SavRS Characters 08.01: Characters Concepts
While Savage Reich main concept is that the player characters are resistance fighters, they do come in a variety of flavors and careers.
ARTIST/CRAFTSMAN
Artisans and Craftsman earn their living painting, sculpting, building or some other form of creation. Their earnings depend entirely upon how well known they are and how much their art is in demand. In the world of the Reich and the Empire, the arts is highly restricted in terms of expression and craftmen are only allowed to make approved items. Those that have joined the resistance make illegal items or art, and in some cases are highly sought after in the underground.
Common Skills: Academics, Performance, Repair (sometimes Psychic Ability, with GM’s approval)
Common Edges: McGyver
ASSASSIN
These are your professional killers-for-hire that can be employed by almost anyone if the price is right. For obvious reasons assassins lead a very careful and secretive life.
BOUNTY HUNTER
These characters earn their living by hunting down anyone with a price on their head – criminals, spies or anyone that a power wants to get ahold of. They might be working on a salary-type basis or expenses paid account for corporate executives or crime bosses, or they may be strictly self-employed taking up the hunt after a wanted poster catches their eye.
Bounty Hunters friendly to the resistance can serve as field agents for hire. For the right price and maybe information on a hot target, bounty hunters have been known to do work for the Tower. However, the loyalty to the almighty Reichsmark tends to put their allegiances in question at times.
Common Skills: Shooting, Research, Intimidation
Common Edges: Investigator
CORPORATE EXECUITIVE
Corporate executives lead a rather stressful and routine life, but it does carry some advantages like less hassle in
travelling from authorities, many VIP contacts, and very good pay.
Corporate Execs sympathetic to the resistance live very dangerous lives. Whether in the Reich or the Empire, they live under the tight scrutiny of a very oppressive government. Corp Execs have been known to use the resistance against competition from other corporations or the government themselves. There loyalties are usually torn and commonly questioned within the resistance. A corp exec seems to be always be in a state of proving his or her loyalty, whether it be the resistance or the corproation.
DETECTIVE
Detectives can work for the police or privately. As as police Detective, they face the same dangers as Police officers (see below). Either way, it is always important to be aware when you are digging too deep into a situation and drawing the wrong kind of attention. Also all Detectives, especially private ones, are expected to report anything that is particularly unusually or counter to the narrative of the powers that be to the proper authorities (for the Reich, that is the Gestapo or the Geheimdienst secret service). This makes for a very dangerous job.
Detectives that help the resistance are usually sympathetic and work with them behind the scenes. Most detective are brought to the point of helping the resistance in the same fashion as police.
ENTERTAINER
This category includes actors, comedians, musicians, dancers etc. Entertainers loyal to the resistance have access to the elite layers of Reich society, giving Tower unprecedented avenues into areas they would not normally have. They network with the various levels of information and propaganda infrastructure, obtaining insight on the latest information manipulation initiatives the Reich or the Empire is planning. Other entertainers can act as messengers, passing on information through their broadcasts in subtle ways, using code and subterfuge.
In the field, the risk the entertainer faces is being recognized. Sometimes that serves their purpose, while in other situations it can be dangerous. Disguises to avoid these encounters are common.
Common Edges: Charismatic, Fame, Rich, Work the Room
EXPLORER
About 45% of the solar system has been explored. There are still new discoveries being made today in the far reaches of Sol. This job offers players a chance to brave the great unchartered areas of the solar system in search of new minerals and discoveries. They can be employed by private corporations (seeking new mining colonies), museums (to seek out new items of interest), or by the government Commission for Exploration and Expansion. Characters could also stay put on a new world in an experimental colonist.
FREEDOM FIGHTER
Career resistance are not common but they do exist. There are a great many varied groups of resistance, some
more radical than others. The Reich and the Empire regard any form of resistance as treason and the culprits as bloodthirsty, murderous terrorists.
In whatever way a player wants his character to become involved in one of these groups and their goal is between him and the Gamemaster. This is the one case that a character can choose a different resistance group (see Resistance Groups in 2065) and they can act as liaisons to Tower.
A character may want to join an existing group, or form a new one. Trying to make contact with one of the former and prove that you are not a spy could be the basis of an exciting campaign. You bad better believe that these groups are going to be very careful in the amount of information they give to characters, and to betray them would mean certain death.
GANGSTER
Life in the organized crime business is a risky but lucrative world. These criminals usually operate behind the cover of legitimate businesses, but most of their money comes from dealing in all sorts of crime from smuggling weapons and
drugs to piracy, and theft. There exists several large-scale organizations (“families”) who are usually at war with each other – from the Italian Mafia and Russian Mafia to the infamous Yakuza.
The resistance and the crime syndicates have a love-hate relationship that goes both ways. For the resistance point of view, they are picking the lesser of two evils and once they have taken power from those that have it, they will be in power and be the authority over what is and is not crime, and thus the authority that will be at odds with the crime syndicates. From the syndicates side, working with the enemy of those in power can be dangerous and at times, bad for business but playing both sides is also lucrative if you do it right.
There tend to be two kinds of gangsters in the resistance – former and current. Former gangsters got tired of the injustices they saw and wanted to do more. They still have the ties to the “family” but they are not always good. Current gangsters act as representatives of the family when their interests are at stake.
INTELLIGENCE AGENTS
Intelligence Agents or Secret Agents can work as an operative for one of the powers (Imperial, Reich or Republic), a mega-corporation, or mafia organization. Espionage can involve several different forms: intelligence gathering, sabotage, assassination, surveillance or supplying misinformation. It is a high risk occupation, and you can never exactly be sure who is on your side.
