[Sci-Fi/Action] Salvatore Bertucci

Salvatore Bertucci is clever, well spoken, and tough -- but not so much so that he's particularly dangerous on his own. Known as "good people" and as an "all around good guy to know", Sal has connections among various crime syndicates and uses his connections to his and his fellows advantage. "Get In, Get Out" seems to be Sal's motto in both love and life, as he's dipped his hand in many ventures from quasi-legal bars and nightclubs to petty rackets, and has moved from one planet to the next over six times in as many years.

Another proof-of-concept character, Salvatore Bertucci is a basic "Made-Man" archetype, romanticized just a little bit. This character was built using the rules in the Savage Worlds Test Drive v6 Document. However, I see nothing that conflicts with the rules presented in the Savage Worlds Explorer's Edition.

Salvatore Bertucci [WC] ("Made" Man, Mafia Stereotype)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice (0 Exp)

Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8

Skills:
Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Notice d4, Intimidate d6, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Streetwise d8

Derived Stats:
Pace: 5+1d4"
Charisma: 0
Parry: 5
Toughness: 8 (Base 6, Obese 1, Armored Clothing 1)

Edges:
Connections

Hindrances:
Code of Honor(M), Greedy(m), Obese(m)

Gear:
Stylish Armored Suit (1 Armor), Concealable Blaster Pistol (Treat as 9mm Pistol), Brass Knuckles (STR+1d4)

[Sci-Fi] John Harkness, Jr

John Harkness, Jr started his life in a working class community in an industrial sector of Alliance space. A bright and personable child, he seemed otherwise average in all respects. However, certain... oddities... began to manifest more and more frequently as he got older. To his Father's amusement and profit, Junior (as his parents called him) had a knack for picking numbers in dice, in cards, and on the wheel. Indeed, he came out well ahead of the probability curve, enough so that his parents reckoned correctly that their child was special.

Unable to afford the costly trip into the Alliance Core for official government psychic aptitude testing, John's parents instead opted to have their son tested at a regional testing center, unconnected to the PsiCops or the Alliance government. John fought his parent tooth and claw about not wanted to go to this facility, but a firm backhand from his father silenced him. That was the last time he spoke with his family.

No one is really certain how highly John scored, however, it must have been quite impressive. Almost three days had past before local authorities found the bodies of John and Lillian Harkness sitting where they had been shot in the waiting room. There was no sign of their son. All files and records had been erased, and the facilities proprieters not only disappeared, but seemed to have never officially existed at all.

Young John, however, suspected that something was amiss. He got that tight, tugging feeling on his insides that he always felt when something bad was about to happed. When his first round of testing was complete, and the examiner stepped out of the room, John took his chance to slip out the door and sneak down a side corridor. He pretended not to hear the shots, a short sequence of humming pulses indicative of blaster fire, and leapt out through the garbage chute. By the time he'd made his way home, John saw that a trio of strangers were outside, watching the apartment complex. One of them turned and saw him, calling to the others, and tried to chase John down... but this was a familiar place. John ducked off the regular roads and made for the star port. In a little time, he found himself sneaking aboard a short-run freighter. Now John is on the run, unsure of who to trust, and struggling to survive. He's stolen what he needs from the crew of the lightly manned freighter, and has no idea even where he's going.

[This character was built using the rules in the Savage Worlds Test Drive v6 Document to demonstrate how a playable character can be made to have both a playable concept and be a bennie generating machine. This character gains 3 bennies per session more than the average Wild Card player character from his combination of Edges and Hindrances. ]

John Harkness, Jr (WC), Kid on the Run (Latent Psychic)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice (0 Exp)

Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4

Skills:
Fighting d4, Gambling d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Stealth d6, Survival d4, Throwing d4

Derived Stats:
Pace: 6+1d6
Charisma: 0
Parry: 4
Toughness: 5 (Base 4, Clothing 1)

Edges:
Luck, Great Luck, Danger Sense

Hindrances:
Young (M), Wanted - PsiCops and other, less reputable interests in the psychic community (m; To capture/locate/recruit/indoctrinate), Cautious (m)

Gear:
Synthetic BioPolymer Clothing (Armor 1), Knife (1d4), Water Jug

[Action/Science Fiction] Hotshot Pilot

Designed for my scifi setting, the Hotshot pilot is a proof-of-concept character illustrating that a Novice character can work as a viable combat pilot. An archetypal character in conflict/action oriented science fiction and space opera, the Hot Shot pilot is often young, brash, and oozing with talent. Basically good at heart, it can sometimes be difficult to notice under the bluff and bluster the pilot tosses about to make himself feel as important as he really wishes he was.

This character was built using the rules in the Savage Worlds Test Drive v6 Document. However, I see nothing that conflicts with the rules presented in the Savage Worlds Explorer's Edition.


