Mutant: Year Zero - Adventures After the Apocalypse - {Recruitment!}

[Ssieth]

Fox, actually, but close enough!

I usually like to start with an image and build the character from it, but I'm thinking maybe a Stalker. I'll look at it more later.

I stand corrected....

Foxy!

[Outcast]

I was thinking that she looked as if she might be a Stalker.  :D

[Valerian]

Welcome, possible Stalker!  :D

Take two for the Chronicler.  I tweaked the skills slightly, though honestly I'm also waffling a little about the Abilities and whether I should be more traditional and give myself a five.  Also added some info about the NPC connections.

Personal Details
Name: Carey
Age: 21
Height: 5'2" (1.5 m)
Build: Slim
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Bright green
Description: The first thing people notice about Carey are her eyes, which are unnaturally bright.  Tending towards quiet and thoughtful, she gives the impression of noticing a great deal about the world.
Sex and Gender: Cis female
Sexual Orientation: Hetero
Notes:

Profession
Chronicler

Abilities
Strength: 3
Agility: 3
Wits: 4
Empathy: 4

Skills

Inspire (Empathy): 4
Heal (Empathy): 3
Comprehend (Wits): 3
Move (Agility): 2

Talents

Bonesaw: +2 bonus when using Heal to treat a critical injury.

Mutations

Sonar

Connections
(NPC) Joss - Fellow Chronicler.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Once friendly rivals, things started to turn bad between them when X played a practical joke on Carey that got out of hand and refused to apologize.  After that both of them got much more serious about trying to outdo each other and make each other look bad, until they could hardly stand to be in the same room anymore.  They can barely manage to work together now and avoid doing that as much as possible.

(NPC) [Name pending] - A Fixer.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Whether he means it or not is anyone's guess, but he acts as though he has a crush on Carey.  Certainly he shows a lot of willingness to do favors for her, though she is generally a little reluctant to accept many of them, in case they come with strings attached.

(PC) TBD

The Big Dream

Finding Eden, in hopes that it holds the answers to where the People came from.


Gear

TBD

[Outcast]

I'm inclined to depart from the (very harsh) official ruling that you can *never* increase an Ability, and instead make it merely quite expensive and rather rare.  Perhaps once per Ability, for treble the cost of advancing a skill or buying a talent, you could nudge it up by one.

So it is possible to undergo rehab for an injury, or undertake personal improvement... but you can't get too far from your natural capabilities.

In any case, part of the idea is that it's a little less 'mandatory' to take a 5 while you can grab it at chargen.  There are plenty of good reasons for wanting to be as good as possible at your profession skill... but I don't like the idea of there being only one 'good' choice to make in key bits of character creation!   :D

[c0i9z]

Personal Details
Name:  Jena
Age: 21
Height: 1.4m
Build: Slim
Hair: Black
Eyes: Piercing blue
Description:  A fox-eared stalker, Jena usually wears bulky, covering clothes which fail to hide her ample proportions. She's slow to open up but tends to form strong friendships.
Sex and Gender: Cis female
Sexual Orientation: Bi
Notes:

Profession
Stalker

Abilities
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Wits: 4
Empathy: 2

Skills
Sneak (Agility) 2
Move (Agility) 2
Shoot (Agility) 2
Scout (Wits) 1
Know the Zone (Wits) 2
Find the Path (Agility) 3

Talents
Rot Finder

Mutations
Manbeast

Connections
(NPC) Illyara, a chronicler that Jena thinks of as her little sister. She's trying to help the mutants relearn the ways of farming.
(NPC) Jacob, a farmer who assists Illyara, he takes care of the necessary hard labour for the same.
(PC)

The Big Dream



Don't know about connections, dreams or gar.

