Chasing the Signal [Firefly/Serenity] Recruitment Thread

[NiceTexasGuy]

I think I'm going to have to opt out of this one -- best of luck to you guys.

[RegretNot]

And Regan is all done for the moment. Final tweaks may need to be made yet.

Regan looks good to me. 

Finished up Namid! Sorry for the wait. :)

We have a real pilot now. 

[RegretNot]

I will be making threads and posting links tomorrow as I hope to get the game started in about a few days so I can let the last few finish their sheets, but it looks like we have a good group so far.  Still plenty of room on the Phoenix for other players. 

[Rebelle]

Name: Delilah Wainwright
Age: 25
Home World: Deadwood
Profession/ Trade: Mechanic/Tinkerer
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
O/Os: See Players

Physical Description: Standing an impressive mighty 5'1, Delilah has dark hair that comes past her shoulders, startling dark brown eyes and hands that are usually stained with oil or grease.  She tends to wear clothes that are comfortable, neither tight fitting nor loose, but completely her. 
Distinguishing Features: None really, minus a birthmark that looks almost like a crescent moon on her stomach, but you have to squint kinda funny like to make it resemble such.  A few scars and whatnot on her arms and hands from her job, but nothing unseemly.
Face Claim: Vanessa Hudgens

Personality: Delilah was raised right by her father.  She is honorable and believes in a strong code.  Not letting folks muscle or be bullies.  She has a strong dislike for the Alliance, unable to forgive them for the atrocities committed during the war, or for killing her father.  She is loyal to her shipmates as long as she can trust them, which is sometimes hard for her to do – as she knows what wickedness can lay in the minds of others.  She is stubborn and digs in her heels when she believes she is right.  She’s outgoing and charismatic, but… there is a reckless side to her.

History: Delilah Wainwright was raised by a man who knew how to put hammer to metal, wrench to lugnut, and make almost any sort of machine purr under his ministrations.  Her mother had been poorly whilst she was pregnant with the young babe, and she was lost shortly thereafter.  She don’t remember too much about her momma, other than for the fact her daddy always said she had her eyes, and was the best gift that his Ava could have given him before she parted.  Her father, Sebastian was a good sort of folk, honest to the core and didn’t take a liking to bullies.  There were those who thought that on the planet of Deadwood there weren’t a man braver and more honest. And when the Alliance reared its ugly head…Well… Unfortunately, for those qualities, dear Bash lost his life leaving Delilah an orphan. 

Course she wasn’t that young, had already apprenticed for her papa, but the planet just weren’t the sort of place for a near woman to be on her own.  Course, there were those who had less than honest and true intentions about her lot in life and if it hadn’t been for her father’s brother Zeke, she would have perished or much much worse.

At first, she was just a passenger on the ship, that was until the mechanic took to his bed sick and weren’t ever to wake up again.  Uncle Zeke needed a hand quick, and she was there ready to help out, after all that’s the way her father taught her to be.  Always lend the hand.  Plus, she liked the ship, something about her.  So she quickly went from being the Captain’s niece to the Captain’s niece and most trusted member of his crew, much to the chagrin of the others.  The ship was hers and hers alone to touch, and there weren’t a soul who would go into the engine room without her permission, simply due to the fact that they were too rough with such a precious instrument.  She also managed to endear herself to a few rougher members of the crew, who taught her a few things about.. well… let’s just say she knows how to set multiple types of detonators off, different sorts of switches to create, and the like.  And taught her to.. well defend herself, but not in the normal gunslinger fashion.  A girl has to understand how to protect herself in the ‘verse after all, can’t always be hiding around the engines and the sort.

