Abstract Proxy

BattleTech: A Band of Misfits

Went hard on the Techs and Astechs so decided they deserved a fresh post. I shall add some text in a bit to add some depth to them.

Edit 1: Added some notes for the characters, will write it up properly soon.

Edit 2: Mech Tech mostly done, 5 Astechs to go.

Edit 3: Mech Tech done, 5 Astechs in progress.

Alleycat's Technician Team

Mech Technician

Name: Benedito Davids
Nickname/Callsign:
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Crew Position: Mech Tech
Rank: Sergeant
Nationality: Horatius, Marian Hegemony

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

A veteran pirate and reluctant participant in the Third Succession War, Benedito Davids, is the mech tech responsible for keeping Ziska's BattleMech running in good order.

Davids is a native of Horatius, a medium sized planet of the Marian Hegemony, known largely for a faltering arms manufacturing facility. Raised on dreams of a burgeoning empire destined for greatness, once, once Davids would admit he truly believed in the words of a modern-day Caesar. The son of a bandit. The son of a long line of bandits. Thanks to the Imperator himself, Marius O'Reilly, and the particulars of life in a Bandit Kingdom, Davids is intimately familiar with how grim life in the Inner Sphere and the Periphery can be.

A quick hand with any tool, Davids followed the expected path of any enterprising youth in the Marian Hegemony and joined up with a Marian pirate crew. The "starfarers" as they called themselves were a mixed lot. They were gentleman thieves, cutthroat murders, failed nobles, and impoverished farmers. Wretched scum to most of the Inner Sphere, Davids recalls with some pride that they had morals enough among themselves. The band of pirates had few illusions of what life was really like or where it would lead them.

Working as an astech to a grizzled pirate mech tech, Davids learned to patch BattleMechs together with minimal parts, little time, and few workable tools. Even know, years later, few mech techs are as ingenious as Davids when it comes to figuring out how to jury-rig a BattleMech or salvage parts from a burned out husk. With the retirement of his mentor, Davids eventually secured a place as a full mech tech. Claiming a share and half of all plunder the pirates acquired, Davids did well, and sent substantial funds back to his family in the Marian Hegemony.

Carrying a growing reputation among the roving pirates of the Marian Hegemony, Davids was offered an intriguing opportunity to join the crew of a Marian privateer, the legendary or equal parts infamous, John van Rheenen, more often known as Twice-Hanged John. No mere pirate, Twice-Hanged John was commanded resources far beyond a lowly pirate and was rumored to be held in great esteem by the Imperator.

Serving under Twice-Hanged John, Davids raided across the Periphery, crossing swords with the Magistracy Armed Forces more times than he could count, and managing to live with only some moderate bruising. Branching out, the pirates launched a series of raids targeting the Free Worlds League. While successful at first, following a strong military response from the Free Worlds League military, Davids found himself fighting a losing battle against forces of the Free Worlds League Military. Captured by the 2nd Marik Militia, nicknamed The Fates, Davids found himself a prisoner of the FWL, along with some fifty other pirates.

Desperate for competent mech techs as a result of an unfortunate air lock malfunction, the Mariks presented Davids with a rare proposition. Deeply pragmatic, the commanding officer of the Ridge Riders, the main strike unit of the Fates, Lieutenant Colonel Barton "Black Bart" Burton offered Davids a pardon if he joined the Ridge Raiders and the 2nd Marik Militia as a mech tech. Happy to avoid the hangman's noose, in contrast to the majority of the survivors of Twice-Hanged John's crew, Davids accepted without a second thought. After all, all pirates understand the value of survival.

Attached to the Ridge Riders, Davids participated in the disastrous raid on the Lyran world of Algorab in 3020. Certain the fates had once again betrayed him, he watched over half of the 2nd Marik Militia perish on Algorab V. In the end only the Ridge Riders and Second's command staff made it off planet alive. Three years of bitter rebuilding followed. The 2nd Marik Militia were now reduced to two full companies of green recruits and a recon battalion with barely more experience to count on.

When the unit was transferred to the Capellan front in 3024, Davids could see the doom the unit was destined for and he deserted as soon as the unit made planetfall. Adopting a civilian identity, Davids worked his way through a string of dubious mercenary companies and made his way to Galatea. There he was personally hired by Ziska, who claimed the now grizzled mech tech as her senior technician.

