Characters from Thetis for the Firefly Roleplaying Game

Howdy!  It's been a spell.

In previous blog posts (here and here), I provided some game stats from James Lovegrove's novel Big Damn Hero, the first in a planned trilogy of 'Firefly' novels from Titan Books.

Today I thought I'd do the same for Lovegrave's new book, The Magnificent Nine, which was released in March.  This post will therefore contain spoilers for that book.

It isn't really my purpose to review either novel here, but I found both books to be a little predictable. Lovegrave did a better job at capturing the crew's voices in The Magnificent Nine, which essentially recycled the story from one of the greatest Western sagas of all time, mashing up the best elements from 'Firefly' with those from The Magnificent Seven. If you're interested, the third book in this trilogy, Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon, is scheduled to be released in October.

Thetis

The Magnificent Nine is set on Thetis, a world which doesn't appear on the map in the game book. I checked, and Thetis is also missing from The Complete and Official Map of the 'Verse.  Here's how the planet is described in the novel:

"Coogan's Bluff was a tiny town, one of a couple of hundred such settlements scattered across the arid surface of Thetis, a world which sat somewhere between the Border and the Rim but closer to the latter than the former.

"Thetis was an ironic name. The original Thetis was a Nereid, a sea nymph in Ancient Greek mythology of Earth-That-Was. Only someone with a strange sense of humor-- or a great deal of optimism-- would have borrowed her name for a planet whose landmasses were more or less desert and whose oceans were small and so densely salty that they could not support marine life."

The only large town on Thetis, according to the novel, is a place called Whiteplains Edge:

"Whiteplains Edge took its name from the salt flats it perched on the fringes of. Like a vast, rid white lake, the salt flats stretched away into the horizon, shimmering as blindingly as a magnesium flare in the noonday sun. The smell that rolled off them was like ocean brine but a hundred times more pungent, and if the wind blew the wrong way a pale haze of dust enveloped the town. Hence, when outdoors, most Whiteplainers went around with their mouths and noses masked and their eyes goggled."

Location Triggers
     Sparsely populated. Spend 1 PP to create an Ain't No One Looking D8 Asset when acting surreptitously or trying to avoid notice in town.
     Boil an egg in the shade. During daylight hours, spend 1 PP to step up or double any Complication related to an opponent's fatigue, exhaustion, or thirst.

If you're using the Reputation Rules from Smuggler's Guide to the Rim, a typical settler from Thetis would be positively disposed towards Corporations and negatively disposed towards Alliance, Browncoats, and Criminals. A townsperson from Whiteplains Edge would be positively disposed towards Corporations and Alliance and negatively disposed towards Browncoats and Criminals.

Dramatis Personae

The plot of The Magnificent Nine is lifted pretty neatly from the classic Western movie, The Magnificent Seven, and as such it ought to be a pretty familiar story: a huge band of desperate criminals has threatened a remote border town with indiscriminate violence unless its demands are met. One of the townspeople sends an urgent message to a band of plucky adventurers, requesting their help. Not all of the townspeople support the idea of bringing in outsiders, though, and a ruckus ensues.

Here are some of the key townspeople of Coogan's Bluff:

 Mayor Huckleberry U. Gillis
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D4
Social D8
Skills
Focus D8
Influence D12 (Stump Speech)
Know D12 (Alliance Law)
Notice D8
Sneak D8
Trick D12 (False Flattery)
Distinctions
Politician.  D8
You attained public office, acclaim, and people's trust. You have access to the corridors of power, for what that's worth.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Pulling the strings. When you create an Asset based upon political or corporate connections, step it up to D8.
Smooth Talker.  D8
You can talk your way out of a life sentence or into a locked room. Just don't make promises you can't keep.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Gift of gab. Spend 1 PP to double your Influence die for your next roll.
Looking out for Numero Uno.  D8
I'm just making sure that my nest gets feathered.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.

Mayor Gillis is well-liked by the townspeople of Coogan's Bluff, who of course have no idea that the mayor made a deal with Elias Vandal's band of outlaws to sell the town out in order to save himself.

Temperence McCloud
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D8
Social D8
Skills
Drive D8 (Mules)
Fight D8
Fly D6
Focus D8 (Detect Lie)
Influence D10 (Charm)
Know D8 (Security Systems)
Labor D8
Move D8
Notice D10
Operate D10 (Remote Controls)
Shoot D10 (Pistols)
Sneak D10
Trick D10
Distinctions
Farmer.  D8
Terraforming made plenty of work for you, but it's a rough life, whether it's cows, corn, or chemically-altered protein product.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
One Eye Over My Shoulder.  D8
It ain't paranoia if they really are coming for you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Escape Plan. When you're confronted in your bolt hole or a place you've had the chance to survey, spend 1 PP tp create an Escape Plan D8 Asset.
Jack of All Crimes.  D8
The concept of original sin means avoiding all the pedestrian crimes and getting truly creative.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* New, Exciting Crime. When breaking into a place you've never been before, you may double Operate or Sneak for the Action. Both 1s and 2s count as jinxes for the roll.

Temperence McCloud is an alias of Temperence Jones, who was Jayne Cobb's first criminal and romantic partner some fifteen years ago. She abruptly abandoned Jayne to seek out a new life on Thetis, where she has spent the last fourteen years raising her fourteen-year-old daughter... Jane.

Jane McCloud
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D6
Social D6
Skills
Fix D8
Focus D10 (Alert)
Labor D8
Notice D8
Operate D8
Shoot D8 (Rifle)
Sneak D8
Survive D8
Distinctions
Homesteader.  D8
You found yourself a home and a family to fill it.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Problem Solver.  D8
Not now! I've almost finished my puzzle.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Indistractible. If you replace your Focus skill with a D4 for your next roll, gain a Big Damn Hero Die equal to that skill's normal rating if that roll is successful.
Wet Behind the Ears.  D8
Folks say you're naive. It ain't that. You just grew up a mite sheltered, is all.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Easy Mark. Gain 1 PP when you are tricked by more worldly folk or whenever someone takes advantage of your naivety.

Jane McCloud is fourteen years old and has never set foot off of Thetis. She is curious about the identity of her father, since the two have never met.

Billy Korusawa
Social D8
Physical D6
Fight D6

Billy runs Billy's Bar in Coogan's Bluff-- if your glass isn't clean, Billy's always there to wipe it out with his shirt tail.

Townspeople
Fight D6
Shoot D6
Sneak D8

The good people of Coogan's Bluff are more likely to hole out somewhere than to face danger head-on, but on Tethis, water is life, and you can only run so far from your water supply.

Elias Vandal
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D8
Social D6
Skills
Fight D12 (Thrown)
Focus D10
Influence D10 (Threats)
Labor D8
Move D10
Notice D10 (Suspicious)
Shoot D10
Sneak D8
Survive D8
Trick D10
Distinctions
Gang Boss.  D8
They're the best muscle money can buy. Too bad you're so cheap.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* What do I pay you for? You may lose one of your thug Assets in your dice pool to avoid being taken out in a scene.
Morbid and Creepifying.  D8
People say you're a sociopath when you've simply outgrown morality.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Crazy Intense. When you try to recruit a follower or hurt someone emotionally, roll Mental instead of Social.
* Unbound. When you show how little regard you have for other people, spend 1 PP to give a character a Disturbed D6 complication.
Mighty Hideous.  D8
You weren't that pretty to start, but then you got yourself deformed somethin' fierce. Now folks try not to even look at you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Boomarang Blade D8

The left side of Elias Vandal's face is burned, blistered, and scarred, almost beyond recognition. According to Vandal, this happened when he was running with Reavers a few years back, before he decided to go his own way as an outlaw. Now, he heads the Scourers, a large gang of killers and rapists on Thetis who intend to seize control of the planet's water supplies, forcing the big mining corporations to negotiate with them. Vandal uses cruelty and terror as weapons, making examples of anyone who stands up to him. Unknown to anyone but Elias Vandal and Temperence McCloud, he's also the biological father of Temperence's daughter Jane, though he has no fatherly feelings towards the girl.

