Character Challenge 2022 18: Kueklluegz Khengarkang ("Kookie"), former Vargr Corsair

Just rolling dice...

A66AA8, Vargr this time, and female. Another smart character. Though depending on the rule set I may need to adjust the physical stats. As I have the reprint of the Classic Alien Modules 1-4, which has the Vargr, we'll use that. And side note - I found that book in a bookstore years ago, and, having not looked at my Traveller books in years and years, I suddenly got nostalgic and bought that and it restarted my interest in my first RPG. Not long after that I found COTI. Life was good!

Anyhoo. We adjust the strength & endurance by -1, and dexterity +1, and social is 1d. So, our revised Vargr UWP is now 975AA5 (hey, I choose the 5 I rolled for charisma!) We have a smart, strong Vargr with pretty good charisma. Using the word generation for a name, her name will have 6 syllables. Another roll and 3 for first and 3 for last. Kueklluegz Khengarkang. And we'll need some sort of Anglic name as I cannot bark that out! Kookie. Well, it is a work in progress.

Looking over the careers, and choosing the extended versions, I'll choose Corsair - I mean, this is a Vargr! How will I integrate an ex-Corsair Vargr into the station? Ahh, that shall be interesting. If I even get in - I don't actually have any DMs, but a 5+ is pretty straightforward. And a 9, Kookie is a Corsair!

Term 1

Needing to pick space or troop, she is a spacer (well, okay, I need to roll as I'll always pick spacer. Hey, I like Traveller! So, even = spacer, odd = trooper. Odd). Okay, she decides to be a trooper. 

Year 1 Basic/Advanced Training: Heavy Wpns (Auto-Cannon-1), Grav-1. I should look up the details for heavy weapons, but honestly, I think we can wait until she is actually in use and then pick what is appropriate? Nah. Opens LBB4 to find the list of heavy weapons. And back-fills the entry.

Year 2 Protection. I survive handily with a 10 but am not successful, but fortunately a 7 means no effect. I can gain a skill and choose Corsair life and pick up Gambling-1.

Year 3 Raid! Another easy survival with a 10, and no success with a 5, but again, an 8 yields no effects. No skills in this seemingly uneventful year of raiding.

Year 4 Protection, barely survive with a 5, and again, no success and this time I lose a charisma for UWP 975AA4. I do pick up a skill, and again choose Corsair and gain +1 dexterity for 975AA4.

Term 2

I just make reenlistment with a 7.

Year 1 Protection. I survive with a 6, finally succeed and yeah, no effect. And no skills. Sometimes, those dice really hate me.

Year 2 Protection. Maybe I need to become a spacer...and I am injured. A wounded Vargr who does not seem to be getting anywhere. However, having just said that I do succeed and gain a MCUF (Meritorious Conduct Under Fire) and gain a charisma back! UWP: 975AA5. Finally - some recognition!

Year 3 Garrison. While I survive, no success but no effect. And no skill. I am looking more like a Classic without expanded character generation!

Year 4 Training. And I must have really acted out. While survival is automatic, I failed, and actually get a -2 charisma and tossed out of the Corsairs! 

Mustering out

Traditionally I believe if you get tossed out you do not get the benefits for that term. So Kookie only has the 1 roll. I'll gamble and do the benefits table and she nabs education +2. And no credits to her name.

Kueklluegz Khengarkang ("Kookie"), former Vargr Corsair

975AC3, age 26, Vargr

Grav-1, Heavy Wpns (Auto-Cannon-1), Gambling-1. 

MCUF

Her days as a Corsair did not do well for Kookie. She had a soft heart and raiding people to take from them just seemed to be off for her. A loaner from early on, she just never fit in anyplace. After several years of being the ground and ship boarding troops, she decided she was getting nowhere other than scarred up. Her captain, tired of her inability to really go for it, finally dropped her off at a high port far away from their last raid. He was picking up supplies and dropping off what he considered dead weight. With nothing to show for it, Kookie joined the group in Red's Quarters. She avoids most people but has managed to barely survive in the weeks she has been there. She does wander by the gambling dens but without a credit to her name, she can't even enter. She does post that she is available for hire at the hiring boards, and the Lady Aidy, having seen the wandering Vargr, has started up trying to get her employed at the DocuMat. At least it would be a job.

most of the time, she was bored

Red's Ruins, home of the destitute

Yeah, another one that did not turn out to have a happy experience! Not sure why. Maybe I need to switch games for the next character.

Character Challenge 2022 17: Craftsman Sterey Pera

 For those in the US, Happy Martin Luthor King Day. I actually have the day off, but as it has been snowing the last few days, I am unable to leave my house. Which personally is just fine by as long as I have electricity. Internet is not really needed as I have a LOT of books, but no power means no heat and as I am on a well, no water either. But internet is good, and I've binge-watched way too much the last couple of days. On the bright side, I did finish off a couple series I was watching, so in theory I can start new things. I really prefer to finish a series as long as it is not really bad. Though some of the Korean shows seem to go on forever - up to episode 45 of one show and have no idea how many more episodes there are. I have sort of given up on another after 50+ episodes, though who knows, I may get back to it as well.

Regardless, here we are for another character. And I'll do another Traveller character to add more people to this near mythical high port that is slowly developing in the back of my head. I'll have to have a post with the actual port and the character list, perhaps even various maps from the many resources I have or can create. And in looking back over the Points in Space, there are opportunities to pull parts of that together along with a few of the 0-Hr maps as there are a few stations among the PDFs and posters I have for that.

Raw stats: 859868, and human and male. A perfectly average kind of person, so viable for any career and none on particular. One career I've not really tried is the T5 Entertainer career, nor the craftsman. From various comments the fame seems to be a bit tricky, but we'll give it a go. Additionally, it gives me an excuse to open the big black book from the 2nd Kickstarter for T5. Perhaps there will be a 3rd Kickstarter to get rid of the remaining errata and finally, after almost a decade, the actual player's guide as promised in the 1st Kickstarter. Yeah, not really expecting that to ever show up. And as they paid no attention to the PDF reviews indicating errata, pretty sure another KS will just be more of the same. However - I will note that there are a LOT of useful charts in book 1 in dealing with the travel times and jump limits which I've never really paid attention to. It may be handy on my system detailing to see if the planet is within the stellar jump limits. 

Step A is the stats as rolled above. I am not going to worry about the genetics (1 die of each roll is the genetic portion of that stat and is used when generating clones. Not a fan of the cloning thing as for me, if you need a clone, you may as well roll up a new character.

Step B is determining home world. There is a handy d66 table, so I'll utilize that. 15 = Efate (A646930-D), a high population, industrial planet (and with a 0-law level!). From the high pop I gain Streetwise-1 and 1 trade. And though there is an index, the actual trades are listed conveniently at the bottom of the table defining the trade classifications and what skills they grant. And of course, I looked everywhere else before looking at the bottom of the table of trade classifications and their skills. They are also nicely summarized on the skills overview table itself. As there are 10 listed and he is still a blank character, an 8 gives him Photonics-1. These are light-emitting devises (TVs, holovids, etc.). TV repairman or, as I am going to the entertainer career, perhaps a light sculptor of some sort. 

Step C is education and training, or the pre-enlistment options. Looking at his existing education and intelligence, perhaps a trade school to boost his photonics skill. Note that T5 characters have much higher skills as that is a part of the dice-pool mechanism. I'll probably keep him as both versions of Traveller: the general idea is you divide the skills by 3 I think for Classic. Need to find where I read that, but we'll see how that works out. Anyway, back to a trade school (and yes, T5 is full of tables, including tables to generate a trade school name) yet the definition of the trade school shows a +2 to major. The trades don't have the M column checked, just the C for College and S for School. And d'oh, a trade school is a school. Going with that interpretation. Having to roll under Intelligence to get in, he manages it with exactly an 8. A year later, and he does pass, so I'll boost him to Photonic-3. He is getting good at photon-emitting devices, all thanks the (rolls on trade school name) <Company name> Institute of <Skill>. So, the Aeritis Lights Institute of Photonics has handed us our graduation chit. And somewhere I switched from entertainer to craftsman.

