Character Challenge 2023: 29/31: Traveller Port Authority Cargojack

Just rolling some dice! 76B796. Mostly average attributes though a high endurance and a bit smarter. Decided to dig into the Zombicide:Invaders box. And it turns out I had painted a couple of those minis - I was using them for characters in games back when we were playing face to face. Entirely forgot about that it has been so long.

This one was one of the civilian extras from that KS campaig, a thinly disguised Leeloo from the Fifth Element (they really were pushing the copyright buttons, making them just different enough, though one set did have to get redone if I recall). Based on the scene I just created, I figure she is a Port Authority person, trying to tell this large alien that perhaps parking in the middle of a cargo bay is not the best place to park.

I have a few Port Authority careers, but my favorite has always been the JTAS one, as that is where I first saw it. And I really miss those magazines. Mongoose sort of re-did them (with an awful lot of just copying what was already done) but their binding makes them hard to read. And I am really not liking the Mongoose approach to Traveller. Which is fine: I have all my Classic stuff, and there seems to be enough people liking it. Just too Judge Dread style for me I think). 

Autora Flinx, Port Authority Cargojack

77B796 3 terms, age 30, rank O2

Ships Boat-2, Grav-Vehicle-2, Admin-2, Carousing-2, Navigation-1, Vacc Suit-1, Bribery-1, Forgery-1

Autora Flinx hails from a mid-tech world, and works at the Brashnigii Port, a class B port located next to the Proxli Sea. An industrial-style port, Brashnigii often has huge freighters land on-planet. These freighters often have cargo bays larger than some small ships, and the Port Authority often has to check those bays for contraband, pathogens and other things. She has been a cargojack since entering the service, and is chief for Epsilon Group, which handles the huge freighters carry cargo to and from the world. A bit of a hotshot who loves driving and piloting shuttles, she still does her job but has been known to let small things slide for the right price. A good person to know at the port if you need to know what is going on, and maybe slip something past security.

You don't get to park that truck in the cargo bay, mister!
though now sure whose truck that is - pretty sure the critter from Zombicide is not going to fit!

Term 1 (18-21)

Year 1, Year 2: Basic Training

Working the yards, she becomes quite nimble at dodging loading cranes and crazy truckers. She also learns how to get along a bit better with the ship crew and officers. Gaining +1 dexterity (UPP: 77B796) and Liaison-1 skill, Autoro gets out of basic training a bit quicker, a bit more polished.

Year 3: Transfer?

She is offered a chance to transfer to a nearby system with a class A port, but Autora has family and friends here, and actually likes Brashnigii Port - there is this great little hole in wall diner that serves the best vegni steak you have ever had! She instead picks up Grav-1 deciding that perhaps she wants to be one of those crazy truck drivers.

Year 4: Shuttle Duty

Taking to driving trucks, and now shuttles, Autora really takes a shine to driving and piloting. This year she flies small shuttles and picks up all the skills:  Ship's Boat-1, Navigation-1, Vacc-Suit-1, Grav Vehicle-2.  

Term 2 (22-25)

Year 1: Customs and Security

Her bosses think she is getting a little too comfortable flying all over the port, and Autora spends this year in customs and security. Not a glamorous job, she apparently makes friends in low places and picks up Forgery-1. 

Year 2: Orbital Yard

After a year inspecting cargo bays, she spends this year at the high port. Bored with restrictions of living in a big tin can in the sky, she parties a bit hard this year. No promotions, barely survives (hey, she did get the vacc suit on despite being drunk) and picks up Carousing-1 

Year 3: Orbital Yard

She was retained in her position. Sadly, still no promotion, survival was easier, but no skills. Autora is working on automatic, bored out of her head.

Year 4: Customs and Security

Moved back to this section, Autora is actually promoted to officer rank, and, still having friends in low places, picks up Bribery-1 as a new skill.

Term 3 (26-29)

Year 1: Customs and Security

While not promoted this year, Autora seems to be settling into her role and picks up Admin-1. Between that and forgery and bribery, as well as liaison, she can probably get around in any administrative setting!

Year 2: Customs and Security

She feels like she has found her groove: picking up Admin-2 and promoted to an O2 rank, Autora is finally taking her job and career choice seriously.

Year 3: Ground Element 

Back on the synthacrete pads, she is moving cargo around without needing to inspect it. Going back to her earlier ways, she visits the off-port bars a bit too much and gets Carousing-2 as she gets back to her partying ways.

Year 4: Orbital Element

Back operating to and from the high port, Autora picks up Ship's Boat-2, bcoming a bit of a hot-shot shuttle pilot. She also thinks she has had enough working for the Port Authority, and may leave the service at the of this year.

