A Closer Look: Wulf Reinhardt

(Today we cover another character in detail, Matt the Infantry Specialist.)

Fenrir File: 411

Area of Origin: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   Born: 04/18/2076 (Age: 24)

Background: The Infantry Specialist  

Spirin Bonded: Strundu'ul (Mammal (Cat)/Air (Lightning)

Jaeger: Sturmer Krallenhass, (Striker of Clawed Hatred) (Modernized Mk. 7)

(File Photo)

Basics: Wulf Reinhardt is an orphan, both parents killed by covenant forces when he was 10. He was rescued by a mercenary group, the "Blood Knights," a Canadian based mercenary group, led by an exceptionally skilled woman who went by the code name 'Angel.' Wulf was trained incredibly well, and has had many close encounters with the Covenant by this point in his life. He has done a lot of work for the Canadian government, several times when the country did not have a Jaeger he and Needle, a fellow Blood Knight, were placed in an old Mark 7, a drift requiring machine. Over time, the machine was continually upgraded, and upon it's transfer to the X-Com project, it was switched over to a single pilot setup, and renamed the 'Sturmer Krallenhass.'

(The Sturmer Krallenhass.)

Full Back Story:  Wulf Reinhardt was born to a normal, middle class Canadian family in Edmonton, Alberta. Wulf’s father was a college educated air force pilot, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. Wulf grew up relatively normal for a kid of his generation, constant threat from Kaiju, from the seas and the skies… Xenomorphs on the news, over a continent away… but all that changed when Wulf was 10 years old. The covenant had made themselves known to us a year prior, and life was becoming more frightening for humanity. The first alien species we had encountered that was truly more technologically advanced than we were… not just a monster alien of some kind. The family lived on base, in the housing quarter, in what was supposed to be one of the safest places in Canada. A relatively small strike force comprised of grunts, jackals, hunters, and a small amount of elite commanders appeared at the southern end of the city, which was one of the more reinforced areas. 

(Covenant strike group.)

The town’s defenses were holding against the gathered covenant forces, when they were assaulted behind their own walls, by optically camouflaged elites. The alarms were ringing throughout the base. Wulf remembers watching his father suit up, pistol on his hip, shotgun in his hands. Then there was a flash of heat, and a higher pitched weapon discharge sound, and the wall was melting away. Wulf’s mother grabbed him and locked him in a cabinet, quickly pulling all the pots from them, arming herself with two before the doors shut, and darkness filled the young boy’s vision.

There were sounds… gunfire, shouting, the distinctive sound of what Wulf would later learn to be a covenant plasma rifle discharge.  He then remembers the sound of his mother screaming, and the sound of a deep alien voice, speaking in a language he didn’t understand. His mother’s screaming voice began to go further and further away… fading into the distance, with the elite’s deep voice trailing off.

He could hear voices… a sort of yipping language, something he would later learn to identify as Jackal speech, and then, a loud sound, a shockwave, it made Wulf’s ears ring… and then there was the sound of motion, a few startled ‘Yips!’ and then silence… and the doors opened, a blonde woman, face decorated with several scars, light encasing her form like a halo, held her hand out to the child. Wulf took it, climbing from the cabinet. He looked around his old home, there was no sign of his mother, and his father was on the floor… his chest cavity completely exposed, lung tissue mostly melted, but still identifiable… and the heart gone, a black melted mass from the alien weaponry. An image that he still sees sometimes in his sleep…

The woman took Wulf out of his home of Edmonton… plasma fire bringing down buildings around them. He remembers seeing a massive man, covered in many tattoos, carrying a mini-gun in his hands, laying down a massive barrage of fire behind them as they ran…

(Full code name, 'Blood Angel.')

Wulf was rescued by the “Blood Knights,” an elite Special Forces ‘Mercenary’ group based out of Canada. (Loyal to Canada, doing jobs for them for free, but still independent and charging other countries, like America, for their services.) The group leaders, Angel and Raven, adopted young Wulf, and began to train him for the terrors of this new world. 

