People
While going about their business when utilizing the Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine, players will encounter all manner of characters over the course of play. Though every character is generally considered a unique entity, a lot of them fall within common silos of purpose. This can apply whether such characters take the form of sentient folks or non-sentient fauna of various types.
All such entities are considered people, as opposed to non-sentient implements or environmental hazards, even if they aren't self-aware. To save players effort, whether or not they serve as Judge, a series of descriptions are provided for a wide variety of people. These basic templates can be used as-is to represent people as they appear during play, or as the basis for generating similar critters.
Whoever is making use of these boilerplate descriptions can modify them by gambling on all their ability scores, subsequently plugging in whatever additional powers, equpiment, quirks, talents, and contacts are needed to fully flesh them out, as is applicable. This is great for players who want to generate, say, a player character private detective, or when Judges simply don't have time to start from scratch.
Supporting Cast
As indicated in the introduction to the Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine, it can be used to stage adventures literally anywhere within creation. However, it would be difficult to anticipate every form every character can take across all of space-time and its infinite variations. As such, the templates provided for player usage primarly focus on those that could most easily fit within the modern era.
This universal, common ground is the easiest for players to draw upon for inspiration, because it comes directly from the world outside their window. Other settings may feature differing character templates, to be sure, but these eighteen plug-and play character types are the basic kinds of characters that might appear most frequently in settings that are at least minimally set in or around the current day.
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.
Crafters
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Ty 6 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Gd 10 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
24 22 |
Specialized professionals, crafters are artisans who are highly skilled in the creation of items from (generally) mundane materials. While modern society places less emphasis on careers of this type, crafters practice a mixture of knowlege and art in the creation of whatever it is that they make, and those with the associated crafting skills are often worlds above ordinary laborers who work with such materials.
A craftsperson matching this description will generally possess at least one of the crafting skills, whether it is the clothier, leathercraft, metalcraft, stonecraft, or woodcraft talent, though sometimes artisans specialize in more esoteric areas. Their passion and experience working with their material(s) of choice will often determine how many levels of talent they possess to bolster their chosen field.
The primary equipment a crafter will possess (if not necessarily carry on their person at all times) will include whatever tools are required for them to ply their trade. This can range from sewing machines to chisels to smelters. Any gear directly applicable to combat may or may not be related, but tends to mirror their profession's gear whenever they become adventurers of some kind or another.
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 and 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 them 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 might 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.
Firefighter
| 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, firefighters are first responders. They are deployed first when a fire breaks out within their jurisdiction, though firefighters 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, firefighters are almost always a welcome sight when calamity befalls a portion of society.
Firefighters engage in regular, intensive training to better manage the mayhem they are likely to encounter. This accounts for their physical prowess, but firefighters will also have at least one talent which helps them do their jobs. This almost always includes first aid training, though some firefighters will also have skill with an axe, detective / espionage if they investigate fires, or driving skills.
The equipment a given firefighter (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.
Investigators
| 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 |
Those who dig deep to delve into mysteries large and small, investigators burn with the need to uncover the hidden truths of our world. While they may work with an agency or firm of some sort, and might cooperate with government operatives in some capacity, they are not actual authorities whatsoever. Investigators of that type are generally police, federal, or military detectives of some type.
Investigators generally fall into one of two categories: journalists and private detectives. The former almost always has the journalism talent, along with possibly artist, while the later will definitely have detective / espionage, likely accompanied with a few other fighting or professional skills. Whatever it generally takes for them to dig deep into the stories and mysteries that egg them on.
The equipment investigators carry primarily involves professional gear. Cameras, microphones, notebooks, and so forth are common to both types. Journalists generally carry less weaponry on them than detectives do, because they often have to enter locations that prohibit carrying such. Detectives are most often on their own while working, so they're most often packing at least a sidearm or brass knuckles.
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 trained to use while working, if practical or possible. This is most often the conventional weaponry of a soldier, along with whatever their trademark hardware happens to be. 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 assist 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 firefighters, 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 Pr 4 |
E Ty 6 |
R Ty 6 |
I Ty 6 |
P Ty 6 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
20 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, or even 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 nonetheless do so as part of their study.