Character Challenge 2023: 28/31: OSE Dwarf

I should do more Traveller characters as this is ostensibly a Traveller blog. It has become my general blog as I just can't see creating a new one for different things. And gaming is the common thread for all the posts for the most part (with the occasional tirade or self-doubt showing up, but I try & not get too maudlin. Though I do have a post I never published last year that was quite the anger-fest then an apology at the end. Anyway...) Unfortunately I have far more fantasy minis than SF ones. Though I did just get a 28mm scale grav truck, so I'll find a mini for that to have it show up. I could dig into the Zombicide:Invaders set as that has a lot of SF minis!

I pulled out the Dwarf fighter from the Fantasy Series 1 box. And hoping (though with little confidence) that FS2 will actually get made, as they flipped the gender on most of the minis which is a pretty cool thing. I actually have several metal Dwarves from the 80s, which now look even smaller. But bigger minis are easier to paint. Assuming I get around to painting!

Deciding to see about background generators, I found this site and did a Dwarf background. These sorts of things are pretty handy - I worry that I just don't think outside my own box quite often. Though I've not bought any of the various generators created by a lot of the companies I back on Kickstarter or directly. Seems to me a web-based one is better for me.

As there is a LOT of backstory, I'll post it after the character gets created. If this were a real character I were to play, there are several NPCs that the GM could toss in to help motivate me to specific goals. In fact - I plan on doing the same thing I did with the Apex game: have the players come up with some backstories and at least 1 usable NPC and location, and we'll start at least level 2 (so they don't die when they trip over a cat). And I am going to do the "if you roll a 1 you can re-roll until you get something higher". I'll use that rule for attributes and HP. I could do the roll 4d and take the 3 highest, but I really prefer characters that are not superheroes. I know - somewhat atypical of most players. Think I fall into the more story-teller/casual gamer spectrum of gamers, not the min/max style. I also note that there is not actual character description in that generator: facts and history, but not what kind of a Dwarf he is. We will extrapolate from all that.

• Strength: 12
• Intelligence: 14
• Wisdom: 12
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 9
• Charisma: 11

And looking at the Dwarf race, we adjust our charisma to 10 and bump our constitution to 10. As a Dwarf, he can only use small or normal-sized weapons. No long bows or two-handed swords! He has a 2 in 6 chance of detecting new construction, sloping floors or sliding walls, as well as a 2 in 6 chance of detecting non-magical traps. He has infravision to 60'. And a 2 in 6 chance when listening at doors. He also gets a +2 to some saving throws which will be incorporated in his character sheet.

Have fun storming the castle! I have a lot more Dwarves than I remember - there are even more of the old metal ones not put out here! Again, the scale has dramatically changed since the 70s!

Okhead Rumnanvil is what appears to be your typical dwarf: short, broad, bearded, and carrying a big hammer. However, he is more withdrawn than most Dwarves, and actually does not drink. He is an adventurer, looking for the thing that will fulfill the prophecy that he will do great things. Quiet and slow to anger, once he is mad, he does stay mad for a long time. That anger has caused Keltho Tosscobble to become a sworn enemy. As Okhead was drunk at the time, and managed to burn down the house and losing everything he and Keltho had, he has decided that the sober life is a better choice. He is not popular among other Dwarves because of this. His love, Isamund Lincoln, is currently far away.

Parents: You know of your parents.

• Mother: Nora Rumnanvil, Neutral Good Dwarf Fighter that works as an Explorer/Wanderer. Your relationship was hostile. She is dead, killed by execution for a crime.
• Father: Morkral Rumnanvil, Neutral Dwarf Fighter that works as a Laborer. Your relationship was friendly. He is alive and well.

Siblings: 1

• Younger sibling. Olordek Rumnanvil, Neutral Good Dwarf Bard that works as an Entertainer. Your relationship was friendly. He is alive and well.

Family: You were raised by a paternal or maternal aunt, uncle, or both; or extended family like tribe or clan. Your father was imprisoned or enslaved and your mother died.

• Primary guardian: Thomas Breeden, Neutral Good Human Bard that works as an Entertainer. Your relationship was friendly. He is alive and quite successful.

Lifestyle: Comfortable. Grew up in a small house.

Childhood: Others saw you as being different or strange, and so you had few companions.

