People
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Supporting Cast
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Assassins
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Gd 10 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Gd -10 |
| Health: Karma: |
36 22 |
Criminals of this sort are just as likely to belong to a larger criminal organization as they are being lone wolves. Those competent enough to ply this trade can generally pick their bosses, after all, and not every assassin wants to sign an exclusive deal with a criminal syndicate. Regardless of how they choose their clients, most assassins have several traits in common wih each other.
These remorseless killers almost invariably have at least one skill they use in the elimination of others, generally at considerable range. Guns, demolitions, or skill / bows are different specialties an assassin can utilize. They often have several other skills to support their main talent, however, including martial arts training, variations on the crime talent, or other skills learned via their employers.
Supplementing their lethal training, assassins typically make use of complementary equipment. Saboteurs and arsonists generally carry incendiary or fragmentary explosives, while snipers always possess at least one firearm specialized for long-distance fire. Other equipment and details about their ensembles depend on their public persona and what group, if any, they primarily find themselves working for.
Doctors
| F Pr 4 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Gd 10 |
I Gd 10 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
30 30 |
Accredited by the state, the modern doctor is adept at the diagnosis and treatment of all manner of physical and mental ailments. Doctors come in the form of either a general practitioner or a specialist of some sort, though they can occasionally manifest as medical lawers or investigators as well, depending on what prompts their appearance in the first place. Doctors share several commonalities.
For one thing, doctors should by definition have the medicine talent. Whether their practice is generalized or focused on a specific form of practice depends on them an their story, of course. Regardless of which shape their medicine takes, however, all doctors can treat characters that have slipped below Shift 0 Endurance, resuscitating them within twenty turns of them falling to that state.
Whatever other talents a doctor will possess depends on their role within the game. Some have business / finance to manage their own practice, while others might master law, detective / espionage, or anything else they can incorporate into a career path. Doctors don't generally carry a lot of equipment with them, aside from a first aid kit, unless they have a more mobile, dynamic practice than the norm.
Enforcers
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Ty -6 |
| Health: Karma: |
36 22 |
Criminals of this type are the long arm of the lawless. While punks and thugs do the public-facing legwork, and goons perform the day-to-day work that keeps a group operational, it's the enforcers who flex an organization's muscle. They oversee operations, resolve issues between their underlings, and violently enforce the edicts of their superiors when required to, on both friend and foe alike.
Enforcers typically have numerous talents with which to perform their duties, at least half of which are related to dispensing violence upon others. The rest will match the common skills their fellows are normally expected to have, and at least one will be an unusual talent that lets a given enforcer fill a valuable niche within the group that holds their allegiance. This helps to keep their options open!
The equipment an enforcer carries depends entirely upon their position within their criminal organization and their public persona. A master martial artists may forego weapons entirely, or migh instead look like a blade porcupine. They may or may not carry additional gear related to the group they belong to, but definitey possess secured communications gear with which to update their fellows.
Federal Agents
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Gd 10 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
32 26 |
Federal agents are those government employees that typically work for the acronyms. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and so on. And that's just within the United States, for almost every government on earth has one or more of these organizations at their beck and call, federalized operatives whose jurisdiction is immense.
These government operatives generally serve their nation in an investigative capacity, meaning they likely possess the detective / espionage talent, which is useful against enemies both foreign and domestic. They typically have the law enforcement talent as well, and will also have additional training based on whatever specialty, if any, they utilize in the service of their home land.
The feds generally don't carry a lot of heavy weaponry, usually just carrying a sidearm at all times. They'll also make use of a smart phone as well, the better to keep their supervisors abreast of their current activities. The thing to keep in mind is that feds have the full power of the government behind them, and as a result can ultimately get their hands on almost any equipment should the need arise.
