@Hellion has been added as a coGM.
Alrighty...well, I see Discord has given me a break to focus on the rest of my CS so here's the 98% finished draft.
I pretty much need to add some "Known Associates" and should be good to go.
Some feedback on the history would be great, as there is A LOT going on with regard to the connection to certain lore characters, and I want to make sure there is cohesion.Q I Λ R Λ H E L I Ø S
Q I Λ R Λ H E L I Ø S
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅"People are much more difficult to deal with than machines."
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I TC H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y
C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R YQiara Helios
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24 (b.Oct 2053) | ♀ | Asexual
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Single | Netrunner | NightCorp NetrunnerP H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E
P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S
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► Build - Short/Petite
► Ethnicity - Multi-Ethnic
► Hair Color - Jet Black
► Eye Color - (Natural) Hazel
► Other - A few scars on her body from the accident
-C H A R A C T E R N O T E S
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S▼ C Y B E R W A R E
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NOTE:- Due to genetic anomalies in her body unable to sustain implants, anti-rejection drugs are administered twice daily to normalize usage and lower the risk of cyberpsychosis. Typical side-effects can sometimes include suppression of emotions, loss of appetite, and lack of sexual stimulation. Weekly medical checkups are required per employer.
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► Biotech MK.2- Cyberdeck with increased RAM recovery rate.
► Synaptic Signal Optimizer (SSO)- Enhances natural resistances and performance.
► Reinforced Tendons- Interfaces with SSO to help Qiara use her legs normally for a short time, pending any rejection.
► Self-ICE- Intrusion Detection, prevent hacking from enemies.
► Memory Boost- Optimize sync between brain and cyberware.
► RAM Upgrade- Support better processing speeds.
► EX-Disk- Increase in brain storage and processing.
▼ S K I L L S
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► Quick Study - She was blessed with epic study habits as well the ability to pick up new information at a greater pace.
► Cool Under Pressure - Probably more so in the Net than in the physical realm.
► Mental Alertness - Both in and out of the Net.
► NetSec Specialist - Well versed with the ins and outs of data fortress infrastructures, security protocols, and implementations in the Net.
► Low-level Techie - Knows enough to fix minor issues with her gear, but anything more requires expertise.
▼ E X T R A S
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► Trauma Team Status - Silver Status: funded by NightCorp as part of their medical benefits package.
▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S
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► Name - Description/Relevance
- C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y
C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R YNo one ever said that just because technology was evolving, life would be that much simpler. And even in the virtual world of the Net, while a girl with physical handicaps could be anything she wanted, there was always that looming thought of having to return to her real life. To the aches, pains and rollercoaster of emotions...
Night City had been a place of dreams for the child who was born and raised in the bright lights and big sprawling city that never seemed to sleep. A girl who imagined herself as perhaps a beautiful dancer like the many she witnessed in the virtual world and in person at performances she had been treated to. If not a dancer, then a professional artist, painting wonderful portraits and landscapes for all to enjoy. Or music, yes! Music was the very soul of the city and its people, so why wouldn't a child of ten years want to contribute to such joy? To truly enjoy and be passionate enough to delve into the arts, bringing fresh ideas, inspiration, and a slower pace to a place that seemed to always be in a hurry was something of wonderment.
But, “dreams” were just that, and as her mother would later succumb to mental illness and eventually a brain aneurysm that took her life, Qiara felt alone and lost. It was then that the father she barely knew -the once councilman and mayor of Night City, Lucius Rhyne- stepped in to fill that void, knowing that his daughter needed love and guidance. He deemed that her mind needed to steer away from fantasy and fairy tales, and take root in what really mattered: innovation and growth. Or, better read as: “Work for a large and successful corporation and you'll make something of your life”.
Twenty-four years ago, Qiara was conceived out of an affair that Lucius had with a woman named Samantha Helios, who was not only a co-worker during his Cybernetic Law years, but a trusted friend. However, it was an affair that never surfaced for a variety of reasons -even after his unexpected death- and yet Lucius cared for his illegitimate daughter nevertheless through financial support, the best education opportunities, and visits when he could slip away from the public eye.
Among the many stories that her father would share, it was those that revolved around his mother, Vivian Rhyne, that genuinely gained her attention. Perhaps it was the way Lucius spun the narrative as though it were an adventure novel, but Q’s grandmother was a person who she began admiring and taking a deeper interest in as she got older. Not much was known about the woman’s personal life except through the accounts of her son, but what could be ascertained was she had been a loving and hard-working mother, a top-tier Netrunner, and brilliant Netwatch Agent. She was also known to be quite the “anonymous” patron for certain charities that fought homelessness and hunger, especially in the case of the City’s children.
However, the story tragically ended with her sudden capture by what was considered one of Rache Bartmoss’s rogue AI’s, while on a mission in the Net, and most likely now locked behind the Black Wall. However, with the help of Netwatch, Lucius had his mother’s physical body kept on life support and eventually put into a cryo chamber, hoping that one day her mind could be retrieved from the dark net.
By late adolescence, Qiara’s interest in the Net, and cybersecurity grew as she was enrolled in classes specific to the discipline, as well as absorbing as much information as she could through topical forums, deep dives into encrypted lockers that were designed for more advanced runners, and games that challenged her mind and reflexes while in the Net. But, there was no better experience than simply adventuring throughout the various networks, sometimes learning the hard way, but always finding a way out in the end.
Eventually needing an online persona, she took on the handle and likeness of “Kasumi Goto” from the Mass Effect series. A strong female archetype that stood for independence, and a skilled infiltrator and hacker who let her abilities do the talking, since she herself said very little otherwise.
