Sundered Echo

Mass Effect: Underworld

I see you've just read that book....

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Rare, several things to mention for your history.

First of all, I suggest you proof read it a little. Catching minor spelling errors and odd phrasings, while not vital, will make your applications look better.

Secondly, you currently have all three of the big three allying to kill you for little reason other than you shouted about wanting to get big on Omega... That is not something that would happen. The big three almost never ally with each other for anything, much less taking out a little upstart merc team that, like every other gang and merc team on Omega, claims they want to make it big. Incidentally, when they do ally, they are an incredibly effective fighting force. The only reason Garrus survived that mess was because Shephard showed up. In short, that needs changing.

As a new group engaged in an Omega turf war, I suggest you pick one of the mercs and stick to them, as even one of the Big three is a pretty formidable fighting force.

Also, a better reason for why you gain numbers early on is needed. The people of Omega are notoriously self-interested, and don't go in for causes like standing up to the mercs en masse, especially since most of them are actually pretty happy with the mercs acting as police forces. I don't have much to suggest on that count, other than to say: be creative. I'm pretty easy going on ideas when they are well thought out and explained.

Finally, I recognise that you're probably not finished, but I remind you I'll need some kind of explanation as to how you have so many assets like businesses beyond Omega.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Eh, its not like you hijacked an entire page for it. You're forgiven. (there there Omni flayer, its alright, you'll get used eventually...)

I am, on the other hand, rather looking forward to seeing a sheet from you... I'd be happy even just to hear your base concept.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Alright Rare, this is shaping up to be quite an interesting organisation.

There are a few issues, but don't worry its nothing major.
First up, while you can own territory on Omega, and to a lesser extent on Illium, you cannot on the Citadel. You're welcome to keep all the other things on the citadel - bars, nightclubs, businesses and such, you just cant own territory. Muscling C-sec out of their jurisdiction is something for the big three, and even they'll have a hard time of it.

Secondly, I'd like you to list the species tow hich the military ships belong, as it gives an indication of their capabilities and design purpose (helps me work out battles and such).

Finally, a heads up, you do own a lot of territory (which is fine) but you'll need to defend all of it from the NPC factions too, and also the number of things you have makes it a slightly higher chance you'll suffer random mishaps. This is not a bad thing, and I don't want you to change it because of that, I'm just giving you a heads up for possible things that'll happen in game.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Damnit, I'd just got my Omni flayer ready!

Way to spoil my fun...

;)

I'm awake and back to my reviewing ways now folks.
I'll start by saying yes, Dervish is right, Mechs are definitely around. ME2 variants are available. Not too sure about the Atlas from ME3 though, I know the diving variant exists right now but I'll have to look into whether the combat variant is being used much or invented at all.

Mass Effect: Underworld

You are!

Since we're getting more accepted organisations, I encourage people to start talking amongst each other about pre-existing organsiations. Maybe Halios buys slaves from Bretin from time to time? Perhaps someone has come into hostile contact with Riptide in the past?

These types of pre-existing interactions will make things more interesting and spice up the game, but they do need to be discussed by both parties and worked out first.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Data, Bretin's raiders are accepted.

I admit I had not expected such enthusiasm for so quickly, and I'm scrambling a bit to finish off a few things for starting us off. That said, I plan to start the IC up once a couple more sheets are done. For those that may still be writing their sheets when I start, fear not, you wont be barred from entry or anything, though I still do prefer a fairly quick turn around while we're all still this enthusiastic.

Mass Effect: Underworld

My own organsiation:

Organisation

Organisation Name: Zhar & Sen Shipping.

Organisation Leader: Khel Zhar, CEO.

Important Figures: Arleya T'kanna, Enforcer, Liaison and right hand of Zhar.

