SHELTER:John Vaught

John Vaught

Background

Name: John Vaught

Codename: HANDSHAKE

Player: Pyske

Origin: Witty Suit

Class: Fixer 3/Advocate 3

Reputation: 16

XP: 15,250

Age: 48

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 181 lbs.

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Salt & Pepper

Backstory:

Subplots:

Nemesis (John has one major rivalry, in Arnold Monk, the former leader of the FBI's Economic Espionage Task Force. When John's formal complaint was rejected by a board of appeals (because the man's CYA approach was technically within the rules & regs), John used his social network to have the man ostracized and eventually pushed out of his position. Arnold held a grudge, and he's aware that John has moved into the espionage arena.)

Attributes

STR 8 (-1)

DEX 12 (+1)

CON 12 (+1)

INT 14 (+2)

WIS 12 (+1)

CHA 20 (+5)

Derived Values

Action Dice: 4d6

Vitality Points: 39

Wound Points: 12

Fortitude: +4

Reflex: +4

Will: +7

Stress Threshold: 14

Subdual Threshold: 12

Knowledge: +8

Request: +11

Gear: +7

Defense: 14

Initiative: +5

Base Attack Bonus: +3

Unarmed: +2

Melee: +2

Ranged: +4

Weapon Proficiencies: Blunt, Handgun (forte), Unarmed

Primary Weapon: Glock 26 9mm (favored): +5, 1d10+1, Error/Threat 1/20, Ammo 12M3, Recoil ?, Range 20 ft, Qualities: Holdout Holster, Threaded Barrel, Removable Suppressor, Subsonic Rounds

Secondary Weapon:

Armor and Protective Gear: Low-Profile Armor (nomex underwear): 2/5, Resistances CD3, FR6

Speed: 30 ft.

Skills

Analysis +8/+7 (7 ranks, cap 40)

[Athletics +1/+3 (2 ranks, cap 20) -- Skill Training II]

Blend +2/+6 (1 rank, cap 20)*

Bluff +17 (9 ranks, threat 17-20, cap 40)

Bureaucracy +15 (8 ranks, cap 40)

Cultures (North America, North Africa, West Asia) +6 (4 ranks, cap 30)

Drive (Personal Ground Vehicle) +2 (1 rank, cap 20)

Falsify +3/+2 (1 rank, cap 20)

Impress +17 (9 ranks, threat 19-20, cap 40)

Intimidate +0/+2 (1 rank, cap 20)

Investigation +2/+6 (1 rank, cap 20)

Manipulate +9/+13 (8 ranks, cap 40)

Medicine +3/+2 (1 rank, cap 20)

Networking +10/+14 (9 ranks, cap 40)

Notice +5 (4 ranks, 30 cap)

Profession (Finance, Accounting forte) +16 (7 ranks, threat 19-20, cap 40)

Resolve +9/+9 (6 ranks, threat 19-20, cap 30)

Search +3 (1 ranks, cap 20)

Sense Motive +5/+9 (4 ranks, cap 30)

Streetwise +2/+6 (1 rank, cap 20)

Interests: Alcoholic Beverages (High-Quality), Entrepreneurship, Management Theory, Politics, Photography

Abilities

Origin Abilities: +2 Int, -2 Str, improve disposition 1/session, +2 interests, +2 bluff threat range, Style feat, +1 Profession focus, free bribe 1/session at min value

Class Abilities:

Self-Promoter: When you succeed, you make sure everyone knows about it. At the end of each mission, your Reputation or Net Worth reward and that of each of your teammates increases by 1 or $50,000, respectively. Additionally, when you suffer an error with a skill check possessing the Disposition tag, the GC or an opposing character must spend 1 additional action die to activate it as a critical failure.

