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Author Topic: Burning Empires?  (Read 12037 times)

Pseudoephedrine
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Burning Empires?
« Reply #105 on: June 27, 2007, 08:27:42 PM »
Looks good.

Anyone else done yet?
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Werekoala

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« Reply #106 on: June 27, 2007, 08:31:42 PM »
Hmm... okay, my character is an Adjutant for the Church. Not someone who wields power directly, himself, but who works for those who do, and subsequently knows everything that's going on and can, in a pinch, make things happen.

In the past, he was a Priest who showed a penchant for Administration and "getting things done". He's still very devout, to the point of correcting others (even superiors) on points of Doctrine. Fortunately, he's good enough at what he does (and unfailingly right when he debates theology) that he can get away with it.

Name: Senior Adjutant (or whatever the appropriate title is) Cormyn Bane

What else do you need?
Lan Astaslem


"It's rpg.net The population there would call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ a hate crime." - thedungeondelver

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #107 on: June 27, 2007, 09:29:12 PM »
That works for now.

From you, I'm going to need three beliefs, and three instincts.


Beliefs are statements about your character's goals. You're going to use these in play to get a resource called "Artha" which are a kind of "hero point" that allow you to do things like make a roll open-ended (reroll the 6s) or avoid dying in a situation where you otherwise should. There are different kinds of Artha, but I'll explain all that once I've posted your sheet.

"I hate the miners. They must be brought to heel under the guidance of the Merchant League."

"The Church is incorruptible and it's up to me to keep it that way, at any cost."

Usually, they state your character's goals, the means he's willing to use to attain those means, and his attitude towards the situation. The expectation is that you're going to work towards these goals in play, but don't worry if some of them are in friction with other PCs. That's totally allowed.


Instincts are three pre-set patterns of behaviour for your character. It's a set statement about a simple behaviour your character performs without it having to be noted.

For example:

"I carry a loaded pistol with me everywhere."
"I always know where the escape route is."
"I look into the background of anyone who threatens me."
"I always make sure to cover my tracks thoroughly."

You're also going to use your instincts to get Artha (a different kind from the kind you get with Beliefs).


Finally, everybody needs at least one relationship to a non-PC. Relationships are people your character knows. There are beneficial and "complicated" relationships. Beneficial ones are to other people on the Human side (who aren't PCs). Complicated ones are to people on the other side.

There are two conditions that a character's total set of relationships must fulfill (though any individual relationship need not). The first is that you have to have a connection to a Figure of Note (whether on your side or otherwise). The other is that you need to have at least one complicated relationship.

Two or three is a fairly standard number for relationships as well. Relationships have to be bought with a resource called "Circles", with complicated ones cheaper than friendly ones.

I can whip up the rest for you, no prob.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #108 on: June 27, 2007, 11:11:23 PM »
Here's the basics of Cotar-Inquisitor Cormyn Bane

Description: [To be provided by WK]
Beliefs:
Instincts:

Lifepaths:

Born on the Wheel
Student
Notary
Archivist
Interpreter
Cotar
Adjutant Inquisitor
Inquistor
Age: 54

Stats:

Perception 6
Will 6

Agility 3
Forte 4
Power 3
Speed 3

Steel 6 (Competitive, Wil > 5, Per >6)
Hesitation 4

Skills:
Accounting 3
Bureaucracy 4
Church Law 4
Church Records-Wise 3
Divination 4
Doctrine 6
Foreigner-Wise 3
Forgery-Wise 3
Heresy-Wise 3
History 4
Investigative Logic 6
Interrogation 4
Lecture-Wise 3
Mundus Humanitas-Wise 3
Oratory 6
Parish-Wise 3
Research 4
Suasion 6
Temple-Wise 3
Traveler-Wise 3

Traits:

Call-On Traits:
Well-Read (open-skill)

Character Traits:
Harried
Odd
Opportunist
Paranoid
Skeptical

Die Traits:
Born on the Wheel
Devoted to Fire
Keeper of the Fire
Order of the Seeking Fire
Tool of the State

1 free trait point

Circles:

Base Circles 3

Affiliations
Other characters with Born on the Wheel lifepath 1D [from BotW lifepath]
Other characters with Devoted to Fire trait 1D [from Devoted to Fire Trait]
Order of the Seeking Fire 2D [1D from Adjutant Inquisitor LP, 1D from Circles]
Specific Church [with name, location and chief priest to be named by Werekoala] 1D

Reputation
Member of the Inquisition 1D [1D from Circles]