Hotshot Pilot (Pre-Built Player Character Template)
Race: Human
Gender: Any
Rank: Novice (0 Exp)

Attributes:
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills:
Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d6, Piloting d10, Repair d4, Shooting d6, Taunt d6

Derived Stats:
Pace: 6+1d6
Charisma: 0
Parry: 4
Toughness: 6 (Base 5, Flight Suit 1)

Edges:
Ace

Hindrances:
Overconfident (M), Loyal (m), Vengeful (m)

Gear:
Flight Suit, Breathing Mask, Simple Toolkit, Light Side Arm (Treat as 9mm Pistol)

Depending on the campaign, the Hotshot Pilot should also have some kind of personal fighter craft available to them.

So... Why No Updates?

Well, I've been working on a science fiction setting that is starting to feel like the lovechild of Dune, Firefly/Serenity, and Farscape with a few small dashes of KotOR-era Starwars and Stargate tossed in for a bit of spiciness. Between filling steno-pads with assorted notes while at work, and trying to end my long running Fantasy Hero campaign I haven't had much time for posting characters. But all is not lost!

I'll be posting more about the setting later, but from a game-play standpoint, I wanted fast, furious, and memorable starship combat to be a key component. To that end, I've been working on ship designs for various factions and brainstorming a few rules for improving space combat in stock Savage Worlds.

I know, I know! I should just buy the Sci-Fi toolkits -- I just have big problems buying PDFs of game supplements that provide material in the form of rules and guidelines that will likely never see print. More annoying is that if I use something from a toolkit, whatever I used would have to be rewritten if i ever decided to buy a Savage License and publish something myself. Not cool. I with the Pinnacle folks would just print a rules compendium with all the assorted special rules, edges, hindrances, arcane abilities, etc. from the published settings -- excepting those that are intrinsically tied to the setting itself.

Anyway, here is a taste of what's to come. Spaceships!

Many of these are in progress and most have setting designations on them... ignore all that for now since most of it will be changing anyway. What is important is that I hope to post Savage Statistics for some of these spaceships in the coming weeks.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering... two of the four unnamed craft at the bottom of the picture actually do have names. The two left most are the [top] Nephilim Class Battlecruiser and [bottom] Goblin Class Heavy Shuttle. Notice the similarity between the Goblin and the Hobgoblin [very top row, on the right], which is just a custom variant of the Goblin used by one faction.

Anya Belikov

Dilettante. World Traveler. International Jewel Thief. All of the above can describe the infamous Anya Belikov, known Stateside as Annabelle Rasputin. At least once a year her name, or that of an alias, crosses the headlines of newspapers worldwide after some great jewel heist. How do folks know it is Anya Belikov? She leaves her calling card - a Queen of Diamonds from any old playing card deck.

Born to privilege as the youngest daughter of very large family well favored by the Tsars, Anya developed a fondness for pretty and expensive baubles. Though she may well have purchased anything she wanted, she stole for the thrill and for the attention. Each time she was found, her family made a fuss over her and the whole matter, paying vast sums to cover up her crimes. In time, her family cast her out, tired of the constant embarrassment and risk of danger. But by this time, Anya was a young woman, and had secreted away more than enough money to see the world in style.

Now, years later, Anya keeps moving. She never stays long in any once place -- only for such time as needed to acquire some item of interest, sell off an item from an earlier heist, or simply pass on through...

...Of course, it doesn't help that she's a Wanted felon across most of Western Europe and North America and that a family of wealthy British landowners hired an independent bounty hunter to track her down and deliver her to them, personally.


Anya Belikov (WC)

Aliases: Annabelle Rasputin, Annika Belle
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Rank: Veteran (40 XP)

Attributes
Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d6

Skills
Fighting d6, Investigation d6, Knowledge (High Society) d6, Language (English) d6, Language (French) d6, Language (German) d4, Lockpicking d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6, Throwing d6

Derived Stats
Pace: 6+1d6
Charisma: 4
Parry: 5
Toughness: 5

Edges
Attractive, Charismatic, Rich

Hindrances
Wanted (M), Quirk - Leaves a Calling Card (Queen of Diamonds) (m), Enemy - Thorn Blackbriar, Bounty Hunter (m)

Gear
Umbrella with a concealed blade (STR+d4; +1 to Trick Attempts involving the Umbrella), 2 Throwing Knives (STR+d4), Assorted Fine Clothing, Lockpicks, Handbag, Silk Cord, a Deck of Cards containing all Queens of Diamonds, other Odds and Ends as needed

Zombie Scenario: The Basics

I've held off over a week on this post, hoping that one of my players would get me the pictures he took of the game table as we were playing. Alas, I never received the pictures. But I still want to post something short about the scenario itself.