Personality:

Davids is a taciturn mech technician, prone to long bouts of melancholy. A man of many memories and obvious regrets, he is a soul certain of his own damnation. Unlike many a scoundrel racing headfirst towards their own death in hopes of redemption, Davids is instead merely resigned to the fact that most of the people in the Inner Sphere would prefer to see him hanged if they knew his full past.

He is shaped by most of a lifetime of piracy, more than two decades spent raiding planets scattered across the stars. A harsh disciplinarian, Davids is unafraid to use carefully employed brutality and even in his middle years he is a leader convinced of the importance of absolute obedience. Aware of the consequences of failure, he endeavors to run a tight ship. Calm, cool, and capable of great violence, should it be needed, he is a quietly intimidating figure on the DropShip. Like Ziska, there is a touch of the wilderness of the Periphery on him and the pair easily fall into the unspoken, sometimes strange, and decidedly unfamiliar (to most of the crew) habits of periphery pirates.

Woe be it to anyone found in dereliction of their duty, regardless of rank, as Davids has little patience when faced with behavior that threatens the current venture. Although he is generally satisfied with Ziska and her conduct as an officer, he is known to engage in loud screaming matches with his nominal superior when he determines she is becoming too relaxed.

Astechs (Assistant Technicians)

Astech Anica Kesi

Name: Anica Kesi
Nickname/Callsign:
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Crew Position: Astech
Rank: Corporal
Nationality: New Delphi, New Delphi Compact

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

Personality:

Astech Asuga Sunther

Name: Asuga Sunther
Nickname/Callsign:
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Crew Position: Astech
Rank: Corporal
Nationality: Chakachamna, Federated Suns

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

Personality:

Astech Virginia Kan

Name: Virginia Kan
Nickname/Callsign:
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Crew Position: Astech
Rank: Corporal
Nationality: Prix, Capellan Confederation

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

Personality:

Astech Magnus Licht

Name: Magnus Licht
Nickname/Callsign: Snarl
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Crew Position: Astech
Rank: Corporal
Nationality: Wotan, Lyran Commonwealth

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

Personality:

Astech (Assistant Technician)

Name: Yuliana Minhas
Nickname/Callsign:
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Crew Position:
Rank: Corporal
Nationality: Drask's Den, Oberon Confederation

Appearance:

Marley's Misfits Personnel File

Biographical History:

Personality:

BattleTech: A Band of Misfits

Just posting stuff here as I write it.

Edit: Probably done for the night, will plan to do some editing tomorrow.

Edit 2: Fixed some wording, added some minor details.

Edit 3: Added a CS for General Kerensky (the Cat)

Edit 4: Fleshed out my PC's appearance and added some stuff for her Technician and Astechs (new post for them)

MechWarrior:

MechWarrior: Alleycat

Name: Tereza Aranda
Nom De Guerre: Emma Ziska
Nickname/Callsign: Alleycat
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Crew Position: Mechwarrior
Rank: Lieutenant
Nationality: Magistracy of Canopus

Appearance:

Average in height, Ziska has the athletic build expected of many a MechWarrior and professional soldier. She has a dusky complexion with brown eyes and long, curly dark hair that has a habit of straightening from the heat of her BattleMech's cockpit.

Ziska moves with a catlike dexterity and is known for being alarmingly quiet. Ziska has a habit of prowling the decks of the DropShip in search of minor amusements to occupy her time during the transit time between contracts and more than one Misfit has been scared half to death by the sudden, unexpected appearance of the MechWarrior.

A casual dresser with a military flair, Ziska wears a rotating collection of combat uniforms. Largely military fatigues of a recent Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF) make, her outfits consist of
a jacket, trousers and shirt or T-shirt.

Ziska is also inordinately fond of lounging around in the classic flame-resistant coveralls favored by mechanics all across the Inner Sphere and she keeps several pair that she has permanently 'borrowed' from her Astechs and Technician. Most of the coveralls she wears appear to have been manufactured for the Federated Suns Navy (FSN) and Lyrian Commonwealth Navy (LCN).

As a seasoned MechWarrior when piloting her BattleMech Ziska wears the familiar garb of a MechWarrior. Well-worn combat boots, tattered shorts, a breezy tank top, and fire resistant gloves.

Ziska's pride and joy is a heavily customized neurohelmet that she claims to have won over a game of poker in a deep periphery backwater tavern that she couldn't possibly reveal, not without having to kill someone, maybe a couple of people even. Lighter than the usual bulky neurohelmet a MechWarrior relies on, Ziska's helmet is painted midnight black. Her Cooling Vest is standard, but sports a sewn on patch depicting a black cat with an arched back and raised up fur. Due to the cramped nature of a BattleMech cockpit, Ziska keeps her sidearm in a chest holster attached to her Cooling Vest.

