ECN Character - Jack Marshall (Mundane LS Detective), Sushi. That's what my ex-wife called me - cold fish. Options

[Digital Heroin]

The second player in my Emerald City Nights solo project, an aged Detective who a lot of people figure is on his last case.

The Sheet:

[ Spoiler ]

Name: Jack Marshall
Street Names: N/a
Metatype: Human
Age: 45
Sex: Male

Attributes:
Physical Mental Special Special
Body: 4 Charisma: 3 Edge: 5 Current Edge Points: 5
Agility: 3 Intuition: 4 Essence: 6 Astral Init: N/a
Reaction: 4 Logic: 3 Initiative: 4 Matrix Init: N/a
Strength: 3 Willpower: 4 Magic/Resson: N/a Init Passes: 1


Skills
Active

Athletics Group 2
Clubs 2
Dodge 3
Data Search 1
Etiquette (Street) 1(3)
Infiltration (Urban) 2(4)
Intimidation (Interrogation) 2(5)
Perception 5
Pistols (Revolvers) 5(7)
Shadowing 3
Unarmed Combat 4

Knowledge

Forensics 2
LS Procedures (Homicide) 2(4)
Seattle Drug Distribution 4
Seattle Prostitution 3
Seattle Syndicates 2
Seattle Gangs 3
Jazz 3

Languages

English N

Qualities

Analytical Mind (5BP)
Perceptive (10BP)
Guts (5BP)
Nightvision (5BP)
Toughness (10BP)
SINer (-5BP)
Day Job (-15BP)
Mild Alcoholic (-5BP)
Computer Illiterate (-5BP)

Contact Name Loyalty Connection

Tommy Wolfe 2 2 Mystical PI; Owner of the Gunsmoke Detective Agency
Sonya Wright 3 3 Knight Errant corporate liason officer; former flame of Jack's
Anthony Sanders 1 2 Bartender at 'Andersons' a cop bar where Jack does most of his swilling

The Gear:

[ Spoiler ]

Ranged Weapons
Weapon Damage AP Mode RC Ammo Notes

Ruger Super Warhawk 6P -2 SA - 8(cy) Firing Selection Change (Minor), Increased Cylinder

Armor B/I Notes

FFBA Shirt 3/0
Lined Coat 6/4 -2 Conceal for items under it

Total 9/4

Commlink: Meta Link w. Vector Xim
Response Signal Firewall System
1 2 1 1
Programs:

Nuyen: 5000 (4650 spent)

Lifestyle: Renton Apartment (2000/month, 1 pre-paid)
Comforts: Low (2)
Entertainment: Low (2)
Necesities: Middle (3)
Neighborhood: Low (2)
Security: Low (2)
Qualities: This Isn't Big Bob's Autos

Gear:

Regular Heavy Revolver Rounds (40)
Metal Restraints
Speed Loader

The Background:

[ Spoiler ]

Older than dirt, and twice as stubborn, that's how you could describe Jack Marshall. Thirty plus years as a cop, he was born in face of Golbinization, and has seen more history than fills most university theses on Seattle. not even a year on the job, and Jack found himself in full riot gear in the midst of one of the most infamous clashes in the Sixth World. It was February 7th, 2039, and the rain had let up just enough for him to be caught in the chaos of a group of oppressed metahumans being firebombed by a group of slags who would rather kill than understand. The Night of Rage left Jack with a respect for just how much damage people could do to one another, and infused in him a youthful idealism, for on that night he swore to protect the city from itself, and to help it heal where he could.

It's been a long time since that day. He's since lived through Yakuza purges, the influx of the Irish Mafia families, Seoulpa rings, brand new technological mindbenders, the and the dullest election of the 21st century. He's worked full on wars, be they corporate or mob. He's weathered the fallout of Bug infestations and AI's taking over arcologies. He's survived the Comet and a brand new Crash. And through it all he has worked in just about every department Lone Star has save Magic and anything to do with Matrix crime. He became a legend in the cop world, and then he refused to change.

Now, already into his fourth decade on the job, Jack is a dusty old relic, a man they've already looked to to train cops, and then let back to his little desk in Homicide when he proved to be too intense for some of the new kids.

Lately he's been ignored and quietly tolerated by many, though plenty of the bean counters would love to see him screw up so they could press him into retirement and save themselves his entirely too untouchable salary. He might be an old dog, and resistant to the new tricks of the world, but Jack's nose has led him to the trail of a phantom, and he's not about to let up until he finds out just who the man with the calling cards is, and puts him behind bars.

Questions, comments, concerns, and death threats are welcome.

[Backgammon]

Physical stats are too high for an old timer. Body should be 3, and only because he's in good shape. Agility and Reaction should be 2. You know a lot of quick old people? They move slower, joints and cartilege are used up. I'd then raise his mental stats. Charisma 4 (a life time of talking to people...) and raise Will and Intuition to 5.

[ruff0126]

The pysical stats are fine for his age. Individuals like randy couture and quite a few others kept in shape and could easily have those stats or better.
If you wanted to play up the gut instinct of the old guy maybe drop reaction to 3 and up intuition to 5.

[Digital Heroin]

While I'm not sure you have to be Randy Couture to be decently tough at an advanced age, Jack's simply a tough old bastard who's seen a lot. Other than the slightly elevated body and honed reflexes, he's average, after all.

But I do like the idea of dropping one point of Reaction for another Intuition to reflect a more experienced eye.

[brennanhawkwood]

Nice character. I really like that he appears to be built to a concept rather than min-maxed for effectiveness/efficiency like a lot of BP-based characters seem to be.

My biggest "huh?" moment reading him over is that the sheet lists him as being 45 while the background refers to him as being a 30+ year police force veteran and giving the impression of being 'older than dirt'. Assuming he was not under 15 when he started out on the force I'd guess that his age should be 55 or 60. I think that would fit better with the overall feel of an graying, oft ignored veteran of the force whose seen a little bit of everything over the years.

Because I enjoy fitting character ages to timeline I pulled up some number for you in case it would be useful --
Assuming the game is starting in 2070:

Starting Age: 45
Born ~2025
Goblinization Starts (2021): 4 years before birth (Not even a gleam in momma's eye (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )
Crash of '29: 4 years old
Night of Rage (2039): 14 years old
Bug City (2055): 30 years old
Crash2.0 (2064): 39 years old

Starting Age: 55
Born ~2015
Goblinization Starts (2021): 6 years old
Crash of '29: 14 years old
Night of Rage (2039): 24 years old
Bug City (2055): 40 years old
Crash2.0 (2064): 49 years old

Starting Age: 60
Born ~2010
Goblinization Starts (2021): 11 years old
Crash of '29: 19 years old
Night of Rage (2039): 29 years old
Bug City (2055): 45 years old
Crash2.0 (2064): 54 years old

As far as the physical stats question that has been raised, I have no problem with an active 45 year old with some access to modern/SR medicine having no significant change in physical stats. Though the person might have to work harder to maintain them, I would think even a 55 or 60 year old could probably maintain 3s or 4s (especially if they were higher than that when the person was younger).

[Digital Heroin]

I think I spat down the age before writing up the background and forgot to go back to it. My brain's on parallel processing mode with outdated firmware. He's supposed to be 49-50ish, joined the force fresh out of High School.