Organisation Specialisation:
Information Broker:
Zhar’s company accumulates intel primarily through a wide variety of contacts on Illium, with the effectiveness of the operation largely due to Zhar having run it almost since Illium was first colonised. He maintains his hold primarily by offering the best prices for buying information from the many and various people that acquire it. Because of this he only has a few people directly working for him, with the rest being a very fluid collection of private groups and individuals out for a bit of money. Zhar’s network does extend off-world to some extent, though it is different on any given day as he must compete with other buyers of information on that front.
Shipping:
Zhar's shipping company focuses on the movement of small, highly valuable goods, for well paying customers, often in the elite of one of the galaxies many societies. He maintains two regular trade routes of legal items, one from Ilium to the Citadel and one from Ilium to Khar'shan, with the rest of the merchant fleet available for hire by anyone with the money. While a large portion of trade that goes through the company is legal in Citadel Space, Zhar & Sen Shipping also provides for those who need illegal items quickly and safely moved, largely within the Terminus and Attican Traverse. As the company has very few smugglers on the ship crews, it is rare for them to accept a job moving illegal cargo in Citadel Space, but when they do the very best of the smuggler crew are brought together to make sure the job is done. Regardless of destination, Zhar & Sen Shipping's most major selling point is the safety of any cargo carried with them. Mercenaries are paid off when needed to stop the ships from being raided and the companies Q-ships are employed in convoys when traveling through areas with groups that won't be bought. Zhar & Sen Shipping guarantees that cargo will arrive where it is meant to, and many a pirate that has tried to prove them wrong has found their career, and life, suddenly curtailed.

Organisation Type: Information Brokerage Agency

Organisation Income Source: The majority of income for Zhar & Sen Shipping comes from the shipping business, though a not insignificant amount comes from the sale of information. Due to Zhar's unique relationship with the Shadow Broker, the company does not make nearly as much profit as might be expected, a good portion of the regular income going directly to the Shadow Brokers coffers.

Legality: Zhar & Sen Shipping strives to avoid the eyes of Law enforcement, and appears to the Citadel as almost entirely clean. If their records were dug into sufficiently, their traffic of illegal cargo would be clear, but since that cargo is largely moved through space that has no laws, the company is not in the wrong. The one set of Laws that the company takes great care to follow, however, is Illium's unique Terminus-derived law, as Illium is the center of operations for the company. The lawfulness of the companies information brokering services is somewhat sketchy under Citadel Law as the company does not actually acquire any of it themselves, merely selling information that other groups acquire, but even in this they follow Iliums Laws to the letter. The sale of intelligence is of course legal on Illium, under the right contracts. It helps of course, that Zhar is among those that helped shape Illium’s laws into what they are today.

Given the nature of Illiums laws, however, following the law and being 'lawful' are very different things, and the company is most definitely not lawful.

Organisation Base:
Zhar & Sen Shipping is based in Colu Tower on Ilium, which it owns in the entirety. The Tower is in central Nos Astra and possesses a number of built in concealed defense turrets to ward off hostile aircraft. This array includes a GARDIAN defense system. These are sufficient to heavily damage even a Frigate if it comes within range. It also possesses kinetic barrier generators that cover every face of the structure, and the top levels have several backup generators that come online if the primary barriers fail.

The tower has two extendable docking arms that can service small freighter and frigate class vessels.

Organisation Assets: Zhar & Sen Shipping owns a corporate Penthouse on the Citadel in Tayseri Ward. The Asari Frigate Silea, heavily customised in every area. 21 Medium Freighters, 7 Medium Freighter Q-ships, 14 Shuttles, 39 A-61 Mantis Gunships - five with each Q-ship, three to defend Colu tower and one for Zhar's personal use. Colu tower has a dedicated security force, and each of the Q-ships have counter-boarding teams on their crew.

As well Zhar himself owns these under his own name rather than the company one: An apartment on Omega, a penthouse on Thessia, a penthouse on Khar'Shan, a private Yacht on Kahje and a house on Irune. He also owns shares in the Skyline Club, an exclusive bar & restaurant on Illium.

Organisation Relations: TBD

Organisation History:
The latest in a long line of shipping and intelligence companies bearing similar names, Zhar & Sen Shipping has been Khel Zhar’s most successful and longest lasting venture yet. It is in fact his second company on Illium, founded after the previous one floundered due to its location in the ill-fated city of Nos Parnello. Since its founding, Zhar has used his centuries of business acumen to ensure its slow but highly successful rise as a player in Illium’s often cutthroat corporate environment.

