AP (The Deep Forest) - Super Ultra God Orc Avatar and the Grey Goo Menace

Last night, I finally had the chance to join a weekly, local game night with some really awesome people, and someone pitched The Deep Forest, a variant of The Quiet Year by +Avery Mcdaldno and +Mark Diaz Truman that focuses on, "decolonization, monstrosity, and individuals." 

I admit, I haven't played The Quiet Year yet, but it's on my list of games to try out this year. Needless to say, The Deep Forest is on there too, and I'm thrilled I finally got a chance to play it!

Here's the end result of last night's game, followed by details of our set-up and highlights throughout the seasons. 

An Introduction

The Deep Forest, like The Quiet Year, is a GM-less, map-making, community-centered game, where the players collectively decide what happens to a community of monsters that have driven the humans out throughout the course of a relatively peaceful year.

There are, however, rules to this madness! Going around in a circle, players take turns drawing Oracle cards and choosing one of three actions: working on a project, uncovering something old, or agreeing on something. Generally, each turn represents a week.

The Oracle cards are playing cards with suits matching one of four seasons (Hearts-Spring, Diamonds-Summer, Clubs-Autumn, Spades-Winter). Players consult the Oracle list with their chosen card and pick one of two choices listed (i.e. What cultural practice or ritual unifies your community? OR There is a monster who did not join with you in driving off the humans. Where are they on the map? What makes them different?) 

The game starts with Spring then advanced to Summer, Autumn, and finally Winter. The game ends when the King of Spades is drawn and the Heroes arrive (whatever that may mean)!

The game is available here: http://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-deep-forest/

Pre-Game (Landmarks, Monsters, and Remnants)

With a total of five players, we picked one person to establish the city, and the rest of us established borders. Some of us wanted to focus just on the city while others wanted to explore lands outside the city. Ultimately, we settled on a compromise and ended up with a large city with some landmarks outside its borders. The first player marked the city, and we defined the map's borders.

• Player 1 drew a landmark for the center of the city - the Plaza of Blood and Bones (more of a giant pit, really).  

• I drew two, giant, human statues along a southwest path leading to the city that were desecrated by the monsters and became limbless abominations.  

• Player 3 drew the Last Man's Grave in the outskirts to the northeast, surrounded by poppy flowers.  

• Player 4 drew the River Styx to the northwest. 

• Player 5 wanted something happier and not death-related, so he drew a land of double-horned horses in the southeast.

Next, we all chose a type of monster and where they lived in the community. Throughout the game, anyone can say what happens to any monster on their turn, but in situations like the Agree on Something action, we each speak for the monster we chose. They're almost like PCs but not really, since this is a community-centered game if that makes sense. 

• Player 1 chose Grey Goo which resided in a place called The Merchant's Moonscape near the center of the city.  

• I chose Ghoul Driders which resided at the Blood Rose Garden in the northern part of the city.  

• Player 3 chose Super Ultra God Orc who resided in a giant, mess hall with his orc/goblin minions outside the city to the southeast. Super Ultra God Orc was so huge and fat, he couldn't fit through the door to leave his mess hall!  

• Player 4 chose Robot Liches which resided in the west part of the city.  

• Player 5 chose the Mindfryers (a play on Mindflayers) which resided at the Temple of the Sons of Mente in the northeast of the city.

Finally, we went around the circle a third time, choosing important remnants left behind by the humans. We would adopt one, and the rest would become taboos.

• Player 1 drew The Chasm south of the city which held glowing rocks that were used for energy, light, etc.  

• I drew The Mage's Library Tower of Enchanted Knowledge in the city, south of The Merchant's Moonscape. 

• Player 3 drew a church/hospital in the northeast graveyard, just before the Last Man's Grave. 

• Player 4 drew a royal courthouse dedicated to law in the city, west of the Plaza of Blood and Bones. 

• Player 5 drew human, slave pits in the city, east of the central plaza.

After a short round of debate, we unanimously decided to adopt The Chasm and its power rocks into our lives and make all the others taboo that our monsters feared and distrusted.

Now, we were finally ready to begin play! 

Spring - Introspection, Familiarity, Building

Much of Spring was spent fleshing out details about our community, describing our monsters' behaviors, rituals, cultural practices, diets, communication, what drew them here, etc. based on the Oracle cards we drew and choices we picked.

While most of the monsters (Orcs/Goblins, Ghoul Driders, Mindfryers, and Robo Liches) invaded the city by conventional means, the Grey Goo came from a meteor that crash landed and tipped the scale in the monsters' favor, finally driving the humans out. They feed on most matter and are quite territorial and invasive, but they freely choose who they feed on and what they dissolve.

Super Ultra God Orc or, "Super Ultra," for short, served more as a comic relief character to be picked on and humiliated but who had his own agenda for greed, domination, and destruction (especially toward the end of the game). He had a voice like Mayor Quimby from The Simpsons.

The Mindfryers were mostly happy-go-lucky monsters who fed off minds and knowledge. They hardly gained any contempt throughout the game.

In the game, Contempt is represented by tokens (in our case poker chips) that players could take and give to monsters that they feel haven't been consulted or honored in a particular decision or don't agree with it. As a general rule, players aren't allowed to voice objections or speak out of turn, but they are allowed to take a Contempt token for their monsters (or anyone else's really). Alternatively, if someone does something that certain monsters greatly support and rebuilds trust, they can remove a Contempt token. Contempt can also be removed any time whenever monsters act selfishly (i.e. discovering a hidden vault of power rocks which a group of monsters suddenly claim for themselves). To make it easier on us, we drew all five monsters on an index card in separate boxes and placed tokens on the card rather than the edge of the map as per the rules.

The Ghoul Driders, despite their penchant for dead and rotting flesh, became one of the most community-driven monsters with a passion for intrigue and a greed for power rocks. 

The Robot Liches yearned to raise dead bodies and construct mecha-like abominations. At times they were neutral, at other times they would ally themselves with the Driders, Mindfryers, and Orcs against Super Ultra and the Grey Goo.

Every six years, during the night of a blood moon when the skies are clear, the monsters would hold a conclave/soiree at the courthouse to discuss important matters. So far, this had only happened once.

We discovered ancient, underground catacombs that the humans had desecrated and a crown of the old king which one of the monsters (either the Grey Goo or the Robo Liches) melted down. We also discovered a sentient, enchanted tome with an obsidian cover in the Mage's Tower which fed on knowledge and became a rival for the Mindfryers.

In addition, we designated projects, uncovered old artifacts and mysteries, and stated our opinions a few times throughout Spring.

Some of the projects included: destroying the outer walls of the city to make room for our monsters' expansion; establishing an industrial, mining operation to excavate the power rocks using Ghoul Drider webs and menial orc/goblin labor (the Driders took half of the first haul, while Super Ultra took the other half); and raising dead bodies and turning them into robots with chainsaws for the head and limbs. The Robot Liches took this one step further and gathered enough corpses to form a chainsaw-limbed mecha (the picture on the map is to scale).

We uncovered such things as: a hidden vault of power rocks (which the Driders immediately claimed); an abattoir devoted to the god, Mente; a pentagram inside the courthouse that mapped out obelisks around the city which stood over places of power; a prophecy relating to the human god, Tarkir; and a mysterious sword (similar to Excalibur) that landed in the Moonscape, right in the middle of Grey Goo territory.

A majority of the game was spent on Spring and we almost got through all the Oracle cards, but we decided to take some cards out and move on to the other seasons, since we were a bit pressed on time.

Summer and Autumn - Testing Unity, Conflict, and Intrusion from the Larger World

Tensions rose quickly during Summer and continued on through the bit of Autumn that we got to play (again, we were running out of time and took even more cards out toward the end).

The Grey Goo ended up flooding the Chasm and turned it into the Lake of Goo, though the Orcs and Robo Liches continued drilling with their chainsaw golems. Most of the Driders were forced back to the Blood Rose Garden, where they turned their attention to breaking open the hidden vault of power rocks. Unfortunately, the Grey Goo seeped into it as well and dissolved everything.

The Robot Liches felt the Grey Goo were too invasive, and everyone else agreed. Thus, sanctions were placed on the Grey Goo, and the Robot Liches eventually got to work trying to create something to contain them.

At one point, Crown Princess Leila of the Ghoul Driders betrayed her kind by falling in love with Super Ultra and underwent a lengthy project of slimming him down so that they could get married at the courthouse. Meanwhile, the Drider Queen discovered that the power rocks gave off a radiation that, when mixed with the Grey Goo, gave off a poisonous miasma at the Lake of Goo which they could harvest into a deadly poison to assassinate both Super Ultra and the traitorous Leila.

An Orc captain working for Super Ultra grew restless and tired of Super Ultra's lethargy, so he amassed an army called the Red Hand (for the right hands of his followers were drenched in blood as a mark) to go off an pillage/conquer other cities. The Crown Prince of the Driders took a quarter of his kind to join them, and the great, Robot Lich Mecha came with them as well. Together, they all crossed the River Styx to carry out their mission.

It turned out the Mindfryers were secretly feeding off the minds of a cabal of mages, so they were punished and locked inside the Mage Tower with the mages and the rival obsidian book.

Leila ended up marrying Super Ultra, while the Ghoul Driders poisoned all their drinks for the post-wedding toast. Super Ultra had been using Grey Goo to help slim down, so he developed a natural resistance to the toxin and became sick, while Princess Leila died. 

Super Ultra decided to try and pull the mysterious sword from the Moonscape, while a human hero came to the city looking for the sword. He didn't make it past the statues and was ambushed by monsters and killed.

Soon, the Grey Goo and Mindfryers called for a system of law amongst the monsters, whereby an individual from each of the monster groups would act as a council to dole out punishments for crimes. In truth, the Mindfryers wanted to be freed of the Mage Tower, and the Ghoul Driders, surprisingly, didn't object and said they had served their time.

The obsidian book ended up consuming the cabal of mages, but their corrupt power also caused the book to wither and die - much to the surprise of the Mindfryers.

Super Ultra managed to pull the mysterious sword out of the Moonscape, hoping to become the Avatar of Tarkir and use his bolstered power to dominate and destroy, but his arm became solidified with Grey Goo and his plan was corrupted. Instead of Tarkir, the equivalent of Satan appeared and cursed Super Ultra by forever remaining with him and whispering into his ear so long as he has the sword (which he couldn't get rid of, since it solidified onto his arm with the Grey Goo). 

The Ghoul Driders, it turned out, actually praised the Satan of monsters and quickly took advantage by enacting a ritual in the Mage's Tower, with the help of the Mindfryers who absorbed the knowledge of the mages, to grant Super Ultra immense power to take out the Grey Goo. This transformed Super Ultra into a muscular, macho Orc with immense power and ambition, bent on total annihilation and domination over all the other monsters.

The Robot Liches were able to create a spherical container to trap the Grey Goo, but it also caused disturbing weather patterns that made it snow Grey Goo. Fortunately, the magical container would trap all the snow and convert it into a power source for the Liches. 

Winter - The Sweet, Bitter Ending

We had less than ten minutes of play remaining and sped the game up drastically by this point, but only a few cards were drawn before we reached the King of Spades!

For the ending, we decided no human heroes actually came back to take the city. Instead, the arrival of the hero was Super Ultra himself, the Avatar of the Satan of monsters who nearly destroyed the Ghoul Driders, the Mindfryers, the Robo Liches, and fought the great, Grey Goo menace now that it was more or less contained in the magical container.

Final Thoughts

I'm sure I missed a few things here and there, but hopefully the highlights are enough to showcase what happened without going into every Oracle card that was pulled or every action taken.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing this game. The rules are simple and easy to grasp; the design is unique and provides plenty of opportunity for conflicts, resolutions, and story-building (to an extent). I was very impressed by the other players and the zany, creative ideas we kept coming up with. There were many times where we pushed each other to go more in depth with our descriptions and explanations, and it made the game that much more interesting. 

The Contempt currency works really well in this game too. When our monsters started forming cliques and ganging up on each other, Contempt was being gained and lost all around. I especially like how Contempt can be spent whenever monsters are acting selfishly and players can simply declare that something happens or is true because of it. The Grey Goo ended up with the most Contempt at the end with Super Ultra at a close second if I'm not mistaken. We almost killed off Super Ultra when he was poisoned but decided it was much more fun to keep him alive.