Life

• Background: Folk Hero
• Motivation: A mad old hermit spoke a prophecy when you were born, saying that you would accomplish great things.
• Class: Fighter
• Origin: You squired for a knight who taught you how to fight, care for a steed, and conduct yourself with honor. You decided to take up that path for yourself.
• Events: 9
• You made a friend of an adventurer.
• Tagga Tewksbury, Lawful Good Half-Orc Fighter that works as an Adventurer. Your relationship was friendly. She is missing.
• You gained a bit of good fortune. A relative bequeathed you a simple weapon of your choice.
• You made an enemy of an adventurer, you were at fault.
• Keltho Tosscobble, Neutral Halfling Cleric that works as a Soldier. Your relationship was friendly. He is alive and quite successful.
• You spent time working as a Folk Hero.
• You met someone important.
• Blossom Cherrycheeks, Neutral Good Halfling Artificer that works as an Explorer/Wanderer. Your relationship was friendly. She is dead, killed by natural causes.
• You started dating.
• Isamund Lincoln, Neutral Human Ranger that works as an Artisan. Your relationship was friendly. She is alive and quite successful.
• You suffered a tragedy. You lost all your possessions in a disaster, and you had to rebuild your life.
• You made an enemy of an adventurer, you were blameless.
• Naal Mellereth, Neutral Elf Cleric that works as a Hunter. Your relationship was friendly. He is alive and well.
• You spent time working as a Folk Hero.

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Day 23: Apex Socialite                                    Day 24, Day 25: Traveller Military

Day 26: OSE Acrobat                                      Day 27: Fantasy Git Half-Orc Fighter

Day 28: OSE Dwarf Fighter

Character Challenge 27/31: Fantasy Gits

Well, it was only $1 with a coupon. And is basically Space Gits reskinned with fantasy elements but essentially the same game. Opening up the Fantasy Series 1 Box (and read the comments for this if you are not familiar with a badly run KS project) has some actually pretty decent minis. Looking at an Orc, we'll go with he is a half-Orc. 

As per Space Gits, you start with 10 in each of the attributes, but the half-Orc gives you a +2 strength. Starting then we have Gungther the half-Orc:

• Strength: 12
• Dexterity: 10
• Health: 10
• Intelligence: 10
• Wisdom: 10
• Charisma: 10

We can also move a couple of points around. While you think, hey, I'll just take some from charisma, you would be wrong. Charisma is also used for intimidation, and I want him to be intimidating! We'll just leave those as-is and see what happens in the career he goes through. Which are 5-year terms instead of 4. He also starts with the skills of 1-Handed, 2-Handed and Brawling-1. And talents are intimidating - enemies are at a disadvantage when they see Gungther!

Of course, he will choose the fighter career - that's all he knows. 

Term 1 (18-22)

He gains +1 charisma (CHA 11), and now has Brawl-2. His activities also give him +2 renown. The renown helps him get more money for jobs, as well as more respect or fear. 

Term 2 (23-27)

His next few years, he picks up +1 wisdom (WIS: 11) and Perception, He can also specialize, and is a Warrior through and through. He picks up Blacksmith as a skill so he can repair his often-damaged weapons and armor. He also manages to learn a new talent and chooses 2-Handed-2. 

Term 3 (28-32)

Getting stronger, strength is now ST: 13. And despite his bulk, picks up Athletics-1 as well as another 2-Handed-3. He knows how to swing a big-ass sword! He also gains a contact, so that will be useful in-game later.

Aging is also a thing in this game, though it is actually a positive: Gungther actually gains +1 intelligence, so INT: 11. 

Term 4 (33-37)

Last term before joining a mercenary group. He gains wisdom again for WIS: 12. He is becoming pretty good at being a Blacksmith-2 and learns the Crossbow-1. He also gets another wisdom boot: WIS: 12

At this point, his attributes are:

• Strength: 13 (+3)
• Dexterity: 10
• Health: 10
• Intelligence: 11 (+1)
• Wisdom: 12 (+2)
• Charisma: 11 (+1)

Now Gungther is part of the Black Blades. a sell sword. He lasts for 4 years before starting the game waking at the bottom of the charnel pit. But before that, he starts off with medium leather armor, lantern, first aid kit, rope, bedroll, a week of rations, and a 2-handed sword. He also has Dirty Fighter as a skill.

There are 6 derived stats: wounds (HP) is 10 (no health modifier). Defense class (AC) is 10 (no dexterity modifier), initiative is 1. His movement is 30', and he has 1 luck point. He also has 3 mana points. His XP die is a d4.

Gungther, Half-Orc Fighter

Living a hard life, Gungther has taken his knocks but has come back stronger and smarter. Large even by Orc standards, he is a brawler - he loves to fight and will often appear to fight just for the heck of it. Yet there is a method to this: he has gained renown as a fighter not because he picks stupid fights, but because he fights smart. Resilient and brave, Gungther never backs down from a fight, but he is careful about getting into fights to begin with.

