To all my players and writing partners; Don't worry! I've not vanished or forgotten you. I've had something come up, and will be taking the rest of this week off from my RPs. See you next week!
My favorite part about sci-fi has always been the elaborate technologies, and how we can take what we already know and stretch the boundaries. With the "because they have technology that can do that" trope, there are so many unique and interesting concepts that can be explored. Likewise, criminals and rogues having the upper hand compared to factions restricted by laws and regulations has always been an interesting concept to me. After all, given sufficiently advanced technology, and a willingness to break rules to get results, who knows how far you could get? Thus, Melech was born.
Do you enjoy writing collaborative posts for things like conversations, combat, etc.? Yes
Is grammar and depth of writing important to you? Yes
Are there any writing subjects you particularly enjoy exploring? In-depth exploration of unique concepts and ideas.
Is there anything you really dislike and want to avoid like the plague? With this character specifically; arena-style combat. Combat in general is fine, but I do not want to see this character thrown into a featureless pit to have a shoot-off with someone else.
Is there something you are uncomfortable with happening to your character? Nothing that should be an issue here.
Do you have any short-term or long-term goals with this character? My short-term goals are to have him modify existing technology, and create new technologies of his own. My long-term goals would be to have him become infamous for his abilities as an engineer/inventor, and eventually to become a high ranking member of a criminal organization for his efforts.
Name: Louceeuss 'Melech' Sypher Species: Devaronian Homeworld: Devaron Age: Thirty three Gender: Male Specialisation: Engineering Current area of operation: Travels mostly through Hutt-controlled space. Has a small workshop hidden on Teth.
Detailed Appearance
Standing at five feet, ten inches, Melech is very standard for his race. His horns are roughly five inches in length, and are a dark brown in color. The color of his skin was originally a bright red, and in many places still is, but has mostly faded to more of a crimson in hue. Likewise, his eyes began as a vibrant red in color, but have gotten darker with age. His teeth stand out as being less sharp than many members of his race, as a result of his bad habit of using them in his work. His most physically notable features are his two robotic arms, as well as his leg when it can be seen. While he has put a lot of work into shaping them to match the appearance of his original limbs, he has done nothing to color the external covering, leaving it a combination of white, black and chrome. This results in a very odd contrast, where his prosthetics seem almost entirely unnoticeable while clothed, but become immediately apparent when bare. He tends to favor multiple layers of clothing as a result of his work, and almost always wears a holster at his hip for his blaster. However, his outfit tends to change constantly, as a result of the many rips and tears he accrues while performing maintenance for his ship.
Report on skills and talents, including level of skill.
Engineering: Melech is highly versed in mechanical skills. Given access to the proper equipment, he could produce an entire starship from raw materials. Given the right blueprints, he could do this with almost any space-worthy vessel. The same holds true for almost any machinery of comparable or lesser complexity. The primary exception to this is weaponry, which he avoids on principal.
Computer programming: Melech's expertise in machinery extends to the software needed to run them. He is fully capable of designing and producing his own computer codes, and has experience doing so for others.
Cybernetics and Droids: Melech is also versed in the construction and maintenance of most models of robotics, both for droids and cybernetic implants. He often uses his own cybernetics as examples of his work, as they are entirely his design and primarily of his own creation.
Inventing: His level of ingenuity is not to be underestimated. He can often be found in the possession of unique machinery and prototype items, both of his own design and of others'.
Piloting: In addition to building spacecraft, Melech is fairly adept at piloting them. While not especially skilled compared to more talented pilots, he does know how to pilot an exceptionally wide range of space craft.
Report on known combat experience, training and weapons training.
Space combat: Melech knows how to operate spacecraft during combat, including defensive maneuvers and using offensive systems. While his use of weaponry tends to be sub-optimal at the best of times, he is better than most at evading incoming fire and breaking away from combat.
Fire arms: Melech caries a very low-quality blaster, and has been known to use it under duress. His aim is passable, and he has never successfully wounded anyone with a gun.
Hand-to-hand: While his skills in close-combat amount to simple punches and kicks, his modifications to his cyber limbs make them more durable than biological equivalents. Equally, they are capable of delivering strikes with roughly twice the usual force for someone of his build.
Does the Courier have, or have they ever had, a bounty on them? Are they wanted?
Bounty: There are currently no existing bounties for Melech. His work very rarely brings him in contact with government forces, and none of his known crimes have merited any considerable bounty be placed on him.