Relationships
[To be described by Werekoala]

3 Circles dice free.

Resources: 8

Technology:
Autothetical Planner - Oratory +2D, Steel +2D only in Duel of Wits [Colour by Werekoala]
Inquisitor's Headset - Investigative Logic +1D [Colour by WK]

Health:
Superficial 3
Injured 5
Maimed 7
Mortal 9

Artha:
1 Fate
1 Persona
0 Deeds

Commentary and explanations for our lycanthropic marsupial pal to come.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #109 on: June 28, 2007, 12:06:53 AM »
Ok, so, here's the basics first:

Your character is an Inquisitor, but not a High Inquisitor. He's got people in charge of him who can give him orders if they want to. He's able to pull a lot of sway throughout the church, but he probably relies more on his position than his likeability to swing that (he's got a low Circles score, but his lifepaths give him a lot of automatic affiliations). He's a helluva debater, but is fragile in firefights, without (at this point) a strong counter to violence.

Specifics:

Your character's lifepaths are those of an ecclesiastical careerist. Notary, Archivist, Interpreter and Adjutant Inquisitor are all functionary positions, while Cotar (Priest) and Inquisitor are the most important positions your character has filled so far.

Stats:

Your character is top-notch mentally - as powerful as a starting human can be. He's very intelligent, and socially powerful when he wants to be. He's fairly strong-willed (Steel 6).but he's not a stone-cold killer or anything like that.

Skills:

Basically, -Wise skills are knowledge skills. You roll them and your margin of success lets you make up on fact about the subject that is true within the game world. So if I beat my Heresy-wise target by two successes, I can say "The heretics are Antecarnationists - they believe souls exist prior to the Burning Wheel" and "Antecarnationists generally only have two ranks - mendicant preachers and laymen." The conditions are that you can't contradict anything else set up so far, either in play or through a previous use of a -Wise skill. Also, if you fail, I can somehow twist or pervert the information you've just given.

-Wise are also useful for giving other skills bonuses. If you can explain how a particular -Wise skill bears on another skill test, you get a bonus.

Your character is excellent at a type of conflict called the "Duel of Wits" which is basically a way of handling arguments between characters. Specifically, he's good at making speeches advancing a particular point of view (Oratory w/Lecture-wise) and at hammering people with guilt and doctrine (Suasion, Divination) until they do what he says. Bureaucracy and Law make him a canny opponent even on an institutional level.

Your character is also an excellent investigator. Investigative Logic is the CSI skill, and he's also got Interrogation, Torture, Research, Bureaucracy, Accounting and Church Law, plus a bunch of useful -Wise skills to help him spot any funny business and bring whoever's responsible to task.

Traits:

There are three kinds of traits:

Call-On traits let you re-roll the "worms" (dice that don't come up 4,5,6) in your dice pool, making it more likely that you'll succeed. You have one Call-On Trait, "Well-Read" which works for any one academic-type skill you choose. You don't have to choose until you actually want to use the skill, but you can't change it once you choose.

Character traits are personality quirks your character has picked up from his lifepath (and from a few choices we made during the World Burner). You can choose how much you want to emphasise or ignore them. I left you an open trait point to buy one more with. Basically, pick any single adjective you think describes your character and write it on the sheet. These character traits don't have a direct mechanical effect, but playing them well gets you more Artha.

One quirk of your character traits is that I gave him "Opportunist" instead of "Crusader". Both are traits Dunedins can pick. Crusader means you're all about destroying the enemies of the church, while Opportunist means you're more interested in using the Dunedin crusades to build your own power base. If you don't like "Opportunist", just change to "Crusader".

Dice traits are the rest - traits that give or take away dice for one reason or another. Most of your dice traits just give you automatic affiliations with one part of the church or another. The interesting one I thought you might like is "Tool of the State". Basically, you get Artha whenever you follow through with an inconvenient order from one of your church superiors.

Circles:

There are three kinds of everything, and circles are no exception. Circles is how socially prevalent your character is. How well known is he, and how much weight can he pull?

Base Circles is a raw "Does anyone know him or care that they do?" stat.

Relationships are personal relationships with other characters who will be NPCs in the story.

Affiliations are institutional power - how much weight can he throw into getting some group of people to do something?

Reputations are just that. What do people think of when they think of him, what do they find when they look at his record, etc.?

Affiliations and Reputations vary from 1 to 3 dice, with 1D being low and 3D being high. 1D is "I need to see the secret files, where do I fill out the paperwork?" 3D is "You could be shot just for asking my name."

