CofD:Willard Buss—"In the Spirit of Learning"

Willard Buss, Recorded Notes

With my continued research in the Contingent's R&D Laboratory, I have come up with a working theory, though, it will require additional data to confirm. I first thought of it when Junior was repairing that old car that had pinned Rebecca’s not so recently deceased spirit to a tree for 50+ years. The corsage that had anchored her to that place looked almost freshly picked. That made me think about the ghost flask which in turn led me to consider the Promethean arm. They were all remarkably well preserved; honestly, far better then they had any right to be. The arm could be somehow different, but the way it twitches so unnaturally of its own accord, I have yet to come up with another workable explanation. If what I hypothesize is true, then the small fragments of spirit imbued in, anchored to, these objects could be responsible for sustaining them.

Now if this theory of mine turns out to be true that brings me to a series of questions. Is death required for an anchor to exist? Could an anchor ever be reliably reproduced? Could this spiritual imbuement offer an explanation for why even the most compatible transplant organs get rejected? Could this lead to a solution?

The recent investigation in Eagle Bay, unfortunately, didn’t turn up any practical data. What it has done is demonstrate that materials of supernatural origin are not rejected as readily as tissue from other humans. More research is required, but potentially supernatural tissue may bypass rejection completely. More importantly, the introduction of supernatural elements to transplanted organs could have similar results.

[End of Recording]

SW Age of Rebellion—Taraest Marlov

Character created for the quarterly Semi-Organized Play Starwars Firestorm.

Species: Human	Gender: Female
Age: 28	Height: 180 cm	Build: Bulky
Hair: Blond	Eyes: Green
Notable Feature: Speaks with a heavy accented
Career: Engineer	Specializations: Saboteur
Duty: Support
Motivation: Quest
Thrill. PC seeks out thrills and dangers, and war has it in great supply.

Background

Taraest Marlov was born on her families farm on Lathol, one of two daughters and the youngest of all six siblings. She enjoyed helping her father when he repaired the equipment around the farm when she wasn’t rough-housing with the boys or other choirs around the farm. When her father heard news of the Empire seizing farmland, he sold their land to a neighbor who thought to ride it out. Their neighbor had been eyeing the property for years and paid enough for one of them to relocate to Garel. Her father made the decision to stay, sending off with the promise he would earn the money and soon re-join them. It was a promise he would never keep, soon after they left, he was shipped off to a resettlement camp where he would later die.

Despite being a frequented spaceport, Garel suffered economically under the Empire. In Taraest time on Garel, she demonstrated that what lacked in formal education she more than made up for with natural talent, tenacity, and questionable behavior. The aging spaceports became a nearly endless supply of old and broken electronic equipment for Taraest to hone her skills with computers and other mechanical equipment. Within several years she became proficient at creating and repairing things out of spare as well as dismantling valuable bits of technology. Unfortunately, the owners of said equipment were less than approving. Her crimes eventually caught up with her after she fell in with a group of thugs claiming they acted in support of the rebellion. She didn’t particularly care if they were or not; they were stealing, causing wanton destruction, and managing to stay one step ahead of trouble. That suited her just fine.

The gang eventual stirred up a loth-rat nest after rigging a transport ship to explode. It galled the local Imperial forces; they hunted down the entire group, and the survivors hauled in for questioning. The Empire likely intended to coerce a confession out of the would-be freedom fighters before putting put them to death. They would have if they hadn’t also drawn the attention of the actual rebel forces operating in the sector. A rebel agent aided their escape and then offered them the opportunity to truly join the rebellion against the Empire. That suited Taraest just fine.

—

Chronicles of Darkness—Marshall Barsoom

Poor Brandon didn't last long in the Contingent. He died after foolishly trying to help someone get out of a cursed iron maiden. It wasn't a particularly satisfy death, but it was probably an appropriate one since he had alienated himself from both hunter teams he had joined. 

After two sessions Chronicle of Darkness, I have a better feel for the system. Still got hung up on the breaking point questions. They should be answered first but is awkward to me. I prefer just start writing and let the character form as I write. Fortunately, the one of the GMs took the time to help with it all.

Breaking Points

What is the worst thing your character has ever done?

He killed a fellow soldier under his command in self-defense. He then claimed the man died from wounds sustained hours before when their aircraft crashed.

What is the worst thing your character can imagine himself doing?

Murdering someone in cold blood.

