Kael Marten
Character Summary
Species: Human | Age: 46 | Homeworld: — | Career: Merchant (Free Trader), Rank 3 — Experienced Trader
Characteristics
| Characteristic | Score | DM |
|---|---|---|
| Strength (STR) | 6 | +0 |
| Dexterity (DEX) | 8 | +0 |
| Endurance (END) | 7 | +0 |
| Intellect (INT) | 12 | +2 |
| Education (EDU) | 9 | +1 |
| Social Standing (SOC) | 5 | -1 |
Skills
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
| Astrogation | 2 |
| Electronics (Comms) | 2 |
| Pilot (Spacecraft) | 2 |
| Admin | 1 |
| Advocate | 1 |
| Broker | 1 |
| Deception | 1 |
| Drive (Wheel) | 1 |
| Electronics (Computers) | 1 |
| Engineer (M-Drive) | 1 |
| Gun Combat (Energy) | 1 |
| Investigate | 1 |
| Jack-of-all-Trades | 1 |
| Persuade | 1 |
| Steward | 1 |
| Streetwise | 1 |
| Vacc Suit | 1 |
| Carouse | 0 |
| Profession | 0 |
Weapons
| Weapon | TL | Range | Damage | KG | Magazine | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser Pistol | 11 | 30m | 3D+3 | 1 | 100 | Zero-G |
Equipment
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Party Far Trader (shared) | Free Trader and 1 Ship Share consolidated into the party Far Trader |
Finances
| Pension | Cr12,000/year |
| Debt | — |
| Cash on Hand | Cr20,000 |
| Monthly Ship Payments | — |
| Living Cost | — |
Allies, Contacts, Enemies, Rivals
- Ally: University clique (Term 1 Pre-Career Event 6)
- During your first term at the university, you were part of an ambitious archaeology and history clique that found themselves captivated by Vlen, a restless visiting professor who preferred field anecdotes to dry lectures. You and your friends made a pact to stay in touch, and Vlen — the “favorite uncle” of the group — seemed to take a genuine interest in your career, even offering advice on navigating the unconventional circles of the Spinward Marches.
- Contact: Unexpected connection (Term 6 Event 6)
- While operating as a Free Trader, you crossed paths with this wealthy industrialist from Mora under unusual circumstances — during a chance encounter at a high-end trade lounge. Despite the vast difference in your social standings, you provided a crucial piece of data or assistance that he hasn’t forgotten.
- Contact: Unexpected connection (Term 7 Event 6)
- Your path crossed with this station manager during a chaotic logistical snafu at a different port before he was assigned to the Gorram system. While Derisson is a career bureaucrat, you both shared a “mutually beneficial” moment—perhaps you helped him cover up a minor accounting irregularity.
Background
- Admin
- Carouse
- Profession
Careers
Per 04 - Career Rules: each term you make one skill-table roll for surviving the term, plus an extra skill-table roll if your advancement roll succeeds — the rank bonus is in addition to that extra roll, not in place of it.
Term 1 — Pre-Career: University
Qualified (EDU 6+; SOC bonus N/A). EDU +1 for attending. Picked one university skill at level 0 and one at level 1, then graduated (INT 6+):
- Level-0 pick → graduated to level 1: Electronics (Computers) 1
- Level-1 pick → graduated to level 2: Astrogation 2
- Graduation: additional EDU +1.
- Graduation grants DM+1 to qualify for Agent / Army / Citizen (corporate) / Entertainer (journalist) / Marines / Navy / Scholar / Scouts (not used — went merchant).
- Pre-Career Event 6: You become involved in a tightly knit clique or group and make a pact to remain friends forever, wherever in the galaxy you may end. Gain D3 Allies. — rolled 1 Ally.
Term 2 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 1st Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Basic Training (first career — university doesn’t count): all six Merchant Service Skills at level 0 — Drive, Vacc Suit, Broker, Steward, Electronics, Persuade.
- Term skill roll: Advocate 1 (Advanced Education row 6 — Jacoby has EDU 8+).
- Advanced to Rank 1 (Free Trader):
- Rank 1 bonus: Persuade 1 (raises basic-training Persuade 0 → 1).
- Extra skill roll from advancement: Pilot (spacecraft) 1 (Free Trader row 1).
- Event 8: You are embroiled in legal trouble. Gain one of Advocate 1, Admin 1, Diplomat 1 or Investigate 1, then roll 2D. If you roll 2, you must take the Prisoner career in your next term. — took Admin 1; not jailed.
Term 3 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 2nd Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Term skill roll: Electronics (comms) 1 (Service Skills row 5; previously level 0 from basic training, also affected by college’s Electronics (Computers) 1 — this is a different specialty).
- No advancement listed this term.
