Fallout New Vegas: Hope and Conflict (Reboot)

[Dragos Bee]

Fallout New Vegas: Hope and Conflict

OOC Discussion Discord
Co-OPs: Neues Preussisches Reich, Parcia.
The IC Thread

I.Intro

The assassination of Andrew Kimball, President of the New California Republic, and Caesar, the 'Imperator' of Caesar's Legion, within hours of each other by a mysterious individual known as 'The Courier' threatened to throw the Mojave into chaos for a brief moment, but news of Caesar's death reached Chief Hanlon of the NCR Rangers first, shaking him out of his defeatism long enough to take the news of Kimball's death better; he never liked the President and thought him to be the architect of the NCR's sorry situation in the region, anyway.

Either way, the NCR forces rallied upon hearing news of the death of the hated Caesar, and during the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, held out long enough for a brave NCR Sniper to put a bullet into the eye of the Legion's new leader, Legate Lanius; the Republic, against all odds, had won.

What happened next set the fate of the Mojave for the next ten years.

After its hard-won victory, the NCR held new elections, and the voters brought into the Presidency the one who had saved the NCR before - The Chosen One, who had come out of retirement in New Arroyo to get the NCR to clean up its act. With the aid of newly-elected congressmen and women, vital reforms were passed to weaken the Bhramin and Water Barons, strengthen the power of the ordinary workers and farmers, and investigate the Crimson Caravan Company for using violence to destroy its competitors.

This eventually allowed the NCR to withstand several years of drought and near-famine, with the Chosen One guiding the nation through its greatest test before giving the country one last gift: His Resignation after approving a law imposing a two-term limit to all future NCR Presidents.

As for the Legion, Lanius' successor under Caesar's will and written plans of succession ordered the latter scrapped and his heirs under those plans executed out of paranoia that his potential successors might seek to take his position early by killing him first. This caused the Legion to go into civil war, and for a brief moment, it looked as though Caesar's Legacy would fall into ruin.

Then a mysterious figure emerged, a young man calling himself 'Augustus' who though physically Human, had psyker powers on par with The Master from long ago. This mystery youth reunited the Legion through charisma mixed with cruelty, as well as displays of psychic power. Eventually, he grew the Legion again and began preparing for revenge.

However, there are hints that Augustus is no natural-born being, but a construct made by some secret group with Old World Knowledge. If that is the case, what would be their reasons?

Either way, the Mojave has prospered a little in ten years of peace. Mr. House, the ruler of New Vegas, has had his life support system slowly worn down by time, and the brewing struggle for succession has the NCR Ambassador worried. At the same time, new factions, a mix of tribals, refugees, and various societies descended from Vault Dwellers are streaming into the Mojave from the north, straining the existing ones' patience and turning the edge of the region into a more lawless place - A bad omen for the new administration set up by the NCR to help the region transition to a proper State.

These newcomers bring word not just of Augustus' rise and his conquests, but also of his intentions: He is coming for the Mojave.

-------

All right, this is an Open World RP with a larger plot mixed in with sandbox elements. Players are encouraged to make OCs but also have the option of writing up a Faction, which in turn is a group of people that have pooled their resources to try and influence the destiny of the Mojave. Factions can be part of a larger canonical nation (NCR, Legion, Mr. House), a smaller canon faction (The Khans, the Followers of the Apocalypse, the Mojave Brotherhood of Steel), or an OC faction of one's own making.

II. Rules

1.) No godmodding, powerplaying, metagaming, etc. etc.
2.) No NSFW, please.
3.) No OOC feuding! If you must argue, be respectful. IC, meanwhile, you can hate each other as much as you like as long as it doesn't seep over to OOC.
4.) Please notify me if you will be gone longer than a few days, I will let you guys know if I will be gone.
5.) I reserve the right to control or kill off Custom Factions made by inactive players, and control and write out (but not necessarily kill) OCs made by those inactive players.
6.) All player characters must be OCs unless you control a Canon Faction (or sub-faction), and even then, you should ask permission to play Canons. You are, however, allowed to temporarily control merchant/bartender/officer canon characters (such as Trudy from Goodsprings) if you want to buy something, do a scene inside a bar, or do other minor interactions.
7.) All relationships between people of the same age group are allowed, whether homosexual or heterosexual as long as it does not violate NS Rules. Also, in the RP, Augustus repealed the Legion's ban on homosexuality and made it legal even among Legionnaires.

III. Character Sheets

Code: Select all

[b]Name:[/b]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Looks:[/b]
(picture optional)

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Faction:[/b]

[b]S.P.E.C.I.A.L[/b]= (42 Points spread wisely. Cannot go over 10 on any one stat)
[b]Strength:[/b]
[b]Perception:[/b]
[b]Endurance:[/b]
[b]Charisma:[/b]
[b]Intelligence:[/b]
[b]Agility:[/b]
[b]Luck:[/b]

[b]Backstory:[/b]



Code: Select all

[b]Faction Name:[/b] (NCR Rangers, The Khans, Fiends)

[b]Faction Leader:[/b] (Who leads your faction? Canon Characters are only allowed if you control a Canon Faction)

[b]Are they Canon?:[/b] (Yes, or No?)

[b]Numbers:[/b] (Larger than 15, smaller than 300 unless you're a Canon Faction.)

[b]Tech Level:[/b] (How good is your tech? Justify this in your history, but fair warning, you will have to work very hard to justify Enclave or Institute-level tech.)

[b]Location(s):[/b] (Pick a Canon Location in the Mojave Wasteland to put your faction in; Maps can be found online. Note that unless you have a good explanation, the north of the Mojave is the best place for OC factions.)

[b]History:[/b] (Your Faction's History.)



======

Approved Characters List:

Parcia - John “Jack” Franklin Grimisdottir

Dragos Bee - Andrew “Andy” Rivers, Leonid Tannhauser

Siimyardo - Cornelius Karl Peppersworth

Meretica - William "Old Man" McHale

Moroseraiqus - Siringo Group, Rhapsody "High Hammer" Carr, Scorchstalker

Not-Terrans - Thomas Bautista

Arengin Union - Fillatius Vuttux

Pragia - Rena Watson

Intermountain States - April "Snow White" Booker, Grimm Company

Republic Under Specters Grasp - Zelina Soledao, E.M.M.L

Zenik - Dan Castle

[Parcia]

Name: John “Jack” Franklin Grimsdottir | RIA asset designation: “BLACK DOG”

Age: 35

Looks:

Roughly 5'8, with a slim but toned build. Dirty blond hair often kept cut and neat, no facial hair, sharp cheeks with a square jaw. Eyes are a lighter hazel with gold flecking. Notable marks include a now defaced Enclave tattoo, a set of clean surgical scars along implant locations and a notable scar along the left side of his skull.

Personality:

Cold, distant, and notably good at deception. The relaxed persona put on with his cover contrasts a deeply driven, logical, perhaps even calculating to a near sociopathic level of determination in regard to his mission. He can be friendly, maybe even empathetic, warm even if the circumstances are correct, but the agency has not noticed any point where he expresses direct fondness for any of his co-workers.

While it has tempered with age, he was noted for having a brutal temper when roused. while never explosive, but it could be described as a cold, utterly ruthless brutality when dealing with certain individuals or groups that borderlines on the vindictive.

Faction: Enclave (Formerly), NCR - Republic Intelligence Office.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L=
Strength: 6
Perception: 8
Endurance: 5
Charisma: 3
Intelligence: 7 + 1
Agility: 8 + 1
Luck: 5


Gear:
“Moscow Special” - a modified AK series carbine featuring a matt black finish, laser light combo device mounted on its right, glowing iron sights, and a 5.56 suppressor. Feeds standard .223/5.56 rounds from proprietary magazines.

Agency Duty pistol - the standard issue side arm of agency assets in the wasteland, this 9mm pistol comes with a laser sight and weapon suppressor as well as glowing iron sights. Internals have been re machined and polished for increased reliability.

Agency Sniper rifle - a Hallmark of the RIA, this DKS-501 semiautomatic sniper rifle is drawn specifically from pre war US military “new old stock”, as in produced but never issued, and overhauled. Synthetic composite stock, 1-12x8 power optic with illuminated crosshairs, 7 round magazine, rifle suppressor and a proper bipod. Stock contains a cleaning kit.

Combat knife - painted black and often poisoned.

Assassin Suit - Custom tailored to fit the user, this set of light armor offers considerable ballistic and energy protection to the user while maintaining a low weight by way of light ballistic armor fabrics and ceramic armor plating. Dyed and or painted a dark gray, the suit produces little observable noise when properly worn and fitted. This comes at the drawback of being considerably expensive to repair and maintain as it requires proper pre-war tools and materials to do so properly. Hard plates are rated for level 3+ protection, rendering the plates immune to small caliber arms and good protection against rifle caliber cartridges. Soft armor weave is rated for level 3 protection along the torso, shoulders, and upper thighs. Lower legs and sleeves are only rated to .38 caliber rounds and blast fragmentation. Armor plates are coated with a refractive coating rendering direct impacts from infantry scale laser weapons ineffective at range.

