All right, so Splash has been through the ringer.
Looking at maybe the XO slot - he also qualifies for the Master's ticket.
Alternative if someone else wants the XO slot (since I'm a new player), then Intel analyst would also fit.
As far as team position, he'll be the backup. Decent hacking, decent people skills, decent firearms and gun skills, okay as a navigator, pilot, or mechanic. Really, just can't do magic or medicine.
So, here's the sheet.
What is the character's name?
Jeremiah Gordon. Street Name Splash.
--What is the characters race, nationality, age, sex, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and skin color/tone, and build?
Splash is a human, UCAS citizen, 29 years old, male, 5’8”, 205 lbs, Brown hair, brown eyes. Tanned. Bulky build, like a teddy bear. Although very strong, he is not ‘ripped,’ more rotund, like a barrel.
--Where did your character learn his/her skills?
Splash was a high school athlete. Played Football, wrestling, and baseball. Did some boating as well on Lake Michigan. (Athletics skill group/Pilot water craft). At the Academy, he picked up Scuba Diving and took it as an elective. Later, in the Navy, he utilized time in port and leaves to do additional diving. (Diving). Close combat, Firearms, Gunnery, and Heavy Weapons he learned from various training as a cadet, and later as a Naval Officer.
Splash grew up a poor, rural kid. Not much money for paying mechanics, so he learned how to fix cars and boats in order to have something to do on the weekend. Later courses at the Academy taught the more strategic aspects to maintenance (Preventive maintenance, sourcing, inventory control etc). Navigation and more experience with water craft came during some of his blue water cruises where he stood watches at the ship’s conn.
Influence (con, etiquette, leadership, negotiation) he learned from the Academy and experience in the shadows. As an officer, he has had to deal with a variety of individuals, from gangers joining the navy to avoid prison, to other officers born with a silver spoon in their mouths. He has learned to adapt his approach depending on the situation and has been successful in knowing when to call someone a lousy slitch, and when to address them as sir.
His Stealth and Demolition skills he has picked up in the shadows. After 1 run when he had to be talked through placing an underwater mine on a patrol boat, at night, underwater, he decided that he really needed to learn more about demo. Later, he used his knowledge of people to help hone his stealth skills so that he could follow and infiltrate when needed.
Perception and Dodge are artifacts of his upbringing. Learning to get out of the way of tacklers and stray pitches taught him how to be light on his feet and anticipate incoming blows.
--What did your character do before becoming a runner?
Splash was a commissioned officer in the UCAS Navy. Attended the Naval Academy at Annapolis and then served 6 years in the Blue Water Navy. Positions included Gunnery Officer and Bridge Conn officer. He was then tracked from Command to Technical and served as an Electronics Officer and Engineering officer. His performance was satisfactory, but at moments of great opportunity, things went wrong. As a Gunnery officer, his computer had failed and he shot a round ‘out of safe.’ The round landed harmlessly in the water, but was less than half a mile from shore. As a Conn Officer, he had a mishap with a fishing trawler that refused to move out of his way. As the Electronics officer, the radar failed during a live fire because of poor maintenance. None of it was his fault, so he was shuffled around rather than being involuntarily separated.
--Does your character have any family?
Yes. Mom and Dad are still alive, along with a sister who works as a teacher in the local school back in Michigan. He stays in touch and occasionally sends money home when he is flush.
--What are your characters dreams/goals/aspirations?
Splash wants his own boat. He wants to run a charter fishing service out of the CAS/Caribbean league. His attempts at corporate work just didn’t offer the opportunities that Shadowrunning does and he sees his current gig as a means to an end.
--What is the characters general appearance?
Average. Average height, slightly greater than average weight – but not ripped to be exceptionally attractive. Splash has a ready smile and is always ready with a joke. One issue he had in the Navy is that he did not fit the stereotypical Naval Officer. Not tall enough, not blond enough, and not serious enough.
--Why did they choose to be a shadow-runner?
Splash tried the corporate world. For about a week. After that, he couldn’t take the mind numbing rigidity. Even in the Navy he had more freedom to make decisions and at least controlled his own destiny. In the corp world, he realized quickly that he didn’t matter and the decisions he made have very little effect on how things went.
--What is the characters personality?
Easygoing and friendly. Always ready with a joke or a smile. Wants to get things done and move on to the next challenge rather than dither about worrying if he gets the 100% solution.
--What skills does your character bring to this group? What makes them special?
Splash isn’t great at anything. He’s not a great hacker, he’s not a great pilot, he’s not a great fighter, and he’s no ninja. However, splash can back up anyone. He’s an adequate face, an adequate mechanic, and an adequate hacker. With weapons, he’s best with large mounted weapons rather than up close.
--What are some things your character cannot do?
Magic and Medicine. Never had the ability or the training/inclination. During emergencies, he’s more likely to organize a response to increase effectiveness than to jump right in without thinking.
--What does your character hate and why?
His bad luck. Splash believes he is just as talented as others who were promoted in the Navy and even as good as other ‘runners. He can’t stand that sometimes things just don’t work out for him. Because of this, he works very hard to eliminate all luck prior to an operation – but his personality drive to ‘git ‘er done’ tends to interfere.
--What does your character love?
The ocean and diving. He loves spending time underwater and at the bow of a ship skimming across the azure blue waters of the Caribbean. Splash marvels in the beauty of the undersea and the peace and quiet present.
--What does your character respect?
Competence and Honesty. After 4 years of living in a school with an honor code, he still feels bound by his word. He respects others who live up to their word, especially in the world today. He also admires those who are competent at their jobs. He knows that he, himself, is not as competent or talented as others and wishes that he could be as good as others.
--How was your character educated?
Public school in Michigan. He spent a lot of time with his family learning to sail and the tricks of Lake Michigan. Then, he went to the Naval Academy, played baseball, and majored in Engineering.
--What is your characters moral code?
Be honest to your friends. Be trustworthy. Do what needs to be done otherwise. Killing is bad, but necessary to save lives.
http://www.loglar.com/song.php?id=7079 --Does your character have any political beliefs? Religious?
Mainly, Splash tries to go along to get along. Strongest belief is equality of all. Very willing to bend over backwards to give someone a chance. Does not like bigots.
--What item(s) does your character treasure?
Dive suit and armor. Spent a lot on it to be able to dive in different locals – caves and the like.
--Tell me at least one thing I (as the GM) should know about your character.
Jack of all trades and master of none. Looking to earn enough money to get out of the ‘running business and buy his own fishing/dive boat to run charters.
Commlink, programs, and cyber.
Well all, that's everything but the equipment list. Pretty much the basic load out of stuff armor, weapons, satellite link, Medium Machine Gun with a tripod, explosives - the fun stuff.
Again, I've taken a lot of what people have said into consideration along with what the GM had to say. Again, comments/suggestions welcome. (Yes, I did just realize that I have 3 levels of dodge and 2 of Athletics ( I could easily get rid of dodge to add another level of Athletics.) Don't know if it would be worth it to swap it out, but figure there are other things to look at. Let me know what ya'll think.
We're on a ship. I can see that we may have 10-12 people who all have sailing related skills as primary and guns a distant secondary. Means we have to find alternative means. Actually may work well for the group if we don't have the 1 super cybered killing machine that we have to get in a fight to make happy. Right now, we might be able capture a ship without bloodshed by using our various nefarious skills. I'm good with that. It's not like we're 10 pacifists trying to turn to piracy - we're just not dedicated marines ooh rah!
Heck, a non combat mage specializing in Detection may be just as important as a combat heavy mage.
Logic 4(6)
