I need a character from jamaica who would have a reason to jump onto a pirate ship, given the opportunity. The open sea, the freedom, the violence.

Actually, I may even need two or three.

I an I be sailin' the crimson seas if ya be havin' me.

I still have my drone rigger I made up for the pirate game originally he can easily be mod'ed to be from Jamaca *8->

I've still got my orc mechanic/gunner. He has a contact in Jamaica, so he could be there. Or I can modify his residence.

DH, you have priority because I value you as a player. Cal, Bear, PM me the character sheets, and I'll decide between the two. I'd prefer jamaicans to someone who just happens to be there, but that doesn't mean that I won't take the guy who just happens to be there.

DH, make it good. I need Jamaican, and some reason he'd want to leave.

If you're in a hurry, you'll have to go with Callidus. I'm at work and don't have access to Louis' sheet.

Hmmm, right back at ya Bearclaw.... *8-< can't find the rigger's char sheet so I'll have to re make it and that's a job for another day *8-< but I'll get it over you asap Mike might be friday evening though.....

Ooh, can I play? Can I play? Oh wait.

Is there any type of architype you want to see? Shaman, Rigger, Decker, Sammy, Adept?

I've got an idea I think you've love, but I want to make sure I can make it work first.

Ix on the deckers, I think, because, well, they'll be at sea.

Otherwise, impress me.

Heh, that is like your classic line, isn't it?

"Impress me."

My current game has my character as Rastafarian ork shaman.

Rastafari pretty much demands to play a lion shaman, considering the extreme penetration of spirituality and relgion in their lives, and as a central figure of the whole relgion is H.I.M. Haile Selassie, former emporer of Ethoipa, descendant of Solomon through David and Sheba, and the Conquering Lion of Judah.

Yeah, that was a long intro to get the concept of the Lion of Zion across. Early refugees from slavers would flee to the hills and emulate the Lion warriors of Ethopia, this is part of the founding of Rasta as a movement, as well as the basis for much of the revolutionary tone of Marcus Garvey.

Later you find revolution returning to Jamaica in the way of music, the musicians who'd come through upbeat ska and rocksteady come round to reggae, and reggae's powerful voices, like Peter Tosh and that Marley guy...

Basically, much of Jamaica's culture and heritage revolved around revolution, and Jamaica is a poor nation without much hope for its poverty stricken people. I don't imagine the future holding much more promise for them, if anything I'd think that the haves versus have-nots would be come even more polarized in the future as the rich buy up places like that for their private playgrounds.

Why not leave the island and attempt to find your way back to Africa, just like Marcus Garvey told you to do so very long ago, back to Ethopia and the paradise there.

Shoot me a character then. Very knowledable. I like it.

And what's worse, is 'impress me' sound like something that should come out of a business-type, rather than a jean-jacketed, criminally minded, long-haired lower classman.

(Actually, I cut off all my hair. Shh. I miss it.)

You said shoot you a character, but I'm not quite sure WHAT you mean. So instead, I'll give you some more ideas and thoughts to start a decent locksman.

First up, magic. Remember, most of Jamaica is a ghetto (even if it is a beautiful island, the people still live in slums). That would mean resources for things like cyber, et al, would be in mighty short supply. So, go for magic. Shaman or hermetic? Shaman, of course. There's a ton of spiritualism there, and let''s be honest when you think Jamaica all you think of are locksmen, anyway. Might as well go with that.

So, you've got your Jamaican shaman. You know I'm already going to suggest Lion. Its almost a no-brainer. As I said initially, the Conquering Lion of Judah is the most identifiable mark of Rastafari, the nickname of their reincarnated Jesus Christ (the aforementioned Haile Selassie), and a mark of identification throughout their entire revolt-against-slavers.

In the earliest years of colonial Jamaica, slaves would escape the plantations and form colonies there. THey'd raid the plantations for things like food, supplies, and women. They formed entire towns in the hills and forests, and referred to themselves as Maroons (if I remember correctly, the Maroons were also the tribal warriors of Ethopia). This is part of the image of the unshaven, locked man comes from. You'll find that dreads and beards are later supported in Rastafari because the Bible says that no shear shall touch your hair, nor shall you corner your beard. Remember that Rastafari is basically an alternate reading of the Bible, where the Rastas basically decided they were infact the lost tribe of Israel, making themselves essentially Jewish. If you ask a Rasta about their view of the Bible, they'll tell you that numerous entries actually refer to the black Jews. In modern times its pretty obvious it was a misreading, but hey, if the Bible is the Word of God, then I don't really think He'd care how His message to the people He'd save. But that's a whole other discussion I don't ever need to have.

So, we have fair reason to have a resource poor shaman of Lion. Attributes and skills can goto whatever, but I might suggest a lack of social ettiquette skills and charisma, its not easy to speak to people in patois. I would definatly suggest a touch of religious knowledge skills for some colour.

Speaking of patois (haha, get it? no... you will), I would suggest that you throw the language skills around a bit. English, yes, but specialize in patois for a little more flavour, alternate languages would more likely be Spanish or French. (see, speaking of patois, its a dialec, haha?). While it'd be incredibly difficult to try and talk like a Jamaican, some key things to remember to spice up your in character speaking:
Jah = God.
Ganja = Marijuana. _This_is_not_a_drug!_
I and I = Well, this is a bit difficult. Essentially, there is no "Me." You're never alone, you're always with Jah, so I and I = "Myself and God." Or "You and I and God" or whatever. No I! No Me!
Zion = Paradise, essentially Ethopia.
Babylon = The New World. Hell on Earth.
Rudeboy = Criminals, gangers, etc.
Shitstem = The System. The Establishment. The Man.
Dread, Dreadie, Locksman = The Rastas themselves. The good guys.