In the end, the community aspect is what I really love about this game. Sure, our monsters fought, intrigued, allied, backstabbed, and more, but we, as players, chose decisions based on what would be most fun for the entire table. Just because I picked the Ghoul Driders and voiced their opinion, I try to make them win or necessarily gain power/status or even survive, because the game's not about that. It's about the community as a whole (the monsters, the individuals, their collective fates), and it's about all the problems and tensions that are introduced and dealing with them together. By the end, we all saw Super Ultra and the Grey Goo as the two, greatest threats in the community, and the thought of all hell breaking loose seemed way too good to pass up.

It would have been nice to play more of the Oracle cards, but we did have five people and were pressed for time in the end. At least we finished by the book! 

I would gladly play this game again, and I really look forward to trying out The Quiet Year at some point in the future as well!

AP (ToaM) - Tales of the Arx Jericho - Season 2, Episode 01: Reconnaissance

Sunday, January 4th 2032

It is the eve of mankind's first, manned lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, but on Monday, January 5th 2032, three companies of teenage, SAInt pilots, not NASA astronauts, will be landing on the moon's surface to begin exploring its dark side and gathering intelligence on the Mayzor that have landed there along with their mothership, Tartarus.

The Cloistered Research Council (CRC) and the Preservation Forces have classified these, upcoming missions under the name Operation Blue Moon.

Following the alien assault on the Arx Jericho four months ago, the floating, military base has undergone extensive reconstruction and made incredible, technological improvements in such a short time through the help of advanced nanorobotics and reverse engineering of Mayzor technology.

All military personnel, CRC scientists, Preservation Forces officers, SAInt pilots, and general civilians have undergone some level of mandatory, zero-G training, and the Arx Jericho made history by being the first Arx to ascend into orbit around the Earth.

For obvious reasons, the SAInt pilots went through even more, exhaustive training exercises and drills, including everything from flying their SAInts and fighting in zero-G to handling tools and performing extractions in a low gravity environment.

Furthermore, the SAInt Program has seen a major expansion and restructuring. There are now a total of six companies, each with their own, informal nicknames: Blue "Evangelists," Alpha "Aardvarks," Bravo "Badgers," Charlie "Chipmunks," Delta "Dingos," and Echo "Echidnas." The current roster is as follows:

Blue: Rick Hunter (Team Leader), Serena Hunter, Sarah Werner, Opsie Wessel 

Alpha: Joanne Klein (Team Leader), Jason Reyes, Marten "Skitz" Oiseleur, Esteban "Spearhead" Knowles, Alex "Strudel" Struder 

Bravo: Kazuhiro Mazaki (Team Leader), Laurie Bach, Stephanie Yuzuki, Leo "Raspberry" Hayes, Bala and Lieke "The Twins" 

Charlie: Ryoko Mizushima (Team Leader), Miguel "Crybaby" Rodriguez, Annalise Lafayette, Conrad Andersen, Javier Ontonado 

Delta: Winston Thornton (Team Leader), Jonathan Sinclair, Lina Maden, Jared Blackwell, Anya Rhodes 

Echo: Flann O'Connor (Team Leader), Akachi Afolayan, Aisha Nagi, Renzo Morandi, Winifred Ellis 

** More information on the updated cast of Pilot Characters (PCs) and Director Characters (NPCs) can be found here. **

Many of the pilots feel prepared and excited to land on the moon, but some aren't as thrilled. The celebrity status and fame some acquired from their valiant efforts and bravery in defending the Arx Jericho from the September 2nd attack has had mixed reactions, but most have experienced a rise in Ego - though it's come at a cost.

It's no secret that the traditional faiths of the world have been in sharp decline ever since the Mayzor sent a hundred or so Magnas to Earth a few years ago to wipe out every, major holy land in an act of pure vengeance against the major, world religions. Today, followers of the traditional faiths still exist, whether it be Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Confucianists, etc., but they are slowly being eclipsed by other, more radical, faiths.

The two that pose the greatest challenge against the Traditionalists are the Followers of the Communion and the up-and-coming Faithful. 

The Followers of the Communion follow the religion of Universal Communion, which the Legulus advocated on Earth before their exodus into space. Even after the Legulus Mayzor returned to invade Earth and harvest humans ten years later, the Followers of the Communion continued to exist and spread their message of living together as one and allowing the aliens to take them so that they may join with the source and become part of the Mayzor collective. Many, however, see them as nothing more than insane, fervent, militant fanatics and traitors to the human race. The Traditionalists have always denounced The Communion, even when the Legulus were here to help, and warned humanity against worshipping the false angels-turned-alien enemies. However, the Traditionalists are now concerned with another, blasphemous sect of believers.

The Faithful mostly comprise of ex-Traditionalists (especially Christians) who have lost all faith in the traditional, higher powers and have turned to something more concrete. They look to the only, proven defenders of Earth since the beginning of the Mayzor assaults - the CRC and the Preservation Forces. The SAInt pilots of the world, in particular, are being regarded as more than teenage heroes. On the Arx Jericho, members of Blue, Alpha, and Bravo Company are seen as the reincarnation of historic, religious figures. The four, Prophet pilots of Blue Company (Rick and Serena Hunter, Sarah Werner, and Opsie Wessel) are though to be the four, new Evangelists, while many of the other SAInt pilots (Joanne Klein, Jason Reyes, Marten Oiseleur, Esteban Knowles, Alex Struder, etc.) are thought to be the reincarnated Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Rumors are circulating that some of the Faithful have created churches to honor St. Rick, St. Sarah, St. Jason, St. Marten, St. Esteban, and so forth. It's no surprise why the Traditionalists are against them, but the Faithful truly believe that the SAInt pilots will bring an end to the darkness and are the only, true saviors of Earth.


The Interview

Episode 01 begins at the World Wide News Network (WWNN), where pilots of Blue and Alpha Company, accompanied by Captain Anastasia "AK-47" Kasherov and Junior Head of Security Billy Henderson of the Preservation Forces, have been invited to an interview panel with several, Traditionalist leaders including: Reverend Daniels, Rabbi Yosef, Imam Abdullah, and more. They're all seated on stage, as renowned reporter and talk show host, Melvina Vogel, introduces the panel and begins firing questions at the pilots about their lives since the assault on the Arx Jericho and thoughts concerning the growing rumors of the Faithful establishing churches in their names.

Outside the studio, peaceful protesters of Traditionalists and Faithful wave signs and banners, though the energy is growing increasingly hostile by the minute.

Back inside, many of the pilots don't know how to react to Melvina's questions, despite what AK-47 primed them to answer, but Marten takes a deep breath and answers for them - much to the detriment of the Traditionalist leaders giving them scowls and rebuttals. Marten attempts to shut down the opposition calling them wrong while appealing to the audience and anyone watching at home: "Well, I'm a new arrival to this Arx and this team, so I can't speak for everyone else, but what I can say is to what I see out in the world. It's a little too early to be branding us the savior of humanity; give us a little bit more time, and when we have saved everyone, then I think it's time to decide if what we did was truly God's work or mankind proving itself to be just as capable as any of these, super, natural powers."

Marten's Action: Charm + Convince vs. Challenge 9 (his Friend, Stephanie is watching at home and has a Focus of 9) = tie. Marten spends 1 Ego to make it success! Marten makes a Spirit check (Stephanie is a relationship character and Hope is triggered) and gains back 1 Ego.

Marten's answer leaves the masses impressed, and the other pilots share their thoughts, but the interview is cut short when sounds of voices shouting, arguing, brawling and glass shattering erupts toward the back of the crowd. Billy calls the pilots back, away from the stage, while AK-47 signals that the interview is clearly over.

Marten grabs his fellow pilots and leads them toward Billy to sneak out of the building through the back of the studio. 

Trial - Marten leads a team with Rick, Sarah, and Jason vs. the angry mob (antagonist). 1st Round: Marten's Intellect + Observe vs. Challenge 7 (angry mob has a collective Focus of 7 with 2 Resolve and 2 dice) = 5 + 2 = 7 + 3 Benefit (one automatic for each team member helping) +2 Benefit/Boost (Rick and Sarah matching 5s with Marten) = success!  

** Even if the angry mob rolls 2 dice and gets 6s, their max Challenge will be 9, and the PCs succeed flawlessly with a total of 12. **

As the pilots escape, they see rioting Traditionalists, Faithful, and several, strange figures on the outskirts of the crowd looking in. They're not involved in the fighting and are wearing hoodies with masks over their faces (not CRC masks). They look somewhat suspicious and peculiar.

In addition, Marten suddenly hears the voice of his dead, ex-SAInt in his head, saying, "The faith is strong." He shakes his said and thinks to himself: "I have no time for this right now."


The Eve of the Mission

Later that evening, the pilots have downtime before their big launch tomorrow.

Joanne tells Jason to take the rest of Alpha Company to the simulation classrooms and run some more drills, while she goes off to have a sparring, Kendo match with Rick.

En route to the simulation rooms, Dr. Harris confronts Marten and asks him to come with her for a last-minute, psych evaluation. Marten protests, but she insists, and he tells Jason and the others to go ahead without him.

Meanwhile, AK-47 has assigned Sarah schoolwork that she missed, due to her expedited, Prophet training, and needs it turned in by tomorrow. Not one for studying herself, Sarah decides to try and copy off Raspberry, who wanted to spend time playing video games, and invites him to the computer lab - right next door to the Kendo Club classroom.

At the computer lab -

Sarah's Action: Charm + Convince vs. Challenge 6 (Raspberry's Focus) = 4. Sarah spends 3 Ego to make it a success. She then makes a Spirit check (relationship character) and earns 1 Ego back.

Sarah convinces Raspberry to let her copy his work so that they can get to what's more important - playing the newest version of Shinobi Knights! Later on, Opsie walks and asks her cousin for a private word. She tells Sarah she's been having vivid - possibly precognitive - nightmares of a terrible war on the moon involving eternal light versus eternal darkness. She doesn't know whether it's a side effect of the Prophet training or truly precognitive, like with the interface testing last year, but Sarah comforts her and tells her not to worry.

Next door at Kendo Club -

Rick's Action: Tone + Close Quarters vs. Challenge 9 (Joanne's Vigor) = 10. Rick rolled his Talent and got three 5s, so the first 5 + 3 (Close Quarters Proficiency) = 8 +2 Benefit/Boost from the other two 5s that matched. Instant success! Rick's already at max Ego, so there's no need for a Spirit check.

After a blur of parries and swipes, Rick and Joanne seem evenly matched, but Rick finally gets the better of her and sends her falling onto the mat. Disappointed in herself and feeling exasperated, she suddenly blurts out, "I don't want to go tomorrow," and shuts up, scared. She follows up by saying, "Nevermind, forget I said anything," and Rick can tell she's worried or concerned about something. He can't help but pry further, and she says she has to go, she's the team leader, it'll be fine. Her words, however, are unconvincing, and her hands are visibly shaking. Rick grabs them, steadies them, and says she can tell him anything, but Joanne says not to worry and that she's fine. She quickly changes the subject and asks Rick to have dinner with at the cafeteria.

At the simulation classrooms - 

Jason's leads a Team Action with two helpers: Tone + Athletics vs. Challenge 9 (Laurie's Vigor because Jason's impressing her and because in a Battle, it would be the equivalent of Change Distance which is Athletics vs. Vigor) = 8. Jason spends 2 Ego to make it a success. Jason makes a Spirit check and earns 1 Ego back.

First, Jason sees Strudel embracing Ryoko with Lieke giving them a jealous look nearby. Then, Jason, Esteban, and Strudel undergo a series of simulated, team exercises on the moon that involve high speed maneuvers, and racing to catch one another (essentially lunar tag). Laurie had embraced Jason earlier and gave him a kiss, admiring his appearance on TV and wondering what the whole, religious 'Saint' thing was about. Jason impresses her even more with his team's performance in the simulation, and the other pilots of Bravo and Charlie Company are also fairly impressed.

At Dr. Harris's office - 

Marten's Action: Charm + Convince vs. Challenge 10 (Dr. Harris's Focus) = 9. Marten's highest roll was a 5 + 3 = 7, but he matched his highest roll with another 5, giving him +1 Benefit/Boost = 9. Marten spends 2 Ego to make it a success and succeeds on a Spirit checks, earning him back 1 Ego.