A turning point in her life changed not only her physiological makeup, but her whole outlook on the future, as a stroll along the city streets resulted in a hit and run accident that left the girl in a coma. She awoke in the hospital, cut, scrapped, bruised, and without any feeling from the waist down. Unfortunately, the damage was too serious for surgery to be of help, or any cure possible, that would allow her to walk again without mechanical assistance. Cybernetic augmentations would have been a viable option, however, her genetic makeup for whatever reason rejected many conventional limb replacements that could have made walking possible again. So, as it happened, implants along her spine and neural network were placed, allowing her to maintain control of her legs for a short while. Although, she was, for the most part, resigned to a powered wheelchair.
Years passed, and a surprise invitation came to join the ranks of NightCorp, specifically as a Netrunner in their cybersecurity division, overseeing all of NightCity. Apparently, Lucius Rhyne had put in a good word for her with the company for two reasons: The first being that he was confident in her abilities as a “whitehat Netrunner with a conscience”, and the second, he hoped that she could use her own knowledge and the resources available to locate and retrieve his mother’s consciousness from the fragmented Net. It was a task that would be no easy feat, but Q had a few runner contacts she could call on for aid, including one whose life had been cut short.
T-Bug had been considered one of her closest friends, and while they had never met in person over the handful of years they knew one another, they chatted via the Net in some capacity almost daily. Unsurprisingly, Bug herself was quite the enigma, which is how she liked it considering her line of work, but she was good at what she did and much less reckless than the typical runner. Sadly, however, before Qiara had the chance to speak to her about the issue regarding her grandmother, T-Bug’s last job ended her life.
As if the death of one of her closest friends hadn’t been enough, her father -Lucius Rhyne- died unexpectedly, leaving an even larger void in the girl’s heart. It was clear that both the death of Bug and Lucius were no accidents and things were being set in motion in Night City that the young netrunner hoped to uncover, if for no other reason, to put their souls at final rest and her own mind at ease.
It was only after the death of Lucius Rhyne that NightCorp intervened, and took over funding Vivian Rhyne’s cold storage; perhaps out of respect for Lucius and Qiara, or for their own interests. In either case, she vowed to find her grandmother’s consciousness buried somewhere in the deep net and hopefully bring back one of the only family members she may have left in Night City.
When a break can be had in her otherwise busy work life, she enjoys the simpler things from those early years of “dreaming”. A few hours on piano or a cityscape painting from the balcony of her Heywood condo would set her mind at ease and realign the chaos within to at least sleep and make it through the next day. While she enjoys the perks of cyberware implants, specifically those that augment her already fine-tuned intelligence, the technology doesn’t always play nice with her biological makeup, and her reliance on antirejection drugs is something she absolutely despises about herself. But, the threat of cyberpsychosis or other mental illnesses were constantly looming like a dark cloud ready to swallow her whole.
Tech dependency was just part of living, especially with the career path she had chosen, but she simply hoped each day that she would not lose herself and hold onto humanity for as long as possible.D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E
D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C EStanding at just under five feet, Qiara doesn’t mind the fact that her smaller, petite stature keeps her hidden in plain sight which compliments her introverted nature. And being rather on the androgynous side, she leans toward gender neutral and simple wardrobes, especially those that don’t draw unwanted attention. She keeps her dark hair short most of the time, and a few ear piercings. Bound to a wheelchair since a vehicle accident rendered the lower half of her body paralyzed, she is forced to look up at most people regardless. Scars left over from the accident cover parts of her body, but those areas aren’t normally exposed. The most striking features -or so she’d been told on many occasions- are her hazel eyes, which seem to give off an iridescence depending on the lighting; perhaps a side-effect of her optical implants.P E R S O N A L I T Y
P E R S O N A L I T YQiara is highly intelligent, yet introverted for the most part, and the social awkward side isn’t too far behind. Not to mention obsessive compulsive tendencies; she likes things the way she likes things, and there is usually very little you can do to dissuade her otherwise. But over time, and under the right conditions, she can be less rigid and a little more talkative to those she trusts. She tends to feel more at home jacked into the Net, and would more likely engage in conversations with a machine -cyborgs included- than any actual flesh and blood being.
She exudes confidence in her work life, but never attempts to flaunt or boast, leaving the accolades for others to revel in. However, don’t ever mistake her friendly disposition with weakness, as she will quickly remind you otherwise by disabling access to any technology you might deem important to your livelihood.
She was a long-time friend of T-Bug before her unexpected death during a job, and Qiara has had a tough time reconciling what had happened to her fellow runner. But while she knows Bug would never have worked a contract she couldn't handle, Q still blames the fixer Dex, as well as Jackie and V for her own personal reasons.P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S )
P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S )Her primary directive has always been to do what’s best for Night City, especially working for a company like NightCorp who are fully invested in its future welfare. She believes in the vision of the late Richard Night, as well as countless other “dreamers” who wish to only see their city and residents prosper.
Qiara is at her strongest behind a computer terminal or diving head first into the Net, and its many variations, providing support for field personnel in as many capacities as deemed possible while “jacked in”.
She is also very much invested in finding her grandmother, Vivian Rhyne, whose consciousness is (allegedly) still trapped in the Deep Net after being captured by one of Bartmoss’s rogue AIs decades prior. NightCorp does seem to have an interest in her as well, whether out of respect for Lucius, or the fact that she may have valuable information. Perhaps both?
"Just how much is too much, anyway?"