Retcon time: it was not until term 2 / year 1 below I realized that he could not become a craftsman. He needs some more skills before entering that career. Our 19-year-old was apprenticed to a photonic engineer during his early schooling and ended up with Photonic-7. Yes, Traveller 5 skills are a far cry from Classic. I'll parse this into Classic to fit the others on the station as well as leaving T5 character generation as well. Picking up craftsman as a skill is required, so a training course for another year (which he gets in with the photonics skill). He just passes with an 8 against his intelligence of 8, so picks up Craftsman-2 and is now 20 years old.

Step D is selecting and resolving a career. This is where Classic Traveller starts. Though the LBB 4 and on introduced pre-enlistment options, it is the Cepheus rules that really expanded on this a great deal so that your character has a life before 18 (or 14 in the case of belters or barbarians). T5 really complicated things though, at least for me. It is still the 4-year term process as started in LBB4, and there is the risk/reward minigame that may have been in LBB4 but was certainly in LBB5 / High Guard. You can take higher risks for survival for a better chance at a promotion, or vice versa. I just seem to never remember to do that but will endeavor this time around. There are actually 2 possible career choices that fit where I want this character to go: craftsman and entertainer. Now that I am looking at it, I've changed my mind, and craftsman seems like a better fit. As defined, a craftsman is a skilled creator, an artisan. The focus of a craftsman is creating a masterpiece, and there is no risk or reward. However, he needs to roll 9 dice to see if he creates a masterpiece against master points. Which are the controlling stat for that term + craftsman skill + up to 5 skills at level 6+. So obviously he is not going to get a masterpiece in the first term or two. And that is a lot of dice - good thing I do have a dice addiction!

Term 1

Year 1 age 20

I'll just go straight through the stats, so C1 / 8 is the controlling stat. Since 8 + 3 (my photonics skill) is not at least 40, I can't even try for a masterpiece. A skill is automatic, plus, as I do not have the 40 points, I also gain Craftsman-3 as I hone my skills. As I am working towards a craftsman, I may also need some business skills and pick up Comms-1. 

Year 2 age 21

Controlling stat is C2 / 5, + 3 + 1 (1 for Craftsman). Still under 40, so still cannot attempt a masterpiece. For some reason I picked up Medic-1 on the avocation table. Not helping me to my masterpiece, but perhaps wearing those safety googles when working with lasers is a good idea.

Year 3 age 22

Stat is C3 / 9 + 3 + 2, still < 40. I must be working out: strength +1. Now have a 959868 UPP.

Year 4 age 24

This year is C4 for 8 + 3 + 3, or 14. Still far short of what I need to even try for a masterpiece. Apparently, you have to be really old to try! And heck - the skills have to be 6+ to count...so I've been doing it wrong already. T5 is...complicated. Rolling a 5 on the trade gives me Photonics-8. Some progress to making a masterpiece!

Term 2

Year 1 age 25

Back to C1 which is now a 9. 9 + 8 (photonics) + 3 (crafstman) and no skills above 6, so 20 is way, way below 40. Need to work on the skills.  A 1 on the vocation table gives me Naval Architect? Okay, that must be errata: why the heck would naval architect be in this list? Swapping that for 1 Art and choose Artist-1. Ahh, a step towards creating a masterpiece. I am still not at all certain I am handling this correctly. In fact, I don't think I could have even entered this career: I needed 2 level 6 skills and craftsman in re--re-reading the career. So, our hero really needed to get photonics-6 and craftsman-1 before entering the career. Section C will have to be revisited: he'll need an apprenticeship and a mentor for a few years before even starting! See the retcon above. He is still below 40 points but not as much.

Year 2 age 26

Magnetics-1. Picking up another trade skill for a bit of a more well-rounded character. Though at this pace, a masterpiece is a ways to go!

Year 3 age 27

A new trade. Dang, picking Mechanic-1. 

Year 4 age 28

C4 = 8 + 8 + 4, only 20. Artist-2. And as I can't succeed at the masterpiece, Craftsman-4. 

Term 3

I also noticed I have no idea about the re-enlistment option. It says Craftsmanx2, so is that a roll under? In which case, he never would have made the 1st reenlistment. I'm doing to fudge this as I realized when I got all the way to term 4, I had been messing up the check for a masterpiece. You only check once per term, not each year! With Craftsman-4, I need an 8 or less to stay in.

And in rewriting this post multiple times, I can see why T5 is full of issues: it is complicated! Next time I do a T5 character generation, I am going to do it on a notepad first then transcribe the end results. Some of the masterpiece attempts may still not have the correct numbers adding up.

Year 1 age 29

Edging closer but still no good. Another new trade. If I run out of new trades, it is a lost roll. And having no major or minors, not having been to college or university, the academic is also not a good chance. Picking up Program-1. 

Year 2 age 30

Magnetics-2. 

Year 3 age 31

If I can just bump up the other trade skills. Another new trade Electronics-1. Fortunately, there are 10 trade skills. But eventually I am going to hit that limit when I roll the "new trade" and there are no new trades.

Year 4 age 32

Artist-2. Hmm, if I can boost the artist up, that would help. And I also will fail the masterpiece check, so Craftsman-5. 

Term 4 (the aging term!)

Year 1 age 33

Still not anywhere near what I need. Artist-3. 

Year 2 age 34

Magnetics-3. 

Year 3 age 35

Artist-4. Soon I may be able to add that artist or magnetics skill in!

Year 4 age 36

Artist-5. Closing in! And of course, failing at a masterpiece Craftsman-6. 

Aging rolls. 

The aging rolls are interesting in T5. You want to roll over the life stage to avoid aging. At 36, we're at life stage peak, or 5. Rolling a 9, I age gracefully. A 10 and a 6 mean the other stats also are safe (roll per stat; yeah, if reading this you may be wondering why I bring this up. Another re-write!)

Term 5

Year 1 age 37

The UWP is still 959868. C1: 9 + 6 (Craftsman) + 7 (photonics) = 22. Not yet deciding to roll on the personals for a change and hoping for one of the stats to get boosted. It ended up being the education, so 959878. Which does NOT help.

Year 2 age 38

Artist 5. Okay, one more artist & I will be able to add towards the 40-point minimum requirements.

Year 3 age 39

Artist-6. Finally, we can add in another skill!

Year 4 age 40

C4: 8 + 6(Craftsman) + 7(photonics) + 6(artist) = 27! Still unable to even attempt a masterpiece. Craftsman-7, Magnetics-4. 

Aging

I failed my aging roll with a 6. So, no affect, so no actual change. At least that is how I interpret it. And we'll go for a 5th term as I want another masterpiece, preferably a perfect masterpiece. Funny - you succeed on that roll, and you get the Craftsman skill bump & 3 other skills. Though I really think I am misunderstanding that: there is a 4 skills per term listed. Is that the roll to make, or the maximum skills you can get, or the maximum skill levels you can get? T5 is very confusing for me in the character generation. Regardless, I have a master craftsman. And I really, really think I screwed that up as in looking at the Craftsman skill, the hardest is a 4D < int + craftsman. Meaning this character would never, ever fail any of those checks. But I don't see how you can get to a masterpiece otherwise. Hmm - you can only try for a masterpiece once per term...so, all those craftsman rolls are only 1 per term, not per year. Dang. So, updating all those numbers above. Which of course, you won't see. But he would have had his masterpiece! We're going to have an older, bet very well-qualified, craftsman when done. Perhaps he can do some work on Lady Aidy's ship, put in some fancy custom lighting. 

Term 6

Year 1 age 41

C1 again, 9 + 7 + 8 + 6 = 30. Closer. Magnetics-5. One more of those and perhaps we can try this term for a masterpiece.

Year 2 age 42

C2, and nope. Artist-7 so that will help a bit. Was hoping for a trade to add in magnetics. 

Year 3 age 43

Magnetics-6. So now we have an additional skill to add in!