There were four player characters, two of whom played the characters I have on this site: the thug and the rookie cop. The other characters were a high school track coach and an old vietnam vet who worked as a streetcorner hotdog vendor. They all began the session just past a moment of crisis -- the city in which they lived had been the target of a terrorist attack which leveled the downtown area. However, that attack had been a cover for a more insidious assault. A biological weapon had been released, slow acting but very dangerous, which caused people to get feverish, fall into seizures, and then rise up as feral, bestial beings with little higher thought. Essentially, they arose as Zombies.

The police and medical communities referred to these creatures as Carriers, since they were not only infected by this bioweapon, but could infect others with whom they'd come in contact. Saliva, blood, and any prolonged or significant contact with a Carrier's bodily fluids could result in infection. The city panicked, and in moments a population nearing a million people overburdened the exits from the city.

You see, the City is an island bordered by an ocean on one side, and a massive, waste strewn river on the other. One of the last news broadcasts within the City warned against crossing the river -- it seems there were Carriers, or something worse, within the waters. The only viable exits were the bridges out to the mainland, most of which were downed with traffic, dead from accidents, or leveled in the first, explosive attack.

Of course, the government involved itself very quickly. Black helicoptors flew patterns over the city, and massive loudspeakers were set around the coastal mainland and on ships anchored in the waters on the ocean side. People were told every half an hour to make their way to the only accessible bridges remaining in the city. People were told to avoid all contact with the Carriers. People were told to leave their belongings, loved ones, and pets behind. It was every man for himself.

But a few people remained in the city. Some were police, striving to save as many stragglers as possible. Others were the old, the sick, or the insane. And some just had no flipping idea what was happening. Time wore on, the regular messages put forth from the government stated that at 8 PM, the city would be sealed. Who the hell knew what that meant?

However, the messages has stopped coming on schedule. It had been 2 and a half hours since the last one.

Thus we began. It was 4:30 PM,in an upscale neighborhood. Two high rise apartments towered over a large, wooded park, beyond which was a construction zone for a third tower. A police box, information kiosk, and snack stand stood at the north end of the park. A highway ran alongside the river, about 60 feet up a high, rocky cliff. However, this highway was still, the cars backed up a dozen deep behind an accident begun by a jack-knifed trailer truck. All of the cars were empty. As were the apartments.

We began with the characters in appropriate situations. A single "Crackhead" (read, Carrier) ambled toward the food cart. From there, they noticed something strange about the person... Once gunshots were fired, other Carriers in the woods converged on the source of the sound at a full run. The Player Characters had to put down the horde of zombies without themselves succumbing to infection or without killing each other (a cop and a violent criminal in the same group, go figure). During all of this, they tried to find a working vehicle, some fuel, and clear a path to get a car through the park and back down the road to find another avenue to a bridge out of the City. The cop even managed to use his radio to try and listen for other survivors. He caught flashes of conversation from another group of people on another end of the island, and even managed once to hear another cop calling for help as he was overrun by zombies downtown (foreshadowing what was intended to come).

In play, everyone survived the fight. Although many bennies were spent to make sure that happened. Mix one part role playing, one part humor, one part teamwork, and a lot of dice luck and things seemed to go well.

Unfortunately, time was getting away from us so we could not play through the next scene of the game -- in which the PCs had to skirt the ruined edges of downtown and somehow get through a massive assemblage of Carriers clustered in the road attacking a small group of survivers. Instead we narrated as a group what we felt should happen, and everyone agreed that they survived to get on a bridge -- only to be gunned down by the military, unwilling to take any more risked of infected persons crossing over. It was my intended ending anyway, so things worked out well.

As far as game mechanics were concerned, I used a slightly modified version of the Zombie from the Explorer's Edition book, beefing up its STRENGTH to a d8, removing the Shooting Skill, and adding an ability for it to infect people.

Potential infection occurred when a character was subjected to any body fluids of a Carrier, who were generally covered in blood anyway. Exposure occurred if a character was wounded by a Carrier or exposed to its blood in a significant way (attacking it with a chainsaw, punching it repeatedly, reaching inside one, having one explode on you, etc.) and required a VIGOR roll at the end of the round. A failed roll meant the character was infected, and infected characters had to make a SPIRIT roll every 10 minutes or succumb -- falling into seizures and arising as a Carrier a minute later. Wound penalties applied to all of these rolls.

All in all, this was a fun scenario which exposed two new players to Savage Worlds and allowed three others (including myself) to play again after over a year. I definitely made one convert because of the session, and he's already singing Savage praises to other gaming groups he knows.

Zombie Scenario: Characters, Part 2

“Drunk Tank” is a self-indulgent bastard. There’s no kind way to say it. The only things in this world he loves are his vices. And his favorite vice is a good, stiff drink. A born bully, Drunk Tank is physically powerful, tough, and self assured. He grew up in a juvenile detention facility after attacking his parents with the family cat, and quickly bounced his way into the county jail after several drunken assaults. A recommendation from the judge landed him in the Marine Corps, but Drunk Tank washed out after less than a month. He’s been in and out of jail ever since.