AN-PV/S-33 - a Supremely rare set of functional pre-war Night visions goggles utilizing gen3 lenses and imaging sensors. Capable of using both passive ambient light and an active IR beam built into the Google set for better light. Expensive, and maintenance heavy, but offering low light vision comparable to some pre-war combat helmets.

Deathclaw Hide cloak - a full length, hand stitched cloak of deathclaw hide with a Brahmin leather lining. Warm, durable, adds natural camouflage and comes with a hood.

Implants:

NEMEN Subdural armor - a layer of micron thick armor coating applied directly to the skeleton and vital areas, offers limited added protection to vital organs and areas. The basic model is rated primarily for low velocity impacts, indirect blast effects, fragmentation, and renders armored areas considerably resistant to bludgeoning and stabbing damage. +4 DT

West Tec Logic coprocessor - Self explanatory, adds a secondary machine learning based implant to the cerebral cortex, allowing for more rapid and comprehensive logical thinking, extrapolating, and reasoning. +1 INT

General Atomics Reflex booster - A series of input nodes rather then a singular input, this implant, when combined with the inbuilt controller chip often found in certain co-processor units, allows for more rapid and effective neural relays and inputs, increasing agility and response time. +1 AGL


Backstory:

Excerpt from RIA internal Transcript no.REDACTED, dated 18, July, REDACTED

“...So I just speak into it here? yea, alright. My name is John F. Grimsdottir, though most of my friends call me Jack. I am 35, and I was a member of the Enclave. My great, great grandparents were lucky enough to both be diplomatic attaches to the Soviet and Swedish embassies in Washington D.C when the bombs fell, and were among a few who were lucky enough to be granted entry into the Enclave base aboard the Poseidon Energy rig were, having both been members of their homelands respective intelligence agencies, my great, great Grandmother having worked for Soviet GRU and her having husband worked for the “Kontoret för särskild inhämtning” or Office for Special acquisitions, the Swedish Military intelligence apparatus. “

“They were both recognized for these skills, and, working alongside a small cabal of former American Intelligence officers, helped form the first cadre of Enclave spies and deep cover recon assets that would go on to form the basis for Enclave intelligence in the wasteland. Passing over the next 160 ish years of post nuclear history, and you arrive at my parents, Clara and Jacob. Being 3rd or 4th Generation spies and the latest of a series of deep cover assets to be used for whatever operations deemed fit by command, my parents, barely into their 20s, were inserted into NCR territory a few short years before your Chosen one blew up the rig.

“With no link to command, no orders, they went dark, assumed new lives. Had me. Trained me, taught me everything they knew and taught me how to operate like them. I don’t know when or how the NCR RIA found out about us, you still won’t tell me, but you did, and unlike a lot of former Enclave deep cover assets, you gave me the option to jump ship. I took it. I was still pretty young at the time, the RIA taught me a lot.

“I was inserted into the Mojave shortly before the second battle of Hoover dam with the stated mission to gather intel for a possible assassination of Legion leadership should I be able to. Of course, that asshole from goodsprings beat me to it. With that job done for me, and the legion fragmenting after the deaths of both Caeser and the Butcher Lanius, I was ordered into deep cover and built a life for myself under an assumed name. Officially, my name is Jack Franklin, NCR immigrant and bar keep in a little hole in the wall place across the street from what used to be the Vangraf arms dealers set up in the Silver rush.”

“Right, that’s about it, can I go?”

End of record.

[Dragos Bee]

Backstory:[/b

Excerpt from RIA internal Transcript no.[b]REDACTED, dated 18, July, REDACTED

Fix the formatting and complete the Looks and Personality, and you'll be accepted.

[Dragos Bee]

Shared Picture for Andrew Rivers and Leonid Tannhauser; Andrew is on the left, Leonid is on the right

Name: Andrew 'Andy' Rivers

Age: 18

Looks: As in the Picture (Left).

Personality: Despite being an idealist, Andrew can nevertheless switch to a mindset where killing is just another day for him, where enemies are just that, enemies. He knows it is wrong to see sniping foes as a game, but he knows when to postpone remorse for it and when to let it out. After all, he does what he does to keep the peace in the Mojave; the peace the Chosen One had earned after Kimball's demise at the hands of 'The Courier', right? The NCR may not be flawless, but unlike before, they tried harder to do right, right? Nevertheless, should things grow dark again, Andrew knows when to wait... And when to break out his Hunting Rifle with a scope for some sniping.

Faction: NCR Infantry.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L= (42 Points spread wisely. Cannot go over 10 on any one stat)
Strength: 5
Perception: 8
Endurance: 7
Charisma: 8
Intelligence: 6
Agility: 7
Luck: 1

Backstory: An illegitimate child raised by his mother and his uncle, Andy had to fight hard for acceptance and recognition from his peers, and recognized the value of hard work, treating others how he wanted to be treated, and finally, being seen as a badass who knew what he was doing early on. Eventually, at the age of thirteen, a chance remark revealed to him that his father may have been Andrew Kimball himself, NCR President whose death opened the way for the Chosen One to get elected into his position. A DNA test and revelations that his mother was getting hush money confirmed this theory, and something grew inside the boy one day: A desire to further prove himself.

And so when he grew old enough, he joined the NCR Army under his mother's last name and proved himself proficient in actions against cannibalistic tribals, law-breaking slavers and chem traders, and the occasional swarm of Giant Ants. Eventually, Andy got assigned to the Mojave, now at peace for a decade, and continued to perform well, even earning a reputation for slight overconfidence, bordering on arrogance, which was nevertheless tempered by professionalism. Deep inside, however, the young man wants to find out more about The Courier, the one who had assassinated both Caesar and his birth father, and asks: Was that guy trying to do the NCR a favor?

Either way, the rumors of the Legion's return under Augustus as the latter began making his way west towards the Mojave, have put Andy and another soldier, his best friend/potential boyfriend Leonid Tannhauser, on high alert, with rumors that they may or may not might be deployed to The Fort, the military complex once owned by Caesar, to serve as the first line of defense. Well, either way, he was going to do his duty to his country... Even if he has an inkling it would end up badly for him.

======

Name: Leonid Tannhauser

Age: 18

Looks: As in the Picture (Right).

Personality: Leonid strives to do right more than he wants to be right, strangely enough. To him, kindness is nothing without action; compassion needs to be backed up with more than words. Despite his belief that people are naturally selfish and out for themselves, including him, Leonid has found the strength to forgive them and himself for that and strive to be good and help others. Of course, he does this in a sour and backhanded manner that causes him to come off as someone as self-righteous and in your face. And he's not so cold that he does not care about that at all, but s long as he has people with him who support him, and he does his duty, well, all's well with the world.

Faction: NCR Infantry.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L= (42 Points spread wisely. Cannot go over 10 on any one stat)
Strength: 5
Perception: 5
Endurance: 7
Charisma: 8
Intelligence: 7
Agility: 6
Luck: 4

Backstory: A boy born in The Boneyard, Leonid was well-educated, being the son of an NCR Politician and his trophy wife. Desperate to escape the drought and his strict parents, Leonid joined the military without his parents' consent, forging documents and medical records to do so. This was discovered when he was already in the Mojave, and more importantly, performed with valor against a band of raiders (Jackals) on a mission to smoke out their lairs. Nevertheless, he was sent home, but his parents learned a new respect for him and let him join the military at sixteen, the legal age for military service.

Leonid proved to be a competent soldier once more when he had legally joined. Loyal to his commanding officers and loyal to the rules and regulations of the NCR, he earned a reputation for being a 'sourpuss' when he chose to stay in barracks and read books and only drink a little alcohol. Of course, he also had a minor reputation for saving his fellow soldiers from pickpockets, footpads, and other people who sought to take advantage of them when their guard was down.

It was during a routine patrol that he met Andrew. It was when said the patrol was attacked by a band of Powder Ganger remnants that Leonid and Andrew saw how skilled each other was. Then they decided to be friends. Then they realized they both liked boys as well as girls. But rumors were that the Legion was returning and the two did not want to risk one of them dying or themselves being separated through other circumstances. And so they both held back, waiting for a safer, more peaceful time. Maybe when both of them had won...