Name: John Brown
Age 30| Male | Heterosexual
Marital Status: Single | Occupation: Mercenary/Ex Corpo Agent | Affiliation: Militech (former)
► Build - Well toned, physically fit, appears mostly human with little sign of augmentation.
► Ethnicity - Caucasian
► Hair Colour - Black
► Eye Colour - hazel
► Other - None of note aside from standard augmentation that everyone would need in night city.
Character History: Born into a family of soldiers his ties to Militech was not to far from what you would have expected from the start. His family history of serving in the United States army sustained even through into the New United States. Growing up around military styled soldiers, and business strongmen John's experience around guns, and weapons were nothing to scoff at. As a child he received a through education in both literacy, and arms bonding with younger children that were like him as they were raised to enforce the new status quo of 'order' as it was in the modern day. He grew to enjoy the process of training, learning, bettering yourself to become a better overall individual. A reward for training was that you knew mistakes you could make, and avoiding them in real life. As a teenager he started to go along to fight off gangs who tried to make moves on family, and friends of the Brown Family, and Militech. He dreamed of a better America one day but...soon that young man who though of a better day started to grow more and more disinterested in dreaming. As he ended life after life from a range with his guns, and with groups of well trained individuals he thought of how wretched the existence was of people. He gradually became more use to ending human life to the point where it barely even registered anymore.
Many would have called him a psycho, others around him just started calling as it was, normal. After taking the lives of many individuals he eventually came into the job of a Corpo Agent of Militech once he came of age. He was more willing to talk than others, and his ice cold personality and lack of real care of what others though of him made him an excellent field agent, and someone who could assist executives, and other less military inclined individuals to keep moving without fear of being executed. He received upgrades, and tech from his employers however unlike others he refrained from over augmentation taking what he needed such as implants in his retinas to help him shoot, in his feet, and legs to increase speed, and his hands and wrists to assist in hand-eye coordination and overall physical strength. While some would call him weak he grew to dislike machines. While there was a place for everything he hated the concept of being so replaceable that a broken motherboard would just get him thrown in a trash heap. Humans, as he preferred to think of them as, were unique individuals and while he had no qualms with ending them, or hurting them he respected them more than machines. Human error can be a hell of a thing but they were much less replaceable, and much more prone to being reasonable. As he saw it a single wrong code in the mainframe of machines would cause them to turn on allies, kill people they were meant to assist. Humans had reasons for turning money, betrayal, and or attitude. Thus making them predictable easier to take into account. As such he refused to become too much of a machine himself. He managed to sustain this with a track record of being quiet, and following orders.
After a period of service recent events in night city caused a disruption with Arishoka fleeing into the darkness those within Militech were quick to try and take control. As an Agent charged with getting rid of individuals he made the mistake relying on his commissioner. After a job he returned to Militech to find he had eliminated a notable member with the assistance of his team. His commissioner had taken a bribe from a higher up in command who was found out, and subsequently taken out. Caught in the crossfire he peacefully surrendered and was found to have only been following orders. He was given the boot from the company for PR's sake and his more advanced implants removed he found himself as mercenary taking bids for body guard jobs, and hit jobs on gangsters.
Character Appearance:
A Caucasian male with pale white skin, black sunglasses, and clean cut hair he is an anomaly in the unusually rough Night City. Even after being booted from his Corpo Job he maintained his clean, and professional appearance to the best of his ability. He stands upright, and doesn't slouch and typically wears suits of the black variety. He holds himself with a sense of professional pride not wanting himself to be seen as nothing but the best. He is usually calm most of the time seeing outbursts of emotion as unreasonable, and a sign of weakness or frustration. He wants to show that he is the best by exuding a calming, and relaxed aura be it in killing another person, or threatening them. He tends to move his fingers when agitated by another individual.
Goals:
Apex of Humanity - John's goal is a rather simple one to reach a point where he unquestionably one of the best warriors on the planet. He is already well trained but he believe he can be more. Having already done his best to learn control over his emotions he believes that his own inclusion, and interest in his previous system has blinded him to areas that would've made him stronger. He doesn't truly care if he is a leader, or has a home. He just wants to be better than everyone else. He takes jobs to live as any human does but in the end his goal will always be to improve himself even in the smallest of ways. Perhaps learning how to shoot better, or to fight better in closer combat, which he despises viewing it as barbaric and annoyingly personal. Perhaps it could simply be he wants to truly understand if he has real emotions or if his trip down the corpo step ladder has made him more machine in personality than he would like.
Portrait:
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/matrix/images/e/e5/Agent_Johnson.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110813004311
Equipment/Personal Items:
NUE Pistol
KNIFE
D5 COPPERHEAD
Cyberware:
LIMBIC SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT
Militec Hand Eye Coordinator MK 1 - Out of date purchased from an old friend after his leave from militech. This cyberware assists in quickening the reflexes of the body to move quicker in response to an enemy. In other words it increases the response time, and natural reflexes of the user. It only makes him slightly faster than the average human however with his training already there is enhances his already honed skills further.
Vehicle: Quartz EC-L R275
Skills:
Eye of the Storm: Has the cool, and calm collectiveness of a trained killer. He ruthlessly dispatches his foes mercilessly, and does so with minimal fear, and calm. He is always level headed waiting for the right chance to erase a target.
Agent: Is a capable talker what he lacks in energetic, and rousing speeches he makes up for in how eerily professional he is about everything he does. Terrifying to those who take him seriously, hilarious to those who do not he knows how to handle a business contact, or someone raised in the upper echelon of humanity's social classes. He is always ready to make the kill having been trained to shoot if taken by surprise or attack with his hands if not.