Tools:

Your character is pretty rich for a priest, but isn't obscenely so, and certainly isn't wealthy in comparison to merchants of equal importance. If there's any gear you need, now is the best time. In BE, we build technology trait by trait - there's no pre-set gear list - and it's cheapest during character creation.

I've given you two bits of gear, designed to accent the two specialties - investigation and debate. It's up to you to describe them more fully - I've left them vague so you can work them into your concept more easily. They could be cybernetic implants, tricorder-style handsets, or built into your clothing, as you prefer.

One thing you need to fill in broadly is the "Colour Tech" your character has. This is the stuff he owns that has no effect on dice rolls. Does he live in a house, church dormitories, etc. What does he wear for clothing? That kind of thing. You don't have to do it all at once, but it's useful to have it as an idea.

Injuries:

You're not fragile, but you're not tough, and you don't have any skills for in firefights, so it's best to avoid them if you can.

Artha:

You're low on Artha. You probably want to make more by acting on your beliefs, ducking your sensible instincts, and personifying your traits.

Fate points make rolls open-ended - reroll sixes and if they come up sixes again, reroll them and so on.

Persona points add dice (+1D per point) to any roll, and can also be spent to ignore injuries or survive a fatal wound.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Werekoala

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Burning Empires?
« Reply #110 on: June 28, 2007, 10:32:09 AM »
Okay, that's alot to absorb at once. I'll mull it over and get you answers you need to finish filling in the blanks in the next day or two. Thanks for all your hard work! Looks like a cool character. :)
Lan Astaslem


"It's rpg.net The population there would call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ a hate crime." - thedungeondelver

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #111 on: June 28, 2007, 10:58:11 AM »
No problem mate. Take your time.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Illegible Smudge

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« Reply #112 on: June 28, 2007, 12:52:26 PM »
Just to let you know that my character is well on his way now. After initially struggling terribly to render him as a Ship's Captain turned Pirate, I had a breakthrough today when I abandoned that approach and shifted straight into the criminal setting after he made Pilot, taking the Criminal lifepath as his goal. I'm seeing the Family trait as representing more of a pirate clan than mafia family in his case, but that may be stretching things a little. I'm really happy with how he's looking right now, so I hope that's an acceptable interpretation, Pseudo.
 

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #113 on: June 28, 2007, 01:27:20 PM »
It sounds totally fine to me. Just remember to include some way he'd know the other PCs.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Illegible Smudge

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Burning Empires?
« Reply #114 on: June 29, 2007, 12:05:43 AM »
Lugo Lasserides, captain of the Crimson Claw

Stats:
Will: 4 Perception: 6 Agility: 4 Speed: 3 Power: 4 Forte: 4
Physical Tolerances: Superficial H3, Injured H5, Maimed H8, Mortal H10
Steel: 7 (warrior-type lifepath, has been severely wounded, has murdered, has perception 6)
Hesitation: 4 (Cool-Headed)
Age: 40
Artha: One fate, one persona.

Lifepaths:
Born Citizen, Yeoman*, Sense Rigger, Pilot, Smuggler*, Freebooter, Gunsel, Criminal
* Changed to another native setting

Skills:
Assault Weapons 4
Black Market-wise 3
Close Combat 5
Command 4 (General points)
Crew 4
Criminal-wise 3
Helm 5
Intimidation 5
Outcast-wise 3
Persuasion 4
Pilot 4
Sensors 4
Ship-wise 3
Smuggling 4
Streetwise 5
Tactics 5
War-wise 3

Traits:
Citizen of the Commune, Cool-Headed, Family, Hazed, Idealist, Illegal Crucis, Light Sleeper, Loyal to the Family, Mercenary, Opportunist, Paranoid, Shark-Toothed Smile, Sharp Dresser, Tall-Dark-and-Murderous, We Rule These Streets