[Outcast]

Jena looks good.  :)

My one query would be her height: 1.4m is unusually short for an adult.  That's entirely possible (some of the People are very short indeed, courtesy of the quirks in their genome), but it will stand out a little.  If that's what you'd intended, then it's fine.  :D

Regarding connections, etc... I'm intending to post up some info on the Ark and its occupants, when I manage to sort it out.  Largely subject to revision, if there are things that people are particularly keen to see (or not see), and there's plenty of room for NPCs and other elements to be added to it to help with player-character backgrounds and ties - but it should hopefully provide some useful options to consider.

[c0i9z]

Yea, I want her a bit on the short side.

[Outcast]

Apologies for a few days of silence.  RL has been... awkward.  :-\

This has not been forgotten about.  And even though most people seem to have vanished, I'm quite willing to go ahead and give this us a try with just the three players.

I'll try to post some more setting info for you guys in the near future.  ;D

[AndyZ]

I’m sorry.  It’s not that I want to ghost; I’m just blanking.  Not to make excuses, but dealing with the cancer side effects has been awful lately.

[Outcast]

No pressure, honestly.  This is meant to be a fun pastime for everyone concerned!

[AndyZ]

I know ^_^ Just figured you deserved to know what’s up on my end for why I quit posting here.

[Outcast]

Thank you.  I appreciate it.  :D

And... best of luck.  Health issues all too often provide the kind of 'excitement' that gets in the way of relaxation and fun.

[Outcast]

Apologies for the delay in posting further setting information.  RL has been complicated, as I try to sort out problems on behalf of relatives.

I hope to finish up a batch of info for you and get it up here shortly.

[Chreestafer]

Showing interest in the concept, but new to systematic games, so hopefully that isn't an issue.

I'd love do something around the concept of a Relic Hunter of sorts who has telekinetic abilities. 

The story idea reminds me of the tv show Silo on Apple TV.

[Outcast]

Welcome to the thread.  :D

If what has been posted thus far seems to make some sort of sense, then you should be able to cope.  I can certainly help with character creation.

The most important things would be picking a mutation (which it seems you have done), and a profession.  Would you want your character to pursue artefacts of the Old Age as a passionate curiosity (people from any profession can simply have a real interest in them!), to seek to understand and document them (which would probably be a Chronicler), to be responsible for finding them (a Stalker, with a Talent to excel at doing so), to replicate and be inspired by them while coming up with new creations (a Gearhead), to defend the People with the mightiest weapons of the world (an Enforcer or Grunt), to build a collection to serve as a base of power (a Boss or Fixer)...?

There being a degree of overlap between characters isn't necessarily a bad thing: characters being able to help each other can be very useful, at times.  And an ardent artefact-hunter could fit into any of the professions, credibly enough.

Sadly, I don't have access to Apple TV, but from the little I know of Silo it does share similarities: the Silo itself would be one of the "enclaves" mentioned as a rumour in one of the posts above.  At the start of this game, the Ark is in a very bad state (much worse than the Silo)... but not beyond hope, especially given the capabilities provided by the People's mutations.  And the player characters can play a real part in shaping the future of the Ark and the People.

[Chreestafer]

Welcome to the thread.  :D

If what has been posted thus far seems to make some sort of sense, then you should be able to cope.  I can certainly help with character creation.

The most important things would be picking a mutation (which it seems you have done), and a profession.  Would you want your character to pursue artefacts of the Old Age as a passionate curiosity (people from any profession can simply have a real interest in them!), to seek to understand and document them (which would probably be a Chronicler), to be responsible for finding them (a Stalker, with a Talent to excel at doing so), to replicate and be inspired by them while coming up with new creations (a Gearhead), to defend the People with the mightiest weapons of the world (an Enforcer or Grunt), to build a collection to serve as a base of power (a Boss or Fixer)...?

There being a degree of overlap between characters isn't necessarily a bad thing: characters being able to help each other can be very useful, at times.  And an ardent artefact-hunter could fit into any of the professions, credibly enough.

Sadly, I don't have access to Apple TV, but from the little I know of Silo it does share similarities: the Silo itself would be one of the "enclaves" mentioned as a rumour in one of the posts above.  At the start of this game, the Ark is in a very bad state (much worse than the Silo)... but not beyond hope, especially given the capabilities provided by the People's mutations.  And the player characters can play a real part in shaping the future of the Ark and the People.