Other changes include thing like "downpression" replacing "oppression" or "overstand" replacing "understand." The words taking on a very descriptive sense, as you can see.

Finally, you need him on a ship and a reason to be there, especially for a Lion shaman? No problem! Rastas have a very, very firm believe in back to Africa. Jamaica, the New World, this is Babylon. The shitstem. The baldies are here to keep the dreadies downpressed, and this is no secret. Marcus Garvey, one of the greatest voices of Jamaica, pushed for a very large back to Africa movement, even founding a shipping line to generate the revenue (it was called Black Star Lines). This is even displayed in the clothes a Rasta will wear, like those distinctivly coloured tams (the hair net-like hats): Red, the colour of the martyr's blood. Green: the colour of waving grass fields of Ethopia (Zion). Gold: the mane of the great Conquering Lion of Judah. Black: The colour of skin. Putting a Rasta on a ship to generate funds to take himself and his people back to Africa? A natural fit.

Now, all of this throws out a character who's sort of a stereotypical Rasta. Revolution is in his blood, and his primary goals are going to be spiritual enlightment for himself and his people, and eventual freedom, in whatever way he sees fit.

Have your man start life as a ganger in Trenchtown (a ghetto in Kingston). Some decent street ganger skills would make sense here. Eventually, he can be chosen by Lion and start his path of redemption through Rasta. As we've said, you can easily place him on a boat, you can even give him a reason to start there: As a ganger, perhaps he earned money doing longshoreman work, so naturally when it was time to save his people he chose to take a nautical path, and decided to eventually claim his own ship so he could ferry people to Ethopia. If your GM gives you shit for putting a Lion shaman at sea, its somewhat easy to explain the above relation between Rasta, Lion (as a totem), and why you'd be out there. In these regards, I consider Lion to be much less of a prairie totem and more of an urban totem, after all Lion goes with his people, for his people are his pack (well, pride, if we wanna be technical). If the pride demands ocean going, then so it goes.

A few other suggestions: For geasa, can I suggest blacking up with the ganja. Rastas do not believe that marijuana is a drug, and it is NOT use for fun. Ever. They don't get stoned to have a good time, they smoke to reach their trance-like state to get closer to God (Jah, that is). Its important you don't make him stoned for humor sake, that's just not the way it is. Its a very important ritual, not happy hour. The Bible says that God gave man the seed bearing herb for their use.

So, yeah, geasa -> ganja. Its a perfect touch. Dance, singing, and drumming are also all important aspects, and any one of which would be a great centering skill, as well as additional physical geasa. A true Rasta lives I-tal. His food is pure, natural, and unspoiled by processing or chemicals. It is all natural. THey do not drink or use drugs (remember, ganja isn't a drug, its ritual). They do not let chemicals touch their bodies, that means no washing with soap of hair or body. Is there an odor? No, you can use oils and fragrances, you can wash with water, just no soap. They do not cut their hair (Samson, they believe, was a locksman and Delialah stole his power by cutting his seven dreadlocks). They do not shave their chins (like Hasidic Jews, thou shall not corner thy beard). These make other geasa, and are easy to keep.

Am I 100% accurate up there? Hell no! I'm sure my ideas and interpretions are rife with mistakes, and any real Jamaican, Rasta, or theologian or the like would pick it apart in seconds. Hell, you could probably do the same thing in a few hours of Google, but overall this should give you some ideas and colour, and certainly unless it turns out your GM or fellow players are seriously into those sorts of things, you should be safe.

Now, go find yourself a nice King Tubby record, black up, and think about it.

FYI, if you ditch on the shaman and want to play some sort of fighter, remember, you were more than likely born of the ghetto. There is no money to be had, and new equipment would be hard to come by, even by people who can afford it. I suggest any cyberware you decide to add to your character be used.

I'm cooking up a Rasta adept, intitial idea was a pickpocket, but I'm thinking I'll go for the face/warrior with loose morals when it comes to non countrymen...

gfen, perhaps you misunderstand. Your information is *awesome*, I dig it. I run both Bleeding Edge and High Seas and Fast Times. Fast Times needs another player or two, and the crew should be hitting jamaica any time now, so I'm asking interested parties to make up some characters and give them to me if they want to play.

I invited you specifically because you are so damn well informed, and I see some awesome roleplay coming out of you.

Incidentally, gfen, PM me. I've fallen into making a spacepunk RPG, and I think I could use you as a consultant. I seem to be collecting consultants.

Here's a question for ya, how much is Ganja gonna run for in game?

Also, what're the odds of being able to score a used Suzuki Watersport water scooter? (can't soak the retail of 10k).


On a side note, I'm making two characters, one Jamaican, one from the CAS, but living in Jamaica... whichever you like better, I'll play...

Heh, this autta be fun, a drunk and a stoner in the same crew.
But seriously, Im impressed with your wealth of knowlage gfen.
While I hold no ruling, we got 3 boats allready, and barly enough people to drive them. Dont need to bring a waterscooter too. Or at least I dont think so.

Waterscooter's for small hops... it's a jet-ski after all, not a long haul vessel...

On a side note, I've got an interested party from off forum who might want to give a shot at the game if there's still room, she's new to SR and I'd be helping her with mechanics, but she's definitly not new to online RP...

Someone send me a character, and impress me while they're at it. I don't care who it is, or what the character is. I'd prefer an ethnic jamaican to a landed jamaican, but I won't turn down a landed jamaican out of hand.

Jamaican away!