Inner Sphere Adventures - 'Mechwarrior RPG

Image obtained from source material at: http://www.sarna.net

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The Dark Heresy campaign has taken a break and a new game has started - this time in the Battltech Universe.  Can't say I'm enarmoured with the actual game system or more precisely the character creation process.  It took me three days to decipher the process and come to a character I was happy with.  In the end I'm sure I made mistakes, but I think our GM is happy enough that I haven't milked the system to any advantage.  Not that I do, I write narrative campaigns and stories, unlike those who accompany me who seek loot, loot and carnage.  Sigh to be surrounded by barbarians!

Name: Ackerly Talbot Barrington Davion

Affiliation: Federated Suns

Age: 27                 Height: 1.85m                   Weight: 95kg

ATTRIBUTES				TRAITS
	Value	Mod.	Max.	Addiction – pipe smoker
Strength	4		5	Allergy (2) – Anaesthetic
Body	5		5	Contact – Batman/Gentlemans Gentleman
Dexterity	5		6	Contact – Team Banzai – ‘Mech Technician
Reflexes	6		7	Contact (2) – Commandant NAIS College of MS
Intelligence	6		7	Contact (2) – Team Banzai – Senior Officer
Willpower	5		9	Combat Sense
Charisma	6		8	Commission/Rank (1) - Leftenant
Edge	4		8	Enemy – brother of ex-fiancé (Marston Hasek)
Social Standing	9	-1	9	Enemy – ex-fiancé (Beatrice Hasek)
				Promotion (5) – Squad 2nd – Corporal
SKILLS				Stigma - Davion
Name			Bonus	Wealth (5)
Academic/Federated Suns History			+1	Well Connected – Victoria (New Avalon DZ)
Academic/Lyran Commonwealth History			+1	Well Connected – New Avalon
Appraisal			+1	Well Equipped (6)
Bureaucracy/Federated Suns			+2
Career/Soldier			+1
Computers			+1
First Aid			+1
Gunnery/Ballistic/Humaniod			+1
Gunnery/Laser/Humaniod			+1
Gunnery/Missile/Humaniod			+1
Language/Japanese			+1
Language/Mandarin			+0
Language/English			+1
Language/German			+1
Language/Russian			+0
Leadership			+1
Martial Arts/Military			+1
Navigation/Ground			+1
Negotiation			+1
Perception			+1
Piloting/’Mech			+2
Protocol/Federated Suns			+2
Protocol/Lyran Commonwealth			+1
Rifles			+1
Sensor Operations			+1
Strategy			+1
Streetwise			+1
Swimming			+1
Tactics/’Mech			+1

Ackerley Talbot Barrington Davion was born on Victoria in 3012 during the dying days of the reign of Ian Davion.  He is the eldest child of the ambitious and some might say ruthless Duchess Brionna Davion, also coincidently related to Yvonne Davion the Prince’s Champion.

Early life was typical for a Davion, pampered spoilt and idyllic.  While his body wasted away his mind honed itself on the pursuits necessary on moving up the greasy pole of society.  His dutiful mother (widowed yet again) married her fourth (nervous) husband and secured her position as planetary ruler of Victoria.  This did however lead to a few promises to be broken, namely the alliance in marriage between young Ackerley and Beatrice Hasek which had been announced when the pair was only 10.  The children along with Beatrice’s brother Marston grew up firm friends, an actual relationship blossomed between Beatrice and Ackerley until that fateful day when Brionna Davion knifed (alliteratively) Halsey Hasek in the back to climb to the position of planetary Duchess.  The political fallout was monumental, the marriage arrangement was cancelled leaving Beatrice in tears and Marston swearing to avenge the wrong done to his sister’s honour by the ambitious Duchess of Victoria – this meant Ackerley was in the firing line.

Ackerley at this time was rather pleased with the outcome as Beatrice had become too much of a bore and was taking her assumed rise in social status far too much for granted.  Ackerley like most Davion’s despised toadies, and the Haseks were perhaps well known for being such creatures.  Duchess Brionna sensing that matters could end in the death of her only male heir packed him off to New Avalon and the joys of higher education.  There Ackerley was enrolled in the New Avalon Military Academy or as it is now called the NAIS College of Military Sciences.  Here he learned that being in the wrong place at the right time could be profitable and earn him as much knowledge for later life as hitting the books.  Making friends with the Commandant of the Academy when he was caught with proscribed goods (which just happened to be her fancy) was just a matter of good fortune.  It was indeed good fortune that dogged his remaining years at NAIS.

