Friday, February 20, 1998

Euroclyden Dogpack Cyberknight

Euroclyden: One of the first mutant dog Cyber Knights
-------------------------------------------------------
Note: In one of the books I read that there had been a few Dog-Pack Cyber Knights trained. I thought the idea was cool, so I created one. Pretty powerful, but hey, the forces of light need all the help they can get!

Euroclyden's parents were a pair of specially bred and mutated Malamute dogs. Owned by a wealthy merchant in Chi-Town, they were his "pets", and he treated them as so, despite their intelligence. The two dogs, "Big Al", and "Lady" had lived together with the man since they were puppies, and they both had learned a lot about the Coalition and the jobs of their Dog-Pack cousins.
Continually humiliated and abused by their master as little "toys" for his pleasure, both of the dogs grew to hate their lot in life. Given nothing to do, except sit, eat, and look pretty, they felt that they were useless, mere toys. In a world full of so much strife and pain, they felt like they should be out protecting humanity with their cousins, not stuck in some rich
man's mansion enjoying the air-conditioning and cuisine foods.

The time came where the man wanted to make money on his purebreds, so he forcefully had "lady" artificially impregnated with Big Al's sperm. While the two had already been having intimate relations (secretly, using contraceptives), they had already agreed not to have children, knowing if they did, the child would have the same fate as they. However, now they were even more horrified than ever at the acts of the man, and felt they really were being treated as mere animals more than ever. After they both recovered from the procedures, once Big Al found out he was enraged. Never before had he been so cruelly treated (he'd never have willingly gotten
Lady pregnant, knowing the fate of the child). That night, the man returned, and Big Al attacked him when he came in for his nightly games with his "pets". The man's two bodyguards quickly responded by stunning Big Al into unconsciousness, but not until he had torn out the throat of
his master. The man was rushed to the hospital, and stabilized with Bio-systems. Big Al however was turned over to the authorities for "going feral", and was quickly put to death.

After the attack, the man didn't visit Lady very often. She never knew why, but thought it was because he had finally realized they were intelligent beings, not animals. Little did she know that he was just waiting for her to give birth, so he could better train his new "toy".
Full of grief and anger about losing Big Al, one night Lady decided she had to escape. Easily doing so, considering the guards didn't truly consider her intelligent either, she fled to the lower levels hoping to avoid the authorities.

Pregnant, penniless, and alone, she was lucky to have found a member of the "mutant underground" before any of the less honest denizens, or the authorities found her. Smuggled out of the city, she was taken to a small monastery, where she was told people would help her, and give her a new
life. As fate would have it, she had been taken to one of the primary Cyber Knight training grounds of the mid-west. There she got a job doing physical labor, something she enjoyed immensely after lying around for most of her life. After she gave birth, she went to the home of a famous "gray seer". There she asked what her son's purpose in life would be, and what she
should name him. After a minute of meditation, the man answered to her: "Your child will do great things in his life, a good name for him would be Euroclyden". When asked what it meant, she was told it was dragonese, roughly translated meaning "courageous light". Joy filled at these revelations, Lady quickly became determined to have her son enrolled in the Knight's academy.

After attending the monastery's school for 5 years, young Euroclyden was enrolled into the Knight's school. As he grew to his full size, it quickly became apparent that he was well built and had an aptitude for combat. Working long and hard, Euroclyden became the first Mutant Dog to successfully master all of the Knight's powers. He also became revered for his skill in
combat. Taught to how to use his natural Psionics by a fellow mutant dog who also lived in the monastery, Euroclyden went on many "training" missions with his more experienced companions. There he proved to be invaluable at tracking and sensing the supernatural and evil. After he was considered fully trained and experienced enough (3rd level), he was given the option of leaving alone, to explore and bring light to the world.

Accepting the offer, he has been doing so since.