Year 4, age 44

C4: 8 + 7 (craftsman) + 7 (artist) + 6 (magnetics) + 8 (photonics) = 36. So, no. It will be another term before he can succeed at a masterpiece. We do pick up Craftsman-8 and +1 endurance, giving us 95A868 which does mean a slight boost.

Aging. 

Rolled an 8/8/9, so above the 6. Still aging gracefully. And impossible to fail the re-enlistment roll.

Term 7

Year 1 age 45

C1: 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 8 = 38. New trade: Polymers-1

Year 2 age 46

Even worse than previous year. Electronics-2.

Year 3, age 47

C3: 10 + 8(photonics) + 7(artist) + 6(Magnetics) + 8(Craftsman) = 39. Ouch! Missed it by that much. Electronics-3

Year 4 age 48

Not a chance, so we pick up Craftsman-9 and strength +1 for A5A868. Hope the aging goes well!

Aging 

Still in my midlife and I still age gracefully. One more term as geriatrics in space is not as much fun. 

Term 8

Year 1 age 49

C1: 10 + 9 + 7 + 6 + 8 = 40! I can try for a masterpiece finally! Rolling a 33 means I succeed. Finally! though it is just worth Cr150,000, that will be the nest egg. Oddly, because I succeeded, I actually get Craftsman & 3 other rolls. Going to put those rolls into the personals this time as I fear I'll be getting old soon. Craftsman-10 and +1 dex, +1 int, +1 edu for 96A978. 

Year 2 age 50

As we can only try once per term, we get 1 skill this year. Need some business sense so Trader-1 Guess that may help evaluate things along with the craftsman skill.

Year 3 age 51

Bureaucrat-1. Must have a lot of forms to fill out. There is still an admin skill in T5, but it has been revamped to more of a management type of skill, versus actual paperwork. I think perhaps those should not really be split out and just have the 1 skill cover business stuff. But then, I do prefer the broader skills vs the more specific skills in Traveller. 

Year 4 age 52

Decided to roll on the travel column, so pick up Grav-1. I have to haul my work too!

Aging

Being a senior, I need a 7. I must have not been taking care of myself as I roll a 4, so -1 Str, a 3 so -1 Dex, but my endurance is good. Realized after the fact you roll per stat and have made the appropriate updates above. Now my UWP is 85A978.

Mustering out

8 terms, so I actually have a +8 on the muster out tables. Not sure if the limit is still 3 for credits but going with that. 

• Cr60,000 + Cr60,000 + Cr40,000 = Cr160,000
• TAS for life
• Director - and I cannot find what that actually means
• Dexterity + 1 86A978

I rolled the TAS for life twice so that was a lost benefit. Though there was an interesting conversation on COTI about a TAS Fellowship: with an extra benefit I can promote someone to have a TAS membership for a year or something like that. I may hold on to that idea for MTU.

Sterey Pera, Craftsman 8 terms

86A978 age 52

Craftsman-10, Photonics-8, Artist-7, Magnetics-6, Electronics-3, Polymers-1, Grav Vehicle-1, Streetwise-1, Mechanic-1

Cr160,000, TAS Membership, Director of Imperial Crafts Certification Society.

Born and raised on Efate, Sterey went to trade school right out of high school, the Aeritis Lights Institute of Photonics. He was also part of an apprenticeship with a master of photonics. Realizing he wanted to create photonic art and not just repair the made-to-be-discarded viewers that Efate produced, he went into a training camp and picked up enough skills to start to work on hist masterpiece. Over the years, he picked up the bare minimum to run his own business, expanding out his skills. Yet he always wanted a masterpiece, an art piece that brought together the craftsmanship as well as the artistic view of what things could be. Finally, just before his 50th birthday, he did create such a piece. It was to be installed at the high port of a distant world when he sold it. A few more years, and he realized he wanted to see how the installation looked. Weeks after his 52nd birthday, he arrived on-station. His masterpiece was on the concourse outside the Purple Fountain Club. While not exactly what he thought, at least it was visible for all those who walked through the concourse. 

Sterey devotes a fair amount of time to the Save the Animals network, a charity group against the cruelty to animals. He is also a member of the Imperial Crafts Certification Society. As such, he can certify crafts and goods as being what they profess to be. He has also faced down accusations that his one and only masterpiece was a copy, and a bad one of that. Perhaps that is why it is stuck in the concourse and not in a museum. 

At times a bit grumpy, especially when focusing on an issue, Sterey has a soft spot for strays. While mostly of the animal sort, he also can have a soft heart for people. A roaming director for the Imperial Crafts Certification Society, he can certify craftmanship. He takes this responsibility seriously, and has been hired on occasion to certify equipment that has been traded in. 

Currently he is staying in a Cozy Quarters. While not a particularly large room, and he studiously ignores that stain near the toilet, it is reasonably clean and, as the sign says, cozy.

The Purple Fountain Club from Points in Space. Just adjacent to the entrance is Sterey's masterpiece.

To Classic Traveller

86A978 age 52

Craftsman-3, Photonics-4, Artist-3, Electronics-1, Grav Vehicle-0, Streetwise-, Mechanic-0

While Craftsman does not really have a correlation, I'll leave it. This is just a rough guess to translate the skills. The stats of course remain the same.

Some minor comments in closing

Now, was it worth the 2-3 hours (yes, hours!) to generate this character? Well, if I generated T5 characters more often that time would decrease to the same point probably I can kick out the expanded Traveller characters. I still think of T5 as a toolbox and not an actual RPG. 

And finally, though the image shows an older gentleman, I am actually almost 6 years older than he is (I turn 58 this year, and have had Traveller since I was 18, so 40 years of Traveller! Though I did not actually play until I was 19 and in college and found my fellow Traveller players!). Age is entirely relative! Of course, I can't really "see" myself so have no idea how old I look.  I just see the me I was, not necessarily the me that I am. Ahh, our own blind eye to ourselves. 

And this has been probably one of the longest posts I've written. Wonder if there is a way to get word count by post stats from Blogger?

Character Challenge 2022 16: Dr. Jala Inishmar

Realizing that my last couple of Traveller characters were not exactly beacons of hope, we'll try again. That is the thing about an entirely random (or mostly) character generation: it does not always give you the happy path. And that is an entire discussion worth having at some point as it also plays into why we play. Most people want to play a more heroic character, someone who can make a difference be it via super powers or magic or sheer might. Traveller has always been about regular people doing heroic things. Or dastardly things if playing the criminal elements. Regardless, I do want something more optimistic in general, so we'll try to have a Traveller character who can have what they wanted out of life. That drug dealer NPC ended up being very destitute. I also see him as Lenny from Mice and Men. Or more likely that hairy monster from Bugs Bunny, who is based on Lenny. At least I think so.

And now on to our next Traveller character. 

667BB8. Other than a Star Wars reference, here we have someone with average physical stats but very smart and educated. A 4 as an even roll and we have a woman, and a 3 is human. I may have to pick an alien race just to have some this year. 

I always lean to the scientist career with stats like that. And what is a space station that has no lead scientist? In looking over the science career paths (and some of the pre-enlistment options to even better increase education) we have the following college options:

College

She was successful in getting in and actually stayed all 4 years, and just barely got honors. She also managed to pick up Language (Trokh-1) and Computer-1. And picked up more education, so now we have 667BD8. Looking at the University options, or the doctor options. I decided to forego trying for NOTC or MOTC as she will either be a doctor of medicine or a scientist. 

Medical School

I did roll and she would have been good in NOTC in college, and I failed the medical school enlistment roll by 1. Going to fudge this (and I would do the same when a player is that close). With her intelligence and education, going to sort of borrow the T5 mechanic that allows you to try again (which is an interesting mechanic that I did use last year for one of my T5 characters). She easily makes the success roll with that +2, and even gets honors with the 8 + 1. This gives her some crazy skills, though her dexterity is not high enough for a surgeon.  At this point we have 667BE8, Medic-4, Admin-1, Computer-2. Heck, she is ready to play as is, but. there is the surgeon career from Behind the Claw, Foreven Worlds. Yes, mixing rule sets. But that is the joy of Traveller for me. Besides, hoping to bump her dexterity up by 2 points so she can be a surgeon! You do not want a clumsy doctor with a scalpel operating on you!