“Drunk Tank” Markowski is tall, about 6’5”, and large, about 320 lbs, and made of solid muscle. He loves using his size to his advantage against smaller people and prefers wearing long trenchcoats or dusters, inside of which he can hide several blades and even a gun or two. He keeps to the periphery of the Biker Gang community, often riding with one crew or another for a short time – until they figure out he’s a loose cannon and leave him to face the cops after whatever nonsense he’s caused.

Hank "Drunk Tank" Markowski (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice

Attributes
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8

Skills
Driving d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shooting d4, Streetwise d4, Taunt d4, Throwing d4

Derived Stats
Charisma: -2
Pace: 6+1d6
Parry: 6
Toughness: 8 (Base 6, Toughness 1, Armor 1)

Edges
Brawny

Hindrances
Habit – Alcohol (M), Mean (m), Wanted – Assault (m)

Gear
Fireaxe (STR+1d8), 3 Knives (STR+1d4, 3/6/12, RoF1), Leather Duster (Armor 1), Sawed Off 12g DB Shotgun (1-3d6, 5/10/20, RoF1-2)

Ammo
Shotgun 2 Shots

Zombie Scenario: Characters, Part 1

A rookie cop, eager to prove himself, Jack O'Brian was nonetheless helpless as he watched his partner succumb to the Change and kill two helpless civilians. He hesitated, and his partner killed a third person, a child. Only then did Jack act, first trying to arrest his partner, then shooting him when the futility of words became apparent. A whole clip of ammo later, Jack's partner lay still...

His radio buzzing with chatter, Jack could not get word to his precinct. Feeling almost helpless, he sprinted there only to find the place swarming with Carriers. Jack shot his way inside, but was too late. Everyone inside was infected. There was no place left to go but out of the city.

Jack O'Brian is a young cop with less than a year on the force. He's struggled to find his place and questioned too many of his decisions up to now. But he knows he has to help people get out, help people survive long enough to get to the world outside. He can hear the sporadic radio chatter, see the occasional chopper flying overhead. Surely there must be a way.

Jack O’Brian (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice

Attributes
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills
Climbing d6, Drive d6, Fighting d6, Investigation d4, Knowledge (Law) d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6

Derived Stats
Charisma: 0/+2
Pace: 8+1d10
Parry: 5
Toughness: 7 (Base 5, Kevlar 2, +2 More versus Bullets)

Edges
Authority, Fleetfooted

Hindrances
Loyal (m), Cautious (m), Vow - Police Oath of Office (M)

Gear
Kevlar Vest (Armor +2/+4 v Bullets, Negates 4AP, Torso Only), 9mm Pistol (2d6 AP1, RoF1, Semi-Auto), Baton (STR+d4), 12g Pump Shotgun (1-3d6, RoF1), Handcuffs, Flashlight, Portable Police Radio, Police Cruiser (Abandoned and out of fuel)

Ammo
9mm 17 Shots
Shotgun 6 Shots

Authority (New Edge)

New Edge

Authority – Grants a +2 bonus to Charisma in those situations where persons favorable to authority would react positively. Furthermore this edge allows a measure of authority over persons within a defined jurisdiction, allowing – within the bounds of the law – an authority figure the right to search, detain, or arrest private individuals and to use appropriate force toward those ends.

However, authority is accompanied by responsibility. A character with this edge is often subject to orders and accountable to a specified code of conduct. His behavior may be held to some measure of scrutiny, and failure to live up to such responsibilities may be met by temporary, or even permanent, revocation of the privileges of his authority.

Most characters with the Authority Edge are provided assistance from within the power structure granting said authority. Generally, this comes in the form of standard gear. The character is accountable for any use of such gear, and irresponsible use of such equipment may land the character in trouble.

For Example:
Jack O'Brian, a Chicago Police Officer, is assigned a Police Cruiser (a Large Sedan), a side arm (9mm Pistol), a baton, a shotgun (12 gauge; kept in the car), pepper spray, a Kevlar vest, handcuffs, a police radio, and a uniform. If Officer O'Brian uses the gun assigned to him, he may be called upon to account for every bullet fired.

Persons with the Authority Edge may also attempt to requisition additional equipment or obtain the help of others with jurisdictional authority similar to their own. The difficulty varies depending on the nature of the request as well as the type of campaign being played. Requisitioning gear generally requires a successful Persuasion roll for routine requests (in Jack O'Brian's case, extra ammo or calling in an additional unit for backup), or a raise for more serious requests (drugs for an undercover operation; calling a SWAT team).

