TML's SECOND ANNUAL TUROKAN MEMORIAL 'SHOW US YOUR PC/NPCs' CONTEST!!!

[plop101]

reposting from my TML friend Larsen Whipsnade:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Hey Kids, do you know what time it is? (cue the music...)

"It's PC Contest time!
It's PC Contest time!
Let's see your PCs time!
And post those NPCs,
we'll want to see them too!"

That's right TMLers, COTI-ers, and Traveller Fans of all ages! It's
the SECOND ANNUAL TUROKAN MEMORIAL 'SHOW US YOUR PCs AND NPCs' CONTEST!!!
Starting at you local midnight tonight, 3 NOV 2002, you can all begin
posting those wild and wacky PCs and NPCs! Posting will be open for two
whole weeks until your local midnight, 17 NOV 2002! After that, we'll all
vote! WOO-HOO!
But, Larsen you old reprobate, you ask, whatever shall I post?
Why it couldn't be more simple! Even I'LL be able to do it!
Just create a PC/NPC or two using ANY of Our Olde Game's many
chargens!
It's that simple! Then lovingly detail that PC/NPC and share the results
with us all!
Joy! Rapture! You exclaim!
That's right, it's that simple. Pick a chargen, create a PC/NPC and
add all those quirky little details that make them so special. Does she
shave her head? Tell us! Always wear purple socks? Pray tell! Have an
allergy to Denebian shellfish? Let us know!
Add a biography too! Where did they grow up? What kind of an
education did they have? Were they taught how to dance by having knives
thrown at their feet? We want to know it all!
Spill all the beans about your PC/NPC! Birthmarks! Scars! Are those
eyes for real? What's with the cheese fetish? Leave nothing out!
Use ANY chargen too! Seeing that T20 has hit the shelves, how about
an
entry created from that system? How about TNE? Or T4? Or even those
homebrewed rules your group has been using? Use 'em all and share with the
hobby!
This year, we're looking for details, not quantities. Lavish all that
effort on an entry or three, and not a couple dozen.

For those interested in reviewing the carnage, jump on over to:
Traveller Central TML archive

If you have a PC or NPC and your brave/crazy/foolish enough to get involved, you can get on the TML and post it, or post your entry here with a statement allowing it to be reposted on TML. I'll pass such posts off to Larsen. Last time I looked they already had a very interesting biography on a Mr. Wu, or was it Mr Hu? I don't recall. Anyway, if you ever need a cybernetic bartender, Mr. Wu is the man to look up

I would love to see someone start a similar style contest here at COTI.
That would be fun! Anyone interested in such an affair?

 

[eclipse]

I've got two characters lined up. One's pretty much ready to go, the other I'm still polishing up.
I generated them using CT (Book 5).

I hope to take stab at building them using T20 later this week.

 

[plop101]

Eclipse writes:

I've got two characters lined up. One's pretty much ready to go, the other I'm still polishing up. I generated them using CT (Book 5).

I hope to take stab at building them using T20 later this week.

I'm waiting on the D20 modern core book to get in before I try Dain Thrangar on T20.
I suspect however that Scout Bureaucrats won't translate well to T20. I'll have to think a bit to see how one can be created.

 

[DrSkull]

A scout bureacrat should be pretty easy to do, just multiclass Scout/Professional, heavy on the professional end.

 

[eclipse]

I just posted this entry to the TML:

------------------------------------

I'm working on creating some characters to fit various roles.
In this case, if a group needs someone to keep the engines on their starship working,
Wallace fits the bill nicely. He can be the NPC who stays in the engine room, allowing the PCs to shine,
or the GM can have some fun with him as well rounded, fleshed out character

Imperial Navy Able Spacehand Wallace Dakota
Str B 9B9757
Dex 9 Human Male, Age 26
End 9
Int 8
Edu 5
SS 7

Enlisted in the Imperial Navy, Generated using Book 5, High Guard
Term 1 - Engineering Branch
Year Mission Skills Rank
1 Training Mechanical, Engineering E1
2 Patrol E2
3 Patrol Vacc Suit
4 Shore Duty Brawling

Term 2 - Engineering Branch
Year Mission Skills Rank
1 Training Engineering E3
2 Strike Blade Combat
3 Specialist School Mechanical
4 Training Engineering

Mustering Out Benefits:
1. Cr10,000
2. Traveller's Aide Society

Final Rank: Able Spacehand
Skills:

Engineering - 3
Mechanical - 2
Vacc Suit - 1
Brawling - 1
Blade Combat - 1

Smart, but bored with schools available to a kid of his social status, Wallace dropped out early. After a string of dead end, menial jobs, he studied for and took the basic skills exams. He scored well enough to empress a local Imperial Navy recruiter. Because his scores showed a technical aptitude, he was assigned to the Engineering Branch. He took to it like a natural. Wallace doesn't understand the theory behind Fusion Reactors and Jump Drives, but he knows how to make them work. Not somebody you want teaching at the Sector Naval Academy, but you do want him on your team in Space Junkyard Wars. He's good with his hands, either fixing things or hitting people with his fists.