Soldier for Hire: Trained by military soldiers, and honed in the heat of the Corpo world as an assassin he understands a wide variety of weapons and how they work. From Snipers, to sword, to pistols, and assault rifles it was a tool of the trade to be capable of bringing harm to enemies in every form possible. This extended to being able to torture someone for information when the need arose.
The Humanoid Terminator: His reflexes honed to a sharp point he is deadly in his accuracy with his shots. His few implants help him be able to precisely, and effectively eliminate a target with minimal shots, or stabs.
Hi!
I'll show to join if you're still accepting new players?
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y Yaḥyā ‘John’ Valentine-al’Hakim _________________________________________________________ 43 | ♂ | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Single - Divorced | Mercenary - Ex-Trauma Team Field Doctor | Unaffiliated (Formerly British Army) P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Build - Lean and Wiry ► Ethnicity - Mixed: Syrian and White British ► Hair Colour - Black ► Eye Colour - Dark Brown - Faintly visible cybernetic components, especially in the lens and iris of his eye. ► Other - Left Shoulder: Major scarring from burns, shrapnel, and subsequent surgery, all located around the junction between flesh and cyberware. - Right bicep: Black Ink Tattoo: Insignia and Arms of the Royal Corps of Signals, bearing the text ‘CERTA CITO - MAGNA CLARA’. Above the coat of arms is a number, reading 181. - Oral Cavity: Subtle, faded, residual scarring from cuts caused by a sharp object. - C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S ▼ C H A R A C T E R I T E M S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Militech EuBP-65 - A reliable and compact bullpup pattern assault rifle, chambered in a relatively powerful intermediate calibre, and well known to be similar in design to the primary service rifle of the British Army. This is the cheap and mass produced version of what might be considered exotic by NUSA standards, and it excels in little - although it is favoured by some for its good ratio of power to size, making it well suited for action in an urban environment. ► PD Engineering ‘Man-at-Arms’ V4 Cyberarm - An almost completely unremarkable cyber arm, standard issue for members of Her Majesty’s Armed Services who either suffer traumatic amputations in the line of duty, or who suffer wounds that necessitate a medical amputation later. Like most cyberware it can be considered something of an upgrade over the organic equivalent - it is stronger, can hit harder, is more durable - but there is genuinely nothing special about it. This iteration was originally designed for army engineers, and possesses a better degree of fine motor control than previous and later versions - at the expense of armour and temperature sensation. It is known colloquially as the ‘Sapper’s Handjob’ for this reason. ► Militech M10-AF Lexington - Valentine’s daily carry piece, the Lexington is an almost ubiquitous weapon on the streets of Night City, and has a well deserved reputation for its ease of use and reliability - if not for its power. Valentine also owns a suppressor designed for use with this pistol, but tends to carry it separately in order to keep the draw quick. ► ’In Arduis Fidelis’ Field Surgeon’s Bag - Partially the result of a favour from a very old friend, and partially the result of improvisation and opportunistic military surplus purchases, the Fidelis Kit is an approximation of the materials the Valentine used to work with. The bag contains extremely basic first aid supplies in a separate, detachable pouch - designed for concealed carry - but is remarkably lacking in that department; instead, the Fidelis Kit’s true purpose is essentially full scale field surgery. It contains fluids, anaesthetics and painkillers, surgical tools - including a general purpose surgical endoscope - and two sets of re-usable sterile drapes, designed to be spread across the ground and over the patient in order to provide a sterile field. The Fidelis Kit is not a true first aid kit and is not designed for that purpose - it is designed for use in conjunction with other medical supplies, ideally in the company of a fellow professional… when one is available. Most notably, the Fidelis Kit is intended to contain a shielded X-ray source, although the original one is almost expired and no longer emits enough radiation to assess anything other than gross abnormality or large fractures. The kit itself is the size of a large hiking pack - though it’s more bulky than it is heavy. ► TT-Kiroshi ‘Rubicon Lens’ Cybereyes. - A genuinely remarkable piece of ocular engineering developed in a joint venture between Trauma Team and Kiroshi, the Rubicon Lenses are top tier cybereyes with extremely powerful magnifying lenses, and the unique ability to perceive a greatly expanded spectrum of radiation - from infrared to X-ray, specifically. In theory this ability can be used as a sort of night vision or thermal vision, as Valentine has discovered and made good use of, but it far from excels in this area; the true purpose of the expanded spectrum is to aid in the assessment of patients. The magnification and resolution of the Rubicon is good enough to perform basic microscopic analysis of blood samples, and Valentine can also use the Rubicon Lenses to accurately and (almost) instantly assess the temperature of almost any physical object or biological entity, as long as it is moving slowly enough for the lens to focus and to avoid significant red or blue shift. The high energy spectrum capability is intended for use with a radioactive source, to perform field imaging - however, the source Valentine currently has is almost useless for this purpose, so he will depend either on earning enough to buy a fresh one, or scavenging something. The Rubicon also comes with a series of serious disadvantages, however; being under the influence of anything other than a stimulant renders the advanced functions of the eyes totally inert, and the intensity of the stimuli they provide makes Valentine prone to severe headaches and migraines after prolonged use, which makes their advanced functions something that cannot be used continuously without consequences. The Rubicon is also completely incompatible with any kind of smartlink or smart weapons system, and - as a proprietary system - it cannot easily receive unlicensed modifications, if it can receive them at all. At the moment they also cannot be safely removed, due to the extensive hardware integration with his optic tracts - to take them out would almost certainly blind him permanently, without access to the same sort of facilities and expertise that installed them. Access he will probably never have again. ▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Abby Garcia Etienne - The sole and exclusive reason