Game: Blue Planet (Biohazard Games/Fantasy Flight Games, 2000)
My Experience: I’ve adored Blue Planet since I first picked it up in the early 2000s; I may have mentioned it in that light a while ago. For all my adoration of the setting, I’m ashamed to say I’ve done very little with it. I did get into one convention game at Archon, but I was with a bunch of Zombie Squad dudes who were so hung on logistics that we never got out of the planning phase of the op (and for me, that’s saying something). I’ve run one or two one-shots over the years. My biggest problem with the setting is that it’s so wide open that I don’t want to close off possibilities by nailing down a campaign focus.
Cutter, Cetacean Salvage and Recovery Expert
Poseidon is an unforgiving planet. Most new arrivals splash down from orbit at the reasonably well-developed Haven and get the impression that everywhere is like that – except the “native” (slight misnomer, that) villages. Truth be told, Haven is the exception. Outside it and the few other communities large enough to seize the tag of “city” for their economic development campaigns, Poseidon is scattered patches of frontier and wilderness in an endless expanse of ocean. That means the vast majority of the planet is severely lacking in infrastructure – including authority figures who are paid to come when someone needs help.
That leaves a lot of gaps for private parties to respond to those calls. For a fee.
Cutter is native-born, tracing his ancestry to some of the original 500 uplifted cetaceans who were part of the Athena Project colonization effort (and who subsequently were essential to the colony’s survival when global near-collapse back on Earth led to the century-long Abandonment). He was born after Recontact, though, so despite his backwater origins, he’s never known a Poseidon without the influence of the Incorporate company-states, the ponderous bureaucracy of the UN’s Global Ecological Organization, and the endless stream of second-wave colonists and opportunists. Fascinated by the intermingling of cultures, he set out for the Haven Cluster as soon as he was old enough to enforce his own decisions.
Cutter connected with newcomer technology immediately. It took him a little longer to get his head around newcomer helplessness. A few of them got their heads in the game immediately, but the majority just Did. Not. Know. How to take care of themselves or their gear. Around the time Cutter realized that he understood newcomer tech better than most of its owner did, he also realized that he was spending so much time saving them from their own errors that he could probably get paid for that kind of work…
These days, Cutter swims with a mixed-species crew of similarly-minded freelancers. There’s a company/collective name on the side of their boat, but Cutter just thinks of them as an extended and slightly dysfunctional family. He’s on the books as a senior salvage technician. Practically speaking, he’s the one who handles the interesting and dangerous challenges of rendering wreckage safe, locating survivors or recovering bodies, and helping figure out exactly out exactly what happened. And if someone or something wants to dispute salvage rights, well… thanks to his normal job, he’s pretty good with hydraulic shears or a cutting torch.
Traits
Species: Dolphin
Power Level: Exceptional
Attributes
Build 7
Fitness 3
Agility 0
Dexterity -12
Awareness 1 (Senses: Chemical [taste only] 0, Hearing 4, Intuition 3, Touch 2, Vision 1)
Intellect 1
Presence -1
Will 0
Endurance 4
Reflexes 0
Strength 5
Toughness 3
Species Abilities
Echolocation: Can perceive major features of surrounding out to 800m, small objects out to 100m.
Navigation: Able to automatically wayfind, locate land masses beyond visual range, locate and identify thermoclines, find air pockets, and anticipate prey animal movement.
Weather Sense: Can automatically anticipate weather changes and estimate severity of major storms.
Animal Empathy: Can automatically assess emotional state of nearby wildlife (but not so accurate with humans).
Movement: 12m/action swim speed; vertical jump 5m.
Natural Defenses: Bite damage 6, ram damage 8.
Training Packages
Origin: Native
Background: Independent
Professional: Survival (Cetacean) Specialist, Technical Expert
Aptitude Groups and Skills
Athletics (strong aptitude, 2 dice for skill checks): Aquatics 10 (innate)
Command: Logistics 4
Communication: Language/Dolphin 7, Language/Interspec 5
Culture (strong aptitude, 2 dice for skill checks): Cetacean 2, Colonial 2, GEO 2, Native 5
Fine Arts: Artisan 5
Life Sciences: Biochemistry 1, Botany 3, Genetics 1, Zoology 4
Medicine (strong aptitude, 2 dice for skill checks): First Aid 3, Forensic Medicine 2
Physical Sciences (strong aptitude, 2 dice for skill checks): Chemistry 2, Physics 3, Meteorology 3
Stealth: Hiding 2, Sneaking 2
Subterfuge: Lockpicking 5
Survival (superior aptitude, 3 dice for skill checks): Fishing 4, Foraging 3, Navigation 2, Orienteering 3
Tech (superior aptitude, 3 dice for skill checks): Computers 4, Damage Control 6, Demolitions 4, Electronics 6, Mechanics 7, Remote Operation 9
Equipment
CICADA drone (remote-piloted underwater sled w/ manipulator arms; auxiliary hover drone for telepresence in human environments)
cetacean power shell (MHD-drive partial hardsuit for rapid travel)
artificial gill pack
sonic ‘trode with integral microcomp (enables use of technology via sonic control at full skill rating)
work harness w/ salvage tool attachments
Notes and Afterthoughts
Blue Planet made me giggle delightedly the first time I realized that Damage Control was a discrete skill. I’ve always wanted to build a character around that. Here we are.
Cetaceans in this setting tend to self-assign names for interfacing with humans. These are usually role-based and frequently involve wordplay. For Cutter, it’s a multi-level reference to his chosen vocation: cutters and cutters.