The Hookup: At Level 1, each time you fail a Networking or Streetwise check and don’t suffer an error, you still succeed as long as the check DC (or your opponent’s check result) is equal to or less than your class level + 20. If more than 1 grade of success is possible, you achieve only the lowest possible positive result

Lets Deal I: At Level 2, instead of making an opposed Bureaucracy check, you may set your result to 1 higher than that of your opponent. This cannot result in an error or threat. You may use this ability a number of times per session equal to your starting action dice.

Slick: At Levels 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19, you gain 2 additional acquaintance-grade contacts or 1 Style feat.

Absolute Certainty: At Level 1, your class level is added to your Wisdom when calculating your stress damage thresholds (see page 339). Further, any time you succeed with an opposed Resolve check (i.e. as part of a standard skill check), you gain a +2 morale bonus with all opposed skill checks against the same opponent until the end of the current scene.

Behind the Scenes I: At Level 2, a number of times per mission equal to your starting action dice, you may devote 1 hour to informing your supporters of your needs, after which you may make any 1 Request check with a DC of 20 or less without spending action dice (see pages 62 and 219). This check is automatically successful.

Feats:

Actor: You gain a +2 insight bonus with all skill and Knowledge checks made with Bluff and Impress. Further, your base threat range with these skills becomes 19–20.

Advisor: You gain a +2 insight bonus with all skill and Knowledge checks made with Resolve and Profession. Further, your base threat range with these skills becomes 19–20.

Silver Tongue: When making a Bluff or Impress check, you gain a synergy bonus from your Manipulate skill. Further, each time you win a seduction Conflict, you inflict 1 point of temporary Wisdom damage on your opponent (this cannot decrease the opponent’s Wisdom score below 6). Also, your result cap with Impress/ Persuasion checks decreases by only 5 when you and your target share no common language (ordinarily it decreases by 20). Finally, the error range of Sense Motive checks targeting you increase by an amount equal to your Charisma modifier.

Candidate: Your 2 lowest attributes each increase by 1 (your choice of attribute in the case of a tie).

Favored Gear: You gain 1 additional Possession (personal gear). This item’s Caliber may not exceed 1/3 your career level (rounded up). • If the item’s Caliber exceeds the current mission caliber, you must discard a number of action dice equal to the difference between these Calibers at the start of each session or you lose access to the item for the duration of the current mission. • If the item’s Caliber is lower than the current mission caliber, you gain a number of action dice equal to the difference between these Calibers at the start of each session. These bonus action dice may only be spent to boost skill checks and activate threats using your favored gear item.

Comtempt: Once per round, you may make a final attack against a standard character as a free action. You may use this ability a number of times per combat equal to your starting action dice (4).

[Escape and Evasion Training -- Feat Training I]: You gain a +3 synergy bonus with all Blend checks made as the Prey in a manhunt. Further, all checks you make as the Prey in a manhunt gain a synergy bonus from your Falsify skill. Also, your maximum synergy bonus with checks made as the Prey in a manhunt increases to (5 + the number of Terrain feats you possess). Finally, you gain a synergy bonus from your Bluff skill with all Maneuver checks made as the Prey in a chase.

Resources

Contact: Marie Turka, DEA Internal Affairs -- known via some "creative accounting" for a DEA op

Acquaintance: Assistance I: You can streamline any group activity, though at some risk. At Level 2, you may increase the error range of a teammate’s skill check by 1 to reduce the time required to make the check to 1/2 standard (rounded up, minimum 5 minutes). This ability may target any skill check except one made as part of a Dramatic Conflict (see page 362). Further, you may assist only 1 teammate at a time. You may not perform any other non-free actions when using this ability.

Associate: Red Herrings: You’re versed in forensic techniques — and how to foil them. At Level 4, you may spend 1 full round spoiling a 5-ft. square. This increases the DC of each skill check made to examine the target area or locate physical clues within it by 15. Further, you may spend action dice to activate critical failures with these skill checks, even when you aren’t present.

Confederate: Cleaning Crew: At Level 6, you and each of your teammates within 30 ft. of you gains a synergy bonus with Blend checks equal to 1/2 your class level (rounded down).