Dr. Harris begins by asking Marten how he's doing and that she finally received the last of his records. She knows about his mental history following his near-death experience eight months ago after a Magnas ruptured his pilot pod and destroyed his SAInt. She asks if he still hears voices and is concerned about tomorrow, since it'll be the first time Marten's being deployed since the incident. Marten becomes flustered, saying he's been taking his prescribed, antipsychotics, that he's tested well in all his simulations, and that this time could be better spent training for tomorrow instead of undergoing a last minute psych evaluation. He manages to convince her, and she wishes him good luck and dismisses him. Marten leaves and heads off to the simulation classrooms to join up with Alpha Company. 


Monday, January 5th 2032

A procession is taking place in the streets of the Arx Jericho, as civilians and military personnel cheer and salute the pilots embarking to the moon, while cameras and news crews go in for pictures and quick questions. 

Rick notices that Joanne is extremely nervous, and he embraces her and gives her a kiss, telling her not to worry, as they part ways to their respective, deployment points.

The four Evangelists of Blue Company make their way to the Prophet hangars deep in the CRC facility, while Alpha and Bravo Company don their flight suits, enter their deprivation tanks, and board their SAInts at the Preservation Forces HQ.


Objectives and Deployment

Command uploads a map of the lunar surface, complete with data pertinent to the mission.

Source: Google Earth. Image used without permission and modified by myself.

The pilots are instructed to land in the Mare Humboldtianum (Sea of Alexander von Humboldt) on the near-side of the moon in case any Mayzor are on the outskirts of the dark side. From there, they have a total of five probes to plant onto the lunar surface and safeguard until they dig themselves underground and release hovering, nano cameras for the reconnaissance work. 

Summarized Mission Objectives:

1. Plant five probes in five, key locations: the Mare Humboldtianum, the Schwarzschild crater, the Compton crater, the Giordano Bruno crater, and the Mare Moscoviense (Sea of Moscow). 

2. Safeguard the probes while they dig into the lunar surface and move on once they release their nano cameras. 

3. Watch out for Mayzor and eliminate any minor threats (Swarm, small groups of Locusts, etc.). If there's a lot of resistance, disengage and wait for the drop ship to extract the SAInts/Prophets. 

4. If the pilots encounter any Mayzor settlements/Wormwood with humans survivors and are able to rescue them, do so. Otherwise, stick to the recon mission, take photos, and gather intelligence.

After the pilots deploy into space and land in the Mare Humboldtianum, Command instructs the three, team leaders of Blue, Alpha, and Bravo Company to issue orders so that the pilots can complete their mission as quickly and efficiently as possible.


Reconnaissance

Rick issues commands to Serena, Sarah, and Opsie, while Marten awaits orders from Joanne, whose nervousness and instability are transparent in her emotions which she's psychically projecting through the MetaTron.

After a short pause, she tells Jason and Marten to stand at the edge of the sea and keep a lookout, while she helps Rick plant the first probe into the ground.

From there on, the companies split up to cover the three craters as fast as they can. 

Bravo Company takes a probe to the Schwarzschild crater, where they encounter minimal, Swarm resistance which gives them no trouble.

Blue Company heads to the Giordano Bruno crater, where they encounter an abandoned, Wormwood settlement of porcelain domes and silver spires that resembles an outpost or observatory with a small amount of Swarm slithering inside. AK-47 orders the pilots to plant the probe inside, and they find abandoned, Mayzor laboratories with tools and technology that disintegrate as soon as the Prophets grab hold of them. They decide to leave the Mayzor alone, but as soon as Rick and Sarah plant the probe and it starts digging, the Swarm are attracted to it like moths to a flame. Rick simply steps on them and crushes them to dust. 

At the Compton crater, Joanne's lack of leadership begins to annoy Marten, and he takes it upon himself to plant the fourth probe. At that moment, he hears his ex-SAInt's voice inside his head again, saying, "The faith is strong." He shakes it off when he realizes no one else heard anything. However, Jason suddenly hears his mother (who was abducted from Sydney by the Mayzor last year) calling out to him on the MetaTron. Jason curses into the MetaTron and asks whether they have a backup, communication system - especially due to their previous experiences with MetaTron static.

Back at the Giordano Bruno crater, Rick suddenly hears his mother calling out to him as well. No one else seems to be hearing these, individual voices, but then a young girl's voice with a Russian accent begins calling out, "Mama," and everyone can hear it this time. AK-47, back at Command, goes numb with fear and silence.

The pilots still have one more probe to plant at the Mare Moscoviense, roughly 1,940 km / 1,204 mi away. They reground and make haste. Joanne's fear and emotions are getting the better of her, so Marten joins her side to have a private conversation while moving forward.

He asks her what's wrong, over the MetaTron, and she finally admits that she has extreme, astrophobia but didn't want to tell anyone, especially since she's been assigned the honor and responsibility of being team leader. Marten attempts to calm her down by coaxing her and comforting her. Joanne says not to worry, and Marten says he's not worried but that he cares. Finally, Joanne actually responds with a thank you and feels determined to suck it up and keep on going.

Marten's Action: Charm + Empathize vs. Challenge 8 (Joanne's Focus) = 7. Marten spends 2 Ego to make it a success and succeeds on a Spirit check to gain 1 Ego back.

Afterward, Rick asks Marten what that was all about, and Marten says he was simply asking Joanne for Stephanie's number. Somehow, Rick doesn't seem too convinced.

Suddenly, Rick and Jason each hear their mother's voices again, on separate, private channels, calling out to them, "Help! Save us! We're trapped! We see you! Come, come help, quick!"


Irrational Crustaceans at the Mare Moscoviense

By this point, the pilots have gotten close enough to the Mare Moscoviense, where they see a much, larger Wormwood settlement of porcelain domes and several, tall, silver spires (+1 Battlefield Cover). They scan it for any sign of human life but find nothing. Instead, their scanners pick up on various, never-before-seen Locusts - most of which resemble Crustaceans and Arthropods.

A giant, Sentinel Locust resembling a Japanese spider crab stands on its eight, tall legs and rises higher than the settlement itself. It's the tallest, possibly largest, Locust the pilots had ever encountered, and it's two, long fore claws reach out past Close Quarters (CQ) range and into Firearms (FA) range. In addition, it seems to have a set of energy weapons at its mouth. The Sentinel stands at the front of the Wormwood, though there's another one hidden toward the back and sinking low to the ground.

Reference image for the Mayzor Sentinel.
Source: Wikipedia; copyright by Michael Wolf.
Image used without permission.

The pilots also encounter five, Mayzor Locusts called Tanks which resemble horseshoe crabs (though they aren't technically Crustaceans) that turn on the settlement and begin attacking it irrationally. 

Reference image for the Mayzor Tank.
Source: unknown; image used without permission.

Finally, the pilots discover a third type of Locust hidden within the craters of the Mare Moscoviense. These, four Smashers resemble giant, tank-sized Mantis shrimp and are painted with bright, swirling, fluorescent, neon colors. They have increased strength, like the Brawlers, but are extremely mobile and have one of the most advanced visual systems of all the Locusts encountered so far. Marten was among the first to witness its strength and power.

Reference image for the Mayzor Smasher.
Source: unknown; image used without permission.

Mayzor Locust - Smasher

➤ Challenges: Vigor 8, Focus 9. Range CQ +2 Vigor/Boost, FA, HB N/A

After engaging the closest Smasher at FA, Marten fails, and it launches itself out of its hiding hole with an incredible burst of speed. Over the MetaTron, Stephanie's emotions are high as she cries out, "Watch out!" but it's too late. One of the Smasher's raptorial claws resembles a bludgeoning club which strikes Marten's SAInt hard, producing a shockwave which trails off into FA range and knocks Strudel's SAInt off its feet. The Smasher's other claw resembles a much sharper, spear-like appendage which it dangles over Strudel, ready to pierce through the SAInt's heart. 

Marten's Engage Action: Intellect + Observe vs. Challenge 9 (Smasher's Focus) = 6. Marten decides not to spend Ego, so he fails and takes 3 points of structural damage (1 for the failure and +2 for the Smasher's Boost at CQ). Since Stephanie cried out and is a relationship character, Marten makes a Spirit check to keep Ego or lose it due to failure. He matches his Spirit Talent and doesn't lose an Ego, but he gains 1 Id since his Ego didn't change this action.

Sarah and Opsie engage one of the furthest Smashers at HB range, while Jason, Esteban, and Joanne stay nearby and engage the other furthest one. Rick forgoes engaging the other, close Smasher and leaps right into its Threat Range with Serena to attack it with dual, 'Arc blades at CQ. 

Rick, Sarah, and Jason, leading Team Actions, are all successful in their actions after spending Ego. Since Joanne and Opsie are antagonist characters, they roll their dice in addition to providing the automatic +1 Benefit for helping. Any numbers that match the pilots' highest roll (who are leading the team action) provide an additional Benefit/Boost.

Rick slices his target into pieces, and it explodes. He then turns his attention to the next, closest Smasher engaged with Marten and Strudel. 

Meanwhile, the pilots continue to hear the little, Russian girl's voice telepathically crying out, "Mama," through the MetaTron.

Marten grabs Strudel and retreats to Take Cover in a crater while activating his SAInt's self-repair with Jason providing cover fire with his Levic Pistol. 

Marten's Take Cover Team Action: Intellect + Observe vs. Challenge 9 (Smasher's Focus) = success with Jason's help. Strudel is no longer an Endangered Objective, and because Marten activates his SAInt's self-repair, he heals 3 Structural damage but gains 3 Id, bringing him to 4 Id - a recipe for Frenzy and disaster.

Sarah fires her Tiamat Multiple Missile System at her target and destroys the Smasher hiding in its crater with an ensuing explosion. Rick and Serena move toward their next target and destroy it at CQ range, and Jason takes his sniper shot at the last, furthest Smasher peeking its head out of its hole. The particle beam goes through its eyes and out the back of its head, destroying it in one, fell swoop.

Four Smashers are down, but the battle isn't won yet. Two Sentinels and five Tanks still remain, and who knows what other dangers (including the strange, telepathic voices) await our heroes.

To be continued...


Next Time

Barnacles! What the hell's going on here? Is that big, scary, spider crab robot thing launching horseshoe crabs at us?! Crap, they're going after the probes! And the Wormwood, it's rising?! Why are there cracks in the ground? Is that lava spilling out? On the freaking moon?! Let's just hope it's not a Mag- crap! Something's attached itself to our SAInts, we can't... *connection lost*

End of Episode 01

---

Director's Commentary

Many thanks again to +Robert Ruthven, +David Andrews, +Wolfie Fang, and +Russell Collins for playing! Unfortunately, +Lloyd Gyan couldn't make it, but hopefully he'll join us tomorrow for Episode 02.

Here is the Actual Play video of the game - 

I personally had a lot of fun prepping and running this first session. Since it's the start of Season 2, I really wanted to make it special, and I'm probably crazy for all the prep work that went into it, but it totally paid off!

It's pretty self-explanatory, but if you're interested, here are some things I did:

• Had a crash-course on lunar geography through exploring the moon on Google Earth (yes, you can explore the moon on Google Earth - it's awesome).

• Picked out a large territory on the dark side of the moon for Tartarus and mapped out where key, Mayzor locations would be. Wikipedia also helped a ton during this. This actually gave me a clear idea for where much of the story would potentially take place, and a lot of it is pretty symbolic!

• Found a suitable location for the SAInts to land in plus five, key probe locations. The landing point had to be on the near side but close enough to the dark side to easily get to. The Mare Humboldtianum was perfect for this. If you notice on the map I created, the five points I picked create a cross. Faith and religion seem like a big theme in the setting of Tears of a Machine, and I really wanted to explore that more in Season 2.

• Thus, everything began to piece itself together, and I broke the major religious factions into the Traditionalists and the Followers of the Communion. It also made sense that there would be a third faction devoted to the CRC/Preservation Forces and praising SAInt pilots as literal Saints, so naturally the Faithful born.

• Researched the phylum Arthropoda and made a list of all the subphylums and classes for creating new Locusts. One thing I noticed in the game was that every Locust was some type of Arthropod, so that was my starting off point. For this episode, I wanted to include a majority of Crustacean-type Locusts, because the pilots were essentially exploring a dried out, lunar sea. The stats and abilities I assigned to the Sentinels, Tanks, and Smashers were based off characteristics and behaviors I researched from the Japanese spider crab, horseshoe crab, and mantis shrimp respectively. One group of mantis shrimp are actually named Smashers on Wikipedia which was totally awesome, and I had to steal the name!


