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by Robert A. Hayden
DreamKiller
Steve Mancini
Archetype: Free Spirit (Ally- Metaplane of Earth)
Description:
DreamKiller is a long black broadsword with the word DreamKiller inscribed in silver across the blade in Japanese.
Biography:
DreamKiller is the former ally of an ork combat mage. Designed as an ally, DreamKiller served his master faithfully for several years before he (the ork), was killed in Hong Kong. DreamKiller was designed as an ally and upon his creation was a force 4 ally. In addition, he was taught Swords (6) upon creation and given a wide range of spells that would help the wielder. Upon becoming free, DreamKiller found it could hide it true nature (Masking) and due to its previous exposure to magic and the metamagic powers of its creator, it could destroy the spells of other (Dispelling). Lastly, DreamKiller found he could control his wielder should they prove unruly (Possession)
DreamKiller’s main motif is to find a mundane wielder and aid that wielder indirectly without fully disclosing its true identity. In exchange for this, often exacts a price without the wielder’s knowledge (basically I anticipate that the next time someone wielding it screws up and proclaims Karma, the karma will go to the sword if the sword can bail them out- spell defense, etc.). DreamKiller fears magicians and if its aura masking is pierced it will either flee or try to find some way to have its mundane wielder kill the nosy magician.
Statistics: (Optional)
Force 5, Spirit Energy 3.
The sword is a Unique Enchantment Spirit Foci (5) which raises DreamKiller’s physical attributes by 5.
Free Spirit Powers:
Aura Masking, Possession, Dispelling, Sorcery.
Spells:
Death Touch, Inc Reactions +3, Armour, Mind Probe, Heal Deadly, Personal Anti-Spell Barrier, Ram.
King Crimson
Robert Winterhalter
Archetype: Vampire Gang Leader
Background:
King Crimson is the leader of a gang called the Bloods. Crimson was infected with the HMVV when he rented out his gang to transport some chemicals from one lab to another lab through some heavy gang territory. Crimson was the one carrying the actual vials and when they were attacked one of the vials broke and mixed into a gunshot wound he’d taken.
Needless to say he was not pleased at being infected by some unknown (to him) virus. For about a week he thought he was going to die from the pain that it was causing in his body. During this time one of his lieutenants decided that this would be the best time to make his bid for power and attack Crimson. Crimson found that his strength was much greater than it was before and when he killed the upstart lieutenant he was compelled to imbibe of his blood. This disturbed him, but he felt an incredible rush of power.
Since then he has decided that he will only feed when he has to or when the Bloods get into a violent fight. He refuses to infect anyone except for those of his lieutenants that want to be infected and that he can trust. So far he has infected the gang’s street mage and three lieutenants, one of which he later had to kill.
It seems strange that instead of destroying Crimson’s morals, becoming a vampire has actually boosted his morals. He is very conscious of his power and feels that he must use it wisely. His gang has also instigated far fewer raid on other gangs since his infection. At the moment he is wondering if it was a wise decision to infect the gangs mage or not, because he feels that if the mage overthrows him that the Bloods will go on a pan-Seattle rampage.
Lucas
Steve Mancini
Archetype: Banshee Bounty Hunter
Description:
Lucas is a traditional banshee with pale skin and gaunt features. He often wears cosmetics to “hide” his pale complexion and passes his fangs off as cosmetic surgery from when he was younger and “into that heavy metal gothic vampyre music.” He prefers leather clothes and a black leather long coat with the words “Dead or Alive” inscribed across the back in blood red.
Biography:
Lucas is the twin brother of One Eyed Jack, an elven assassin of some notoriety in Seattle. Where his brother used his physical adept powers to become an assassin, Lucas became a bounty hunter in England. Unfortunately for Lucas, one target early in his career was a vampire. After his infection, Lucas lost all his physical adept powers and magic attribute. Turning to more “dark” methods, Lucas maintained his current occupation. In fact, he eventually turned in his sire. Given the new immunity his infection has bestowed upon him, he has since turned to using neurotoxins and tranquilizers.
The Mortician
Steve Mancini
Archetype: Ghoul Fixer
Description:
“When your desperate, and in the darkest, meanest sections of the Payullup, and you wish you were dead, there is one person who can help…. The Mortician!”
The Mortician is always dressed in the finest black funeral parlor style suits. His horrendous odor is often covered by a heavy dose of the most expensive men’s colognes with a faint after scent of embalming fluid. His complexion is that of a corpse. He often wears the finest wigs to cover his balding head and his nails are manicured to razor sharpness. His eyes are an eerie black background with red pupils. They are in fact cyber eyes he had installed to compensate the near blind attribute of his race.
Biography:
The Mortician was in fact a registered mortician before “the change” hit him. Once afflicted, business fell through the floor. Now, his business is funded by many “shady” characters who would like the use of a fully licensed mortician who can provide legal death certificates and also “properly” dispose of the bodies. Business as a mortician and fixer is so good that he can honestly say he has never had to “scrap some off the top” to survive.
Yes, the Mortician is insane. But his brilliance as a business man and “shadow figure” outweighs this slight impairment. Unknown to many of his clients, he has fed them human flesh prepared in ways that would fool even the best chefs. He has recorded these instances- he refuses to do business with those who will not eat dinner with him. These recordings are his insurance policy against backstabbers.
O’Dell, Shamus
Robert Winterhalter
Archetype: Vampire Gang Leader
Background:
Shamus O’Dell is a shadowrunner and the behind the scenes leader of a gang called the Howlers. Shamus was born (and infected with the HMVV) in Ireland in 2013 as one of that countries increasing number of elven births. He became a banshee in 2051 while on a run sponsored by the Tir Nan Og government against an elven mage that they found to be doing “unacceptable” research. Shamus quickly fled the country after being infected and he currently has a 250,000¥ bounty on his head by the Tir Nan Og government.
Shamus is highly skilled with firearms, computers (though he is not a decker), electronics, explosives, and paramilitary tactics. He has no known cyberware or magical ability, but it is suspected that he has a rather large sum of nuyen stashed away in some hidden accounts.
Though he is the leader of the Howlers, none of the members but his two lieutenants have ever seen him. He uses the lieutenants to relay all of his orders and has trained them to be excellent leaders in small group tactics. The Howlers have fought excellently both in defending their turf and attacking other gangs. It seems like they are being trained to work as a paramilitary unit.
Shamus O’Dell’s feeding habits are on the conservative side. He usually only feeds off of squatters and the like, but on occasion he will feed off of an enemy. He has yet to let someone that he has fed off of survive the experience.