Scientists typically 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 advanced 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 hardware, 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 Gd 10 |
Res Ty 6 |
Pop Fe -2 |
| Health: Karma: |
32 22 |
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
While the previous is a good cross-section of the kinds of people one might encounter in a game set in or near the modern day, the simple truth of the matter is that humans share the planet with a vast array of other life forms. While many of these are ostensibly inanimate, as is the case with trees, grass, and various other forms of flora, adventurers encounter animals more often than not while doing what they do.
As such, a veritable menagerie of the fauna one might encounter on our world is provided as well. Every corner of the earth features animals of some kind or another, and not all of them care much for humans who trespass in their territory. And that's just the normal critters, as adventurers frequently bumble into animals that are otherwise considered extinct by scientific standards!
Apes
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Pr 4 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
42 n/a |
Close cousins of humanity, apes are primates whose evolution branced off in different directions. The largest tree-dwelling animals on earth, apes possess long arms which allow for brachiation (swinging from tree to tree), and thumb-like toes on their feet which encourage tool use (omnidexterity). Pound for pound, apes are much stronger than mankind, even those that are more diminutive in size.
The smallest apes are gibbons, which possess a -2 size factor (Poor (4) rank shrinking to describe their size). They can brachiate at Poor (4) ground speed, and benefit from Excellent (20) super jumping (24.75 feet). The next largest ape is the chimpanzee, which generally stands a bit shorter than the average person. They cannot leap like gibbons, but then they're known to make and utilize crude tools.
Orangutans are approximately human-sized, and they're quite strong - much stronger than chimpanzees. These apes benefit from a +1 CS to the listed Strength, granting them a Health total of 52. Gorillas, the largest of all apes, are of the same height as human beings but are much more muscular. These powerful primates possess Remarkable (30) Strength, with a corresponding Health score of 62.
Bats
| F Ty 6 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
32 n/a |
The only mammals thus far which evolved the ability to sustain flight instead of just gliding, bats are more agile fliers than most birds thanks to the structure of their wings. While they superficially resemble rodents, albeit winged ones, bats actually have more in common with cats and dogs than their ostensible lookalikes. The traits bats have evolved to fly give them numerous benefits.
Their most notorious ability, bats can fly - and fly fast. They normally move with Feeble (2) air speed, going about thirty MPH, but can achieve +2 CS speed boosts in a pinch, moving at 90 MPH. The bite of a bat can inflict Edged Attack damage. Microbats and some megabats possess an Excellent (20) sonar sense, providing echolocation, and vampire bats further rely upon a similarly potent infravision.
Bats are small critters overall. The tiniest bat, Kitti's hog-nosed bat, is just over an inch in length, while the giant golden-crowned flying fox is eight times that size. The wingspan of these creatures are much larger, however, so one should increase the size factor a bat's body length would indicate by 1. For instance, those giant golden-crowned flying foxes would have an effective size factor of -2.
Bears
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
46 n/a |
Bears are large mammals that range far and wide across the earth, despite there only being eight species of them known to man. With the exception of the herbivorous panda bear, and the almost exclusively carnivorous polar bear, bears tend to eat whatever they can get their dangerous paws on, living or dead. Though these solitary animals rarely attack humans, they can be exceedingly dangerous.
Bears are armed with vicious claws and fangs, with which they can inflict Edged Attack damage. Their size and strength also lets them Grapple opponents, often allowing them to bite their antagonists with impunity. They have a Remarkable (30) ranked super sense of smell, one even more potent than that possessed by dogs. Finally, they can run for short periods of time at up to two areas per turn.
Possessing powerful, stocky builds, even the smallest bear species seem to be larger than humans. Bears will range from a size factor of zero (sun bears) to a size factor of +2 (polar bears). The rest will vary somewhere between this size, depending on their age and species, which helps to explain how they can be so dangerous to mankind - particularly when they've lost their fear of humans.
