Editing Firefly: Leaf On The Wind - Marine

[[Firefly:_Leaf_On_The_Wind_-_Main_Page|Leaf on the Wind - Campaign Page]]
[[File:Mason.jpg|right|500px]]

=Personal Particulars=
==Basic Info==
'''Name:''' Henrik Aralt Mason '''AKA:''' Ham, Mason, Mace (Marines), Hammer (Gang) <br>
'''Birth Planet:''' Anvil  '''Allegiance:''' Independent (Formerly Alliance)<br>
'''Height:''' 188 centimeters (6' 2") | '''Weight:''' 104 kilos (230 lbs) | '''Age:''' 32 standard years

==Appearance==

Ham has broad shoulders and a brawny frame. His tanned skin is weather-worn from years working in the sun and other harsh environments while his callused hands are proof that he's a working man. His arms and torso are a patchwork of scars and tatoos. Of note, his right shoulder bears a scar that looks suspiciously like a tattoo was cut off, while most of his back is covered by a large medieval shield, of which the top edge is a thick black border where an old gang tattoo was covered over.

Ham's long brown hair is shaved at the sides and back. He let's it hang down while relaxing but when he's working it's pulled up in a loose bun.  His face is half covered by a thick and wild beard tinged in red.

Dressed in simple, sturdy clothing, he's typically seen seen wearing work boots, tan cargo pants, a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a light gray vest with a hood... one that's entirely too stylish for a common laborer. When things get cold he throws on an old blue coat, but prefers to use the vest's hood instead of donning a hat.

When the situations permits it, has a gun in a tactical holster on his left thigh, a common survival knife in a booth sheath and a pair of work gloves tucked into a cargo pocket. Though he's skilled with larger weapons they are much harder to carry in a simple duffel bag... let alone explain to the local authorities.

==Personality==
Ham is typically reserved, at least at first. It takes a while to suss out a new crew and see how everything fits together... pissing people off before you know what their triggers are is a good way to get invited to leave.

Even once he settles in he's never the life of the party. Ham can enjoy himself in larger groups as long as the atmosphere is light and jovial. While not a chatterbox, he enjoys verbal sparring and is surprisingly quick witted. His mood can grow sour if his lack of education becomes an issue however.

Ham prefers relaxing in smaller groups of people he knows and can trust. Words aren't always necessary... he's more than comfortable with silence. He's seen a lot during his life and will sometimes discuss his past experiences, what he thinks they mean and the still forming ''Philosophy of the Free'' he's been slowly piecing together in his head during long, monotonous jobs.

As part of a poor family, and later during his years in the gang, Ham's moral compass skewed toward the predatory and selfish. His time with ''Uncle'' Constantine helped broaden his horizons, and his Marine training instilled him with a strong need to protect the weak. This belief was strong enough that Ham deserted when the Alliance's actions against the Independents proved they had abandoned their honor.

This need to protect the weak or take down bullies has resurfaced multiple times since the War ended, often starting fights and causing enough of a ruckus that moving on is the best option for all involved.

=Numbers and Such=

==Attributes==
'''Mental''' d8 '''Physical''' d10  '''Social''' d6

==Skills==
*'''Craft d6'''
*Drive d4
*'''Fight d10''' (Haymakers)
*'''Fix d8''' (Vintage Ships)
*Fly d4
*Focus d4
*Influence d4
*Know d4
*'''Labor d8'''
*'''Move d8''' 
*'''Notice d6'''
*Operate d6
*Perform d4
*'''Shoot d10'''
*'''Sneak d6'''
*Survive d4
*'''Throw d6'''
*Treat d4
*Trick d4

==Distinctions==
'''Muscle for Hire d8''' <br>
''Looking scary comes easy to you, and you’re no stranger to hard work.'' (Fight/Labor/Move)<br>

*'''Step Down:''' Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
*Blunt Instrument: When you fight dirty or use brute force to solve a problem, step up your Labor or Fight until the end of the current scene. Step back Social until the end of the next scene.
*Looming Shadow: When you rely on your imposing size to intimidate someone, use Physical instead of Social. Both 1s and 2s count as jinxes on the roll.

'''Space-Faring Drifter d8'''<br>
''You’ve seen a lot of things during your time in the black and done what you’ve had to do to survive. Little is left to surprise you.'' (Focus/Notice/Trick) <br>
*'''Step Down:''' Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
*Been There: Create a d8 Asset when you ask for help from an old contact. If you use this Asset in a roll and fail, your contact turns against you. The Gamemaster will reveal why they set you up for a fall.
*'''Fixed That:''' During a Timed Action that requires repairs or construction, you may take or step up a Shoddy Workmanship Complication to add an extra beat.

