(Mall Kids) Tony "Pepperoni" Sordoni - Pizza Delivery Guy #CharacterCreationChallenge

Day 15 of the #CharacterCreationChallenge and here's my part two for the Mall Kids RPG 'zine by Matthew J Gravelyn.  

Character Name:  Anthony "Tony Pepperoni" Sordoni          Pronouns:  He/Him

Look:  Jeans & T-shirt, always a hat of 

Style:  Preppified Security Uniform, small backpack.

Where Do You Work?   Tony's Pizza and Subs (no relation), about a half mile from the mall.

Who are You?   Nobody

What do you Want?  Ask someone out

Cred:  4

Corporate: 2 

The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude

The above quote from Grace Wheelburg describes Ferris Bueller to a T, but not Tony.   Rather, all those groups might consider Tony a "good dude"  maybe just "a dude," at worst "it's the pizza guy, he's decent."

Tony "Pepperoni" worked at the neighborhood pizza shop even before they began paying him under the table... and he's not even family!  He's worked up to deliveries, usually riding a very illegal moped, or his parent's very ancient Chevette when the weather's bad. 

He's a fairly likeable kid, never gets into too much trouble, and can attach himself  to just about any group... except the preps.  

He's trying desperately to attach himself to Sabrina Marks, edgy former preppy (?).  He's found himself wandering into the new scene-core/alt shop, the Velvet Alley, and purchased to many keychains, stickers, and other cheap random crap just to talk to her.  

He has moved up his imaginary totem pole of importance to her.  Doing little errands, grabbing her a drink, easily getting friend-zoned with the "lifesaver" descriptor.  He probably (and doesn't) have a shot, but it was better than just waiting around with the skaters until the next shift at the pizza joint.   

The influx of the preps at the store have made everyone uncomfortable, definitely the customers, but especially Sabrina.  Tony's too good to do anything illegal, but to get in Sabrina's really good graces, he'd do the teenage equivalent of burying bodies.

A little insight on Tony:  When I completed my first #CharacterCreationChallenge back in 2022, I swore I wouldn't do it again.  I did return for 2023, planning out things a little earlier in advance.  I actually made some great characters for 2024, but ran out of steam on day 13.  Last year, I planned a lot out much earlier, be it concepts or random AI art inspiration, with a healthy reliance on D&D 5e or Gamma World 4e.  

This year? I had about 13 days plotted out, but not statted out, by mid-year.  Tony was a little later, probably the end of summer, when I created a new blog draft with "Pizza Delivery Boy - #CharacterCreationChallenge."

I could use a bunch of systems, but remembered Mall Kids from last year.  Except *gasp* my concept for Tony doesn't perfectly line up with the 20-page 'zine.  A tiny nudge with concepts, a need for a second character, and voila, Sabrina Marks was created to fill that void.   

It's funny, I when I looked back for links to the previous years', and to remove the rose-colored nostalgia, I realized that the next couple days of characters will be an undertaking two years in the making, that keeps getting pushed back. 

I also must say I finally need to sign up for the Patreon for Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff.   I have a pile of scenario ideas from the podcast hiding in my drafts, inspiration for some obscure Gnome Wars units, but I also built about a Hackmaster character back in 2023 based entirely on Favomancy.  You can make nothing but D&D characters, or Star Trek, or Villains & Vigilantes, or the hottest indy RPG, all month long.  I do like a little flair and variance from mine, even if they're bean diviners or pizza guys. 

(Backerkit) Starbeards! for Savage Worlds

 I get a lot of emails from the the companies that I've backed Kickstarters for.  I always take a peak, and many times the newest campaign isn't for me.  

Initially I didn't add two and two together with Fainting Goats and their latest campaign for Starbeards! for Savage Worlds.

Then I saw the artwork. 

It's the Savage Worlds version of DAMNIT, damnit! 

DAMNIT (Dwarven Assault, Mining, Neutralization, and Interception Teams) are the elite teams handling security on the galactic frontier.   As a man who loves space dwarves (even if I convert them to the realm of Gnomish Space Marines), DAMNIT is a great RPG system.  I have it keyed up as my back-up to my Monday night Gamma World campaign.   