Wanted: Melech himself is not wanted. His spaceship has standing orders to be captured in the majority of both Imperial and Republic space. This is due entirely to the massive amounts of illegal modifications he has made to the craft. While these same constant modifications tend to make recognizing his ship difficult, if it is recognized then nearly any form of law enforcement would have reason to arrest him and confiscate it.
Detailed notes on common/favored employers and any noteworthy contacts.
The Hutts: The majority of his criminal work is for the various Hutts. He is a sparsely used, but highly trusted, smuggler for complex and illegal machinery. This is due in large part to his ability to deconstruct any merchandise given to him, and then reassemble it upon arrival. Assuming they don't just given him raw materials and a blue print. Part of what makes him so useful is that his ship is designed to act as a mobile workshop, giving him the ability to produce anything as complicated as a droid, and things as large as civilian vehicles.
Dr. Medic.: His name is almost certainly an alias, and they never meet on the same planet. All Melech actually knows about him is that he's a Gungan, and he is extremely good at what he does. Specifically, he specializes in surgery and medicine related to cybernetic enhancements and augmentations, especially those that interact with the brain. Whenever Melech comes up with new implants or modifications to existing ones, he sends word to a contact and a meeting with the doctor is arranged.
Detailed notes on known rivals and enemies.
Rivals: None. People with the abilities and technical mind needed to compete with Melech generally don't need to resort to a criminal life to achieve wealth and success. Those few that do usually do so to obtain funds, but the continued hostilities between the two major factions has created an environment ripe for inventors to obtain backing for even the slightest chance at an advantage. Enemies: The Hutts: While he works with the Hutts regularly, and is on good terms with most of them, there are a few who see him as expendable. As such, if word gets around that he is being used by one Hutt to make a move on another, there is a high likelihood that the order will be given to kill him. In fact, it has happened on multiple occasions. However, his continued willingness to take work from any Hutt that offers tends to keep him in good graces.
List and description of other known associates.
Beep-Boop: His second-mate and primary traveling companion. This class 2 astromech droid is rarely seen, and tends to only interact with Melech. It is, however, a necessary crew member as Melech's ship requires a minimum of two to operate. Its shell is primarily black, with copper highlights.
List of known belongings, including but not limited to planetary surface property, civilian and military vessels, vehicles, weapons, tools.
The Trudger: An 578-R space transport, Melech received it from his father's will when he was only ten. He then spent the next five years of his life rebuilding it from the floor-up, making repairs where possible and purchasing replacement parts with whatever money he could scrape together. Capabilities and Modifications:
The hull has been modified with heavier, blast-resistant paneling. While not impenetrable, it can take a much larger hit than a similar ship without the interior taking damage.
The ship's weapon has been replaced with a deflector shield. While it is capable of negating fire from ships much larger than The Trudger, the shield itself uses up so much power when active that the ship is incapable of activating its hyper drive while it is on, and needs several minutes after its been activated to bring the drive back online.
The engines and hyper drive have both been modified. The hyper drive has been upgraded to function as a Class 2. Likewise, the engines have been modified for maneuverability and speed. While the exact specifications tend to vary due to constant repairs and adjustments, the ship has consistently been able to disengage and flee bounty hunters and law enforcement, though with some difficulty.
The entire cargo hold has been converted into a traveling machine shop. It not only hold the tools needed to work on and maintain the ship, as well as similar machinery, it also has several on-board machines capable of turning raw materials into individual parts. This includes multiple 3D printers, three forges, a lathe, and a variety of cutting and sanding tables.
Workshop on Teth: While he does not spend a great deal of time there, he does own and maintains a workshop located in a dense jungle on Teth. Hidden by a cloaking field and protected by a powerful shield projector, the building itself is a massive warehouse, easily capable of housing his ship. It acts as a larger, and more capable version of the workshop he has on his ship.
Tools: He has a wide variety of tools. In addition to the most commonly used tools that could be found in stores and mechanic shops the galaxy over, he also keeps a collection of very specialized tools at his workshop. While he certainly does not own every tool in existence, his habit of purchasing tools has resulted in nearly two dozen square meters of storage space, in shelving reaching three meters high.
Blaster: He owns a standard model blaster. It is kept in a holster at his hip. It is black in color, and fires a red beam. Generally, he keeps it set on stun.