Ackerley had the support throughout his early career from his mother and the every present Davion name.  The wealth, equipment and connections he made on New Avalon secured his survival against the numerous if infrequent accidents that would occur from time to time.  Nothing could be proved but generally one of the Hasek siblings was on New Avalon when these events occurred.  Ackerley wasn’t born yesterday and he took precautions to ensure that his health remained safe and secure – certainly the family did.

Finally the time came for Ackerley to take to the field as every Davion who wishes to take command must do.  Ackerley completed his graduate programme at NAIS in military science, this favoured his placement (with family influence) in Team Banzai.  The CO assigned Ackerley a newly acquired Panther from a Draconis Combine raid which he named “Happy”. (Don’t ask why, no one knows to this day?) His first tour was brutal and he discovered in all honesty that the holovids lied about the glory of war.  It was here that he distinguished himself and earned a battlefield commission to the rank of Leftenant.  During a battle at some unnamed village on the Draconis Combine border Ackerley and a squad of infantry fought off a squadron of light tanks and a company of infantry until relief forces arrived twelve hours later.  Why did Ackerley and the Squad fight so heroically? A field hospital with wounded who could not be moved was the answer.  Later one of those wounded in that hospital sought out Ackerley once he was commissioned and (once vetted by MIIO) granted permission to be his batman.  Thus did Sergeant Reginald Bunter enter the service and life of Ackerley, for good or ill?

The second tour of duty proved to be more difficult than the first.  While still stationed on the DC border Ackerleys ‘mech was brought down by enemy fire in a chemical dumping ground (which happened to be a swamp).  Trapped in his ‘mechs cockpit with contaminated swamp fluids permeating his injuries and lacerations he entered delirium and did not recover consciousness till he awoke in the NAIS medical wing on New Avalon.  To his delight he found out that Sergeant, no it was Mr Bunter now, had mounted a rescue party to retrieve him from his downed ‘Mech.  Bunters’ service in the AFFS had been completed and the Davion family had contracted him to continue to serve the family.  Bunter was to butler for Ackerley while he was in residence and wherever humanly possible for him to attend.  The time at the NAIS medical facility was long and difficult; the complications from the infections and the suspected foul play (yes the Haseks were again on New Avalon) that hampered Ackerley’s recovered made his final discharge a three year journey.  This painful and lengthy process lead to his system rejecting most anaesthetic drugs; making it difficult and expensive to treat Ackerley from here on out.  To offset his boredom at NAIS he developed an addiction to pipe smoking and he is never without his pipe and a stash of good tobacco.  Everyone knows where he is and more importantly where he’s been.

Ackerleys stay on New Avalon and at NAIS has made him well connected and well placed.  His contacts with Team Banzai are useful if limited, however the access to technological information or resources is where the greater benefit lies.  Armed with his family’s wealth, name and social standing Ackerley wonders where his path now lies...

+++The palatial private quarters of Duchess Brionna.+++

“Mother I simply refuse to go, you can’t send me off!  I’m not a child of 10 anymore.”

Bunter intruded with a tray of refreshment and the hostilities ended while the more civilised niceties of high tea were observed.  After the happened, and before Ackerley could get another broadside off the Duchess gave her orbital strike.

“Ackerley dear boy! I will cut you off without a penny if you don’t do as I say.  I know you haven’t a C-Bill to your name at present.  What cockamamie scheme did Bunter have you invest your allowance in this time? No wait, I don’t want to know.”

Bunter, who was clearing the service away, did not even blink or show a sign that he had been mentioned in the conversation.  Unless he had been spoken to directly, he’d wait and see what came of it.  With luck they’d forget, and Plucky Percy will win at race 7 today.

“The Haseks damn near killed you on New Avalon while you were recovering.  I think a stint away from Federated space is what’s best for you for the moment.  You’ll be joining a band of mercenaries for a while, I suggest you use the name Talbot Barrington, well actually I demand it.  I’ve drawn up the papers; your identity has been created.  As at this moment you will cease being a Davion except by blood, try not to let slip who you are to the rabble dear.  I’ll try to arrange for Bunter to accompany you, but you know what it’s like with these infernal agencies and their rules.”

Ackerley looked at his mother closely.  He could actually see through all the banter that there was real concern there.  The political infighting with the Haseks was starting to become a problem, not just for our branch but more so for our Prince Hanse.  It was best to ensure that the bloodline continues in the event something happens to his mother.  Not that it would, Vyonne would not let it happen – yet times were changing. 

“Very well mother, I will do as you ask.  I take it you will at least provide me some seed money?  Yes, yes I’ll make sure Bunter doesn’t go near the race track with it.”

This time Bunter did miss a step as he went about his duties.

+++End of story.+++