Gungther vs an Octopus warriar

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Day 23: Apex Socialite                                    Day 24, Day 25: Traveller Military

Day 26: OSE Acrobat                                      Day 27: Fantasy Git Half-Orc Fighter

Character Challenge 2023: 26/31: OSE Monk

Reading my friend's challenge character for a C&C monk reminded me that my first D&D character I made was a monk, Dilbert I think. This was way back in the early 80s, I had none of the books and we generated the character probably in a session 0. The only thing I can really remember is that even then, the dice gods hated me & he could never hit anything either. He had an intelligent scythe, and that thing hated that monk as all he did was dig into the ground, I think. We had a lot of fun playing that. I still have fun even when I roll crappy: I just picture Fugh the Goblin flaying away like a 5-year-old having a temper tantrum: full of sound and fury but not doing a lot other than making noise and swinging wildly (the GM even gave me a fighting boost from one side adventure, but I still have barely a 50/50 chance of hitting anything in a melee combat encounter. 

Interestingly, there is no monk class in OSE. Found a few places and ideas, but I'll could just crib from this post or perhaps from here. Or, in reading over the acrobat, that looks an awfully lot like a monk in terms of skill sets, just no religious overtones. Though I can add them in. We'll stick with the official rules, hoping that a monk class will come about at some point.

Rolling our stats:

• Strength: 11
• Intelligence: 9, speaks & is literate in common, lawful
• Wisdom: 11
• Dexterity: 16 +2 AC, +2 missile, +1 initiative
• Constitution: 12
• Charisma: 12

I did swap one set of rolls as dexterity is the primary stat for this class. Rolling my d4 of levels, and my even/odd for gender, we have a male 3rd level acrobat. And now I realize I need to find a mini that could be this particular class, though any roguish character miniature would probably be just fine. He has some nice skills (which are percentage-based):

• CS - Climb sheer surfaces: 89%
• FA - Falling and removes or reduces damage: 25%
• HS - Hide in shadows (no movement at all): 20%
• MS - Move silently: 30%
• TW - tightrope walking (and beams and ledges): 70%

They cannot wear much in the way of armor other than leathers, and while they can use all missile weapons, they are limited to light blades and staffs. When running from combat, enemies do not get the +2 to hit (which is good to know that that is a thing: I really need to read up on the combat rules before running a game!). Acrobats are apparently quite evasive. There are some nice jumping rules - with a 20' lead, they can leap a 10' pit or chasm - so that's how we can get that rope to the other side!

Where it is an awful lot like a monk, a tumbling attack in melee does double damage. Against an unaware opponent, they also get a +4 to hit. We can rework this thematically as a fighting technique, though it does not improve by level. 3d4 for HP gives us 10 (I will allow any 1s to be re-rolled).

Tuncer Mete, Monk of the Drunken Goblet

The Drunken Goblet is not really a monastery or sect, but rather a name from a troupe of acrobats that wander the world in a large circus. Tuncer has been with the troupe almost 20 years, prematurely bald yet quite happy with it, saying it saves him from having to get his hair cut. While the troupe does wear what one assumes are monk robes, they are in fact a light leather armor. Sometimes juggling with knives does not always work out well! A heavy drinker who seems to fight better the more drunk he is, Tuncer always makes sure to find the best tavern in any town they visit. He has been known to do jobs for various adventurers, but is strict about not breaking any laws, and he does not see morality as a grey area. While occasionally profound, he is usually blithely drinking beer and watching the world with a grin on his face.

 

Hold my beer....

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Day 23: Apex Socialite                                    Day 24, Day 25: Traveller Military

Day 26: OSE Acrobat

Character Challenge 2023: 24 & 25/31 - 2 Traveller/Apex Characters

I am behind so will have to do 2 today to catch up. I pulled some other minis from the same bag as Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin so I can at least get her top bodyguard, Brock, and her hat assistant (our games sometimes seem to have some very hat-centric stories).  I could produce these in the Apex rules, but think I'll do Brock as a Traveller military person, then get the Apex info from that. The hat-assistant (she really does more than that: the mini is actually a female military person that happens to be holding a backpack which we can say is a set of hat bags) may also be Traveller to begin with, but then I'll do a quick Apex makeover. 

Rolling up some 2d6 Traveller stats: 56AA87 and getting an odd, this will be Brock's initial UPP. High endurance and intelligence, he looks like he would survive best in the Army (Marines not quite as easy to get in or survive...hmm, 50/50 and - Army it is). 

