playing for much higher stakes … like standing at a counter while some petty bureaucrat held your future in the paperwork he held so indifferently. Mick had mastered the true art of Administration, reading the person to know when to push and when to ease up. Mother Niki was anything but ‘indifferent’.

Mick took a gamble as he stood and turned towards the door. His heart pounded with every step as the door got closer. Mick knew that Mother Nicki was on the fence about something … he thought this was the play … as he started to wonder if he had chosen the wrong move …

“Wait” said Mother Niki rising from her chair.

Mick hid the quick smile and turned to face her … all attention. She walked over to a shelf, moved a jar to clear the path for a safe with a biometric lock and removed some small object. Then she returned to Mick.

“Sophia may or may not be able to help you. She may or may not be willing to help you. Such matters are beyond me and I do not involve myself in them directly.” whispered Mother Niki softly “However this is my gift to you.” She placed a small packet containing a pinch of herbs in your hand. The powder swished and clung instantly forming crystals, then broke at the slightest touch only to reform into new crystals. “This is called ‘PATCH’. Place it under your tongue and it will dissolve. It is dangerous and you only have one dose, so use it only in an emergency. However, from what you described, in a life and death situation, it should …” Her voice trailed off as she searched for the correct word “IMPROVE the situation for YOU.”

Mick glanced down at the tiny packet of ever-changing crystals in the palm of his hand … PATCH.