Shem Bancroft
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D8
Social D8
Skills
Drive D8
Fight D10 (Bull Rush)
Focus D8
Influence D10 (Order)
Move D8
Notice D10 (Binoculars)
Operate D8 (Radar)
Shoot D10 (Sniping)
Sneak D10
Survive D8
Distinctions
Gang Member.  D8
The 'Verse is a hard place. Folk stand together.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Strength in numbers. When you and your Crew outnumber your opponents, step up Fight. When your opponents outnumber you and your crew, take an Outnumbered D8 complication.
Steady.  D8
It takes a lot to throw you off-balance.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Things Don't Go Smooth.  D8
Life sure seems to be a string of mishaps, mistakes, and misappropriations. But you're still here, aren't you?
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Trouble Magner. Step up one of your Complications to reroll a die. On your next roll, 1s and 2s count for Complications.

Shem is Elias Vandal's second-in-command, but he's beginning to have doubts about the resources and opportunities which have been wasted by Vandal's wanton cruelty.

Ellie-Mae, Frank, Rufus, and Isaac Hazzard
Physical D8
Fight D8
Shoot D6

The Hazzards were members of the Scourers who were unfortunate enough to meet River Tam alone on the Serenity when they attempted to sneak on board and catch the crew by surprise.

The Scourers
Physical D8
Shoot D8
Drive D6

Stanislaw L'Amour
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D8
Social D8
Skills
Drive D10 (Hovercraft)
Fight D8 (Duelling)
Fix D10
Fly D10 (Stunts)
Focus D8
Influence D12 (Negotiation)
Know D8  (Mining Operations)
Notice D10
Shoot D8
Trick D10
Distinctions
Gentry.  D8
You've got a fancy title, and probably a sash to go with it.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Noblesse Oblige. When someone less fortunate than you asks for your help, take or step up an Obliged Complication to step up Focus for the rest of the scene.
Fiercely Independent.  D8
Go ahead, tell me what to do. I won't stop you from wasting your breath.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Filthy Rich.  D8
Money is power. Folk who don't know that are foolin' themselves.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Leverage. Double Influence when you bribe someone or threaten them with financial ruin.

Stanislaw and Inara are old friends, but he isn't a former client; he has other personal inclinations. Stanislaw is ruggedly handsome, wealthy beyond anyone's wildest dreams, and unnaturally successful at business, and he also happens to have a healthy sense of right and wrong, making him a good friend to have in a pinch. In addition to owning several mining concerns on Thetis, he also employs a private military force called Dragonwing Protective Services (if you need game stats, you could use the mercenaries that I posted here).

The Exchequer
Attributes and Skills: Engines D8, Hull D10, Systems D8, Crew D10
Distinctions
Seraphim-Class Private Cruiser
In Kaylee's considered opinion the Seraphim wasn't a patch on Cashalton's all-time classic the Dreamcrest. It was underpowered for its weight and prone to stability issues in atmo, thanks to the overelaborate and entirely superfluous fin array at the aft. In the plus column, it was furnished inside with every luxury the mind could conceive, down to a lap pool and a sauna. Flight performance be gorramned. You wanted to travel the 'Verse in style, you couldn't do much better than this.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Military Grade D8
They don't usually sell these to private citizens.
* Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Weapons Free! Step back Hull for the rest of the scene to double weapons fire for your next roll.
Armed and Dangerous D8
When you're being attacked by pirates out in the black, the only ship you can count on is you. And if some sommbitch tries to bite you, well, you can bite back, too.
* Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Ya'll are outgunned.  Spend 1 PP to double Systems when taking on a ship which lacks your firepower.
Chain Guns D8
Rail Gun D8

The Exchequer is Stanislaw L'Amour's personal cruiser-- and it's been Kaylee-approved.

Eavesdown Docks folks for the Firefly Roleplaying Game

This post is sort of a follow-up to my blog entry from Sunday, where I provided game stats for some of the characters from James Lovegrove's novel, "Big Damn Hero." Turns out, there are a few other characters from Lovegrave's story which might make interesting GMAC's in a Firefly campaign.

The following characters have something in common: they all operate out of the Eavesdown Docks district on Persephone.

I built Mika Wong as a Heavy Major GMC and Charlie Dunwoody as a Light Major GMC; all other Major GMC's presented here are built to Medium Major specifications.

Spoilers follow.

Mika Wong
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D10
Social D10
Skills
Fight D10 (Martial Arts)
Focus D8
Influence D10 (Threats) (Flattery)
Know D8 (Eavesdown Docks)
Move D10 (Jumps)
Notice D8 (Sense Motive)
Operate D10 (Communications) (Security)
Perform D6 (Attract Attention)
Shoot D6
Sneak D6
Trick D8
Throw D6
Distinctions
Top Secret.  D8
Officially you don't exist. Your job doesn't exist. Your boss doesn't exist. Where's that leave you?
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Covert Entry. When bypassing security on a mission, take or step up an On a Timetable Complication to double Operate for the roll.
Friends in high places.  D8
The Alliance thinks highly of you. That's the only opinion that matters.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Our Dear Purple Friends. Spend 1 PP to step back a Complication involving Alliance scrutiny.
Third degree black belt.  D8
You dedicated your life to the study of a martial art. Now you are a living weapon.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Fists of Iron. When a GMC takes a Complication to avoid being Taken Out by your unarmed assault, spend 1 PP to step up the Complication.
 * Even the Odds. When you take an armed opponent's weapon from them, spend 1 PP to give them a Disarmed D8 Complication.

Mika Wong is one of Persephone's wealthiest citizens, equally at home among Alliance elites or with working stiffs from the Docks. It's common knowledge that many businesses in Eavesdown Docks' shadiest neighborhoods pay protection money to goons associated with Wong-- and it's equally well-understood that those businesses under Mr. Wong's protection are best left alone. In certain circles, it's even whispered that Mika Wong is Persephone's premiere information broker and fixer, but only for those who can afford his services. What very few people know or understand, however, is that Wong is also a highly-placed Alliance intelligence officer, tracking the activities of Persephone's gangs, separatists, and planetary corporations for high-ranking interests in the Core Worlds.

Coincidentally, Mika Wong also knew Derrial "Shepherd" Book before and during the War. It's a good thing that the two men are friends-- or, if not friends, that they've at least come to some sort of understanding. This way, neither individual has any reason to spill the other's secrets.

Elmira Atadema
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D6
Social D10
Skills
Drive D6
Fight D6
Focus D8
Influence D10 (Flirt)
Labor D6 (Housekeeping)
Move D6
Notice D8 (Observant)
Operate D8
Perform D6 (Dance)
Shoot D6
Sneak D6 (Blending In)
Trick D8
Distinctions
Bonded to Another.  D8
The only thing you had left to sell was your own freedom. Now you belong to somebody else until your debts have been paid and your bond fulfilled.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Your bondholder's word is law. Gain 1 PP to create or step up a Complication representing your lack of personal freedom whenever you're acting against your bondholder's interests or without their consent.
Doe Eyes.  D8
You look innocent. Maybe you are, maybe you ain't. But that's how folk think of you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Lifetime of Misdeeds.  D8
This sort of life has a tendency to catch up with you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Trick of the Trade. Spend 1 PP to create an Operate or Sneak Specialty for the rest of the session.