After basic and advanced training, he was shipped directly to the fleet. Two years working in the engineering section of an Imperial Navy Heavy Cruiser. He kept his nose clean and listened to the senior NCOs. This earned him a promotion and assignment to the crew of troubleshooters who did exterior maintenance while the ship was out on patrol.

All good things come to an end though. He was rotated dirtside. Twelve long months of doing dockyard maintenance. He didn't learn anything new on the job, but he learned some of the finer points of personal combat in bars throughout the Startown. The Shore Patrol got to know him fairly well also.

His CO found Wallace a good Spacer when kept busy. So he recommended him for an advance Engineering school. This kept him out of trouble and he scored well enough to rate a promotion to Able Spacehand.

It also got him a position on a Strike Cruiser. He was tagged by the Bosun for Prize Crew duty. Engineering ratings were not issued sidearms on these missions. So the Bosun had the ship's Marines make sure he could handle the combat knife they were allowed to carry when boarding prize ships. Wallace enjoyed this work, a fact that scared him a bit. It could get dangerous. You were at risk at any surprises that may have been left for you, and if you got caught in space combat, your ship was too undermanned to fight effectively.

He was relieved that his next two assignments were training schools. He enjoyed honing his mechanical & Engineering skills in a safer environment.

Wallace decided to leave the Navy after getting "Up or Out" pressure from his CO. Another promotion would have made him a NCO. Wallace isn't interested in being in charge of anyone. He just wants to work on "his" engines.

Wallace is a large human male. He's 6' 4" (193cm) and 260 pounds (118 Kg). His body fat runs about 2%. Maybe 3% if he has to spend too much time nursing the engines. Given a chance, he'll have a small gym set up in the corner of the engine room. It won't take up much room. An exercise mat, a heavy bag, a jump rope and a resistance based weight training system he built himself. He keeps his dark brown hair in tight crewcut. It's just easier to care for that way. His eyes are also brown, just a shade or two darker than his hair. His skin is naturally colored a rich dark tan, just this side of chocolate.

He is a serious health food nut. He's been known to fill his locker with vitamin supplements, various powders and dried fruit, which he blends with water he filters himself into frothy drinks. He has often been heard to say that Navy chow is slow road to suicide. His two vices are coffee and beer. He brews his own, in engineering when he can get a way with it. He goes out of his way to get good beans and material to make beer. He hates tobacco. Can't stand the smell.

Wallace does not like music or other distracting noises when working. He wants to hear the engine hum as a diagnostic aid. Off duty he reads technical manuals or murder mysteries. He will tell long stories of his Navy days. All take place in the Engine Room or in a Startown bar. The one exception is how got his membership to TAS. It's rumored helped out a Noble in a Startown bar. He doesn't like to talk about it.

His off duty dress tends to be informal. Typical example: bright red boxer shorts, a thick blue terrycloth robe (often left open) and white fuzzy bunny ear slippers.

He has a large leather tool belt. It's loaded with electrical scanners, diagnostic tools, mechanical tools and other devices. These include: a large (20 cm blade) utility knife; a titanium spork; a pepper mill; a collapsible metal coffee mug; a utility torch (often used to heat coffee), and a full set of tech manuals on data chips.

He doesn't like the nickname "Wally." It's either Wallace or "Hey You!" Calling him Wally too many times, especially after he's asked you nicely not to several times, will seriously tick him off.

Wallace only discriminates on one subject. He doesn't care if you are male, female, Human, Vargr, or whatever. You can be short, tall, fat, skinny, green, purple, whatever.
As long as you can do your job. He handles the engine room. He trusts the other crewmembers to figure out where they are going and how to get them there.

Wallace does have a soft side, and isn't embarrassed to show at times. He'll be the one who takes care of the ship's cat. Feeding it, changing the litter box, taking it to the ship's doctor when it's appetite is off. Heck, he's probably the reason you have a ship's cat in the first place. Remember those stray kittens at that run down starport you stopped at 4 jumps ago?