[Siimyardo]

Name: Cornelius Karl Peppersworth
Aliases: Little Coyote, Silky Bill, R.C. Carpenter

Age: 52

Looks:
I made some AI slop, but I can't get the Forum to take the link, so for now, just picture Sam Elliot.
Personality: Typically very energetic, quick-thinking, quick-talking, and showing very animated facial expression. His charm, his very advanced vocabulary and pleasant voice, his small frame and his age all tend to "disarm" people and get them to go along with him even when they don't quite understand what he's saying or when their situation should alarm them. This normally intense persona is interrupted by occasional periods of listlessness and despondency. These have gotten worse as he's become older, and he has begun to consider self-medicating these moments with chems - a dangerous prospect.

While outwardly very friendly, open, even helpful, he is completely amoral. People are just tools to him. He doesn't do this from desperation, nor for revenge, nor for ideology - he has enough money cached up and down the Colorado to get along just fine. He does this because he is addicted to outfoxing and overpowering people. This is the closest he comes to a moral compass: he doesn't like to enslave or move people who are too mentally or physically feeble to escape him. Not from an appreciation that kidnapping an infirm or child is wrong, mind you, but because it isn't fun.

Faction: Independent; Currently residing in Freeside.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L=
Strength: 4
Perception:5
Endurance: 3
Charisma:8
Intelligence:8
Agility:7
Luck:7
Backstory:

Born the youngest son to a merchant family in Oregon. A large and stable family, they were able to have have children running stores or caravans at few different places at any given time. His childhood was about concurrent with the time of the Chosen One's adventures, and traveling with his family, he would he stories about him and visit some of the same places he passed through in northern California. His initial academic aptitude was noticed by a doctor in the Followers, and in exchange for funding his clinic, Cornelius ' father had him tutor the young man. While he absorbed the medical training and biology reasonably well, Cornelius' strongest interests were in the humanities. The doctor recommended further education under the Mormons, who had a pretty good collection of pre-war works.

Helping a brother run a store in his off-time, he received a classical education in New Canaan. While studying under the Mormons, he was introduced to the regional tribal dialects by the missionaries. Seeing a niche to fill and an opportunity to establish himself as his own man, Cornelius specialised in trade with the tribals. This was especially profitable when he traded goods the Mormons wouldn't, such as booze and guns.

As a young man he fathered two daughters with a woman while living and trading with the Iron Rivers tribe in Colorado. Circle Junction served as his base of operations for trading with the tribes, under the moniker "Little Coyote." His introduction to slaving was somewhat accidental, when he was hired to escort a number of hostages as a "peace offering" in a tribal conflict. It wasn't until halfway to the Jackal camp that he realised the situation.

It was during a expedition with some Hangdogs and Cyphers stun tools from Denver. He had traded slaves between tribes off and on by this point, but with the new equipment, he entered into the acquisition business in earnest. He was especially effective in catching unwary travelers from the west, since they often would reflexively be glad to see another "civillised" person, they would let their guard down. In order to keep his identity back West safe, he made sure they either saw them sent too far east over the Great Wastes to ever come back, or enslaved where there was a.. high turnover rate. To date, this has worked pretty well.

Increasing conflict between the tribes and the fledgling legion proved very lucrative for Peppersworth. In California, he would buy up guns as CK Peppersworth, trade them for slaves with the tribes, and sell the slaves to Legion as RC Carpenter, circling back to Cali with the silver to buy more guns. During this time, he interacted with the vicious Viper and White Leg tribes, learning the art of poisoning from them. He wrote an extensive book on slavery, although it had a somewhat limited readership, being as most slavers lacked the level of literacy to appreciate his 700-page magnum opus. Edward Sallow, though, did. He commissioned "Carpenter" to produce a Latin translation with the pre-war historical references scrubbed. He finished it about two years before the second battle of Hoover Dam.

Since he was in the area, he set up shop in Freedside and began operating in the Mojave region. His Modus Operandi is to run a legitimate (and reasonably profitable) trading business, while catching and moving people under the table. His last big trip out east was moving Dr. Angela Williams to the Cypher tribe, during the total chaos of the battle at the dam. They wanted her scientific acumen and taught him some advanced bomb-making in return. Who knows when that might be useful?

So he has been in the area for most of the time since the NCR annexation, with occasional tribes to the Four Corners and Caesar's land. It's easy enough to stay under the radar. After all, when vagabonds disappear, when soldiers desert on a drunken bender, when tourists stumble out of the whorehouse without checking out in the morning, who looks that hard?

[Dragos Bee]

Name: Cornelius Karl Peppersworth
Aliases: Little Coyote, Silky Bill, R.C. Carpenter

Approval One given.

Parcia, can you give a second review of this guy?

[Parcia]

Wooorks for me.

I look forward to throwing him in jail.

[Dragos Bee]

Wooorks for me.

I look forward to throwing him in jail.

I love that idea.

[Neues Preussisches Reich]

[quote="Siimyardo";p="41430433"][/quote]
Approved. Welcome back, I look forward to seeing what Peppersworth will get up to

[Remnants]

Is it okay for me to join up?

Also, may I ask something about the lore?
Would the Tunnalers start to go over the Mojave from the Divide? Also the Spore Carriers from zion valley would be growing in numbers?

[Dragos Bee]

Is it okay for me to join up?

Also, may I ask something about the lore?
Would the Tunnalers start to go over the Mojave from the Divide? Also the Spore Carriers from zion valley would be growing in numbers?

Yes, yes, Courier destroyed most Tunnelers, and Spore Carriers are not growing in numbers.

[Siimyardo]

Approved. Welcome back, I look forward to seeing what Peppersworth will get up to

Probably will try and finish that Freeside story I started last time, I have some of a pt 3 draft somewhere. Since Parcia is playing the Silver Rush barman, we might encounter each other in Freeside. And since we rebooted the capture of Leo and Andy, we might have that cat-and-mouse game in Canyon I suggested to Bee.

[Dragos Bee]

Approved. Welcome back, I look forward to seeing what Peppersworth will get up to

Probably will try and finish that Freeside story I started last time, I have some of a pt 3 draft somewhere. Since Parcia is playing the Silver Rush barman, we might encounter each other in Freeside. And since we rebooted the capture of Leo and Andy, we might have that cat-and-mouse game in Canyon I suggested to Bee.

Maybe; depends on if anyone wants to RP out the initial NCR defense against Augustus' attacks.

[Meretica]

Name: William "Old Man" McHale
Age: 274 (b. 2017; still refers to himself as 83 as that was when he was ghoulified)
Looks: Older man with gray-white hair and a beard, but a ghoul; resembles this image of President Snow from the Hunger Games
Personality: Gruff old man, very much an old Southerner with pre-War values
Faction: Freedom's Lifeline (Army of the State of Tennessee); the Free States (pre-War, loose connections to canon)

S.P.E.C.I.A.L
Strength: 7
Perception: 6
Endurance: 7
Charisma: 7
Intelligence: 6
Agility: 4
Luck: 5

Backstory: Explained below, the story of McHale and Tenessee are one and the same.
Gear: The General's Lifeline - McHale's customized .45 combat rifle; it has a calibrated powerful received, a recoil-compensating stock, a medium quick-eject magazine, a long night vision scope, and a suppressor (Weightless Legendary Effect)
Tennessee's Guardian - A combat shotgun with a quick-eject drum magazine, an advanced receiver, a long-ported and shielded barrel, a recoil-compensating stock, and a reflex sight; all black, except for the stock, which is made of poplar (Weightless Legendary Effect)
McHale's Dailywear - Pair of paints, outdoor boots, a belt, and a cowboy hat (+45 DR, +15 ER)
McHale's Overcoat - Leather coat, Freedom's Lifeline symbol on one arm with the General's Symbol above it; the flag of Tennessee on the other (+2 A, +5 DR)
McHale's Flask - A flask of whiskey
McHale's Canteen - A canteen of water
McHale's Pipe - A pipe (Calmed Nerves, +10% XP for 1 hour)
McHale's Tinderbox - A tinderbox for fires
McHale's Snuffbox - A snuffbox (required for the Calm Nerves Perk)
McHale's Combat Knife - A relic of his days in the U.S. Army; steel army knife
McHale's Swiss Army Knife - A multipurpose Swiss Army Knife

Faction Name: The State of Tennessee
Faction Leader: Gov. Ginny Prescott
Are they Canon?: No
Numbers: Several thousand
Tech Level: NCR-level technology
Location(s): Much of Tennessee in addition to some other areas; see this map for more details as to how the South as a whole looks right now, but add all but the northeastern chunk of Tennessee to the state.
History: Following the Great War in 2077, much of Tennessee remained untouched, aside from Oak Ridge and Memphis. The state was otherwise untouched, leaving the pre-war state government largely intact. Its governor, Godfrey Smith (D-Nashville), declared a state of emergency and failed to contact the federal government's remnants. The early days saw rampant looting and chaos as people feared what was to come as radiation slowly began to change the world around them. Smith faced various rebellions, upset farmers, and other faction battles for several years, particularly after he refused to hold new elections in November 2078, November 2080, and November 2082. Due to his work, only a handful of counties in Middle Tennessee were left as part of the state.