There's a bit more too, but I can't get into it due to spoilers. You'll just have to stay tuned tomorrow, Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 2:00 PM ET to catch the live session or wait for the next AP. :)

It'll be a Hangouts on Air event, but I didn't post it publicly, so if you want the link, feel free to send me a message on Google Plus (@MishaPolonsky), and I'll add you to the event. I'll post the YouTube recording to my feed as well, so make sure you add me if you want to view it before I post the AP (which won't be until later this week).

Other than that, I hope you enjoyed this Actual Play report, dear reader, and my most sincerest thanks to you!

Until next time, keep on gaming and be well!

Tales of the Arx Jericho - Season 2 - Updated Cast of PCs and NPCs

Pilot Characters (PCs)

Rick Hunter 

Age: 15 (DOB: January 20th 2016)

Player: +Robert Ruthven

Quote: "We'll go to the dark side of the moon one day. We're gonna go there, we're gonna slaughter all the Mayzor, and we're going to take back what they took!"

Appearance
Medium build, light skin, dark hair.

Personality
Often seems bored or irritable, but still caring towards others. Can be quick to anger.

Background
Son of Rafe Hunter, a medical researcher, Rick thought things couldn't get worse after his dad went on the run after his illegal experiments on humans came to light. Then the Mayzor raided the town he lived in, on the outskirts of Metro Scotia, and Rick was powerless to stop the swarm from taking his mother, Meredith Buchanan.

Now it's just him and his sister, and when Rick swore vengeance upon the Mayzor and decided to join the SAInt program to fight them, Serena signed up along with him to keep an eye on her brother.

Company: Blue (Team Leader)

Hope: I will protect the people I care about.

Despair: I can't stand to see injustice go unpunished.

Friends: Serena Hunter, Joanne Klein

Rival: Dr. Donald "Scary Face" Johnson

Housing: Dorms

Attributes
Intellect 3 (Study +2, Observe +2)
Charm 3 (Empathize +2, Convince +2)
Coordination 3 (Firearms +2, Engineer +1)
Tone 3 (Close Quarters +3, Athletics +2)
Spirit 4 (Rally +2, Create +1)

Additional Information
Pilots a Prophet instead of a SAInt and is equipped with Twin 'Arc Swords (CQ, Attack Benefit +2, Damage Boost +2) as his main weapons and a backup 'Arc Knife (CQ, Attack Benefit +0, Damage Boost +1).

Recently started dating Joanne and runs an after school Kendo Club with her.

Fraternal twin brother of his company mate, Serena, whom he's been sharing flashbacks, dreams, and psychic thoughts with (possibly due to the AmBrO51A serum their father injected them with at a younger age OR a side effect of their Prophet training).

Dislikes his new, celebrity fame following the assault on Arx Jericho and is unnerved by it but still tries to act nonchalant and professional for the press.

Wants to go into space to fight the Mayzor, rescue his mum, and make the Mayzor General pay for his lies about being his father (if they actually were lies).

Sarah Werner

Age: 15 (DOB June 20th 2016)

Player: +Wolfie Fang 

Quote: "Look at that thing explode! Must have used my Limit Break without noticing..."

Appearance
A little tall for her age. She has long blonde hair and you can see a hint of her German heritage.

Personality
Fun loving and high spirited. She focuses on helping others and keeping everyone happy.

Background
Sarah had as normal as a normal life could be before in the States. Her worries were on how she could get a sleepover with her friends and how to keep her older brother from bothering her. After the invasion, she had to grow up fast. Her family escaped with their lives, and they've moved to a new urban city on the east coast, New Alamo. She hoped that she could go back to normal, but life was always spent in fear with each evacuation, and it was hard to have a sleepover when you never slept

It wasn't mandatory. She only got tested for the SAInt programs because everyone else was, and her brother kept bothering her about it, and honestly didn't realize what she had gotten into. Now she's worried she's lost what little freedom she's had left, but she's got a plan to go turn it around back to fun. She'll make new friends, work together, and she won't let her new chores stop them from having fun.

Her Brother Allen Werner is 17. He didn't make the cut. He definitely joined the preservation forces after, just to make sure he could get into the fight. The pestering is because his response to all this is just to fight, fight, fight. He's not on board the Arx, but I'm sure he set himself up to help defend our new home as much as possible. If bothering her is a relationship, I'm sure he has medals for it by now. 

Sarah is originally from what was Texas. While you may think it would be the longest lasting of the states, being a large state without much coastline, it just made a lot of people have to go to very few places. Thankfully though there were only a few big cities to draw attentions, and that got hit first. So while the first invasion did take it's toll, there was time to evacuate. She and her family left before they had to watch their own city go. It was a long travel to safety, but she was lucky not to lose anyone close to me. The real lose was in not being able to play, and have fun anymore. New Alamo was simply a city made bigger as Texas almost in a whole moved to the East. But that meant living in constant fear. Not the best name for a city to keep when you think of history. She still have lots of friends that live there as the city grows and evolves to deal with the threat of being a large city, but we've all learned ways to keep alive.

Her Mother and Father are BORING. They just do their job. Sarah's not mad though, she just doesn't want to turn into them. Perhaps that's why her Brother is so intend to get into the fight, just to do something interesting. Her and her Family separate from extended family though, before the invasion. Sarah has extended family in Germany she's rarely visited before all this, and some up in the northern states that used to keep in touch on Christmas. She doesn't know what happened to them, but she does hope they're okay. Her brother is honestly the only one how bugs her these days, though of course her parents to keep in enough contact in that "don't forget to wash behind your ears" kind of way.

Video Games! Can't deny that's always the first thing She'd go to. That and she will always go out and explore areas I'm not suppose to. Music can be fun too, if just to put you in the mood. Just doing things with friends is what's fun. I'm definitely quick to make a few friends wherever I go. It's not hard for her to understand them, and to find a few that want to have more fun, too.

She's heard the horror stories, and She's seen the destruction. She still can't see where some don't have hope. It's not that she doesn't know things are bad, but that she's seen the strength of people working together. She knows it's the helping hand that keeps us going. Where some see a horrible past, she see's a hopeful future. We've lost a lot, but we've also learned to work together; so really the best thing to do is keep each other going and growing.

Company: Blue

Hope: I will help my friends prosper.

Despair: I won't have any fun.

Friends: Serena Hunter, Leo "Raspberry" Hayes

Rival: Captain Anastasia "AK-47" Kasherov

Housing: Dorms

Attributes
Intellect 3 (Study +1, Observe +3)
Charm 3 (Empathize +3, Convince +1)
Coordination 2 (Firearms +2, Engineer +1)
Tone 2 (Close Quarters +2, Athletics +1)
Spirit 5 (Rally +1, Create +2)

Additional Information
Pilots a Prophet instead of a SAInt and is equipped with an RDav Combat Rifle "Giant Killer" (FA, Attack Benefit +1, Damage Boost +1) and a Sam-L Shield (CQ, Attack Benefit +1, Damage Boost +0, Cover +1) as her main weapons, a backup 'Arc Knife Bayonet (CQ, Attack Benefit +0, Damage Boost +1), and a Tiamat Multiple Missile System (HB [Observe], Attack Benefit +3, Damage Boost +1, 3 firings).

Huge fan of video games, especially the Shinobi Knights series, which she often plays with Leo instead of doing homework.

Cousin of Opsie.

Doesn't take nearly as much credit as what's given to her for the killing blow against Asmodeus during the assault of Arx Jericho.

Enjoys her new, celebrity fame and likes that she's able to bring hope to others through her victories. It also helps keep the spotlight on her which helps out her friends who are less happy with the attention.

The idea of going into space, the great unknown, scares her and she hates it. Gravity is good!

Believes Earth's counter-attack against the Mayzor is a stupid, stupid, stupid idea. Humanity has barely won a big battle and thinks it's time to push forward?! They're not even sure what the Mayzor are really up to!

Jason Reyes

Age: 14 (DOB: May 9th 2017)

Player: +David Andrews 

Quote: "1'500 meters, 9° elevation, windspeed 11kph NNE, easy shot."

Appearance
Average height and build, light brown hair and blue/brown eyes. Fair skin with freckles.

Personality
Unlike his former roommate, Strudel, Jason is quiet and reserved most times. Although he does have a penchant for assigning nicknames to people, places and objects.

Background
Jason is a 14 year old kid whose stepfather is career military. First in the Royal Australian Air Force, then in the Preservation Force. Not being the most physical or athletic kids, Jason never really got on with his step father despite wanting to. He see's becoming a SAiNT pilot to be his best chance of making his stepfather proud of him.

Company: Alpha

Hope: I will make my family proud and prove myself to my team and my superiors. 

Despair: Failing to protect those that matter to me most.

Friend: Alex "Strudel" Struder

Rival: Opsie Wessel

Housing: Dorms

Attributes
Intellect 3 (Study +2, Observe +2)
Charm 2 (Empathize +1, Convince +0)
Coordination 4 (Firearms +3, Engineer +3)
Tone 2 (Close Quarters +0, Athletics +1)
Spirit 3 (Rally +0, Create +1)

Additional Information
Pilots a SAInt equipped with an EZK-L Particle Beam (HB, Attack Benefit +0, Damage Boost +4, Reload) as his main weapon and a backup Levic Pistol (CQ/FA, Attack Benefit +0, Damage Boost +0). 

Stepson of Air Commodore (OF6) Martin Reyes, formerly of the Royal Australian Air Force, currently of the Presentation Forces, Western Pacific Division, aboard the Arx Galilee.

Originally from the suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

Watched the first, Mayzor invasion live on TV before moving to a military base on the outskirts of the city where his father was stationed. His first experience with the Mayzor occurred when the Australian government began evacuating their larger cities and dispersing the population. In the final stages of the evacuation, there was a Mayzor raid in Sydney and the evacuation center housed on the military base.

Volunteered for the SAInt pilot testing at which point his stepfather finally showed some interest in him. Jason's acceptance into the program resulted in the first, genuine, positive praise from his stepfather that he could remember.

Began dating Laurie Bach after his 14th birthday on Friday, May 9, 2031 and moved out of the foster home and into the dorms as Rick's new roommate. 

His mother, Monica, was abducted by the Mayzor while living in Sydney on Friday, June 13, 2031.

Hates his celebrity fame and being paraded in front of the cameras. Jason also hates that everyone wants to be his, "friend." He finds it a distraction and doesn't know if they want to be his friend because they like him or they like the idea of him.

Thrilled to go into space to fight the Mayzor. The idea of zero-G training sounds fun.

Marten "Skitz" Oiseleur

Age: 16 (DOB: February 9th 2015)

Player: +Russell Collins

Quote: "I'm asking for what I deserve."

Appearance
Lanky. Eyes fixed forward and a furrowed brow display the constant planning and scheming going on in his mind. He moves very deliberately as if he's always testing the ground beneath his feet. His clothes hang loose and the lines on his face show that he's lost a lot of weight, rapidly.

Personality
Marten always gets what he wants, eventually. Patient but insistent, he's got a one-track mind and the stamina to wear down anyone. He's a different person from who he was a year ago. Cooler, distant, and wrapped up in his own thoughts. Old Marten was an attention-hungry extrovert who still surfaces occasionally. 

Background
Marten's parents are cautious, nervous, fastidious people. He decided at an early age that they were cowards and as he noticed his brother and sister following the example he pushed back against it. His teen rebellion was sneaking out and then bragging to his family about the dangerous and exciting things he saw, scrambling around the docks of Marseille. They'd ground him and he'd either sneak out again or just browbeat his brother into helping him escape.

Marten qualified as a SAInt pilot on his 14th birthday and was deployed to the Arx Bethlehem. Pilot life suited him; he enjoyed being special among his peers and insisted that he be included in any advanced programs. This was the life of adventure he wanted. A dogged determination stood in for bravery and Marten tackled some dangerous situations through sheer willpower.

Eight months ago Marten's pilot pod was ruptured by a Magnas. His heart stopped and his brain was deprived of oxygen but his SAInt kept going and fought off the Magnas before he collapsed. He was recovered from the wreckage and spent months in a comatose state. When he finally revived he began physical and mental therapy to recover. Though he has completed his physical therapy, he is still psychologically troubled by the experience. He has vivid dreams in which he speaks with the "ghost" of his fallen SAInt and has admitted to having waking auditory hallucinations. Psych evaluations decided that he is still fit for duty, with a prescription that keeps the voices quiet.  