Personnel Files: Ziska, Emma

Picture on File

Biographical History:

Mysterious in all matters personal, Emma Ziska is a capable MechWarrior, respected for her talents piloting a BattleMech and serving as an officer in Marley's Misfits. Far from sullen, she speaks freely, but rarely seems to say much of any truth or depth about herself.

There are many stories about Ziska that circulate through Marley's Misfits. Some old hands say she's a pirate. They see cold eyes, quick hands, and the familiar, confident swagger of a scoundrel. Fresher faces, particularly those from the Periphery, mention the infamous Canopian Pleasure circuses, and the Canopian mercenaries that accompany them. Ziska knows many things about the galaxy. She has many tales to tale and amusing adventures to share. Marley Swanson himself seems uncertain about Ziska's past and seems content to let the matter lie, lest he lose another talented MechWarrior.

Unsurprisingly, Ziska offers no clear answers when directly asked about any criminal acts she may have engaged in or questionable contracts she may have once signed. With a shrug of her shoulders and a mischievous smile, she simply dances around any serious questions about "complicated" matters like piracy.

---

Jealously guarded Magistracy of Canopus records, if carefully examined, indicate that Tereza Aranda was born on August 10th, 3001, in the city of Crimson, on Canopus IV, the planetary capital of the Magistracy of Canopus, to noblewoman Sarah Aranda and her husband Thomas. A well-respected family belonging to the Frone faction of the Canopian nobility, the Aranda family were among the few remaining descendants of the original founders of the Magistracy of Canopus.

Steeped in tradition and privilege, Tereza, the third of five children and the youngest of three daughters, was carefully groomed for a life intended to culminate in a leading position at the very top of the Magistracy Armed Forces (MAF).

---
At the age of fifteen, having completed the compulsory education expected in the Magistracy of Canopus, Aranda began training to become a MechWarrior. Her family name and the careful politics of her parents, ensured that Aranda was selected as an officer candidate and instead of being sent off to a Militia Defense pr training battalion she was delivered to Raventhir's Iron Hand, first regiment of the Magistracy Royal Guards, the most prestigious unit in all of the Magistracy of Canopus, tasked with protecting the Magistrix herself. Posted as a military aide-de-camp under Major Vernyce Alkobar received "on-the-job" training in the finer aspects of warfare, military leadership, and social life for the upper echelons of the MAF.

By the age of seventeen, Aranda had earned the rank of Banner Sergeant in the Magistracy Armed Forces. Well pleased with her achievements and eying a suitable future marriage following continued success, her parents purchased a commission as an Ensign for Tereza in the 1st Canopian Fusiliers of the legendary Chasseurs á Cheval brigade. A storied regiment, famed for their bravery and success in battle, to the Canopians, the 1st Canopian Fusiliers represented the very tip of the spear.

In the years that followed, Aranda spent several years fighting pirates, killing Free Worlds League mercenaries raiding Canopian space, and along with the rest of her unit, she participated in a number of clandestine raids targeting nearby Free Worlds League controlled planets. The culmination of what should have been a most carefully cultivated career was smashed to pieces under unclear circumstances.

A band of pirates were subdued. A planet was liberated. Aranda was put up for a medal. There was a disagreement. Strong words were spoken. Alcohol was suspected to be involved. There were rumors of worse, far less palatable vices. In the days that followed, Aranda had a storied falling out with her commanding officer that still echoes in the memories of the 1st Canopian Fusiliers. No less than five BattleMechs were heavily damaged in the brawl that ensued, several venerable BattleMechs were left complete write-offs, reduced to mere salvage and spare parts. With her entire company confined to quarters, Aranda, in an uncharacteristic rage, resigned her commission while still under arrest. According to her commanding officer, Aranda then feigned illness, attacked one of the soldiers guarding her, stole a Heavy Gyrojet Gun, took an Astech hostage, and escaped the base pursued by an infantry squad. The soldiers that served under her tell a different story, suggesting that Aranda simply bribed the soldier guarding her and calmly walked off the base occupied by the 1st Canopian Fusiliers.

Later investigation by MIM lead to few clear findings with the ranking officer concluding only that Aranda had most likely signed up with a passing mercenary company. After all, it was hardly the first time that a Canopian noblewoman had vanished into the deep periphery before anything could be done to stop her. Inevitably, these wayward noble scions would come crawling back to the Magistracy of Canopus when they had exhausted the limited funds available to them.