I see him more as a gofer type if you understand what i mean.  I do see him finding a thrill in the hunt of uncovering the past but also getting paid to find certain items for the ark.  So im guessing a Stalker sounds about where he is? I see him being a book lover and maybe the ark only had a certain number of books in a series and his ultimate hunt is to find the next few books?

I'm still mulling the ideas around in my head.

[Outcast]

I see him more as a gofer type if you understand what i mean.  I do see him finding a thrill in the hunt of uncovering the past but also getting paid to find certain items for the ark.  So im guessing a Stalker sounds about where he is? I see him being a book lover and maybe the ark only had a certain number of books in a series and his ultimate hunt is to find the next few books?

Stalker would indeed be the most obvious candidate (with Scavenger as the starting Talent), but I could see that fitting a few options, potentially.  One alternative could be someone from another profession who went out with Stalkers, to gather items.  Functioning artefacts are rare, but there's a lot of 'scrap' out there that can either be of use in its own right, or can be valuable to Gearheads: e.g. a lone cycle wheel isn't any use to most people, but might be precisely what's required for some device a Gearhead is working on - and could be the kind of thing someone was commissioned to find.

Another option, if a slightly different focus appealed, could be to branch out into the Archaeologist general Talent, and focus on studying and trying to understand ancient buildings.

But someone trying to complete a run of novels could certainly fit.  Most people in the Ark have let their literacy slip in recent years, but a player character could definitely be an outlier who had maintained it (while Chroniclers are guaranteed to have done so).

I should say that this isn't the kind of game where 'doubling up' on broad character types is bad: having two Stalkers in the group could be very useful.  Particularly while the group are learning (both in and out of character) how to survive the Zone, it can be extremely worthwhile having two people working together to find safe(ish) paths and supplies, rather than everything being a single person's responsibility.  However, if something else appeals, go for it.  Every profession has its uses - and its reasons to collaborate with colleagues.

I'm still mulling the ideas around in my head.

Not a problem.  :)  I'm hoping to get some more setting info posted today.  But if you have any questions, do feel free to ask.  ;D

[Outcast]

Sincere apologies for the delay in posting more info.  RL has been stressfully problematic.  Hopefully this at least makes some sense - and is capable of inspiring an idea or two.

The Ark

The Situation:
The Ark is the PCs' home.  Here they live, together with just over 200 other mutants.  Only Stalkers (and a few brave souls escorted by Stalkers) have ventured out of sight of the Ark - and most of the People have never dared to come close to that limit.  The world outside is a sea of chaos and destruction, filled with mutated monsters and other unknown terrors.

The mutants have grown up in the Ark.  How they came to live here, they don't know.  There are rumours that some of the People can remember somewhere that wasn't the Ark, but the only one to know the truth is the Elder, one of the Ancients, and he has not revealed much.

Now, the Elder is dying.  The mutants have grown into adults (though still rather young ones).  Without the Elder's guidance, the established order has all but collapsed.  The ancient stockpiles of food in the Ark are running low - some whisper that they have all but run out - and the small croplands inside the palisade cannot still the hunger.  All too often the strong take what they need through violence, and force the rest into submission.

Three especially competent and charismatic mutants - Maximon, Marlotte, and Oskartian - have emerged as rival Bosses in the Ark.  Astrina and her Chroniclers could be a fourth major faction, but spend almost all their time in the Elder's Suite and the Dawn Vault.  Pontiak has the skills and importance to form another faction, but his exceptional abrasiveness rules him out as a leader.  Will the People unite behind one of these prominent figures, or might another path be found?



Overview of the Ark
The Ark is the wreck of a large Old Age passenger ferry stranded in the Zone.  The vessel has nine decks, but the lower ones are too decrepit and rusted to be of use to the People.  The majority of the Ark's residents live in cabins on decks 8 and 9.  The ferry once had a bow visor, but it rusted and fell off a long time ago, leaving the approach ramp to decks 3 and 4 open.  To protect the Ark from intruders, the People have constructed a scrap palisade in front of the gap.

