Character Creation: Corporation

 So, a dystopian sci-fi game, then? 

The Game: Corporation
The Publisher: Brutal Games, by way of Mongoose.
Degree of Familiarity: None. I've read it. No one's running it at Origins. Or ever has, AFAIK.
Books Required: Just the core.

I bought this game because it kind of looked slick. The premise - corporations have taken over and the characters work for them doing espionage things - is fine with me, and the system doesn't look too silly. It looks, honestly, like a traditional RPG in the mold of Shadowrun, so I really don't get the website calling it some kind of "gaming revolution." But what do I know.

Anyway, the game looks playable, though it could've used another pass through an editor. Oh, and something else that bugged me: It mentions that the stuff in italics is descriptive, in-character stuff and can be skipped. Well...why put it in? Cut it and drop the book's price point, then. Or write fluff text that's awesome and enhances the game. Anyway.

OK, I'm an Agent. I'm "superior to normal humans." Sounds good. I get a sub-vocal communicator that allows me to mutter inaudibly but still talk to agents up to 300 km away. Neato. I also get an ID chip, which allows me to easily authenticate my identity when necessary. I get an AI chip that grants me skills, drugs that improve my performance (and let me regrow limbs, without even menacing Spider-Man!), and so on and on. Here we go, character creation, section 01.

There's a bit about being Division Leader, but let's assume I'm not.

Step One: Select a Corporation. There are five choices. I can be an Asian gangster, an African telepath, a Eurasian capitalist, a Japanese warrior or a Western soldier (I'm simplifying a lot). OK, Comoros sounds interesting to me. They're the Indo-African folks who specialize in telepathy and are dedicated to freedom. Their section talks a lot about personal choice and responsibility, and about using psi-blades over guns, and that sounds kind of cool.

Well, I'm still not sure exactly what I want to do, but Comoros is my choice, I think. I get +10 TE at character creation, whatever that means. I get increased telepathic regeneration, free Telepath Training, and I can burn HP for TE. Um, OK. Also my "sector" is Culture & Entertainment. Sure?

Step Two: Concept and Profession.. The book asks me to consider my profession, because my Professional Skill needs to be high-rated, and this skill should determine my profession (the book says it better than that, but I'm tired). There's a handy list of concepts and a list of inspirational materials. Hmm.

I think my guy was a teacher before he was an Agent. He was teaching in some shitty little school in eastern Africa, and the UIG (the United International Government, the bad guys) rolled up and basically flattened the area. He got out, and got most of his kids out, but a lot of their parents were killed. He never did find out why the UIG wanted that particular town destroyed, but Comoros offered him a job working against the UIG and helping people in a different way. He hated to leave behind his old job, but he had to admit - he was too angry to be around kids anymore. And he hates the UIG for that.

So that's what he did before, what does he do now? I see "Defense Telepath" (it's misspelled as "Defence," but that's OK, I saw "mile" misspelled as "kilometre" earlier in the book). I like that - he'll be a good telepath, but he doesn't want to knock people down so much as build other people up.

The book gives me some interesting character building exercises, and since I haven't done a character like this in a while, I shall use them. First off: How would the character act in the following situations?

• In a violent crowded bar where the character has his drink spilled by an outlaw. Probably not much of a reaction, especially if overreacting would result in violence. It's not worth it. Now, if the thug in question were UIG or a sympathizer, then he might get a bit more aggressive.
  
• When being reprimanded by the Missions Officer for a disastrous mission. He'd sit there and listen to the criticism, and provided it's accurate, accept responsibility. And then he'd ask, "Are you ready to figure out how to fix these problems?"
  
• After completing a successful mission and given a large paycheck (misspelled as "cheque"). He'd send much of the money back home to help out with the smaller towns and "his" orphans. And probably go out drinking or whoring. Only human.
  
• When in the thick of action with his favorite equipment and plenty of enemies. I suspect he's more interesting in incapacitating and interrogating than straight-up killing. But failing that, he tries to make sure it goes surgically rather than pear-shaped. Chaos costs lives (and makes him flash back).

There's another questions section, too!

• Why does the Corporation employ him? Good telepathic skills, but also good at teaching and relating information. You can learn a skill from a chip, yeah, but there's still a lot of practical application for a good instructor.
  
• Does he have any family? None living. His mother died a few years before he moved to the small town for the teacher job, and his father was killed in the war.
  