Cats
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
36 n/a |
While dogs were domesticated a long, long time ago, cats are a relatively recent addition to human households. This process began at least 9,500 years ago, according to the earliest archaeological evidence, in the Near East. Of course cats have seemingly conquered the world since, or at the very least large swathes of it, through their close ties with mankind. If the Internet is to be believed, that is.
Obligate carnivores, cats are hard-wired to hunt down smaller animals. They have the ability to inflict Edged Attack damage with their fangs and retractable claws, which serves them well both in the wild and when hunting vermin, one of the reasons they were initially domesticated. They benefit from a heightened sense of smell, a bolstered auditory frequency range, and exceptional night vision.
Though they vary in size slightly, all domestic cats generally average around eighteen inches in body length, not counting their tails. This gives them a -2 size factor overall, making them mainly harmless to human beings... mainly. This applies whether you've got a relatively thin young adult or one of the especially portly cats that tend to occur when they're overfed by their human 'owners'.
Cephalopods
| F Gd 10 |
A Ex 20 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Pr 4 |
I Pr 4 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
60 n/a |
Cephalopods are sea-dwelling creatures that include cuttlefish, nautilus, octopus, and squid. Known for their complicated nervous systems, cephalods all possess at least eight tentacles that can either be used to grip objects or for propulsion. While most cephalpods have the additional limbs ability, complemented with clinging from their tentacles' suckers, nautili can't perform multiple actions with theirs.
All cephalopods can spray ink from their bodies, an Excellent (20) form of visual sensory attenuation, and can inflict Edged Attack damage with their beaks. Most have the Excellent (20) ability to blend into their surroundings, though nautili trade this ability for shells, which provide Poor (4) rank body armor. A few of octopus and cuttlefish are incredibly poisonous, being so with Incredible (40) rank.
Nautili are small critters, ranging from 4.5 to ten inches in diameter (-4 to -3 size factor). Cuttlefish are a bit larger, and can range from six inches to twenty inches long (-4 to -2 size factor). Both octopi and squid can range from around an inch to over thirty feet in length (-6 to +2 size factor). Of course unverified claims have reported examples of these creatures that were even larger in size!
Cows
| F Pr 4 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Pr 4 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
40 n/a |
As were cats and dogs, aurochs were domesticated in the distant past, possibly as far back as ten thousand years ago. This occurred in two different instances, which produced taurine cattle in the near east and zebu cattle in the far east. Aurochs themselves are extinct, though their domesticated descendents live on in great numbers around the world, serving as draft animals and a source of meat, milk, and leather.
Accustomed to humans, cattle are generally docile creatures, though they can attack when spooked. They feature hooves with which they can trample or kick to inflict +1 CS Blunt Attack damage, and (if they haven't been removed) horns with which they can ram or at least butt opponents to inflict Edged Attack damage. They aren't long-distance runners, but can exceed most humans' running speed over short distances.
Cows generally come in two sizes: big and bigger. Smaller breeds and younger examples of some breeds have a size factor of zero for the most part, possibly being smaller when they're newly born. The largest of cattle possess a size factor of +1, however, making them especially hard to handle when they're sufficiently stubborn or difficult, as one misstep when doing so can easily be a lethal event.
Crocodiles
| F Gd 10 |
A Pr 4 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
44 n/a |
This class of reptile also includes the closely related gharials, the offshoot alligators (American or Chinese), and caimans. These animals are generally amphibious in nature, but while they cannot respirate in water, all of them can hold their breath for significant lengths of time. Though they can only move a sluggish one area per turn on solid ground, crocodiles are adapted to water, and swim at twice that speed.
Crocodiles and related creatures all possess a fang-filled maw that allows them to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee combat, an ability bolstered by the lockjaw enhancement. They feature long, thick tails that primarily assist them in locomotion, but can be used as a battle tail. Finally, crocodiles have scutes across most of their body that provide them Feeble (2) body armor against conventional assault.
What makes a crodocile most dangerous, however, is the sheer size it can grow to. Depending on their age and variety, crocodiles can have a size factor ranging from -2 to +1. This translates into either growth or shrinking at the appropriate rank, as an always-on 'power' used to describe their scale. This size doesn't include their tail, which is in the vicinity of half their body length.