Brock Avernii, Army Captain 2 Terms, age 25 56AA97

Blade-1, Rifle-1, Medical-1

Raised in hills of Wales, Brock joined the Army and spent 8 years learning skills and living often in the wilds. Having been commissioned and promoted early in his career, it stagnated after that. Deciding the private life would be better suited for him, and having met Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin during his second term, he applied to be in her bodyguard, and her parents and she agreed. A tall, dark-haired man with a prominent chin, Brock is rock-steady in the face of combat, but turns to a blushing, stuttering fool around women, even his charge. 

Term 1 (18-21)

Getting into the Army as soon as he completed high school, Brock is rapidly commissioned as a Lieutenant and promoted to Captain. He gets +1 EDU, Blade Combat (Blade)-1 and Gun Combat (Rifle)-1. Sadly, his strength gives him a negative DM for most bladed weapons. Hopefully We'll roll a personal development strength roll!

We'll do one more term - for the Apex game this bodyguard is 2-3 levels below our socialite, so he will be a younger and not full of amazing skills. And he does make re-enlistment.

Term 2 (22-25)

He barely survives, and does not get promoted, so only 1 skill. I've been rolling sequentially on the tables, and so he picks up Medical-1 from the advanced education table. He musters out, disappointed that he was not promoted.

Mustering out

He gets a middle passage and Cr5000. We'll drop that to Cr4,000 as he is buying equipment before getting hired as chief security for her Ladyship.

Apex stats

Level 2 Mercenary, 15HP, Defense: 14, Saving roll: 13, XP: 2000

• Strength: 8
• Intelligence: 13
• Wisdom: 12
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 13
• Charisma: 10 (rolled)

Weapon specialization: Rifle (+1 to hit, +1 damage; from the Traveller Rifle)

Advantage on save vs poison and death

Traits

• First Aid (1d4+2 on binding wounds for the Traveller medic skill)
• Accuracy (+2 to ranged attacks)

Anita Close, Marine Corporal 1 term, age 22 A79786

Pistol-1, Mechanical-1

Travellers Aid

A79786. Goodness - twice as strong as Brock! She gets better DMs for the Marines, so let's see if she gets in. And yes, if only by that +2 DM! Anita will be a 1 term Marine to keep her also a low-level character. A chatterer, Anita has a hard time keeping her mouth closed. Despite her 4 years as a Marine, she still is not as quiet as she needs to be at times. Very organized, she keeps notes on everything she does and needs in a small notebook she keeps with her. Constantly organizing things, any room she is in will be put in order not long after she arrives. Dark-skinned with red hair usually tied up in a ponytail, she prefers her Marine fatigues rather than more feminine clothing, despite her Ladyship's gentle admonitions.  Fortunately, her broad shoulders readily carry the various accouterments of her Ladyship.

Term 1 (18-21)

Entering the Marines, she survives but is not commissioned. She does get promoted to E2, Corporal (taking the enlisted ranks from book 4). Going to give her 2 rolls: she picks up Gun (Pistol)-1 and Mechanical-1. Deciding that the military life is not for her, she leaves the Marines and picks up Traveller's Aid. It is in those surroundings where she meets and is soon hired as Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin's assistant, mostly to keep track of her hats and clothing.

Apex Stats

Level 1 Mercenary, 14HP, Defense: 14, Saving roll: 14, XP 600 

• Strength: 14 (+1)
• Intelligence: 10
• Wisdom: 10
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 13
• Charisma: 12 (rolled)

Weapon Specialization: Pistol (+1 to hit, +1 damage; from the Traveller Rifle)

Advantage on save vs poison and death

Traits

• Tough as nails (1 armor reduction). those Marines are tough!

Nothing in Apex per se to deal with that mechanical skill. She is just handy with a wrench.

Brock (left), Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin and Anita in front of the Faracháin  Home
(really a picture of Monticello, from a puzzle. If you get a chance, visit it as it is a really interesting place)

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Day 22, Day 23: Traveller Miltary

Character Challenge 2023: 23/31 Apex Socialite

And a day late - I may have to post twice to catch up. Unlike last year, I've not managed to stock up on the weekends, so often run out of time. And Mondays are tough: get up early for the gym, work all day, then game until I go to sleep! I figured I've not done an Apex character this year, and as one of the other players may run an Apex game, figured I'd throw a hat into the ring. And I may multi-stat her as well (hmm, that may be a fun challenge next year: give character stats for a character for all the games I run: Traveller, Apex, OSE, TFT, maybe Delve if I ever run it).

Regardless, Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin is from Wales, born into a wealthy family and living the good life. In our parallel universe, women from Wales also go into military service (per Apex, after the 2nd level a socialite has performed their military training and duty). From this, she learned to be more combat oriented than her parents would like, gaining the ability to duel wield her Berettas with deadly accuracy.  A gifted speaker who is charming and beautiful, she can usually manage to talk her way through most situations. However, with Brock, her guard captain, and the backup of her five guards, showing up with her full retinue (which also includes her personal cook and assistant), she poses a somewhat imposing group. Lady Bláth has a natural affinity to animals and has many pets back at her home. 