He has been careful to avoid cultivating any enemies among the Asari heavy population, as while it is simple to buy out or preferably outlive a Salarian or Turian, it is not so easy with Asari. As well, through careful selection and patience, Zhar has successfully acquired a huge majority share in his company, to the point where the board of directors is largely a formality, and the company is an extension of his will.

In recent years, the company has mostly been consolidating existing assets rather than reaching further out, as Zhar is quite happy with the existing status quo, although the humans arrival on the galactic stage has forced the company to adapt in previously unforeseen ways. The company is unusual in that rather than being a front for information dealing, that aspect is in fact woven directly into the shipping business, under the division title ‘Electronic shipping.’ Illium is the only place in the galaxy where this is a lawful combination, and Zhar has made full use of it to increase the efficiency of his operation by avoiding many of the pesky secrecy barriers within the company structure.

The companies operational history has remained largely the same throughout, that is to say, the first response to a threat is to throw money at it, and if that fails, use deceptive and pinpoint strikes to cripple the enemy to the point that they will just take the money and go. This policy combined with the overall cautiousness has meant they have had very few major foes, either corporately or militarily.

Khel Zhar

Name: Khel Zhar

Race: Krogan

Gender: Male

Age: 610

Position: CEO

Appearance: In many ways Zhar looks like a completely unremarkable everyday Krogan. He has no distinguishing marks, his eyes are a normal Krogan yellow, his skin is the tan color of a middle aged Krogan and his plates are a fairly common dull brown. However, unlike most Krogan, Zhar puts effort into maintaining the symmetry of his head plates and generally ensuring he doesn't look too rugged. He favours a black custom-made business suit of light and highly expensive material with a number of micro shield generators inconspicuously hidden beneath the fabric. He is well spoken and has a deep but smooth voice, somewhat uncharacteristic of a Krogan.

Background: Khel Zhar’s history is a long and storied one. He was born on tuchanka to clan Khel, and was raised there as a true Krogan, although rumour has it that he was never very good at being ‘true Krogan.’ Precise details of his escape from the blasted rock that is the Krogan homeworld are surprisingly hard to come by, and will not be detailed here, suffice it to say that he ended up on the Citadel at the age of seventy-two with no idea what to do with himself. He worked for thirty years as a mere janitor, unwilling to take jobs involving violence as his compatriots did, but unable to find anyone on the station willing to look past his lumbering exterior at the keen mind within.

Eventually, Zhar managed to find one of these people - a Volus named Colu Sen. Under the Volus’ tutelage, he learned of Galactic finance and economics, and while initially not as fast to learn and adapt as his Volus partner and teacher, his persistent nature quickly saw the two of them founding and operating a small Galactic Finance company. The pair continued to run this small business for sixty years, until Colu Sen, in his old age, inadvertently thrust the pair into the world of corporate espionage and the buying and selling of Information. Colu died shortly after that, though it is not public knowledge as to whether he was killed or not.

Zhar remained on the citadel maintaining the business the pair had set up for roughly one hundred years, keeping the original company alive while branching out into founding other small companies, often only to let them die once they’d recouped their costs. This period of time broadened and deepened Zhar’s understanding of the business world considerably, to the point where he has an almost innate feel for the fluctuations that normally make it so unpredictable. While no psychic, Zhar’s personal worth has skyrocketed due to well placed and well timed investments. Unfortunately, some of his investments eventually drew the attention of the wrong people, and after narrowly surviving a brazen attack on his Citadel apartment, Zhar liquidated all of his citadel holdings and moved to Illium. He planned to let his reputation on the Citadel fade for a few hundred years while his detractors died of old age.

Once on Illium, he founded the first iteration of his business in Nos Parnello, and while initially highly successful, its fortunes followed those of the city into ruin. Ever the entrepreneur, Zhar not only survived but flourished in the adversity, relocating to Nos Astra and riding the sudden wave of popularity the city received to make his company one of the foremost in its area on Illium. Altogether, his stay on Illium has lasted approximately two hundred years. Recently, he has been becoming restless, as his company's success has given him anything and everything he could want.

