SavageRifts.con: In the Shadows of Skyscrapers and Soot

[High Command]

In the soot and filth covered streets of Poznan, the poor and destitute survive on whatever they can scrounge up as the rich and powerful live in the well-policed and always clean Poznan Underground. Gangs and worse prey on the unwary in this city of excess. Will you survive the sooty streets?

In the Shadows of Skyscrapers and Soot is a gritty crawl through the underbelly of the dirtiest and most crime ridden city in Europe where nothing ever happens and business is booming, just ask the merchants, mercenaries, and brokers! In the shadows of the factories and skyscrapers that help produce the largess and bounty of the New German Republic, bargain seekers come to Poznan to get knock-offs, second runs, and items that "fell off the truck" from the most advanced and productive assembly lines outside of Germany. Millions press to get a job at one of the factories, often not asking the important questions, like what are the terms of employment, how do you keep your job, what does it really pay?

Thus, many survive the day to day on what they can, paying enough to the local gangs (or police, if you're unlucky enough) to keep their homes safe from the other gangs (nothing keeps them safe from the police or connected companies). Despite the crime, everything hides in the lowest levels, behind a veneer of civility and understated violence. No one cares what happens outside of the main streets.

In this environment, you will pay one of six denizens of the streets. This is not a full Savage Rifts game, but rather an introduction to the concepts and setting. You will play a slightly advanced Savage Worlds beginning character with minimal gear trying to set your way out of this city by any means necessary!

[High Command]

Adam Nowak, Elven Hacker

Background
You have been finding all the secrets since you could type. You can get through a lot of encryption, even some of the more impressive stuff. You can shoot well enough not to kill yourself, but your computer is your weapon of choice. You are scraping by. You need a major upgrade and buying it just hasn't been in the cards. With it you know you could break into the big leagues! Just 3200 credits! Maybe a big score. Your friends and you maybe could do something. But who to ask for work? Maybe Nadja would know.

Novice Male Elf, MARS: Poznan Survivor

Iconic Framework: MARS: Poznan Survivor

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d8
Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d8, Driving d4, Electronics d8, Fighting d4, Hacking d8, Language (English) d4, Language (Euro) d8, Language (Russian) d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 9 (2)
Strain: 8/8
Hindrances: Driven (minor, To get out of Poznan), Greedy (minor), Impulsive, Quirk (Culturally Superior), Tongue-Tied
Armor: Armored Trenchcoat (Armor 2, Toughness 1)
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str), Sawed-Off Double-Barrel Shotgun (normally in backpack; Range 5/10/20, Damage (1-3)d6, ROF 1), Stun Gun (Range 5/10/20, Damage 2d4, ROF 1), Survival Knife (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4)
Gear: Backpack (Contains: Flashlight (10” beam), 20x Shotgun shell), Hand held computer
Languages: Russian (d4), English (d4), Euro (native, d8)
Current Wealth: 18 cr.

Special Abilities

• D-Bee (Minor): Initial Reactions typically start at Uncooperative, or Unfriendly for human supremacists. Those with Unfriendly or lower Reactions will refuse to sell wares or provide services such as healing, repairs, etc. Failed social checks with Hostile parties often result in violence.
• Driven: Elves have the Driven (Minor) Hindrance.
• Enchantingly Beautiful: Elves gain +1 to Performance and Persuasion rolls with all races and peoples, except human supremacists.
• Impudent: All elves have the Quirk (Minor—Culturally Superior) Hindrance.
• Low Light Vision: Elves ignore Illumination penalties for Dim and Dark lighting.
• Near-Human Physiology: Those unfamiliar with elven physiology suffer only a −1 penalty to Healing skill rolls and cybernetics checks.
• Physical and Mental Prowess: Elves start with d6 Agility and d6 Smarts; increase Trait maximums accordingly.
• Racial Animosity: Elves suffer −2 on Persuasion checks when dealing with dwarves.
• Languages Known: Russian (d4), English (d4), Euro (native, d8)
• Hacker (Hero's Journey): +1 when dealing with electronic security using Thievery

Current Load (normal/combat): 21.2 / 15 (21)

[High Command]

Tola Lipski, Psi-Stalker Street Tough (Bryan H)

Background
Unlike a lot of psi-stalkers, you don't particularly like the forest or living like a savage. You like cheeseburgers for your weekly meal, not fire roasted Petal Thing. Still, there's plenty of PPE rich critters in the slums, including a few nastier things. People tend to reward you when you take care of them. Got to be careful though. You don't have the highly trained hunting skills yet. A neuro-Mace covers a lot of ground though. Let's you take time to kill the things slow.