He's been reassigned to the Jericho, his old Arx and Company having moved on without him. That's alright for Marten. They weren't very close anyway after he "died." When they heard about his dreams and the SAInt whispering in his ear during math class they started calling him "Skitz." Marten's eager for a fresh start, with new challenges.

Company: Alpha

Hope: I believe that my stubbornness is a virtue.

Despair: I'm afraid for my mental health.

Friend: Stephanie Yuzuki

Rival: Dr. Elizabeth Harris

Housing: Dorms

Attributes
Intellect 3 (Study +1, Observe +2)
Charm 4 (Empathize +2, Convince +3)
Coordination 2 (Firearms +1, Engineer +0)
Tone 3 (Close Quarters +2, Athletics +2)
Spirit 4 (Rally +3, Create +0)

Additional Information
Pilots a SAInt equipped with a LaNSe Detonating Spear (CQ, Attack Benefit +1, Damage Boost +2, Reload) and a Levic Flechette "Stone Thrower" (CQ/FA, Attack Benefit +2, Damage Boost +0) as his two, main weapons.

Son of Louis and Simone Oiseleur from Marseille, France.

Has a younger brother named Antoine and a sister named Lola.

Also has a few cousins and an uncle somewhere, but the only family member to make a real impact on his life was his grandmother on on mother's side, Elise. She's more like Marten than the rest of his family. While they're wringing their hands and sending him messages about avoiding unnecessary risks, she's mailing him old photos of his great-grandfather in his army uniform.

Used his veteran status and a lot of insistent bargaining when he transferred to get attached to the highest profile company on the Arx Jericho (Alpha Company).

Loves the prospect of going into space. It's another one of those things that ordinary folks never get to do, making it one of the best things ever.

Esteban "Spearhead" Knowles

Age: 14 (DOB: October 25th 2017)

Player: +Lloyd Gyan 

Quote: "Commencing Agressive Diplomancy. Over and out."

Appearance
Black eyes, Cuban ethnicity, 5' tall. Wears typical military camo when available. Otherwise, he's always in uniform.

Personality
Esteban keeps to himself most of the time, preferring to pore over his military strategy books over making relationships of any kind. His idea of friendship and social communication is the sound of barked orders coming through his radio. He is not the type of person that makes long lasting relationships, as he has been brought up to think that at any time, he may be killed for his job. So why bother?

Background
Bred for war. The world has always needed soldiers. To be conquerors. Slayers of men. Battle ready hard-men. This was the philosophy Esteban's teachers taught him. Cuba has not been war torn for decades, but its people remembered a time when soldiers were needed. In preparation of a war they claim to not know was coming, they began to train orphans from birth to be the closest to warriors that they could. Esteban, a child orphaned by his parents being part of the great exodus, found himself enrolled in the 'Growing Soldiers' program, spending most of his life running military drills and learning to take orders.

From the moment of invasion, Esteban has been preparing for the front lines. The first of his kind to be of the right age for SAInt piloting, his superiors are watching his every move, testing him as a prototype for the others that will follow after his term of service.

Company: Alpha

Hope: I will make my superiors proud.

Despair: I cannot function without orders.

Friend: Kazuhiro Mazaki

Rival: N/A

Housing: Dorms

Attributes
Intellect 3 (Study +1, Observe +3)
Charm 1 (Empathize +0, Convince +2)
Coordination 2 (Firearms +2, Engineer +0)
Tone 5 (Close Quarters +4, Athletics +3)
Spirit 3 (Rally +0, Create +0)

Additional Information
Pilots a SAInt equipped with a LaNSe Detonating Spear (CQ, Attack Benefit +1, Damage Boost +2, Reload) as his main weapon, a a Tiamat Multiple Missile System (HB [Observe], Attack Benefit +3, Damage Boost +1, 3 firings), and a G-Mag Ground Effect Mobility Enhancement v.3.0 "skates" modification (Change Range Benefit +1 in smooth terrain).

---

Director Characters (NPCs)

There are three types of Director characters: extras, supporting characters, and antagonists. Supporting characters and antagonists may also be relationship characters for the PCs.

• Extras are the simplest characters that don't take part in a pilot's Actions as anything more than background.

• Supporting characters have Vigor/Focus ratings and add +1 Benefit when joining a team and assisting pilots or antagonists.

• Antagonists are more robust supporting characters that may pose a greater threat to a pilot and turn a scene into a Trial. In addition to Vigor/Focus, they also have Injury and Resolve ratings. They also roll dice in their actions to alter their challenge ratings through luck.

Serena Hunter

Supporting/Relationship Character: Rick's Friend, Sarah's Friend

Age: 15

Quote: "We're all in this together, and we must protect each other."

Appearance
Medium-height, light skin, dark hair, similar features as Rick. Face often solemn, barely any emotion and rarely ever a smile.

Personality
Cold, calculating, quick to despair and depression, loyal, earnest, fearful of her repressed memories coming back.

Background
Serena is Rick's fraternal, twin sister and the daughter of Rafe Hunter. When Rick first joined the SAInt program, she signed up as well in an effort to be with him and protect him.

Serena was a member of Alpha Company when the Chicago Catastrophe occurred, and she fell into a deep depression afterwards while blaming herself for not being able to save the rest of her company mates. She didn't talk to many people when she was in the hospital, and even Billy Henderson, her boyfriend at the time, usually failed to lift her spirits. Only her brother, Rick, was able to get a response from her every time they talked. He went to see her the most.

Shortly after, Serena became team leader of the new Alpha Company with Rick, Sarah Werner, Jason Reyes, and Alex 'Strudel' Struder. Billy became team leader of Bravo Company. Serena and Billy broke up around the time of Jason's 14th birthday, and she continued to reject Billy many more times from that point forward.

During the interface testing in June, 2031, Serena experienced a series of flashbacks to several years back, where she was strapped to a cot and being injected with a syringe by a dark-haired man who seemed to be grinning widely. Rick experienced the same dream and discovered the man to be their father, Rafe.

As Serena, Rick, and the rest of Alpha Company worked together to uncover clues, they eventually discovered that the human experiments Rafe Hunter conducted included a special, manufactured serum called, "Ambrosia," because of its chemical makeup: AmBrO51A. It turned out that Rafe was working for the CRC and that his test subjects were Prophet candidates and the whole, top secret operation was called the Apostle Project.

Both Serena and Rick were injected by their father, and the memories were so traumatic that their subconsciouses had blocked them all out, until they came flooding back during the interface testing. They discovered that Sarah's cousin, Opsie Wessel, who transferred over from the Arx Galilee was also injected with the serum and a Prophet candidate. Supposedly Sarah is also a candidate, but Rafe was never able to inject her with the serum.


Following the naval assault at the Bahamas, Serena took up her Prophet training alongside Rick and Opsie, and the three played a pivotal role in defending the Arx Jericho during the Mayzor raid and the attack of Asmodeus. In the past three months, Serena has risen to fame alongside her brother and company mates, but she doesn't particularly enjoy the fame; neither does she take advantage of it. Serena continues to remain by Rick's side in an effort to protect him.

Motivation: Protect Rick. Protect the team.

Ratings: Vigor 9, Focus 8

Company: Blue

Opsie Wessel

Antagonist/Relationship Character: Jason's Rival

Age: 16

Quote: "Yeah, that was like totally because of me. I know, I rock!"

Appearance
Tall, golden blond, bright blue eyes, attractive features, symmetrical face. She's one of the hottest SAInt pilots according to most of the boys, and she always flaunts her sensuality and beauty with outfits to match. She's made slight modifications to her school uniform but leaves her pilot suit as is. She doesn't mess around when it comes to piloting.

Personality
Independent, charismatic, loquacious, optimistic, enthusiastic, go-getter, persistent, courageous, generous. Opsie loves being the center of attention and projecting her opinions onto everyone else. She loves to take charge and take credit for almost everything, especially when it makes her look good or benefits her. Nevertheless, she's loyal and grounded when shit hits the fan. Still, there are only a handful of people that actually consider her a friend.

Background
Opsie Wessel was born in Munich, Germany and lived there for six years before her military parents divorced, and she moved to the Arx Galilee with her father who transferred to the Preservation Forces. She was an only child and always the center of her parents' affection, which they often bought.

Despite being spoiled and always getting what she wants, Opsie had exceptional charisma and the strength and intellect to be a natural born leader if she worked at it. In class and competitions, Opsie didn't always do as well as everyone thought she did, though she often cheated and took credit anyway. More than often, she actually pulled it off and fooled everyone. As she grew older, she relied less on her childish antics and focused more on her training to actually be the best.

Opsie graduated from the SAInt Program in 2028.

She's traveled back to Germany three times to see her mother. Opsie was 13 years old during her last visit, and it didn't have a pleasant ending, unbeknownst to Opsie. She thought she missed her flight, because she was out partying late with some childhood friends, but she was actually kidnapped by Rafe Hunter and CRC scientists, taken to a secret laboratory, and injected with the AmBrO51A serum. She was further drugged, her memory a blur, and Opsie caught the next flight back to the Arx Galilee.

In 2031, an incident occurred where Opsie went back to her roots and stole credit for leading her team in defending a nearby city from a Mayzor assault. Her team mate actually came up with the plan, but Opsie had some dirt on her and used that to claim the idea as hers. It earned Opsie a promotion and transfer to the Arx Jericho. She arrived on Friday, June 13th and became team leader of Charlie Company.

In the following months, Opsie was approached by Dr. Johnson and targeted by the CRC to receive special training in operating a new, experimental type of SAInt. She absolutely couldn't pass up the opportunity, and Opsie became the first SAInt pilot to join the Apostle Project.

The assault on Jericho was the first time Opsie and the rest of Blue Company, Rick Hunter and his fraternal, twin sister, Serena, assembled as a special ops team. Opsie's instincts kicked in, and she took all of the credit for defending against the assault and defeating Asmodeus. As members of Blue and Alpha Company became worldwide celebrities, Opsie made sure her name was at the top.

By 2032, Opsie has been featured in a plethora of magazines, blogs, talk shows, and she's struck deals with various companies and manufacturers to advertise their products, appear in commercials, and make quite a living on the side.

Her busy and luxurious lifestyle has been getting more and more hectic lately, and she seems less focused during her Prophet training. She'll seriously need to get it together if she wants to remain in Blue Company. As for going into the space and visiting the moon, Opsie can't wait! It sounds like an experience of a lifetime, and she'll certainly take credit for establishing a base of operations there in their counter attack against the Mayzor.

Motivation: Take credit for everything.

Ratings: Vigor 5, Focus 7, Resolve/Injury 3, Action Dice 3

Company: Blue

Joanne Klein

Antagonist/Relationship Character: Rick's Friend

Age: 14

Quote: "Captain, Rick's cheating! He's so annoying, and I'm so much better than him! Ugh, but he's so cute!"

Appearance
Somewhat petite, medium-long, blonde hair, usually always dressed in uniform or ready to deploy anytime, usually a stern face (disturbingly similar to AK-47's).

Personality
Fiercely competitive. Picks on others, like Stephanie and Rick. She's confrontational like Billy but less direct. She's more of a tease and usually not completely serious. She often picks on Rick, but in truth likes him a whole lot.

Background
Joanne Klein graduated from the SAInt program in 2031 at 14 years old, just one month after the Chicago Catastrophe. Both of her parents are divorced and work for the Preservation Forces aboard the Arx Galilee above Sydney, Australia. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the only way Joanne was able to join the program was by transferring to the Arx Jericho, and she did so in a heartbeat. She's an only child, and her parents hardly payed much attention to her other than buying her love.

Joanne shared a foster home with her soon-to-be best friend, Stephanie Yuzuki, another SAInt pilot who she now considers a younger sister.The two aren't that far apart in age either. During the testing and qualifying stage of the SAInt program up through graduation and continuing on today, the two have been inseparable. Joanne picks on her from time to time, but in the end, she's truly loyal to Stephanie. They both graduated from the SAInt program a month after the Chicago Catastrophe and formed the new, Bravo Company with Laurie Bach, and Leo 'Raspberry' Hayes, and team leader, Serena Hunter.

Joanne and Stephanie already knew Rick Hunter, Serena's fraternal twin brother, from their after school Kendo club with several other classmates who weren't part of the SAInt program. Though Joanne would never publicly admit it, she developed feelings for Rick, and the two became fierce rivals with a hidden, romantic tension between them.