Beliefs:
  • Give me liberty or give me death! (Idealist)
  • War and rebellion is my bread and butter, and therefore, to be encouraged.
  • The interests of the clan and the free stations are intertwined: without the stations, there is no future for the clan.
  • I will never turn or rat on a brother pirate. (Loyal to the Family)
Instincts:
  • Always have a weapon within arms reach.
  • Never turn my back on anyone I don't trust implicitly.
  • Never say anything incriminating where it might be recorded.
Resources:
  • The Crimson Claw, his pirate ship, a large converted Mercator bristling with guns, grappling harpoons, and pirates. [2]
  • A CEBW pistol. [1]
  • Ubidaan Command Eyepatch. What looks like a pirate's eyepatch is actually a sophisticated command instrument that enhances situational awareness by feeding tactical information to a HUD without impairing normal vision. +2D Command, +1D Tactics. [2]
  • Fashionable yet practical spacefarer attire, gold earrings, and the cutlass that traditionally serves as the symbol of office for pirate captains. Has a well furnished and comfortable captain's cabin on the Claw filled with antiques and trophies.[colour]
  • Resources Exponent: 5d
Circles:
  • Base Circles: 2d
  • Affiliations:
  • Other characters with the 'Family' trait (ie. members of the Kayshaan clan) 2d
  • Fellow Citizens of the Communes 1d
  • Crew of the Crimson Claw 1d
  • Reputations:
  • The most dangerous and ambitious of the Kayshaan pirate lords 2d
  • Relationships:
  • Karj Nemar (free relationship). His fearsome second in command and blood brother, who he trusts implicitly.
  • Wencelas Nam (complicated relationship). Though Lugo tends to dismiss Wencelas as an idealistic fool in front of his men, he secretly admires the man's actions. They have met on infrequent occasion, and though they are not friends, Lugo makes sure he shows the man the respect he feels he is due.
Appearance:
Lugo is a tall man with dark roguish features, and has a dangerous look to him. He appears to be in his late thirties, with olive skin and greasy black hair done up in a pony-tail. His eyes are dark and intense, and he has a predatory confidence about him, which is not even remotely countered by his gleaming white smile. He is always well-dressed, even when forced to obey the dictates of practicality aboard ship, and stays at the forefront of fashion. His manner borders on cocky insolence, yet there is an intelligence behind his eyes that suggests he is more than your usual arrogant pilot or flyboy.

Background:
Lugo grew up in the space stations that dot the asteroid belt, where from an early age he witnessed constant clashes between the freedom loving communes and the forces of the planetary authorities. Their status as enemies was drilled into him, and so like many others who began careers as shipmen and pilots, it was not long before he turned his hand to piracy, and the plunder of the rich League ships that plied the system. If they were the enemy, robbing them was not only acceptable, but commendable, as was smuggling goods past their quarantine and evading tariffs for that matter. He rose quickly within the ranks of the pirate clan he had joined, and only a few years ago, he achieved the status of captain, one of the lords of the Kayshaan clan. He is now one of the most powerful men in the clan, and a potent force out on the belt who demands fear and respect.

Connections with other PCs:
Well, it's fairly easy to see how Lugo and Hesse could have run into one another, and obviously they are unlikely allies, though as is often the case with those on either side of the law, they have a fair amount in common. Of course, both could be very useful to one another if they could get past their prejudices in the name of a common cause. In any case, they'd almost certainly know each other and know how to get in contact.

Admittedly, it's much harder to see how he would come into contact with an Inquisitor.
 

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #115 on: June 29, 2007, 12:24:00 AM »
Hm. Do you guys want me to post the stats for the Figures of Note or just pertinent details?
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Illegible Smudge

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« Reply #116 on: June 29, 2007, 04:32:46 AM »
Quote from: Pseudoephedrine
Hm. Do you guys want me to post the stats for the Figures of Note or just pertinent details?

Personally, I'd like the whole character sheet so as to get a good understanding of what they're like and what they're about. I think we need to know things like their beliefs to properly play the game.
 

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #117 on: June 29, 2007, 10:35:12 AM »
Ok, here's the first of four or five.

Comrade-Comptroller Wencelas Nam

Beliefs:

1) The space stations must be united against the Merchant League and Church by any means.
2) The Vaylen are a fine weapon to be used against my enemies.
3) Might makes right.

Instincts:

1) Avoid being scanned.
2) Always know how to get to my ship from where I am.
3) Shoot first, ask questions later.