Could really do with some firepower. Which means cash. Maybe Nadja has something going. It's been a while since you all hung out.

Novice Female Psi-Stalker, MARS: Poznan Survivor

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Language (Euro) d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4-1, Riding d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Thievery d8
Pace: 8; Running Die: d8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
Strain: 6/6
Hindrances: Loyal, Mean, Overconfident
Edges: Ambidextrous, Martial Artist, Two-Fisted
Armor: Armored Trenchcoat (Armor 2, Toughness 1)
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4, +1 to Hit), 2x Neural Mace (Range Melee, Damage Str+d6, M.D.C.), Smoke Grenade (Range 5/1-/2-, Damage -, ROF 1), 2x Stun Grenades (Range 5/10/20, Damage -, ROF 1), 3x Throwing Knife (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4)
Gear: Backpack (Contains: Rope, nylon (10”/20 yards), Goggles, Lockpicks, Pepper Spray)
Language: Euro (native, d8)
Current Wealth: 55 cr.

Special Abilities

• Ambidexterity: Psi- Stalkers start with the Ambidextrous Edge.
• Animal Empathy: Psi-Stalkers start with Riding d6 and animals treat them as one of their own, though this can be problematic with territorial predators.
• Fast: Increase Pace by +2 and Running die by a die type.
• Mutant (Minor): Psi-Stalkers can be creepy and off-putting , especially to magic users and psionics. Not fully accepted in german or polish society and despised by the practioners of magic and demons, initial Reactions often start off Uncooperative.
• Psychic Sense: Psi-Stalkers have the inherent ability to detect arcana, this is an extra sense which is always active. They use the Notice skill to detect the presence and location of anything psychic, magic, or supernatural including invisible or astral beings, and arcane items. They can track specific beings and items using the Survival skill. Psychic Sense doesn’t work inside sealed armor or vehicles. Every point of cybernetic Strain imposes a −1 penalty.
• Psychic Vampire: See p64 of TLPG. In general, you either hunt the minor supernatural creatures that sometimes pop up (species of birds, nuisance rodents, etc) or you hunt around for muties and psychics and the occasional mage not in a protected area. There are enough critters to subsist off of, but not to live well off of. Sometimes a cousin from out of town will capture something dangerous and track it in and the whole family will feed, but that is very rare. Thankfully you don't have to hurt them much, so it doesn't have to be TOO violent.
• Racial Enemy: Psi-Stalker and Simvan tribes (see page 66) have been at war for generations. Meetings start argumentative and get worse. Psi-Stalkers suffer −2 Persuasion with Simvan. Simvan are common enough
• Restricted Paths: Psi-Stalkers cannot take an Arcane Background or Iconic Framework using PPE.
• Languages Known: Euro (native, d8)

Current Load: 27.5 (41)

[High Command]

Nadja Kunze, Human Fixer and Tour Guide

Novice Female Human, MARS: Poznan Survivor, and Fixer

Background
You began ferrying tourists around when you were ten. By the time you were 16 you had a steady route. Then one of the merchants hired you, part time. You got convinced to get the implant to help keep track of things. You still owe 3,000, plus any future interest. At 50 a month you've been paying it down, as aggressively as you can. You still do a lot of pro-bono work for them half the week, as per the contract.

But fact is you know people and where to ask for things. And with a little work, you can find what you don't know about.


Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d4+2, Driving d6, Electronics d6+2, Fighting d4, Gambling d6, Language (English) d10, Language (Euro (and German)) d8, Language (Gobbley/Orc) d10, Language (Polish) d10, Language (Russian) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Repair d6+2, Research d6+2, Shooting d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 8 (2)
Strain: 5/6
Hindrances: Driven (minor, Become a big time mercenary!), Impulsive, Obligation (minor, Part Time Work as an Enforcer)
Edges: Linguist, Streetwise
Armor: Armored Trenchcoat (Armor 2, Toughness 1)
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str), Stun Gun (Range 5/10/20, Damage 2d4, ROF 1), Switchblade (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4)
Gear: Backpack, Camera (disposable), Cellular Phone, Goggles, Hand held computer, Rope, nylon (10”/20 yards), Shovel
Languages: Russian (d6), Polish (d6), Gobbley/Orc (d6), English (d6), Euro (and German) (native, d8)
Current Wealth: 45 cr.