What is the worst thing your character can imagine someone else doing?

He finds torture aberrant but understands that success sometimes places the decisive action ahead of the best action.

What has your character forgotten? 

He has forgotten many of the details of what happened that evening Khafji. Marshall doesn't recall the creature that had attacked, that it was responsible for the death of the enlisted man or that the soldier had been dead for hours before rising to attack Marshall.

What is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to your character?

The recent death of his daughter aboard a FedEx airplane. She was captain of the doomed Flight 508.Marshall’s most prized—and cursed—possession is his purple heart. He’d earned it while piloting a Spectre, the Lockheed AC-130. His aircraft had been shot down in Khafji during the Gulf war. Of the thirteen member aircrew, only he and one of his airman survived the crash; he was the only one to survive until rescued.

Background Story

The Spectre went down after a SAM exploded into the aircraft. Two men managed to escape the mangled wreckage, narrowly avoid Iraqi infantry. They located shelter against the cold desert night and attempted to patch up themselves while await rescue.

Though they elude enemy combatants, they’d gain the attention of something else. A creature came out of the Arabian night and attacked the two men huddled in an improvised shelter. The bipedal creature’s sharp teeth tore chunks out of the already enlisted man’ soldier before it could be driven back into the darkness.

The officer did his level best to keep his remaining crewmen alive, but the soldier had lost a lot of blood. He could only offer the comfort of kind words to the dying man as they waited for him to succumb to his numerous broken bones and lacerations. The pilot marked the soldier’s death late that evening.

Before dawn, the enlisted man’s eyes had snapped open suddenly. He seemed not only alive but completely mad. The soldier groaned violently and lunged at second his captain. Had it not been for dying soldiers assortment of injuries the officer would not have been able to fend the man off. As it were, a jagged piece of the Spectre’s fuselage had landed near their shelter. The airman saved himself at the cost of his subordinates life, dead, impaled on the sharp piece of metal. It would be the last and most unfortunate of the vessel’s..his vessel’s, list of confirmed kills.

—

Chronicles of Darkness—Brandon Smith

Created a character for the Contingent. I wasn't excited about my character concept going into the first week of season 3. However by the end session, I am surprisingly pleased with him.

Background Story

Hello,

You can call me Brandon Smith. Is it my real name? No. Though it was the name on my passport, and it serves its purpose. Lost the real one the day I lost everything.

I work for the Cloverleaf Corporation as a private accountant. Well, I use to anyway. I committed a dozen white collar crimes and helped keep crooks on the street. One day, those same crooks thought I was too much of a loose end. You know, when you worked for criminals then doing a good job is a clear sign of a lack of integrity.

They tried to kill me, no surprise; but they ended up getting my wife and my father instead; that one hurt. I had expected Cloverleaf to come after me, Maggie and Dad were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fortunately, I got off the grid with the kids before they could finish the job. Already had money stashed away, burner phones, birth certificates, and passports; the whole works. Nothing to trace me and the kids. I could have been home free. I should have been home free.

Then I met Samantha Dahl. How I met her, your guess is as good as mine just another thing that I seemed to have lost along the way. One minute, I was getting the youngest out of the car seat, the next, I was mid-lecture at Starbucks in the BWI airport. She explained that Cloverleaf wouldn’t be looking for me, as long as I avoid drawing too much attention, that my two girls would be safe, and now I worked for her. That was the deal. 

Why I’d trust a woman I just met is one for the ages, so I protested; as you do. 

Sam said my kids would be safest with her, and she couldn’t just give two little girls to a man that doesn’t even know their names. I knew she was crazy because what kind of father doesn’t remember their kid's name. Right. This guy. 

I had those passports made and even been saying those names to get comfortable with them. No matter how hard I tried to remember, the names eluded me. I’m good at finding things that wanted to stay hidden. Excellent in fact. But the two most precious people left in this world were gone, fake passports and all. Like they never existed. I know they existed. I have to believe they existed. There are too many fragmented memories of my girls; too much pain from losing them. 

The saddest part of this whole deal? At this point, I’m not sure that I work for Samantha because that’s the only way to keep my daughters safe, or because it lets me continue to believe they existed in the first place.

—Brandon

• Character Sheet
• The Contingent
• Chronicles of Darkness

Note

I decide to write this character's background in the first person. I love to read stories with unreliable narration, but I'm not good at that sort of thing. This year, I want to make a concerted effort to write more. In the past, I let my desire to avoid the perception of being incompetent to overwhelm my desire to get better at writing. 