he is still alive - although he’s not sure she’s human enough yet to know it. They’ve worked together in the past, more extensively than most mercs do without being part of a regular team, and both have proven themselves to the other, over, and over, and over. Valentine was coming to the end of his tether around the time they started her rehab and de-transhumanification programme, and it was the sense of duty and purpose that helping her provided him that enabled him to pull himself back from the brink and avoid spiralling permanently. He looks at her and sees everything that’s wrong with the world - and he is reminded that he is not powerless against it. They currently live together as well as work together. ► Eddie - Valentine’s relationship with Eddie is a bit of a touchstone, for him, even though it is by no means an emotional one. He has worked with her for a number of years now, and has earned himself a solid reputation for professionalism, drive, and competency. Numerous times he has been injured well beyond the call of duty in pursuit of the objectives she has set him, and nonetheless continued with the job, completing it successfully. To her, he is a dual purpose agent - a broad skillset capable of filling both techie and solo roles, though he has specialisations in both that limit just how good he can be at either; Valentine’s technical skills and combat experience make him a good choice for single-agent operations, and his people skills make him just as adaptable to group work. He’s a solid choice, and always eager to be chosen. Eddie will also almost certainly be aware that he has several addictions, a number of vices besides them, and a history of military service - but most crucially, she knows the name of his ex-Wife, something he shares with nobody. ► Andreas ‘Espadaverde’ Mendez - Andreas the Green Blade was a young Valentino when Valentine met him - a young and extremely drunk Valentino, who needed to be walked home because he couldn’t piss straight. By escorting the young ganger Valentine accidentally created a sort of honor debt between them, and earned the favour of not only the boy but his mother - and by extension, a small section of the Valentinos themselves. Andreas was known as the Green Blade for his inexperience, youth, and obsession with edged weapons - but they met a long time ago, shortly after Valentine left Trauma Team, very shortly after his divorce. Andreas is older now, and a fully fledged, red hot blooded, significantly more chromed up Sicario now. Their friendship was solidified after he let Valentine sleep on his couch after his wife kicked him out, and Valentine made sure to do some discount merc-work for the Valentinos in return. They hang out when time permits, and routinely get fucked up drunk when they do. Andreas is also the reason Valentine initially became a mercenary - the contact that set him up with his first fixer, and thereby his first job. ►Victor Straid - Not a friend. Barely even a contact - certainly not the sort of person Valentine would contact himself, for his own purposes - Victor Straid is a touch of both, manipulative cultish predator, and genius ripperdoc. He knows him through Abby, and sincerely doubts that Straid is really that ‘attached’ to her. For this reason Valentine has ensured that Straid knows just what will happen to him if he doesn’t help Abby in the ways Valentine can’t. He represents a symptom of the diseased world Valentine has found himself in, an obligation more than an opportunity, a sort of cost more than a resource. Valentine’s hatred of him mellows the further they get through Abby’s procedures, however, and he has recently started to assist the Ripperdoc with some of the longer, more complex surgeries - though he’s still not decided whether or not to kill him when they’re done. Valentine is blind to the parallels between them, and the irony those parallels cause. ▼ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► A Vi et Viribus - Dr. John Valentine was once a member of the 181st Signals Squadron, a section of the Royal Corps of Signals dedicated to supporting special forces operations run by the Army. Commando qualified and thoroughly dedicated, 181 SIG were responsible for the establishment and maintenance of lines of communication in some of the hottest combat zones the United Kingdom had to offer, and had an excellent record of success in this role - even when in direct and protracted contact with their most vicious enemies. Valentine was among their more decorated members during his military career, and has all the training and experience that come with it. He might be a doctor - but he is too a killer. ► Medicinae et Chirurgiae - Not called Doctor Valentine for nothing, he was once a consultant level Emergency Doctor. This entails a knowledge and skillbase both deep and broad regarding all sorts of medical and surgical catastrophes - and vitally, how to treat them. Permanent, salaried practice was never for him - but he remains capable and cool headed in any emergency, and is well known for saving fellow edgerunners from the brink, especially when others were giving up on them. ► Certa Cito - Magna Clara - The unit Valentine served with was a part of the Royal Corps of Signals, and it is not for nothing that their motto in 2077 is what it is; Swift and Sure, Loud and Clear! Words he learned to love, words he loved to live by - even if the Latin is a tad pretentious. Radio and Comms tinkering is still a hobby of Valentine's to this day, and while he's got no skill as a hacker, he is still well versed in the assembly, disassembly, maintenance, and sabotage of electronics; especially as he served first as an enlisted soldier rather than an officer, Valentine has experience in all the above. Given a little time and a set of tools, there's very little that he can't at least break cleverly. Usually, he can fix it too - but that bit is far from a guarantee. ► Verba sunt Actio - People skills are a critical part of any clinician's training, and the same is true for military officers. His charisma has certainly declined since arriving at this latest, most troubled part of his life, but when the chips are down and it matters most Valentine can still make good on them. He is particularly well suited to information gathering, able to tease pieces of otherwise sensitive information out of people who otherwise wouldn't tell you, usually through regular conversation. Especially when he's both calm and sober - which is rare - Valentine has a remarkably trustworthy demeanor, and people tend to offload their problems and their stress directly to him. People tellhim things. Things they shouldn't. Probably because when he's in his most natural state, he really does want to help. - | C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y Labour lasted sixteen hours and approximately thirty two minutes, proceeded naturally and without incident, baby given vitamin