Unfortunately, it was that same crewmember who had taught her so much that landed her uncle in a bit of hotwater, and by a bit… Old Zeke had to face the hardest decision of his life.  He had to put her up for sale, leave the skies for a little while, and keep his head down.  He weren’t one to turn in one of his crew, though if it had been anyone else.. He might have.  So when he found a buyer, there was no looking back – save for his niece, Delilah.  Who was not about to give up the ship that had become her home for several years past, so… There was an… altercation, to put it mildly.  Delilah refused to budge from the engine room, and finally made a stand against the man who would become her captain.  She told him for an honest wage and proper parts for the ship, she’d be his mechanic.  She wasn’t asking for much after all, and who else knew the ship better than her?  She…of course.. hadn’t told the captain at the time of her.. other skills.  But.. well.. He learned of those on an occasion when there were those raising a ruckus and she wasn’t about to see the man who bought the ship get killed.  A few concussive grenades, nothing lethal mind, and good ol’ cap was good to fly the skies again.  She likes the crew that the ship has now, they seem to be a good bunch and she trusts them to keep the ship right, the captain upright, and if there’s a lick of trouble, to get all of them out of it.

Strengths:
Weaponsmith – From pistols to knives, she can hone a blade and fix a jammed gun with a quickness.  She’s been known to modify a few weapons to aim better, or to silence them.

Mechanic – there isn’t an engine she can’t cajole into working, if she’s got the parts, and if she doesn’t have the proper parts, she can make something work for a time at least.

Explosive devices – It’s not that she’s a Firestarter or an arsonist, but there is a streak in her that understands the chemical compounds, casings, triggers, and switches needed and can make non-lethal versions as well.

Creative Combatant – she’s not the sort who goes looking for a fight, and she can also appear to be the least threatening in the room, which she tends to use to her advantage, as well as items that most wouldn’t think about using for such things.

Well-Schooled – her daddy might have been a salt of the earth sort of fellah, but her mother had been well educated and he wanted the same for his little girl.  It was his dying wish that she continued on with that education and it has served her well.

Innocent Aura – There’s something about the girl, the way she acts, the way she looks.  Some would take her to be an innocent and incapable of doing harm or the like.  She’s used this to her advantage a time or two.

Cleans up Nice - Nuff said

Weaknesses:
Honest to a fault – the girl doesn’t have a filter, so she’s been practicing ‘if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.’ It works sometimes, other times.. Not so much.  This does not affect her poker playing skills.

Weak Shot – She’s not a good shot with a firearm at all whatsoever. 

Can’t hold her liquor – She’s a cheap drunk, super cheap drunk.

Mannerisms:Tends to stick with those she knows in a crowd, fidgets when meant to be sitting still or is uneasy, tends to overexplain things when it is in her wheelhouse, especially when she’s nervous.
Languages:English, Mandarin





Theme Song: God’s Gonna Cut You Down – Johnny Cash

Additional Notes:

[Mathim]

Name: Hogarth 'Garth' Bourdain
Age: 32
Home World: Beaumonde
Profession/ Trade: Singer/Guitarist; passenger on ship, not part of crew
Sexual Orientation: Hetero Male
Relationship Status: Single, open but with conditions
O/Os: Anything other than severe pain, blood and mutilation.

Physical Description: Tall (6'3"), Caucasian, dirty blond hair, green eyes
Distinguishing Features: Long unkempt ponytail, perpetual 5 o'clock shadow, signature classy cowboy garb, usually slinging a guitar
Face Claim: Channing Tatum

Personality:
Garth is a rabble-rouser by nature, even if only saying something jokingly, it will likely upset whoever hears it and that's fine with him, if they don't laugh it off along with him, he'll feed into their anger just as much if not more than they react with. That's only one of his defense mechanisms for the emotional pain he hides, as he has a somewhat addictive personality, sometimes slumping into a drugged-out cycle of euphoria and depression for a few days or weeks before coming back out miraculously without the aid of rehab (this would only happen when not on board the ship). For those he considers friends, he'll try to restrain himself and even cheer them up with his music which, while also inflammatory, is comedic and intended to raise the spirits, particularly of the downtrodden. He does hate injustice and tyranny and will join any fight he feels is worth it, or at least throw what support he can behind it.