Fire Fighter
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Ty 6 |
I Gd 10 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Pr +4 |
| Health: Karma: |
42 26 |
Like police, fire fighters are first responders. They are deployed first when a fire breaks out within their jurisdiction, though fire fighters can also provide assistance in the case of hazardous chemical spills, major traffic collisions, or mass injury. Generally viewed in a heroic light by those they serve, fire fighters are almost always a welcome sight when calamity befalls a portion of society.
FIre fighters engage in regular, intensive training to better manage the mayhem they are likely to encounter. This accounts for their physical prowess, but fire fighters will also have at least one talent which helps them do their jobs. This almost always includes first aid training, though some fire fighters will also have skill with an axe, detective / espionage if they investigate fires, or driving skills.
The equipment a given fire fighter (or squad of such) has handy depends on their precinct and what they're currently assigned to do. If providing first aid after a seven car pileup, they may just carry a medical kit, but fire axes, heat resistant ensembles, the Jaws of Life, and even a fire truck may be a part of the mix, as rescue teams often bring everything they might need to deal with one crisis or another.
Goons
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Pr -4 |
| Health: Karma: |
32 18 |
Goons are those criminals who make a career out of working for some subversive group or another. They could be ranking members of an organized crime family, the graduates of a paramilitary band's training regimen, or the loyal followers of any number of faith-based crews. Beyond mere thugs, goons are full members of the organization they work for, and typically identify with it or its ideals.
Organized criminals by nature, goons generally have two or more talents with which to serve the group they've thrown in with. Paramilitary types generally give the military talent, cults most often grant training in theology, and others tend to train their membership in crime or one of its specialties. Additional talents a goon might possess helps them to better stand out amongst their peers.
Those members of an illicit outfit that fit this bill generally wear themed clothing that readily identifies them as a member of the organization they work for, whether they be matching track suits or some fanciful ensemble. They likely carry numerous bits of offensive and defensive hardware evoctative of the subject of their allegiance, whether mundane in fashion or outright bizarre in function.
Lawyers
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Pr 4 |
E Ty 6 |
R Ty 6 |
I Gd 10 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
22 26 |
A very special kind of professional, lawyers are those intrepid individuals who stand between citizens and the state. They represent their clients before judges or other representatives of their government, they fill out the inordinate amount of paperwork that legal actions require, and advise their clients on the actions they must take to comply with the law whenever legality is in doubt.
Naturally, lawyers should possess the law talent. While the interns and trainees of a law firm may not have mastery over the law, they are assumed to be at least studying it while working under the supervision of a lawyer. Depending on the nature of their legal practice, a given lawyer might specialize in one or more aspects of the law, or may instead master additional skills to complement their law talent.
Working in a legal capacity, lawyers generally aren't armed, for they're keenly aware of the legal liabilities this can entail. This assumes they aren't expecting trouble, of course, as some lawyers have a dangerous clientele - whether directly or otherwise. EIther way, they invariably carry a smart phone or whatever other means are available to keep in contact with clients, peers, and employees.
Mercenaries
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Fe -2 |
| Health: Karma: |
46 18 |
While soldiers fight to serve their country, mercenaries wage war to further their own ends. Such ends may line up with that of their home, but this is rarely the case, or else the mercenary in question would probably just enlist in their own military. Combat is their business, and mercenaries must manage the mundane side of that business when they aren't putting their life on the line for their latest clients.
As the primary difference between a soldier and a mercenary is their allegiance and/or motivation, they have similar skills. Since they often get their start in conventional armies, mercenaries also possess Military training, which means they also have the guns and martial arts type b talents, along with whatever other skills they've picked up - either in or out of a military setting.
Likewise, mercenaries generally carry whatever equipment they're skilled to use while working, if practical or possible. They'll carry the conventional weaponry of a soldier, along with whatever hardware they specialize in. Assuming it's in their budget, since mercenaries aren't always propped up by a government, this can range from vehicles to missiles to remote controlled drones.