Authority can be a very potent edge; it should not be treated lightly. Characters are subject to increased demands on their time and high levels of accountability for their actions. A character with a lackadaisical attitude or general negligence runs the risk of losing their privilege or even having the jurisdiction turn against them (e.g. a dirty cop investigated by Internal Affairs).

This edge may be selected one additional time within a particular jurisdiction, representing an increased level of Authority. This allows a character some measure of superiority over others with jurisdictional authority at a lower rank, and grants a +2 bonus to rolls requesting additional equipment or support. Alternatively, this edge may be selected for a different jurisdiction, so that a character is empowered by the law in more than one range of jurisdictions.

"The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men..."

Well, so much for posting a new cluster of characters for a generally 19th century setting. Much of my play group has agreed it would be cool to have a one-shot session of Savage Worlds so some of them who have not yet played the game might see what it is like. Since they are easy to run and generally fun for different types of roleplayers, I am going to put my players through a zombie scenario. I have to keep it simple, and I think a definite goal is in order just to keep them on a forward-thinking path. There needs to be something for the combat junkies, something for the problem solvers, something for the social players, and some kind of back story leading up to the beginning of the game. Perhaps I'll post an outline of the scenario after it is run. Perhaps not.

Anyway, I am going to switch things around a little in light of the short game. Since there will be some pre-built characters available to the players (if they don't feel like making their own), I figure I'll post them here over the next few days. I want to keep the characters almost archetypal, with a short logline sufficient for describing their basic nature. Right now, I am leaning toward:

• A young, rookie cop
• A street thug
• A petty thief
• A grizzled old mechanic
• A kid
• A college student
  

Unfortunately, I'll probably have to post them without pictures at first.

Some of my players rather enjoy "Boss Fights", so I may toss in one Superior Zombie who is also a Wild Card for the climactic scene of the session. If I do, I'll post that too.

Cassius Carlin

They say that when you need to find something that doesn't want to be found, the first man with whom you should speak is Cassius Carlin. A portly man in his early 30s, Cassius dresses himself in nondescript, semi-formal attire. You'd never look twice at the man unless you knew to find him. And that is how Cassius prefers it to be.

A gambler by trade, Cassius Carlin supplements his income with petty cons and information brokering. His information is top notch, and if he doesn't know exactly what you need, theres a good bet he can tell you where to look next. In truth, he's a very likable when he wants to be, affable, gregarious, and generally pleasant – all good traits when you haunt the local gambling houses listening in on peoples conversations and watching the movers and shakers of the regional underworld. However, don't cross the man – his good nature turns deadly sour when he uncovers a liar, manipulator, or cheat. His reputation relies upon honest, solid deals in the back room and and straight skill at the card table. Don't mess with a man's livelihood.

He keeps a small derringer in the top of his hat and a larger pistol in his jacket. His large walking stick is weighted and reinforced, and Cassius doesn't hide that it is, in truth, more of a heavy cudgel. While not a fighter by trade, Cassius nonetheless knows how to handle himself and will not be pushed around. Most folks know to keep Cassius close... but not too close. He pretty well stays neutral in regional affairs, and more than one faction in a squabble has come seeking information from him. So long as the money is good, he'll stick around and sell to all sides. But if it gets too hot, well, Cassius Carlin knows how to find the local train depot and get the hell out of town.

Cassius Carlin (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Veteran (40 XP)

Attributes
Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills
Fighting d6, Gambling d10, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Shooting d6, Streetwise d8, Taunt d8

Derived Stats
Pace: 5+1d4
Charisma: 2
Parry: 5
Toughness: 6 (Base 5, Obese 1)

Edges
Luck, Charismatic, Connections

Hindrances
Obese (m), Wanted – Petty Cons (m), Vengeful (M)

Gear
Playing Cards, Marked Playing Cards, Dice, Loaded Dice, Derringer (2d6+1 AP1; 5/10/20; RoF 1), Pistol (2d6+1 AP1; 12/24/48; RoF 1), Cudgel/Walking Stick (STR+d4), Large Traveling Bag, Assorted Foodstuffs, about $1000 for gambling, bribes, and information payoffs.

An Aside...

Hey folks,

I just wanted to make a few comments here before posting some new characters. I've been enjoying mucking about with some character builds and back-story, and I am certainly feeling the itch to play a game. Even if it is just a big miniatures battle, I'd be a happy guy.

Anyway...

Now that a quintet of novice fantasy characters has been posted, I've decided to modernize a bit and post a couple of characters suitable for dropping into Western or Pulp games as NPCs. These characters will all be built normally (with appropriate XP listed), but will vary in rank. I am keeping them all to vanilla Savage Worlds, instead of using any setting material. In part, this is so I can keep the character generic enough it can be dropped into any appropriate campaign. The other reason is because the only setting book I have access to is Deadlands Reloaded, and I would eventually like to post a handful of characters specific to that setting -- characters that could exist only in the Wierd West.