Dogs
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
32 n/a |
The domesticated descendents of wolves, dogs have been the companions of human beings since long before recorded history. Having lived alongside mankind for at least twenty-five thousand years, dogs have slowly been domesticated over time, changing from their feral forebears into man's best friend. Hundreds of different varieties of dog have been selectively bred for countless different purposes.
Dogs possess superior senses of smell and hearing compared to their ostensible benefactors, accounting for their high Intuition scores. This allows dogs to track with Remarkable (30) ability, which compensates for their generally poor, dichromatic vision. Dogs can run with Poor (4) ground speed, crossing two areas per turn, and have the ability to inflict Edged Attack damage with their sharp teeth.
While the largest of dogs can almost have the same approximate volume as a human, give or take, many breeds skew smaller. Though the smallest of dogs suffer from a -3 size factor, having Typical (6) rank shrinking as an always active 'power' to describe their diminutive stature, most lie somewhere between this size and that of the Great Dane, which benefits from a size factor of zero.
Dolphins
| F Gd 10 |
A Ex 20 |
S Gd 10 |
E Gd 10 |
R Pr 4 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
50 n/a |
This category of critter includes all toothed aquatic mammals, such as beaked whales, belugas, narwhals, orcas, porpoises, and sperm whales. Such mammals diverged from their now-distant relatives, the baleen whales, millions of years ago. All of them are quite intelligent, however, often rivaling human beings in cranial capability. It's quite possible they're even sentient beings!
Capabilities common to dolphins and their ilk include the ability to leisurely swim at up to three areas per turn, fangs or tusks that allow them to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee, thick blubber which provides 1 CS of damage reduction to physical and cold assault, and a sonar sense in the form of their echolocation, made possible by these mammals' vastly superior sense of hearing.
Creatures of this type can range from approximately human-sized to truly epic in volume, and are often some of the largest animals one can currently find on the planet. Depending on their species and age, dolphins and their close cousins can range anyhere from five foot to sixty-six foot long. In other words, they can range from size factor zero to size factor two, making interactions with humans challenging.
Eagles
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
46 n/a |
Large birds capable of hunting prey over a foot long, this class of creature also includes condors, hawks, owls, and vultures. While they are a danger to small pets and wildlife, eagles generally pose no threat to humans unless those humans threaten them in turn. This, of course, assumes that the bird in question hasn't been trained to attack people, which some villainous sorts have been known to do!
Naturally, eagles and their ilk are most famous for their winged flight, being capable of moving at up to four areas per turn at their maximum speed. They possess sharp beaks and claws which let them inflict Edged Attack damage upon their prey (or at least their food, if it's already dead). These birds are famous for their heightened vision, and can even peer into the ultraviolet spectrum at Good (10) rank.
These predatory birds come in a variety of sizes. The Great Nicobar serpent eagle, for instance, has a length of sixteen inches, and a wingspan twice that, giving them an effective size factor of -2. Steller's sea eagle, on the other hand, is about three feet long with a wingspan of over six feet long, giving them a -1 size factor. Most other birds of this type lie somewhere between these two extremes.
Elephants
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Rm 30 |
E Rm 30 |
R Pr 4 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
72 n/a |
The largest land mammals currently extant on the earth, elephants easily loom over most others on the surface of our world. There are currently three species of elephant: the African bush and forest elephants, and the Asian elephant. There used to be more, of course, including the extinct mammoth and mastodon, both of which were covered in coarse, insulating fur all over their immense bodies.
Elephants' most notable feature is their trunk. This large proboscis acts as a muscular hydrostat, allowing elephants to not only smell their surroundings (having a heightened sens of such), as well as manipulate them. Their skin is tough, providing them Feeble (2) protection against physical attack. Most elephants also possess large tusks which they can use to inflict Edged Attack damage in a pinch.
As stated earlier, elephants are big! These creatures possess a +1 size factor, save for the young amongst their numbers, greatly amplifying the potential danger they pose, along with their sheer presence. Luckily for humans, they are herbivorous. They tend to coexist with like animals readily enough, typically only attacking when they feel threatened or their territory is blatantly violated.