In December 2082, a group of people in several Middle Tennessee Counties (Humphreys, Lewis, Lawrence, Houston, and others) left bunkers they'd built themselves, having called themselves the "Southern Free Staters" due to their connections with and support of the Free States in West Virginia. Their leader was William McHale (R-Waverly). Previously a member of Congress (having served in the House and Senator), a former Secretary of Defense, a war hero, and a former Governor in his own right, McHale had been decried as a lunatic by many as he sided with Raleigh Clay and Senator Blackwell. Yet when the bombs came, many in Middle Tennessee remembered his prophetic warnings and welcomed his return. They were shocked to see that Tennessee was largely unscathed (in comparison to Memphis, Atlanta, Oak Ridge, and a few other places, at least). McHale gathered old friends, new allies, and common people across the state to form Freedom's Lifeline, a group dedicated to pre-war values and democracy. They forced Smith to step aside, with the Speaker of the Senate, Marc Boyd, serving as Acting Governor until the 2084 elections.

In 2084, McHale announced a bid for Governor and easily won with over 80% of the vote. A series of constitutional amendments were passed that expanded the power of the Governor, ended term limit rules, and ended the use of traditional currency--instead, caps were officially offered as the standard, with three government-operated soda plants producing a limited supply of bottle caps to keep an eye on inflation and protect the new market that McHale hoped to build. Farmers and miners were given preference in political matters, followed by doctors, educators, loggers, and other skilled workers. McHale's tenure oversaw the establishment of Freedom's Lifeline as Tennessee's official military force for expanding its borders to the west, with Tennesseans largely approving of his work. He was reelected in 2088 and 2092, with most of West Tennessee reclaimed and the TVA plants being reworked to supply power to the state and surrounding regions. He spent the next two years traveling across the South, adventuring in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi for several years. Folklorists began to call him "Old Man McHale" or "Mad McHale" as, on many occasions, he single-handedly freed slaves and killed slavers without a hint of remorse. It was said he scalped 500 slavers in Mississippi in the summer of 2099 alone; he has denied such bloodlust but admits an eternal hostility to slavery and bigotry. That is, perhaps, why he did not treat ghouls harshly or critically before becoming one after spending too much time in Atlanta in 2100.

McHale returned to Tennessee with mixed responses. He was eternally stuck at 83, whether he liked it or not, but was happy to remain as fit as he ever was. He mourned the losses of his daughter and grandchildren over the next several decades, however. After the death of his youngest grandchild in 2155, he took to the road again, fighting against the slave-holding New Confederacy for several years, meeting with U.S. Army Remnants in Raleigh to fend off super mutants, and serving as the commander of Freedom's Lifeline once more in the 2190s to fend off the mercenaries known as the Black Mark. In 2203, he set off for Appalachia to learn what happened to his friends in the Free States and was heartbroken to discover the truth. He returned to the Nash (formerly Nashville) to relay the news and was elected in 2206 to serve as Governor again. He was reelected several more times (2210, 2214, 2218, and 2222), but after this, he was done with all of it. He took to the road once again, heading westward. While exploring Arkansas with friends, he came upon the Enclave, a group he had heard rumors of in their travels. They had been establishing a presence long unnoticed but largely came across as harmless. They were not associated with, they claimed, the Enclave of Appalachia or that had tortured many in California--they were here to help. They proved themselves to be good, peaceful people and left Tennessee alone. McHale continued westward, encountering the Tribal Confederation in Oklahoma. He spent several years with them until he learned the Black Mark and the New Confederacy were launching renewed attacks on Tennessee in 2167.

One last time, McHale led Freedom's Lifeline to victory, leading his forces to slaughter many in the leadership of both groups and creating a lasting peace. The New Confederacy was forced to end its slave trade; the Black Mark held elections and allowed Shreveport to establish itself as a free state. McHale took to the road again, traveling west and never quite stopping. Eventually, he went to New Vegas in 2288, when he was 271. He became known as a storyteller, an excellent shot, and a grand drinking buddy. He never cared for gambling, always preferring whiskey and a nice puff of his pipe (or the occasional cigar). He did some mercenary work for a while and was, from time to time, hired by the NCR. He rarely talked about his days as a politician but focused more on his military work and travels, earning caps as a bodyguard and questing man. He has spent the last three years making a name for himself, but it appears as though the General's skills might be required one more time. Now, he has no stake in it other than his life.

[Meretica]

Probably will try and finish that Freeside story I started last time, I have some of a pt 3 draft somewhere. Since Parcia is playing the Silver Rush barman, we might encounter each other in Freeside. And since we rebooted the capture of Leo and Andy, we might have that cat-and-mouse game in Canyon I suggested to Bee.

Maybe; depends on if anyone wants to RP out the initial NCR defense against Augustus' attacks.

I'd be willing to write that as McHale (if he's accepted)

[Dragos Bee]

Name: William "Old Man" McHale.

Approval One. Will you be joining the Discord too? It's more convenient to talk OOC there.

[Siimyardo]

Maybe; depends on if anyone wants to RP out the initial NCR defense against Augustus' attacks.

I have a few ideas for mercenaries to get involved, or factions to help or hinder the NCR. I'll expand on those a little later. But first I wanted to ask, are you going to do the Benny hunt again?

PS: I won't be on the 'cord much until the weekend, but I'll post a few things here. As we do make plans on the discord, it might be a good idea to post updates/summaries here in the thread so the people lurking on the forum see that there is, in fact, work in progress.

[Dragos Bee]

Maybe; depends on if anyone wants to RP out the initial NCR defense against Augustus' attacks.

I have a few ideas for mercenaries to get involved, or factions to help or hinder the NCR. I'll expand on those a little later. But first I wanted to ask, are you going to do the Benny hunt again?

PS: I won't be on the 'cord much until the weekend, but I'll post a few things here. As we do make plans on the discord, it might be a good idea to post updates/summaries here in the thread so the people lurking on the forum see that there is, in fact, work in progress.

Yes, we're doing the Benny Hunt.

As for Summaries, I am busy mostly but you are allowed to do that if the Co-GMs are okay with it.

[Parcia]

-snip-

Looks good on my end.

Heads up boss, my own app is fixed and finished.

[Meretica]

Thanks ^-^

[Moroseraiqus]

Faction Name: Siringo[1] Group
In informal circles, the faction is sometimes referred to as "Apocalypse's Knights"

Faction Leader: Rhapsody "High Hammer" Carr

Are they Canon?: They should be
Nah but seriously, they're not

Description[2] The Siringo Group, other times referred to informally by people "in the know" as the Apocalypse's Knights due to their history and origins, is a faction of mercenaries, bounty hunters and private contractors alike whom take on jobs across the Mojave Wasteland, assisting any man or faction the Siringo Group reckons are "good folk", essentially... Thus, as you might guess, what separates the Siringo Group from other mercenary factions that may, or may not exist is their devotion to doing the right thing. They won't work for anyone they see as evil, cruel or incessantly self-interested and would rather be the ones to hunt down folk who seek to hurt others without proper justification.
Still relatively new to the Wasteland, the Siringo Group, under one Rhapsody Carr (sometimes called the "High Hammer", though as he'd tell you that's actually the name of his signature gun, a Hi-Power) who calls the shots wishes to grow it's ranks and establish itself as trusted contractors to those with the caps, though most important to them, heart to hire them.

Numbers: The Siringo Group is still quite the up-and-comer, and hasn't gained that much traction as of yet. Currently, there are thirty members of this aspiring mercenary faction

Tech Level: The Siringo Group's technology, whether it be in regards to weapons, medicine, gadgets & gizmos or what have you are only as good as what's around them. A decent amount of the gear available to these aspirational mercs are taken from around the Wasteland, whether it be looted odds and sorts from derelict sites, taken from the folk they've hunted down or by sheer coincidental opportunity. However, the Siringo Group often make use of weapons and ammunition brought from Local Merchants, say from the Gun Runners or traders with access to Republican stockpiles.
Siringo Mercenaries will use pretty much anything in combat, as long as the situation is right for it and they know what they are doing. Nonetheless, many of it's members favour Lever-Action Rifles like the Trail Carbine or Cowboy Repeater alongside sidearms such as the 9mm Pistol, M1911 and an assortment of revolvers. When it comes to getting up close and personal, members of the "Apocalypse's Knights" will favour Combat Knives or Batons.

When it comes to medicine and other technologies, the Siringo Group keep themselves relatively well stocked. Most of their medicines from Doctor's Bags to Stimpaks to Healing Powder to RadAway and Rad-X are supplied to them by their "colleagues" in the Followers of the Apocalypse. Be it as it may, the Siringo Group rarely purchase surplus, risking having too little at points due to their consistent donations to the Followers. This applies to a lot of what they spend their caps on, actually, but that's neither here nor there.
Siringo Mercs aren't the most technologically advanced folk out there, sure, but they can make use of some basic gadgets and gizmos. Terminals within the four walls of their Headquarters are used to document and record information, and operatives out on the field can make use of certain gadgets, like Binoculars or Night-Vision Scopes for instance.