Smallville RPG: Stanley Leonard, "Foundry"

Pathways: Early Years

Origin—Ordinary

Stanley was born and raised in Mediocris City and growing up there wasn’t much special about Stanley. He had good grades, an interest in role-playing games, LARPing, tinkering and two parents that loved him. Stanley was considered an oddball by his friends, but his enthusiasm endeared him to most. He loved dressing up and going to the MC Renn Fair with his mom and dad and spent much of his free time playing board games with his friends.

Youth—"Geek"

When he was still in middle school, he went on a tour of the Barsoom research facility. When the tour brought them to one of Barsoom’s machine labs, a man named Maximillian Powers demonstrated how they could create an authentic arming sword used one of the facilities 3D printers. Stan’s budding interest in tinkering blossomed was now in full bloom.

Focus—"Tech"

As a young man, Stanley took an interest in a wide range of artisanry and engineering. Dr. Powers became his mentor and on occasion would let him over to share in his blacksmithing hobby using the Iron Keep’s Zero Foot Print Forge, called such because it near zero carbon emissions. Max would say, “We are cheating a bit, however, the environment would thank us.”

Thanks to Maximillian, Stanley was drawing blueprints before he could legally drive a car. He chanced upon meeting Sam Sornell; Stan gushing over Dr. Sornell likely didn’t make for a good first impression.

Road—"Ethical"

By his freshmen year at San Francisco University, Stanley’s interest in technology and artisanry was followed closely by his interest in Barsoom Corp. He was a complete geek when it came to anything related to Barsoom. He read every magazine articles, newspaper clipping, tabloid, blog, etc. If it had anything to do with the company, he knew about it. So after being offered an internship after dinner with Max and his wife, Salina, he leaped (literally) at the opportunity.

Stanley didn’t squander the opportunity provided by Max and spent every waking moment in Iron Keep. Stan meet Sam once again, but this time, Stanley curbed his enthusiasm far more than their first meeting. Sam wasn’t the only person he met during his internship, however.

Event—"First Contact"

Early into his internship, Stan was approached by Power Surge, the superheroine. She’d asked him about Max, which he lied not thinking it was in any one’s best interest to have legitimate super like Power Surge meet with a hammered Max. He had just left a Max drunk and complaining about his marriage, yet again. To his surprise, she gave him a weird piece of tech and instructions to find out what it was.

He was excited to have the opportunity but surprised that she trusted him with something like this. Stan studied the alien device and apparently provided some bit of information that Power Surge need. She still seemed oddly interested in Max, but when Stan avoids the topic she thanked him and suggested working together in the future (To which Stanley excitedly agreed.)

Whatever the alien tech was it seemed to have set off a few red flags and when Stan returned to the lab the next day Sam was waiting to say they need to talk. A conversation that changed just about everything for Stan; more so than meeting a “Super” had just a day before.

Pathways: After the Event

Priority—"Moving Forward"

The conversation with Sam, the time he spent studying the alien technology and the resources afforded him during the internship changed everything for Stanley Leonard. In finishing his internship, he had created a working prototype of Personal Gravity Generator, in the likeness of gantlets, and disks that absorbed kinetic force, working to a very limited degree. 

Modus Operandi—"Outside Normal Channels"

He had somehow become the confidant to a Power Surge Heroine and Sam; not altogether sure which one was the most daunting.

Motive—"The Cause"

Regardless, Stan believes the last few months allowed him the opportunity to make the world a better place. No matter how small a part he played he would make whatever contribution he could.

Identity—"The Specialist"

Stanley specialty is researching and development of technology. He improved upon his Gravity Gauntlets and Force Fields, but he prefers to limit his involvement to a supporting role for Power Surge. He provides intel for the superheroine and is the source of the majority of her tech; for the latter reason, Surge has taken to calling him Foundry.

Morgan Roberts: "A Flash of Insight"

Written for Mysterious Tavern

The last thing Morgan remember was a flash of light. Slowly his sight returned. The stars from the bright flash replaced by the stars over the ocean overlook of the cemetery. He though it another dream. The same dream.

Exasperated he spoke, "What an insightful bit of belated insight do you have for me tonight Ghalid," not bothering to maintain his drawl.