Stats
---------
Euroclyden (no last name)
Free Born Mutant Malamute Cyber Knight
Principled Alignment
9 years old (I say mutant dogs grow faster than humans, mentally he's about 25)
IQ:10 Height: 6'5"
ME:14 Weight: 360lbs
MA:16
PS:31
PP:12
PE:26
PB:8
SPD:57 ~ 47mph

Special Abilities
------------------
Sense Psychic/Magic Energy - 65ft, powers on 550ft
Rec. Specific Scent again - 14% (+10 if he has a personal item)
Track by Smell 55% Recognize Scent 22%
Sense Supernatural Beings 400ft, powers on 1300ft
ID scent 68% Track scent 50%, powers on 70%
Superior Sense of smell
Recognize common odors 400ft 79%
Identify specify odors 100ft 52%
Track by smell alone 52%
Mutation Abnormality: Supernatural Endurance
Psi-Sword - 4d6MD/1d4x10MD vs the supernatural (see my home rules)

Psionics (Master)
-----------------
Empathy, Mind Block, Object Read, See the Invisible, Sense Evil, Sense Magic, Sixth Sense, Summon Inner Strength

Hand to Hand Combat
-------------------
Martial Arts: 5 attacks
+5 on initiative Leap: 10ft up or 11ft across
Damage: +16 Kick 2d4 Bite 2d6 Body Block 1d4 + knock down
Strike: +3 Pin 18+ KO 20
Parry: +7
Dodge: +7
Roll:+8

Saves
------
+22% vs coma/death
+6 vs poison/drugs
+1 Vs psionics
+6 Vs magic

Skills:
--------
Languages: English, Dragonese 98%, Gobblely Spanish 95%
Lore Demons/Monsters 60% Anthropology 50% Horsemanship 67% Climbing 77% Body Building Swimming 75% Gymnastics 80/77/91/90% Prowl 55% Boxing Tracking 45% Wilderness Survival 55% Navigation 60% Writing 45%
Pilot Hovercraft 65% Basic Math 60% Lore Magic 45/35/30%
Read Sensors 60% Computer Operation 50% Wrestling Paramedic 65%

Secondary Skills:
------------------
Radio Basic 60% Cooking 50% Literacy: Dragonese 45% Sniping Acrobatics Pilot Motorcycle 72% General Repair 55% Skin/Prepare hides 55% Running Pilot Auto 64% Athletics hunting

WPs
----
Auto Rifle, Energy Rifle/Pistol/Heavy +4/+2
Sword +2S/+2P Blunt +2S/+2P

Equipment:
-----------
2 knives, 3 long e-clips, 6 stakes, gasmask/air filter, tinted goggles, Crucifix, Hatchet
First Aid Kit, Flint, Camping Gear, Back Pack, Knapsack, Saddle Bags, 2 canteens, Geiger counter
Journal, Pens, 2 weeks food rations, hunting Boots, Buckskin/black/dress clothing,
Zaz-Co 3000 (collapsible Es-20 Stunner knock-off)
6 heavy explosive grenades 4d6md(6)
Vibro Saber 2d4md (wears it like a boot knife)
NV Goggles
Mp-30 Assault Rifle 2 clips,
300 silver rounds, 100 regular (anti-vampire mostly)
NG-101 Rail Gun, Power Pack, 3 belts (he's a big guy though)
NG-45LP
TW Thundergun and bandoleer w/36 silver rounds
Magic Tongues Amulet- 30 ISP for 5 minutes
Mystic Lantern (Globe Of daylight, 4 ISP 60ft, 2 hours)
Extra-Heavy Gladiator Armor
85MDC, 25lbs, -10% to prowl
TW 4th Level armor of Ithan and Chameleon
No Vehicle, he walks or runs

Notes:
Euroclyden is a very determined person. Extremely patient and level headed, he is always able to control his emotions. The one exception to this is the Coalition. After hearing his mother tell of the atrocities a citizen inflicted upon her and her husband, he can have nothing but raw hatred and loathing for such an unfeeling group of people. He just can not fathom how
someone could treat an obviously intelligent person so badly. Euroclyden has never had any personal experience with any Coalition members except for being shot at by them, and so he only has a negative image of them. he knows that they only feel they're working for humanity, but can not forgive them for all of the atrocities they have committed. One of the things Euroclyden is extremely fanatical about is saving innocents from the wrath of the Coalition, he will seek out and except quests of that type more than any other.

Euroclyden considers all races equal, and judges only by the person's actions and words. He is excepting of Magic and Psioncs, viewing them as tools only, not anything especially bad. One of the character traits that he hates himself for however is his immediate distrust and suspicion of creatures of magic and supernatural nature. Because of his dog-boy physiology, he naturally fears and wants to lash out at such beings. This is a problem his fellow knights tried to overcome time and time again, but finally they gave up. The feeling proved to be at the core of Euroclyden's personality, almost as if in a un-rewritable program (the genetic programming of the Coalition actually). So, he continues to be wary of such beings, and while he has learned to not attack them with out provocation, he is still very on edge when around them.