Stats:
Will 6
Per 4
Agi 5
For 4
Pow 4
Spd 4
Steel 7 (soldier LP, murdered, competitive lifestyle, will stat > 5)
Hes 4

Lifepaths:
Vibhuuten Clan, Child, Princess, Prince, Sleeper, Captain, High Official

Naiven Age: 40 Human Body Age: 36

Skills:
Administration 3
Balance of Power-Wise 2
Bureaucracy 4
Close Combat 4
Command 6
Commune-Wise 2
Conspicuous 4
Deal-Wise 2
Etiquette 3
Explosives 2
Falsehood 4
Infrastructure-Wise 2
Intimidation 4
Interdiction-Wise 2
Hammer-Wise 2
Leader-Wise 2
Logistics 4
Merchant League-Wise 2
Persuasion 4
Skeletons-Wise 2
Spaceport-Wise 2
Space Station-Wise 2
Smuggling 4
Strategy 6
Tactics 4
Tension-Wise 2
Ugly Truth 3

Traits:

Call On Traits:
Charismatic (Persuasion), Commanding Aura, Peacemaker, Public Face

Character Traits:
Bizarre, Graceful, Handsome, Odd, Unassuming

Dice Traits:
Alien Control, Anvil Trained, Encoder, Psycho-Endoparasitic, Usurper, Vibhuuten, Worm

Resources:
The Alabaster Ark - Hammer Patrol Craft (Res 2) Colour: An Extriate-Class Light Frigate, a popular Dunedin assault model used for picket work and Combat Space Patrols.

Blackside Station (Res 1) Colour: Blackside station is located in the outer reaches of the system on a tide-locked moon orbiting a gas giant. It is a banana republic space station, with Nam as caudillo - drink, prostitutes, fun and money for his supporters, beatings and hard work for the detractors. Tourists love it.

Base Resources: 7d

Circles:
Base Circles: 3

Relationships:
Chief Helmsman "Dowser" Talbot - the pilot and bosun of the Alabaster Ark, Nam's second in command.
 
Cotar-Doctor Emlyn Grange - Nam claims that the League is his real target, and Grange believes him. Nam has in the past managed to smuggle in obscure and secret biotechnology for Grange. Grange doesn't ask where he gets it from, but he does use his influence to keep Nam from being declared an outlaw in return for regular shipments.

Colonel Hesse Tamar (complicated) - As the figurehead for anti-League sentiment, Nam wants to subvert Tamar to his cause. It's a lot nicer than what he wants to do to Piers.

Lugo Lasserides (complicated) - Wencelas respects Lugo and the Kayshaan Pirates as soldiers who have stood against the League for so long. He badly wants them to join his coalition against the planetary forces, but wouldn't settle for anything less than total control from him and absolute loyalty from them.
 
Duke Redav (complicated) - Everybody says that Wencelas Nam saved the Duke's life, though no one knows how or why. The Duke refuses to talk about it.

Affiliations:
Vibhuuten 3d (other Vaylen or Vaylen-wise only)
Communes 2d
Crew of the Alabaster Ark 2d

Reputation:
Captain of the Alabaster Ark 1d
Defender of the Space Stations 1d

Artha:
To be determined

Physical Tolerances:
Superficial 3, Injured 5, Maimed 8, Mortal 10

Appearance:

Wencelas Nam is a handsome, relatively young man who always seems to be in charge of any situation he finds himself in. He tends to wear a navy-blue hammer captain's uniform without any insignia of rank.

Background/Reputation:

Less than a decade ago, Wencelas Nam appeared with a small hammer claiming to be a mercenary deserter from the Dunedin's crusades. He used his ship to defend the stations against the League's forces and against more than a few pirates, making him very popular with the miners. By talent and luck he has become powerful enough that the League treats him as spokesman for the miners (though the miners don't).

Notes:

Wencelas Nam is the Vaylen Figure of Note for the Invasion phase. Also, he has a true hammer, not just a converted mercator ship. This is the basis of his military power in the system - he is the only miner with a real war ship. I picture him as openly hostile to the League and Church, but not a wanted criminal - he could meet with the PCs without them being expected to try and arrest him or whatever. Finally, he is hulled, hulled, hulled, but no one knows this. If it ever should matter, it's an optical hull.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Pseudoephedrine
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« Reply #118 on: June 29, 2007, 12:10:27 PM »
Piers Harken, Vice President, League Special Sevices

Beliefs:

1) If someone crosses or betrays me, I will pay them back ten-fold, and their friends, families and lovers a hundred-fold for it.
2) The people of Lankar must be protected from the worm, from anarchy, from the stupidity of the church and the arrogance of the nobles, and I am the only one who can do it.
3) The Church's control of cloning must be broken. We are a superior race and need not bow to their dogma.

Instincts:

1) If someone threatens me, I will rape their minds.
2) Before I meet someone, I always look into their background for weaknesses.
3) Never leave a record.