• Does he fully support the Corporation? Yep.
  
• What is his operational method? I'd have to see the telepathy powers first.
  
• How did he become a professional? Covered above, I think.
  
• How does he dress? Comfortably and casually. He's tried rocking hot suits, but they never seem to look right on him.
  
• How does he deal with authority? Quietly. He's used to just accepting what the boss-man tells him, so he follows orders well.
  
• Who does he hate and why? UIG, for reasons I think I've covered.
  
• Does he have a grudge against a particular faction or Corporation? Not yet, though money-uber-alles pisses him off. People don't realize that convenience here tends to cost lives there.
  
• Who does he love and why? His students. They became his family, and he feels responsible for them, even though he's far away and he's too triggery to take his old job back.
  
• Where does he live? He stays in a Corporate Accommodation when he's on mission, but he tends to rent cheap rooms in poorer areas when he's on furlough.
  
• What does he do for fun? Cooks, reads, does crosswords and other puzzles. He used to farm and garden, too, but that's harder to arrange.
  
• Why did he join the Corporation? Did he have a choice? Sure. He joined up because they were his best chance at revenge and improving people's lives. He still thinks that's true.
  
• Does he have strong ethics? Yes. He's heavily invested in personal responsibility and in teaching the young. He believes the only true knowledge is what you earn.
  
• What is his price for corruption? I'd need to hear the offer. No one accepts an offer for straight-up corruption. "Hey, I'll give you a grand to become corrupt!"
  
• Superficial good looks are cheap - Is he attractive? I think that he's ordinary looking and he finds that something of an advantage. If this is a movie, he's played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
  
• Does he have any pet hates or bad habits? Oh, probably. He's drawn to help - or just talk to - kids, and that's something that could get used against him. He also tends to lecture if you don't stop him.

OK, geez! Enough with the characterization! On to Step Three: Assigning Stats!

I get 49 points for 7 stats. 7 is average (for agents). So let's see:

Strength 5
Endurance 5
Agility 6
Reflexes 7
Perception 9
Intelligence 8
Presence 9

Stage 4: Extra Features. Derived traits. Yay!

Hit Points = Strength + Endurance + 20 = 30
Rank and Level are 1.
Telepathic Energy is Presence + Perception + Intelligence + 10 + 10 (because I'm Comoros) = 46.
Move Speed = Strength + Endurance + Agility = 16.
Internal AI = 1.
I speak Swahili, Hindi and one other language of my choice - how about English.

Stage 5: Assign Skills.

Seriously? Derived traits in the middle again? WTF?

Anyway, I get 1 at level 8, 1 at 7, 1 at 6, 3 each at 5, 4, 3, 2, and 4 at 1. I get to pick a skill to be my Professional Skill. I can't critically fail it and if I roll 00, it's a critical success. It has to be at least 7 and ties in with my concept. OK.

Oh, whoops. I take Telepathics with my Skills, too. So can Telepathics be a Professional Skill? I don't see anything to indicate that it can't. OK, then. I'll take:

Shield 8
Telekinesis 7
Observation 6
Psychology 5
Attitude 5
Lying and Acting 5
Science 4
Street Culture 4
Corporation Knowledge 4
Crime 3
Arts and Culture 3
Stealth 3
Light Firearms 2
Close Combat 2
Assault 2
Jump 1
Athletics 1
Computers & AI 1
Business 1

Stage 6: Trainings.

Specialist areas of expertise. I get "Telepath" for free, and I get two at chargen. Let's see. Well, I want Command, and I have the Presence for it. That adds my rank to any social situation which the GM deems appropriate. And then I'll take Telepathic Adept, giving me 20 more TE.

Stage 7: Licenses.

License to do all kinds of normally non-legal shit. Well, I don't think I get a free Telepathics License - let's check. Nope. So I have to buy that. That costs...Oy. If I want to be able to use all of my powers, I have to burn all of my license points. Actually, that's fine. I think there's others I'd want, but I think this guy would want to be legal and aboveboard with his powers.

Stage 8: Equipment. Oy. I get 6000 monies to buy shit, but y'know I hate doing this stuff. If I were actually going to play, I would, but I think we'll call it for now.

Oh, I need a name. This fella's name is Ahmed Maazouzi, though English-speaking agents call him "Maz," which is fine.

Right, good to go!