One of the reasons he opted to leave the monastery so soon was because of the presence of supernatural and magic creatures there (mostly good dragons and other races). While he knew they were not a threat, and only wanted peace, something inside him always screamed "fight or flight" when ever he was near them. It was beginning to madden him, so he took the first chance he got to leave. He is still *very* loyal to the knights, he just cannot be around such creatures comfortably for very long.

Now he wanders the territory on the outskirts of Coalition territory near Ohio, helping all in need, especially against the Coalition. Here he has made many allies, including a coven of good wizards, and numerous small villages and towns in the area. He has heard rumor of Psyscape, and would very much like to know more, but has yet to find any conclusive evidence.

When in battle, Euroclyden is amazingly agile for his size, often suprising opponets with his speed. He prefers to take his enemies alive if possible (unless they are supernatural or magic, in which case he is instinctively relentless and vicous beyond belief)

Dave Carlyle

Dave Carlyle

Tommy Caldwell's parents were respected middle class residents of
Chi-Town. Tommy was their only child, and they only wanted the best for
him. By the age of 13, Tommy was spending most of his time in the lower
levels and the burbs. He joined a local gang, and got hooked on drugs by
the time he was 15.

Although his parents suspected him of clandestine activities, Tommy
had become a masterful liar and an expert at manipulating his parents. His
activities remained secret for the next three years, until. At age 18 the
police found him lying unconscious in a pool of blood and vomit. He was
hospitalized and his parents were notified.

Tommy spent the next month rehabilitating at the hospital, after which
his parents insisted on military school. Tommy was able to convince them
this was not necessary, and soon returned to his gang land friends. At the
age of 19, Tommy watch 3 of his friends die after they shot up heroin and
decided to try to rob a liquor store. This convinced him to change his
way's. Tommy enlisted in the military to appease his parents and get off
drugs. After 3 months one of his old gang asked him if he could get his
hands on a laser pistol or two. Tommy did, and the next day his friend
returned with almost 20,000 credits and a request for more. Tommy agreed
enthusiastically, and spent the next nine months falsifying papers,
formulating excuses, and providing the people of the burbs with quality
Coalition weapons at slightly discounted prices.

Everything went smoothly, until at a routine delivery, 6 grunts
ambushed them and opened fire. Tommy barely escaped with his life.
Deciding it was too dangerous to stay, Tommy defected and was soon
approached by one of the "higher-ups" of his old gang with and offer to get
out of the area and make some money on the side by smuggling a truck load of
weapons and armor to a dealer ion Cuidad Juarez.

Tommy jumped at the chance to make money and escape the law at the
same time. Arriving to Cuidad Juarez, stay. He checked into a hotel and
fell head over heels in love with the receptionist, Misty Carlyle. He
checked in under the name of Dave Caldwell, and with the money from his
recent weapons run, wasted no time in sweeping Misty off her feet.
Claiming his father owned and operated a successful clothing company in
Chi-town, he spared her no expense, and they were married within 4 months.

Misty meant the world to Dave, and time spent with her began to take
away from his smuggling. In fact, he had inadvertently pissed off a local
gang (the psykes, who he still believes could have been avoided had he been
paying more attention to business matters). He returned home on his 21st
birthday to find Misty dead in the bathtub with a note from the gang saying
"we're even".

Devastated, he called the police (who removed the body and assured him
they would do all they could, he obviously didn't show them the note), and
later went out that night to get fucked up on whatever he could score.

That night he met Vic Thermon, a mercenary looking for work in a
pool-hall, while he was looking for drugs. Vic, realizing that befriending
"Dave" would be an invaluable connection to the underworld, helped him
through his problems. "Dave" and Vic became good friends and business
partners. As a last silent monument to Misty, he had his name legally
changed to Dave Carlyle, and devoted his life to enjoying the world.

Later that week, Dave spent most of his remaining savings on
cybernetics, weapons, and armor to aid him in his future business ventures.