Term 1, Medical Career

I actually rolled an 11 to get in. She is already a doctor, so no DMs even needed really. And honestly, this to me would have been a freebie. And my dice are feeling the optimism - rolled a 12 for survival even though 4+ was all I needed, and a 9 for promotion so Rank 1. Having 2 rolls, I'll do 1 on personal & hope for a dexterity push, and the other on advanced education to get another hopefully useful skill. Well, I gained endurance +1 for 668BE8 and language so picking actually Vilani just because of the pseudo-classical part of this. In fact, perhaps she comes from a Vilani family. I may go with that as humans are not really that differentiated in Traveller. So, Language (Trokh-1, Vilani-1) as she continues.  And it turns out there are a few varieties of the language as listed here. We'll stick with the "modern" standard version.  Though I think I want a younger character and she has plenty of skills to be a station doctor. And there is an event and apparently, she has a great bedside manner: can either take a +2 for the next advancement or +1 social. I'll bump her social, so now we have 668BE9. She can put that classical language to use as she moves up in society.

And not wanting to invoke the harsh aging rolls as she does not really have the physical stats to take a hit, we decide to muster out.

Mustering out

I get all of 1 roll and choose cash as she needs to be able to live a bit. Unfortunately, she did not manage to save much (perhaps she had a lot of student loans!). She ends up with Cr5,000. So she will be actively looking for some position.

In the end, this character turned out well: I had mostly good rolls, and only had to fudge 1 roll. Something I will often allow in character generation once in a while. We are here to have fun after all.

Dr. Laja Inishmar, MD

668BE9, age 30. College with honors, medical school with honors

Medic-4, Computer-2, Language (Trokh-1, Vilani-1), Admin-1

Cr5,000

Dr. Inishmar comes from the core worlds of the Imperium, her family history stretching back generations. Though from a middle-class family, her innate intelligence and aptitude for school quickly led her to advanced degrees. Her college career she picked up computers and become fluent in Trokh. She got her medical doctorate, with honors, at the Medical School of Sketola. She took to a 4 year journey on various ships as ship's doctor, and the constant running around helped strengthen her legs as some of those decks are hard. She also picked up the Vilani language in tending high class passengers that refuse to learn Anglic. 

After a hectic four years, she decided to take a break and see what she really wanted to do next. She is staying at a long-term complex at the high port, drinking yakka juice and eating vilnafku. She sometimes tosses a credit to the derelict she passes in her walk, and is thinking about seeing if the travel agency at the Documat could use a ship's doctor for a trip.

Character Challenge 2022 15: Ellis Newtonson, Deputy of Windemere

I keep thinking of Barney Fife from the Andy Griffith show for this character. He's very earnest, yet over-confident and thinks things should be the way they are supposed to. He is not happy with Ira Sprigbasher's capitulation to the Elf Pirates, so tends to patrol around the Silver Pirate and writing up citations for everything he can think of. The pirates ignore him. His does talk to the few children in the town, trying to "nip it in the bud" when they act out. 

He was a sergeant under Ira when they served together, and, despite the half-Elf pirate issue, has a great deal of respect for the sheriff and will stand up for him in all cases. He is also a devout follower of Bizma, the goddess of Fire. He has fashioned a tunic with her symbol, and wishes he had some of her holy armor (see the pantheon I've never fully fleshed out but will try to start using a bit more here). 

A tall man and now balding, Ellis wanders the streets with his trusty halberd at hand, sword on his hip. He has been with Ira Sprigbasher more than 20 years now, first in the wars and now as his trusted deputy. A stickler for the law, he carries a pad of parchment paper and often will write up people for every possible offense. Few people take this seriously, though there have been vigorous arguments at the sheriff's abode. He is known to even write up children in the street, wanting them to grow up in the straight and narrow. He visits the Nimble Priest Inn every 3 days, lighting a candle in one of the back rooms that serves as a generic sanctuary. Each year he petitions for an actual temple, or at least using one of the many abandoned buildings for a sanctuary. His letters to Edge City have gone unanswered as the priests there do not believe Windemere to be large enough to support a temple, or even an outpost.

He does not like Orcs in general but has learned to temper his feelings as Rennor is also earnest in her own way. He has learned to respect that aspect of her, but still hates that she is an Orc. He lost many comrades in the war against Orc tribes. He gets even more upset that Ira will hire her to help with the occasional bar brawl.

Ellis has deputized several people in the past to create a temporary guard squad for high value caravans and the like. When the sheriff is drunk at the Inn, Ellis takes him back home, often in a handcart.

Unlike many of the citizens of Windemere, Ellis actually lives outside the city walls in a large 2 story building to the east, just north of the eastern gate. He lives here with at least a dozen stray cats and a small flock of chickens. He makes breakfast for the sheriff and any prisoners and is a decent cook. Eggs play a good part of the meals he creates. He also tends a small garden that has a tiny shrine to Bizma. 

Not sure how much I'll use these rough relationship maps, but still thinking I may try & make a complete PDF booklet/zine for the trade town of Windemere sometime.

I also want to do up some of the buildings in town just to play with the mapping stuff. Though honestly - does anyone really use maps like that? I seem to struggle to use them other than inspiration. In actual play they really don't matter. Perhaps I've gotten used to the more theater of the mind we use.

And not at all related, but there is an Asheville game pub opening back up soon. I may see about that. And there is that new game shop down in Marshall I need to visit. If you want to see what Marshall looks like, it was used in that movie years ago with James Gardner and Jack Lemon, My Fellow Americans. And Asheville (if I remember, it has been a few years) was the Dorothy Parade. Asheville is a strange city at times. There has been a number of movies shot around here.

Character Challenge 2022 14: Zesp Zrag, Goblin Merchant

Goblins in TFT are not always cannon fodder - every game I've run the last few years it seems someone plays a Goblin wizard. As Zesp is one of the merchants in Windemere, and I've a feeling that our current Goblin Wizard may prefer dealing with a Goblin merchant, I present Zesp Zrag, proud owner and operator of the Zrag's Mercantile.

See this initial post for how TFT deals with Goblins, as well as a bit of information about the Zrag clan. And I may pull some characteristics and ideas from this Gobsmack KS I backed. This is a fun book and gives a lot more depth to playing a Goblin, or at least more of a backstory for the entire race if you want.

Goblins start at ST 6, DX 8 and IQ 10 with 8 points. Zesp has been around, and as a member of the Zrag Goblin clan, has picked up a thing or two. So, he'll be more of a 38-point character. And Goblins have some innate magic, so he will have a spell or two.

Zesp Zrag, Goblin Merchant

ST: 9    DX: 14    IQ: 12   

Spells: Repair

Skills: Knife, Literacy, Administration, Acute Hearing, Recognize Value, Business Sense, Detect Lies, Writing

Languages: Goblin, Standard, Orc

While an average sized Goblin, Zesp comes across louder than life and seems to take up more space than his diminutive size would indicate. It may be the constant cloud of smoke from his beloved cigars: there is one constantly lit nearby. His rambunctious personality is tempered by the cigar and his nose-picking. He dresses quite fancifully, even his shoes are quite ornate. His is quite proud of his sartorial skills. He is the owner of Zrag's Mercantile, a decent store that will have a variety of items available. Zesp keeps well-stocked due to the constant influx of caravans, where he invariably seems to have some package or another coming in. With his sharp hearing (some would say it was magical, he seems to hear rumors before they start, and whispering in his store will avail you not the privacy you may expect!) He has a keen business sense as well as a keen eye for value: his word can be trusted. As many adventurers come through his shop, often with loot to be sold or at least evaluated, he keeps his word to keep his business going. For a gold piece, he'll tell you how much he would purchase your item for. For four gold pieces, he'll tell you what it is really worth. Most Goblins would be aware of this standard, most random adventurers do not. 