History:
Garth was born on Beaumonde, and raised almost exclusively by his mother while his father was away on contract work, mostly low-paying mining or other hard menial labor, sending what he could afford back to them. His mother was a lounge singer at one of the clubs making a decent wage to keep them afloat, and it got him interested in music and performance. He didn't have the voice for anything classy like what his mother would sing, but he learned to play the guitar like an expert by the time he reached his teens, and got more into country and rock than any other genre, at first writing songs for laughs, to get his friends interested in it and make the other schoolkids enjoy what he had to say if only for the shock value. His teachers didn't approve but he didn't care, he used that as fuel to keep on doing it, thumbing his nose at the authority figures who he perceived as trying to keep people like him down. The fact that his mother had to work so hard to keep her job and that they would be in dire financial straits if she lost it never sat well with him, and he learned early on that his mother had to put up with verbal and sexual abuse on the part of her employers and clients in order to keep her job.

When one particularly wealthy patron came down one night to see his mother's performance, and the man did not often hear the word 'no', it was the darkest day of Garth's life. He found out the next morning that his mother was dead in the room the wealthy man had rented, the wealthy man had fled in the night and thanks to a judicious round of bribery and corruption in the club and with local law enforcement, he'd gotten away with it scot-free. After months of fruitless efforts to bring justice to his family, Garth had nearly lost all faith in humanity, until he learned that his father was now being sentenced to death for murdering the wealthy man in retaliation. Garth had another chance to make justice shine through, and wrote the most emotional ballad he had ever conceived, performing it at school, in the club, even on the local radio station. It touched people's hearts and inspired an outcry that managed to overturn his father's sentence and commute it to life in prison.

With his talent and minor celebrity burgeoning, Garth set out for bigger and better things, continuing his crusade against corruption and excess, becoming an icon for those who were wronged by the system and a thorn in the side of those who would trample on others' rights to bolster their own. He never played in overly large venues, not wishing to become a sellout, playing in places that didn't overcharge or have excessive advertising stakes so that more of the lower class could afford to come see him, and ensuring he stayed out of the pockets of any large corporation or individual of obscene wealth. Always skirting the line between incitement to action and criticism of corruption and apathy, he took to renting a room on a ship, not feeling safe staying in any one stationary location for too long.

He didn't develop any lasting relationships, and given his pop star lifestyle, one-night stands were just expected. It helped dull the pain a little, as did the free-flowing narcotics, and given his status and income, he could forge connections all across the 'verse. He even took a stance on controlled substances, finding no good reason why they should be so controlled, and whenever possible, helped his numerous dealers arrange smuggling deals with his transportation whenever he was about to move from one gig to another. If he could share the windfall from that with the smugglers providing his transportation, so much the better.

Strengths:
-Talented musician, songwriter and comedian.

-Very high tolerance for alcohol and other substances. Would be difficult to tranquilize him.

-No stranger to bar brawls and handy with a shotgun.

-Comes across as soft to potential predators but can quickly dispel that notion when least expected.

Weaknesses:
-Trusting the ladies a little too easily.

-Never wanting to say 'no' to a drink or other 'altered state' substance, which can happen at inopportune times.

-Being a little too direct and abrasive, can compromise negotiations with his attitude if not kept in check.

Mannerisms: Putting on the charm around the ladies, singing to himself under his breath when wandering the hallways
Languages: English and just enough French to charm anyone who doesn't speak it





Theme Song: Bad Moon Rising

[Codexa]

Impressive looking game!

<3<3<3

[Primarch]

Hey a Firefly game! If the position is still open I believe I can get a First Mate in tomorrow.

[RegretNot]

Hey a Firefly game! If the position is still open I believe I can get a First Mate in tomorrow.

Go for it. 

[Primarch]

Afraid I need to bow out. Best of luck going forward.

[firepyre]

Hmm. I guess I'll pitch a first mate in primarch's place. Captain seems like the charming rogue type, so I'm thinking someone a bit more serious, who deals with the drudgery, like making sure people get paid, the ship stays repaired, balancing the accounts, and that kind of thing. Maybe an old buddy from the captain's time in the navy academy, a fellow troublemaker who dropped out to pursue a more illicit line of work, eventually linking back up with the captain after his fall from grace to run the business end of things.