Wealth: 11

Lifestyle: 5 (cruising yacht w/ Potomac berth, luxury sports car, professional attire +1)

Possessions: 11 (Limousine SUV II (Security Package II, Run-flat tires, Basic Emergency Service Package, Structural Reinforcement, Ergonomic Seats), Glock 26 9mm II (Concealed Holster, Tactical Flashlight), Glock 26 9mm [favored] (Holdout Holster, Threaded Barrel, Removable Suppressor, Subsonic Rounds), Low Profile Armor (Average) III (Nomex Underwear), Skill Boost I (+2 Impress), Cellular Interceptor IV, Commercial Grade Video Camera III, Cover Identity II (FBI agent James Mullen, PR 2), Cover Identity II (Business CFO Mike Johnson, PR 2), Cleaner Kit I, Skill Training II (Athletics), Feat Training I (Escape and Evasion Training), cigarettes, lighter, chewing gum, blackberry, disposable cell phone, attache case, portable document shredder, 2x handcuffs, bluetooth headset, tactical radio, needle-nose pliers, blank search warrant, business cards, gun cleaning kit, fancy watch)

Spending Cash: 3 ($900)

Currently Carrying

Glock 26 9mm II (Concealed Holster, Tactical Flashlight) [small of back] Glock 26 9mm [favored] (Holdout Holster, Threaded Barrel, Removable Suppressor, Subsonic Rounds) [ankle holster] Low Profile Armor (Average) III (Nomex Underwear) [blazer] Gadget: Skill Boost I (+2 Impress) [blazer front pocket] Cover Identity II (FBI agent James Mullen, PR 2) [blazer inside pocket] cigarettes, lighter, chewing gum, blackberry, business cards, disposable cell phone [pants pocket] attache case [carried] bluetooth headset [worn or blazer pocket] fancy watch [worn]

Trunk of Rental Vehicle

Cellular Interceptor IV, Commercial Grade Video Camera III, Cover Identity II (Business CFO Mike Johnson, PR 2), Cleaner Kit I, portable document shredder, 2x handcuffs, tactical radio, needle-nose pliers, blank search warrant, gun cleaning kit

Current Condition

-16 vitality

-5 9mmP round

Transcript

Arnold Monk

06.11.07 15:00

Nothing really all that much to say about John, I guess. I mean, he’s a nice guy. Hard worker. I guess John just doesn’t have a particularly noteworthy history. He’s never been directly involved with any high profile cases; never gone through a door guns blazing, and certainly never done any operations off the books. He’s told me so himself, and frankly I believe him. He’s just not the type.

I mean sure, he’s known some of those types of folks. Even had a hand in hiring one or two, from time to time. Occasionally he gets to have lunch with the directors up here, or share war stories with the field agents, but that’s really a factor of the fact that John’s a likeable guy. Purely personal; it has nothing to do with business.

Look, John’s the ambitious type. Ever since the towers, he’s had some kind of thing going… I think maybe he got a little rattled by it all, or something. Maybe he felt responsible or something – you know, our team was working some kind of financial angle on the whole deal. Maybe he thought we should have pushed harder, could have stopped things. But you know, we had to keep our cover. Wasn’t worth the sacrifice to push things.

Guess he wasn’t happy with that. That’s why you guys got him. Some inter-agency swap through DHS, right? It’s funny, I’m probably the only guy at the agency who’s got a bad word to say about John, after he burned me out of my spot. But I guess that’s why you’re talking to me, right? Johns a nice guy and all, and he did good work on the EEA task force. But he won’t let go of it. I followed protocols and I did my job, and when he couldn’t get an appeal through the FBI, he sabotaged me, got me blacklisted and shut out. I was a “risk to the program.” You want to know what a real risk to the program is? Someone who can’t follow the rules, that’s what. When John thinks he’s right about something, he’s willing to step on anyone and sacrifice anything to make the “right thing” happen.

You think about that before you give him whatever this super-secret new job is supposed to be.

Thanks. I guess that's it.

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