I am planning, ultimately, to group characters by genre and setting type. Right now there are just the five fantasy characters posted:

So where am I going from here? After posting a few characters designed for Pulp, Western, or even Victorian settings, I am hoping to move forward into Modern Action, and then Science Fiction. After that? Perhaps some new monsters or character races. Maybe even a one-sheet to use some of the material in the blog. We'll see.

Hutchins the Archer

Hutchins had a childhood dream. He wanted to be a Hero.

Unfortunately, as Hutchins learned quickly enough, Heroes get hurt. They get cut. They bleed. They die. And as quickly as he'd begun training with a blade, he gave it up. No Sir, the Heroes life was not the right choice after all. Better to stand far... FAR... away from a fight and launch an arrow or three. If the fighting gets too close, well, thats what running away is for. Indeed, Hutchins found himself to be proficient at both shooting AND fleeing. Coupled with a nose for scenting out danger, Hutchins was far from heroic material. Hutchins is a natural born coward.

Now, please don't think that makes Hutchins a bad person. He's affable enough and his cowardice doesn't usually affect others too badly. See, Hutchins is a man with ideas. Thats right, ideas. He figures he can still manage to find a Hero's payoff without all the Hero's risk. Its just a matter of finding the angle, right? And the key to that angle seems to be hiding among more sturdy folk, letting the folk who want to fight – who get off on fighting – do what they do best. See, no problems there. Hutchins will just hang back, take a shot when the opportunity presents itself, and let the cash roll in. If things get hairy, well, he'll do what he does best and run his buns off.

Hutchins is an Archer for hire, and tends to take jobs where there are lots of wide open spaces. No dungeon delving for Hutchins, no Sir. Keep to the wide open spaces, thats his motto. More space to shoot. More space to run away. Space is good. Goooooood.

Hutchins the Archer (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice

Attributes
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills
Climbing d6, Fighting d4, Healing d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d6

Derived Stats
Pace: 8+1d10
Charisma: 0
Parry: 4
Toughness: 5

Edges
Danger Sense, Fleet Footed

Hindrances
Greedy (m), Phobia – Enclosed Spaces (m), Yellow (M)

Gear
Bow (Damage 2d6; 12/24/48; RoF 1), Short Sword (STR+1d6), Quiver with 20 Arrows, 15 Coins

Galloran

Born the only son of village schoolteachers, Galloran was raised with a love of learning. Always bookish and kind of pudgy, he none the less showed a willingness to engage in hard work and daily chores. When the gift of magic manifested, Galloran's parents were ecstatic... until the reality of their situation set in. Too poor to get the boy formal training, they managed to acquire what books and information they could. Through second hand grimoires and the odd lesson gleaned from passers by, Galloran was largely self taught. He furthered his study by traveling where he could, using the resources of other libraries to answer question after question. Even as a young man, Galloran retained his short stature and quickly learned to defend himself against all but the most skilled of bullies. He toughened up immensely, and learned not to be pressured by others who would sway him.

But Galloran developed a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He saw plainly those other magic wielders born to privilege enough to afford more formal training. He noted how much easier their studies became within the constraints of a structured environment. Galloran seethed at their coddled lifestyle and little social cliques.

Perhaps it was just a bad day (though in truth part of Galloran wanted it to happen) when a cluster of these young wizards pushed past him arrogantly. Galloran demanded an apology, but recieved a snide, mocking comment instead. Galloran demanded a wizard's duel. Once the laughter subsided from his peers, the other wizard agreed haughtily.

He simply could have walked away, any offense subsiding in short time. Instead, Galloran forcibly escalated the matter. The dual was fought, and in truth both casters were fairly evenly matched in magical abilities. But Galloran had one advantage -- some measure of experience growing up in the real world. As flurries of eldritch energies were launched and deflected until both caster panted near exhaustion, Galloran did the unexpected. After deflecting a final bolt from his opponent, Galloran closed the distance and struck him hard across the head with walking stick. The young wizard dropped to the ground, unconscious and twitching, even as Galloran laughed and walked away. Magic doesn't solve everything.

In the weeks that have followed since defeating a schooled wizard, Galloran's ego has grown, and so has his own estimation of his abilities. Now Galloran is poised to travel to a new locale, one in which a powerful Magus once had a library of over a hundred volumes. But the journey will be long, and who knows what he will find along the way.