He'd be more ruthless than the captain, with a mobster kind of feel about him, and the kind of connections that pay well, but are rarely above board. He and the captain probably rarely see eye to eye on everyday matters, but when it really counts, you can rely on him to have your back.



If you're happy with the concept, I'll get onto real sheet shortly.

[Bibliophilia]

Love the face claim.

[Ontan]

If there’s still room, I was thinking of making a character for the main medical role, seeing as that’s the last major spot to be taken.

I’m wary about people not wanting a carbon copy of the Firefly crew, so I was going to take a slightly different angle: rather than the neatly groomed surgeon-savant from the core worlds, this character would be a geneticist who was stationed at a remote research post for prolonged period. Skill-wise, his expertise would make him a passable (albeit unlicensed and unconventional) substitute for a doctor, plus he'd be well suited to looking after the ship's hydroponic setup. His secondary skills mainly focus on having to make-do in the wasteland: he’d be familiar with scavenging parts for his equipment, and hunting wildlife, for instance.

The main gist is that he’d have a medical / science focus, but with a spread of ‘support’ skills that let him assist the other specialists (without competing for their role). I know a bit of overlap is inevitable, but his backstory means he'd have as a plausible reason not to have any diplomatic skills, ties / connections, or other social strengths. Here’s the potential face claims, plus a bit of character art:

#1 #2 #3

Either passenger crew or crew could work. Let me know what you think!

Edit to fix picture links

[RegretNot]

Hmm. I guess I'll pitch a first mate in primarch's place. Captain seems like the charming rogue type, so I'm thinking someone a bit more serious, who deals with the drudgery, like making sure people get paid, the ship stays repaired, balancing the accounts, and that kind of thing. Maybe an old buddy from the captain's time in the navy academy, a fellow troublemaker who dropped out to pursue a more illicit line of work, eventually linking back up with the captain after his fall from grace to run the business end of things.

He'd be more ruthless than the captain, with a mobster kind of feel about him, and the kind of connections that pay well, but are rarely above board. He and the captain probably rarely see eye to eye on everyday matters, but when it really counts, you can rely on him to have your back.



If you're happy with the concept, I'll get onto real sheet shortly.

Sounds awesome, let's see the sheet.

[RegretNot]

If there’s still room, I was thinking of making a character for the main medical role, seeing as that’s the last major spot to be taken.

I’m wary about people not wanting a carbon copy of the Firefly crew, so I was going to take a slightly different angle: rather than the neatly groomed surgeon-savant from the core worlds, this character would be a geneticist who was stationed at a remote research post for prolonged period. Skill-wise, his expertise would make him a passable (albeit unlicensed and unconventional) substitute for a doctor, plus he'd be well suited to looking after the ship's hydroponic setup. His secondary skills mainly focus on having to make-do in the wasteland: he’d be familiar with scavenging parts for his equipment, and hunting wildlife, for instance.

The main gist is that he’d have a medical / science focus, but with a spread of ‘support’ skills that let him assist the other specialists (without competing for their role). I know a bit of overlap is inevitable, but his backstory means he'd have as a plausible reason not to have any diplomatic skills, ties / connections, or other social strengths. Here’s the potential face claims, plus a bit of character art:

#1 #2 #3

Either passenger crew or crew could work. Let me know what you think!

Edit to fix picture links

Could be a passenger or crew, even a passenger that becomes crew depends on the background you want.

[RegretNot]

Look a OOC Chatter Thread . 

[firepyre]

Still very much a WIP, but the bones are there. I need to do a bit of a firefly refresher before I start on background. 

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Jack
Age: 35
Home World: Beylix
Profession/ Trade: First Mate/Ship's Steward/Purser
Sexual Orientation: Heteronormal
Relationship Status: Married to his job
O/Os: Very much a Daddy, though anyone who dared say as much would find themselves backhanded right back to school.

Physical Description: Jack stands 6'2" and is well built, fit, but not excessively so. He has sharp, defined facial features, which typically lend him a more severe look that compliments his personality . As the business face of the crew, as well as the one who handles most of the everyday practicalities of keeping a ship in the air, his demeanour is usually somewhat stern and taciturn. He tends to dress accordingly, preferring more formal attire, contrasting his more colourful crew mates.