Wulf’s new ‘mother’ was the group leader, a woman codenamed ‘Blood Angel.’ The name is meant more in the Old Testament sense of the word, an incredibly powerful force, seemingly supernatural, working with divine hands, and above concepts of gender or race. She had the ability to cut through the crap and get to the point. The sheer brutality of her existence, the way she expressed herself on the battlefield, seemed superhuman.

Wulf’s new ‘father’ (the two were not romantically involved, though they were intensely loyal friends, veteran warriors of many battles.) was the massive Alaskan Inuit Native, Raven. The spiritual, tattooed man would stress balance in all things, and kept a spiritual belief in spirits and the earth alive in the group.

(Raven doesn't allow his picture to be taken.)

It was very hard at first for the young orphan. He missed his mother and father, and while he was angry, the anger alone wasn’t enough to make the young man want to train or kill. His heart was broken, and he missed his real mom and dad. Angel and Raven were patient with the young man, understanding the pain of loss themselves, and kept him along on relatively low risk missions. The years went by, Wulf couldn’t help but pick up some basic military training just by being in the environment, and one day, that paid off. Wulf was 14 years old, and the “Blood Knights” were deployed to a covenant invasion occurring in Anchorage, Alaska. The U.S. forces were farther away than Canadian forces, so a check was sent, and the “Blood Knights” were on their way. The mission was going according to plan, grunts, jackals, and the occasional elite were being dispatched silently and efficiently by Angel, with only a combat knife. The group then came upon an open city intersection, heavily fortified by covenant forces, the group had no choice but to fight. Angel took several soldiers and was headed for high ground, for a sniping point. Raven provided cover fire with his massive mini-gun, ripped right off an F-16. Wulf noticed a grunt behind Raven, taking aim with his plasma pistol, and Wulf raised his side arm, an old school Canadian made Browning Hi-Power, and fired. The weapon was steady in his grip, the sound seemed distant, despite being in his own hands. The scream of the grunt echoing in his mind as bullet after bullet ripped through the armored alien hide. In that moment, he had realized that his new family was just that. Family… and he learned the pain of ending a life. 

He continued providing cover fire for Raven, allowing Angel and the rest of the Blood Knights to get into position, and the road was cleared, which led to the saving of the city. Wulf began taking his training, and the lessons of Angel and Raven, much more to heart, and he began to excel, especially in hand to hand combat and stealth. Angel started viewing young Wulf as a protégé, and more of a son as well, and the two grew much closer in his mid-teen years. 

Over the next 4 years, Wulf’s codename became “Blood Wolf,” which Wulf was fine with, and he integrated himself more fully into the Blood Knights, becoming a full-fledged soldier himself. During this time, Wulf sparred only with Raven, and other soldiers, (A southerner named ‘Mongoose’ being often among them.) Angel would never step into the circle with him. Wulf can remember getting into arguments with her, she simply stated that he wasn’t ready for her level. This frustrated the young man, who wanted to prove himself. Angel responded that if he could defeat Raven one on one, they would have a match.

 

Wulf made it his mission to defeat the mighty Raven in a match. The massive man, a raven tattooed on his forehead, constantly surrounded by birds, and weighing in at over 300 pounds of solid muscle, standing over six and a half feet tall, and capable of wielding weaponry removed from aircraft, was a giant, imposing man in every sense of the word. It took Wulf over 2 years to land a punch that even registered on Raven as an ‘ouch.’ And every match, Raven would have some sort of philosophical insight to toss at Wulf while he was on the ground, struggling to get up. (“You must control your Tonrar, (spirit) not let it control you.” Or “There is more than one path to the top of the mountain.” For example.) 

Wulf would practice with Mongoose, who was a crude, slack jawed yokel type of Southerner, painfully stereotypical in many ways, though he was a good friend. Mongoose, true to his name, seemed impossible to keep down, and his secret was a mix of Greco Roman wrestling, and Capoeria, a Brazilian ‘dancing’ martial art. His constant motion, intense pinning style, and chaotic mixture of moves was impossible for the physically superior Wulf to keep up with.