Cybernetics:
His arms are both prosthetic, made primarily of metal. They contain a number of tools and attachments, which can be modified and changed out as needed. In general, they posses a small welding torch, smaller clamp extentions that can act as digits for tiny detail work, and a variety of computer jacks for interacting with software.
His left leg is also a prosthetic, again mostly made of metal. While it has no attachments, it does contain several hidden compartments, which Melek hides small tools such as lock picks and jewel's tools in.
In addition to his obvious prosthetic limbs, his body contains a network of thin cables. These cables connect to the computers he hides in his horns. Under the outer shell, there is a layer of metal connected to a plate that acts as half of his upper skull. Various bio-mechanical components he's designed himself, and installed with help from a specialist, enable his mind to interact directly with the computers and through them, any computer system he connects to.
Psychological evaluation of Courier.
Melech is an eccentric. He is eager to try out new ideas, and his mind is constantly working towards one goal or another. Most people who interact with him in a social setting consider him quiet and reserved. Those who know him better, or are just better judges of character, realize that he's more calculating than shy. While he is an introvert, preferring to keep to his own company, he is not afraid of others. It should be noted; Melech has blocked some part of his memory from his mind, and subjects even broaching it can cause him involuntary pause and irritation.
List and description of known and suspected flaws. To be put into restricted database.
Hemophobia: Melech has an extreme aversion to blood, especially that of others. Seeing it disturbs him greatly, and being near it will be a constant distraction. If any gets onto him, he will feel compelled to wash it off, and has been known to faint if enough gets on him.
Liver issues: As a result of the illegal modifications he has made to his cybernetics, they produce runoff that gets filtered through his body. While his species' unique biology is capable of dealing with it, it still acts as a constant strain on his body. As a result, he is much more susceptible to toxins than the rest of his race, roughly on par with a human.
Psychological issues: The accident that caused the damage to his body that the cybernetics replaced is a source of extreme trauma for Melech. While it has never come up, the child psychologist he spoke to about it speculated that he likely blocked the incident from his memory entirely. If something caused him to remember it, though, he would likely become afflicted with symptoms of extreme post-traumatic stress disorder.
known interests of the Courier.
New and prototype technology: Melech has been known to accept brand new and even prototype technologies and machines as partial payment. The Hutts know this, and have exploited this knowledge on a near constant basis. This is the largest contributor to Melech's wide range of knowledge across multiple types of technology, as the Hutts have a very wide range of influence to draw upon to find new technologies for him.
Major achievements on record.
Patents: Melech has created and sold over two dozen patents to various interested parties. These include but are not limited to;
Plasma torch design that can be used both under water and in space.
Solar panel which produces 5% more energy when used under a white dwarf star.
Subroutines for droids that enables virus scans to run with %50 less processor impact.
Major failures on record. Confidential.
The incident: He once spent six months designing a new alternative to hyper drives. The prototype blew out the back half of his ship the first time he tried to engage it. He then spent three weeks drifting in orbit until he could fix the communicator so he could ask for help getting back to the planet's surface. The repairs ultimately cost him the credits he'd been paid for three patents.
Personal biography, as detailed by the subject for future record. Acquired shortly after last achievement of note.
"I've filed patents with this branch before. Why can't you use my biography from last time? Not that I've figured out why I even need to give you one-Fine, I'll do it!" He shakes his shoulders, glaring at the cross toydarian who'd just pointed a blaster at him. Bureaucrats in criminal space always seemed unusually testy to him.
"My name is Melech, and I am filing patent code 8569A-3479X, titled 'General Upgrade to Droid Subroutines Concerning Viral Scanning.'" When that alone wasn't enough, he let out a heavy sigh and kept going. "My mother was a lawyer on my home planet, and my father was the delegate of home planet, Devaron, to foreign species. When my father passed, he left me his pet-project, a garbage pile he'd named 'The Trudger.' After years scrounging for parts and putting it back together, I finally got the old tub to fly. My mother forced me to apprentice somewhere before I was allowed to leave the planet, so I made some start-up money working for a local mechanic. After that, I spent about ten years flying around the galaxy."
When the toydarian keeps tapping his finger on his desk, Melech continues, sighing again. "I wanted to become an invetor. So, I used my father's connections as an introduction to find work on different planets. While I was there, I would learn everything I could about the local technology. After I'd learned what I could, I would leave. Once I figured I'd learned enough, I set up a workshop of my own and started inventing things. I made money doing repairs and making custom parts for people, until I finally got my first patent. After that, it was just riding out the money from one patent to the next. There, are we done?"