Paramedics
| F Pr 4 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Gd 10 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Fe +2 |
| Health: Karma: |
26 22 |
As are police officers, paramedics are first responders. They are generally summoned to asisst whenever someone is in acute distress, and requires immediate medical attention. Their job is mainly triage, keeping distressed individuals alive long enough to transport them to hospital care. Like fire fighters, paramedics are seen favorably by the people they serve, even in more despotic societies.
All paramedics will possess the first aid talent, because providing such assistance is literally their job. More advanced medics may have or be working on mastery of the medicine talent as well. Other skills a paramedic might possess include driving, particularly if they're not certified to deliver first aid yet, and psychology should they be dispatched to deal with issues revolving around mental health.
The principal equipment a paramedic will carry on the job is of course a first aid kit. If working out of an ambulance of some sort, these kits are usually dispersed across the vehicle's storage bays, along with all the other drugs, tools, and supplies their ride is decked out with. If equipped to deal with serious collisions, some paramedics may even have tools like the Jaws of Life available to them.
Police
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
32 18 |
The long arm of the law, police officers are the means through which a government keeps its citizenry in line. Ostensibly a shield between innocent civilians and violent criminals, the police exist to fight crime, protect citizens and their property, and enforce order. Police are independent from a nation's military in most democracies, though other forms of government blur police and mliitary functions.
The primary skill police officers possess is of course the law enforcement talent, which provides them the law and guns skills along with two free contacts. Many police officers supplement this basic training with whatever other talents they have, whether these include more fighting skills, riding or driving skills, or even detective / espionage for those individuals serious about investigating crimes.
Police officers carry plenty of equipment on the job. They generally have a sidearm, a billy club, restraints in the form of either handcuffs or zip ties, a Taser ®, a bullet-resistant vest, and a secure radio communications system. Some officers have their own police car, police horse, or police motorcycle, if they don't already ride around with another officer, which their department maintains.
Professionals
| F Pr 4 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Ty 6 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
22 18 |
Professionals are those individuals who ply a trade that doesn't fit into the other categories presented here. They aren't doctors or lawyers or scientists, instead plying some trade or another in a field where their success is primarily related to their practical experience with such work. In other words, professionals are the closest thing to a standard human description you'll find.
Since they can be almost anything not covered elsewhere, a professional might have no talents or several. But this category of people can include high school students peddling junk food at a nearby taco stand, sales creatures chained to a cubicle desk somewhere, an old haberdasher peddling on a street corner. In other words, most crowds and bystanders in a scene will be professionals of some sort.
As is the case with their talents (or lack thereof), professionals can also be carrying just about anything on their person, whether or not its related to their occupation. Tools, instruments, weapons, electronics, and more might be found on a given professional, depending on their story and purpose in an adventure. The common possessions of professionals always include smart phones and identification, though.
Punks
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Pr 4 |
E Ty 6 |
R Pr 4 |
I Pr 4 |
P Pr 4 |
Res Pr 4 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
22 12 |
Like their conventional counterparts, criminal organizations must nurture their next generation if they have even the smallest long-term goals. Whether they're local gangs or world-girdling syndicates, criminals are always looking for fresh talent, which often comes in the form of the punk. Young, dumb, and invulnerable in their own minds, punks make great entry-level criminals - or good patsies, anyway.
Almost by definition, punks lack distinguishing skills to speak of - that's why they're regularly treated as disposable. This isn't always the case, though, and it's often just a matter of time before a given punk shows his or her worth. Once they reveal a marketable skill, punks tend to either go legitimate with it or use it to bolster the take from their already illicit career activities.
Punks most often make use of both a blunt and an edged weapon, depending on what kind of message they intend to deliver with their violence. This can vary from brass knuckles to switchblades to saps to spikes scattered about their ensemble. They may possess self-powered vehicles like bikes or skate boards, but definitely carry mobile phones, which are usually, but not always, burner phones.