Galloran (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice

Attributes
Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d8

Skills
Fighting d6, Intimidate d4, Investigate d6, Knowledge(Magic) d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Spellcasting d8

Derived Stats
Pace: 6+1d6
Charisma: 0
Parry: 5
Toughness: 6 (Base 6, Small -1, Armor +1)

Edges
Arcane Background (Magic), Wizard

Powers
Bolt, Deflection, Obscure

Hindrances
Small (M), Quirk - Needlessly attempts to prove his superiority over formally educated wizards (m), Enemy - Rival Wizard that Galloran defeated in a duel (m)

Gear
Leather Armor (Armor +1), Club (Brass Topped Walking Stick; STR+d4), Magical Supplies, Fine Clothing, 240 Coins

Notes
Galloran is a fairly direct wizard build with no real surprises. He's just a basic example of a usable wizard who is capable of surviving from Novice rank, despite his Small hindrance.

Gardiff the Lost

Gardiff always was a little dim – the last to understand the moral of a story, the last to learn to tie his shoes. He couldn't fix a cart or plow. He never did learn his letters or how to write his own name. But what Gardiff did learn, he learned well. A strong sense of right and wrong, for example, always has colored Gardiff’s perception of the world. A good thing, too, since even as Gardiff’s mind lagged behind his fellows, his body grew to dwarf theirs. Standing a hair under seven feet tall and well over 300 lbs, Gardiff is a physical monster among men.

Think what you wish of young Gardiff, he was not so stupid he couldn’t recognize what few talents and advantages he held. Easily enough he could have bullied the people around him. Instead, his strong moral compass led him in the other direction. Gardiff became a protector, helping those persons weaker than he against those would prey upon them. In a way, he forged a symbiotic relationship with his peers; where he kept them from harm, they looked out for him when faced with persons who would dupe or manipulate him.

Gardiff and his friends grew to adulthood, in time joining their home town militia. Trained to fight with blade and fist, it appeared that Gardiff had found his place in the world. He threw himself into his studies with impassioned fervor, diligently absorbing each lesson his swordmasters presented. But near the end of his training, Gardiff’s world collapsed. Alongside his friends, Gardiff had been camped in the hills just outside of town. They never saw their attackers as arrows tore through the thin tent-cloth and sank deeply into unsuspecting flesh. Gardiff awoke two days later in cabin of the town’s healer, his wounds bound in thin gauze. He was the sole survivor.

Gardiff lost his place in the world, namely a place alongside his friends. Now, Gardiff has found no other choice but to leave his homeland and all of its tumultuous memories. He is disheartened, a little broken inside, but he knows he must find a new way in the world.

Gardiff the Lost (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice

Attributes
Agility d6 Smarts d4 Spirit d4 Strength d10 Vigor d10

Skills
Fighting d8, Intimidate d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d6, Swimming d6, Throwing d6

Derived Stats
Pace 6+1d6
Charisma 0
Parry 5 (Base 6, Great Sword -1)
Toughness 9 (Base 7, Toughness 1, Armor 1)

Edges
Brawny

Hindrances
All-Thumbs(m), Illiterate(m), Heroic (M)

Gear
Two Handed Sword (STR+1d10, Parry -1, 2H), Leather Armor (Armor+1), Backpack

Notes
A picture is forthcoming.

Arlin Greyrunes

For as long as he can remember, Arlin has been marked by two, gray runes on his inner forearms. His parents, when they were alive, told him only that the runes appeared there one day when he was barely a toddler. Arlin suspected they were hiding something from him, and from time to time would inquire anew. But the answer was always the same.

He and his parents, fur trappers both, moved around a lot, never living in a large community and never remaining for more than a year or two. As Arlin's thirteenth birthday approached, he noticed his mother's increasing nervousness. She would break down in tears when she suspected Arlin did not notice her watching him.

They had been living on the shores of a large, forested lake for just about a year. When the stranger came, Arlin was down by the lakeside gathering fresh water as he did many mornings. A full head taller than Arlin's father, yet seeming impossibly slight, the man was swathed in a heavy gray cloak. Menace rolled off the strange figure as he pushed open the front door and stepped inside.

First came the choked scream of Arlin's mother – a shrill cry that stopped too abruptly. Next was the heavy crash of Arlin's father smashing backward through the door and landing sprawled upon the ground. The Stranger strode through the splintered doorway, knelt down over Arlin's father, and plunged his finger tips into the man's eyes.

The Stranger followed Arlin through the forest for over an hour. Arlin hid as best he could, but the Stranger seemed somehow to know all the boy's secret hideaways; it was like he knew what Arlin's own father had known. When the chase came to an end, the Stranger found him hidden in the high branches of a tree. Arms of liquid darkness stretched up and encircled him, dragged him down from his vantage, and held him at eye level with the gray cloaked figure. He had no face, just a black gauze mask wrapped loosely around his head.

Arlin remembers very little of what happened next, the frenetic blur of action as he struggled fruitlessly to fight the slayer of his parents. Most of it was lost to the pain as his forearms burned as though seared by acid. The Stranger recoiled even as tendrils of darkness lashed out from beneath his cloak and wrapped around Arlin's neck. Dragged down to the lake, Arlin was held beneath the chill waters until oblivion swallowed him whole.