She didn't gain quite as much fame as Billy Henderson, Opsie Wessel, or any of the pilots from Alpha Company following the assault on Jericho, but the world still knows her. Her admiration and scorn for Rick has grown tenfold, and her fame actually increased, when she started dating Rick. They now run the Kendo club together as officers, and they continue to compete with each other in roughly everything they do. Joanne is fiercely determined to become a Prophet pilot, and she's been pushing herself far beyond her limits during training in hopes of one day joining Blue Company and becoming Rick's company mate. 

Following Billy's resignation from the SAInt program, Joanne desperately wanted to take over as team leader of Bravo Company, but she grew livid when Captain Kasherov promoted Kazuhiro Mazaki to the position instead of her. AK-47 told her that Kazuhiro was a better fit for team leader at this time, but in a serendipitous turn of events, Sarah Werner left Alpha Company to join Blue Company, leaving a vacant spot for Joanne. Her bitterness and jealousy over Kazuhiro diminished, though she couldn't believe Sarah would get to pilot a Prophet before her! That left a bad taste in Joanne's mouth, but nevertheless, she was thrilled and honored to join the elite Alpha Company instead of being under Kazuhiro. She was even more thrilled and surprised to learn that she was actually being promoted to team leader of Alpha Company! To this day, she wonders whether Rick pulled some strings with AK-47 (they always did have a close relationship) or if she was promoted on her own merit. Either way, Joanne will happily take up the job. Hopefully it won't go to her head!

When Joanne's not busting her ass training or spending time with Rick, she's hanging out with a depressed Stephanie, trying to cheer her up.

In terms of going into space, there's one secret Joanne hasn't shared with anyone, not even Stephanie. Joanne has a mild to severe case of astrophobia and has been extremely on edge since the Arx Jericho went into orbit around the planet. She's terrified of actually leaving the Arx and entering zero G or even exploring the moon. What if she has a severe panic attack and publicly humiliates herself while letting her team down? She can't risk that happening, and it could help further explain why she's been training extra hard lately.

Motivation: Succeed by any means necessary.

Ratings: Vigor 9, Focus 8, Resolve/Injury 2, Action Dice 2

Company: Alpha (Team Leader)

Alex "Strudel" Struder

Supporting/Relationship Character: Jason's Friend

Age: 13

Quote: "Ooh! Hey guys! Is that candy? Can I have a piece? Hey guys! Ooh! Check it out!"

Appearance
Extremely short, ginger hair, freckles. Petite build.

Personality
Strudel is extremely hyper the majority of the time and exponentially so when given sugar. Despite his intensity and young adolescent instincts, he has a great heart, is extremely loyal, and greatly looks up to his friends. He overhears things far too often and knows way more than he probably should. He has more sympathy for Billy than most of his other friends with the exception of Serena perhaps. He's addicted to candy and is usually glued to his constantly-malfunctioning Linc.

Background
Strudel first joined Charlie Company when he was 12 years old. He shared a foster home with Jason Reyes, until Jason tuned 14 and moved into the dorms. Today, Strudel continues to live with his foster family and Miguel Rodriguez, his foster home mate, who's from Bravo Company. 

Early last year, Strudel started seeing a fellow classmate, Ryoko, before the Mayzor hit Brooklyn and Chicago. After the Chicago Catastrophe, Strudel and his teammates were promoted to Alpha Company, and he started seeing Stephanie Yuzuki of Bravo Company. The two of them were steady for a few months, until Opsie Wessel transferred over from the Arx Galilee. Strudel developed a serious crush on her, and Stephanie grew extremely jealous. They broke up in the fall, after the assault on Jericho, but ever since his rise to fame after the Jericho assault three months back, Strudel has developed quite a fan base and a plethora of secret admirers. He's not worried. Strudel's on cloud nine.

Rumor has it that Strudel and Ryoko, a member of Charlie Company and second in command to Laurie Bach, are seeing each other again. Rumor also has it that Strudel has been spending time with Lieke, the Mendicant pilot and Bala's twin sister, from Bravo Company. Strudel also has fan girls he hangs out with on the side too apparently. He's become quite a player, and he's embracing it while remaining oblivious to anyone it may affect.

He's psyched about going into space and can't wait for their first mission!

Motivation: Be like the cool kids.

Ratings: Vigor 6, Focus 4

Company: Alpha

Kazuhiro "The Tower" Mazaki

Supporting/Relationship Character: Esteban's Friend

Age: 16

Quote: "You bullies better run."

Appearance
Tall, dark hair, brown eyes, hardly ever a smile.

Personality
Strong, silent, charismatic type. Used to be bullied, now defends against bullies. Used to openly take credit, now he doesn't. Lives with regrets and dark memories.

Background
Kazuhiro was born prematurely and spent his childhood years considerably shorter than most of his peers. His biological parents were proud, Preservation Forces and military officers aboard the Arx Galilee who were always ashamed of their weak, stunted son. When Kazuhiro was 8, he was sent off to the Arx Bethlehem.

Though Kazuhiro was bullied most of his early life due to his small stature, he hit puberty prematurely and had a massive growth spurt when he was 12. It gave Kazuhiro the confidence he needed to try out for the SAInt Program. He began honing his strength and fighting skills, and he put them to use, as he defended fellow classmates from bullies, earning him a reputation and the nickname, The Tower. 

Despite his size and newfound strength, Kazuhiro found he couldn't fully control himself yet. An incident occurred when he was 13, where he accidentally sent a bully he was defending against to the hospital with a coma. Kazuhiro never forgave himself and went through a period of depression, where he didn't talk to anyone. He also put off joining the program and applied to transfer to another Arx. 

In short time, he decided to begin training again and applied to the SAInt Program one more time. Much to his surprise, he was accepted, and Kazuhiro was close to graduating when his application for transfer finally went through.

The Arx Jericho was expanding their SAInt Program and were looking for pilots, so Kazuhiro finished his training there. He moved into the dorms and became roommates with the team leader of Bravo Company, Billy Henderson. 

In June, 2031, Kazuhiro graduated and became an official pilot of Charlie Company.

Following the assault of Jericho, Kazuhiro began taking his training even more seriously than before. He's begun defending fellow classmates again, though he hasn't had as loud of a reputation as he did before. Over the last few months, he's gone up to Bravo Company and was promoted to team leader which didn't make Joanne Klein very happy.

Company: Bravo (Team Leader)

Stephanie Yuzuki

Supporting/Relationship Character: Marten's Friend

Age: 14

Quote: "Don't you dare hurt me."

Appearance
Short, petite, with deep, blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and long, blue hair. She's flexible, nimble, and can pack some power when she needs to into her swings during Kendo practice.

Personality
Fiercely loyal to her friends but generally somber and serious in her demeanor. She loves fiercely and does absolutely anything for the ones she loves, but she grows jealous easily and overreacts if she's hurt. She's always been easily depressed.

Background
Stephanie Yuzuki came from overseas and practically grew up aboard the Arx Jericho after being separated from her parents at birth. Since she was 9 years old, she begged her foster parents to give her permission to try out for the SAInt program. They refused every time, and Stephanie spiraled into depression each time. After she turned 12, Stephanie begged them once again, and they still refused. Stephanie nearly ended her own life, but after begging one last time, her parents finally gave her an ultimatum just short of her 13th birthday. They would grant her permission to try out, but she would have to find another foster home to live in and could never contact them again. They either really didn't want to get involved with the Preservation Forces or they were extremely paranoid about something, but they clearly wouldn't have anything to do with Stephanie if she joined the program. Stephanie left them and hasn't looked back since.

In 2030, Stephanie enlisted in the SAInt program and found another home, where she became foster mates with Joanne Klein. Joanne was only a few months older than Stephanie, and had coincidentally also signed up for the SAInt program. The two not only became best friends and company mates after graduation, they practically became sisters. After graduating from the SAInt program a month after the Chicago Catastrophe, Stephanie and Joanne joined Bravo Company alongside Laurie Bach, Leo 'Raspberry' Hayes, and team leader, Serena Hunter.

Before that, she joined Joanne in an after school Kendo club with Rick Hunter, Serena's fraternal twin brother and another SAInt pilot from Charlie Company, as well as several other classmates that weren't part of the program. It was then that she fell for one of Rick's company mates, a cute, ginger boy named Alex Struder. Most, however, called him Strudel, and she thought that was absolutely adorable.

Stephanie and Strudel started seeing each other right around the time of Jason's 14th birthday and had their first kiss during his birthday party.

They continued to date for several months, but after Opsie Wessel's arrival, their relationship began to decline. Strudel clearly had a crush on Opsie, and Stephanie grew extremely jealous of her. Stephanie and Strudel had several big fights during the summer, but the worst one took place right after their vacation on Bimini Island. 

After the assault on Jericho and Strudel's rise to fame, things grew even worse and they broke up for good. While the world learned Strudel's name, and he developed a fan base of secret admirers, Stephanie sulked and entered a deep depression that even Joanne hasn't been able to snap her out of, despite all the time she's spent trying to cheer her up.

Stephanie remains a part of Bravo Company and continues to be Joanne's number two.

Rumor has it she wants revenge on Strudel and all his secret admirers, but she still hasn't snapped out of her depression. Also, she's not thoroughly excited to go into space.

Motivation: Get revenge at all costs.

Ratings: Vigor 9, Focus 9

Company: Bravo

Leo "Raspberry" Hayes

Supporting/Relationship Character: Sarah's Friend

Age: 13

Quote: "I'm er- uh- oops- I mean - uh- er- eh- *gulp*"

Appearance
Short, dark hair, frantic look about him. His hair is unkempt, his clothes are never ironed, and he always looks like he's in a rush to go somewhere.

Personality
Socially awkward and introverted. Typically prefers interacting with others through virtual means as opposed to face-to-face. Loves games.

Background
Leo Hayes comes from a pretty tragic childhood. His family lived on a communal farm in western Kentucky, but his father was in the military, and Leo rarely saw him growing up. Leo's mother was taken by the Mayzor when he was 8 years old, but his father left him no time to grieve. He pulled some strings to get Leo transferred to the Arx Jericho, and Leo moved into a foster home. When Leo was 12, his father pulled some more strings to get Leo accepted into the SAInt program. Even though Leo never did too well at school, he found he an aptitude for piloting SAInt and graduated the program to join Bravo Company alongside his team leader, Serena Hunter, Laurie Bach, and two other pilots that died in the Chicago Catastrophe in 2031.

Leo earned the nickname Raspberry during his first year of the SAInt program. Professor Harris had announced her favorite ice cream flavor was raspberry, and that she might include that as a bonus question on a quiz. Leo embedded that into his memory, but when he took the quiz, the bonus question was completely unrelated. Nevertheless, raspberry was on his mind, because when he got the test back, he saw he wrote down raspberry. Most of his classmates laughed at him, and he became Raspberry. Ironically, he loves raspberries and anything raspberry-flavored.

Raspberry doesn't have many friends. He quickly developed a crush on Sarah Werner and began secretly stalking her and spying on her, though he's deeply ashamed to admit it. She finally caught him in the dorms one day and told him he didn't have to sneak around. He and Sarah quickly became friends and got together often to play video games. Unfortunately for him, though he still has a crush on her, she only sees him as a friend and a younger brother.

Raspberry may not be the brightest, strongest, or fastest SAInt pilot in his company, but he's extremely capable, dependable, and is there in a heartbeat when he's needed. He isn't immune to fear, but rarely does he ever run and abandon his team. It's happened a few times during training but never during a Mayzor attack. He's ambivalent about going up into space. He'll do what he's told, as long as he doesn't have to physically interact with too many people.

Raspberry really hasn't talked to his father much since he transferred over to the Arx Jericho. In his spare time, he's a leader for a high ranking guild in an MMORPG he plays, and he programs flight simulators.

Motivation: Don't get caught.

Ratings: Vigor 7, Focus 6

Company: Bravo

Captain Anastasia "AK-47" Kasherov

Antagonist/Relationship Character: Sarah's Rival

Age: 47

Quote: "Get to bed immediately! You have a pop quiz and simulation test tomorrow!"

Appearance
Tall, middle-age, blond hair, blue eyes, strong, athletic physique.

Personality
Strict, direct, confident, not afraid to speak her mind, sympathetic, gives praise when its deserved, loyal, motherly, soft and caring underneath a harsh and strict demeanor.