Scientists
| F Pr 4 |
A Ty 6 |
S Pr 4 |
E Ty 6 |
R Gd 10 |
I Gd 10 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
20 26 |
Intrepid delvers into the heart of the universe, scientists peel back the mysteries of existence. Depending on their field of study, a given scientist may not get outside much, as even geologists find themselves trapped in the lab all day if they're not careful. On the other hand, some scientists see that as the ideal, and avoid dealing with people and nature for as long as they possibly can.
What makes a scientist a scientist is their scientific talent. Every scientist has at least one of these skills, at a level one proficiency. Many, however, branch out by specializing their science in one or more fashions, or learning a secondary scientific talent to bolster the effects of the first. While only doctors generally master medicine, some scientists will do so as part of their study.
Scientists generally carry whatever instruments and tools they need to do their job, whether in the laboratory or out in the field. If part of a team, scientists are rarely armed in any fashion, unless their work or their employers inject danger into the proceedings. Scientists pursuing their own agenda, on the other hand, will readily carry whatever they need to ensure their safety while engaging in science.
Special Police
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Fe +2 |
| Health: Karma: |
46 22 |
Special police are like regular police except that they're, you know, special! These are the elite cops that you find on special weapons and tactics teams, bomb squads, high profile investigations, and hostage negotiations. They have the tools and the talent to dispense high-level justice, and generally the full support of their respective departments unless catastrophic personality problems get in the way.
Those police that fulfill special roles within whatever their jurisdiction may be typically have additional skills above and beyond those of their regular counterparts. Supplementing their law enforcement talent, these police officers may be given computer, demolitions, detective / espionage, manipulation, tactics, or even more esoteric training as criminal enterprises further refine their craft.
Similarly, the role of a special police officer will determine the wildly divergent form their supplemental equipment can take. SWAT cops might carry a battering ram or flashbang grenades, those guys on the bomb squad likely have electronics tools and perhaps a disposal robot, the computer crime experts probably have unique crime-fighting software for their investigative harware, and so on and so forth.
Soldiers
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Pr 4 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Fe -2 |
| Health: Karma: |
32 16 |
Whether they're trying to be all they can be or simply want to do their part for their country, soldiers are brave men and women who sign themselves over to the state. These intrepid troopers may serve on the front line or act in a support role, but all can generally be trusted to do their duty - unless they were coerced into enlisting or their government is overwhelmed by corruption, that is.
All soldiers earn the Military talent via their training, which includes the guns and martial arts type b skills, along with two additional martial contacts. This is the bare minimum for a functional soldier, however, and many have additional talents related to their military specialty. Vehicle operators possess the appropriate vehicle skills, for instance, while artillerists will have marksman training.
The standard equipment a soldier possesses most often includes a knife, a sidearm, and at least a submachine gun. They're also likely to possess survival equipment, such as components of a first aid kit, a map and compass, and so on. Specialized soldiers may be assigned vehicles from tanks to fighter jets, weapons such as rocket launchers or heavy machine guns, or whatever else their duties require of them.
Thugs
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Ty 6 |
R Pr 4 |
I Ty 6 |
P Pr 4 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Fe -2 |
| Health: Karma: |
24 14 |
Generally the bottom rung of any criminal empire, its thugs are the class of illicit operator that does an organization's grunt work. Someone's got to move product and break legs, after all. Thugs work as thugs because they're not suited for much else, which is probably how they wound up living a life of crime in the first place, but can move up if they show promise in some fashion.
Full-time criminals, thugs generally have at least one talent they can bring to bear upon their work, even if it's just punching people. They might rate more, however, which often happens when a criminal organization has its own training program. Those willing to put in the time to learn a syndicate's chosen skill set can truly go far in such organizations, should they so desire.
Thugs typically carry a knife or a sidearm unless doing so would be more trouble than its worth. Those thugs who forego armaments are typically carriers of expensive merchandise or information, and are invariably accompanied by those who make up for their lack of weaponry. All thugs carry a burner phone, and possibly costumes and/or equipment themed around their cult/gang/whatever they're involved with.
Critters
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Example Characters
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