Horses
| F Ty 6 |
A Gd 10 |
S Gd 10 |
E Rm 30 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
56 n/a |
The horse as we know it was domesticated shortly before recorded history. It has been selectively bred for a number of reasons, including for work, sport, war, and sometimes even meat. Horses have numerous close cousins, including the onager, the donkey, the kiang, and all three varieties of zebra. These can all interbreed with each other, though the result is almost always a mule that is itself sterile.
While horses benefit from hooves, hard points which allow them to inflict +1 CS Blunt Attack damage with a kick, their most beneficial physical characteristics are their strength, speed, and stamina. The fastest sprint a horse can achieve is almost sixty miles per hour, though they tend to move at a gallop at about half that - unless pulling a large amount of weight, or over a very long period of time.
Most equids have a size factor of zero, being larger than human beings but not so large that they tower over them. Onagers, donkeys, kiangs, and mountain and plain zebras fall into this category. Horses and Grévy's zebras, on the other hand, possess a +1 size factor, greatly bolstering their effective speed and power. The size of a mule depends on its parentage, and which parts of such are most dominant.
Lions
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
60 n/a |
The bigger cousins of house cats, this type of critter technically includes all members of the genus Panthera, which consists of jaguars, leopards, lions, snow leopards, and tigers. These large cats are built much more stoutly than their domesticated counterparts, much less other cat species that lie somewhere in-between, making them stronger and faster on a pound-for-pound basis.
Obligate carnivores, big cats are hard-wired to hunt down most other animals. They have the ability to inflict Edged Attack damage with their fangs and retractable claws, which serves them well in the wild, particularly when they can overwhelm and bring down their quarry. Lions and company benefit from a heightened sense of smell, a bolstered auditory frequency range, and exceptional night vision.
Large cats are, well, large. The smallest members of Panthera possess a size factor of -1, often when younger or experiencing geography-induced reduction in volume. Most of them have the same approximate size as a human, give or take, though some of the largest examples of these creatures can greatly exceed that. The largest tigers, for example, possess a size factor of +1!
Monkeys
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Pr 4 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
30 n/a |
The vast majority of simians besides apes, monkeys can be found in many locations across the world. They are most often tree-dwelling creatures, though some monkeys live on savannas instead. Monkeys are generally divided into those resident in the 'old' world and those that branched off when migrating into the Americas, each category of which has evolved the same approximate number of species.
The main difference between the two, mechanically speaking, is that the former have trichromatic vision while the latter may have trichromatic, bichromatic, or even monochromatic vision. Furthermore, while most monkeys have tails, some don't. And of those that do, only howler, spider, and wooly monkeys have tails that are truly prehensile - though some of the others can get close to such dexterity.
Unlike most apes, monkeys are smaller in size than humans - children notwthstanding. Not counting the length of their tails, monkeys can range from just over four inches long (or tall), giving them an effective size factor of -3, to about half the height of an ordinary person, raising their size factor to but -1. Though small, monkeys can be quite dangerous, as they can often make primitive use of tools.
Rats
| F Ty 6 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
28 n/a |
Pests that have been the scourge of civilization since civilization began, rats and mice are small, stout-bodied creatures that are opportunistic scavengers. Spread everywhere humans live via planes, trains, and automobiles, they eat and ruin food stores. They also serve as disease vectors, either directly or otherwise, that can easily bring human populations to their knees (see: the Black Death).
The principal offensive ability rats possess are their sharpened incisors. They can use these to inflict Edged Attack damage to potential or actual threats, though they are mostly used for mastication. They also possess tails that are about the length of their bodies, which they use for thermal regulation and proprioception, but they're not really useful as a battle or prehensile tail.
Luckily, rats are small. Depending on their species, rats generally have a size factor of -3 to -4, which makes them more a pest to humans than a direct threat. Enough rats swarming a person could be a danger, however, though this typically only happens when induced to do so by external forces. Mice, on the other hand, have size factors ranging from -5 to -4, being smaller creatures overall.
