Difference between revisions of "Gracchus"

Revision as of 15:47, 13 April 2007

Gracchus grew up on Nestor 8, a frontier world, although usually called a "savage world" by most. Nestor 8 is divided into endless clans, who are engaged in ceaseless warfare, raiding, alliances, and betrayals with one another. Gracchus was born into the Red Cloud Clan, which, although relatively small, made its way through cunning and daring. Although not the strongest, the fastest, or by any means the most cunning, Gracchus was undoubtedly the most daring of his Clan, and he quickly gained a reputation for it. Recruited into the scouts, the only permanent military force maintained by most clans (the rest of their forces made up of citizen militia), Gracchus quickly proved his merit by orchestrating the most outrageous and sometimes death-defying raids, counter-raids, spying operations, and the like. Furthermore, once they gave him a decent rifle for his troubles, the red cloud clan was delighted to discover his uncanny accuracy at range as well. All went well for Gracchus until the age of 17 (about 2 years after his recruitment into the scouts), when he was sent as a spy on a group of powerful mercenaries hired by another clan. These mercenaries, unfortunately, had significantly better tech than Gracchus, who was caught, although just barely. Initially intending to execute Gracchus after questioning, the mercenaries were so entertained by his answers to their questions and his antics that, after completing their mission, they offered to hire him. Gracchus, not terribly enthralled by the internecine wars of Nestor 8, readily accepted. From that time, it was two years of raising hell, getting drunk, raising hell while drunk, and jumping off a lot of tall things for no good reason. Somewhere at the end of that time, Gracchus met Bjorn. Bjorn was a mercenary like Gracchus, but in most other respects he was different. He was calm, contained, seldom spoke, and when he did, it meant something. What actually got the two men talking was a mutual friend, who boasted about both of their shooting prowess: in the end, they had to settle it with a bit of a contest. Although Gracchus doesn't mention it, it's the only time he's ever lost a sharpshooting contest. Impressed with the accuracy of Bjorn, Gracchus decided he'd tag along with his bunch of mercs, to see if he could learn something new. Over the next year, Bjorn became Gracchus' first real friend. Despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, they had a lot to teach each other: Gracchus taught gut feeling, bold action, and spontaneity, while Bjorn taught steadiness, resilience, and patience. Their combined ingenuity got their group out of a lot of scrapes: it even got them blood-brothered to some crazed cheiftain, which was certainly the most impressive thing that had ever happened to Gracchus: he even kind of bought into their religion: something about strenght, honor, and something else.
Bjorn was killed in an action that had been fucked from the beginning: Gracchus had escaped by a mixture of luck, balls, and lots and lots of ammo. A few weeks prior, Bjorn had promised to jump off some really tall things in exchange for Gracchus' promise to look after his sis. So when Bjorn went, Gracchus decided he'd better find the girl and make sure she was alright. It turned out she was more than alright: she was like a mixture of the best parts of Bjorn with a little less uptightness. Although Gracchus went back to mercing, they continued to stay in touch: Sola helping Gracchus out with intel, and Gracchus helping out with skull busting. And that's how the whole thing with the Golden fleece got started: Sola called him up, saying something about the ship being under attack. Gracchus didn't know anything about a ship, but he wasn't about to let his promise lapse, so he quit his job, loaded the biggest gun he owned, and caught the next flight to Diomedes. Turned out it was a pretty good ship, with even one of the people from that crazed cheiftain. So Gracchus figured he'd stay awhile. After the doc on the ship put his guts back in, and after it turned out the ship was a jump ship, and after hanging out with Sola some more, Gracchus decided it was like the old times with Bjorn: maybe it was time to settle in for the long haul again.

Path of Nike
1. Failing to actively seek out things that push your limits
2. Giving in to fear, hatred, greed, or jealousy
3. Putting others at risk in order to accept/win a challenge
4. Failing to honor friendships or promises
5. Holding a grudge
6. Ignoring your intuition
7. Mocking/Humiliating those you best/defeat
8. Failing to respect those who best/defeat or aid you.
9. Backing down from a challenge
10. Being Bested/Defeated

Focus Hierarchy:
1. +Focus to morale or to resist fear/intimidation.
2. Focus times per campaign/story arc, ignore all penalties on a skill roll.
3. +Focus to carousing and social
4. Ignore wound penalties up to Focus amount
5. Anyone Teaching you gains +Focus to their teaching skill.
6. you count as having a familiarity with all skills.
7. +Focus to any "death-defying" maneuver
8. Focus times you may turn a bested enemy into an ally
9. you heal at xFocus the normal rate
10. You gain Focus "light" health levels.

Path: 8 Focus: 2