Electric Universe

Gaidheal

Mongoose
I have decided that Electric Universe is to be the name of a bar / club affair in my next scifi game (likely a Traveller one but you never know...), so, how about some detailed NPCs?

My idea is for people to have some fun creating and detailing interesting NPCs who frequent the Electric Universe - don't bother with the actual 'operator' (main barman) but anything else 'open season'.

Note: Whilst I won't claim your character as my own, your only reward is the legendary status of your NPC, should I use them and a warm feeling inside, sorry!
 
I've been busy.

Daren Makesh, 38, Noble (Dilettante), 3 terms, Entertainer (Journalist), 2 terms

Str 7 Dex 8 End 7 Int 14 (17) Edu 11 Soc 10

Art (journalistic writing)-1, Carouse-2, Deception-2, Flyer (grav)-1, J-o-T-3, Leader-2, Stealth-2, Streetwise-2

Benefits: 2 x Contacts, 1 police Ally, TAS

Gear: TL 15 handcam (holographic still / moving footage plus parabolic mike accurate to 200 metres), handheld Model/5 computer, commdot, Digital Display/Recorder, TL 16 augnemt - Intelligence Increase +3 (Int figure in parentheses is Daren's Int with the augment activated).

Cr. 15,000 to hand; the rest is in investments scattered throughout the subsector, mainly businesses and premises

Homeworld: if in the Spinward Marches of the OTU, Rhylanor; if some other setting, al-Amarja, Terra

Daren was a wastrel, a liar and a bringer of shame to his family with his womanising ways. One time, though, one of the women he was attempting to seduce at a function turned out to be an Imperial Agent. She was on the trail of something major, but someone had her killed before she could say anything. She died in Daren's arms; and at that moment, Daren discovered his true worth.

Gathering together his scattered resources, he consolidated them into a functional business empire. Working on his skills in leadership, he cultivated leads on the street, in the boardrooms of a number of interesting companies and even in the military. Presently only two of those Contacts are still alive or available.

Once his position had been secured, Daren went to work. Using those Contacts, he tracked down a rogue element within the local nobility, and exposed them. Unfortunately for Daren, they happened to be some of his old buddies in school, which did him no favours with his old school's funny tie Old Boys' Network.

Until Daren showed the establishment mandarins how the murderer had been bleeding them dry, as well, in which instance he became a persona grata once more.

Daren likes boltholes. When things get hairy, he always likes to have a bolthole nearby to escape to, whether it's a panic room built into each floor of a high rise building constructed in the name of a firm he owns, or some tenement which he cultivates to appear as if it has been abandoned long ago. Daren does not like guns or weapons, and would prefer to leave the scene before a fight breaks out. He much prefers to solve problems with his mind, thinking up ingenious solutions to his problems.

Once, whilst exploring an uncharted planet, he was whisked away "somewhere." Daren can't quite be certain of where, or by whom; but he does know one thing. They left behind an implant in his head which boosts his intelligence to an amazing degree. He can choose to leave the implant on the whole time, and take full advantage of 24/7 superhuman intellect: but he chooses not to, because he has a strange suspicion that the augment does more than boost his mind. Daren is sure that the cybernetic implant may be monitoring what he sees and senses, and occasionally transmitting details of what he has experienced back to that Somewhere. And he'd rather they didn't peek while he's with his women.

It's not polite, you know.
 
Aye, fair enough. It's also probably not been that long, really but today has been a 'long day' if you know what I mean. Ach well! I may try and get my sleep now but my mind's still far too active...
 
First, go reveiw some of the old "Cheers" TV show for some regulars that are amusing.

Second,

Every work day at 5:15 (or shortly after regular hours) a man, dressed casually, comes in, orders a rum and coke, a whiskey sour and either 1 lb of shrimp or a steak and potatoe meal. He sits quietly by him self all the time. The bar tender/waitress seem to know him.

He seems to pay attention to everyone but takes no actual notice or interaction with any other customers. By 6:30 (no later than 1 1/2 hours) he pays his bill, leaves a tip and walks out.

(A regular business guy. Does not like socializing after doing such all day. If the individual is someone who has done business with them, he will politely say hello, and tell them nicely that he is attempting to eat a quite dinner. He will get very annoyed in the individual presist to bother him during his meal. If pushed, he will call on the bartender to remove the annoying person. The bartender will attempt to remove the person nicely, as this guy is a regular customer that pays and tips well all the time.)


*****************8

Another customer (regular) sits at the bar a lot. He/she talks with the bartender and a few other regulars that come and go. He/she wears very comfortable shoes, BDU's (or similar military pant, with lots of pockets) in non-military style of colors and nice top/shirt that a looks like something a business/store owner might wear.

They are friendly to any and all, open in talk and seems to know lots of people. They flirt alot with the opposite sex bartender and waitresses, who seem to flirt back almost as much.
Leaves a tip with every order (which is unusal, as most leave a tip when they are done).
They sit with their back to the entrance but always seem to know when a friend walks in the door, as they often turn and give them a greeting from the bar (across the floor). (They always sit where they can watch via a mirror or reflection or direct line of sight of the entrance).
This person will be in the bar from just after it opens to about when it closes. (1/2 hour on either side) But some nights they stay until well after closing time and walk out with some of the bar workers.