Secret Agents of all kinds have crossed paths with the resistance on a regular basis. Tower has been known to work with both the Imperial and Republic intelligence agencies, secretly. Other resistance groups have even worked with the Reich’s various services. With the state of the Cold War between the powers as it is, pitting faction vs faction through covert actions is a common occurrence.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Medical professionals include doctors, surgeons, nurses and specialists. With the restrictive national health care systems, many see the injustices upfront while others are forced to engage in more insidious activities in secret labs. It’s not hard to believe that some would be sympathetic to the resistance. And of course, in their dangerous line of work, resistance groups tend to need medical professionals often.
MERCENARY
These characters are soldiers of fortune who will fight for any cause as long as the money is right. In addition to
fighting, they may be hired as bodyguards, or as escorts for valuable shipments. Some mercs work in the same unit
(which travels from job to job) and others prefer to work solo.
It is quite possible to find one’s self defending one side one week and (because of a better offer) trying to destroy that side the next. You get to see a lot of the galaxy in this line of work, but you never see very many old mercs living in retirement either. This occupation requires a very hard hearted individual who has no problem in killing for money.
Mercenaries are commonly used by the resistance when they have the resources to pay them enough to be loyal. Sometimes that pay comes in resources and hardware. Mercenaries aren’t always easy to trust, similar to bounty hunters, but the few that are friendly to the resistance have proven loyal.
MERCHANT
Merchants quite simply deal in the transport and the resale of legal products. Most of these characters tend to be self-employed. Merchants that commonly work with the resistance either don’t know it or are very sympathetic to the cause.
MERCHANT MARINE
These characters are the backbone of the shipping industry. They are the mechanics, engineers, technicians , specialists, and all around jack of all trades of commercial space freighters. Most companies require that an applicant have a certificate of approval from a merchant marine academy before setting him sign aboard. This is usually a three week training course in safety on a starship (learning to use spacesuits and life-pods, and procedures in case of loss of pressure or gravity etc.). Those jobs aboard ships which require more technical knowledge (as opposed to a common laborer) will of course need a degree in their proper field (engineer, computer technician, propulsion technician etc.).
Merchant marines commonly have worked for the resistance, sometimes unknowingly, like Merchants themselves. Others secretly support the cause and work with them when they can.
POLICE/SECURITY
Law enforcement and security personnel are assigned to a particular jurisdiction, either a city, region or complex. Almost all are allowed to carry a weapon.
Working with the resistance is a very dangerous thing for anyone working security or law enforcement. But it is not uncommon. Many see the injustices first hand and find themselves sympathizing with one cause or another.
REPORTER
Reports in the work of Reich Star can work for NetzNews, newspapers, or magazines. It is a good thing to remember that all types of media communications are carefully monitored and censored by the Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment, and any unfavorable stories concerning the government could be detrimental to one’s health. There are some fringe benefits by way of travel and expenses being taken care of.
Reporters that sympathize with the resistance tend to be very valuable information brokers and communicators through the media. Some have worked out codes with the resistance that can be said undetected over their medium to get certain messages out to other cells.
PILOTS
Pilots are skilled individuals that can navigate the dangerous space lanes of the solar system. Some are simply shuttle pilots while others can be full freighter pilots. Some are licensed independents while others work for a world power or a mega-corporation.
PIRATE
Yet another criminal pursuit common in the world of Reich Star, pirates are one of the more feared dangers in space trade. These vicious outlaws prey private, commercial and military ships of all factions – from Reich to Imperial, corporate to private commercial. Their savage reputation of indiscriminate murder and pillaging are told in tales all across the solar system.
Some pirates have actually signed letters of marque with the resistance, pledging their services to their cause. These privateers for the resistance usually split their spoils with the resistance.
PRIEST
Priests can be of any religion, however in the Reich the only public ministry allowed is the Reichschurch. Anyone caught teaching another version or another religion will be imprisoned in a concentration camp. Taoist, Shinto, Buddhist, and Catholic clergymen are exempt from this rule, but can only teach in Imperial or Republic territories.
Priests of varying degrees of faiths commonly take refuge in the resistance, as the oppressive governments of the major powers tends to hunt them down. Warrior priests in the fight for the resistance cause is not uncommon.
SMUGGLER
Smugglers are characters whp participate in the illegal transport of taxed, banned or restricted goods through the sea or space ways. Like the Thief, this sort of work is highly illegal and carries stiff penalties if caught. This reward has to outway the risk in every job.
Smugglers loyal to the resistance are common throughout the solar system, either because they like the pay or they truly believe in the cause.
SOLDIER
These characters can only be allowed if the GM permits. Soldiers can be either Reich or Imperial. It is a hard life
and the pay is not very good. An active soldier in the Reich, Republic or Imperial military does not commonly work for the resistance but it has been known to happen on occasion. The split loyalties are a difficult thing to balance in such a strict lifestyle.
However, it is usually something within this lifestyle that turns a soldier to the resistance. Former Wehrmacht and Imperial Army soldiers are not uncommon within the resistance.
SPACE HOPPER
This is the general term used to describe anyone who captains their own ship and who hires out its use and his skills for a price (hauling freight, passengers, mail etc.). Most are married to Mother Space and wouldn’t give up their life for anything despite all of the risks, low income and hassle from customs officers (zollbeamters).
THIEF
A thief have a particular set of skills that the resistance always find useful. Usually, they are recruited to steal a particular items from a very secure location to help their cause or hinder the Reich/Empire. However, controlling a thief’s motivations, loyalties and greed can be a challenge, because sometimes there secure locations have much more interesting things to steal.