The fat-faced alien looked at him, then coughed into his hand. That had been the closest thing to polite he had been since Melech and filed for the patent. Though, he still wasn't sure what he wanted, until he pointed at the metal hand sitting on his desk. "This?" He asked, holding up his arm. His eyes glazed over for a minute, as he stared at the palm of his prosthetic hand. Then, he blinked and looked back. "I worked in machine shops my whole life. Apparently, I'm clumsy. However, I'm also stubborn, so it kept happening. I hope that's all you need, because I'm done now."
Wanted: Reckless thrill-seeker to help squander massive fortune on interplanetary adventure.
My life has been long and tedious in the extreme. The many years I have been alive have all been spent performing a single job. Recent events have made my job obsolete, so I am forced to retire. As my existence was devoted almost entirely to performing this one job, I have accumulated vast wealth in my time, as a byproduct of never having an opportunity to spend so much as a single credit.
I do not regret the life I have lived thus far. However, given recent circumstances, I have been forced to change that life. Given time to think about what I would like to do, after my many years of living in ceaseless tedium, I have decided I would like to try a new way of living. To that end, I have decided to seek the aid of someone more experienced in the ways of the galaxy at large than myself, given that I have almost no experience of life outside of my home world.
All expenses shall be paid for by me. Given the nature of my request, I shall also set aside funds to be given to any surviving family, should the worst occur. A standard pay of five million credits per year shall be paid, with a contract lasting no less than five standard Terran solar-cycles. At the end of contract, terms may be renegotiated, with option to continue service available.
Any interested please send resume and list of travel experience to the attached galactic address. Time and place of meeting will be sent in return, to meet for short interview.
This was the message received by nearly every known adventurer, merchant, mercenary, pirate, and anyone else who cared to look for work in the latter half of the Perseus arm in the Milky Way galaxy. Though it was received by so many, passing across everything from Imperial data networks, to Dark Eldar work bulletins, to even Ork mail systems, to the majority of the universe it was just another piece of useless junk mail. Not important enough to act on, as it was clearly some Inquisitor plot to seek out heretics, or a scheme to fool gullible eldar, or one o' Limp 'ead's bad jokes.
That is, except for you. Something about this, this odd, almost alien request spoke to you. What it said was truth, a promise of adventure, and a chance at wealth few could obtain.
This is a 40k 1v1. My character has retired and has lots of money. You've been employed to help him spend the money. Adventures ensue.
So, that's it. Racial restrictions are few and far between, and the course of events is far from set in stone. Anyone interested, feel free to get in contact with me via PM. I'll answer any questions you may have there, and we can work details out after that.
Appearance: As big as the average boy, he's built up more bulk than the average mek boy by constantly running into battles to gather loot. In keeping to his klan's superstition, he paints all of his equipment luck-blue. He has also taking to wearing a wrench symbol, both on his helmet and as a banner on his back, so other boyz who need help with their gear on the battlefield can come find him. His teeth and claws tend to be noticeably more beat up than the average ork, a side-effect of using them during his work.
Personality: Trarkrod is a mekboy who likes to live on the battlefield. Unlike most mekboys, he never set up a shop to work out of, and has no grots running around helping him. He always felt his best inventions got made during the middle of combat, when the boyz need something special to get them out of trouble and back to the fight.
Equipment: Kustom Buzz-Choppa: A large circular saw Trarkrod has modified with a harness and a few orky-bitz. While a bit unwieldy compared to a traditional choppa, it is much better for harvesting loot on the battle field. While its cutting capacity is comparable to a space marine chainsword, the larger blade enables for deeper cutting.
Kustom Burna: Smaller than the traditional burna, its actual purpose is as a cutting and welding torch. However, by switching the nozzles and upping the output, he can use it as a one-handed burner. Doing so burns through his fuel fairly quickly, though, and and is only about as effective as an imperial hand-flamer.
Blast-Mask and Harness: The traditional strap system and helmet used by burna boyz. Modified for Trarkrod's purposes, it has some spare clips on his belt for his mek tools and a small container on the back for holding particularly valuable loot.
Promethium Tank: Necessary for holding the fuel he needs to power his torch, he's slapped some layers of armor plating to make it more resilient to solid munitions fire. He fills it before every outing with his own special blend of promethium and squig oil, mixed specifically to produce the hottest flame possible.