A little above average height, with flowing raven-black hair, Lady Bláth Ní Faracháin has very pale skin with a healthy speckling of freckles. Prone to wearing hats (her assistant is in charge of tracking the several hat boxes she takes on all trips) and flowing dresses that hide her Berettas easily, she is quick to smile. Her military training left her wanting adventure, so she is often on excursions to strange places, and the American West, with its mix of dinosaurs and Indians, is her current adventure.

Shopping out in the American West

The character sheet does not mention that she has 6 bodyguards and 2 assistants. I may have to translate to Traveller and give her a bigger yacht to hold her group!

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Day 23: Apex Socialite

Character Challenge 2023: 22/31: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Sorry for the middling maudlin previous post! Just my normal seasonal issues and too much work (after swearing I'd never do the 50+ hour weeks/working weekends, I've been doing that since Thanksgiving for a big migration. That still is very unlikely to make the end of February deadline. So a bit of tension from all that).

Anyway, poking through the near-infinite pile of plastic, the Reaper 5 Core set had some townspeople. And I got to thinking that Traveller has a near infinite number of worlds of various technologies and societies, and wondering if I could create a character, then give it stats for a variety of game systems? If anyone remembers, way back when there was a Thieves World set that set up the City of Sanctuary and the main characters for a variety of RPG, including Traveller. I was heavily into the books at the time, but the lack of money meant I never got it. That and I primarily just ran Traveller so did not have the other game systems, though I thought about getting them (Runequest seemed like a cool game. Maybe one of these days I'll....no, I have too many games I am already not playing! Need to remember the Joy Of Missing Out as well as its enemy, FOMO!)

Anyway, this rotund, pipe-smoking and well-dressed dame could be a lot of things. A mayor, a rich dilettante, a madame of the local house of ill-repute. Let me roll some Traveller stats, and we'll decide from the social rank what to make of her. 

857397. So, not a dilettante, not particularly bright but educated a bit above average. And then if we translate 2d6 rolls to 3d6, and using the rather extensive dice roll tables in the T5 books and comparing percentages, we can estimate what those would be in a 3d6 system such as OSE. And TFT is basically a 3d6 system at the core based on the average starting attributes. Of course, some of these do not have a direct 1:1 match, but close enough.

Traveller	Old School Essentials	The Fantasy Trip
Strength: 8	Strength: 12	ST: 12
Dexterity: 5	Dexterity: 8	DX: 8
Endurance: 7	Constitution: 10	N/A
Intelligence: 3	Intelligence: 6	IQ: 6 => 8 (minimum)
Education: 9	Wisdom?: 13	N/A
Social: 7	Charisma?: 10	N/A

So just who is this well-dressed woman? While not astute at all, she does have either an education or a natural wisdom of sorts. For Traveller, she really does not match any of the classic careers. Looking at my somewhat extensive bibliography, think we could make her a colonist (Mongoose), frontierist (Cepheus), clergy, craftsperson/tradesman, in organized crime, prostitute, a few other things. And I really need to update that post - I have a few more Cepheus books I think since I last made an update. What, me, a completionist? No...well, maybe. Though I have given up on Mongoose for the most part as I really don't like what they are doing. Though they finally got back to usable top-down 2D deck plans instead of those useless ones they were peddling.

So, back to who this woman is? I don't have a lot of overlap between classes and Traveller careers. Fortunately, the Fantasy Trip is class agnostic as you assign skills and abilities to make your own class essentially. Thinking a trades person may be hard for someone of very limited intelligence, but that is countered by her wisdom and education. But I'd also like her to be of use as an adventure hook. And Diverse Roles has the Collector. And I've misplaced the physical book somewhere! Dang, hate when that happens as I have a shelf that is for all my Traveller stuff! Well, and a giant bin for all the stuff I've had since high school and college as those would take a few more shelves but are odd-sized! Anyway, while the collector is for collecting fine art, we can use that as-is for Traveller, but make it collecting antiques, and for the fantasy games, antiques with magic!

Agnes Birmingham's family business in the collection of antiques and artifacts gave her an easy entry into the field (rolled a 12). Coming from a frontier world. she picks up Survival-1. 

Term 1 (18-21)

She readily survives (and EDU 8+ seems that being an art collector is a LOT more hazardous than I think it should be!). She also gets promoted from rank 0 to rank 1. She picks up Broker-1 and Admin-1 for skills. She also falls madly in love and gains an ally. Rolling for skills (though Cepheus Deluxe lets you pick, I still prefer random rolls in Traveller. Plus, we may be able to increase some of those attributes!) she gets +1 STR for a UPP of 957397. She also gets these skills at 0: Carouse-0, Persuade-0, Art (Antiquities 0), Advocate-0. 