Elmira is a bondswoman in the service of Hunter Covington-- and a confidential informant to Mika Wong. Despite everything that she's been through, she's still a resilient, resourceful woman who makes quite an impression upon everyone that she meets.

At the end of the novel, after Elmira obtains her freedom from Hunter Covington's bond, you might replace her Bonded to Another distinction, above, with something which reflects her new life (whatever that might be in your campaign). If she continues working with Mika Wong, the Agent Provocateur Distinction and "Cover Story" trigger from page 195 of the Firefly RPG core rules might be a good choice.

Hunter Covington 
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D6
Social D8
Skills
Fight D6
Fix D6 (Computers)
Focus D8 (Determination)
Influence D8 (Bribe) (Threats)
Notice D8
Operate D8
Shoot D10
Sneak D6
Trick D10 (Business Front)
Distinctions
Bigwig.  D8
You can't hurt me here. I own this town and everything in it.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Shell Companies. When the authorities try to investigate your illegal business activities, spend 1 PP to create a Legitimate Front D8 Asset.
Schemer.  D8
Everybody wants something. Let's make a deal.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Local Gang Boss.  D8
Nothing goes down on my turf 'lessen I say so.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Big Fish, Small Pond. When you're operating out of a local territory that's very familiar to you, you can create or step up a D8 Hidden Weapon or D8 Local Muscle Asset which lasts until.the end of the scene by also creating or stepping up a D6 Social Complication which will last until the end of the session to reflect having shown a sign of weakness.
*  Flash a Little Cash. Spend 1 PP to double Influence when appealing to another's sense of greed.
Signature Asset: Cobra-headed sword cane with knockout gas handle D8

Hunter Covington is a heavy-set man with a luxuriant beard, bushy sideburns, and a penchant for dressing well. An occasional rival of other gang bosses in Eavesdown Docks, including Badger, Covington operates a number of front business and shell companies and prefers not to get into dirty street politics himself-- giving him a degree of separation from the street, which also allows him to partner with those other gang bosses when it suits him.

Mika Wong, who has been keeping tabs on Hunter Covington for Alliance intelligence for some time, described Covington as "not a nice man."  Because of this 'not nice' factor, Wong was able to recruit Covington's bondswoman (and frequent target of his abuse), Elmira Atadema, to become a highly-placed Alliance informant in Covington's gang.

The Just Desserts
Attributes and Skills:  Engines D8, Hull D6, Systems D10, Crew D8
Distinctions
Nanjing-Class Yacht  D8
This yacht is popular with the gentry, Alliance government officials, and anyone with lots of credits to spare.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Brand Spankin' New  D8
A fancy new boat is the best investment a captain could make. You've splurged some, but you've got no regrets.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Built for Speed  D8
Sometimes, all that matters out in the Black is being faster than anyone else.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Focused Thrust. When using Engines for raw speed, double Engines. Remove the highest die and add three dice together for the result.
*  Full Burn. Spend 1 PP to reroll a pool containing the Engines die. On your subsequent roll, both 1s and 2s count for Complications.
Booster Engines  D8
Hard Burn Optimization  D8

The Just Desserts is Hunter Covington's personal yacht. This fancy luxury boat has been tweaked and juiced to squeeze every drop of extra thrust from the ship's engines. 

Chase Harlow 
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D10
Social D8
Skills
Fight D8
Focus D8
Influence D10 (Keep Peace)
Move D6
Notice D10 (Something's Wrong)
Shoot D10 (Pistol)
Sneak D8 (Lose Tail)
Trick D10
Distinctions
Shady Business Man.  D8
You keep tellin' folks you are legitimate. Someday, they might believe you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Fancy Yellow Duster.  D8
You don't exactly blend in.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Makes Quite an Impression on Folk. Spend 1 PP to create or step up a Stands Out In a Crowd D8 Asset when asking for information or seeking to make new contacts in a public place.
Reliable Gun Hand.  D8
You don't slap iron, but you're steady with a gun.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Got the Drop on You. When you have your gun in hand and an opponent decides to initiate combat by attacking, you may spend 1 PP to make them set the stakes for the Action. Your opponent counts 1s and 2s as jinxes for this roll.
Signature Asset: Bright yellow duster D6

Nobody knows Chase Harlow by his first name-- it's just "Harlow." While most small-time crooks in Eavesdown Docks try to keep a low profile, Harlow has made himself stand out with his signature, bright yellow duster. Everyone knows that the man in the yellow duster has business with gangsters like Badger and Hunter Covington, which earns the man a degree of protection on the street, but nobody really knows whether those bosses would actually miss Harlow if misfortune were to befall him. By cutting a larger-than-life figure on the Docks and behaving as if he were untouchable, Harlow has managed to discourage any direct attempts on his life by those who aren't sure how protected he really is.  It's a dangerous game, but Harlow plays it to the hilt.

Charlie Dunwoody 
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D4
Social D6
Skills
Fight D8
Focus D6
Influence D10 (Intimidation)
Move D6
Notice D6
Sneak D8
Trick D8
Distinctions
Invalid.  D8
You can't get much of anywhere without somebody's help.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Scrapper.  D8
You've been in more tussles than you can count. Won most of 'em, too.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
*  Sucker Punch. Double Fight for the first round of an Action Order. Take or step up a Social complication after the roll.
Robber.  D8
You make your livin' taking other peoples' things. And you don't exactly ask, neither.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 *  Nobody move! Just before robbing others, spend 1 PP to create a D8 Got You Outnumbered or D8 Got the Drop on You Asset, which lasts until the end of the scene and then becomes a D8 The Heat is On Social Complication which lasts until the end of the session.
Signature Asset: Crutch D6

Disabled from birth, Charlie Dunwoody's racket is to hire himself out to unsuspecting off-worlders, as a local guide, then lure them into an ambush where his gang of thugs lies in wait. Sometimes Dunwoody also loans his motley band of street rats out to local crime bosses when they're willing to pay for a little extra muscle.

Dunwoody's Robber Gang
Fight D6, Sneak D6, Know D4

Dunwoody is usually backed up by three or four street toughs whenever he's doing a job. They don't usually carry weapons heavier than a club or a broken bottle. In a pinch, though, Dunwoody could probably scrape together a dozen or more associates-- assuming the score is big enough for everyone to get paid.

Browncoat Vigilantes for the Firefly Roleplaying Game

I just read James Lovegrove's novel, Big Damn Hero, which Joss Whedon has sanctioned as 'official' Firefly canon, and I figured I'd provide stat blocks for some of its characters, since that's one of the things that I do here at this blog. You can read my write-ups of other canonical Firefly characters here, here, and here.

Spoilers follow.

Big Damn Hero is about a network of Browncoat Vigilantes who have spent their postwar years capturing, trying, and executing other Browncoat veterans for crimes against the Independent Worlds, both real and imagined, which the Vigilantes believe contributed to the Browncoats' loss. The Vigilante group crossed paths with the crew of Serenity after Mal was abducted and charged with a variety of war crimes:

Malcolm Reynolds, formerly of the 57th Overlanders, you come before this court facing four major charges. One: high treason against the independent planets. Two: murder. Three: sabotage during wartime. And four: collaboration with the enemy.

Three of the charges carry with them the penalty of death. The charge of sabotage carries with it the sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole. 

Needless to say, hi-jinks ensue.

I've written up the three main Vigilante ringleaders as Medium Major GMC's, while rank-and-file members of the Vigilante group are all presented as Minor GMC's.