Location(s): As of now, the Siringo Group have "appropriated" Bonnie Springs from their previous inhabitants, a gang of Vipers. Naturally, they make use of the buildings still standing, though there's a few tents pitched up around the area as well

History: The history of the Siringo Group is the story of it's founder, the Followers Member turned local Mercenary turned Siringo head honcho: Rhapsody "High Hammer" Carr. Well, pretty much anyway. The idea for the Group began within the weather-beaten man's head after all, not so long after his exodus from the Followers of the Apocalypse due to his disenfranchisement with their dogged pursuit of pacifism, and was an idea he carried on his shoulder as he began to amass a small fortune as anything from a Bounty Hunter to Private Security to Detective and anything else that falls under that metaphorical umbrella.

The "High Hammer" began his more martial version of the Apocalyptic Followers once he felt comfortable with the caps jingling in his pockets, recruiting his first few members and supplying the fledgling group out of his own pocket. In time, he'd officially announce the formation of the Siringo Group; a faction of Vigilantes for Hire that'd seek to assist the good people of the wasteland, one contract at a time.
At the start, the Siringo Group had pretty much no influence within New California, not even within Boneyard and it's surrounding areas, and the name never really registered on the radar of good folk across the Republic. The group was founded amidst the excitement of Aaron Kimball's presidency and "that whole debacle within the Mojave", which you all no doubt know came to a head when the big man himself got domed by a Legion Assassin whilst giving a speech on Hoover Dam, and then the subsequent 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam, so to say the public was focused on other things rather than some upstart Mercenary Band would've been an understatement. The most work the Siringo Group began with was the odd contract protecting local Brahmin Herders from both naer-do-wells and the larger Barons who'd try to muscle in on their work. Even in these humble times though, the few members of the aspirational mercenary group began their practice of donating what caps or $NCR they could spare from their contracts to folk who needed it, and especially so to the Followers of the Apocalypse. Because sure, Rhapsody Carr had his problems with the group, but he'd trust them to do right by the funds more than most.

After the NCR's victory in the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam, and the election of a prominent figure from New Arroyo to the President's Office, the Siringo Group would have moved from the Boneyard, headed east towards the Frontier of New Californian territory, deep within the Mojave. This might've been the best decision the Group could've made. As their treacherous journey across California, and down the Long 15 ended, the band of morally-inclined mercs would find out that there were still quite a lot of troubles within the Mojave, troubles that they could play a part in solving.
One of their first contracts within the Mojave came from the New California Republic. A group of Vipers had struck out against traders moving from Goodsprings to New Vegas and they wanted the raiders to be snuffed out before they grew more bold and marched upon local communities. As it turns out, this'd be the Siringo Group's lucky break, not only because after eliminating the hostile residents of Bonnie Springs they took over the area to set up their base of operations, but in their efforts the name of the group would slowly spread across the Mojave. This, alongside no small effort by Carr and crew to advertise their new mercenary group, from McCarran to the Old Mormon Fort to Westside and everywhere or anywhere in between helped spur the growth of the Group as new members joined, whether it be Former Khans who wanted to make a difference within the Wasteland, Followers members who followed in Rhapsody's footsteps or just your average merc looking to band together with like-minded individuals, and contracts began to pour in more frequently, and paychecks began to rise.

As of the current day, the Siringo Group numbers 30 members, though as you'll find out not all thirty of them are out on the field completing contracts for factions and people alike who they feel have the right of it. The band of Vigilantes new to the Mojave still have a ways to go before they've any sort of noticeable prominence within the overall climate of the Mojave, but perhaps if they play their cards right, they might be the force for good they have always sought to be.

[1] = Named after Charlie Siringo, Lawman, Detective & Bounty Hunter
[2] = I decided to add in that extra entry of my own volition, just to overview the faction

---

Name: Rhapsody "High Hammer" Carr

Age: 51

Looks:

Credit where credit is due, Here's the original. I've only made small edits like removing the small ponytail and cigarette, just because I didn't feel as if it'd fit with Rhapsody's character

The art that I shamefully "appropriated" from Safebooru depicts his looks well enough, though I should say that whilst out in the field Rhapsody will often be wearing something similar to a Sheriff's Duster, with S.W.A.T body armour strapped tightly around his chest as well for some protection from small arms fire.

Personality: Mr Carr's a rather gruff man, worn down by at least a good fifteen years of mercenary work. He's experienced what the Wasteland can offer, much moreso than he would've if he remained with the Followers of the Apocalypse back in the City of Fallen Angels, but for what it's worth he hasn't become too jaded because of it. He still has faith in humanity, and believes that there are many out there who are good folk, even if perhaps they won't always make that known. Who can blame them? Most are just lookin' to scrounge up their own tough living out there after all. Where other mercs might justify their line of profession to themselves by becoming cynical of the world around them, it's Rhapsody's continued optimism that keeps him grounded and conscious, so to speak. He doesn't do what he does for himself, no no, he just wants to see bad men be brought to justice, and good men protected from the woes of the Wasteland, and he helps with that in the best way he knows how

His gruffness has led to a rather dry sense of humour, though rarely dark. Alongside that, and a bit of sarcasm from time to time, the most that common folk will see out of him is that of a shrewd Obi-Wan Kenobi negotiator and skilled tradesman.

But in private circles and amongst those who are more than strangers to him, Rhapsody has a warm heart. Granted, you'll never hear him speak a whole bunch, and he mostly avoids raising his voice, but if a shoulder to lie on or a ear to talk off is needed, he'll try to be there and offer it. Whether that's reflective of his past as someone who grew up as a member of the Followers, or something more innate, who can say?

Faction: Siringo Group, as the head honcho and founder

S.P.E.C.I.A.L
Strength: 6
Perception: 7
Endurance: 6
Charisma: 4
Intelligence: 8
Agility: 6
Luck: 5

Backstory: Rhapsody Carr had been a boy of the Boneyard during his formative years, though luckily for him he wouldn't have to be consigned to a life of destitution within the City of Fallen Angels. Well, relatively speaking. His father was an NCR Trooper, who knocked up Carr's mother after his deployment in Baja California. Nine months later, she'd go through labour and give birth to the future Siringo Boss. As for Rhapsody's mother, she dedicated herself to the Followers of the Apocalypse, and was often seen around the city treating folk suffering from addictions, whether it be from alcohol or any number of chems. Rhapsody's first few years of life were rather peaceful actually, though he had to grow up fast when the NCR-Brotherhood War came around, as his father was sent off to fight for the Republic, and his mother was tasked by the Followers as a medic for wounded soldiers and civilians near the field, bringing her son along with her. So, as you'd imagine, Carr's future with the Seditious Anarchists would practically fall into his lap, as he got first-hand experience with the duties that it'd entail.

This foundational experience in the field would not only give Rhapsody the drive to help the ill, what with seeing the pain that people can be put through first hand, but also his first lessons. And indeed, those fundamentals would mould the young Rhapsody into a man with a good knowledge of medical practice and a nurtured intelligence.
By the time he was old enough to be out and about as a full-fledged member of the Followers, Rhapsody had become quite the boon for his local branch's efforts. His skills in the fields of medicine, and a decent enough grasp of science helped him help out the folk of the Boneyard, though he'd also find some success as a negotiator and haggler. Granted, he wasn't the most charismatic, and neither is he even now, but he had the knowledge and confidence to know how best to skew a deal to his favour. And thus, to the Followers' favour. Also, maybe a bit of his father rubbed off on him too, since Rhapsody grew up with a vested interest in firearms. Shooting firearms, toying with their internals, learning how to shoulder some of the more bulky weapons, you know, the works. Not many Followers ever seemed as interested in the simple pleasure of a 9mm like Rhapsody.