Quarterdeck:  The old sun deck on deck 9 is used by the People for larger assemblies.  This is where the Elder used to speak.  Nowadays, the place is used by the Boss Maximon for his inspirational (or inflammatory) speeches to the mutants.

Rain Collector:  On the roof above the quarterdeck, the Gearhead Pontiak has mounted repurposed umbrellas and other containers for rainwater collection; they feed into a purification system of his own design.

Holding Cells:  A few small cabins on deck 5 are used to lock up mutants who break the People's rules, or who have just happened to anger one of the Bosses.

Engine Room:  In the Ark's rusty depths, the old engine room can be found.  This is where the Gearhead Pontiak resides.  He has managed to rid the room of the cold and the damp, and keeps it warm and lit with the help of electrical apparatuses powered by his mutations.

The Lifeboat:  By the side of the Ark floats an old metal lifeboat, large enough for some 20 people.  The boat is covered and constructed to withstand any weather.  The cult leader Oskartian lives here.

Palisade:  A simple scrap palisade around the bow of the ship protects the approach to the car deck.  The palisade has no openings; one has to climb it coming in or out.  It is guarded night and day.

Croplands:  Inside the palisade, the Gearheads and the Chroniclers tend to simple plots of mushrooms and beets.  Without these the People would have starved to death a long time ago.

The Dawn Vault:
The Elder no longer controls the Ark: the old man's word is no longer law.  But one of his commandments is still held in high regard by most of the People.  He commissioned them to collect artefacts from the Old Age, study them, and learn from them - and to keep them in a safe place.  The Elder called this the Dawn Vault.

While you grew up, it was strictly forbidden to keep artefacts that you found for yourselves.  Everything had to be turned over to the Dawn Vault, studied and filed.  In theory, that is still the rule.  But as hunger sets in and the old order crumbles, mutants increasingly keep artefacts for themselves or even barter them for grub.

Still, the Dawn Vault remains, and is guarded by a group of loyal Chroniclers who refuse to abandon the Elder's principles.  Following his will, they continue to collect artefacts, study them, and teach what they learn to anyone willing to listen.

Physically, the Dawn Vault is a locked cabin near to the Elder's suite (and Astrina's own small cabin).

Grub and Water:
There is a chronic shortage of grub and water in the Ark.  Anyone carrying more than a few rations will attract attention.

The meager supply of canned food, plus the produce of mushrooms and beets from the croplands inside the palisade, is stored in a locked old cold room in what used to be the ferry's kitchen, near the bow on deck 7.  The supply is guarded by Enforcers and the grub is rationed by the Bosses.  All inhabitants (usually) get one ration of grub every other day.

The People get their water thanks to the rainwater collector and filtration system built by Pontiak.  Barrels and cans of the filtered water are stored on the quarterdeck, and normally contain enough water for all the People for a few days (i.e. a lot!).

[Outcast]

The People

Overview
Every one of the People is a mutant.  Some mutations are more evident than others, and some powers are certainly more frequently useful than others: e.g. the few water-breathers among the People are no better than anyone else at resisting the Rot pervading the River, so that talent tends to only come to the fore in occasional maintenance work aboard the Ark.  Similarly, some mutations are more popular or more feared than others: Rot-Eating is widely regarded as (at best) rather unsettling, but some find psychic abilities to be much more perturbing.  The Elder, however, has always insisted that everyone's powers have merit, and that all should be valued by the People.

Virtually all of the People are 20 to 25 years old.  A handful are said to be a little more advanced in age: Astrina, Marlotte, Oskartian, Pontiak, and Yassan are often rumoured to be a year older than virtually everyone else, and there are a few other (less prominent) mutants who might match them... while Maximon is widely accepted as clearly the eldest of all the People, a little ahead of even them.  He might even be 27 now!  Certainly, many of the People spent their whole childhood with him as 'the big brother' among them all, who often helped the Elder care for all the younger ones.  Indeed, those memories provide part of the foundation for his current influence - though many remain unsure that 'big brother' should turn into 'Captain' now.