Browncoat Vigilantes

Tobias "Rusty" Finn
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D6
Social D10
Skills
Fight D8
Focus D8
Influence D8
Notice D8 (Keeping Guard)
Shoot D10 (Pistols)
Sneak D6
Survive D10
Treat D6 (Disease)
Trick D6 (Poker Face)
Throw D6
Distinctions
Veteran of the Unification War.  D8
It don't matter which side you fight on. War leaves a mark on your heart n' soul.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * War Stories. When you create an Asset or take a Complication related to a wartime flashback, step it up.
Cancer.  D8
The terminal kind. All over. The whole meal, soup to nuts.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Dead man walking. Spend a Plot Point to double your Focus whenever that skill is being used to oppose another character's attempt to Influence you. If that other character is using an Influence specialty related to threats or intimidation, you can also step up one of your two doubled Focus dice at no additional cost.
Not to be crossed.  D8
Just so we're clear: if you cross me, I will end you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * To the edge of the Black. When you pursue someone who crossed you into obvious danger, create a D8 Asset for the scene.
Signature Asset:  Langston Rapid Repeater ("LRR") pistol D6

Toby Finn was a childhood friend of Malcolm Reynolds, forming half of the 'Four Amigos' who performed minor heists and teenage shenanigans together on their homeworld of Shadow before war came to the region. The two men lost touch with each other after enlistment, with Mal being assigned to the 57th Overlanders and Toby receiving a post to the 19th Sunbeamers and later transferring to the "Angel Makers" 31st Raiders. The two friends weren't reunited until the 57th Overlanders and 31st Raiders were assigned to fight side-by-side at the Battle of Serenity Valley. During a chance encounter, Toby realized that Mal had secretly had an affair with Jinny Adere, his own fiance from Shadow-- a betrayal that Toby was incapable of forgiving. After the war, when a diagnosis of cancer made Toby aware that he was living on borrowed time, he set a plot in motion to frame Mal for Jinny's wartime death and bring him to trial before the Vigilantes.

Stuart Deakins
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D10
Social D8
Skills
Fight D6
Fix D6 (Electrical)
Focus D8 (Detect Lie)
Know D6 (Engine Systems)
Labor D6
Move D6
Notice D6
Operate D6 (Communications)
Shoot D8 (Rifles)
Sneak D6
Survive D8 (Scrounging)
Distinctions
Veteran of the Unification War.  D8
It don't matter which side you fight on. War leaves a mark on your heart n' soul.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
World Weary.  D8
You've seen a lot of things during your time in the Black and little is left to surprise you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Code of Honor.  D8
To live with honor is difficult. To live without honor is not living at all.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Honor Demands It. Gain 1 PP when you act against your best interests because of your code or make a show of satisfying your honor.
* My Word is My Bond. When you make a promise to someone, spend 1 PP to make a D6 Asset which lasts until the end of the session. If you break that promise, turn it into a D8 Complication.

Stuart Deakins served under Sergeant Reynolds for two years during the War, and Mal even saved his life after he'd been gravely wounded in the New Kasimir campaign. Deakins' sense of honor prompted him to become an active Vigilante after the war-- but Deakins' personal relationship with Mal and Zoe also means that the accusations leveled against Mal don't quite sit right with him.

Donovan Phillips
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D10
Social D6
Skills
Craft D6
Fight D10 (Sucker punch)
Influence D6 (Intimidate)
Labor D10
Move D8
Shoot D10 (Pistols)
Sneak D8
Survive D6
Throw D6
Trick D6
Distinctions
Mercenary.  D8
They don't pay you to look pretty. They pay you to shoot things.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* Time for some thrillin' heroics. Spend 1 PP to go first in any battle or combat scene. On your first Action, you may reroll any dice that come up 1s instead of accepting a plot point.
Mighty Hideous.  D8
You weren't pretty to start, but then you got yourself deformed somethin' fierce. Now folks try not to even look at you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
* You Call That Pain? When you activate an Opportunity to step back a physical Complication, step up Fight or Survive for the rest of the scene.
Friends in Low Places.  D8
Those of us in the Rim don't have much, but we stick together. There's power in that.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Rumor Mill. When you try to get information from your contacts, make a Social + Know roll. If successful, create a D6 Asset about the information. Take a D8 Half the Story Complication to step up the new Asset.
Signature Asset: Rusty antique pistols D8

Severely burned and scarred during the War, Donovan Phillips is one of the most fanatical members of the Vigilante group-- even willing to shed the blood of other Browncoats who find themselves in the way of its mob justice. During his time in Vigilante custody, Mal gave Donovan the nickname, "Scarface."

Harriet Kyle
Social D4
Physical D8
Fight D8
Notice D10
Shoot D6

Harriet Kyle more or less serves as the Vigilantes' jailer whenever the group takes prisoners. Her unfortunate appearance prompted Mal to nickname her "Hatchet Face" while he was in her custody. More often than not, Harriet will be backed up by members of the Vigilante Mob (below).

Vigilante Mob
Fight D8, Shoot D6, Throw D8

Some of the folk who make up the Vigilante mob include David and Sonya Zuburi, 'Panda' Alcatraz, and "that guy Lucas," who served with Mal during the War and have a great deal of combat experience between them.  They will not hesitate to Gang Up against the Crew if it serves their purpose. 

The Final Appeal
Attributes and Skills:  Engines D8, Hull D8, Systems D8, Crew D8
Distinctions
Komodo-Class Resupply Ship  D8
The Komodo-Class Resupply vessel was already a relic when the War began.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Rust is the only thing holding her together. Spend 1 PP to double your ship's Hull rating for one Action, then step Hull down for the rest of the scene.
Coming Apart at the Seams  D8
Some folk don't care much about taking care of their boat.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Unsettling Visage.  Spend 1 PP to go first in an Action Order when someone sees your ship for the first time.
Cobbled Together  D8
Your ship was built from salvage parts and space junk. She looks kinda ugly, but she sure can surprise folk when she needs to.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Grapplers  D8
Reinforced Armor  D8

The Final Appeal is the Browncoat Vigilante group's primary means of transportation. The novel describes as "a war relic with the rust stains and impact pepperings all over the hull to prove it. Parts of it were salvaged from other ships, welded clumsily into place, giving it a patchwork appearance."

Iris and Bea for the Firefly Roleplaying Game

Iris and Bea are characters from the Serenity graphic novels, which Joss Whedon has described as the 'third season' of the Firefly television series (counting the Serenity film as 'season two').  Since the graphic novels are canon, I've been posting game stats of prominent characters from the graphic novels from time to time for possible use in your game (see my previous posts on Ott's gang and corporate drones). Iris and Bea would make good allies, or even friendly Rivals, for a Browncoat crew.

If you haven't read the Serenity graphic novels Leaves on the Wind or No Power In the 'Verse, there may be spoilers below.

Bea Quiang

Bea Quiang, Medium Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D8
Social D8
Skills
Craft D6
Fight D8
Focus D8
Influence D8 (Speeches)
Know D6 (Criminal Organizations)
Labor D6
Shoot D10 (Pistol)
Sneak D6
Survive D8
Throw D6
Treat D6
Distinctions
Code of Honor D8
To live with honor is difficult. To live without honor is not living at all.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]My word is my bond. When you make a promise to someone, spend 1 PP to make a D6 Asset that lasts until the end of the session. If you break that promise, turn it into a D8 Complication.
New Browncoat D8
The Unification War may be over, but free folk will always stand up against tyranny.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Resistance leader. Spend 1 PP to step up or double your Influence when trying to rally members of the New Browncoats to fight the Alliance.
[*]Young but scrappy. Spend 1 PP to re-roll a die when a battle plan starts to go sideways. On your next roll, both 1s and 2s count for Complications.
Friends in Low Places. D8
Those of us in the Rim don't have much, but we stick together. There's a power in that.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Signature Asset: Strickland Forty-Four Twelve pistol D8

Bea's father served with Malcolm Reynolds in the Battle of Serenity Valley, but despite their personal connection, she failed to recruit Mal to lead the New Browncoats in a second uprising against the Alliance. Despite Mal's refusal to join up, Bea and her New Browncoats assisted the Serenity crew with its raid on the government school where River had been held captive, and she later helped Captain Reynolds free Zoe from an Alliance prison.  Bea was one of the few survivors when the Alliance used infiltrators and informants to crush the New Browncoat movement from within.  She and Iris left the Serenity crew as traveling companions, each on the run from the Alliance for their own reasons.