Background
Anastasia Yurilevna Kasherov was born in Moscow, Russia in 1984. She served her term in the military and immigrated to America years before the Legulus first revealed themselves to the world. Anastasia found work as a private contractor in New York City for years and built up quite a reputation for herself, but after the Legulus returned in 2029, renamed as Mayzor, Anastasia moved to the Arx Jericho and joined the Preservation Forces. Within half a year, she was promoted to the rank of captain, and on top of her Preservation Forces duties, she's also a strict professor, according to the SAInt pilots and many of their fellow classmates. She quickly earned the nickname, AK-47, and celebrated it in 2031, when she was actually 47.

Following the assault on Jericho, Captain Kasherov (Professor AK-47) has continued to lead the SAInt pilots in more rigorous and difficult tests and simulations in preparation for their upcoming missions aboard the moon. With the Apostle Project having gone public and the move to space initiated within half a year of the arx repairing itself, things were moving fast, and the SAInt pilots had to be ready.

Together with Commander Toshi Yamasuka, AK-47 oversaw the SAInt modification process in preparation for Operation Blue Moon (still a classified name undisclosed to the public). She gave Sarah Werner the OK to begin her Prophet training and join Blue Company, while promoting another team leader and recruiting new pilots for Alpha Company. She promoted Kazuhiro Masaki to team leader of Bravo Company and expanded the SAInt Program to fill Charlie Company and add Delta and Echo Company to the roster as well.

AK-47 seems close to Dr. Johnson and Dr. Harris and more often than not acts as their superior, though she still reports directly to Commander Yamasuka. If anything were to ever happen to the commander, Captain Kasherov would take up command in a heart beat. She certainly has all the traits necessary to be a strong leader of the Preservation Froces. Now that Billy Henderson has joined the team, and is being groomed by Dr. Johnson, AK-47 needs to keep an eye out for him. He's always been a go-getter with talks of one day taking over command himself.

Motivation: Get everyone through this alive.

Ratings: Vigor 7, Focus 7

Preservation Forces: Captain, Professor

Dr. Elizabeth Harris

Supporting/Relationship Character: Marten's Rival

Age: 37

Quote: "Everything will be alright. Just tell me what happened."

Appearance
Tall, long, platinum hair, glasses, military doctor's uniform, beautiful, charming smile.

Personality
Extremely kind, passionate about the lives and well being of the SAInt pilots, cheerful and optimistic at the worst of times, often a friend to all.

Background
Elizabeth Harris grew up in Sunnyvale, CA with her mother, father, and two older brothers. She had a pretty normal life growing up, but when she was 15, her older brother (the youngest of the two) took his own life, and it sent Elizabeth spiraling into a depression which lasted for months. She didn't have many, close friends but was always a cheerful, optimistic girl. However, her brother's death was a real test to her fortitude, and Elizabeth came out stronger than ever before. She decided to make her life mission helping people and to prevent such events from occurring again if she was ever met with the opportunity. 

She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the University of California - Berkley and went on to earn her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Stanford University with an emphasis on Affective Science. She then completed her Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Child Psychology at Stanford and stayed at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as a faculty member to perform research on the Science of Suicide Prevention.

After the Mayzor invaded in 2029 and the CRC and Preservation Forces built Arx and SAInts, Dr. Harris was offered a position aboard the Arx Jericho as the Resident Chief Psychologist and Psychiatrist as well as being a professor. Due to the gravity of the situation involving the alien attacks and the mental stress young pilots could develop while piloting the SAInts in the face of such danger, Dr. Harris absolutely couldn't refuse.

For the past, three years, she's been a savior aboard the Arx and an absolute angel when it comes to the pilots. Most trust her implicitly and seek comfort with her, as opposed to Dr. Johnson who many say, "isn't any help." In all honesty, Dr. Harris is probably the most warm, kind, and likable officer of the Preservation Forces, and many of the students and pilots would be devastated should anything happen to her.

Motivation: Ensure the health and well being of the pilots and their minds.

Ratings: Vigor 7, Focus 10

Preservation Forces: Resident Chief Psychologist, Emergency Doctor, Professor

Dr. Donald "Scary Face" Johnson

Antagonist/Relationship Character: Rick's Rival

Age: 54

Quote: "I'll get the truth out of you one way or another."

Appearance
Tall, burly, past middle age, unkempt dark, graying hair, bushy eyebrows, stern face, glasses, mustache, small beard.

Personality
Gruff, stern, intimidating, manipulative, badgering, prideful, looks like he's probably chock full of hidden agendas.

Background
Donald Johnson was born and raised in Seattle, Washington to a single mother and is the youngest of four. He never knew his father, who abandoned them before Donald was even born, but Donald resented him nonetheless. 

He attended the University of Washington and received his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology before earning his M.A./Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with Emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal Studies. From there, he went on to pursue a career as a Clinical/Analytical Psychologist in the Navy Medical Service Corps after a five-week, training program in Officer Development School (ODS) in Newport, R.I.

Dr. Johnson served in the military for twenty-four years and witnessed the Legulus Revelation, their denouncement/exodus, and the first and second Mayzor attacks before he joined the Preservation Forces in 2030 and came aboard the Arx Jericho as an Analytical Psychologist and Adjunct Professor. 

He began affiliating himself with the Cloistered Research Council in 2031 but wasn't deemed an official, CRC scientist; rather, he contributed his efforts and expertise to foster the growth of the Apostle Project - sometimes through expedient means.

In August, 2032, the pilots of Alpha Company discovered classified, CRC documents in Dr. Johnson's office pertaining to a select group of Prophet candidates including: Rick and Serena Hunter, Sarah, and her cousin, Opsie Wessel. They also discovered details on the AmBrO51A serum (Americium Bromine Oxide 51A) pertaining to the Apostle Project and encrypted files on his computer with a deciphering key in a strange, coded language belonging to the Mayzor.

After the pilots went on summer vacation, Jason decrypted the files to reveal several, shocking revelations regarding Dr. Johnson and his affiliation with the Mayzor. It turned out he was given instructions to upload a hand-sized, Wormwood-shaped flash drive to the main, Operations computer of the Preservation Forces which caused the MetaTron to experience static and interference a month earlier, when Alpha Company was deployed to New Alamo to quell the Mayzor raid and fight the Magnas Beelzebub and Thammuz. More, decrypted files revealed blueprints that Dr. Johnson had on several, new, aquatic-based Locusts (including the Cannon and Constrictor) and a list of islands the Mayzor were going to hit. The Bahamas, where the pilots were vacationing at, were on the list.

The pilots lost all trust in Dr. Johnson and revealed his alleged treachery to Captain Anastasia "AK-47" Kasherov, but on the day the Arx Jericho was attacked, Jason received an envelope from Dr. Johnson with a strange message that read: "Find the real source. Trace it back. Not all is what it seems."

Later, after Sarah's abduction by CRC scientists and the Arx Jericho's lockdown, Dr. Johnson came through for the pilots and led them to Rafe Hunter's secret laboratory, where a hologram image revealed him as a Mayzor-in-disguise who called himself the General. 

Given the fact that Dr. "Scary Face" Johnson (a nickname invented by Jason) was Rick, Serena, and Opsie's Prophet instructor, and played an integral role in prepping the upcoming, lunar missions for the pilots during the last four months, his true loyalties seem to be up in the air. 

Some are convinced he's one of the good guys; some are convinced he's an alien. Some even think he's a double agent.

Only time will tell which side he's really on and why he possessed those secret files and carried out orders from the Mayzor.

Motivation: Seek the truth out of others.

Ratings: Vigor 8, Focus 10, Resolve/Injury 2, Action Dice 2

Preservation Forces: Analytic Psychologist, Prophet Instructor, Adjunct Professor

Billy Henderson

Supporting Character

Age: 18

Quote: "What are you dweebs up to?"

Appearance
Tall, dark hair, preppy dresser, well built.

Personality
A jerk and an ass, plain and simple. He has a sensitive side he keeps hidden, which is perhaps what Serena was attracted to, but usually he's confrontational, prone to violence, and always throwing the first insult.

Background
Billy was 17 years old, when he was promoted to team leader of Charlie Company alongside Rick Hunter, Sarah Werner, Jason Reyes, and Alex 'Strudel' Struder. After the Chicago Catastrophe, Billy became team leader of the new, Bravo Company, while his younger colleagues surpassed him to form the new Alpha Company with Serena Hunter as their team leader. 

While Serena was in the hospital, tending to her wounds from the Chicago Catastrophe, Billy constantly stayed by her side, and Rick, Sarah, and Jason found out that the two had been dating for a little while. Billy and Serena continued to date but eventually broke up around the time of Jason's 14th birthday. 

For the next, several months, Billy led Charlie Company before he was promoted to team leader of Bravo Company with Joanne Klein as his second-in-command. He continued to remain a jerk to everyone but his company mates, and karma finally bit him in the ass during the beach trip to Bimini Island, when Rick and Jason publicly humiliated him in front of his fellow pilots after Serena rejected him yet again. After that, Billy's mental health seemed to rapidly decline. When the CRC facility aboard the Arx Jericho went into a lockdown, Billy showed up crazed and with a pistol, threatening Dr. Johnson in an effort to protect Serena. 

Nevertheless, Billy came through in the end when the Mayzor invaded the Arx Jericho and brought the Throne Rank Magnas, Asmodeus, along with them. He was awarded a series of medals, and he became almost as famous as Rick, Sarah, Jason, Opsie, Serena, and Strudel. 

Billy retired as a SAInt pilot just three weeks short of his 18th birthday but continues to work for the Preservation Forces. Rumor has it that he's being groomed by Dr. Johnson to one day be the new head of security for the Arx Jericho Preservation Forces. Rumor also has it he's going to be a professor as well.

Motivation: Pick on those weaker than me.

Ratings: Vigor 10, Focus 7

Preservation Forces: Junior Security Officer, Adjunct Professor

Rafe Hunter

Antagonist

Age: 45

Quote: "Don't you recognize me, children?"

Appearance
Medium-length, dark hair, small nose, chiseled face, large ears, creepy eyes.

Personality
Secretive, eccentric, serious, calculating, socially abandoning, high resolve toward achieving what he wants.

Background
Rafe Hunter is the husband of Merideth Buchanan and father of fraternal twins, Rick and Serena Hunter. Though much of his past and present remain a mystery, he was a publicly known medical researcher who went on the run after his illegal experiments on humans came to light prior to the first, Mayzor invasion of 2029. 

Though originally from Metro Scotia, he made contact with Rick in 2031, when the Mayzor attacked Brooklyn, NY and nearly destroyed his laboratory hidden in the borough. Rafe was captured by the military but placed under the charge of the CRC aboard the Arx Jericho.

The pilots of Charlie Company, who were later promoted to Alpha Company, overheard Captain Anastasia "AK-47" Kasherov speaking to CRC scientists about how the UN military wanted custody of Rafe (most likely to have him tried for crimes against humanity concerning his experiments).

Rafe remained hidden away at the CRC for nearly half a year, until September 2nd, when Sarah Werner was abducted by CRC scientists and taken to the facility, where Rafe tried her inject her with the AmBrO51A (Americium Bromine Oxide 51A) serum to expedite the process of deepening her mind's psychic connection with the SAInt and transcend her human limitations to be able to successfully pilot a Prophet. Sarah managed to escape, but as it turns out, Rafe had already injected at least three, other Prophet candidates in years past - including his son, daughter, and Sarah's cousin, Opsie Wessel in Germany.

After the CRC and the Arx Jericho went into lockdown and the Mayzor attacked the Arx directly, the pilots of Alpha Company, with the help of AK-47 and Dr. Donald "Scary Face" Johnson, discovered Rafe had a second laboratory hidden deeper in the CRC facility. There, they saw dismembered, non-operational Mayzor Locusts and Swarm; pieces of Wormwood; blueprints for new, never-before-seen, aerial-based Locusts; tapestries depicting a brilliant, woman with white hair and shining, ivory-colored, porcelain armor; deprivation tanks filled with human test subjects; chemistry kits, tubes, and elaborate set ups for experimenting with the AmBrO51A serum; and Rafe himself - only he wasn't. He was much paler with long, silver hair,  and wore the same armor as the woman in the tapestries.

When the pilots and Preservation Forces officers confronted him, Rafe laughed wickedly and asked his two children, "Don't you recognize me, son? Daughter? It's me. I'm your father." He held a Wormwood-shaped, flash drive in his hands - the same kind Dr. Johnson allegedly uploaded to the Preservation Forces' main, Operations computer - and Rick said, "But you're a... you're a..."

