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Forging the Character: OverKill

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incrdbil

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« on: <04-10-11/1030:20> »

The backstory of Overkill. Buildign the stats and skills comes next, but I came up with a story first. He is a member of a team of operatives recruited by a mysterios benefactor they team has nicknamed "Charlie", a benefactor they all owe their lives to in one way or another.  They undertake various missions for Charlie, and all to date have been relatively above board, saving individuals from a bad situation, or stopping a particualry vile action by a megacorporation, government, or criminal organization. They are aware Charlie has some larger agenda, and perhaps an unknown opponent, but that is all they know at the moment.

Character Background
Alias: Overkill
Real Name Patrick Henry Adams.  Fake SIN Identity:  Ben  Arnold
Born 2045. 5'10, 167 pounds. Brown Hair, Green eyes.

Distinguishing Features: Tatoo of computer generated smartlink crosshairs on right shoulder. He used to have several other tattoos, but they have all been removed, leaving the only one that has any significance to him.

Overkill comes from a family with a long and distinguished military tradition, serving the former United States, and both the CAs and UCAS.  Born with a family history to uphold, and taught the values of patriotism from a young age, Patrick Joined the military early with his parent's endorsement, quickly rising to a special forces posting within the UCAS military.  He was taught the belief that the current state of the world was mainly the fault of megacorporations, and that their rise to power came only after the decline of the old United States and other great powers.  Howling Coyote and the NAN were simply expedient tools, not objects of particular note other than the fact that they must eventually give way to the manifest destiny of a reborn USA.   He was recruited as much of his family was) to join the New Revolution, a conspiracy to reforge the Old United States.   

After several missions and operations in preparation for the takeover, He  discovered his loyalty to the 'patriots' of the New Revolution was misguided, their agenda a masquerade for a desire to establish a military dictatorship, fueled prejudice and intolerances, and nothing of the vision of a strong vibrant democracy to counter the power of corrupt megacorporations.  Patrick's sudden change of loyalty helped undo a plot that would have led to the murder of many UCAS top military leaders (along with their families) at a recreational event. Patrick refused to believe a great nation could be built on the bodies of murdered innocent children. Much of his family dead, in jail, or fighting on the other side, Patrick used favors remaining friends to disappear, after almost killing his old commanding officer, who had managed to keep his affiliation secret and remain in the UCAS military. (Unknown to Overkill, the officer has left the military and works for a corporation, and was just recently assigned to Seattle.)

While making his escape Overkill was severely wounded and would have died, if not rescued by operatives for a mysterious benefactor, (Charlie) who knew of Patrick's past, and how at the last he had turned against the New Revolution, choosing to abide by principles instead of promised power.  Patrick made his way to Seattle, far way from his home and all he had known.  At this point, he abandoned his former name and identity with the help of Charlie, taking a fake name and using his old unit nickname as his street name.

OverKill has become very jaded.  His once passionate ardor (that was a reflection of his naive, idealistic upbringing) has turned into a very bitter, jaded cynicism.  His sense of trust has been reduced.  He can form a limited personal trust, based on knowledge and experience, but his opinion of people in general has faded.  He has lost his belief in ideals, even though he still adheres to a strong personal code. What does he really trust now? Guns. Well maintained weapons.  His sense of betrayal and disillusionment has led to somewhat of an obsession with weapons and explosives. He focuses on crafting them, designing them, and using them.  He has custom modified every one of his weapons, and even artistically modifies the guns, and even ammunition.  Where before he may have focused on the purpose of a mission, or what good it would accomplish, he now simply focuses on the art of the strike, the perfection of a well placed shot, or the spectacular beauty of a well placed demolition charge.  Where he once fought for a cause, he now fights for fighting itself, the exercise of tactics and firepower has become a fascinating exercise, almost an art form, instead of a struggle for an ideal.  He still holds the corrupt megacorps and those who work for them in contempt, but he holds no belief that the remaining national governments and various revolutionary movements are any different.  He believes that individuals may care, or may be good, but that's about it, and that faith in any cause is ultimately wasted because people will always be betrayed by the movement or organization in the end.

Overkill is an artist with weapons. He is a excellent marksman, but hopes to become a truly legendary marksman in every aspect of weapons. By specializing in one area, he most certainly could mastered one category of firearms by now, but he finds all firearms (to include heavy weapons and explosives) to be fascinating, and worthy of study.  This generalist approach is paying off, as OverKill brings an amazing myriad of weapons to a mission, whatever situation is needed.  His ability to maintain, repair, and customize armor, weapons, and explosives has been useful to the Alpha Team Charlie has formed.  He refuses to acknowledge the informal team nickname of "Angels".




GravelThroat

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« Reply #1 on: <04-10-11/1202:44> »
first things first, get rid of charlie and any reference to angels.  Shit's gimmicky and subtracting from your background.  Secondly, he's ex-military, and a badass, and special forces, just like every other mary sue.  just let him be an ex-soldier from the CAS or UCAS who got burned out on the military and the government, joined what he thought was a new revolution and turned out to be just another terrorist organization, where he worked with a small team within a larger framework of teams and participated in the murder of a few mid ranking military officials (colonels and such, maybe a low ranking general) and their families.