Skipping a few years as his first years of adulthood came and went, with access to knowledge and history as a member of one of the most intellectual organisations this side of the old United States and an understanding of war and violence thanks to his experiences even when he was but a child, Rhapsody began to drift away from the more pacifistic ideals of the Followers as time went by, slowly but surely, though he never actually blamed them for his shifting views. It certainly didn't help learning about that sordid tale of Edward Sallow and the many conflicts of the past that without good people there willing to raise their arms to fight for what was right. He began to see the Followers as weak in a way, which in and of itself is alright, but the way Rhapsody saw it, their pacifistic ways had, has and might still stop them from doing what is right for folk in their desperate hour. As the NCR-Legion War waged on in the Mojave and the memories of those Power Armour juggernauts still fresh, Carr came into the view that some things just can't be solved without violence. Not violence for violence's sake, but for justice and the wellbeing of the Wasteland. In time, shortly before the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam, he and his mother would find out that his father had died in the field, suffering from a lethal dose of radiation when the Legion gave Searchlight a "glow-up", so to speak. This was the straw that broke the camel's back for Rhapsody, who soon after would give the Followers a goodbye, telling them that though they're good folk he couldn't be a part of their ranks anymore, and set out to help people in his own way as a mercenary. He kept himself to a strict moral code, refusing contracts from anyone he'd think wanted his assistance for the wrong reasons, and though this made him less cash than he might've made if he were more loose, Rhapsody never really wanted the money. In fact, he just kept what he needed to live and keep himself supplied, and the rest of what he made went to either the people he cast his loyalties to before, or to those who needed a helping hand...

For a good few years he'd continue his fortunes, very slowly building up an actual fortune for a plan he had in his mind for a while by that point, as the world changed around him. The NCR-Legion War ended soon after the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam as the Legion fractured for a spell, the previous president who was domed at the dam would be replaced by a figure from Arroyo who had quite the resume, to say the least, and Rhapsody's home country began to see a sort of renaissance as Brahmin Barons to common thugs and every s#%thead in between were crushed, metaphorically or otherwise. About a year before Rhapsody said goodbye to the Boneyard itself, and a few years before current date, the growingly wizened man who by this point had some good experience with the ways of mercenary work he and a couple of his acquittances decided to craft themselves a band for themselves, calling it the Siringo Group, named after some old pre-war bounty hunter and lawman Rhapsody had remembered reading about within the Boneyard Library all those years back. And before the year was out, smelling opportunity within the Mojave which was still encountering it's set of problems, the fledgling group set off across the Long 15 to show that dusty, battered old slice of the Wasteland that a few extra people were willing to pitch in with their problems.

And indeed they would. The Siringo Group, led by the main man Rhapsody himself would make their presence known not long after leaving Mojave Outpost. One of their first acts was to complete a contract a local NCR garrison posted in Sloan issued them, figuring that either they'd successfully drive out a group of marauding raiders posted in Bonnie Springs who had harassed a few traders headed from New Vegas to Goodsprings not too long ago, or they'd be out of their hair soon enough... Turns out, the Siringo Group taught those Vipers the meaning of superior firepower pretty well, and after their pacification and then collecting the bounty from the NCR would post themselves up in the 'olde Viper Nest. And from Bonnie Springs Rhapsody "High Hammer" Carr would grow his little mercenary outfit as a decent few new members found their calling within their ranks, and contracts across the Mojave came and went. For the record, their clientele mostly came from the Republic, the Followers of the Apocalypse (mostly as security) and some independent communities like Westside and North Vegas.

But now, this humble narrator is getting distracted. For now, this is where Rhapsody's story has come to an end, though there's going to be more to it, no doubt. As leader of the Siringo Group, will he manage to keep the outfit on the straight and narrow, only dedicating themselves to people who actually mean well? Will his story end in the Mojave for whatever reason that may entail? Will future conflicts darken his moralities, create a more cynical, uncaring man? Who can say?

Trivia[1] Rhapsody has a signature firearm, actually. It's a Browning Hi-Power which he's called "High Hammer", though nowadays it's almost as much his alias as it is his pistol's. The grip is coloured a bleached white instead of the pistol's usual wood brown, he feeds it's rounds through Extended Magazines and the emblem of the Siringo Group is etched into it's frame near the hammer.

[1] = An added entry. I just wanted to talk about the "High Hammer" real quick

---

Name: Never had one. Guess you can call me Scorchstalker, that's how I've been referred to for the longest time anyhow

Age: Like I'm gonna tell you that. F#*k off
(Omniscient narrator here, "Scorchstalker" is around 25 years old, give or take a few months)

Looks:

(Original image here. The only difference between it and the one I've supplied is the lack of a watermark, and an added background)

Dunno where that came from, but whatever. Look a little better than usual in that too, why would I give two s&%ts about the way I look anyway? If people think I look like a coked-out Fiend, that's on them not me.

Personality: What the hell is this supposed to be? I ain't in some New Californian boot camp so why should I answer this crap, huh?

... Fine, fine. You can probably tell already (unless you're really that thick-skulled), but I ain't the most hospitable person. I ain't given to mincing my words, who's got time for that, and people have called me harsh and brutish at times, which you know, is whatever, I really don't care. But I've had my fair share of being a complete b#^ch before when I was rolling with the Jackals, you know, before they were exterminated like the dogs they are, so I'll try to do right by ya if you share the same sentiments. Tis the least I can do after the docs in that Fort tried, and mostly succeeded in fixing me up...

Not really sure what's ahead of me. Ain't even sure of myself. I'm less of a person than most, and I ain't ashamed to admit that, so I'm still trying to find my way, y'know? Maybe I'm a little thick, maybe you'd have more fun talking to a door than me but damnit if I won't try to make something of myself. And if that involves f#&king over some a@%hole for someone down on their luck, all the better I guess

Faction: Got picked up by the Siringoes a lil' bit ago. And no, I've ain't a member of those Follower types. Was just under their care for a bit is all

S.P.E.C.I.A.L Always wanted to try out one of those fancy Vigor Tester thingies. Guess I'll give it a whirl

Strength: 6
Perception: 10
Endurance: 7
Charisma: 1
Intelligence: 3
Agility: 9
Luck: 7

That checks out, don't it?

Backstory: Okay, now you really are screwing with me. You want a history lesson on the Scorchstalker, huh? Pffft...

Listen here. I ain't been anyone important for as far as I can remember back. Never knew my proper parents, never even had a name. Guess they might've been a couple of lowlives squatting in some shack, y'know, before they were undoubtabley murdered by the Jackals. The bastards decided to nab me as a baby to raise as their own. Was never sure why they didn't just kill me, but it is what it is.
Life as a tattooed raider deep in the Wasteland ain't pleasant, lemme tell you. By the time I was, oh I dunno, eight, I'd been burnt, scarred, poisoned. Had already killed someone by that point too, yeah I know, early bloomer huh? You see these tats? Yeah, the mark of a person initiated into the Jackals. Pretty sure the needle they used on me was scavved from some crossbox from two hundo years past, and I didn't have anything to dull the pain. Remember how nauseating the pain was, and it lasted days even after the operation... Anyhow, suppose those f#&kfaces found a use for me pretty quickly. I've always had a good eye for things, and light on my feet so they made me a scout. Got my name after running into a den of Nightstalkers, and just about surviving the encounter, which my fellow thug wouldn't let me live down, calling me a stalker of stalkers. How generous. Then they added "Scorched Sands" as well since, y'know, I ran over a lot of sand-blasted sand in my time. Scorched Sand Stalker's bit of a mouthful though, so Scorchstalker it is.

Yeah anyway, I never liked the Jackals. They're just common thugs doing nothing of note really, useless for nothing but hounding patrols and causing 'em misery. Never got attached to any of 'em neither, they were all a%#holes, all rats. But they had me by my non-existent balls for the longest while. Too many of them, and made sure to tell me that if I ever even entertained the thought of running off they'd butcher me like they did the parents I never knew.

Got a chance when I was fifteen tho. Some stranger with a whole bunch of guns and the insane ability to wolf down food and drink to shrug off bullet wounds rolled into camp one day, and slaughtered everyone there apart from me and some other sorry sod who were chasing off a bunch of ants back into the dry lake they came from. So yeah, when we got back we saw everyone gone, heads blown to bits like it was going out of style.
Still don't know why I did what I did next. Could've just ran off, not like one guy was gonna stop me. But as the man looked at me with rage in his eyes, and I looked back at him, I just kinda pounced. Poor sod tried to resist, but I was too quick. Pulled a knife from my hip, slashed at his neck after I sent him to the ground. Still remember his warm blood splattering on my face even now... But I can't say I regretted my actions, he was a b#$ch who had mercilessly ripped apart common folk in his spare time.

Kind of just drifted after that, trying my best to even survive, 'specially considering I was hooked up on Jet ever since I rolled with the Jackals. Surprised I even survived that Viper ambush, surprised I wasn't capped by the Legion and forced into slavery, or made to adorn a cross. But it is what it is. Eventually stumbled into Freeside, and met with the Followers. Best thing that had ever happened to me... Getting fixed up from my addiction was almost as tough as figuring out who the f#&k I even was, but the docs supported me every step of the way and I couldn't be more thankful. So I decided to repay them. They're really good folk but they don't know s&%t about fightin', so I fought for them, gave them protection. Still do sometimes.