Roughly half of the Ark's residents have demonstrated noticeable skill in a profession; about half of those have a professional Talent.  PCs at the start of the game are clearly well above-average - but not (yet) on a par with the best among the People.

Leading Lights:

The Elder:  The Ark's founder and former leader.  He's not been seen outside his cabin (suite, actually) for months; even before then, he was a shadow of his old self.  Every one of the People has memories of him as the closest thing they ever had to a parent.  Astrina and her Chroniclers help him, and rarely let anyone else into his suite: some accuse them of keeping him prisoner.  More think they're protecting him.

Maximon: the Ark's most powerful Boss.  Now wears a patched old captain's uniform, and demands that people address him as 'Captain'.  Has no less than fifty people in his crew (including sub-Bosses), serving for protection and grub.  Views himself as the Elder's heir, and the Ark's rightful leader.  He's dominant and brutal, but not actually evil: his primary goal is the survival of the People.  He's just willing to sacrifice individuals for what he considers to be the Ark's best interests.  Usually resides on the old bridge.  About half of his crew are Enforcers and combat-capable Grunts.  His right-hand man is the Fixer Sixter.  Flame-breather.  Has an Artefact revolver.

Marlotte: the second most prominent Boss.  Commands 20-something underlings as a military unit - as best she knows how.  Tolerated by Maximon due to her value to the Ark's defences, but it's clear she's his most likely current rival.  Marlotte's headquarters are in the old show bar at the aft of the ship.  Insectoid .  Has an artefact semi-automatic pistol.

Oskartian: leader of a cult called The Sentinels of the Apocalypse.  ~20 people largely viewed as harmless loonies.  Live in an old lifeboat moored alongside the Ark. They believe the end of the world was the Gods punishing the Humans, and that the mutants have been put on Earth to watch over the End Times.  Oskartian preaches that all attempts at building a new world or exploring the mysteries of the Old Age are sinful, and must be stopped.  Generally seen as irrelevant (though often quite actively helpful with communal efforts that don't transgress their beliefs), but as of late they have been growing increasingly obstinate.  Pathokinetic.

Mubba: Toughest Enforcer in the Ark.  Works for Maximon.  Ruthless and brutal when called for... but has a strong moral compass.  Four-armed, and can pop claws when she needs to - as well as being scarily strong and skilled.  Four-armed & Manbeast.

Sixter: Fixer and right-hand-man to Maximon.  Charming and charismatic... but a pompous megalomaniac, believing he always knows what's best for the People.  Believed to have some sort of mental powers.  Has a shotgun and artefact sunglasses... which really are rather cool.

Astrina: Leader of the Chroniclers, the group of ~20 who are closest to the Elder.  Their task is to keep a record of everything that goes on in the Ark: in line with the Elder's teachings, Astrina promotes the literal chronicling of events among the People; many of her followers carry around notebooks so that they can write things down as soon as they have happened.  Only the Chroniclers have access to the Elder's suite.  They also keep watch over the Dawn Vault, a locked cabin to which all artefacts collected in the Zone are supposed to be brought so that the People can study and learn from them.  Astrina lives in a small cabin near the Elder's.  Pathokinetic.  Her most treasured personal possession is said to be a floppy booklet filled with pictures of the Old Age.

Pontiak: A Gearhead whose astonishing skill is only matched by his big mouth: he has the unfailing ability to annoy everyone he meets.  Though he is loosely connected to Marlotte and her gang, he will work for anyone willing to pay.  Pale and dirty, Pontiak dresses in overalls that were once yellow.  He is most often found in the Ark's old engine room, which he has converted into his personal den /  mad-science laboratory.  Human Magnet (& probable Electrokinetic).  Has an amazing artefact wrench: huge, heavy, many adjustable settings, secure grip... and pretty lethal as a weapon when it comes to braining people who try to acquire his work without meeting his prices.