Sharks
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Ex 20 |
E Rm 30 |
R Pr 4 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
66 n/a |
Having first evolved almost three hundred million years ago, though admittedly the jury is out on that one, sharks are a masterwork of natural selection. While some species of shark have naturally gone extinct over time, once a given line has established itself it tends to linger on for millions of years as-is. Sharks are simply so proficient in their niche that they simply don't have to evolve further.
As fish, sharks can naturally swim with considerable speed. They can cut through the water at a leisurely pace similar to humans walking, at around three miles per hour. They can bolster this considerably when pursuing prey, moving at up to three areas per turn (45 MPH). Many, but not all sharks have vicious fangs with which they can inflict Edged Attack damage. Those without fangs persist as filter feeders.
Sharks come in a vast array of sizes. The smallest, the dwarf lantern shark, has a size factor of -3. Brown smoothhound sharks have a -2 size factor. Blacktip reef and mako sharks possess a size factor of zero. Nurse and megamouth sharks possess a size factor of +1. Great white and basking sharks have a size factor of +2. And finally, the docile whale sharks possess an impressive size factor of +3.
Snakes
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Pr 4 |
E Gd 10 |
R Fe 2 |
I Ty 6 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
30 n/a |
Lizards that lost their limbs over the course of evolution, snakes initially appeared about one hundred million years ago. They are not unique, however, in that convergent evolution has seen snake-like critters evolve over two dozen times, at the very least. Generally inoffensive, snakes can occasionally be incredibly dangerous to mankind, and some manage to kill humans every year.
All snakes have fangs with which they can inflict Edged Attack damage. Some possess specialized pits that are sensitive to infrared light. Those snakes that are venomous possess poisons that vary between Good (10) and Remarkable (30) intensity. Larger snakes can often constrict their prey, grappling and crushing them with their considerable muscle and bulk.
Snakes come in a wide variety of sizes. One can generally determine their size factor based on half of their length. A Barbados threadsnake, for example, is around four inches long, giving it a size factor of -5. A reticulated python, on the other hand, can grow up to twenty-four feet long, giving it a size factor of +1 - and they occasionally even prey upon and swallow humans whole!
Wolves
| F Gd 10 |
A Ty 6 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Fe 2 |
I Gd 10 |
P Fe 2 |
Res n/a |
Pop n/a |
| Health: Karma: |
46 n/a |
The forebears of man's best friend, wolves are the creatures from which every variety of dog was domesticated and selectively bred to various ends. While their increasingly divergent cousins benefited from friends with whom they could trade companionship and assistance for food and shelter, wolves remained on their own in the wild - unless you count the other wolves that they tend to run with.
Like their domestic counterparts, wolves' senses of smell and hearing that is superior to that possessed by humans. They can track prey and other entities with Excellent (20) ability, which is slightly less effective than the trait selectively bred into dogs. They can still run with Poor (4) ground speed, crossing two areas per turn, and can inflict Edged Attack damage with their sharp teeth.
What truly makes wolves dangerous, though, is their social structure. A pack of wolves generally has around seven members, but can range anywhere from two to fifteen in total. This allows wolves to team up on and tear apart individual opponents, regardless of how big they are. And that's just when talking about conventional wolves; larger, fantastic variants of these critters can be singularly dangerous!
Sample Characters
The generic supporting cast capsule character blocks provided are great placeholders for Judges when the sudden need for such individuals arise. Similarly, they're a good jumping-off point for players making similar characters, adjusting ability scores, talents, and the like to customize them for their own use during play. But in and of themselves, they're not great for characters who appear more than once.
To this end, a collection of eighteen sample characters is provided for use in the Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine. The idea is to provide one fully developed character of each type described above. Each of these sample characters also aligns with at least one type of contact as well, giving players and Judges alike ideas about how to expand the above into fleshed out folks for their games.
(insert a bunch of characters here)
assassin / trivia
crafter / expert
doctor / doctor
enforcer / organization
federal agent / government
firefighter / mentor
goon / informant
investigator / journalist
lawyer / lawyer
mercenary / foreign power
paramedic / aide
police / police
professional / business
punk / artist/performer
scientist / scientist
special police / hero/villain
soldier / military
thug / criminal