---

After this event, records concerning Aranda are spotty. A precious few reported sightings of Aranda manage to reach all the way back to Crimson, Canopus IV, and the Magistracy of Canopus. However, identification is inconclusive, information arrives corrupted, and nothing much of value is learned. The Aranda family accepts that they have lost a daughter. Life moves on. Most people chose to forget. Not even the operatives of the Magistracy Intelligence Ministry are able to satisfactorily divine the whereabouts of the rogue Canopian noble.

However, ComStar databanks indicate that a suspected pirate, Emma Ziska, appeared in the Periphery during the early 3020s. Loose ties to the pirate kingdom of Tortuga are mentioned, but never conclusively proven. Working her way through a number of mercenary companies in questionable standing with ComStar's Mercenary Review Board (MRB), Ziska somehow establishes herself as a reputable MechWarrior. She greases the right palms, sweet-talks the right ComStar Acolytes, and receives the right digital documents. Eventually, Ziska made her way to Galatea with a glowing recommendation from ComStar Precentor Alexander Wanyika in hand and was hired by Marley Swanson of the rising mercenary outfit Marley's Misfits.

Personality:

Ziska is friendly, social, and playful. Charming even, when the mood strikes her, and more than a little gifted when it comes to ballroom dancing. She is remarkably kind for a recently reformed pirate, even to the freshest faces in Marley's Misfits, be they an Astech, Technician, Infantry Soldier, Tanker, MechWarrior, or Aerojock.

Although Ziska is tight-lipped when it comes to her past, there are hints in her speech, in her knowledge and in her bearing of an aristocratic upbringing. She has an obvious military background and carries herself both during combat and when it counts in the manner of a professional officer. Despite this military background, reflecting the time honored traditions of the the Magistracy of Canopus, Ziska is an exceedingly unorthodox MechWarrior and officer. She is a master of ambushes, lightening quick strikes, and unconventional tactics.

She lives fast, drinks rapidly, eats happily, and pilots all her mechs at full throttle. When deployed on a mission, Ziska is grimly determined. Some of the other Misfits have noticed that she is well-versed in the brutal realities of asymmetric warfare and remark that as an officer she maintains a certain coldness in the field. Watching, waiting, and planning...there is something predatory about her manners in the field. She stalks larger mechs as if hunting larger prey and has a sixth sense for when to launch an attack. She wastes little energy, moving with a marked efficiency and patience on the battlefield.

For her many gifts as an officer, Ziska has the personality of a domesticated feline, lazying about the DropShip when off duty, and managing to do only exactly as much administrative work as is required of her.

makes little distinction between social origins

Equipment:

Adopting a loose military dress, Ziska carries a Calaveri 10mm Auto-Pistol in a holster on her right hip. A sleek, small black pistol, it is an ideal sidearm for a MechWarrior often operating inside of a cramped BattleMech cockpit.

As a final insurance policy should her BattleMech be disabled, Ziska has tucked a Mauser and Gray Firearms M-75 personal defense weapon beneath her ejection seat. A rugged design, the M-75 is a modular and compact PDW chambered for a respectable 6.5×25mm round. A bargain purchase, the M-75 standard with a detachable low power optic, wire folding stock, grip safety, threaded barrel, and hollow foregrip which can be used to hold a spare magazine.

As a reminder of home, she keeps a Ceres Arms Slasher Combat Knife. Originating from the Capellan Confederation, the SCK is a double-edged, forged out of high quality nickel steel knife. Balanced for throwing, the SCK has a hollow, rough steel grip complete with a removable cap. Designed for export markets, the knife was popular in the Periphery, selling well in the Magistracy of Canopus and Taurian Concordant. Although Ziska chiefly uses it to cut fruit, the knife is useful for violence if needed.

BattleMech: Alleycat's Jenner

Asset Name: Jenner (JR7-D)
Asset Nickname: Tigershark
Asset Type: BattleMech
Asset Tonnage: 35 tons (Light Mech)

Asset Appearance: Alleycat's JR7-D has been painted with a shark mouth below the cockpit and is adorned with a distinct tiger stripe pattern. However, the BattleMech always sports carefully applied layers of color that match the current environment that Misfits are operating in.

Tigershark Paintscheme

Asset Crew/Staff: See following character sheets.

Asset Weaponry:

Possessing a standard loadout, the Tigershark is equipped with four Argra 3L Medium Lasers, with two medium lasers mounted on the left and right directionally variable mountings.