Special Abilities

• Core Electronics Package (1 strain, Rifts® TLPG Rifts® TLPG p.113): A computer with universal jack—grants +2 to Common Knowledge, Electronics, Hacking, Research, and Repair rolls. Radio (20-mile range), gyro-compass, clock-calendar. CEP is required for all other mods in this category.
• Languages Known: Russian (d6), Polish (d6), Gobbley/Orc (d6), English (d6), Euro (and German) (native, d8)

Cyberware

• Core Electronics Package (1 strain, Rifts® TLPG Rifts® TLPG p.113): A computer with universal jack—grants +2 to Common Knowledge, Electronics, Hacking, Research, and Repair rolls. Radio (20-mile range), gyro-compass, clock-calendar. CEP is required for all other mods in this category.

Vehicles

• Minivan (Size: 4 (Large); Handling: ; Toughness: 12 (2); Top Speed: 90mph/145kph; Notes: Typical family mini-van
  Air Bags
  Some luxury features)

Current Load: 20.5 (41)

[High Command]

Konrad Borecki, Quick Flex Bodyguard/Muscle (Jason C)

Background
"I'm good at this protection gig!" is your reply when people ask about your rates. To be fair, you are actually pretty good at this too. You can get to threats fast and no thief will get away from you. Nadja has been a good friend and contact. She's been one of your best recruiters for work. She calls it a protection package when the two of you escort clients around. Door opener and the muscle. Getting some real armor is high on your list. That means money. You've got a bunch squirreled away. Maybe another four thousand and you can finally afford it!

Novice Male Quick Flex, MARS: Poznan Survivor

Iconic Framework: MARS: Poznan Survivor

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Language (Euro) d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Survival d6
Pace: 8; Running Die: d8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
Strain: 6/6
Hindrances: Heroic, Loyal, Overconfident, Quirk (Juicer Wannabe)
Edges: Ambidextrous, Free Runner, Quick
Armor: Armored Trenchcoat (Armor 2, Toughness 1)
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str), Glock (9mm) (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, ROF 1, AP 1), Triax (H&K) MP5 (9mm; stored in backpack) (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, ROF 3, AP 1), Vibro-Knife (Range Melee, Damage Str+d6, AP 6)
Gear: Backpack (Contains: 2x MP5 30 Round Magazine, 2x Glock 9 17 round box magazine, Shovel, Rope, nylon (10”/20 yards))
Language: Euro (native, d8)
Current Wealth: 5 cr.

Special Abilities

• Agile: Quick-Flex start with a d8 Agility (and a Trait maximum of d12+2).
• Alien Physiology: Quick Flex are quite alien, giving those unfamiliar with their biology a −2 penalty to Healing and cybernetics checks. Juicer and Crazy augmentations don’t work for them. Compatible medical supplies/services and cybernetics cost double the listed price.
• Ambidexterity: All Quick-Flex possess the Ambidextrous Edge.
• D-Bee (Major): The initial Reactions to Quick Flex typically start at Unfriendly, or Hostile for human supremacists. Those with an Unfriendly or lower Reaction will refuse to sell wares or provide services such as healing, repairs, etc. Failed social checks with Hostile parties often result in violence.
• Elusive: Quick-Flex are difficult to pin down in close quarters, giving them a natural +1 to their Parry.
• Fast: Quick-Flex have +2 to Pace and increase their Running die by one die type (usually a Pace of 8 and d8 Running die).
• Quick: Begin play with the Quick Edge.
• Restricted Path: Quick-Flex cannot take an Arcane Background or Iconic Framework using PPE.
• Short Attention Span: Quick-Flex have a difficult time sitting still and focusing on intellectual pursuits. They suffer a −1 to all Smarts rolls, but not Smarts linked skill checks.
• Supreme Confidence: All Quick-Flex are inherently Overconfident in addition to any other Hindrances chosen by the player.
• Languages Known: Euro (native, d8)

Current Load: 30.18 (61)