Mal meets Iris for the first time

Iris, Medium Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D10
Social D6
Skills
Drive D6
Fight D12 (Knife) (Martial Arts)
Fix D6
Focus D10 (Memory)
Know D6
Move D8 (Flips) (Leaping)
Notice D6
Operate D6
Shoot D6
Sneak D6
Throw D10 (Blades)
Treat D6
Trick D6
Distinctions
Living Weapon D8
No power in the 'Verse can stop me.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Control Words. Gain 1 PP whenever a GMC uses a control word to turn you into a killing machine. Double Fight, Move, and Throw until the end of the scene, when you are automatically Taken Out.  If a member of the crew knows your control words, they can also spend 1 PP to trigger this effect, but their PP goes to into the GM's pool.
Government Experiment D8
You don't remember what they did to you. Mostly. But now that it's done, you can never go back.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Two By Two, Hands of Blue. Create a Painful Memories D8 Complication to step up your Know for the rest of the scene.
Wet Behind the Ears. D8
Folks say you're naive; it ain't that. You just grew up a mite sheltered, is all.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Easy Mark. Gain 1 PP when you are tricked by more wordly folk or whenever someone takes advantage of your naivete.

Iris is one of Madame Kalista's 'disciples;' an Alliance experiment from the same government school which produced River Tam. Unlike River, though, Iris' mental programming is now 'complete,' and she has no memories of human life apart from her conditioning as a human weapon. After her rescue from the Alliance facility, Iris was briefly treated by Dr. Simon Tam before deciding to go on the run as Bea Quiang's traveling companion. Note that Iris has not yet demonstrated River's talent as a Reader and may lack 'the Gift.'

Mercenaries: NPCs for the Firefly Role-Playing Game

These NPCs from my Firefly game were created to be used as recurring villains, although as things worked out I never actually re-introduced them to the campaign after their first appearance.

In that episode, the players were hired to ferry supplies-- military rations and first aid kits-- to the mayor's office at Silver City on Deadwood (detailed on pages 106-107 of the Smuggler's Guide to the Rim). Once there, the players discovered a city under military occupation; in the run-up to new mayoral elections, the mayor's office had hired a mercenary group called 'the Blue Tigers' to crack down on dissidents and opposition candidates, silence the press, and intimidate voters. Naturally, the players were drawn into events when they discovered that an old friend was on the ballot running against the corrupt incumbent.

The thing to understand is that the Blue Tigers aren't exactly evil-- but they are a mercenary company which doesn't ask a lot of questions when taking a job. In my game, the Blue Tigers turned a blind eye to many of the players' activities in Silver City and eventually refused to massacre its civilian population on election day-- but they didn't exactly part with the crew on the best of terms. In their view, the crew cost them a paycheck. If I'd ever gotten around to using the Blue Tigers again in my campaign, it would have been as recurring rivals, and not as the big bad heavies in an important story arc.

Colonel Jebediah "Jeb" Waybridge
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D8
Social D10
Skills
Drive D6 (Hovertank)
Fight D6
Focus D10 (Discipline)
Influence D12 (Command) (Intimidate)
Know D6 (Military Operations)
Notice D10 (Tactical Awareness)
Operate D6
Shoot D6 (Pistol)
Sneak D6
Survive D8
Throw D6 (Grenade)
Distinctions
Mercenary Commander D8
I love the sound of orbital bombardment in the morning.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Plausible Deniability. Gain 1 PP when you step up a Complication representing tactical challenges on the battlefield.
 * Call for fire. Spend 1 PP to create an Artillery Barrage D8 Asset in a battlefield situation. On each of your following Actions, if you don't spend another PP to step this Asset up, it goes away.
Iron-Fisted D8
I don't give one gorram bit how dangerous it is. Get your men up on that ridgeline!
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Taskmaster. Double Influence when throwing the weight of your office around. At the start of the next scene, take or step up a social Complication that represents a backlash against your harsh manner.
Brilliant Tactician D8
I want Bravo Company to advance slowly. Keep the enemy engaged while second platoon flanks.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Fortune favors the bold. When planning an attack, gain 1PP if you take or step up an Outnumbered D8 or Right Under Their Noses D8 Complication.

Jeb Waybridge is the spittin' image of a hard-chargin, sharp-shootin, square-jawed, high-speed military man. After fighting for the Alliance in the Unification War, he and a few comrades formed the Blue Tigers to avoid being taken out of the fight.

Captain Amalie Moran
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D6
Social D6
Skills
Drive D8
Fight D6
Fly D12 (Combat Pilot)
Move D8
Operate D8
Shoot D8
Distinctions
Fleet Tactician D8
Sun Tzu was brilliant. After three thousand years we brought his doctrine to the stars.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Bombard. When you give the order to fire upon an enemy ship, crewmembers following your orders may spend 1 PP to step up their Shoot on their next Action.
Mercenary D8
They don't pay you to look pretty. They pay you to shoot things.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Free Spirit D8
You go where the wind takes you.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * New Horizons. Step up or double Drive or Fly when you first take a vehicle somewhere new.
Signature Asset: Lucky rabbit's foot D6

Friendly and easy going, Captain Moran is one of the few Blue Tigers who can get away with sassing Colonel Waybridge. Truth is, she's the best combat pilot that Waybridge has ever seen in his long military career, and he trusts her implicitly. Whenever the Colonel and his Blue Tigers are deployed planetside, her command of the Tigress Two is unquestioned.

Major Alonzo Jessup
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D6
Social D6
Skills
Drive D8 (Hovertank)
Fight D8
Fix D6
Influence D6 (Command)
Move D6
Operate D6
Shoot D8
Throw D6
Distinctions
Speed demon D8
I never lose a race. I only run out of laps, fuel, or time.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Throttle Down. You may double Drive whenever you're racing at top speed. All dice that roll 1s or 2s count for Complications.
Mercenary D8
They don't pay you to look pretty. They pay you to shoot things.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Time for some Thrillin' Heroics. Spend 1 PP to go first in any battle or combat scene. On your first Action, you may reroll any dice that come up 1 instead of accepting a Plot Point.
Ooh-Rah D8
There's nothing better than a good fight.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.

Major Jessup is a simple man. He signed up to fight in the Unification War so that he could play with the big toys used by the Alliance military. He loves to drive his hovertank, make things explode, and expertly play his part in complex military maneuvers. Although nominally second-in-command among the Blue Tigers, in battle Major Jessup is usually occupied with his pride and joy: command of the Tigers' heavy armor company.