I'm certain the Starbeards! version is taking full advantage of the Savage Worlds system (as I type this they've met their initial goal and have raised half the money in a day that original DAMNIT raised in a month.  

(Mall Kids) Sabrina Marks - Edgy Cashier #CharacterCreationChallenge

Day 14 of the #CharacterCreationChallenge and I'm doing a two parter for the Mall Kids RPG 'zine by Matthew J Gravelyn.  

We're definitely more into a late 90's/early 00's as we move to the Rosecrest strip mall.   The CVS just moved into old regional chain pharmacy, the liquor store at one end is now a satellite office of the DMV and the Chinese restaurant at the other end that's been there since 1965 still hasn't remodeled, but changed it's name.

Character Name:  Sabrina Marks         Pronouns:  She/Her

Look:  Long black hair, more denim that is popular right now. 

Style:  a cleaner version of alternative, slight goth streak

Where Do You Work?   Cashier at the Velvet Alley, a scene-core/alt clothing store. 

Who are You?   A prep in disguise.

What do you Want? Quit, but wants to do it right, so she still gets that last under-the-table payday.

Cred:  2

Corporate: 4 

Sabrina is a prep, has always been a prep, but she HATES the other preps.  So when a position at the new clothing store Velvet Alley fell into her lap, so couldn't say no.   It's taken a bit to get used to the weirdos, freaks, dweebs, burnouts, and losers, but she throws on a vest, rotates wearing the "trendy alternative" earrings before they get too popular, and speaks a little of their lingo, and the customers don't give her any grief.  

But now the preps have discovered the scene, something has made the store popular in their eyes, and it's now the store is like every day in high school, but she's pulling minimum wage to to put up with it. 

She's ready to quit, and if she can get rid of the preps without burning the store to the ground (and still getting the last week's pay in cash), so be it....

Tomorrow :  Sabrina's "Shadow"

(Fistful of Lead) Sgt Turk Miguel - United Nations of Earth Recce Jump Trooper #CharacterCreationChallenge

Day 13 of the #CharacterCreationChallenge and this completes a full week of statting out my miniatures, and I'm going back a ways:  Sergeant Turk Miguel, UNE Recce Jump Trooper from Legions of Steel, adapted to my Death Planet Iota setting using Fistful of Lead.

Sgt Turk Miguel - United Nations of Earth Recce Jump Trooper  (Leader)

Shooting: d12  

Close Combat: d8

Traits: 

• Leader 
• Camouflage (-1 to hit if in cover)
• Flier (May ignore terrain penalties, may use movement vertically)
• Fearless (Ignore penalties for Shock markers on Recovery rolls)
• Ranged Fighter (Roll wounds for ranged hits on d12, roll wounds for close combat hits on d8)
• Unskilled (-1 to close combat rolls). 

Equipment: 

• Jetpack (Free under Flier)
• Submachine Gun (12"/24", Burst)
• 2x K-Pulse Grenade (d10+3",  Blast 3
• Light Armor (8+ save), 

Sgt Miguel is an NCO with the United Nations of Earth (UNE) as they battle the robot Machine hordes bent of conquering Earth and any other feasible alien worlds.  His particular unit, and American-dominant "Scorch Hounds", an elite force Recce Jump Troops and Fast Attack Vehicles (FAV) focus on scouting, sabotage, and sometimes securing entrances to Machine facilities, so the better armed/better armored Internal Assault Group can destroy the sites.  

On is last UNE mission, his group was ambushed by Machine Nightmares emerging from the sand and surrounding them.  It looked like they would be slaughtered to the man, but Turk saw a strange anomaly appear near him.... 

Call it a magic portal, a vortex, a warp hole, or whatever, diving in it was a better option than getting overwhelmed by the machine hordes. 