Because of his dealings with adventurers, he does buy and sell magical items. Strange coins and the like and he'll direct you to the town money smith, who can exchange strange coins and gems for local currency. For a small fee of course. He will have a +2 reaction to any Goblins by themselves, or a +1 if they are a member of the party, when adventurers come calling. There is a 66% chance he will have what they need (1-4 on a d6), and if not, it will be available in 2d6 days. Ordering something special is available but will take 2d6 weeks. Costs are as per the book, and all items are of regular quality. There is a 1/6 chance of magical items available due to other adventurers trading. Zesp is a strong bargainer though and loves to haggle. If you can survive the smoke and ignore the nose picking, you may be able to talk him down a bit simply because he enjoys the back and forth.

Zesp also offers repair services. While quite facile with his hands, and some of his assistants are even better than he is, for some things he relies on his magic to repair things if there is a rush, or it is beyond anyone's capabilities. 

Zesp tolerates Rennor's wandering through but does keep an eye on her and her family. While not outright rude, he does behave sometimes a bit cruelly towards the young Orc. 

Unknown to any outside the Zrag clan, he has some magical parchment with a permanent write spell on it. Travlling Zrag merchants can keep in touch, and let others know who may be coming into town, who may need what, and so on. Sometimes adventurers will meet a wandering Goblin merchant who seems to know what they need, and if so, it is probably one of the Zrag clan. 

The store itself is a two-story affair, with an upper open balcony where some of the more rare and expensive goods are displayed. A cellar with a double-door below the store carries stores and goods that are not on display. A small dumbwaiter was installed when Zesp opened the store, and one of his assistants will use that to move items from the cellar to the main floor. Broad wooden planks, well-worn and scuffed, hold shelves and racks full of equipment. Behind the main sales desk are barrels of wines, flours and things that may smell a bit off. He carries a wide variety of cigars kept in a glassed-in cabinet behind his normal perch. Caravans from all over seem to bring him cigars. There are usually a couple of Goblin workers besides Zesp at the store, and at night there is Flaph Greenguts as a night watchman. Known for getting his gut sliced open and starting to get gangrene, he survived with a healing draught from Eriznock Longbraids, a desert Druid who lives a couple days north of Windemere in the Kalore Desert. 

Zesp lives in the southern side of the town known as the Goblins Drecks. While the name is mean, the Goblins just accept it as is. There are almost a dozen Goblins in the small trade town, half who work for Zesp, the others doing menial jobs about the town that no one else wants to do.

Character Challenge 2022 13: Drug Dealer and Vagabond

 Going with another Traveller character. Initial stats rolls B7A392. And an odd roll for a male, and a 2 for human. A big brute of a man from way down in society's ladder. And none too bright. He looks to be the perfect thug! The Outlaw book from Clement Sector has a wide variety of criminal types: cleaner, driver, drug dealer, forger, hit man, smuggler and prisoner. Though prisoner is only if you get caught! And the best chance of his actually surviving is the drug dealer career.

And in the end, this would not be a character I'd want to play - it ended up pretty depressing. But it is an NPC with a very rich background that could somehow come out if a character was feeling charitable. 

Clement Sector's character generation starts actually in childhood, so perhaps we'll see the path that led our thug to a life of crime.

First, I'll use the 3rd version of the book I just got for this part of things (the Outlaw book uses an earlier edition so has more random rolls). He comes from a low gravity world and picks up Survival (Low Gravity-1, Low Pressure-1) and Vacc Suit-0. Some small, nearly airless world then (It was Dade of the Dade subsector for those who play in the Clement Sector). His primary language is the Imperial standard Galanglic. 

Youth Events: Somewhere between 4 and 8: Our family suffers a severe financial loss. Lose even more social! B7A391. Yes, this does appear to be a dismal start! Between 9-12 years old, my life was calm and peaceful. Living in an alley may seem calm... Then disaster: as a teenager, my parents are killed in a serious accident! I lose even more social and even my education is dropped. B7A381 (social can't go below 1? not entirely sure). Somehow, though, at the orphanage I apparently take some time to study with what feeble mind I do have and pick up Science (Chemistry 0). Yes, we all see where this is going.

Term 1

Leaving the orphanage behind, our drug dealer picks up an eclectic set of skills after barely surviving with an 8 (+1 due to his endurance): Broker-0, Carouse-0, Gun Combat (Pistol-0), Persuade-0 and Recon-0. Somehow, he meets some extremely wealthy customers, and picks up 2 contacts (and one will have to be at the station now). He fails any sort of promotion. 

Term 2

He just fails the survival, and the mishap roll of 8 means he has been using his own product. I am now addicted to Artekefamantine, also known as green eye as it turns the whites of your eyes green. Lose 3 benefit rolls (meaning no benefits) and join the vagabond career. 

Vagabond, term 1

I can either be destitute or a transient. 50/50 and rolling a 3 (1-3, 4-6) he is destitute. And fails that roll: he was on a harsh planet and almost freezes. Loses an endurance point: B79381. He is falling apart as we watch. He does pick up Navigation-1 (this is the land navigation vs the classic Navigation which is now Astrogation) so apparently, he managed to get his way out of the cold before dying. 

And before too much more happens to this poor soul, we'll leave him huddled in a little used cargo bay at our high port. How he got there is a good question.

Arlo Kent, B79381 ex-drug dealer, vagabond

Navigation-1, Survival (Low Gravity-1, Low Pressure-1), Vacc Suit-0, Science (Chemistry-0), Broker-0, Carouse-0, Gun (Pistol-0), Persuade-0, Recon-0

2 contacts

Arlo was raised on a small world and had little in the way of a life. When he was 9, his family lost their stake in the mines they were working in. The next few years were a calm before the storm as they lived in government housing, barely subsiding, but at least together as a family. Sadly, both parents were killed in a pressure loss accident when Arlo was 13 and living in the orphanage was yet another blow to his development. He did get an interest in chemistry, and this started his path to drugs.

On the streets at 18, Arlo started selling drugs for the local gang. While picking up some of the basic skills to survive, he started using. Once that started, the gang would no longer help, and with his green eyes, he left is home world, working on tramp traders just to get away. Unfortunately, the very first port of call was a cold planet, and while he understood how to survive on small planets, he almost froze to death here. Somehow, he managed to get aboard a container headed for the high port and has been living in the cargo bays ever since.

You may meet Arlo begging or passed out. His ragged clothes do little to hide his huge frame. His speech shows the lack of an education, and he has a hard time grasping anything complex. He has hired himself out as muscle but lacking any actual fighting ability relies on his 6'3" 250-pound frame to frighten people.

Character Challenge 2022 12: Purser Dhani Golotov

Going with mostly Traveller this challenge, with my self-prescribed sub-challenge to fit them all in a space station. Just because there needs to be a population there. So far, we've got an ex-SPA customs and security official taking a break and in pseudo-retirement, a noble trying to keep her yacht and working, a lecherous ex-Navy officer hanging around all too much near our noble lady, an insurgent hiding out and doing some odd jobs about the place, a belter who has fallen on some hard times, and an ex-pit crew mechanic also doing jobs about the place. Some even have some personality! Yeah, I am not great at portraying that well in games. 

And these characters can be rolled back if you still need them in that position. Pandra could be the on-duty customs agent boarding your ship for an inspection, Phex could be staying at the station at one of the fancier places as his team is running space races. I just went through the entire process.

Anyway, rolling for stats and I get 985698. And an odd roll so a guy. Hmm, and if I roll a 5, Vargr, 6, Aslan. 3. Okay human. And what do we need on this station? Or he could just be passing through. I have again rolled up someone a bit stronger than average with below average dexterity, highly educated and moderate intelligence and social ranking. And what is a high port without a merchant? And of course, I have a wide variety of merchant characters, but for some reason Special Supplement 1, Merchant Prince, is on my pile (I was digging through my stuff as I like to do, and it was left out as my Traveller pile o'stuff is a bit cumbersome to get out & back in. As I recall, this was an insert in one of the JTAS. I really miss that sort of thing. While I got the 1st 6 volumes of the Mongoose version of JTAS (which is a lot of rehashed things from the original, and in my mind, far superior GDW Journals) it is not the same. And yes, I did back, for way too much money, the next round of Journals. Even Steve Jackson's Hexgram, while close, is not the same. I think it may be that marketing and how you buy things has changed. I've not been in the game shop in 2+ years. There is a new one I need to visit as well, so depending on the weather I may try this weekend as it is in a tiny town about 20 miles from my house. I should support local stores more than I do!