"Ahoy! But tain't none ye needin' from me," Ghalid replied. "Seems ye kept faithful to Rubirt's name."

"You've taken to referring to yourself in the third person have you," his father just laugh.

"tain't been called that name in some years boy. Don't seem right pretending I still be that fellow." He continued, "Well boy, have you finally come to take your rest with old Pa?"

That sounded new, thought Morgan. "No, I'll be waking up soon enough." He turned and looked at his father to his surprise he wasn't the withered corpse he regularly saw in his dream. His father looked much as he did in life save for the eerie looking aura that surrounded him and the pendant around his neck. The pendant once belongs to that fool witch that sealed his father's fate. His father's face momentarily wore concern, an unusual expression. Before Ghalid could respond Morgan spit out, "Why do you still have that anchor around your neck?"

"'Twas love that brought me low, but me Sadia ain't to blamed," he said with a little heat before relaxing. "'Twas the corrupted Marki and his dogs."

"That's why you shouldn't get involved with…" he realized his own hypocrisy, "...with nobles and their games."

"Ah well," his father attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere, "Ye know love be why me have this here amulet. Mightn't you mind sharing the story for that there fancy dagger and fancier stick?" Morgan replied with silence and slack-jawed look of surprise. "Well now…, it seems the High and Might Whelp has lost a bit o' swagger. Might've he been brought low like his papa? Savvy?" Ghalid offered no quarter as he spoke mockingly as if in fear he had discovered Morgan's secret.

Morgan look down at the two weapons; one the dagger given to little Lucy; the other the staff given to him by the sorceress, Ichabod. He wanted to toss the two away if only to prove a point, but his hands held firm to them both.

The specter's laughter boomed out in the night. Ghalid chortled, "And put ye a shirt on before ye catch yer death!" Even more amused, he returned to his rancorous laughter.

A glow began to envelop the woeful Murghan ibn Rubirt. At least, this one doesn't seem as painful as the first two the pirate thought.

D&D 5e Character: Hi-Ghrock the Clanless

Bio

• Race: Goliath 
• Class: 1 Fighter / 2 Warlock
• Background: Outlander(Outcast of the Hungry Sky Clan)
• Gender: Male
• Age: 62
• Eyes: White (originally Dark Grey)
• Hair: Grey 
• Height: 7' 2"
• Weight: 350

Ability Scores

Strength          17
Dexterity         10
Constitution      14
Intelligence      13
Wisdom            14
Charisma          16

Traits

• Personality.  I watch over my friends as if they were my herd. I place no stock in wealthy or well-mannered folk. Money and manners are poor substitutes for power.
• Ideal. I must prove that age hasn't caught up with me, and I will survive in spite of my former tribe.
• Bond. I suffer awful visions of a coming disaster, and I must find the strength to claim victory.
• Flaw. I remember every insult I've received and nurse a silent resentment towards anyone who's ever wronged me.

Hi-Ghrock was always selfish. He looked upon his Hungry Sky clan as his possessions. To his benefit, his zealous protection of what was his was mistaken for true concern for his tribesmen. Thought the years started to catch up to Hi-Ghrock, he was cunning and used his winters of experience to thrive while all who shared a similar name-day went into exile or perished.  His place in the clan endured.

Tens of winters ago, Hi-Ghrock discovered a temple hidden in the side of the mountain. He knew it was a place of corruption, but he was driven to claim what was rightfully his. He had slowly taught himself to read and write using the ancient secrets contained in the mountain temple. Secrets that allowed him the edge he needed over would-be competitors.

During his 60th winter Hi-Ghrock's eyes began to cloud, and time of his exile would soon follow.

The corrupt temple had rituals that could help, but they required unspeakable things that gave even the ruthless Hi-Ghrock pause. His sight diminished, and whispers of his exile grew. Desperation and his own ego wore away at his reservations. He performed the rituals, summoned a fiend and made what he deemed a small but reasonable bargain...

Hi-Ghrock found himself blind, starved and without a clan.  He mused about how the treacherous creature proved wiser and more ruthless than he. The demon stood over his pathetic form and had a hearty laugh at the old goliath's expense. He was infuriated. Hi-Ghrock met the attractive creatures gaze as it curled up next to him, only then realizing that it had finally fulfilled its end of the bargain. 