'''Alliance Deserter''' d8<br>
''The Marines taught you what it meant to have honor... too bad they stopped living up to those ideals during the Unification War.'' (Sneak/Shoot/Throw)<br>
*'''Step Down:''' Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
*'''Ductus Exemplo:''' Gain 1 PP when you act against your best interests because of your code or make a show of satisfying your honor.  
*A Marine and his Rifle: Spend 1 PP to step up or double your Shoot or Fight when you’re outnumbered.

==Signature Assets==
[[File:Mesh Vest.jpg|right|200px]]
'''Micro-mesh Armor Vest''' d8<br>
This stylish, near-white vest offers just as much protection as his Marine tactical vest did, while still being flexible and not immediately recognizable as armor. Plus it has a hood.

Ham stole the vest from a rich and overbearing brat who said he was heir to some Core Worlds... something or other. The man took a shining to the pilot of a ship Mason worked on some time ago, and proceeded to cheat her in cards and attempt to... coerce her into paying off her losses via other means. 

Ham beat the brat up and robbed him blind. After giving the Captain enough cash to pay off her pilot's debt, Ham gave a few crewmembers black eyes in a staged fight to take suspicion off the crew, then jumped on a train to the next city over to find a new job.

==Complications==
N/A

=My Checkered Past=

==Background==
Henrik was born poor on the planet Anvil where he worked as seasonal laborer along with the rest of his family. When work became scarce, joining with the local gangs seemed like a logical step. Henrik earned he nickname Hammer and he rode with them for a few years, but eventually eventually had a falling out when he beat the gang leader's little brother senseless. Hammer had his gant tattoo covered over and jumped planet on the first freighter he could find. 

Being a shiphand wasn't glorious work, but at least it has honest. After bouncing around for a year he finally fell in with a solid crew and a Captain who seemed to really care. Captain "Uncle" Constantine was a former Soldier and Mason got the impression the he wasn't the first stray the man had taken in. 

This was where he met a teenage Mike Constantine, who he at first thought of as 'high faluten'. While "Uncle" was busy trying to help Mason shed the dog eat dog mindset of his past, Mason got the impression that he was also trying to ensure Mike could survive in the 'Verse, not just in a bubble where his family owned everything he could see. Through the time Mike spend on-board "Uncle's" ship, Mason came to see him as just another kid trying to find his place in the 'Verse... a place separate from the life his family wanted for him.

After a few years with "Uncle", rumors that war was coming were everywhere. Mason looked up to his Captain, and joined the Alliance Marines with the hope of trying to make the old man proud.

Mason excelled at training and combat... and completely drank the koolaid the Drill Sergeant was pouring about duty and responsibility. Mason was quickly shortened to Mace when he joined his unit, and saw combat on several occasions.  The early engagements were scary as hell, but also textbook engagements with the enemy. As the war drew on his unit, the Marines and the whole Alliance seemed less and less honorable and more about doing whatever it took to win. Poisoning water sources, burning fields, bombing cities... never carrying how many innocents were killed if it hurt the morale of the Independents.

Realizing that the Marines weren't what he thought they were... that they didn't uphold the code of honor that they taught Mace, he deserted. Mace... now simply going by Ham... spent the last couple years of the war on various asteroid belt mining stations.

When the war came to a close with the inevitable outcome of an Alliance victory, things became a little easier. The Alliance had worse things to worry about than an E-nothing deserter, and Ham was able to got off those hellish mining stations and get planetside again. 

He still wandered… drifting from place to place, job to job. It was as much a habit for him as a necessity at this point... sometimes his temper would get him into trouble... other times he'd leave before he had a chance to ruin tings. Ham has made a few friends and a few more enemies along the way... and a few more enemies.

==Episodes==
N/A

==Notes==

*Code of Honor: The Marines taught Mason that he was supposed to protect people. To this day his hackles raise when strong people pick on weaker people or when people group up to take advantage of others.
*Mason joined the Marines when Mike was on another ship or back home. Tom probably didn't mention it because he knew of Mike's Independent inclinations. 
*Mike probably saw the blacked out tattoo on Mason's upper back. (he covered up the name of his old gang) During his time on-board Tom's ship he slowly had it merged into a giant medieval shield that covers most of this back.
*Being a deserter, Mason didn't go back to work for Constantine Trans-Shipping or face Tom after the war ended, though he did hear that Mike absconded with a ship full of cargo and joined up with the Browncoats.
*Mason could have been trained in knives along side Mike and may have been a sparring partner.
*Mason's time on Tom's ship was roughly 2504-2506... the 2 years just prior to the Unification War, making him 21-23 years old. (Mike would have been in the 17-19 range)
*Ham has a scar on his right shoulder where he cut off his the Alliance Marine Recon tattoo.