Anyway, back to our merchant. The first step is knowing the character's home world's port. And there are pre-enlistment options! A merchant academy, of which I've a less than 50% chance of getting into, and even less of success. Maybe the dice will favor me this evening! A 6, and no, the dice gods are, as always, against me. I age a year to 19 and will see if I can get into the merchants for a short 3-year term (they like the characters to age consistently. One of the things I'd house rule as really, the actual age does not matter other than for those dreaded aging rolls!)

Enlistment barely made it: needed a 7, rolled a 6 but I do get a +1 from my strength. While I'd like to assume that the merchants have a lot of automation, this was the 80s and well before a lot of the automation and powered equipment we take for granted was around. The fun of playing 40-year-old games! Next, determine what line I get into: sector, subsector, or free merchants. Think I'll go with a sector-wide line: they may have a contract with my high port. Which I really need to probably name. Next, I need to choose a department within that. The choices are engineering, pursers and deck. Interestingly they put trade and customer contact into the deck department. I would place it in the purser department so that they are more than just basically custodial staff. And they have to deal with people all day, so it seems a more natural fit to me (and this is also based on some conversations on COTI about who does look for cargo. Some excellent posts there!). Enlisted have no ranks, and I'll need to get a commission which looks to only be available if I get into officer school or special. While I don't necessarily want to end up with a character that has Steward-12, I've yet to generate a character as a purser so what the heck.

Term 1

Year 1: Route. No chance of dying on this safe trade route, nor any bonus (credits we gain during our years working for the man). 

Skill roll: 10, so I get a skill. Plus, the 1st two years I get an extra roll as a sort of apprenticeship. Since that has to be on the service table, I'll choose the shipboard life for the second. Steward-1, Ship's Boat-1. He can now pilot the passenger shuttle and be very polite about it. 

Year 2: Route. 

Skill roll of 7 ensures I get a skill, plus my 2nd for the apprenticeship. Steward-2, Melee-1 from the merchant's life table. Some of those cargo docks can have a rough crowd.

Year 3: Special - Deck Department Training. I needed a 5+ to gain up to 4 skills. Not once did I roll a 5+. 

And this ends the first term. At 22 he has had a pretty boring schedule, though he is now a pretty well-qualified steward. He may end up a gentleman's gentleman if all else. Perhaps the Lady Aidy needs a butler...

We make our reenlistment roll.

Term 2

Year 1: Route. 

Skills. Now I roll a 12! Back to the merchant life and Brawling-1. He must be going to the seedier side of Startown!

Year 2: Route. Hopefully a different route.

Skills: a 9 says yes and picking the shipboard life I pick up Gambling-1. Yes, definitely hitting the seedier side of town.

Year 3: Route. Perhaps the sector-side merchant career is not as exciting as he could have hoped. 

Skills: an 8 does give me a skill, and as I've not rolled on the department table, a 4 actually gives me Vacc Suit-1. That was unexpected but does fit in where this character seems to be going.

Year 4: Exploratory Trade! Something different finally.

Survive: need a 3+ and roll an 8, so good to go.

Bonus: need a 12, and a 3 does not quite make that.

Skills: need an 8, and a 5 equally does not make it. Apparently, it is easier to gain skills on the boring routes as you have more time to train. Exploratory routes there may just be too much going on.

We'll hope for a better 3rd term, and if not, will muster out to seek greener pastures.

Term 3

Year 1: Route. 

Skills: make that roll, and a 5 on the merchant life grants me Gambling-2. Okay, that is actually a turn from where I thought he was going. Now he may end up a gambler, hitting the casinos all over the sector.

Year 2: Exploratory trade

Survive on an 8, no bonus (though I can add my +2 from steward 2 but still did not make it) and succeeded the skills roll. Shipboard life gives me Ship's Boat-2. A bit of a hotshot shuttle pilot. 

Year 3: Speculative trade

Survival is automatic, a 6 and I still fail to garner any bonus, and another 6 yields no skills this year. Something different and it is still the same old thing.

Year 4 Route. Okay, this will be my last term, our steward is getting bored and going nowhere with the line. 

Skill: a 6 on the merchant table and he picks up Streetwise-1. Yes, he is now your back-alley gambler, a rogue perhaps by any other name. 

Mustering out

Picking cash and 2 benefits. And as I rolled a 6, and have gambling, picked up a tidy Cr50,000. The benefits were a +1 intelligence and a +2 education (that is a pretty big jump) giving me a UWP of 9857B8. He picked up a good education and more than just street smarts in his 12 years.

Dhani Golotov, 9857B8 3 term merchant purser, age 30

Steward-2, Ship's Boat-2, Gambling-2, Melee-1, Brawling-1, Vacc Suit-1

Raised in the arcology, Dhani was always comfortable in close surroundings. But watching the liners lift from the starport gave him wanderer's lust. His application to the merchant academy was refused, and while miffed, he still enlisted in the sector trade line that was based on his home planet. The next 12 years were rarely exciting. He mostly plied the standard routes but picked up skills. Bored by the routine, he started visiting the startowns' seedier sections when at ports that had them. He picked up street skills as well as some ability to protect himself. His one stint at higher education for training did not take. For two years he was on exploratory trade missions, visiting new systems for the line. He was a shuttle pilot for one of the missions and improved his flight skills. His final term was as boring as the others despite a year doing speculative trading. Deciding he would be better off on his own as he was getting nowhere, he tendered his reservation at the high port, and checked into a tube room while he ponders the next steps to take. He does visit the casinos on the main concourse, and waves at the pretty datagirls at the Documat as he walks by. He has let his hair grow out and favors the ornate clothing of his home world. While not practical in ship, it fits his flamboyant style.

home until he figures out what is next. Shared fresher facilities down the hall

Character Challenge 2022 11: Delve Gnome

Ran out of time today so trying a quick create character from the 2nd edition of Delve along with the Companion book that adds Gnomes.

Step 1: Choose Race. 

Picking Gnomes, as I've never played one. Would be a tough play in a lot of ways. In the Delve lore, Gnomes used to work for Dwarves, and are the ones who actually created those amazing contraptions. Gnomes are inventors and thinkers

Step 2: Attributes

3d6 for the base attribute. 

Dexterity: 7 (35%). Pretty darn clumsy!

Endurance: 6 (30%) 

Learning: 15 (75%). Okay, so this is actually working out for the Gnome! And because I'm a Gnome, it is + 10%

Vitality: 8 (40%)

Empathy: 11 (55%)

Derived Stats

Hit points: base vitality x2 = 16

Magic points: 1 (so not very magical!) However, Gnomes start with 6! So woot!

Scars & Deformity

72 = fast talker. Oddly, when I get nervous, I talk way too fast. If I played this character, I'd need to channel my inner nervousness!

Pace

20'. Most races get 30', so yes, short, hmm, never rolled for gender, even for a female Gnome.

Languages

Common, Gnome

Traits

Gnomes can choose between alchemy, bargain and tinker. Going with Tinker from her smarts. This means she is good at finding parts and gets a 10% bonus when searching for tools and parts to build or repair something.

Class

There is not really a builder/craftsperson type of class per se, but magic users can work for this Gnome. In looking at a mage vs a witch, gender aside I think the witch fits better for a tinkerer. A witch starts with Brew, casting and herbology skills, and can pick 2 more at trained. Crafting is a new skill from the companion book and choosing Search as she will be searching for parts and supplies.

For 3 known skills, picking Knowledge - mechanical devises, Awareness, Ranged. Ranged may seem a tad odd, but she would be fighting from a distance as she could be squashed easily (though not really in terms of pure game mechanics, but there is a theme here!)