- Event 8: You are embroiled in legal trouble. Gain one of Advocate 1, Admin 1, Diplomat 1 or Investigate 1, then roll 2D. If you roll 2, you must take the Prisoner career in your next term. — took Investigate 1; not jailed.
Term 4 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 3rd Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Term skill roll: Electronics (comms) 2 (raised from 1).
- No advancement listed this term.
- Event 5: You have a chance to risk your fortune on a possibly lucrative deal. You may gamble a number of Benefit rolls and roll Gambler 8+ or Broker 8+. If you succeed, you gain half as many Benefit rolls as you risked, rounding up. If you fail, you lose all the rolls risked. Either way, gain one level in whichever skill you used. — declined to gamble; no skill gained, no Benefit rolls risked or won.
Term 5 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 4th Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Term skill roll: Drive 1 (Service Skills row 1 — was 0 from basic training, raised to 1).
- Advanced to Rank 2 (Free Trader):
- Rank 2 bonus: (none).
- Extra skill roll from advancement: Steward 1 (Service Skills row 4 — was 0 from basic training, raised to 1).
- Event 5: You have a chance to risk your fortune on a possibly lucrative deal… — declined again; no skill gained, no Benefit rolls risked or won.
Term 6 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 5th Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Term skill roll: Vacc Suit 1 (Service Skills row 2 — was 0 from basic training, raised to 1).
- Advanced to Rank 3 (Free Trader — Experienced Trader):
- Rank 3 bonus: Jack-of-all-Trades 1 (new).
- Extra skill roll from advancement: Pilot (spacecraft) 2 (Free Trader row 1 — raised from 1 to 2).
- Event 6: You make an unexpected connection outside your normal circles. Gain a Contact. — gain 1 Contact.
- Ageing: No effect.
Term 7 — Merchant (Free Trader) — 6th Merchant Term
Survival DEX 6+, Advancement INT 6+.
- Term skill roll: Streetwise 1 (Personal Development row 6 / Free Trader row 5 — new).
- No advancement this term.
- Event 6: You make an unexpected connection outside your normal circles. Gain a Contact. — gain 1 Contact (second Contact).
- Ageing: Result reduce three physical characteristics by 1 → STR −1, DEX −1, END −1. DEX drops 9 → 8, losing its +1 DM.
Benefits
8 Benefit rolls — one per Merchant term (6) plus 2 for reaching Rank 3 (highest rank 3–4 → +2 rolls). The Cash column was used twice (3 is the maximum across all careers).
- Cr10,000 — cash
- Cr10,000 — cash
- Gun — Laser Carbine (TL10, Cr2,500)
- EDU +1 — applied to characteristics (EDU 8 → 9)
- Free Trader — a free trader with 25% of the mortgage paid off (roll 1D on the Spacecraft Quirks table)
- Gun Combat +1 — second Gun benefit, taken as one level of Gun Combat for the weapon already received → Gun Combat (Energy) 1
- Ship Share — one Ship Share (MCr1 toward a vessel)
- INT +1 — applied to characteristics (INT 11 → 12)
Total mustering-out cash: Cr20,000. No debt to clear. Pension: Cr12,000/year (6 Merchant terms; collectable at any Class A or B starport).
Skills
| Skill | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Astrogation | 2 | Term 1 University level-1 pick → graduation bump |
| Electronics (Comms) | 2 | Term 3 term skill (1) → Term 4 term skill (2) |
| Pilot (Spacecraft) | 2 | Term 2 advancement extra (1) → Term 6 advancement extra (2) |
| Admin | 1 | Background 0 → Term 2 Event 8 |
| Advocate | 1 | Term 2 term skill (Advanced Education) |
| Broker | 1 | Merchant Basic Training 0 (Term 2) → Connections Rule (Kael/Dax pirate escape) |
| Deception | 1 | Skills Package (custom allocation) |
| Drive (Wheel) | 1 | Merchant Basic Training 0 (Term 2) → Term 5 term skill |
| Electronics (Computers) | 1 | Term 1 University level-0 pick → graduation bump |
| Engineer (M-Drive) | 1 | Connections Rule — Krieger/Kael clique (Kael took M-Drive, Krieger J-Drive) |
| Gun Combat (Energy) | 1 | Mustering-out 2nd Gun benefit (Laser Carbine) |
| Investigate | 1 | Term 3 Event 8 |
| Jack-of-all-Trades | 1 | Term 6 rank-3 bonus (Free Trader) |
| Persuade | 1 | Basic Training 0 → Term 2 rank-1 bonus |
| Steward | 1 | Merchant Basic Training 0 (Term 2) → Term 5 advancement extra |
| Streetwise | 1 | Term 7 term skill |
| Vacc Suit | 1 | Merchant Basic Training 0 (Term 2) → Term 6 term skill |
| Carouse | 0 | Background |
| Profession | 0 | Background |