"...Legulus," Rafe replied. He then went on to say, "You're too late," and called himself the General.

The hologram disappeared and a self-destruction sequence was initiated to blow up the CRC facility, but Jason came through and stopped it just in time.

Since the Mayzor assault on the Arx Jericho, and it's reconstruction and ascension to orbit, no one has seen or heard of Rafe Hunter's whereabouts. He's currently considered a highly, dangerous fugitive and is on the UN military's Most Wanted list.

Is Rafe Hunter really an alien on the run? Was it all a ruse perpetuated by the Mayzor, and the real Rafe Hunter is somewhere out there, possible held captive or in danger? Rick, most of all, is searching for the answers, and only time will reveal the truth.

Motivation: Appear to be something I'm not.

Ratings: Vigor 11, Focus 11, Resolve/Injury 3, Action Dice 3

CRC: Lead Scientist

Laurie Bach

Extra

Age: 15

Quote: "Anything for you, sweetie. Just let me kill these Locusts first."

Appearance
Taller than average but with a petite build. She has pale, light skin, attractive eyes, long, stylized, pink hair, and wears cute outfits when she's not in her school uniform or pilot suit.

Personality
Loving, loyal, committed. She can get jealous like any other girl, but she doesn't generally hold a grudge or has much of a temper. She's genuinely happy most of the time, despite the Mayzor attacks, but she's not incapable of being sad. She's smart, quick-thinking, charismatic, and respected by the rest of her company mates and fellow pilots.

Background
Growing up, Laurie Bach always seemed exceptionally capable at any task she put her mind to. She was living in Chicago with her family, when the results of an early aptitude test she took drew the attention of the Preservation Forces. They contacted her family directly, and Laurie was invited to apply to the SAInt program when she was only 11 years old. 

She moved into a foster home aboard the Arx Jericho but rarely saw them, while she underwent training. Laurie graduated when she was 12 and helped form Bravo Company as second-in-command to her team leader, Serena Hunter. Everything seemed to be going great for Laurie, but the Chicago Catastrophe changed everything.

Fortunately, Laurie didn't lose her parents, but she did lose some of her company mates, and the whole event really shook her. She entered a slight depression for a little while but did her best to stay strong. Surrounding herself with friends surely helped. In the end, Laurie got over it, but she still gets nightmares from time to time and may have PTSD without even realizing it.

Laurie's love life has always been pretty transparent. She's into boys and often finds herself attracted to the quiet, nerdy types. It's no surprise then that she fell for Jason Reyes the moment she lay her eyes on him. During his 14th birthday birthday, Laurie gave him an extra special birthday present and a kiss, and the two have been together ever since.

Ever since the expansion of the SAInt program and the addition of three, new companies since the Jericho assault, Laurie has been given an opportunity she simply couldn't say no to. She was transferred from Bravo Company and promoted as team leader of the new Charlie Company with Ryoko as her second-in-command. Meanwhile, her longtime friend and Bravo Company mate, Leo 'Raspberry' Hayes, stayed back as part of Bravo Company.

Laurie continues to try her best and hopes to continue working for the Preservation Forces long after her retirement from the SAInt program. She's intrigued to be going into space and envisions a romantic evening between her and Jason right in the midst of stars or on the surface of the moon.

Company: Bravo

Bala & Lieke "The Twins"

Extra

Age: 15 each

Quote: "We are not two but two halves that, together, make one."

Appearance
Twin brother (Bala) and sister (Lieke). Dark hair, dark skin, short and somewhat petite.

Personality
Lieke (88%): quiet, reserved, shy, introverted, relaxed, feminine, friendly, serious, more prone to fear.

Bala (88%): outspoken, courageous, extroverted, comical, masculine, short-tempered, blase.

Both Twins share 12% of each other's personality traits. When they're together and in-sync, they mesh so well and balance each other out, that they practically become one, well-rounded person.

Background
The Twins, Bala and Lieke, were born in Shimoga district in the Karnataka state of India. Their father worked in a foundry belonging to one of the largest, private-sector employers in the region. They going to follow suit, but the Mayzor invaded, and the city was a target in one of the earlier attacks.

The foundry was attacked by Locusts, and the Twins' father was caught in an explosion, while their mother was abducted by Swarm. Bala and Lieke helped each other escape and survive. Once the Arx Jerusalem appeared hovering over Karnataka, the Twins found themselves hitching a ride there in order to attempt and join the SAInt Program they'd been hearing about.

Though they had slightly different personalities, the Twins were fiercely determined to pass the necessary exams, ace all the interviews, and become SAInt pilots so that they could avenge their father and possibly bring back her mother. They had a strong resolve, and they were full of hope despite everything that'd happened in the world. They certainly would need it, because neither one of them did as well as they should have on the exams. 

Despite their underwhelming marks, they were given an opportunity to be interviewed. Alone, they didn't do as well as they wanted to, but the recruiting officer must have seen potential in them, because he granted them a third interview - together.

The officer was right. Together, the Twins nailed it and were accepted into the SAInt Program. Meanwhile, the Arx Jericho became one of the first air ships to produce the Mendicant variety of the SAInt, and the Twins were transferred there midway through their program.

They graduated from the program at the beginning of August in 2031.

95% of the time, the Twins practice together, take exams together, execute tasks together, eat together, exercise together, and have devoted themselves to always be in sync for as much as they can. The determination and hope they share is the glue that binds them together, while they shine as one.

Since the assault on Jericho and the rise into space, Bala and Lieke have been training even harder than before, and they were both promoted to Bravo Company in October.

As the New Year approaches, and the CRC and Preservation Forces get ready to start executing their plans of counter-attack, the Twins want nothing more than to have a go at the Mayzor mother ship and find their mother. They're ready for space. They've come this far, and nothing will stop them, unless it's death.

Company: Bravo

Ryoko Mizushima

Extra

Age: 13

Quote: "Ooh, he's cute! Oh my gosh, he is too! Ugh, time for another mission? Fiiine!"

Appearance
Petite, medium-length, stylized, blue hair, purple eyes, adorable, innocent face with a hint of mischief.

Personality
Contemplative, charismatic, childish, flighty, easily depressed.

Background
Was an ordinary classmate of the SAInt pilots, until she joined the SAInt Program in the past few months and graduated as team leader of Charlie Company.

She almost started dating Alex "Strudel" Struder last year, but he, "stood her up," due to a SAInt mission in Brooklyn, NY. Since then, she's moved on but has fallen for him again due to his rising, celebrity fame since the Mayzor assault on the Arx Jericho.

Now that Ryoko's a SAInt pilot, she's even more thrilled to spend time with him more. She definitely wants to achieve the same fame for herself, and although she's naturally gifted and charismatic, she just doesn't seem up to all the self-discipline and following orders.

Who knows, maybe the payoff will be worth it. She'll just have to suck it up and find ways to have fun!

Company: Charlie (Team Leader)

Miguel "Crybaby" Rodriguez

Extra

Age: 12

Quote: "*sniffle*"

Appearance
Short, dark hair, large, golden brown eyes, dark skin.

Personality
Lacks confidence, easily upset, good heart, loyal, lacks strength but extremely perceptive and intelligent.

Background
Miguel grew up moving around a lot, as his parents were in the Preservation Forces. The last place they moved to was Brooklyn, NY, in 2027.

Though Miguel was small, weak, and socially awkward, he was naturally gifted and did exceptionally well in school. He was very close to his parents, even though he hardly knew anything about what they did. Miguel's father brought up the notion of joining the SAInt Program and pushed the idea, though Miguel found the whole idea rather frightening and not worth his effort.

Miguel's father did everything he could to persuade his son to apply to the SAInt Program, including almost tricking Miguel into applying to the program through a special,  school exam he was singled out to take. It didn't fool Miguel, and when his father pointed out how perceptive he really was, it gave Miguel just the right amount of persuasion and confidence to apply.

He quickly got accepted at age 11, and his parents also received transfers, so they all moved to the Arx Jericho in May, 2031. Miguel graduated from the SAInt Program in June, 2031 and joined Charlie Company alongside Kazuhiro Mazaki.

He replaced Jason Reyes as Alex Struder's foster home roommate.

Following the assault on Jericho, Miguel has remained in Charlie Company while Kazuhiro went on to become team leader of Bravo Company.

Company: Charlie

Commander Toshi Yamasuka

Extra

Age: 53

Quote: "Officers, you have your prerogatives and objectives for this mission. Oversee your companies to ensure nothing short of absolute victory."

Appearance
Medium-tall, perfect posture, medium-length, purple hair, matching eyes, a smooth, wise face, and she never has a single wrinkle in her uniform.

Personality
Cold but fair, goal-oriented, keeps her emotions in check (some would say she's emotionless), distant, intelligent, intuitive, a fierce negotiator, and a keen observer.

Background
TBA

Preservation Forces: Commander

Allen Werner

Extra

Age: 17

Quote: "I got your back, sis. Command, what are my orders?"

Appearance
Tall, short, blonde hair, blue eyes, similar features as his younger sister, Sarah Werner.

Personality
Charming, lovable, nurturing, though quite different from his sister in that he's more serious and self-disciplined when it comes to studies, following orders, and not wasting time having fun.

Background
Allen grew up in Texas with his mother, father, and younger sister, Sarah Werner, before the Mayzor invaded in 2029 and destroyed his home town, forcing the family to move to New Alamo in the southeastern United States. 

When Sarah joined the Preservation Forces, Allen left home as well, except he didn't qualify for the SAInt Program and became a Robbie pilot for the Preservation Forces' army instead.

He's close with his sister and visits her from time to time, but he has his own life and duties to fulfill aboard the Arx Jericho.

One thing Allen does share with his sister is his distaste for going into space. Robbies can't really fight in space, and all the low gravity and zero-G training makes him sick from time to time. He, too, believes the CRC and Preservation Forces are in the wrong for going after the Mayzor, but he's a soldier tasked with following orders and always keeps his opinions to himself.

Preservation Forces: Robbie Pilot

Commander McGarry

Extra

Age: 65

Quote: "Raise the defense shields, secure the weapons!"

Appearance
Tall, well-built, gray hair, stern face, appears somewhat younger than his age.

Personality
Stubborn, close-minded, argumentative, charismatic, old-fashioned, tolerates the CRC/Preservation Forces but doesn't consider them friends of the UN military necessarily.

Background
Served in the US Army straight out of high school and quickly rose up the ranks due to his natural-born leadership qualities, bravery, and intelligence. He completed several tours in Kuwait during the Iran-Iraq War and was instrumental during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the Iraq War under the Bush Administration. 

By the time the Mayzor invaded in 2029, he held the rank of Sergeant Major of the US Army (SMA) and later became Commander of the UN Military Forces after many of the world governments and militaries were disassembled and unified under the United Nations.

He transferred to the Arx Jericho to head the UN Military Forces, US Division, and is oversees all, military personnel (not belonging to the CRC/Preservation Forces) on the Arx Jericho.

While he often clashes with Commander Toshi Yamasuka of the Preservation Forces, he has the United Nations' best interests at heart as well as protecting the human population of Earth from the Mayzor. 

Military: Commander of the UN Military Forces, US Division, Arx Jericho

Annalise Lafayette

Extra
Age: 15
Hometown: Martinique, French Antille
Company: Charlie

Conrad Andersen

Extra
Age: 14
Hometown: Oslo, Norway
Company: Charlie

Javier Ontonado

Extra
Age: 14
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Company: Charlie

Winston Thornton

Extra
Age: 17
Hometown: London, UK
Company: Delta

Jonathan Sinclair

Extra
Age: 14
Hometown: Wisconsin, USA
Company: Delta

Lina Madan

Extra
Age: 15
Hometown: Adilabad, Telangana, India
Company: Delta

Jared Blackwell

Extra
Age: 13
Hometown: Washington, USA
Company: Delta

Anya Rhodes

Extra
Age: 16
Hometown: New York, USA
Company: Delta

Flann O'Connor

Extra
Age: 17
Hometown: Belfast, Ireland
Company: Echo

Akachi Afolayan

Extra
Age: 13
Hometown: Southwestern Nigeria
Company: Echo

Aisha Nagi

Extra
Age: 13
Hometown: Tunis, Tunisia
Company: Echo

Renzo Morandi

Extra
Age: 14
Hometown: Naples, Italy
Company: Echo

Winifed Ellis

Extra
Age: 12
Hometown: Cardiff, Wales
Company: Echo



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