 

[plop101]

His off duty dress tends to be informal. Typical example: bright red boxer
shorts, a thick blue terrycloth robe (often left open) and white fuzzy
bunny ear slippers.

Copying Larsen Whipsnades wardrobe will get you no where

This be great stuff! See this folks. GREAT STUFF!

 

[eclipse]

Originally posted by plop101:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />His off duty dress tends to be informal. Typical example: bright red boxer
shorts, a thick blue terrycloth robe (often left open) and white fuzzy
bunny ear slippers.

Copying Larsen Whipsnades wardrobe will get you no where

This be great stuff! See this folks. GREAT STUFF!</font>[/QUOTE]Point 1: That wardrobe selection is much, much scarier when Larsen wears it.

Point 2: Thanks for the praise.

 

[eclipse]

Here's my second entry to the contest:

Terran Confederation Naval Ensign Harold Randolf LeBlanc

Harold is the only child of a French-Canadian philosophy professor Paul LeBlanc and Rear-Admiral Rachel Wolfington.

Harold was raised by a series of Nannies and boarding schools. His father was always more interested in people who were already dead than Harold. He rarely saw his mother, who spent most of her time in deep space, waging war against the Vilani. One the rare occasion he did see her, it was for a short time, and typically very formal.

Rachel Wolfington is a member of one of the Old Naval families that dominate the Terran Confederation Navy. She has had a steady career of success after success against the Villani forces. Over the years her fame has grown. By the time the Harold entered the Naval Academy (he had very little choice in the matter), his mother had made Rear Admiral and the nickname "The Space Wolf". Her task force, informally known as the "Wolf Pack", was at the point cutting deep into Vilani space, disrupting the supply lines and tying down units from going to the front.

For as long as he can remember, Harold's mother made very clear that he was too follow iw her footsteps. Harold worked hard through out school to live up to his mother's expectations of him. He did well, but not brilliantly. It was enough, with his mother's Old Navy connections get him into the Academy.

He graduated in the middle of his class. His years at the Academy were among the best and the worst of his life. Since he was from an Old Navy family, the pressure on him to succeed was quite high. It was even worse being the son of a famous Admiral. Harold worked hard, but he just didn't have that "spark" that it was so obvious that his mother had. His seriousness made the target of some less serious minded upper classman. This group was not from Old Navy families. They knew their Naval careers would be limited by that fact. They took delight in teasing Harold. They would have hazed him, but they didn't think he was worth the effort. They even adopted him as an unofficial mascot, and gave him the nickname "Binkie." Harold wanted nothing to do with them and was quite relieved when they graduated. Harold didn't qualify for flight school, which was fine with him. He wasn't interested in a glamorous, but often short, career as a fighter pilot. He wanted a chance for command.

He didn't get it. His first assignment was the as the assistant supply officer on a large Naval base on Earth. His second assignment was on old Battle Cruiser that had been cycled off the front lines. He spent a full year checking vacc suit lockers and conducting uniform inspections, while the ship patrolled systems safely under Terran control.

He was saved by his old Navy Family connections. Harold got a slot in a crowded Staff College session. The fact that someone better qualified for it, but without the Old Navy Family connections he had, got bumped, was no problem for Harold. Once there, he applied himself with diligence. He did well enough, and by now, had no problem making use of his mother's reputation and connections. He managed to get himself on a short list for several very plum positions.

Right after finishing his Staff College tour, he was selected to be a Vice-Admiral Ramachandrappa's Aide. On one level it was a year of being a glorified gofer. He learned hot make a really good cup of filter coffee. On the other hand, it put him a very stratified level of Naval brass just as the war was winding down. He was able to pursue his desire for command.

With the war over, the former Empire of the Vilani needs to be brought under Terran control. The Navy was given the task of administering their new contests. The sheer size of the former Empire made this a massive task. There were not just enough qualified administrators to go around. This resulted in young, junior officers being put in charge of entire worlds while their seniors took control of entire sectors and the remaining Villani fleets.

This is how Ensign LeBlanc ended up in charge of an entire Villani world, and the surrounding system. This medium population world has a starport, an orbital High Port, a Villiani Naval station on the Gas Giants largest moon, and an active mining concern in the asteroid belt. He and his small staff of enlisted personnel are the sole representatives of the Terran Confederation. They are to bring a world with a culture older than the Pyramids on Earth into line with the latest Navy Regulations for occupied Terran Confederation planets.