Stats:
Per 6
Wil 6
Agi 3
For 3
Pow 3
Spd 3
Steel 7 (Competitive, Wil > 5, Per > 6, Bright Mark)
Hes 1

Lifepaths:
Born to the League, Foundation Student, Psychologist, Commentariat, Agent, Advocate, League Official
Age 48

Skills:
Accounting 3
Blackmail-Wise 3
Bribe-Wise 3
Bureaucracy 6
Dissent-Wise 3
Extortion 4
Inconspicuous 4
Intimidation 4
Investigative Logic 6
Journalism 3
League Law 4
League-Wise 3
League Court-Wise 3
Propaganda 6
Psychohistory 3
Psychology 6
Psychology-Wise 3
Research 3
Rhetoric 6
Security Rigging 2
Signals 6

Traits:

Call On Traits:
Casuist, Well Spoken,

Character Traits:
Clean Cut, Opportunist, Paranoid

Dice Traits:
Bright Mark, Codebreaker, Cog in the Machine, Cold Blooded, Fearless, Psychologist's Code

Circles:
Base Circles 3

Relationships:
Dregus-Logoterite Arkan - It's always good to have the church's chief propagandist as a friend. They've worked together in the past, and maintain a cordial working relationship.

Agathe Harken, his daughter (complicated) - Clones aren't supposed to have natural born daughters. Officially, as a clone, Harken doesn't. The mother is completely unknown.

Inquisitor Cormyn Bane (complicated)

Colonel Hesse Tamar (complicated) - Harken doesn't trust Tamar, but he does think of him as a useful tool. The good colonel's "roundness" annoys him though.

Affiliations:
League Security Forces 3d

Reputations:
Psychologist 1d infamous
Codebreaker 1d infamous
Head of League Security Forces 2d

Resources: 11d
Colour: Piers has a penthouse office in the capital of Lankar-Sors, and a few cottages scattered across the planet in the less hospitable areas. All are filled with the network connections and computing hardware necessary to do his job. He is otherwise a very rich man. He lives a comparatively spartan but still class-appropriate lifestyle.

Appearance:
Piers Harken is a #7PR4 type clone, with the strong angular features typical of that line. He wears a loose green-black kimono with padded shoulders in a slightly-out-of-date style. He has a shaved head, and the distinctive scar of a psychologist runs across his left eye.

Background / Reputation:
Piers' geneline, as one of the rare success stories in the psychologist-cloning program, was bought in vitro en masse by the League. Most of his history is obscure, locked away in secret archives, until he became vice president of the League's security and espionage branch ("Special Services").

He has since become one of the most feared men in the system, an infamous monster perfectly willing to kill, steal and mindrape any time he thinks it necessary. His superiors hate him, but don't interfere so long as he remains effective.

Notes:

Piers Harken is the Vaylen Figure of Note for the Infiltration Phase. Niall, even thought Piers doesn't have the "Born on the Wheel" LP, it's totally OK for your character to think he ought to be working for the church - most other clones are.

WK> "Codebreaker" is a nastier reputation than it probably sounds. It refers to the Psychologist's Code, and it basically means that at one point or another, Piers has used his psychic powers to jump into someone's mind against their permission and take what he wanted from them. Infamous reputations are just what they sound like. Rather than being famous and well-regarded, you're seen as a terrible jerk.

Also, he has a complicated relationship with you. Would you like him to be blackmailing you? Or would you prefer to be investigating him for something? Anything unpleasant like that would work well.

Piers is an evil, ambitious, manipulative, vengeful bastard. Be forewarned, folks!
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin's Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don't want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don't care about the forests, they''re the fuckin' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Illegible Smudge

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Burning Empires?
« Reply #119 on: June 30, 2007, 12:24:03 AM »
Thanks for posting those, Pseudoephedrine. That helps a lot, and they're both cool and interesting characters.

I do feel however, that I might need to dig out the old "Heckler" die trait when it comes to Wencelas Nam. I mean, seriously, those skills are pretty outrageously min-maxed, being almost entirely twos or sixes, with very little in between. Admittedly you've taken lots of skills to broaden the base, but he's still far from a balanced character: it's like you've cut out the middle floors of a pyramid, leaving only the base and the apex. It's a similar story with Cormyn Bane. Piers Harken on the other hand, seems much more reasonably balanced, and it's good to see that you've kept the number of lifepaths down, so full credit on that score. For that reason, I don't want to be too critical, but the problem I see is that this kind of min-maxing encourages, if not forces, the rest of us to do the same if we want to stand a chance of competing, and that's a bit sad.