Term 2 (22-25)

Another 4 years of surviving the harsh world of collecting, and in re-reading the deluxe rules, we really get 2 skills per term, and can use one to raise an attribute. We'll do that so we can get a tad smarter. We'll bump her INT by 1 for a UPP of 957497 (which really does not affect the 3D scores yet), and she picks up Language (Trokh-1) as she deals with an Aslan antiquities dealer. And a disaster - she gets injured - she loses that +1 STR she picked up before, so back to 857497. She is also promoted to rank 2. No skills from this rank.

Term 3 (26-28) Failed survival roll

She failed the survival roll, which in most Traveller systems post-Classic really means you get kicked out and roll on a mishap table. Poor Agnes - she did not last long in the career! And I'll need to translate those skills to the fantasy systems. 

She does get 2 mustering out rolls, so Cr1000 and hey, +1 INT! Final UPP is 857597. A 5 is 28% chance of rolling that or lower, and that is close the 8 for a 3D roll. If I am reding those charts correctly! And that is always a big assumption.

Agnes Birmingham

Agnes comes from a family of antiquities dealers, but had a falling out in her early 20's. After a few years with the love of her life, they decided to hit the road together. While still together 20 years later, Agnes has become more of a fixture in town rather than a wandering collector. Heavy-set and prone to wearing overly fancy clothing, she fancies herself as one of the town's elites though she is not. A constant waft of pipe tobacco from her pipe follows here everywhere, and her voice is high-pitched and strident to most people. Eugene, her husband of over two decades, is often still on collection runs to the ruins in the mountains near where they live. She loves to show off the wares in the shop and is always ready to give a long history of each piece. She knows her pricing and can be fairly persuasive when she needs to be.

Traveller Stats

Agnes Birmingham, age 40-something 857597

Broker-1, Admin-1, Language (Trokh-1), Survival-1, Carouse-0, Persuade-0, Art (Antiquities-0), Advocate-0

Cr1000

She and her husband own an antiques shop in Startown. She smokes gyps-weed, a sweet-smelling tobacco. Wearing clothes that may have been fashionable 20 years ago, she sits outside her shop, gossiping with her neighboring shop keeps. Her husband still searches the ruins of an alien city a few kilometers outside of the run-down port city. You may meet her looking for curios, or she may want to hire someone to find her husband who is several days late from his latest foray into the ancient ruins.

 Old School Essentials Stats

• STR: 12
• INT: 8 (native, but also Orc for the Traveller language skill)
• WIS: 13 (+1 on magic saves)
• DEX: 8 (-1 AC, -1 Missile, -1 initiative)
• CON: 10
• CHA: 10

Agnes Birmingham and her husband, Eugene, have a small shop in Windemere. While she stays and watches the store now, she and her husband used to roam the mountains south of Windemere Crossing, delving into ruins and caverns in the search of artifacts and magical curios. While she has put on a few more pounds since then, Eugene has maintained his sprightlier self and still searches for the things to sell in the shop. Smoking a sweet tobacco, Agnes's shrill voice can be heard over the marketplace, and her fancy clothes, though a bit worn and stained, are still a great source of pride for her.  For all her bluster, though, she is a nice person and gets along with others (our carouse and persuade 0 skills - gets a +1 on reaction rolls) You may meet her selling low-end magic items and odds and ends, or willing to purchase things the adventures may have found. She may want to hire the adventurers to search for her missing husband - he left a few days ago and has not returned. 

The Fantasy Trip Stats

ST: 12    DX: 8    IQ: 8

Skills: Literacy, Administrator, Business Sense (yes, she does not actually have the IQ for this, but I'm just going to make it a more intuitive grasp of business and it maps close to the Broker skill). Speaks Common and Orc.

Background is the same as the OSE version above.

I'll just do the TFT character sheet - she is an NPC rather than a character, and for me it is getting late. And no, I won't count this as 3 characters for the challenge!

Agnes in front of her shop in Windemere Crossing

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid                            Day 22: Agnes Birmingham, Collector

Character Challenge 2023: 21/31OSE Centaur Druid

During the last few posts, I really started to think about character generation a bit more tangentially to just the mechanics and background. Wondering even why I've been doing this challenge. And there are a number of reasons. And then I start spiraling around why do we do anything at all? The whole thing about life, the universe and everything. I will admit to some seasonal depression: between the lack of natural light (why I make sure I walk my dog every day at lunch!) and more holidays behind me than in front, plus the buildup and then the inevitable post-season depression, the winter months are not always enjoyed.