K with parental consent, all screening negative. Ms. Al-Hakim declined epidural anaesthesia, citing religious reasons and a desire to be 'totally there' for the process. Entonox offered and accepted once contractions had been regular for half an hour. No trauma or tears to the perineum, blood loss approximately 400ml. No evidence of retained materials or ragged membranes. Midwife and doctor in mutual agreement that there are no concerns relating to Ms. Al-Hakim or baby's health, thus due for discharge in the morning. Birth at 0023 hours, date is 4th of March, 2035. We are glad to offer our congratulations to the parents, and a warm welcome to Baby Valentine-al-Hakim. John Valentine - as he often goes by in English speaking communities - had been fascinated with the medical world since as long as he could remember. When his parents found him having broken into their records cabinet to look through the notes they'd requested from the hospital after he was born, he told them he was just curious - that he wanted to know how it all worked. They were as ecstatic at his reasoning as they were awkward with the explanation, and promptly enrolled him in extra classes to sate his hunger for education - a hunger that would always serve him well. Valentine excelled in school, working through the standard British curriculum and his extra teaching with a relentless drive, matching each challenge that was thrown at him with gusto and grace. He was often disruptive - but despite that, he was well liked by the staff at Hedingham Hill Comprehensive School, and his childhood was decidedly normal. He was talented, intelligent, and charming - if boisterous and occasionally mischievous. He had his first beer at 15, smoked his first joint in secret behind the gym at school when he was 16, and found his first girlfriend at 17. Very pleasant, and for him of course very exciting - but as far as the world was concerned it was nothing really special. Then, at the age of 18 he enlisted in the army as part of his compulsory national service, preferring to get it out of the way rather than let the threat of it linger by deferring until after university - and, he reasoned, so he could get the army to pay his tuition fees too. It was not something he had looked forward to, and certainly not something he had expected to enjoy. No. He had expected to chafe under authority and initially adopted an approach of keeping his head down and trying to stay out of trouble - like he hadn't in school. He surprised himself. Or rather, the army did. Valentine had expected the officers commanding him to be pompous and arrogant, unconcerned with his or any other soldier's wellbeing, and happy to issue blatantly foolish orders at the expense of the soldiery. In part, this was why he expected to fit in poorly - since he had issues with unwarranted authority. Instead he found a cadre of competent and charismatic officers, many of whom were real deal - lead by example, put the men first, neither get into a pointless fight nor back away from a worthwhile one, those sorts of ideals. Ideals he found he agreed with. Ideals he found he could embrace. His career shone. Unlike most conscripts, and perhaps for lack of another cause to devote himself to, John Valentine’s two years in the army were something he relished. He put in the effort, he took on the extra training courses when they were available, and he pursued a specialty within his field. At the age of 19, John Valentine passed selection for the 181st Squadron, Royal Army Corps of Signals. This was a feat. He was by no means the youngest in this squadron - there were those who had entered it directly as volunteers rather than be conscripted - but he distinguished himself nonetheless. He would go on to serve in active duty, passing the commando course as prerequisite for field operations with the 181, and then enter combat across Britain - but never more often than in the London Combat Zones. After his tour of duty was up, he made the difficult choice to pursue an education and qualify as a doctor, while remaining an army reservist. He would also eventually earn a commission as an officer - the first in his known family history to do so - and become Lieutenant Valentine. Addicted to the rush of combat and the cold focus of adrenaline, he took what he had learned and applied it to his medical career equally - he specialised in emergency medicine at the very same hospital he’d been born at, St. Bart’s, once the largest and greatest trauma centre in Western Europe. He met a girl, he fell in love, started dating and eventually got married. He lost an arm in the line of duty while deployed during a crisis - at this point, Captain Valentine - and accordingly was allocated a spare from Porton Down Engineering. He studied, he worked, he fought, he lived - he sat exams and failed them the first time, then failed them again, and passed only on his third try. He learned from his mistakes and took time away from the army to continue with his medical career, eventually attaining the rank of SAS Doctor - then after that, Emergency Consultant. He had a son. Rupinder, named after his wife’s late brother - but Ruby for short. He was happy. But it couldn’t - no, it wouldn’t last. Al-Hakim is a title as much as it is a name, hereditary by his generation, but once earned by one of his ancestors. It means ‘The Wise’. His greatest failure was that he could never live up to it. Blinded by ambition and enthralled with the idea of seeing real action again, when Trauma Team came knocking he didn’t even hesitate. He uprooted his family and shed his friends like a thin coat of skin, and moved to Night City. This is where his marriage troubles began - it’s where he started to lose his grip on his life. Not to say he wasn’t good at his job, of course - it was probably the one part of his life where he kept up all the appearances and never once slipped up. Trauma Team were good to him, and whether it was taking on AeroDyne shifts or covering an Emergency Department for a double shift when he was meant to be resting, he did what he was told. He found common purpose in his colleagues - some of whom had similar backgrounds, and shared his ideals of medicine, healthcare, and glorious progress. He took part in the new Rubicon Programme - a sort of cybernetics trial, looking at the value of augmenting senior doctors and nurses with what essentially amounted to in-built imaging equipment. It was a resounding success. At home, he was a resounding absence. Thing came to a head when his AeroDyne responded to a call and essentially lost the fight. Not his first defeat, nor his first injury, but certainly his first time being taken alive. A group of Edgerunners had been planning for the Trauma Team response unit their client had paid for, and their aircraft was blown out of the sky with anti-tank weapons that had been rigged to a ballistics co-processor and a small quantum CPU. Years