Thursday, February 5, 1998

Rifts Price Listings 2.0

/--------------------------\
|Rifts Price Listings  v2.0|
\--------------------------/
  2-5-98

Ok kids, after the great computer blight of '98, I lost my original, plus I figured I should
really post the list in plain text so all could view it easily.  So here it is.

Everyone's Favorite:  E-Clips!                                  
-------------------------------
Short E-Clip (new and charged) - 5000cr   recharge - 1500cr      
Long E-Clip                    - `8000cr   recharge - 2000cr
Canister (CE-Clip)             -100000cr  recharge - 2300cr
NG-Power Pack                  - Varies (?)

Rail Gun Ammunition (I can't remember where I found this, but the rules look good)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Max Burst Damage) cr per # of rounds in burst (i.e. NG-101 costs 36cr per 30 rounds)
Silver Rounds    - x5
Depleted Uranium - x10
Live Uranium     - x100 (get it while it's hot!  get it?  hot?  as in radioactive?  oh never mind)

Normal Grenades
-----------------
Smoke - 50cr         CS Smoke              - 70cr (extra hi-quality smoke!)
Hi-Explosive - 120cr CS Light Hi-Explosive - 200cr
                     CS Heavy Hi-Explosive - 275cr
Fragmentaion - 160cr CS Fragmentaion       - 250cr
Plasma       - 275cr CS Plasma             - 350cr
Stun/Flash   - 100cr
Tear Gas     - 200cr

Propelled Grenades
--------------------
Light Explosive (NG-Super 18mm) - 400cr/3800cr p/12
Heavy Explosive (NG-L6 23mm)    - 400cr/3800cr p/12 (I don't know why the prices are the same!)
Coalition       (C-14  22mm)    - 550cr/4500cr p/12
WI E-101 23mm Fragmentation     - 400cr each         (The book gives no WI grenade prices,
WI E-102 23mm Armor Piercing    - 700cr each          these are my estimates)
Kittani Heat-Seeking SPG's      - 10000cr each!!!

Firearm Ammunition
--------------------
Normal Bullets            - 60cr p/100
Heavy Bullets             - 100cr p/100
Armor Peircing            - +20%
Generic Hi-Explosive      - 400cr p/100
WI-2E Explosive Bullets   - 2/4/6cr each (pistol, rifle, heavy)
WI-10 Ramjet Rounds       - 5~10cr each
WI-20 Heavy Ramjet Rounds - 10~16cr each
Depleted Uranium Bullets  - 2cr each    

Everyone loves Missles! Missles! Missles!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Mini        Short        Medium       Long
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragmentation/Hi-Explosive     1200cr        2500cr 25000cr         too
Plasma/Armor Piercing          2400cr        5000cr 50000cr         munchkin
Multi-Warhead/Smart Bomb         X                X             100000cr        for you!

Blow more stuff up with: Explosives/Mines
------------------------------------------
NG Fragmetation   Mine - 600/1200cr w/sensor
NG Hi-Explosive Anti-Vehicular Mine - 1000/3000/6000cr (I, II, III)
NG Plasma Anti-Vehicular Mine       - 2000/4000/8000cr
Commercial/C4 Plastique - 5/8cr p/oz.
NG2/4/6 Plastique       - 20/40/80cr p/oz.
SDC/MD Dynamite         - 10/130cr each
Blasting Caps           - 5/40cr each (SDC or MDC)
CS Fusion Blocks        - 1000/3000/8000cr  (I, II, III)

Armor Repair (per 10)                                Armor Salvage (per 1)
-----------------------                              ---------------------
Plate          - 7000cr                              Plate         - 70~140cr
Chain          - 5500cr                              Chain         - 40~80cr
Composite      - 6500cr                              Composite     - 60~120cr
Plastic        - 6300cr                              Plastic       - 55~110cr
Padded         - 6200cr                              Padded        - 50~100cr
Power Armor    - 8000/16000cr (see my homerules)     Lt.  Dead Boy - 105~195cr
Robot Vehicles - 7000/14000cr                        Hvy. Dead Boy - 120~210cr
Vehicle Armor  - 4000cr                              NGR Cyclops   - 135~230
New Helmet     - 26% of armor cost                   Plain Cloths  - 530~930
                                                     Exo-Skeleton  - 125~205
                                                     Advanced Alien- 600~900
                                                     Vehicle       - 25~60
                                                     Robot Vehicle -