Which sort of brings me back to the original question? Why do this at all? A few people read this (hello my 21 followers and anyone else who has wandered in!) but it is mostly for me. I just like games and gaming. Though like a lot of my hobbies, I fear that I think I like more thinking about them than actually doing them. Just like the holidays: sometimes the buildup and anticipation eclipse the actual thing itself. And this is pretty much human nature I believe. And the mechanics of making up characters is a fun pastime for me. One of the reasons I love Traveller so much: so much solo-gaming in that system. While all RPGs have some sort of system to generate characters, maybe dungeons, Traveller creates universes. Anyway, enough of the inept introspection and armchair philosophy, on towards a character.

First, as my challenge in the challenge is to create a character for a mini I have, I need to find another mini. I've always loved centaurs. I have a lot from the 80s in pewter (and probably some lead), and one of the islands in my college days was Triplanar Isle that had Centaur Peak. Most of those maps were built around miniatures I had just bought. I seemed to have bought a lot back then - guess that job at the library was just there to feed my miniature habit! While playing a game a bit ago, we all had anthropomorphic characters or something similar. I chose a centaur as I've never managed to play one. And in fact, I may bring them into the OSE game I'll be running sometime soon.  The Fantasy Trip actually allows them as a character, but OSE they are only statted as a monster (and in OSE, monsters are just those things you encounter: the monster list includes merchants and things like that. Though depending on your view of capitalism, I suppose a merchant can be quite monstrous). I bought a few more centaur minis from Krakenships from this KS campaign. I had a bard Centaur and this set had a bard Centaur. It also has some druidic looking ones and a well-armored standard bearer. We'll work on a Druid Centaur, which will be a possible NPC in the upcoming game. Perhaps as a guide to where they need to go, once I sort of figure out where they need to go!

Thiseas of the Gallantos Herds of the Western Fields is a Druid Centaur. He has since left those fields of his youth and is far east in lands near the Puddlejumpers. He is tending the woods south of Windemere, an ancient tree at the heart of the woods in a sylvan glade. He rarely goes into town, preferring the solitude of the wooded mountainside to the sound of people. There are Fey all about this area, a small and ancient temple long-since abandoned by its builders and worshipers is his home. Quiet, and quite large, Thiseas guards the woods, protecting the dryads of the trees, and the naiad of the small river. Though they also help protect him.

A 4th level Druid, he has +2 for saving rolls against electrical and fire attacks. He has animal friendship and speak with animals (level 1 spells), cure light wounds and create water (2nd level). He carries a large staff and being a good bit larger and stronger than most people wielding a staff, it does 1d4 + 2 damage.

Nudging the monster stats into character stats, we'll leave the AC and movement as-is and roll stats. But I will manually adjust his STR score to 17 to give him that +2 bonus, the rest of the rolls will be straight what I rolled. 

• STR 17 +2 on melee attacks & damage, 4 in 6 chance of opening doors
• INT 10 Literate, speaks Common, a spoken Druid language Kyvliev, a minor nature god
• WIS 12
• DEX 13 +1 on ranged, initiative and AC
• CON 10
• CHA 15 +1 on NPC reactions

Those rolls came out pretty well - Thiseas is a beautiful painted Centaur, with classical Greek features and a well-muscled human torso complete with a six pack. Now, how a Centaur gets that sort of definition is an interesting question, but hey, fantasy world here! I also wonder how they get enough calories, and if they eat meat. In my world at least, Centaurs are vegetarians. And they eat a lot and constantly. 

Thiseas starting on his journey away from the Western Fields of Triplaner Island. He was level 2 when he started this trip a year ago.

original hand drawn map from early 80s

updating with Campaign Cartographer

Day 1: Classic Traveller Scientist                   Day 2: OSE Gnome Illusionist  

Day 3: Mongoose 2e Navy Commander         Day 4: The Fantasy Trip Spy

Day 5: Aslan Outcast                                       Day 6: Traveller Army Commando

Day 7: OSE 4th Level Cleric                           Day 8: Mongoose Traveller Journalist

Day 9: Delve Goblin                                        Day 10: Space Gits Military Intelligence

Day 11: Traveller 5.10 ex-student                   Day 12: Traveller Assassin Aslan

Day 13: TFT Elf Mage                                   Day 14: Classic Traveller Pirate

Day 15: OSE Mycelian                                   Day 16: The Gravedigger

Day 17: Delve Witch                                       Day 18: OSE Fighter

Day 19: Traveller Belter                                  Day 20: TFT Halfling

Day 21: OSE Centaur Druid