That day, the goliath met the too pretty gaze of the creature, unable to look away. It looked into his now white eyes and told him, "If you're not quite ready to die, I'm sure we can come to some form of arrangement." At that moment, and many of night since, he wished for blindness to not have seen that horrifyingly satisfied smile.

Serenity Character: Steven Sanders-Ziering

Bio

Home World: Beaumonde, Industrial world.

Occupation: Employee of the Silver Salvage Corp.
Age: 42
Height: 1.83m

Background:

I know it pains you to make the hard choices, but I know my Good Little Soldier will make the right decision.

–Colonel Harley Sanders

Steven was brought up in a military family, and when he joined the Alliance, he became tenth generation military, on his mother's side. He rarely loses his cool and prefers to keep things by the book, but the rules come second to his loyalties.

Steven Sanders-Ziering was born in Beaumonde to Colonel Harley Sanders and Squad Leader David Ziering. He grew up in a military family. During The Unifications War, Steven served as a Lieutenant for a demolitions platoon and became highly decorated by the end. His father died during the Battle of Sturges, and his mother earn a promotion to Colonel short before the brown coats surrendered.

Steve retiring from the military with a bad taste in his mouth. That is when he met Erin and was hired by the Silver Salvage Corp. He had a professionalism and a specialized skill set that was valuable to Ms. Silver and her company. He received the task of dealing with fluid situations to protect SSCs interests, Erin's interest.

During most of the war, his mother served as a lieutenant colonel heading a demolitions battalion. Harley know the right things to get under his skin or manipulative him into doing what she wants. Near the end of the war, she sent an encrypted communication personally ordering him to resume artillery fire. When he questioned the command, she used his father's death to guilt him into issuing the order. He later learned of the Brown Coats surrender was declared six hours earlier. The renewed violence lead to the deaths of over one hundred Independence troops. Steve's Battalion lost twenty men and woman. Harley was thrilled with her son's success and smug about the violation of protocol. She knew he might protest in private, but wouldn't put her career in danger.

ATTRIBUTES ·        Agility d8 ·        Strength d8 ·        Vitality d8 ·        Alertness d8 ·        Intelligence d8 ·        Willpower d8	SKILLS Athletics d6 ·        Dodge d8 Covert d6 ·        Stealth d8 ·        Sabotage d8 Discipline d6 Resistance d8 Heavy Weapons d6 ·        Demolitions d8 ·        Mounted Guns d8 Influence d6 ·        – Guns d6 ·        Assault Rifle d8 Perception d6 ·        Tracking d8 ·        Search d8 Unarmed Combat d6 ·        Wrestling d8
ASSETS ·        Brawler d6 ·        Combat Ready d10 ·        *Contact (Erin Silver) d8 ·        Shadow d2 ·        Steady Calm d10 ·        Talented (Sabotage, Demo.)
COMPLICATIONS ·        Duty d8 ·        Infamy d6 ·        Hooked (Alcohol) d6 ·        Paranoid d6 ·        Rival d12

D&D 3.5e Character: Morgan Roberts

Written for Mysterious Tavern

Morgan Roberts is a former privateer hailing from Fascia. He ran a mostly legal export business that was usually profitable. He had trade deals from the Shimmering Coast to the Sea of Knives. During the lean times, a bit of privateering and smuggling with Red Sabers. The Red Sabers were a band of corsairs led by his father, Captain Ghalib Roberts.

After a particularly success run, he drew the attention of a wealth Pasha. Kamran Redwater, a greedy enforce for the Sultan made a play on Morgan’s trade company. Morgan wasn't surprise when Kamran's lackeys approached him about his business. However, the privateer, didn't expect Kamran to demanded his enterprise and his freedom to pay off his father’s debt. Kamran left the Pasha's request along with a deed pinned to the door of his business. The deed a small plot of land in the Fascia cemetery.  Located there were two open graves; one already filled with his father dead body.

After learning of his father’s murder, Morgan decided it was time to flee his childhood home. He swindled a ship captain into purchasing a small piece of scenic Fascia. (The Fascia Cemetery is nice this time of year.) The earnings paid for Morgan's trip on the first boat out Fascia. His father had lived like a star, but crashed like a meteor directly on top of Morgan’s small fortune.

Morgan, however, treated the problem as a he did all of Life's misfortunes; a minor setback and needed push away from complacency. He wishes to put both Fascia and his pirating days behind him. Maybe see a few of the drier parts of the world. Maybe set a safer course. Maybe profit a bit from the experience.