Positive Traits:
- Exceedingly Patient
- Highly experienced in the business world
- Combat trained - he grew up on Tuchanka and has the training that goes with it
- Cunning
- Intelligent
- Observant

Negative Traits:
- Addicted to the high life
- Racist against his own kind
- Incredibly cold and uncaring for the wellbeing of ‘short lived’ races
- Promiscuous
- Often risks himself unnecessarily

Arleya T

Name: Arleya T’kanna

Race: Asari

Gender: Mono-gendered.

Age: 201

Position: Enforcer, Liaison and right hand of Zhar.

Appearance:

Background:
Born to a Batarian merchant father on Thessia, Arleya was the sixth and final sister in her large family. Her early years were filled with much competition as each sister tried to outdo the others, and it was here in this formative stage that she acquired her preference for the use of defensive Biotic abilities. When her father eventually died, he left his not inconsiderable fortune to his daughters, however the suddenness of his death meant that no specific allotment had been defined, and it wasn’t long before the sisters began to fight bitterly amongst each other for the money.

Arleya herself was the least interested in the money, happy to earn her own way instead of fighting for an inheritance, though her sisters still saw her as a threat. It was only after the first death that Arleya fled Thessia, finally realising just how far her sisters would go for the money. She has been on the run from her sisters assassination attempts for ninety years now, with only two sisters remaining, though the last few years have been somewhat less frantic since she met Khel Zhar.

Details on why exactly Zhar took this Asari under his wing are sketchy from an outside point of view - some say he likes the danger she brings with her mere presence, some say its because he has a far closer relationship with her than any other Asari that has shared his bed, and others still believe he sees in her a kindred spirit - someone running from a violent heritage to make something of themself. Perhaps all of these are true, only Zhar knows, and he isn’t telling.

Since joining the company however, she has proven herself of swift mind and skilful hand, being one of the only ones to discern the true nature of Zhar’s connection with the Shadow Broker. She also regularly acts as Zhar’s hand in matters where he cannot personally attend, be it to eliminate a troublesome debtor or make a lucrative business deal, and though she lacks Zhar’s centuries of experience, she is a keen learner. Under Zhar’s tutelage she has learned many of the ins and outs of the business world in half the time it took him to learn them, though they are really just getting started.

Positive Traits:
- Quick Learner
- Skilled Biotic (specialising in barriers and defensive technique)
- Capacity for extreme ruthlessness

Negative Traits:
- Wanderer at heart
- Lethal family issues
- Tendency to actively avoid anything she sees as making her like her sisters.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Omega does have districts controlled by other forces, Aria and lesser gangs being among those. I leave it up to you what district you want to be in and who controls it, you could even control your own district if you like, though that has both advantages and disadvantages. (Advantages: A stronger base for yourself, an extra income source in the form of taxes. Disadvantage: You'll have to fend off other Omega factions trying to gain control of the district from time to time.)

Also you are perfectly allowed to have existing relations with the big three, and that specific spread is all good. For more information on dealing with them, there is a section dedicated to it in the OP under the 'So how will it all work' hider.

Mass Effect: Underworld

Sounds good.

As to assets, its a pretty broad term. Any ships your group owns should go there (remembering you can also use non-military vessels for transporting your troops) as well as any planetside facilities of any sort that aren't your main base. Also any regularly used contacts. In your case that could be pre-existing non-player long term employers, people that regularly supply you with arms, or any other folks that you are regularly in contact with.

For specific examples of what others put there, you could look at the other accepted sheets (links all in post #2), that might give you some clarity/inspiration?

Mass Effect: Underworld

Rare, for the most part you look good.

I do note, (and this is just an observation, not a criticism) that you have a whole lot of characters.

You should also be aware that spreading across so many areas means you'll be less effictive in each individually.

And the final thing which is really just me being picky and ocd (aka you can ignore this bit if you like), you don't really need to say you are a 'Mercenary company and smugglers coalition,' you can say you are a merc company that does smuggling on the side and I'll still know what you mean.