Sunday, March 10, 2013

069: Elder Argentgrodd



ENTRY 069: Elder Argentgrodd

One of the most prominent neo-hominids in the solar system today is Elder Argentgrodd, an uplifted silverback gorilla. The self-described ultra-male of Luna, Argentgrodd is outspoken, intelligent, media-genic, and more than a little bit of an asshole. As an employer or a customer he is a complete nightmare, entirely self-centered, demanding, and with an innate driving need to dominate every situation through a combination of verbal and physical intimidation, using his size and intellect to browbeat and threaten other morphs, particularly males and combat-oriented morphs. On the other hand, Argentgrodd is also remarkably kind and playful with children and female biomorphs (regardless of age, gender, or appearance), often leaving a rage to tickle and educate them.

He has an average of six episodic programs airing on the Mesh at any given time, from an edutainment stream aimed at young uplifted neo-hominids to an adult-oriented program where female biomorphs compete in a variety of physical, sexual, and mental challenges to join his harem. Most of these programs are created under the auspices of his personal media hypercorp, Argentgrodd AG, and recorded in a small lunar dome habitat that replicates a variety of ape forest habitats from Earth.

COG
COO
INT
REF
SAV
SOM
WIL
MOX
18
17
19
17
22
26
21
-
INIT
SPD
LUC
TT
IR
DUR
WT
DR
7
1
42
8
84
30
6
45

Morph: Neo-hominid (Gorilla)
Skills: Academics: Neurology 66, Academics: Philosophy 77, Academics: Psychology 55, Academics: Sociology 55, Art: Finger Painting 44, Control 60, Deception 77, Free Fall 33, Fray 66, Interests: Exsurgent Virus 44, Interests: Uplifts 80, Interfacing 65, Intimidation (Physical) 80, Kinesics: 55, Language: Native Arabic 89, Language: Afrikaans 44, Language: English 77, Language: French 58, Language: Swahili 50, Networking: Media 75, Networking: Scientists 55, Perception 66, Profession: Media Presenter 80, Protocol 40, Psi Assault 40, Psychosurgery 55, Research 50, Sense 55, Unarmed Combat (Punches) 67
Implants: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Enhanced Pheromones*, Mnemonic Augmentation
Traits: Hyperlinguist, Illiterate, Math Boost, Mental Disorder (Atavism, Megalomania), No Cortical Stack, Psi (2), Zoosemiotics
* Custom implant, applies to neo-hominids only.

Using Elder Argentgrodd

Argentgrodd probably has more than a few dark secrets for gamemasters to use and players to uncover, including but not limited to media cover-ups of financial shenanigans at his hypercorp, violent episodes resulting in significant damage and at least three deaths, sexual crimes and paternity suits, and his very brief foray into politics, which may have resulted in him partially eating a visiting dignitary. All those are relatively par for the course when you’re a massive gorilla and a celebrity, but Argentgrodd’s darkest secret is his psi abilities. The incidents stem from an encounter with a TITANs artifact that is not in any of Argentgrodd’s official (or even unofficial) biographies, and which the uplifted silverback is extremely careful to conceal from the public because he still has that artifact, hidden in a lab beneath his lunar jungle dome. Argentgrodd has had a team of trusted neohominid researchers secretly studying the artifact for a decade, with vague plans of using it to infect and “upgrade” an entire neo-hominid society.

7 comments:

  1. I never thought about using neo-hominids as a representation of transhumanity's more misogynistic traits before. Argentgrodd sounds like a perfect NPC for a role like that! Thanks for the inspiration :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. What sleights does he have?
    I love what you are doing here! keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I left sleights to the gamemaster to fill out as they need them; these are pretty stripped-down profiles after all. Thanks and thanks for reading!

      Delete
  3. I like the nod to pop culture in his naming. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I believe you missed this entry in the Init adjustment pass, Bobby.

    ReplyDelete