Blue Tigers Armored Hovertank
Attributes: Body D12, Handling D6, Speed D6
Vehicle Signature Assets: Twin chain guns D8, Environmentally sealed D8, Armored D8

Blue Tigers Armored Vehicle Crewman
Traits: Young and dumb D8, Drive D8, Shoot D6

Captain George Chester Armstrong
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D6
Social D8
Skills
Fight D10
Influence D8 (Persuasion)
Move D10
Perform D8 (Conspicuous Bravery)
Shoot D10 (Rifle)
Sneak D10
Distinctions
Combat Instructor D8
Step one-two. Parry! Thrust!
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Lead by example. When you are in a firefight with your students backing you up and you spend 1PP to avoid being taken out, spend 1 additional PP to give the Complication you acquire to one of your students instead.
Mercenary D8
They don't pay you to look pretty. They pay you to shoot things.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Special Forces D8
May God have mercy on my enemies-- because I won't.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * An army of one. Create a D8 Asset of your choice when you leave the safety of your group to single-handedly face a foe who has an overwhelming numerical advantage.
 * Leave the sentries to me.  Double Fight for one roll after successfully using Sneak to approach an unsuspecting enemy. Any dice which turn up 1s or 2s count for Complications.
Signature Asset:  LARS-29 Alliance Assault Rifle with scope D8

Captain Armstrong is one of the few members of the Blue Tigers' command staff who was too young to have served in the Unification War, but he has nonetheless distinguished himself as an infantry commander and risen quickly through the ranks. Driven and ruthless, he sees Colonel Waybridge as a relic of the last war and despises Major Jessup's childish obsession with armored vehicles. Captain Armstrong believes that he is the only officer in the Blue Tigers who is truly worthy of its command, and seeks to distinguish himself by taking ridiculous risks and inflicting indiscriminate carnage upon whatever enemy the Tigers have been contracted to eliminate.

Blue Tigers Infantry
Traits: Sneak D10, Shoot D8, Disciplined D8, Fight D6

Tigress Two
Attributes and Skills: Engines D6, Hull D12, Systems D6, Crew D8
Distinctions
Higgins-Class Alliance Troop Transport
These medium-sized carriers were used to transport Alliance ground troops from world to world during the Unification War. They're filled with small double occupancy bunks and support compartments which include a galley, entertainment center, and gymnasium. The gym doubles as a mustering area for rapid deployment via a ramp that drops from the bottom of the ship. These vessels are well-stocked with weapons, ammunition, and military-grade explosives.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * So say we all!  When transported soldiers are in combat, spend 1 PP to create an Esprit de Corps D8 Asset.
 * It's the only way to be sure. Once per game session, you can launch high-intensity ordnance against a ground target. Any opponents who would be taken out by this attack cannot spend 1 PP to remain in the fight.
Battle-Scarred D8
Your ship proudly displays the scars of many hard-fought battles. * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Armed and Dangerous D8
When you're being attacked by pirates out in the black, the only ship you can count on is you. And if some sommbitch tries to bite you, well, you can bite back, too.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Antipersonnel Guns D8
Bomb Bays D8

Although the Tigress Two is only one of several ships operated by the Blue Tigers, it has been Colonel Waybridge's personal flagship since the original Tigress was damaged in a tough fight and had to be scuttled. The Colonel has accepted that the Tigress Two is Captain Moran's baby now, and and she is the only one of his officers that he feels comfortable trusting her with.

Pirate Crew: NPCs for the Firefly Role-Playing Game

Howdy!  Here's a rowdy group of NPCs for you to drop into your Firefly campaign-- a pirate crew, whose modus operandi is to troll the lesser-traveled spacelanes, looking for easy prey, and then to pretend to be Reavers as they barrel down upon their intended target. Victims usually receive a 'wave just before the pirate ship closes with their own, identifying their pursuers as members of a "great and illustrious Reaver clan" and warning them to surrender or "face being Reaved in the barbarous manner of our ancestors."  This pirate crew is capable of shocking brutality, but their approach also requires that some survivors make it back to port to spread the word about Reaver pirates. While they're certainly a superstitious lot, note that none of these individuals actually believes in ridiculous nonsense like the existence of Reavers.

Captain Bhi-Ming Quan
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D8
Social D6
Skills
Fight D10 (Sword)
Fly D8
Focus D8
Influence D6
Labor D8
Move D10 (Leaping)
Shoot D8
Throw D8 (Knife)
Distinctions
Pirate Captain.  D8
I want that ship taken intact. Its cargo belongs to us.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Ship Encyclopedia. When you make a plan that revolves around the layout of a ship, spend 1 PP to create a D8 Asset based upon your knowledge of the ship's layout and schematics.
Crude.  D8
You're a little gorram rough around the edges.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Temper.  D8
Some say you're a mite testy when you're courtin' bad news. Truth is, you're a mite testy all the time.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Anger Issues. Gain 1 PP when you make a bad decision on account of the chip on your shoulder or your short fuse gets you in trouble.
Signature Asset:  Samurai Sword D8

Once a minor gangster in a second-rate Triad, Bhi-Ming Quan realized that he could chart his own destiny out in the Black without having to pay overhead to the Triad bosses.  He's got a good racket going, pretending to be a ridiculous space bogeyman in order to terrorize his victims, and he's not about to let anyone else cut into his action. Captain Quan has convinced himself that he'd make a suitable match for his beautiful adviser, Han-Shei, with whom he is completely infatuated. His biggest concern is that it's hard for his crew to go planetside to enjoy the fruit of their ill-gotten gains when both they and their ship both look like dime-novel Reaver scavengers.

Han-Shei
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D6
Social D10
Skills
Fight D6 (Unarmed)
Focus D8 (Willpower)
Fly D6
Influence D10 (Seduction) (Blackmail)
Know D8
Notice D6 (Personality Traits)
Perform D6
Shoot D6
Treat D10
Distinctions
Goodwill Ambassador.  D8
You're the best candidate to send to a parlay before the bullets start flyin'.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Talking Points. If an ally or associate fails a roll involving their Social attribute in your presence, step up or double your Attribute on your next die roll.
Former Companion.  D8
You trained to be a Companion, but left that life to follow your own path.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Old habits die hard. Step up a Complication to step up or double Social for all Influence, Notice, and Perform rolls for a scene.
Wudang Style.  D8
Also known as practical Tai Chi, being able to be dangerous without a weapon in your hands is pretty dang practical.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.

On the surface, Han-Shei seems little more than the object of Bhi-Ming Quan's rather limited romantic imagination, but the truth is a bit more... complicated.  She's quite willing to allow her captain to take credit for the crew's occasional successes, and she's even willing to tolerate his romantic fantasies, but only when doing so furthers her own goals and objectives.  In reality, Han-Shei is the glue that holds this pirate band together, continually manipulating its members and playing them off against one another in order to get what she wants.  Most of the crew, and even Captain Quan, would be shocked to see the share of their loot that Han-Shei has quietly amassed.

Lin Jiao
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D8
Social D8
Skills
Drive D8
Fight D8
Focus D6 (Stakeout)
Move D10 (Run)
Notice D8
Shoot D10 (Rifle)
Sneak D10
Distinctions
Bean Pole.  D8
You are proper skinny, you are.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Sharpshooter.  D8
See that tin can? The one on the fence-post, at the far end of that pasture? There' s a bug on it. I'm gonna shoot off its wings.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Center Mass. Spend 1 PP to step up a Complication that you inflict with gunfire.
 * Trick Shot. When an opponent is holding an Asset in their hands, make them raise the stakes against a roll including your Shoot skill to avoid having that Asset removed from their pool for their next Action.
Yee-Haw!!!  D8
If a plan don't include explosions, jumping off of a building, and laughing while the law chases you, it ain't a plan worth doing.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Double Down. Double the largest die in your pool before you roll. Step up a Complication to that die type or create one equal to that die type.
Signature Asset:  Sturn-Hammer 4400 sniper rifle D8

Tall and spindly, Lin Jiao is also a dead shot with a rifle. He generally stays close to Captain Quan and Han-Shei, keeping his own sneering thoughts to himself as he leans casually upon his long rifle.  None of the other crew trust him, but he isn't exactly distrusted, either-- it's more like no one understands his motives, and that's unsettling among a band of cutthroat pirates.