Clorwil Smiglin, Gnome Witch

Dexterity    7    35%

Endurance    6    30%

Learning    15    75%

Vitality     8    40%

Empathy     11    55%   

Skills:

Awareness  60%

Brew  85%

Casting 85%

Crafting 85%

Herbology 85%

Knowledge (mechanical devises) 80%

Ranged 40%

Search 40%

Raised in the catacombs of Thistler, the Gnome tinkers clan built mechanical toys that would hop and dance about when wound up. Often imbued with magic, these little devices would seem almost alive. Clorwil learned more than tinkering from her clan, though. Keeping their demesne hidden, she learned to forage in the countryside to gather ingredients for her magical potions. Healing potions to the vilest poison, Clorwil became a master brewer. She also makes a very fine mead!

Now wandering about, she is a shy Gnome who sits in the corner, all too often on a child's booster seat, watching the tavern crowd to see if there is a group she could join to see more of the island they are all trapped on.

If I ever play her as a character, I'll do a more formal character sheet.

Character Challenge 2020 10: Phex Phaserfire, Pit Crew

9A4638, odd for male. Strong and dexterous, but low endurance and average intelligence but little education. Poking around my bibliography, I realize I've never done (at least that I can recall) an athlete, specifically with these stats, a vehicle racer!

With an 11, I get in easily.

Term 1, Rookie

Survive easily, but we're training with the crew. 

Promotion: Fails with a 6, needing a 7.

Skills: Drive-0, Flyer-0, Vacc Suit-0, Mechanic-0, Electronics-0, Heavy Wpns (Vehicle)-0

Event: A promoter is moving us to space racing to grab headlines: Get Vacc Suit-1

Term 2

Survive easily enough again.

Promotion: Rank 1, gain Drive-1 going with wheeled.

Skills: get Athletics (Dexterity-1) from the services table, and Electronics-1 from the vehicle sports table. So far not the driving hero I was hoping for - he may be more pit crew!

Event: Life event: Not having the Foreven life events table handy, just rolled on the Mongoose 1e and I've made a contact! Not sure who just yet.

Term 3

Survive with a 6.

Promotion roll of 3, so no, still a pit crew noobie it seems. Perhaps he'll bail this career and do some work as pit crew/maintenance somewhere.

Skill: Flyer-1. So at least he can fly air vehicles! Picking grav vehicles.

Event: My agent puts my face everywhere, +4 for my next promotion roll! Okay, so we'll try another term.

Term 4

11 Survival roll!

7 + 4 for rank 2, after all these years!

Skills: Mechanic-1 and Electronics-2. So yes, going with pit crew vs an actual driver.

Event: I go before a ruling body for some reforms and gain (1d6) 2 contacts and an ally. 

Mustering out

Not getting where he really wanted to go, he decides to take his skills to the stars.

• cash benefits, 1 & 1 = Cr0. Yes, 16 years of work and he has nothing to show for himself!
• benefits: +1 Int & +1 Soc. So 9A4739. 

Phex Phaserfire, Athlete/Vehicle Pit Crew

9A4739, age 34, 4 terms with Team Flashfire

Electronics-2, Mechanical-1, Vacc-Suit-1, Athletics (Dexterity-1), Flyer (Grav-1), Drive (Wheeled-1), Heavy Wpns (Vehicle-0)

Contacts: planetary governor, official in a megacorporation, official in local government, 2 more contacts?

A veteran of the racing circuit, Phex spent more time in the pit crew than getting to race. Some of the earlier races had mock weapons, reviving an old Car Wars series of races. He was there when Team Flashfire tried their hand at racing grav-sleds around the moons but spent more of his time working on the sleds than getting to pilot one. Back on firm ground a year or three later, he did get behind some of the race cars, but was never considered driver material. Despite that, he met up with a megacorporation official: they were a sponsor for the team and took a liking to young Mr. Phaserfire. Not long after that, hoping to hype the team more and knowing the friendship, Phex was promoted as part of the team, his face on holovids and newszines. He picked up flying aircraft but there were some dangerous races. Not long after that, he came before the racing ruling body, pushing for reforms. He picked up some contacts in the government as well as an ally in Governor Nadeem. This was to be his last act for Team Flashfire. As a result of this, he moved up a bit on the social world, and learned to study better.  

Now he does odd jobs about the station, working on the myriad of small vehicles at the station as well as some of the stores. He has worked on the DocuMat's binder system more than once as it is an older model. He shares a small apartment with 3 others on the service decks.

And yes, that is his real name. His family comes from a long line of military members, and a few generations back the nickname became the familial name. He takes maintenance seriously and loves to tweak a vehicle to get it to its optimum state. Despite never really getting into the racing circuit as he had hoped, he does find working on vehicles very fulfilling. 

Character Challenge 2022 9: Sheriff Ira Sprigbasher of Windemere

Switching to filling out Windemere a bit more. We need the sheriff with a bit more detail. Yes, a sheriff as the town is pretty small with maybe 100-150 people who call Windemere home. But it is a growing town as the East Ocean trade route brings in caravans. I'm looking forward to another Kickstarter, the Organic Towns, to see if I can parley those rules into a more thriving town. Yes, I have all these rules and ideas and seem to rarely get them into play. Or at least organically into play. Practice, but I also don't want the toys/props to overcome the game. There was an interesting discussion our group had on minis and terrain vs the theater of the mind. I think it really depends on the game, the players and the game master. Everything is relative. Anyway, I digress from the topic at hand. I need to figure out the sheriff of Windemere as he may play a role when the players get there finally (and it has been a long, strange trip!)

In looking through the decks I got with that Kickstarter, there are 3 cards that could fit the law for a small town. Leader, Captain or veteran. As Ira Sprigbasher was basically co-opted by the half-Elves of the Silver Pirate Inn, I'm going with he is not really leadership material. Giving it a 50/50 for the remaining, the dice say Captain. And in re-reading, that is a boat captain. So, veteran it is.

We'll start with a 38-point character as he has been around the paddock more than once. The veteran card indicates we need to make his IQ 12, St 14+ and DX 12+ and gives him a list of specific talents. We have some wriggle rom to add additional skills and some personality quirks. But yes, this is a well-qualified sheriff.

Ira Sprigbasher, Human, Sheriff of Windemere

ST: 11    DX: 13    IQ: 12

• Shield Expertise
• Toughness x 2
• Sword
• Weapon Expertise - sword (+1 damage, -1 for others to hit, shrewd blow)
• Unarmed Combat I, II (which, with weapon expertise, if using is sword front attacks are at -2!)
• Literacy

A veteran of a series of battles for the Kingdom of Ismelkonia, Ira took a working retirement as the sheriff of Windemere. Technically far outside the borders of the kingdom, he keeps in contact with the Prince via carefully worded messages passed on via the caravans heading west from Windemere. The Prince has a shrewd mind and wants to know what is going on outside his borders as well as inside.

Five years ago, when the half-Elf pirates showed up, it was made pointedly clear via a saber at his throat that Captain Nomehi Wiridae is the one really in charge of the town. Crossing her would be a death sentence. Despite that, she has made little change to the way the town is actually run but does take a small percentage of any trading that takes place in town. She also has Ira direct people to the Silver Pirate and has him look the other way for their more illicit activities. 

Though this has been communicated to the Prince of the Kingdom of Ismelkonia, being outside the actual territory means there is little he can expect for aid. Only his deputy is really aware of this state of affairs. The pirates' touch on the town so far has been light as Nomehi stews a great deal from her curse and being stranded at the edge of the Kalor Desert.

When patrolling, Ira wears his army leathers and is a foreboding figure with a stern face. Yet he smiles at Rennor and she has helped him quell a few bar fights just by being there (as few people want to upset her father nor Rennor herself). A quiet speaking man, a raised eyebrow often is enough to stop a conversation from taking a turn to the worse. Every few weeks however, he gets drunk at the Nimble Priest Inn and stays there versus his rooms above the sheriffs' station near the north of town. The acolytes pray over him, knowing something is off but not sure what it is. Though the pirate Elves do seem to be overly curious when he does stay at the Nimble Priest Inn.