But he didn't get all the families, maybe a daughter, or a set of twins survived and were adopted by ARES or SK or some other megacorp trying to get some good publicity.  and as a result you now have a well connected, if rarely seen, set of enemies with a vendetta against him.  Overkill probably doesn't even know, poor bastard.  If he gets too well known then maybe they'll be leaders of a red samurai strike team, the girl a cybered up hot tempered street sammurai, the boy a powerful mage.  I'd be more than happy to help you really flesh this out for some great plot devices.

There is a lot of great stuff there to work with here.  Lets see a character sheet and get this ball rolling..

incrdbil

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« Reply #2 on: <04-10-11/1822:11> »
first things first, get rid of charlie and any reference to angels.  Shit's gimmicky and subtracting from your background. 


Secondly, he's ex-military, and a badass, and special forces, just like every other mary sue. 

It's not my invention, but alreadty existing commentary/psuedo outlook of characters. Mysterious benefactor we work for, never see him face to face, just a voice, etc.  We're fine with a little humor.  He is military, but not special forces. And I'm not changing his actions, because I'm not playing a callous murderer of kids.  In fact, the campaign structure is to avoid playing an amoral band of casual murderers.  I do plan to take his former CO as an enemy; both with a secret past to hide, both posing a threat to each other.

House Rules established for ourtr character creation:

 One free contact (Charlie).   Free Fake Sin  and Drivers License rating 6.  Characters do not pay extra for skill/attributes at rating 6, though the limitation of number of such attributes/skills still exist.  Gear up to Rating 6 or availability 20 is open to characters.

The characters may live at Safehouse provided by their sponsor, and recieve a basic 1k nuyen per month stipend. (in effect a free medium lifestyle).

My character will have 20 free positive quality points to spend.

What I'm seeing so far:

Negative Attributes. Big Regret, Enemy, Distinctive Style (crafting of weapons, bullets, etc). Some form of mild disorder due to his fascination with weapons perhaps.

Attributes 4's and threes across the board--human, nothign special to write home about.

Skills: probably the firearms group. Heavy Weapons, Demolitions, Armorer.  Maybe some artistic skill related to his weapon customization work?
Knowledge skills shoudl focus around weapons, weapons design, chemistry (for explosives).

Limited Contacts..maybe one weaposn dealer, and a Johnson Type (Knight Errant maybe) or ex military rigger/smuggler.

Cyber focus: Bioware mostly, with cyber-eyes, ears. 

Gear Guns for every occasion, and some decent explosives for small jobs up to the big boom.

Sichr

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« Reply #3 on: <04-11-11/0731:00> »
Negative:
-Those house rules for character creation you have listed moves this all to the category: Not in my game.
-I hate Charlies Angels :)

Positive:
- Very good and coherent background storry. For Shadowrun purposes, It would be nice if you add some cross references to significant events( i.e. Surge, Crash, Emergency etc.)
- Think about "Uncouth" negative quality when dealing with your cripled relationship to other human beeings
- I would recomend maybe whole survival group, but for sure at least Navigatin skilll, may be very usefull for tactics and for sniping operations
- Hardware for buiding sentry guns - a lot of work should e done by a ew strategically placed tripods with automatic guns and targeting autosoft/riggers control adaptation. Aslso usefull for sensors for explosives and complidcated explosive devices...
- Computer skills to work with weapon design programs etc.
- Knowledge of Tactics...as you lack social skills, you will probably not fit the leader role, even tactical one, but working with this knowledge for yourself should give you an edge over the enemy.
- Also think about TacNet SW - but that would mean cooperating with peaople, not your problem...
- Electronic warfare maybe, depends if you want to keep is focused or if you are going to be more spread to associated fields..I think that this would hardly be a Team player, mostly independent operative instead, so he need to be able to cover more fields to take care of himself all alone.

And...enjoy modifcation ules from arsenal, both for your weapon and armor...I`d like to see the result.

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #4 on: <05-23-11/2315:55> »
first things first, get rid of charlie and any reference to angels.  Shit's gimmicky and subtracting from your background.  Secondly, he's ex-military, and a badass, and special forces, just like every other mary sue.  just let him be an ex-soldier from the CAS or UCAS who got burned out on the military and the government, joined what he thought was a new revolution and turned out to be just another terrorist organization, where he worked with a small team within a larger framework of teams and participated in the murder of a few mid ranking military officials (colonels and such, maybe a low ranking general) and their families.

But he didn't get all the families, maybe a daughter, or a set of twins survived and were adopted by ARES or SK or some other megacorp trying to get some good publicity.  and as a result you now have a well connected, if rarely seen, set of enemies with a vendetta against him.  Overkill probably doesn't even know, poor bastard.  If he gets too well known then maybe they'll be leaders of a red samurai strike team, the girl a cybered up hot tempered street sammurai, the boy a powerful mage.  I'd be more than happy to help you really flesh this out for some great plot devices.

There is a lot of great stuff there to work with here.  Lets see a character sheet and get this ball rolling..

Gravel, I think I'm gonna take some of what you said here for a character one of these days. It could be fun.
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