"The Reaver"
Attributes
Mental D4
Physical D10
Social D4
Skills
Fight D10
Focus D8  (Staring)
Influence D10  (Terrifying)
Labor D6
Move D6
Notice D6
Trick D8
Distinctions
Mute.  D8
You never had much use for words, anyway.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Morbid and Creepifying.  D8
People say you're a sociopath, when you've simply outgrown morality.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Giant Unstoppable Monster-Man.  D8
What the...???  Run.  Now.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Arms like tree-trunks. Spend 1 PP to step up a Complication that you just inflicted when fighting with your bare hands.
 * Rhino charge.  Whenever an opponent fails to raise the stakes against your Fight skill, spend 1 PP to make an adjacent opponent attempt to raise the stakes against a second Fight attack

The hulking brute called "the Reaver" by Captain Quan's crew looks exactly like a monster from a tale told to frighten children.  A wild shock of matted, tangled hair spills down the Reaver's misshapen head to cover much of his gnarled and twisted frame, which is itself covered with scars, warts, and festering boils.  The Reaver enjoys playing his part by frightening and intimidating others during boarding actions, and only occasionally goes on bloody rampages when he gets himself too worked up (in such cases, only the lovely Han-Shei seems capable of calming him).  Still, in some ways, the Reaver is a pitiful creature with the mind of a child, understanding little of what happens around him and ill-suited for life among a band of cutthroats.

Ji Fan
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D6
Social D8
Skills
Craft D10 (Replacement Parts)
Fix D10 (Engines)
Know D8 (Naval Engineering)
Move D6
Operate D10 (Shipboard Computers)
Shoot D6
Sneak D8 (Lurking)
Distinctions
Saboteur.  D8
Sabotage ain't just about breakin' things. It's about breakin' them at the right time.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Two Steps Ahead. When you reveal that you've already put sabotage into motion, spend 1PP to create a Sabotage D8 Asset.
Salvager.  D8
Folk leave all sorts of valuable hulks and crates floatin' around, waitin' for you to just swoop in and liberate them.  Finders keepers.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Spare Parts.  Spend 1 PP to turn a gear or equipment-based Asset into two new Assets. Step back the die rating of the original Asset to determine the die rating of the new Assets.
Scavenger.  D8
It's everyone for themselves in the Black.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Saboteur. Step up your Fix die whenyou use a part that you took from a ship without the owner's knowledge.
 * Scavenger's Eye.  Spend 1 PP when searching a pile of abandoned parts to find a nearly working version of the part you've been looking for
Signature Asset:  Magnification goggles D8

Ji Fan spends most of his time in his workshop in the Kongbu's aft power plant, trying to make himself as unobtrusive as possible.  As ship's mechanic, he's the one truly indispensable member of his crew, a mechanical wizard who keeps an impossibly outdated and neglected wreck of a ship space-worthy.  Once a prize has been taken, Ji Fan emerges from hiding long enough to walk through the captured vessel, selecting parts and equipment which the Kongbu needs.  Ji Fan knows that Han-Shei is the real leader of his band of pirates, and he sees that her influence over "the Reaver" makes her position almost unassailable, so the old man bides his time working quietly behind the scenes and waiting for his circumstances to change.  Ji Fan knows that Han-Shei has been stealing from the crew, and he knows that Captain Quan would be lost without her, and he also suspects that Lin Jiao would eagerly step into the Captain's role if he had the support of a majority of the crew... something that Lin Jiao could never obtain without the support of the ship's only mechanic.

The Yejian Kongbu ("Night Terror")
Attributes and Skills:  Engines D10, Hull D8, Systems D6, Crew D6
Distinctions
Sunburst-Class Light Transport  D8
The Sunburst-Class Light Transport is a small bulk hauler, easily recognizable by its squat bow and large forward cargo pylons, with a massive aft power plant set upon three gigantic rear thrusters.  Few of these vessels were still in service by the start of the Unification War, and fewer still saw the war's end.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Look at that thing go!  Spend 1 PP to step down your ship's Hull rating for the rest of the scene to double your Engine rating for an Action.
Coming Apart at the Seams  D8
Some folk don't care much about taking care of their boat.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
 * Uncontained Core.  Take a Dangerous Radiation D8 Complication to step up or double Engines for an Action.
Spiky Bits  D8
Scared yet?  Yor ship looks like somethin' fierce, with all sorts of jagged scrap metal, rods, and junk attached to the hull's exterior.
 * Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Grapplers  D8
Shuttles  D8

"Freedom's Flight" conversion from Serenity Roleplaying to Firefly Roleplaying

Happy Independents (Independence?) Day!

Here's my Firefly Roleplaying Game conversion of the "Freedom's Flight" adventure from Serenity Adventures, which was actually written for the Serenity Roleplaying Game.  This was a highly underrated adventure, in my opinion, especially if your crew leans Browncoat.  My conversion allows you to run the adventure using the Firefly rules, since I personally prefer the Cortex Action system used in Firefly Roleplaying to the Cortex Classic rules used in Serenity Roleplaying.

Xi Wang Black is alone when he first meets the crew in Act 1 Scene 1. Given Black's role in the adventure, I statted him as a Medium Major GMC, created a Light Major GMC for his second-in-command, and treated the other Swift Justice bounty hunters like Minor GMCs. I did this so that these bounty hunters could easily become recurring Rivals or Antagonists in your series-- especially considering how the plot to this adventure unfolds. Mercedes Wingate has also been created as a Light Major GMC.

Remember that Act 1 is written to land your crew in prison, and is therefore admittedly pretty railroady, but this Act can be skipped in its entirety if they've already been incarcerated for some reason.

Xi Wang Black, Medium Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D8
Physical D10
Social D6
Skills
Drive D6
Fight D8
Fly D8
Focus D6
Move D6
Notice D10
Shoot D10
Survive D6
Throw D6
Distinctions
Bounty Hunter D8
There are wanted men everywhere in the 'Verse and people who'll pay good money for'em. This is what I do. You don't have to like it.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Tracker Spend 1 PP to create a Quarry D6 Asset. Choose your target; they don't have to be in your presence. You may use this Asset in any rolls made to track down and capture your target. Every time you use it in a die roll and fail, you may step it up by one. You may only have one Quarry Asset at a time.
Daredevil D8
That was great! I've never skydived from a crashing ship before!
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Veteran of the Unification War D8
War leaves a mark on your heart n' soul.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Fightin' type. Spend 1 PP to step up or double your Shoot or Fight when you're outnumbered.
Signature Assets: LARS-29 Alliance Assault Rifle D8, Stun Stick D6, Bounty Hunter Cuffs D6


Lilly Rose, Light Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D6
Social D6
Skills
Drive D6
Fight D6
Fix D6
Fly D10
Influence D8
Move D6 (Dodge)
Notice D8
Perform D6
Shoot D6
Distinctions
Bounty Hunter D8
There are wanted men everywhere in the 'Verse and people who'll pay good money for'em. This is what I do. You don't have to like it.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Cortex Sniffer Spend 1 PP to use Operate instead of Survive to track down a fugitive.
First Mate D8
I'm the captain's right hand.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
The Looks, Not the Brains D8
How you doin'?
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Signature Assets: Stun Stick D6

Bunk, burly bounty hunter
Traits: Physical D8, Fight D8, Fix D10, Scary D6, Tracking D10, Manners D4

Doc Abram, gambling bounty hunter medic
Traits: Treat D8, Shoot D6, Fight D4, Play Cards D10

Trigger, bounty hunter sharpshooter
Traits: Shoot D12, Fight D6, Fly D8, Influence D6, Twitchy D4

Other generic bounty hunters
Traits: Physical D8, Fight D6, Shoot D6, Tracking D6


