Concepts here and full sheets elsewhere once confirmed? Alrighty.
"Wootz" is a Human Street Samurai of a classical bent: a self-taught swordsman and philosopher who adheres to an eclectic personal code of honor, and who doesn't so much resemble a chrome death machine as much as a librarian or antiquarian with a katana slung over his shoulder. When an unexpected encounter offered him a chance to walk the Shadows instead of just wandering the Streets, he considered it kismet and decided to go for a stroll. He is quick, perceptive, highly principled, surprisingly scrappy, and almost dangerously laid back.
Tagline: "Never be afraid to lose your way."
Appearance - Somewhat short, with olive skin. Unkempt, medium length russet hair and hooded, green eyes. A thin, hooked nose and sharp cheekbones. An oblong chin sporting a trimmed goatee. Athletic build. Amin wears simple, practical street clothing, partly for utility and partly to better blend into the background.
Priority Table: A Attributes, B Resources, C Skills, D Human, E Magic.
20 Questions
[ Spoiler ]
Amin "Wootz" Samara
1) What's your heritage?
Amin's father is a second generation Lebanese immigrant, while his mother is descended from French Canadians.
2) What would your parents say about you?
"Quiet kid growing up. Kept to himself mostly, but easy to like. Honest - more than I ever was. Always had his own sense of right and wrong. Worked hard, never complained, kept the neighborhood kids in line. Wish I could say the same of all my boys."
3) What historical events does your character remember?
The Matrix Crash 2.0 left a strong impression on Amin, showing him even at a young age how dependant people are on technology and how easily their world could be plunged into chaos. Other events that he remains keenly aware of (albeit for very different reasons) include the restoration of the California Free State, and the election of Mayor Brackhaven.
4) How did you get into shadowrunning, and why?
A smalltime fixer named Vinny hired Amin on the spot after witnessing him best a half dozen armed gangers. Viewing the job offer as a sort of providential development, Amin accepted without much hesitation. When his new boss wound up dead a few months later, Amin took to wandering Seattle looking for further work.
5) What is your living space like?
Amin has a single room apartment, more like a bolt-hole than a home. Although cramped, it's a safe place to hang his hat, take something resembling a shower, and catch forty winks when other options aren't available. It remains unoccupied much of the time, however, as he often lodges at the first convenient location he finds in the course of his traveling.
6) What are your beliefs / convictions (if any) and why do you hold them?
Amin adheres to a personal code of honor, combining facets of Taosim, Buddhism, Bushido, and more. He believes that metahumanity is out of harmony with the world, and that metahuman suffering is the product of unchecked resistance to the whims of the universe. The roots of this philosophy stretch back to certain key childhood influences, notably including the Crash 2.0 and a fortnight spent missing in the Ork Underground not long after.
7) What do you think is your most annoying / worst trait?
A philosophical mind is one given to hesitation and reflection, as well as to idealism. Consequently, Amin has a hard time making decisions that aren't vitally important, and also tends to be too trusting of people. In the first case, he takes forever to order food at restaurants, or pick one particular item to buy when out shopping. In the second case, he is strongly inclined to give second chances to anyone who is even superficially repentant, even if they just tried to kill him. That said, in such cases third chances typically are rare.
8 ) What megacorp do you like the most? the Least? Why?
Although he has no love for any of the major corporations, if pressed he'd name Shiawase as the company that least troubles him, and the only one that has bothered to hire him thus far. In contrast, Horizon's corporate culture of falsehood and superficiality is essentially the antithesis to everything Amin personally strives for, making them his most disliked of the bunch.
9) How did you come to know your contacts?
Nizar Menem, an Ork street vendor of Syrian descent, owes his life and his livelihood to Amin's intervention against a pack of 405 Hellhounds.
Douglas Rothburg, a street doctor, was recommended to Amin as a reliable source of augmentations in the course of working the shadows.
10) What do you do on a day off?
Amin enjoys wandering aimlessly, seeking out hidden beauty, truth, and mysteries.
11) How did you come to learn your skills at your present proficiency?
A somewhat obsessive childhood emulation of trideo samurai eventually grew into a full blown study of real kenjutsu and asian philosophy.
12) Are there any moral limits on what jobs you take or things you'll do?
Being a trained swordsman, Amin does not hesistate to kill, but he definitely prefers not to. Of course, anyone who wittingly puts Amin or his friends in danger is fair game, and he has few qualms about ending the lives of those who prey on others.
13) How do you view magic / technomantic abilities?
Being mundane, he appreciates magic's power but doesn't give it much thought overall.
14) How do you view augmentation / implantation?
To Amin, using an augmentation is no different than using a blade. Both are simply tools, and each can easily be misused by those who fail to properly respect and control their power.
15) What do you think of ordinary life and those who live it?
Amin considers metahumanity in general to be caught in a cycle of ignorance and suffering, and he believes the average person to simply be a victim of this cycle. That said, he doesn't think much better of many of his fellow Shadowrunners. To Amin, running the shadows is merely his own most recent way of seeking knowledge and wisdom. As a lifestyle choice, he finds it suits him, but he doesn't much care one way or the other.