Mek Tools: The traditional wrenches, hammers, and the like a mek needs to loot and build with. While thicker and heavier than humans would need, his are light weight for an ork. This lets him carry them around a bit easier on a clip at his belt.
Well, here he is. If you'd like me to expand on anything, let me know.
Name: Trarkrod Ironkrakah
'Rank'/Type: Mek Boy
Age: Lotz (about a decade)
Klan: Deathskullz
Appearance: As big as the average boy, he's built up more bulk than the average mek boy by constantly running into battles to gather loot. In keeping to his klan's superstition, he paints all of his equipment luck-blue. He has also taking to wearing a wrench symbol, both on his helmet and as a banner on his back, so other boyz who need help with their gear on the battlefield can come find him. His teeth and claws tend to be noticeably more beat up than the average ork, a side-effect of using them during his work.
Personality: Trarkrod is a mekboy who likes to live on the battlefield. Unlike most mekboys, he never set up a shop to work out of, and has no grots running around helping him. He always felt his best inventions got made during the middle of combat, when the boyz need something special to get them out of trouble and back to the fight.
Equipment: Kustom Buzz-Choppa: A large circular saw Trarkrod has modified with a harness and a few orky-bitz. While a bit unwieldy compared to a traditional choppa, it is much better for harvesting loot on the battle field. While its cutting capacity is comparable to a space marine chainsword, the larger blade enables for deeper cutting.
Kustom Burna: Smaller than the traditional burna, its actual purpose is as a cutting and welding torch. However, by switching the nozzles and upping the output, he can use it as a one-handed burner. Doing so burns through his fuel fairly quickly, though, and and is only about as effective as an imperial hand-flamer.
Blast-Mask and Harness: The traditional strap system and helmet used by burna boyz. Modified for Trarkrod's purposes, it has some spare clips on his belt for his mek tools and a small container on the back for holding particularly valuable loot.
Promethium Tank: Necessary for holding the fuel he needs to power his torch, he's slapped some layers of armor plating to make it more resilient to solid munitions fire. He fills it before every outing with his own special blend of promethium and squig oil, mixed specifically to produce the hottest flame possible.
Mek Tools: The traditional wrenches, hammers, and the like a mek needs to loot and build with. While thicker and heavier than humans would need, his are light weight for an ork. This lets him carry them around a bit easier on a clip at his belt.
@Skwint Yes, Now that's accepted cannon. However, for a majority of the time Orks have been a playable race, the orks debated which of the two gods was which. If my memory serves me (I was never a primary ork player) each of the klans had their own belief on the matter. It was even sighted as a reason for ork infighting (not that they need a reason.
So, I wanted to ask @Ollumhammersong for his opinion on the matter. My hope was that if it mattered between the vying factions in this campaign, he'd explain as much.
Well, obviously I'm interested. Likely I'll take the part of the group cook/explosives expert. If orks understood the concept, he might be called a 'chemist.'
When the game begins, will there be something stopping us from gaining power/abilities/gear? If the group has a mek and a painboy, then it's entirely reasonable that cybork upgrades and powerklaws could be attached to various group members. Assuming we end up co-operating more than normal, we could feasibly elect a leader among ourselves. Would the leader then grow into a nob, as ork leaders tend to?
I asked about the terrain and kind of tasks we'll be facing because it will help players know going in what kinds of characters will actually be playable. Playing a kommando is perfectly reasonable, from a power-level perspective, but if we're never in a situation where one of us being sneaky would come up, then it's no different than playing an ork boy. Especially if we're expected to constantly be near each other.
These questions aren't me trying to manipulate things to my advantage, or to spoil the surprise. I've RPed in the 40k universe a number of time, here, on other websites, and even on the table top. The same problems tend to come up, and I'd like to avoid them where possible. The 40k setting is massive, and deals with everything from grots to imperial titans in terms of scale. It's quite often a problem when people come to a game with different expectations of where on that scale they're going to be, in terms of both importance and potency. It's also a setting capable of exploring every conceivable type of adventure. When people create characters who excel in certain scenarios, especially in an advanced thread where characters require a great deal of time and effort to create, they can be quite upset when they find out all that effort is for nothing.
When it comes down to it, I think this could be an amazing narrative with great opportunities for roleplaying unique scenarios, while also being quite fun. However, I also see all the potential issues, and experience has taught me to be weary of those things.
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