later he would applaud their ingenuity - but over the next two days, he would curse the fact that they’d not even been good enough to make sure they were dead. If they had died, he wouldn’t have been taken by Scavs. Sometimes he wonders if there are still braindances being sold of what they did to him. He wakes up in the middle of the night, clutching his throat, reliving the drowning sensation, fearing for his life. Yasmina - his wife - gave him an ultimatum. He leaves Trauma Team, or she leaves him and takes Ruby with her. As if Ruby even recognised him to begin with. But he did the right thing for once. He discussed matters with the friends he’d made in the company - the corpo rats he’d used to hate, when he was infantry - and made arrangements for his departure. They were very understanding, and some strings were pulled so that he wouldn’t need to go through any more surgery before leaving. Somebody probably got in serious trouble - but they were good at finding a fall guy, and even if he did care about who it was, his marriage was more important. It lasted a year. Nothing changed, is the worst part. No relapsing into his old ways, no more fighting and gunplay, no more long shifts - nothing. Sometimes he wonders if it was the nightmares that finally pushed her away - if he’d become so broken that he could no longer be dealt with - but he knew the truth. She’d given him one more chance - but it was a chance that came after the damage had been done. Dealing with him in his current state didn’t help of course - might have even been the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak - but it probably didn’t matter. He would never know how long it had been since she loved him; he would never know how long it had been since he truly ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him, and pushed away the one person who loved him the most. The divorce was quick, and technically amicable - Ruby stayed three nights at his place, and four at his mother’s - but it was just too obvious who was to blame. When Valentine started drinking, Yasmina saw it for what it was - the start of a death spiral - and pulled Ruby out. Valentine lost his visitation rights after the first pill, then lost his apartment after he nearly burned it down after trying to cook while he was high. He was homeless for a bit - a bit too vicious to be a victim, a bit too unstable to find a home. His cyberware started to creak and groan - no eddies means no maintenance - and he started to get truly desperate. Desperate for warmth, for food, for money, for an escape. For what it’s worth, he never once blamed his wife. Not ever. He knew what he’d done. He hated himself more than any criminal or terrorist he’d ever been deployed against, more than any lowlife scav stealing bits from his clients’ bodies, more than- well, more than anything. His instincts saved him - but not the ones you’d expect. Out of everything he could have done when he found a young Valentino passed out in the gutter one night while he was stalking around and going through withdrawal, he kept the boy safe. He stayed with him, giving psychotic death glares at anyone who so much as looked at him - he even barked at a Tyger Claw. Like a dog. Less than a dog. But he could do this - he could keep him safe. One last thing, he thought, just this one last thing. The kid woke up eventually and pulled a sword on him - but after he was disarmed and they had a moment to talk, Espadaverde (a name he had invented, thought Valentine) realised he wasn’t going to get home safe alone, and let Valentine walk him there. Valentine got some food and a sofa. It was the first good he’d gotten since everything went to shit, and it was all he could do to not break down and cry. From there the rest is history - Andreas moved out and took Valentine with him, found him a weapon and some work - through which he eventually met Abby, too - and helped him realise he couldn’t die just yet. What would his son think, if the story ended here? There were ups and downs, many more of the latter - and he never kicked his newfound habits - but things were stable enough, even if the persistent thought of just quitting plagued him still. Abby had her turn to save his life too - Andreas could give him reasons, but the Valentinos weren’t a purpose. He never told her that he’d already taken the pills when she knocked on his door. It was difficult, finding an antidote in time, especially secretly - but he did it. He had someone to live for again - someone to recover for again. That was enough. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E John Valentine is a tall, lithe, lean looking man. He was stockier and fuller once - but his addictions have taken a toll, even if it’s not immediately obvious that’s what it is. His skin is a pale sort of olive tan, and his hair is dark and thick. He has scars around his cyberarm - from the blast that took off the original - and smaller, white, thin scars inside his mouth, from the implements used by the Scavs. One tattoo, bearing the insignia of his old comrades, and his motto - Certa Cito, Magna Clara. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) John Valentine is like Abby - in recovery, not always stable, and struggling almost every day. He represents the difficulty of it, and the balancing act it often requires - especially when one’s occupation is a part of one’s vices. I’m certainly hoping that there will be room for him to learn how to be on his own again, and find something to live for that isn’t as volatile as a person - but tragedy can also be art, and while I think I would prefer him to ultimately be successful (even if it ultimately means trying to step away from the life of a merc entirely), I’m certainly not counting on it. His and Abby’s story are also tied together - they live together, work together, and essentially treat eachother. It’s an interesting dynamic, even if it isn’t always healthy. |