Yassan: a living legend within the Ark.  The first one of the People to venture out into the Zone, aged only 10: he invented the concept of Stalking, and is widely credited with naming the profession.  Now damaged by the Rot and speaking in a hissing voice, he wears a home-made Rot mask that he rarely takes off.  He is usually out in the Zone, but hangs around Marlotte when he is back in the Ark.  Extreme Reflexes.

Middling Lights:
Johammed:  A mid-ranking Boss with around a dozen followers.  Chiefly operates as a pimp.  With the declining situation in the Ark, he's increasingly had to push the limits for what he offers in order to both stand out and induce people to spend their resources on fun rather than food.  An ardent collector of artefacts: whether he's just hoarding them or intends to use them to build a better future is open to debate.  He's certainly hired Gearheads to do private work for him in restoring some items.  Quite what he has in working order is unknown: he rotates work among the Gearheads.  Cryokinetic, but surprisingly knowledgeable about mutations in general - has a sideline in helping people to explore and learn to control their abilities.



Power Structure:
Nominal Leader:  The Elder

Bosses and other Leaders:
Maximon: “Captain”, inspirational but harsh leader with ~50 followers.  (See above)
Marlotte: Military commander, with ~20 followers.  (See above)
Oskartian: Founder and Leader of the Sentinels of the Apocalypse cult; ~20 followers.  (See above)
Astrina: unofficial leader of ~20 people (most of the professional Chroniclers, plus students, and dedicated guardians of the Dawn Vault), spends much of her time guarding and caring for the Elder.  (See above)
Johammed: collector of artefacts, pimp, expert in mutations and their uses; ~12 followers.  (See above)
Cristor: would-be revolutionary: ~8 followers
Brictoria: among the very youngest of the People, but an ambitious gang-leader: ~4 followers

Eccentric But Important Individuals:
Pontiak: pre-eminent Gearhead; gleefully rude; loosely affiliated with Marlotte.  (See above)
Yassan: Stalker supreme; often with Marlotte’s gang when actually in the Ark.  (See above)

Maximon’s Crew:
Sixter: The Ark’s leading Fixer, and Maximon’s right-hand man; possible megalomaniac.  (See above)
Mubba: Ark’s most feared Enforcer; powerful moral streak.  (See above)
Gunitt: ‘officer’ under the Captain; very good at keeping things ticking over
Natara: Labour-organiser under Maximon; honest, works hard alongside her underlings
Augustian: brutal organiser of some of Maximon’s Enforcers
Nelma: Obsessively loyal Enforcer; effectively a trusted NCO rather than a leader in her own right



Noteworthy Professionals
Chroniclers of Note:
Astrina: Fervent believer in the Elder's vision; the best physician and surgeon in the Ark.  (See above)
Danova: most frequent leader of funerary (i.e. cremation) rites... something becoming more and more common
Hanneth: specialist in the Apocalypse
Maxim:  More willing than most to answer questions and teach, even in the present climate
Silas: Also more willing than most to answer questions and teach, even in the present climate
Victon: Another more willing than most to answer questions and teach, even in the present climate

Dog-Handler of Note:
Jony: Young and certainly not the best, but perhaps the bravest (or craziest) - has gone on experimental 'runs' with Vorhan (and Grit) into the Zone, to explore what mutts might be able to do to help Stalkers

Fixers of Note:
Denrik: Podgy (even as food supplies diminish), cheerful, and apparently wholly independent of all the Bosses - where most Fixers at least have 'favoured customers', he seems keen to remain popular with as many people as possible (Boss and commoner alike).
Sixter: Would be important even without being Maximon's right-hand man; he's certainly the pre-eminent deal-maker and finder-of-things in the Ark.  Charming and frankly the epitome of cool among the People, but utterly certain he knows best (and that things would be vastly better if more people listened to him).  (See above)

Gearheads of Note:
Lambda: Young, bouncily enthusiastic, and helpful.  Very evidently still learning, but has become the person most frequently drafted by Pontiak to assist when he can't handle a project alone: she seems to be able to put up with him long enough to get work done.
Pontiak: Beyond doubt the best inventor, best repairman, and best artisan in the Ark.  Also the most complained-about person in the Ark... though the sheer brilliance of his work ensures it's always in demand.  (See above)

Slave / Grunt of Note:
Grit: Vorhan's personal valet / assistant.  Generally unassuming, but can abruptly become profoundly unsettling; very few (even Enforcers) have tried to pick on him more than once.  Popular rumour suggests that he can scare even Zone monsters.