These weapons afford the Tigershark with a powerful close-to-medium range strike that allows the pilot to operate without concern for supplies. A useful trait for a light mech that often operates deep behind enemy lines.

A Thunderstroke SRM-4 launcher mounted in the center torso provides additional oomph. One ton of ammunition, allows twenty five shots, and can be used to cause critical damage to vulnerable internal components of an enemy unit once the armor has been breached.

Asset Equipment:

The Tigershark only has ten heat sinks and can run hot during prolonged fighting. Intended as a fast striker, the JR7-D has a 245-rated Magna fusion engine that allows it to reach a top speed of over 118 km/h. Not just fast, but agile, five Smithson Lifter jump jets, two in each side torso and one in the center torso, enable the Tigershark to jump a distance of 150 meters.

Further, the Tigershark has an unremarkable Bk-309 Targeting Tracking System and a reliable Dawson III Communications System. A functional, if well-worn, Diplan Scout-A chassis is paired with four tons of Starshield of armor.

Beyond standard SRM ammunition, Emma utilizes SRM inferno ammunition to set enemies on fire. Although she uses inferno rounds chiefly to overwhelm the heat dissipation system of enemy mechs, in a pinch the SRM inferno rounds can be used to devastating effect against combat vehicles, battle armor into flaming, and conventional infantry platoons.

Crew/Staff:

General Alexander Kerensky

Name:Alexander Kerensky
Age: 2
Gender: Female
Species: Felis catus
Crew Position: Unofficial Official Ship Cat
Rank: Commanding General of the Star League
Nationality: Lyrian

Appearance:

An adorable calico cat, with a coat of soft, glossy fur and surprisingly sharp claws reserved for those that offend her. Being a cat, Kerensky wears only a tasteful leather collar adorned with a small metal tag listing her name, mercenary affiliation, and Star League rank.

Personality:

The exceedingly proud, mostly benevolent ruler of the DropShip maintained by Marley's Misfits. Kerensky is fond of napping, pets, scritches, and the occasional belly rub. Convinced of her own supremacy and divine right to command the mercenaries Marley has assembled, Kerensky does not respond well to her unspoken orders being refused. Mercifully, Kerensky is quite adorable and the vast majority of her power is used only in the pursuit of snacks or cuddles.

Biographical History:

General Kerensky is confusingly, given her namesake, a female calico cat that Ziska has seen fit to adopt. In an impressively irreverent act, bordering on tasteless according to some ComStar adjacent mercenaries, Ziska has named her cat after the famed Star League general and hero, Alexander Kerensky. Sauntering throughout the Misfit's DropShip at all hours of the day or night, regardless of the status of any doors, Kerensky manages an impressive fiefdom centering largely on the mech hanger and Ziska's private quarters. The bane of many an Astech or Technician, Kerensky appears certain, quite certain, that she is in fact in charge of the entire operation, and reacts poorly to any actions that would imply otherwise.

Unfortunately for the rest of the Misfits, any complaints delivered to Ziska regarding the conduct of her cat are simply responded to with a well-practiced sigh, half-hearted shake of her head, and a comment on the fickle nature of all generals.

Happy Days and Hectic Nights

BattleTech: A Band of Misfits

My knowledge of BattleTech is a bit spotty, but I like what I've read so far.

So I am interested.

Legion of Heroes

Random question that I figured would be useful to ask here, but what city will play host to this RP?

Legion of Heroes

I'll save this spot for when I have a bit more to show. :)

However, the basic concept I am working on is a CPA by day and bespoke tailor by night, who moonlights as a vigilante in what little remains. Insomnia seems to be a given as this point, so sorry in advance fictional character.

Their superhuman talents center on the the ability to manipulate or move fabric at a distance (range/weight limited, magic or psychic in nature, who knows?) and to transform the physical properties of textiles (touch only, limited in terms of characteristics that can be changed, with scaling difficulty depending on the scope of any changes and duration).

Legion of Heroes

Uncertain of what I would like to write, but I like the GM answers to the questions that have been asked and the grounded starting point. :)

Which is a rambling way to say that I am interested.

Hello!

Hello,

Just another abstract proxy here to participate in some RPs.

I favor group RPs exclusively, comfortably posting in small to medium sized RPs.

I adore anything involving fantasy (of all sorts), science fiction (Cyberpunk vibes, please), and the occasional historical RP.

Yours Abstractedly,
AP