Once in a while a person will come in and ask a waitress or the bartender for the '(Insert name) with the pants' and they will always point to this person. The individual(s) will go up and talk with the man/woman and most times, they will buy the individual(s) a drink and go sit with them at a table off to one side (but they can still see who comes in).

If the bar is a 24 hour place, they will be there from 1/2 through second shift until the end of 3rd shift.

(This individual has a very high streetwise skill. They are not an informant but they know about everyone and where many things are. They do know about some things illegal but do not traffic to such. Will always stop the conversation and/or ask the individual to go away, if they push for illegal things or information. Most individual who come to talk with (Insert name) with the pants, are just seeking a little morale counseling. A pep talk of sorts. This individual is very good at that too. But they are not a doctor).


***************

(assuming you have some type of gaming system in the bar, like a pool table, darts, or other physical type games) (not your typical game shark though)

Every evening after the evening meal, an average looking guy/gal walks in. Says hello to the bartender and heads on back to the gaming area.
They are carrying or you can see a nice case that contains their game equipment (pool cues, darts, etc). They set up, talking nicely with whom ever is present, and orders some beer. If no one plays them, they will play for about an hour and then leave. If someone plays them they will stay until 1 hour before closing time and then politely leave (with some notice if needed.)
They never seem to get angry or upset (unless someone is cheating, they they will call bartender). Willing to play for money or drinks.

Once a week, never on the same day, this individual will not show up. About once every 4 months they will not show up for about a week.

(The gaming individual is just a local who likes to play the game and this is their favorite hang out. Every week they are playing at some other place in a tournament or for some major money. Once a quarter they are traveling to another place for a big tournament. They are good, not the top 10 but damn close.)

***********************

Is this kind of what you are looking for?
Or are you want a more specific type of NPC write up?

Dave Chase
 
Varney, Chair Warmer, 46, way too many terms

Str 5 Dex 6 End 10 Int 8 Edu 12 Soc 4
Art (yarn spinning)-3, Broker-2, Carouse-4, Deception-1, Persuade-3
Not much gear: a personal comm with his missus back home on speed dial, a lottery ticket and his paycheck for Cr 250 from his work, waiting tables.

5 x Contacts, 3 x Allies, 4 x Secrets.

Varney likes a drink. And he loves to tell a story. The stories, however, are usually other people's. He presents them as rumours for the amusement of the patrons of the bar. The nice thing is, Varney is a genuinely nice guy. He used to have a story for every girl, but since the last one got pregnant and forced him to marry her he's kind of dropped off the radar, but he does still love to practice his chatup skills if the character is pretty enough, even though he still remains faithful to the wife and he never actually follows through.

The stories he has heard could pave the way for a character's fortune, or leave him stranded and choking on the last gasps of oxygen in his suit on a vacuum world ten Jumps away. You never know where one of Varney's Tales will lead you ...

Oh. And one day, that weekly 10Cr. lottery ticket in his pocket? It will win, and with the proceeds he'll divorce his no good harridan of a wife, buy himself a starship and take off for the stars to follow his own stories. It'll happen, soon. Just you watch him.
 
Gaidheal said:
Note: Whilst I won't claim your character as my own, your only reward is the legendary status of your NPC, should I use them and a warm feeling inside, sorry!

Given some random tables to stir things up a bit, this could be an interesting proposition for a Signs & Portents article?
 
Thanks guys!

And Ian, I think you're right, actually...

I'll read these properly in a while (it's been a heavy weekend with family and stuff but for those who've seen me whinge about it; the chest infection is much better.
 
Here is one more character, generated from Spica Publishing's Career Book 1, a really useful item (note that she was generated by a per-year method; if that's too overpowered for you, then alter to suit):

Anne Macurdi, 787BBB 3.5 term female Legal Corporate Citizen R4
Advodate 2 Admin 2 Investigate 2 Diplomat 1 Carouse 1 Computer 1 Grav-Flyer 1 Pistols 1 Steward 1 Streetwise 1 Mechanic 1 Vacsuit 1 Melee (blades) 0 Trade/Tailor 0

Contact, Mercenary Contact, Enemy (gang), 70,000 Cr (I spent some of the money on: 3*TL-13 bugs, TL-10 comm, Vacsuit-13, Autopistol-13 [with secure weapon & silencer], dagger, Data display recorder-13 [mine being basically an electrode net like in Shadowrun 4E], TL-13 comp/4 [with Intrusion 2 Security 3 Translator 1 Agent 1 Imperial Law database Trade Law database Merc Law database subsector library database and 100 games], leaving her with 10,700 Cr).

Anne is a former legal assistant who worked for a fairly obtuse lawyer in the local starport; she liked the law enough to decide to get her JD at night school and go practice it herself. Until she found out that a gang she'd pissed off wanted to ruin her - as they did ruin her after she'd worked for a large legal organization for some time. She's living off her savings for a while now, while she considers a mercenary's offer to look after his unit's legal and administrative needs.
 
All good stuff; it's interesting to see what others come up with now and then, I think.

I'm running a V:TM game at the moment so none of these are likely to get an outing for a while but my scifi game should be a perfect opportunity to add some slightly more 'dimensioned' bar characters. I'll share a couple I came up with whilst travelling over the last few days, probably tomorrow.

Thanks again to all who took the time to read and especially those who've contributed.
 
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