Distinguishing Features: Usually wears an alliance navy academy signet, though it seems to shuffle fingers depending on his mood. Tends to avoid taking his shirt off in front of people.
Face Claim: Mark Strong

Personality: Jack is gruff, and demanding at times, but he'll also go out of his way to be fair, and isn't afraid to get his own hands dirty - figuratively or literally. He values respect and loyalty highly, and although he'd prefer a more rigid chain of command, on a ship like this, he'll take what he can get. The captain may call the shots, but it's typically Jack who works out the details, makes sure the ledgers are balanced, and keeps the whole circus rolling. Not a popular job perhaps, but a necessary one.

History:

Strengths:
Unflappable - Jack always keeps his cool. He's always in control of himself, deliberate, no matter how dire the situation, or how much cheek is given. He's ever the calm voice of reason, never one to act out of spite, or anger.

Underhanded - Jack has few moral compunctions. While he's not about to go out of his way to alienate his crewmates, concepts like honour and reputation are only worth as much to him as the practical benefit they provide. To him, they're just another form of currency, same as anything else. If he believes taking the cheap shot is the most expedient route to success, it's a sure bet he'll take it.

Imposing - There is a time and a place for this, but Jack can, frankly, be pretty damn intense at times. It's useful when you want to be taken seriously, but there can be downsides too. Emasculating a twitchy client isn't tremendously helpful. Kids tend to avoid him too.   

Weaknesses:
Taciturn - As something of an introvert, Jack is less inclined to take the initiative, to initiate interpersonal relationships, and can even forget the need to further those connections.

Grey morality - Jack tends to think in terms of Cost:Benefit, rather than right or wrong. To him, practically everything can have a value placed on it, even abstracts. This can be good and bad. Spend your loyalty on him, and he'll repay you in kind.

Mannerisms: Though typically hard to read, he has a habit of shifting his ring from finger to finger when he's worrying a problem. If he anticipates trouble, he'll often subconsciously shift it to his ring finger, out of the way. Every once in a blue moon, you'll find him smoking a cigarette, not because he likes them, but because they are a reminder of someone. He rarely drinks, and never more than a glass or two, and as a result, he has never gotten used to the taste of strong alcohol, often grimacing after a sip, if he doesn't think he's being watched.

Languages: English, Mandarin, a broad smattering of various mutt tongues





Theme Song:
Additional Notes:

[RegretNot]

I have the Character Sheet Depot thread up here. 

All the sheets posted that aren't WIP are approved to post there.  We should be looking at the first IC thread and post by this weekend. 

[Marie Reynolds]

My Apologies time  just got away from me, So i guess ill have to bow out as this  game is about to go live.

[RegretNot]

My Apologies time  just got away from me, So i guess ill have to bow out as this  game is about to go live.

You still have time, it's not going to jump right into the action. 

[firepyre]

I'm going to withdraw my interest. Not quite as enthusiastic as my initial spaz. GL

[vin26m]

I'm interested.

Name: Barnaby "Barney" Rubble
Age: 40's
Home World: Greenleaf and one of its moons, Dyton
Profession/ Trade: Passenger (Reader, Gambler, Rogue, Face, Brawler, Backup-anything-except-gunhand)
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Relationship Status: Single
O/Os: Here

Physical Description: Barney is of average height with a fit build, primarily from practicing mixed martial arts, weightlifting, climbing, swimming and running.  He has accepted his baldness and regularly shaves his head for both ease of grooming and fitting his head into wigs.  He usually has a five o'clock shadow, even moments after shaving.  Barney is partial to wearing suits, but has a wardrobe to choose from, including outfits more appropriate to combat and labor.

Distinguishing Features: Barney has as knack for blending in and prefers it that way.  With his deep, gravely voice, he usually speaks with a Cockney accent, but can easily switch to manners of speaking more characteristic of someone from the Core or Border/Rim.

Face Claim: Jason Bloody Statham

Personality: Warm-hearted, friendly, logical, creative, conscientious, analytical, determined.