Was still protectin' them by the time I stumbled into the Siringo Group. 'igh hammer was donatin' some of his caps to the Followers when he stumbled into yours' truly. We had a bit of a back 'n forth, a chin wag if you will, then he said I had what it takes to work under his outfit. Not like that tho, before you go thinking dirty. Could've said no, since I was doing a service for the docs at the Fort, but to be fair I would've still been doing that sometimes, but I guess I thought it was time to do something more with my life. Besides, by the time I was raking in cash with the Siringoes, a bunch of that would go back to the Followers anyway.
So yeah, guess I'm now a Merc working for that Rhapsody fella. I wouldn't if the Group is anything like other mercenary outfits, y'know, out only for themselves. That's only a slight step above the Jackals if you ask me...

Hey, if you stumble into the Mormon Fort anytime soon, go donate summting to the docs there. They damn well deserve it.

Well then, a new reboot and a new chance to use these two characters (two of which I do indeed seek to bring to light). Oh, and let's not forget our favourite "moral" mercenary faction as well
I'm glad to give this RP another shot. After a bit of an obsession with a Western game made by a notorious Game Developer from 2018 I should break that up with something else.

[Ormata]

Name: Governor Kaleb Rall Wilks

Age: 48
Appearance:

Standing at 5’4”, perhaps a tad under the vast majority of the Republic’s citizenry, Governor Wilks is nevertheless a very model of what Shady Sands can produce. Cleanly dressed in a three-piece suit, well-groomed, and of stout enough build, he is in quite good shape. Notably enough Wilks lacks the scars and calluses which mark any other Mojave citizen, as well as possessing a winning enough smile compared to the average Strip walker.

Personality:

Charismatic, hardworking, and to his very core a seducer, Wilks can be considered to be a man who never takes half steps to his goals. Self-confidence in his skills and the effects his edicts have upon the land is the Governor’s brand, facts which he would be unable to hide even if compelled to. Humility is not Wilks’s way, though he could never consider himself a braggart as he prefers to allow his actions to announce his skills and, after that, mere acknowledgement is satisfactory in his eyes. Ambitious as can be, Wilks views his station as a vehicle by which he can make his mark on the Republic for years to come, remembered, perhaps even honored. As such, he views the remembered few of the NCR’s pantheon with some degree of envy.

Faction: New California Republic, Mojave Provincial Government
S.P.E.C.I.A.L

Strength: 5
Perception: 5
Endurance: 6
Charisma: 9
Intelligence: 9
Agility: 3
Luck: 5

Gear:

Smith & Wesson Model 30 | .32 S&W

Backstory:

Born in Shady Sands, California to Johnathan and Amelia Wilks, businessmen in the caravan trade, Kaleb Wilks received a fairly good education on account of his parents’ relative wealth. Learning how to read and write from a young age, as well as having a good head for numbers, the question soon arose on where the young man would travel to. Several caravan corporations which knew the Wilks had already made inquiries, mainly seeing the issue as a dynastic one, where Kaleb might have a better head for things purely by being raised around it, while a NCR Army recruiter had already been around the house at several points accompanied by a Lieutenant who had good enough arguments on why volunteer service in the officer corps was the way to go in life. Such would be answered, however, with a minor scandal in the home states as Wilks had not at all been romantically idle at this stage in life. One Major's, three Colonels’, and five Captains’ daughters were found to have cordial relations to the young man, and it was soon enough seen by both his family and him that joining that service would go exceedingly poorly. It was likewise seen by the caravan companies as a death knell, for they did a brisk trade with the Army. As such, for such a reprobate as he, there was only one service left for Wilks: Civil service.

He would apply and be accepted to the New Republic foreign office as an aide, moving further and further southeast as time went on. The young man's first permanent posting was to the Baja provincial government, which went fairly well as there was not an extraordinary number of people to actually be governed in the region at that time. Under his watch, the population grew rapidly to take advantage of Baja's material and agricultural wealth which had long been neglected under threat of raiders, mainly advertising the region as one where a man could rise up again, grow strong. His deals made with various NCR localities to send him such things as criminals, non-violent and of the prostitutional sort, would likewise help in this boom. Timber would become a primary export of Baja under Wilks, and through it he would finally gain the title of Governor for the region as a fairly weak opponent had been the only man to move against him.

The Mojave Campaign, however, would prove largely detrimental to the efforts he made in Baja. The stronger populace was siphoned off by the recruitment office while food was exported in bulk. It was through this that several raider groups, drawn up from survivors of Ranger sweeps and dissatisfied NCR citizens who felt unrepresented by the government, began attacks through the peninsular territory. It started as small raids against supply depots and outposts before rising to hit-and-run attacks on port cities and the regional capital at LaBufa. Wilks, in coordination with local NCR reserve commanders, would help to organize the defense of the city as well as the arming of large swathes of citizenry. As a result of the defense, as well as a short-lived campaign, Baja would largely prove secure with the exception of the normal raiding activities in the countryside. Wilks, along with many others, would be decorated for their efforts in defending the city.

The war’s end, and the deaths of both the President and Caesar in the Mojave, would leave the Republic in political shambles for a direction. Wilks, for his part, worked to keep law and order, prevent violence as elections were held in the home territories. The announcement of who won was a welcome one, considering their skills and education, and served as a stabilizing force to the NCR as a whole. A rail line was built, snaking up from Mojave to Eureka, though it ignored Baja. Reforms came and went, largely aimed at the monopolies in California herself, though Wilks took a small degree of pleasure in watching such people squirm. Such celebrations proved short-lived, however, as famine struck for several long years. Wilks proved himself capable again, instituting a degree of rationing to keep the people on their feet as the crisis continued on.

The famine proved some amount of benefit, however, as Ambassador Crocker passed and the position, with the new title of Governor to account for the settlements of the NCR in the Mojave, was open. Under the foreign office, and with the fact that the Mojave was integral to the continued survival of the NCR, an experienced politician was selected for the role. Wilks set off for New Vegas with little delay, traveling with a light escort up the peninsula to catch a train on that newly made rail line.

Since his arrival, Wilks has tried to further solidify the NCR position in the Mojave. NCR Rangers training town militias in Goodsprings, Primm, and Novac have begun, as well as constructing light fortifications here and there. Nipton, a graveyard since the Legion butchered it, was destroyed fully. The NCR Correctional Facility, long a den of Powder Gangers, was destroyed by mortar fire and stormed by the army under his orders, clearing the way for honest trade in the southwestern Mojave. Likewise, Quarry Junction was fully cleared of Deathclaws by his order, using NCR Rangers to lure the creatures out with grenade blasts and into minefields and firing lines, and now is worked. The NCR now works freely with the Followers in Freeside, eager to establish a better understanding and to one degree or another better the lives of the inhabitants and their rule collectively. On the brewing succession crisis, publicly the Governor has remained markedly silent. On the rumors of Legion return, publicly he has likewise remained silent, though envoys traveling from New Vegas to Nellis occur with alarming regularity as Wilks attempts to secure their support for clashes in the Mojave. He has, however, developed a casual interest in Sarah Weintraub of the Vault, something not gone unnoticed on the Strip.

Name: Sergeant Clare Reyes Horowitz

Age: 29
Appearance:

Standing at 5’6”, fairly average height in the Mojave, Horowitz has the fairly slender runner’s form. She wears her brown hair in a loose regulation bun, seeming to be eternally dressed in NCR fatigues at all times save for the few moments anyone has seen her in Freeside. Notably enough, the Sergeant's hands are constantly moving, often beating a rhythm into her thigh whether seated or standing. Horowitz doesn’t wear much jewelry, with the exception of a simple steel ring which never does seem to leave that finger.

Personality:

Two sides of a coin, Horowitz knows how to act on duty and how to act off duty. On duty, she can be considered a strict enough NCO, caring about the things that matter and able to discard the things that don’t. Actions that jeopardize the mission or safety of the unit are swiftly corrected under her eye, often enough at the lowest possible level with the least amount of paperwork possible. As such, she fosters an atmosphere of compliance to the spirit of the orders, but not necessarily to the letter of it. Horowitz tolerates off-duty men gambling, and to some degree fraternization between soldiers of the same rank, but is quick to correct men not paying attention to their watch or improperly maintained equipment.

While off duty, Horowitz is an avid enough gambler, perceptive enough to try to figure through issues here, though can be considered to be a fairly mediocre player at cards. While not gambling, cleaning gear, or at the chow hall, the Sergeant can be found writing letters.

Faction: New California Republic, NCR Army
S.P.E.C.I.A.L

Strength: 5
Perception: 8
Endurance: 6
Charisma: 4
Intelligence: 5
Agility: 8
Luck: 6

Gear:

NCR Service rifle | 5.56mm | 4x Scope, Bayonet
M79 grenade launcher | 40mm
M&A Hi-Power pistol | 9mm
Legion gladius
Combat knife

Trooper helmet / NCR armor

Backstory:

Born in Goodsprings in 2263 amid the Great Khans entrance to the Mojave, as a young girl Clare would spend much of her time split between working the brahmin fields, which was an inherently brain-numbing task to her eyes, and working alongside several other prospectors as a quick-handed aid. The latter task would always interest her more, as it had some degree or another of uncovering hidden treasure, finding old things that were new again, and different problems each and every time. Clare was never exactly interested in the grand specifics, the technical details of why such-and-such piece was so very interesting or why it couldn’t be made anymore, why someone was paying how many caps for it, but just interested in the methods of finding it, retrieving it. It was a puzzle that was never entirely the same, a curiosity that was never entirely different.

