Thursday, January 10, 2013

010: The Ceresian



ENTRY 010: The Ceresian


An ambulatory pseudo-trilobite with a transparent exoskeleton of ceramic aluminum, through which soft, faintly phosphorescent blue organs are visible and with strange diamond eyes, the Ceresian is equally likely to be seen scuttling across the floor of Extropia or undulating through the Hidden Sea beneath the ice crust of Ceres. The strange pseudo-alien is one of the xenokin, transhumans who have adopted morphs and lifestyles that they imagine extraterrestrials have, or might have. In their own little community they wax philosophical about exploring new body types, senses, and diets; spiritual connections to imagined civilizations and peoples beyond human imagination—but on average most of them are in it for the thrill and novelty of unique bodies, strange sex, and in some cases a desperate bid to become something other than human.

As far as the records go, the Ceresian is one of the oldest, quietest, and most practical of the xenokin, a pillar of the community with high rep in certain circles. The Ceresian has pursued a quasi-amphibious anthropod lifestyle in their current morph for at least twenty years, possibly more, and no public records remain of their identity or name—to those who know of it, they are simply "The Ceresian." Their current interests are in xeno-oceanographic studies, currently focused on pseudo-tidal action on Ceres and systematically exploring hotspots and coldspots in the Hidden Sea; their maps and data sold to water miners, the Hidden Cartel, and many others with an interest in the strange seas beneath the ice. The Ceresian also makes irregular sabbaticals to Europa, to “take the waters.”

COG
COO
INT
REF
SAV
SOM
WIL
MOX
20
10
15
13
15
10
20
-
INIT
SPD
LUC
TT
IR
DUR
WT
DR
6
1
40
8
80
25
5
50

Morph: Unique Synthmorph
Skills: Academics: Oceanography 85, Academics: Physics 65, Academics: Xenobiology 75, Art: Zen Gardening 55, Climbing 40, Fray 45, Free Fall 25, Interests: Alien Races 50, Interests: Oceans 60, Interfacing 25, Investigation 50, Language: Native Basque 85, Language: French 75, Language: Korean 70, Language: English 75, Networking: Scientists 50, Networking: Uplifted Octopi 65, Networking: Xenokin 95, Profession: Surveying 45, Protocol 45, Research 75, Swimming 95
Implants: Access Jacks, Armor (20/20), Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Direction Sense, Echolocation, Eidetic Memory, Electrical Sense, Medichines, Oracles, Oxygen Reserve, Radiation Sense, Vacuum Sealing
Traits: Mental Disorder (Obsessive-Compulsive), Neural Damage (Repetitive Behavior)

Using The Ceresian

The Ceresian is weird in that very specific way that transhumanity gets when it grows old and rather strange; the Ceresian has gone as far as they can to become something else without becoming someone else, and the xenokin is comfortable as that. As such the Ceresian has grown static, predictable, and maybe a little mad and brain-fried. For gamemasters, this means the Ceresian is a crazy and eccentric type, either of the harmless or obsessively dangerous varieties. The Ceresian can be a contact or ally, employer or enemy depending on whether the player characters are hostile to them or their interests. Anyone that interrupts their research or pollutes their oceans earns their enmity. The Cerisian is also a possible gateway to be introduced to some of the strangest morphs in the solar system, if the player characters can keep on their good side.

1 comment:

  1. The Ceresian would probably appreciate some kind of Temperature Tolerance. It tends to be a bit chilly on Ceres.

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