Freedom's Flight
Attributes and Skills: Engines D10, Hull D6, Systems D8, Crew D6
Distinctions
Modified Cicero-Class Modular Transport D8
The Cicero class featured a novel modular design allowing for multiple cargo configurations. Though it was sturdy and well-built, the ship's multiple modular sections made them prohibitively expensive to own and operate, and few additional modules were made. Most Ciceros that are still flyin' today are still in the same original configurations that they were sold in.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Stolen D8
We didn't come by this boat fair and square.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Spoofed Systems Spend 1 PP to reroll a pool containing Systems against any attempt to identify or track down the ship.
They don't make these any more. D8
This ship is old. Really old. Still, the fact that she's still flyin' means that you've got a gem on your hands, and there is a lot of advice on the Cortex for fixin' her. Still hard to get parts though.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]We don't carry that. Take or step up a Complication regarding the unavailability of parts you need to fix your ship to gain 1 PP.
Four-cell detention module D8
Warheads D8

Mercedes Wingate, Light Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D6
Social D6
Skills
Fight D6
Focus D6
Influence D10
Knowledge D6 (Unionism)
Labor D8 (Mining)
Operate D10
Treat D6
Distinctions
Labor Advocate for Miner's Guild D8
Workers of the 'Verse, unite!
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Rabble Rouser. Create a D6 Social Complication in dealing with corporate management and create a D6 Social Asset in dealing with corporate laborers. For 1 PP you can step up both.
[*]Do-Gooder. Receive 1 PP whenever you allow yourself to become side-tracked or distracted in your efforts to improve the lot of those less fortunate than yourself.
Heart of Gold D8
I may be rough around the edges, but deep down I'm a good person.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Dedicated D8
I don't take much sitting down. My cause gives my life meaning.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.

For Act 1 Scene 2 I've provided stats for Police Lieutenant Wallace Birch, a Light Major GMC who is only mentioned by name in the text, and created a Medium Major GMC, Alliance Captain Loralei Wan. The police officers, Alliance troopers, and bar patrons in this scene are all Extras. I've also created a few Scene Triggers for the streets of Gambler's Run between the Ace In the Hole and the Last Chance Saloon, because the crew should be thoroughly humped by the end of the Act-- the odds are good that a few will be taken out before the rest decide to lay down arms.

Police Lieutenant Wallace Birch, Light Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D6
Physical D8
Social D6
Skills
Drive D8
Fight D8
Fix D6
Influence D8 (Bribery)
Shoot D8 (Quick Draw)
Survive D6
Treat D6
Trick D8 (Corruption)
Distinctions
Long Arm of the Law D8
Criminals are a hard bunch. The law needs to be harder still.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Instigator D8
I'm sorry, did I call you ugly? I meant to say you're shamefully ugly for a baboon.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Right Old Mixer Gain 1 PP whenever you goad somebody into throwing the first punch or taking the first shot.
Wet Behind the Ears. D8
Folk say you're naive. It ain't that. You just grew up a mite sheltered, is all.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
Signature Assets: Badge D6, Billy club D6

Hera Planetary Police, D8

Bar patrons, D6


Alliance Captain Loralei Wan, Medium Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D8
Social D6
Skills
Fight D10
Fix D6
Influence D10
Move D6
Notice D8
Shoot D10
Survive D6
Trick D10
Distinctions
Alliance Officer D8
You proudly wear the uniform of the organization that brought peace to the universe.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Chain of Command. Gain 1 PP when you step up a Complication because of orders you received from your superiors.
Schemer D8
Everybody wants something. Let's make a deal.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Wheeler Dealer. If you exaggerate your promises or position while negotiating for services, you may step up Trick for the Action. Both 1s and 2s count as jinxes for the roll.
Unprincipled. D8
You'd sell your own mother to the Reavers to make some coin. Your pappy you'd throw in for free.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! When you betray an ally, gain 1 PP and double the highest Complication die in the ally's roll.
Signature Asset: LARS-22 Alliance Carbine Rifle D8

Alliance troopers, D10

Streets of Gambler's Run
Scene Dice: Snipers in place D10, Got the drop on us D8, Nowhere to run D6

All of Act 3 takes place within Perdition Penal Facility. Colonel Rejovic is presented as a Heavy Major GMC so that he can be used as a recurring villain (as suggested in the text).  Corporals Lin and Yang have been written up as Minor GMCs. Prison guards and other inmates are presented as Extras.  I've also created a few Location Triggers for Perdition, which is not a nice place.

Perdition Penal Facility looked
much nicer in the brochures.

Colonel Jedac Rejovic, Heavy Major GMC
Attributes
Mental D10
Physical D6
Social D10
Skills
Fight D6
Focus D12 (Patience)
Influence D12 (Torture)
Know D12 (Psychology)
Move D6
Notice D10 (Empathy)
Survive D8
Treat D10 (Revive)
Distinctions
Alliance War Criminal D8
I commanded Alliance prison camp during the war. Conditions were... severe. Let's just say it was good for me that the Alliance won.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Sadist Spend 1 PP to double Influence over those who are helpless to resist your interrogation. Regain 1 PP if they resist, but you succeed in making them talk anyway.
Prison Warden D8
These prisoners may be an unruly bunch, but I run an orderly facility here.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]Teach 'em a lesson, boys. Spend 1 PP to step up a Complication inflicted by one of your guards.
[*]Send this one to the lower titanium mines. Spend 1 PP to double Influence when threatening inmates with dangerous work assignments.
Always Keeping Score D8
Go ahead. Laugh. It isn't over yet.
[*]Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a D4 instead of a D8.
[*]A dish served cold. Spend 1 PP to create a Nursing a Grudge D6 Asset. Choose your target; they don't have to be in your presence. You may use this Asset in any rolls made to avenge yourself against your target. You may only have one Nursing a Grudge Asset at a time.
Signature Assets: Torture Chamber D8, Prison Authority D6

Corporal Lin
Traits: Mental D8, Shoot D8, Prison Administrator D8, Living Scarecrow D4

Corporal Yang
Traits: Influence D6, Shoot D6, Sadist D6, Grossly Obese D4

Prison Guards, D8

Inmates, D6


Perdition Penal Facility
Location Dice: Triad gangs D8, Browncoat veterans stick together D6, Armed guards on catwalks D10, Dangerous lower titanium mines D12
Location Triggers:
[*]Fresh fish. When you're outnumbered by predatory inmates but decide to escalate a fight anyway, spend 1 PP to create a Prison Rep D6 Asset. If you actually win the fight, get 1 PP back.
[*]Convict Code. Earn 1 PP by taking the rap for another inmate with prison authorities.
[*]Pulling rank. Crew members with Triad or Browncoat contacts may spend 1 PP to step up the relevant 'Triad Gang' or 'Browncoats stick together' Location Die for one roll.
[*]What we have here is a failure to communicate. Crew members who stand up to the Warden in front of the general inmate population can create or step up a D8 Complication for dealing with prison staff and simultaneously create or step up a D6 Asset for dealing with other inmates.

Handling torture in the game: The rules on pp. 47-50 of Serenity Adventures provide good guidelines for running the torture chamber scene without becoming ghoulish. Have each crew member write down four of their secrets, and then roll Mental + Focus (plus any other appropriate dice in their pool) against Rejovic's Social + Influence + specialization die (plus any other appropriate dice in his pool). Failure means that one of the characters' secrets is revealed, while success means that the character takes or steps up a Tortured D6 Complication; characters who are taken out by this complication will awaken in their cells later. To bolster Mercedes' morale, a single crew member can roll Social + Influence (plus any other appropriate dice in their pool) against the GM's dice poll of Rejovic's Social + Influence (plus any other appropriate dice in his pool); however, other crew members can lend an Influence skill die to this crew member's pool if desired. Failure means that Mercedes takes or steps up a Catatonic D6 Complication; if taken out in this manner she can attempt Recovery rolls as described in the Firefly RPG core book.

The rest of the adventure can pretty much be run as published.  Enjoy!