Ira Sprigbasher on patrol

Sheriff's Office with living quarters above (from City Scenes III - see I can use these things!)

Finally a bit more on the relationships in town. Probably need to make separate maps based on the core character as it will get messy with 100+ characters eventually. And honestly, unless I actually use this it does not really help.

In the right hands, this sort of relationship mapping can be useful. In fact, I need to do that for the Traveller game as that is part of the Solo rules. Which I may not be able to get back to until after this challenge as it takes more time than you think to do characters. Though I really like making up characters, so it works out well.

Character Challenge 2022 8: Captain Jossilyn "Broken Angel" Haglund

We had a 2-session game when the regular game master had some work conflicts. Using a microlite rule set and playing in the 1930's alternate world of Crimson Skies, I came up with Jossilyn. I based this on the map and world description: the People's Collective is a Mormon-based area of the country. For some reason when I play women of the earlier times, I always pick suffragists and the like. For Jossilyn, she did not want to be part of a polygamous marriage, so she escaped into the pirate haven of Colorado and then somehow made her way to the land of Dixie. She does not talk about those days, but, as per the 1978 Superman movie, part of her salary goes to people on the "underground railway" that moves women from the People's Collective to other places. While not nearly as tyrannical as slavery, I was going with not-quite forced marriages.

She still maintains her Mormon beliefs: no alcohol or caffeine are the only ones I really know about from co-workers in the past.

In World War 1. the Great War, she was a pilot. Now, years later, she is a member of the Banshee Squadron, an all-female squadron for the Dixie Air Force (I think, I was a little vague in completely getting the info dump from session 0). Her call name is Broken Angel.

She is an aviator, a pilot with great skills. Which came in handy for the session as she was piloting the bomber and between a stall-stop and barrel roll, managed to get the gunners lined up pretty well (and with my rolls, it took more than 1 try but we have jinks points in this game to allow us to re-roll or try extraordinary things. Each session I would deplete those points). 

A woman now in her 40s, the image was when she was in her prime back in the Great War.

The moxie skill is what I was driving most of her characteristics from: she is a strongly independent woman who is also very protective of those around her. Though she is having some second thoughts about May June's driving her car (yes, there are stories).

We only managed 2 sessions but hopefully will be able to return to this game at some point. I also looked up "traditional Mormon names" which is where her name originated from. The game master is also very, very good. He managed to make the dog fighting fun and visceral even though it was really based on a tactical game. And I have all these spaceship minis that could have proxied for the planes had we been at a table! I want to use my toys, darn it!

One thing about the current two groups I am in. The Monday group is a subset of the gaming club in Asheville. What with COVID, we've been unable to meet for over 2 years now. We're meeting via Skype, with no video which makes it a bit more difficult for me to associate players and characters. And while we do get to play longer games than we did with the 2 month/1 month split, we're rarely going back to existing games (though it looks like we will get back to Space Cat). Two of the group are retired and are in long running games, but for some reason the Monday night is "let's try something new" when the previous game runs out of steam. I am also hoping to run Traveller again, either continuing the previous game (the Big Wreck) or starting a new campain.

On the bright side, my Sunday group does meet face to face, and we are alternating between 2 games that use Fantasy Trip and are in the same world (we're alternating running the game). So, I do have that at least with one group. And the Monday group usually does come together really well: we create really fun characters that often are really heavily intertwined, very reminiscent of the more recent versions of Traveller that have contacts. My favorite grouping was the whole family thing we did for the Conan game.

Don't get me wrong - I do like to try new games. But I'd like to get good at one, both as a player and as a group, as I think that would make the gaming even more fun.

Or perhaps that is just a variation of the grass is always greener syndrome. I am lucky to be able to game with two really good groups, so no real complaints!

And finally, realized I've not linked to the other challenges out there this year. The main list can be found on Tardis Captain's blog here.

Character Challenge 2022 7: Bevin Cramer, Belter

385798, and odd for a weak male. Or could go for an alien but want to get this out before too long (been a long day and getting a late start on this today!). We can make him be from some low grav planet or maybe, hey, a belter! Plus they start at age 14, so a bonus term. And I have the Mongoose 1e Beltstrike that I've never even opened up other than a brief read-through when I first got it years back.

As I need an 8+ to get in and going with I was born in the belt there is a +1, and a +1 for my dexterity of 8 I only need a 6. However, I roll an 11 so I am easily in. My family are belters and I am just getting in with the family trade! There is also the native belter skills of Zero-G-0 and Vacc Suit-0, and my formative years were spent on (5) a mining asteroid where I pick up Mechanic-0.  I'll ignore the "belters born and raised in the belt have a -1 Str & End, and +2 Dex". Assumption is that (a) his strength is already pretty bad, and (b) the rolls had that already in place, and (c) he may have had enough access to 1G environments to not affect him that much.

Term 1 (age 14-18)

Miner for the 1st term (this is by choice, and as that is my background, keeping it the same). 

Survive: an 8, the bare minimum in the dangerous task of mining asteroids for their payload of metals, ores, precious stones and trapped gases. 

Advancement: 9, so now Rank 1. Ranks have no names until you get to 3. Side note: there is an interesting discussion over on COTI about classic enlisted ranks so that you can still get promoted and gain an extra skill if not commissioned. I like that idea & will steal it when I use Classic character generation.

Skills: Rolling on the advanced education table, a 5 gives me Engineering (Maneuver-1). As I was promoted, the specialist table for miners gives me Engineering (Life Support-1). 

Event: I worked alongside a long-term prospector and pick up Prospecting-1.

Term 2 (age 18-22)

Going to switch to prospector this term as I picked that skill up - may as well use it!

Survive: 12! well, nothing even remotely scary this term!

Advancement: a 6 for a 5+ roll and I am rank 2!

Skills: Personal development and a 5 gives me Brawling-1. And the prospecting specialist table bumps me to Prospecting-2 (I was hoping for pilot or comms). 

Event: Life event - I am accused of a crime. I can either lose 1 social or 1 benefit. Go with losing a social for a UWP of 385797. Does not necessarily mean I did commit a crime, but now I can sort of see a contact with Ralphy: perhaps I was involved in his sabotage or espionage! As Mongoose does have contacts, I'll go with that.

Term 3 (22-26)

Having been accused of a crime, moving to the workers, making me a blue-collar worker, focusing on manufacturing or heavy industry.

Survive: 4 + 1 = 5, needing a 6! Mishap! Claim jumpers push my company out of business, and I gain a rival.

No other rolls and rolling a d4 for how many years it took, and it was his 2nd year. Yeah, bit of a house rule. Pretty sure different versions of Traveller handle it in their own ways (of course, in Classic he is a dead belter).

Mustering out

One on each table:

• Cash: Cr25,000
• Benefit: Contact or prospecting license. Going with the prospecting license

Bevin Kramer, 3 term Belter

385797 age 24, Prospecting License

Prospecting-2, Engineering (Manuever-1, Life Support-1), Brawling-1, Vacc Suit-1, Mechanic-0, Zero G-0

Growing up in the belter community, Bevin was a small kid who grew into a small man. Being small in the belt though is an advantage in many ways. He joined his family business and mined the rocks for years. His great uncle Locke Contraeus took him under his wing and taught him a great deal on prospecting and how to find the right asteroid. In fact, it was during thise period that Bevin earned his prosector's license. On one of his rare trips in-system, he met a young man and they went on what Bevin thought was just a joy ride. Turns out Ralphy used Bevin to break down the comm towers on the planet. Caught, Bevin returned to the belt a disgraced young man. While back out and working in the heavy industries rock, Aled Collier jumped the family claim with forged credentials. Unable to fight back, the family business dissolved. Bevin headed in to the high port, having nowhere else to go. Even though Ralphy got him into trouble before, he had a great time and with the resiliency of youth, sought him out for at least a place to stay while he gets his bearings.

Bevin is a wiry, small man with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. His family business was destroyed, and he is now working as a day laborer basically at the port, doing some ship maintenance for those not hiring the port crews to work on their ships. He tends to smoke and get drunk all too often and is a mean drunk.