He awoke on the far lake shore, wet and battered, but alive. In the ten years since, Arlin has taken the name Grayrunes, though he keeps the runes themselves covered up. No longer a helpless little boy, he's learned how to handle himself in a fight. He's picked up a little bit here and there about who the Stranger was, but has found precious little about the Grey Runes or why he is still even alive.

Arlin Grayrunes (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice (5 XP)

Attributes
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8

Skills
Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Investigation d4, Knowledge (Dark Cults) d4, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Survival d6, Tracking d6

Derived Stats
Pace: 6+1d6
Parry: 6
Charisma: 0
Toughness: 7 (Base 6, Armor 1)

Edges
Two Fisted, Nerves of Steel

Hindrances
Enemy – Those who are hunting the Gray Runes (m), Vengeful (m), Vow – Uncover the Secret of the Gray Runes he bears (M)

Gear
Axe (STR+d6), Swort Sword (STR+d6), Dagger (STR+d4), Leather Armor (Armor +1), 25 Coins

Notes
Character has 5 XP to represent some of the time spent in training

Paradys Rathburn

Acerbic and possessed of a mouth even fouler than her temper, Paradys Rathburn is a young investigator for hire. Her natural curiosity made this an obvious career path, though she retains few repeat clients. If not for her poor social skills and predisposition to seeing the law as flexible, even malleable, she might have made an excellent constable. Instead, she walks a fine line between citizen and criminal, with neither side being particularly quick to claim her as their own.

Of average appearance and build, she blends well into the city crowds. She dresses plainly, for function over style, and does little to draw undue attention to herself. However, when backed into a corner, Paradys Rathburn has demonstrated time and again that she is a competent combatant with both her rapier and her tongue.

Paradys Rathburn (WC)

Race: Human
Gender: Female
Rank: Novice

Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills:
Fighting d6, Investigation d8, Knowledge (Law) d4, Lockpicking d6, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6

Derived Stats:
Pace: 6+1d6
Parry: 5 (6 w/ Rapier)
Charisma: -2
Toughness: 6 (Base 5; Armor 1)

Edges:
Alertness

Hindrances:
Mean (m), Quirk – Foul Mouthed (m), Curious (M)

Gear:
Leather Coat (Armor +1), Rapier (STR+1d4; +1 Parry), Lockpicks, 100 Coins

Notes:
Paradys Rathburn is a both an attempt to build a hard boiled detective at the start of her career, and an attempt to do so for a fantasy setting. Relatively inexperienced, she is clever and canny, holding the promise of greater things to come. At this stage, she is her own worst enemy, quick to offend and even quicker to place herself in situations way over her head.

She is a character well suited for an urban setting, probably a port city. Her foul mouth and mean spirit could mean she grew up as a wharf rat – one of the many poor youth that clamor among the docks, forming gangs or shipping to sea at too early an age. Her parents likely were sailors, gone for long periods of time which left young Paradys an orphan of circumstance if not by fact. The only thing her parents ever gave her was her colorful vocabulary and the harsh lesson that she can only rely on herself in this world. As Paradys became a young woman, she grew callous and disconnected from others, the differences from her peers growing more and more pronounced. And yet, she watched them, studied them, and learned their patterns, habits, where they go, and how to hurt them.

Of course, this is all speculation. Paradys Rathburn certainly is not telling anyone what really happened.

And So It Begins...

Although I took my time in doing so, I have acquired the Savage Worlds Explorer's Edition from an online vendor. I had hoped to start this blog over a year ago, but between my own procrastination and learning that a new edition of the Savage Worlds rules was being published, waiting seemed the best option. But now the wait is over, and I introduce to you:
A Bunch of Savages.

What is This?

A Bunch of Savages is a blog as well as a resource, focusing on material for the current rules edition of the Savage Worlds RPG. While the bulk of the material for this site will be in the form of Characters, new game material may appear intermittently. Additional game material is likely to be in the form of Edges and Hindrances, however this site may also include new rules, house rules, magic rules, adventures, one-sheets, and even the odd, rambling musing on the part of this blog's author.

Who am I?

I have been Game Mastering Savage Worlds off and on for a couple years now, though I've been around the RPG world for a quarter century. In truth, I enjoy Savage Worlds as a rules light option for those games in which my favored system (The Hero System) can be too cumbersome. In no way does this mean I feel Savage Worlds takes a back seat, just that I am very much of the opinion that no single system is the perfect fit for all games. Savage Worlds, in my estimation, works incredibly well for games of high-adventure and over the top action -- indeed, one of my players likens it to a near flawless representation of 1980s action films.

Where is the Stuff?

Material will be appearing on this site as time permits. There is no way I am going to delude myself into thinking I can keep a regular schedule of input to the blog. However, I'm hoping to have something to post at least once per week...