Harold is not a large man, standing only 5'7" (170cm). He does not like physical exercise and maintains his 140-pound (63.5 kilogram) weight through a disciplined diet and long walks. He has his father's pale completion and thinning brown hair that is kept in a regulation cut. Harold's eyes are a muddy brown. He takes great care in his grooming and uniform. One of his first actions on arriving at his new Command was to hire a local Batman.

The space and weight allotted for his personal belongings during the trip was quite small. He brought along: a holo portrait of his Mother in full dress uniform; a scale model of her latest command, the TCN Strike Cruiser Dire Wolf; two actual books on Alexander the Great; an extra set of uniforms, including full Mess Dress, and very ornate TCN cutlass presented to him when was assigned to Vice-Admiral Ramachandrappa as his aide. In addition to his TCN issue vac suit, he has managed to get fitted for a top of the line TL C TC Marine issue suit of Combat Armor. It's fitted for vacuum work as well the latest in TC military electronics. It's the TCN version, which means the markings are pure Navy. Harold knows how to use it, barely. He doesn't really care to learn how to use it properly. It was a coupe for him to obtain it, so it was more than worth the effort for status value alone.

Terran Confederation Naval Ensign Harold LeBlanc is determined to run his command by the book. He sees this assignment as springboard to rapid promotion and a career to dwarf his mother's fame.

Ensign LeBlanc commands a very small group of Terran Confederation personnel. His staff consists of 12 Terran Confederation Navy ratings and five Terran Confederation Marines. In addition to the personnel, Ensign LeBlanc been assigned a single 50 ton cutter. This vessel is armed with a single laser and is capable of transporting the entire TCN detachment. It's an older model (TL A) with sensor & weapons upgrades (TL C & B)

The Naval ratings consists of 1 Chief Petty Officer (E7), a small craft pilot ( Petty Officer First Class E6), 2 mechanics (Petty Officer Third Class E4 & E3 Able Spacehand), an accounting team ( Petty Officer Third Class E5 and 4 Able Spacehands E3), 2 communications specialists (Petty Officer Third Class E4 & Able Spacehand E3), and key to a Vilani posting, a Terran cook ( Petty Officer Second Class E5).

The Marine unit consists of a Lance Sergeant (E4), a Corporal (E3), two Lance Corporals (E2) and a Private (E1). All the Marines have Combat Armor, as well as CBE suits. They are armed with TL C ACRs, RAM Grenades and autopistols for sidearms. The plan of record is for them to be in field or dress uniforms more than CBE suits or Combat Armor. They are responsible for the safety of TCN personnel. They are also responsible for the small arms locker containing TCN issue weapons for the Naval personnel. This consists primarily of TL B ACRs, carbines, sidearms, a few cutlasses, and light body armor (flack jackets and helmets).

Classic Traveller Generation using Book 5
Terran Confederation Naval Ensign Harold Randolf LeBlanc

Str 5 5A78DA
Dex A
Edu 7
Int 8
Edu A+3 = D
SS 9+1=A

Term 1: Terran Confederation Naval Academy
Edu +3, Vacc Suit - 1, Graduated in the Middle of his Class.
Term 2: Line Branch
Year 1: Shore Duty; Handgun - 1
Year 2: Patrol
Year 3: Staff College: Admin - 1; Computer -1
Year 4: Naval Aide; +1 Social Status

Skills: Vacc Suit - 1; Handgun - 1; Admin -1; Computer -1

A few notes on Harold's current assignment:
First putting a Naval O1 in charge of a planet is mentioned in canon.
From Alien Module 6:

"Terran Naval officers were dispatched throughout the Vilani Empire. . . . more than 100,000 naval officers were dispatched to the worlds of the Vilani Empire, to take control of the reigns of government, to direct local bureaucracies, and to maintain peace and order. In some cases, Terran ensigns were faced with governing a whole world, and commanders previously entrusted with no more than a light cruiser were know administering subsectors."

How you play the Chief Petty Officer (E7) that actually runs the TCN enlisted crew is going to effect Harold's happiness, and his career.

There are several reasons why this poor long suffering veteran got this job:

He volunteered, he served with Rear-Admiral Rachel Wolfington, back when she was Captain Wolfington. He feels an obligation to her, so he'll keep the young Ensign alive and on track.

He was sentenced. He fouled up one too many times.
He's been sent somewhere out in the middle of East Bum-fornication where hopefully he'll never be heard of again.

He's in heaven. He's graft artist and black marketer of the highest caliber.

He's retired on the job. 17 years in the TCN. He views this as a run-down-the-clock assignment.
His goal is to finish his 20 and retire on his pension with as little trouble as possible.
Perhaps, he's looking to set up his own nice retirement spot on this planet...