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y Isebel Theron _________________________________________________________ 27 | ♀ | Homosexual _________________________________________________________ Single | Solo | Afterlife Mercenary P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Build - Lean ► Ethnicity - American (NUSA) ► Hair Colour - Black ► Eye Colour - Blue ► Other - N/A - C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S ▼ C H A R A C T E R I T E M S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► M-10AF Lexington (Basic) - A standard Lexington of basic stock. ► Nokota D5 Copperhead (Basic) - The D5 Copperhead is a reliable and simple gun to use. Maintenance is easy. It has dependable stopping power. And the ammo is dirt-cheap. What's not to like? The AK of the future, if you will. ► Militech Crusher (Basic) - The Militech Crusher is a brutal close-ranged weapon. All you have to do is point and pull the trigger - filling anyone unlucky with lead aplenty. ► Ballistic Coprocessor Mk. 1 (Basic) - Hand-cyberware installed on both palms that, in conjunction with a firearm, allows for decently fast adjustments on firing arcs, ricochets, and general aim assistance. For comfort, a layer of skin hides the outward appearance. ► Kiroshi Ballistic Optics MK. 1 (Basic)- Eye-cyberware that calculates and then displays accurate, albeit basic, firing soluations to the user. ► Chevillon Emperor 620 Ragnar (Basic) - A decent reliable car. Nothing more or less. ▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Uncle ‘Don’ - A extremely close friend and former hitman. Don often comes over to bring gifts to Amore. ► Ella Theron - The loving wife of Isebel. These love doves have extreme care for each other. ► Amore Theron - The biological child of Isebel. The woman will do anything to make damn sure that her child is safe - no matter the cost. ► ’Cleaner’ - A very reliable but small time fixer. ▼ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Advanced Weapons Handling - Isebel has extensive experience in the handling of ballistic small-arms. She knows how to reload, raise, lower, unjam, and use a firearm in the most efficient way possible to the best of her knowledge. ► Veteran of the Unification War - The Unification War has taught Isebel a lot about the battlefield and war in general. Of course, Isebel is no longer within an active warzone but that does not mean that her former experience is useless. More specifically, she knows how to compose herself in the most stressful of things and the nuances of intense firefights and combat. ► Conditioning - The NUSA military forces every rank-and-file soilder to carry every single item that they will need on the field. Nothing is left out - ammo, medical supply, mess kit, MREs, tools, flashlight, body armor, camping gear, etc, etc. Combined with the intense NUSA boot camp fitness experience, Isebel's endurance and stamina are quite extreme. As added bonus, Isebel is also able to comfortably move about in heavy body armor and gear. ► Expert Combat Shock-Engineer - Fortifications and hardpoints are no match for this woman. Isebel knows and understands how to penetrate harden defense points and fortified areas - especially with explosives. Likewise, she understands how to carefully maneuver around hostile obstacles with ease. She then knows the next phrase - elimination of the enemy by the usage of brutal infantry shock-tactics. - | C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y Life is not exactly wonderful in the 21st century - especially for those poor and downtrodden. Isebel Theron, or just Isebel to most, occupies that space. Growing up, both parents of Isebel were mechanics and barely had enough eddies to cover their basic expenses for their child - healthcare, schooling, etc, etc - the necessities for modern life. Isebel experienced the mundanity of early childhood as with any other kid. The only noteworthy thing that was decently eventful was Isebel’s involvement in helping her parents at the workshop from time to time. This early exposure fostered Isebel’s curiosity about engineering and the works. After graduating from her High-School, Isebel worked alongside her parents - helping bring in the eddies while also learning a good deal from them. Sadly, the family was financially struggling due to increased rent and food prices. In order to ensure their livelihood, Isebel opted to join the NUSA military. The armed forces were a desperate option for Isebel as she hated everything about it - the strict rules, the drill masters, the regulations, etc, etc. She did not like it one bit. But she soldiered on as eddies made from her career choice did keep things afloat for herself and her parents. Isebel had hope to become a mechanic - a job that was far removed from any form of combat. Unfortunately, she was instead forced to become a combat shock-engineer. What’s more, Isebel then hoped that her time in the NUSA military would be relatively peaceful. The simple equation was No War Equals No Combat Deployment. Sad to say, the Unification War was just around the corner. Thus, on the eve of the war, Isebel was thrusted into action. Intrusted with clearing enemy fortifications and obstacles, Isebel had to carefully utilize explosives - exploiting their properties for maximum effectiveness while also under heavy enemy fire. The next part is where the “shock” in shock-engineer comes into play. Once a breach was formed in the defenses, Isebel had to quickly move through the rubble that she created and eliminate the enemy. Bulwark after bulwark, Isebel quickly grasped how to utterly render enemy hardpoints into dust with a few packs of high-explosives. Likewise, the brutality of then having charge into the breach-head and fight against de-entrenched soldiers gave Isebel plenty of experience in direct-shock-assault tactics. Isebel had no plans to stay anymore longer than she had to - quickly leaving the NUSA military after her contract was up. Back to civilian life, Isebel found it hard to obtain financial stability. This was made worse after the birth of her first child. Not wanting to take eddies from her parents - even if they insisted on it - Isebel used her newfound experience to become mercenary for hire. Shortly after, Isebel decided to move to NightCity as the grass was greener there for her line of work. And the rest is history. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E The physique of a soldier is normally a very bulky and muscular person as per description for most media and video games - the build builder action-hero. Of course, that’s very far from the truth. War induces stress and extreme calorie loss - especially for an insurgent. Skinny and lean perfectly describes the current state of her body. While she is no longer on the battlefield, Isebel has never really managed to “bulk up” due to her constant physical activity either in a warzone or, in this case, as a merc in Night City. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) There’s only one thing that matters to Isebel, and that is the survival and healthy growth of her child - Amore Theron. Everything else is secondary or a stepping-goal. Almost everything that Isebel does is out of her paternal duty as a mother. With that understood, there are a few other objectives to ensure that things go smoothly. First, Isebel needs a FUCKTON of eddies. Supporting a child and then combat specs is no easy task - costing a small mini-fortunate every month. Second, Isebel really wants to settle down at some point. Of course, that is an extremely long-term goal of hers. It might take a decade or so before that comes a reality, but Isebel must ensure that dream will become real. |
Just an note I don't really have much in the way of plans for my character so I'm going to just sit him in the diner unless you want me to have him go rough up some thug across the street or something.