History: Barney was born on a Border planet in the Red Sun system.  Unlike most terraformed planets with wide plains or harsh deserts, his birthplace of Greenleaf was a world with a large tropical belt that had massive jungles and rainforests.  His parents were cultivators for pharmaceutical companies that used the plants to make medicines for the new illnesses caused by the terraforming process.  His young lungs were filled with the heavy, thick air of the lush vegetation surrounding him. 

Before his teen years, his parents moved back and forth between Greenleaf and one of Greenleaf's moons, Dyton, where most of his extended family lived.  He picked up the Cockney accent of the native Dyton inhabitants, whose ancestors were settlers from working-class Britain. 

As a teen, Barney started reading people - flashes of pictures, turns of phrase, smells triggering vivid memories that were not his own - an ability that was a side effect of being born and spending a lot of time on Greenleaf. 

In college while studying theater and Chinese, he got a job as a croupier, mostly dealing card games at casinos on Dyton.  He eventually used his reader abilities to start gambling and amassed himself a small fortune, but left Dyton about a year ago when people started getting suspicious in order to avoid consequences for his family.  He still occasionally visited Greenleaf and Dyton, and he got a ride out of the area on the Phoenix Wave from Dyton, when he met Garrett and his crew.

Strengths: Barney uses his abilities as a reader to make his living primarily as a gambler, particularly as a poker player.  He also uses his reading ability for charming, persuading, intimidating and negotiating with people. 
When combined with his ability to disguise himself and fake accents, he can also make others think he is someone else, including a Shepherd, a Registered Companion and a Federal Agent. 

He is a proficient martial artist in both striking and grappling, and he is a good runner, climber and swimmer. 

He is skilled at sleight of hand tasks such as picking pockets, opening locks, shooting pool, and performing tricks with cards and coins, including cheating at cards.

Growing up, he learned how to identify plants and how to cultivate them in hydroponics labs.

He likes to ride horses, drive horse drawn carts and wagons, fly shuttles and drive both wheeled and hover vehicles, and he is technically inclined enough to lend a hand to an expert mechanic, doctor, engineer or technician, although he could not possibly do anything more than maintenance or sabotage on his own.

Weaknesses: Barney is not particularly skilled with firearms or knives, most effectively using them as props as opposed to weapons. 

He hates people who mistreat women, children or animals, and despises anyone who abuses their power and authority, whether they are federal, corporate or criminal. 

He values independence and abhors slavery.  He has a hard time backing down from being challenged.

In terms of alcohol tolerance, Barney is a lightweight.  He'll stop at three drinks and rarely get even that far.

Mannerisms: Barney cracks his knuckles and neck.

Languages: English, Mandarin, basic Russian, basic French.





Theme Song:
Additional Notes: I am particularly interested in scenes that include brawls and scams.  On the ship, consider him to be a hand.  If the crew has to go make a deal, Barney is there (as opposed to being back on the ship).

Barney has numerous assets, some purchased, some stolen, some won through gambling, some scavenged:

A decent amount of savings.  Not enough to retire on, but enough to pay initial costs for jobs.

A Moses Brothers Self-Defense Engine Frontier Model B revolver, the standard issue officer's sidearm during the Unification War.

A Walther PPK pistol.

A survival knife.

A Holy Bible, a pristine crucifix, an outfit and a fake ident card to pose as a Shepherd.

A badge, a uniform and a fake ident card to pose as a federal agent.

Companion's finery and a fake ident card to pose as a Registered Companion.

A legitimate ident card and an Alliance salvage permit.

Plants, including cannabis and others with some with pharmaceutical properties, which are kept in the hydroponics lab.

[RegretNot]

Barney looks good feel free to post him in the Character Thread.

[vin26m]

Barney looks good feel free to post him in the Character Thread.

Thanks!

I'll post IC in the next 18 hours.

Please don't continue the thread yet, as I have something in mind for each character who has posted so far.

[Mathim]

I hope we still have enough players to make a go of it with all the dropping out.

[Aenon]

Wait, aren't you guys full yet? :O