16) What would be a bad nightmare for you? Any deep-rooted fears? Why is it so frightening to you?
Amin harbours a strong fear of losing control of himself: of becoming unable to maintain his rigid personal code and plunging into what he sees as the chaos and suffering of a life out of balance. Consequently, he also possesses a fear of powerful drugs or BTLs, and he refuses even to drink alcohol.
17) What is your 'sacred object' or 'close one', and how did they become so important to you?
Despite a general attitude of eschewing material possessions, Amin is deeply attached to a small collection of sentimental objects. Notable among them are the katana he carries, a small sandlewood puzzle box, a carved stone disc strung on a woven cord, and an old fashioned photograph of an elderly ork woman in a patterned gray shawl.
18) What did you want to become as a child, and what are your goals now?
When he was quite young, Amin dreamed of becoming an astronaut or a fighter pilot. At present, his only real ambition is to seek out answers to a slew of questions he's not quite even fully aware of.
19) What does your character look like, and what inspired her choices?
Somewhat short, with olive skin. Unkempt, medium length russet hair and hooded, green eyes. A thin, hooked nose and sharp cheekbones. An oblong chin sporting a trimmed goatee. Athletic build. Amin wears simple, practical street clothing, partly for utility and partly to better blend into the background.
20) How did you get your street name?
It was an unusual nickname given to Amin by his childhood philosophy tutor and kenjutsu mentor, now long absent.
Character Sheet
[ Spoiler ]
PRIORITIES
A: Attributes = 24
B: Resources = 275,000
C: Skills = 28/2
D: Metatype = Human (3)
E: Magic = N/A
ATTRIBUTES
B: 1 + 2 = 3
A: 1 + 4 = 5
R: 1 + 4 = 5 [7]
S: 1 + 4 = 5
W: 1 + 3 = 4
I: 1 + 3 = 4
L: 1 + 2 = 3
C: 1 + 2 = 3
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E: 2 + 3 = 5
Ess: 3.75
LIMITS
Mental: (Lx2)+I+W/3 = 5
Physical: (Sx2)+B+R/3 = 7
Social: (Cx2)+W+Ess/3 = 5
CONDITION MONITOR
Physical: 10
Stun: 10
Overflow: 3 [5]
QUALITIES
-3 Quick Healer
-9 Toughness
-6 Will to Live 2
+15 Code of Honor : Warrior's Code
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-3 Net Karma Adjustment
ACTIVE SKILLS (28/2)
R6 Blades (Swords)
R5 Unarmed Combat
R3 Sneaking (Urban) (7 Karma)
R3 Palming
R3 Perception
R3 Intimidation
R2 Etiquette
R2 Negotiation
R1 Con (2 Karma)
R1 Running (2 Karma)
R1 Navigation (2 Karma)
R1 Survival (2 Karma)
R1 Pilot Ground Craft (2 Karma)
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R1 Biotech Group
- Cybertechnology
- First Aid
- Medicine
R1 Electronics Group
- Computer
- Hardware
- Software
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (14 pts)
English N
Arabic 4
Japanese 2
History (Academic) 2
Philosophy (Academic) 3
Corporations (Street) 1
Seattle Knowledge (Street) 2
CONTACTS (9pts)
C1/L6 Nizar Menem, Street Vendor
C2/4 Douglas Rothburg, Street Doc (4 Karma)
KARMA
+25 Starting Karma
-10 Quality Adjustment
-02 Con R1
-02 Running R1
-02 Navigation R1
-02 Survival R1
-02 Pilot Ground Craft R1
-04 Contact Points x4
-01 Nuyen Points x1
RESOURCES (275,000¥)
2400 Lifestyle - Low: Extra Secure, Obscure, Cramped
1000 Datajack
190000 Synaptic Booster R2
17000 Platelet Factories
6000 Orthoskin R1
4000 Damage Compensator R2
9000 Internal Air Tank R2
1000 Katana
100 Survival Knife
550 Shock Gloves
100 Flash-Bang x1
40 Smoke Grenade
2900 Lined Coat
- Chemical Protection 2
- Fire Resistance 2
- Insulation 2
- Nonconductivity 2
100 Meta Link
5000 Transys Avalon
150 AR Gloves
50 Subvocal Mic
10 Stealth Tags x10
100 Mapsoft
2600 Tutorsoft (Japanese) R6
20 Credstick (Standard) x4
10000 Fake SIN R4
800 Fake Blades License R4
800 Fake Shock Weapons License R4
2400 Glasses R4
- Low Light Vision
- Vision Enhancement R3
1650 Earbuds R3
- Audio Enhancement R3
10 Plastic Restraint x20
20 Chisel/Crowbar
175 Micro Flare Launcher
75 Micro Flare x3
300 Biomonitor
1500 Medkit R6
5000 DocWagon Contract (Basic)
2500 Trauma Patch x5
8500 Suzuki Mirage
1000 Shiawase Kanmushi x1
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2000 Extra Nuyen (1 Karma)
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150 Remaining
~Umi