Stalkers of Note:
Franton: Reputed to hunt Zone Ghouls, which he often warns are a growing threat to the People
Krin: Expert Rotfinder; believer in the existence of another Ark
Vorhan: Veteran; perhaps the nearest thing Yassan has to a rival in reputation and skill - but rather more sociable
Yassan: Legend who created Stalking (he even named it!); his overt support could carry great political weight if he ever gave it (and even the implication of support conveyed by spending time with Marlotte’s crew lends some cachet to her and her followers); spends the majority of his time out in the Zone.  (See above)



Note:  Players are entirely free to build upon this list.  I've not added anyone's suggestions thus far, but if there's someone you want to see built into things, let me know.  Likewise, if you want a tie with anyone mentioned here, feel free to propose it.  And if you find someone really objectionable on an OOC level, please do say.  It's a dangerous setting at the end(?) of the world, so there's no guarantee that people will be nice - but I don't want to trample on anyone's RL feelings.

[Ssieth]

I've slotted Marlotte in as one of the NPCs relevant to Jewel :)

Will keep "Garan" as the overbearing and bullying dog handler as it sounds like Jony doesn't fit.

[Valerian]

Hm, definitely some interesting characters there.  Sixter doesn't seem like quite what I'm looking for as the Fixer connection for Carey, though -- with him being the preeminent Fixer on the Ark, that's a little more pull than I would want that particular NPC to have.  But possibly that character could be a protégé of Sixter's?  Someone promising, but also still learning.

[Outcast]

With (a little) over 200 people in the Ark, you can expect 100+ NPCs to have professions: even if one craft happens to be particularly rare, you can safely expect there to be at least half a dozen NPC exponents of it in addition to any player characters in that role.

Some, of course, have a disproportionately high turnover (would-be Stalkers, particularly so); Grunts, in contrast, tend to be durable and usually work around other people rather than out on their own - they're certainly the most common profession.

All in all, if a player wants a NPC to exist to fulfill a particular role, I should be able to oblige.  But do feel free to peer at what other people are proposing for their own connections: shared (or disagreeing) connections to the same NPC could provide an interesting element between the PCs themselves.

[Valerian]

All in all, if a player wants a NPC to exist to fulfill a particular role, I should be able to oblige.  But do feel free to peer at what other people are proposing for their own connections: shared (or disagreeing) connections to the same NPC could provide an interesting element between the PCs themselves.

That tempts me to turn the not-so-nice-Fixer from Carey's background into Garan the dog handler... except he might be a little too creepy, from that description!  Certainly Carey would be horrified by how he treats Jewel and would really want to avoid him.

[Ssieth]

That tempts me to turn the not-so-nice-Fixer from Carey's background into Garan the dog handler... except he might be a little too creepy, from that description!  Certainly Carey would be horrified by how he treats Jewel and would really want to avoid him.

I'm glad he comes over as a creepy villain - that was sort of where I was aiming with my very brief description.  I think  that I might aim for him being fairly solidly reliable in many respects and even quite sociable in public but in private is really keen to lord it over those who he can get away with.  The facade maybe having dropped a little a couple of times and needed Marlotte to step in to protect Jewel. 

[Outcast]

Apologies for continued distraction.  RL remains unduly 'interesting'.

Would you prefer Garan to be an independent operator, or part of Marlotte's crew?  The two might change both how much control she has over him, and how inclined she might be to protect him from repercussions.