 

[Mår Ekkertsen]

Rargrahl: Vargr Merchant Captain

Rargrahl grew-up a pup in the small Vargr ghetto of an Imperial world. He had not amounted to much in the pack he ran with growing up so he was pleased and surprised when he was accepted into the merchant academy of one of the regional trade federations. His spirit was nearly crushed when he could not hack it in the first year at the academy, failed out and was reassigned directly to a ship as a steward.

His captain, however, was a truly remarkable Vargr who understood where Rargrahl came from and what he might become. In his second year, Rargrahl was made a deck officer and for years, that is where he stayed just barely making his way. Along the way during the next seven years, Rargrahl found his voice and his charisma. Once this had happened he quickly drew other to him, both Vargr and human. Rargrahl had found his niche, had grown in wisdom and experience and had finally begun to reap his own successes.

Within nine more years of steady advancement, Rargrahl was a captain himself leading a mixed species crew as successful as the crew lead by the captain who seventeen years earlier had taken a young very uncharismatic Rargrahl into his own crew.

After twenty-four years with the trade federation that had given this once failed Vargr his start, Rargrahl has retired as Senior Captain, earned his own ship and gathered a loyal hard working crew around him. Vargr, human and like defer to him and respect this honest, fair and successful merchant.

NOTES:

Players' characters might encounter Rargrahl anywhere in the Imperium. He makes a good patron, he might have just plucked a choice cargo the players had been expecting to carry or players might serve as crewmembers in one of those rare instances when Rargrahl has an opening. Referees should play him as wise, hardened and charismatic with an eye toward the possibilities of someone that perhaps does not obviously have much going for him. Longer-term members of Rargrahl's crew will know that anyone Rargrahl takes aboard as crew has something to offer even when they cannot see what it is.

Rargrahl: Vargr Merchant Captain

STR DEX END INT EDU CHA
5 8 7 10 9 15

Hits Terms Age TL Pension Rank
60 6 43 10 6,000CR Senior Captain (O6)

Skills
Jack of Trades-4, Liaison-3, Trader-2, Streetwise-2, Steward-2, Legal-2,
Gambling-2, Ship's Boat-1, Polearm-1, Helicopter-1, Commo-1, Carousing-1,
Broker-1, Admin-1, Vacc Suit-0, Jet Aircraft-0, Handgun-0, Computer-0

Bank Balance and Material Benefits
65,000CR, Fat Trader-1, High Passage-1

Homeworld codes:
Port: B, Size: Large, Atmosphere: Dense, Hydrographics: Wet,
Population: Low, Law: Mod, Tech Level: Average Stellar.

Medals/Bonuses
Bonus x1 x3 Bonus x3 x1

History

Term: 1 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Merchant Academy - failed Route Success
2 Exploratory Trade Success O1
3 Charter Success
4 Speculative Trade Success

Term: 2 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Exploratory Trade Success Bonus x3
2 Special - Business school
3 Special - Trade station
4 Route Success

Term: 3 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Route Success O2
2 Route Success Bonus x1
3 Exploratory Trade Success
4 Speculative Trade Success O3

Term: 4 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Speculative Trade Success
2 Charter Success
3 Exploratory Trade Success
4 Speculative Trade Success O4

Term: 5 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Speculative Trade Success O5
2 Route Success
3 Speculative Trade Success Bonus x1 [Bad Wound (leg)]
4 Speculative Trade Success O6

Term: 6 Vargr Merchant Deck
1 Special - Engineering school
2 Exploratory Trade Success
3 Speculative Trade Success
4 Route Success Bonus x1

Generated on Saturday, November 09, 2002 by Traveller Characters v6.18

Creator's Note:

This one is a far cry from the hapless, spoiled wonder I submitted last year with the exception that both had some inner something that yelled out potential.

 

[plop101]

News From Larsen Whipsnade:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I timed the launch of the Second Annual, Turokan Memorial, Great TML
'Show Us Your PCs and NPCs' Contest very poorly. [snippage] Accordingly,
I'm extending the deadline for entries by a full week.
You now have until you local midnight 24 Nov 02 to enter the Contest.
Voting will then take place until local midnight 1 Dec 02.
I hope this entices a few more people to join the fine contestants
entered already. Remember, any and all chargens are allowed. We're
looking for detail, not quantity.
HAVE FUN!

Sincerely,
Larsen

There you are folks. For those interested, hop on over to the TML and check
it out.