This place, lovingly referred by the "locals" as Death Planet Iota, is some sort of garbage world, taking the loose ends of not just different worlds, but different dimensions.  For Turk, he's happy there's plenty of food, plenty of ammo, and everyone seems to speak English.  He has also realized that some of these folks, good, bad, and ugly are bringing bigger guns and tougher armor than he could ever imagine.   He's going to keep his distance, avoid hand to hand, and try to make friends with all these human-looking aliens. 

The 90's were a rocking time.  So much so that I actually commissioned a unit of UNE Recce Jump Troops with a Fast Attack Vehicle for Legions of  Steel/Planetstorm.  Thirty years later, only the sergeant remains. 

(Planet 28) Crash Jordan - Saviour of Death Planet Iota - #CharacterCreationChallenge

Day 11 of the #CharacterCreationChallenge and we're back to statting out figures I painted over the last year.  Today I try to justify a figure I honestly did not enjoy painting, but in the game Planet 28, this might be fun...

Crash Jordan of Earth-1980   (307 points)
Agility:  7

Shooting: 7

Fighting: 6

Psyche: 3

Awareness: 5

Speed:  10cm

Hit Points: 20

Traits:  Fearless, Unshakeable

Abilities: Throw 

Equipment: 

Fists (1d4+1)
Laser Pistol (1d8, 15cm)

Partial Living Armor (At the start of the game, roll 1d10+10.  Those are the hit points of the leg armor. When hit, roll 1d10.  On a 6+, the leg armor takes the damage.  Once the living armor is destroyed, Crash must make a Psyche save or fall unconscious.  A successful Psyche check in subsequent turns can be made to regain consciousness.

RPR 49021 - Rand 

Everyone in the world knows famed quarterback for the New York Sharks, Randall "Crash" Jordan, as he set record after record in the West Side Stadium.  It was actually a close game for once, and he was about to drive the team down for the winning score when the sky opened up and sucked him through a portal to this world, a world of misfits from other realities. 

Something went wrong going through the portal.  He was missing his lower half when he landed on Death Planet Iota, he was sure to perish, if not for the help of a devious bunch of hooded little men, the Ou-tinni or something like that.  They were the kings of the junk heaps in this world, and they gave him a pair of new legs, encased in ceramic compound that's stronger than steel.   He's not stronger or faster, but it does seem to protect him, even if the new voices inside his head have convinced him to do some unsavory things, for some god he doesn't know, with a name he can't pronounce. 

Notes:  Crash was saved by Jawas, and the scavengers sewed the legs of a Chaos Space Marine onto his body.  Whether the legs of the perished Chaos warrior are still in the suit has not been confirmed.  

And Planet 28 is fun!  Go on WargamesVault and spend five bucks on it, it's worth it! 

Assyrian Gnomes... err... Dwarves from Dragon Bait Miniatures

 Friend of the Blog and Award Winning GM Mike Lung made me aware of an upcoming Kickstarter that was promoted by Dragon Bait Miniatures.  

They might be small, and it's only one sculpt by Dave Soderquiest, but the idea of Assyrian Gnomes tweaks my interest in the right way.  

If not for anything else, but the potential for puns at the table!

(DAMNIT) Colonel Avgas - Gnomish Pilot - #CharacterCreationChallenge

 Day 11 of the #CharacterCreationChallenge , and we're staying with D.A.M.N.I.T. 

Colonel Avgas with his trusted mechanic, Scurt

Colonel Lionel Avgas -  8th Level Pilot

Hit Points: 15

Attack Damage  3 (Ranged+1) , 2 (Melee+1)

Skills: Drive/Pilot +1, Brawl +1, Strength +1, Intimidation

Perk: Danger Sense

Equipment: Laser Blaster Pistol (1 dmg), Basic Leather Body Armor (+1 defense), Cryo Grenade, Stim Injection, Binoculars

* Runic Gauntlets of Sonikr

* Helm of Hurngir

*Surtr Flamethrower (2 damage)

*Medpack (heals 2d4)

Colonel Avgas should be a General right now in the Gnomish Space Marines.  Instead, he prefers to restore and maintain a fleet of terrestrial flyers. He's maintained a sense of trusting camaraderie amongst his command, and has gleefully submitted transfer orders to a superior location to award loyalty.