When prospecting dried up in that local region and her family was never entirely on board with her traveling off and away to prospect elsewhere, Clare instead looked to the newly arrived NCR as a place to maybe one day go. Word came that they and a bunch of nomads made a new city somewhere in that distance, and eventually there were lights in that distance - Clare didn’t know about any nomads and how they were, nor really what a city looked like, but she knew that it had to have been a certain puzzle to solve, a certain thing to do, and that was the big draw for a young girl like her. She spent enough time hunting with a rifle to keep her hands busy and her mind active, mainly geckos on the rocks. A few years later, more NCR seemed to show up in that distance, and desperate rumors of them fighting men in armor came and went, drawing up even more questions for Clare.

In 2280, three years into the really major fighting with the Legion, she joined up. It seemed like the honest enough thing to do, a volunteer among all the conscripts from the NCR home states. She’d seen some degree of the raiders and marauders in the Mojave, cruel folks who broke people when they felt like it, and the Bull from the east seemed like the worst of it all. Training was sparse as could be at McCarran, but enough for her. She would be sent to Camp Forlorn Hope, soon enough on patrols up and down the Mojave. Action would be fairly common enough against Legion raiding patrols, something Horowitz got used to as time passed. When the Second Battle of the Dam came, she would be sent in with the rest of the regular Army onto the Dam, fighting the main bulk of the Legion’s forces. The years following that victory would largely be spent in Camp McCarran, with periodic deployments onto the occupied Fort and onto the Dam. She gradually rose the ranks, in part because many of those who had been enlisted during the Second Battle had gotten out, in part because she grew to be competent at her job.

Leave in Freeside would give rise to Horowitz getting to be close to one of the Kings, Treadway, eventually renting an apartment in Freeside. Her most recent deployment, however, would be an extended one in the Fort with the rest of the unit, something as undesirable as could be.

[Not-Terrans]

Name: Thomas Bautista

Age: 24

Looks:
Bautista

Personality:

Bautista was formerly an inquisitive Initiative with the Mojave Chapter. Eager and well meaning, Bautista has always tried to do his very best in helping everyone around him to the best of his abilities. Yet, despite his good intentions, his capabilities lead to rather lacking results. His results may vary but his attitude is typically upbeat as he tries to take on the wasteland one step and landmine at a time. Rather oblivious to the effects he leaves in his wake; he is steadfastly focused on the mission he does not know. His bout of amnesia rather disconcerts him but he tries not to show his discomfort as he takes his jobs in search of the mission he believes is not yet completed. However, he feels as if he is being hunted by a Deathclaw from the Divide and has begun to grow more paranoid.

Faction: Formerly Brotherhood of Steel. Now Independent.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L= (42 Points spread wisely. Cannot go over 10 on any one stat)
Strength:4
Perception:3
Endurance:10
Charisma: 3
Intelligence: 4
Agility: 8
Luck: 10

Gear:

The Red Glare: Owing to his demolition heavy roots. Bautista makes use of a heavily customized rocket launcher to blow away his enemies with its magazine fed fury.

12.7mm Pistol: Believing big guns make right. Bautista prefers the oversized 12.7mm pistol as his sidekick for all encounters within arming distance.

Ripper: A knife was too boring for Bautista. So he makes sure to pack a Ripper to cut through all those who manage to reach him.

T-51: They gave him an old set of power armor in the hopes he would perish. But he managed to survivor and patched up the armor. Now he roams the wastelands in his tan power armor looking for new parts and jobs.

Backstory:

Raised in the BoS bunker of the Mojave Chapter; Bautista grew up striving to become a Paladin. Even as he found a knack for demolitions he never let his sights stray from his goal of ascension. He strove to do jobs around the bunker, modifying equipment and explosives with mixed results and outcomes. The latest coming in the middle of his initiative phase. Where a modified rail gun blew up a quarter of the bunker’s armory.

At their wit’s end, Bautista was to be sent on a suicide mission of clearing out “a mutant stronghold.” Bautista then set off and attacked the closest super mutant installation he could find. An incident with a Fat Man saw him bring down a mountain on himself. The resulting landslide giving him mild color blindness and a light bout of amnesia.

All he remembers is an assignment in the wasteland, and thought dead by his former Chapter, he has no one to answer to. Now he roams the Mojave looking for the mission he was supposed to accomplish. Plying his services as a demolitions experts to varying degrees of success. However, his luck and remarkable reflexes have kept him above ground so far.

His wanderings have taken him to several hostile places. A long journey into the broken lands of the Divide netted him his Red Glare and a healthy fear of Deathclaws. Attempts for him to to swim the river have resulted in six separate attacks by Mirelurks and an unfortunate three day evasion of a Deathclaw that looked similar to one from the Divide.

As of late he is currently making his way to the Dam in search of his mission while doggedly leaving a steady trail of land mines for the Deathclaw he is convinced is coming for him.

[Dragos Bee]

Well then, a new reboot and a new chance to use these two characters (two of which I do indeed seek to bring to light). Oh, and let's not forget our favourite "moral" mercenary faction as well
I'm glad to give this RP another shot. After a bit of an obsession with a Western game made by a notorious Game Developer from 2018 I should break that up with something else.

Approval One.

Ormata, Approval One too.

Not-Terrans, your personality and bio are too sparse and short.

[Not-Terrans]

Name: Thomas Bautista

Age: 24

Looks:
Bautista

Personality:

Bautista was formerly an inquisitive Initiative with the Mojave Chapter. Eager and well meaning, Bautista has always tried to do his very best in helping everyone around him to the best of his abilities. Yet, despite his good intentions, his capabilities lead to rather lacking results. His results may vary but his attitude is typically upbeat as he tries to take on the wasteland one step and landmine at a time. Rather oblivious to the effects he leaves in his wake; he is steadfastly focused on the mission he does not know. His bout of amnesia rather disconcerts him but he tries not to show his discomfort as he takes his jobs in search of the mission he believes is not yet completed. However, he feels as if he is being hunted by a Deathclaw from the Divide and has begun to grow more paranoid.

Faction: Formerly Brotherhood of Steel. Now Independent.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L= (42 Points spread wisely. Cannot go over 10 on any one stat)
Strength:4
Perception:3
Endurance:10
Charisma: 3
Intelligence: 4
Agility: 8
Luck: 10

Gear:

The Red Glare: Owing to his demolition heavy roots. Bautista makes use of a heavily customized rocket launcher to blow away his enemies with its magazine fed fury.

12.7mm Pistol: Believing big guns make right. Bautista prefers the oversized 12.7mm pistol as his sidekick for all encounters within arming distance.

Ripper: A knife was too boring for Bautista. So he makes sure to pack a Ripper to cut through all those who manage to reach him.

T-51: They gave him an old set of power armor in the hopes he would perish. But he managed to survivor and patched up the armor. Now he roams the wastelands in his tan power armor looking for new parts and jobs.

Backstory:

Raised in the BoS bunker of the Mojave Chapter; Bautista grew up striving to become a Paladin. Even as he found a knack for demolitions he never let his sights stray from his goal of ascension. He strove to do jobs around the bunker, modifying equipment and explosives with mixed results and outcomes. The latest coming in the middle of his initiative phase. Where a modified rail gun blew up a quarter of the bunker’s armory.

At their wit’s end, Bautista was to be sent on a suicide mission of clearing out “a mutant stronghold.” Bautista then set off and attacked the closest super mutant installation he could find. An incident with a Fat Man saw him bring down a mountain on himself. The resulting landslide giving him mild color blindness and a light bout of amnesia.

All he remembers is an assignment in the wasteland, and thought dead by his former Chapter, he has no one to answer to. Now he roams the Mojave looking for the mission he was supposed to accomplish. Plying his services as a demolitions experts to varying degrees of success. However, his luck and remarkable reflexes have kept him above ground so far.

His wanderings have taken him to several hostile places. A long journey into the broken lands of the Divide netted him his Red Glare and a healthy fear of Deathclaws. Attempts for him to to swim the river have resulted in six separate attacks by Mirelurks and an unfortunate three day evasion of a Deathclaw that looked similar to one from the Divide.

As of late he is currently making his way to the Dam in search of his mission while doggedly leaving a steady trail of land mines for the Deathclaw he is convinced is coming for him.

Edited