Overtime, Wulf learned to adapt a variation of Mongoose’s style to himself, and then, the smaller, weaker, not as smart warrior became beneath his abilities. Raven was next. Wulf did substantially better than before, even managing to drop the monstrous tattooed man to his knees with an impressive flip around kicking out of the back of his legs. Even so, he only lasted about 3 minutes.

Wulf, as he was approaching his 18th birthday, was becoming impatient. He argued fiercely with his adopted mother, as teenagers are prone to do, and finally, she gave in. “Fine, a match,” was her final cold, stern reply. The group made a circle around the two of them, and Angel simply said “Two seconds.” Wulf was confused, “What?” Raven spoke up, “That is how long she says you will last. I think it will be less, for the record.” Mongoose pulled out a 10 dollar bill, “I’ll take that. Longer than 1 second.” Raven smiled, and the crow sitting on his shoulder ‘laughed.’

("Yokel.")

Wulf got into his stance, and was about to perform a charging high-low spinning kick combo, when there was a flash of motion from Angel, and Wulf felt several small impacts on his upper body, and Angel’s index finger was resting on his forehead. He coughed, and was suddenly in immense pain all over. Angel pushed lightly, and Wulf began falling back, he doesn’t remember hitting the ground.

He awoke in his room, Angel sitting next to him. He had acupuncture needles all over his body, and he was hurting. He coughed, “That wasn’t fair.” He began complaining. Angel rested her hand on his shoulder, carefully avoiding the various needles, “I know.” She started, her tone was warm, caring, very unlike how she normally was. “It’s hard, but it is a lesson. It wasn’t fair for your father and mother, it went just like that.” Wulf felt a knot in his throat, and his eyes began to water. “In this time, with this enemy, you have to be the absolute best to survive what is out there. I’m training you now, rest up.”

The next year was absolute hell. Wulf had training on a level he didn’t think possible. He was left in the Canadian woods with nothing but a knife to survive for a few weeks at a time… once in the middle of winter. A Canadian Winter… It was paying off though, he was starting to see the secrets of Angel’s techniques, and she was becoming less of a ‘super human’ and more of a ‘super elite.’ Another mountain he had to find a path over.

As Wulf approached Twenty years old, the Japanese government sent a payment for the service of the Blood Knights, to reinforce a covenant raid of Tokyo. When the group arrived, Tokyo was in bad shape. Covenant forces everywhere, scattered local forces, and a few squads of more advanced looking soldiers with an unknown marking on their armor. (Wulf would later learn it belongs to the X-Com project.) Angel ordered Wulf to secure a nearby tall building, rooms for snipers, and the rooftop as well. Wulf took several soldiers and began ascending up the stairs, clearing civilians, killing the small covenant forces inside, and depositing blood knights setting up for long range siege support along the way. 

(Code Name: Needle)

When he made his way to the top, he saw something impressive, and frightening. A Japanese soldier, a woman, was wielding a Katana, older, traditional looking, it had probably been in her family for hundreds of years, against a covenant elite. Wulf could see a sniper rifle set up on the side of the building, several feet from the battling warriors. The Elite’s shielding was flaring around him, deflecting blows from the ancient steel blade. Wulf watched the elite take a mighty swing with his plasma rifle, trying to smash the lithe, agile ninja commando, only to hit air as the woman rolled back, grabbing her rifle and trying to point it at the Elite. Wulf pulled the trigger on his assault rifle, and bullets began bouncing off the shielding, ricocheting in every direction. One pierced through the young woman’s right thigh, causing her to scream out and drop her sniper rifle, and one came right back at Wulf, piercing his left bicep. Both warriors were on the ground, bleeding, the elite, stopped in his tracks, and began laughing, rather hysterically. Wulf then noticed a grappling hook attached to the small ‘wall’ on the other side of the Elite. Wulf watched as a head of blonde hair started to poke over, it was Angel. She climbed over the wall, and in seemingly singular motion, she kicked out the creatures right leg, smashed in the left knee, then elbowed the back of the head, while pulling her sidearm with her other hand. The elite was dropped to the ground and his shield made a dramatic ‘flare out’ as the elbow impacted, dropping for the moment. There was a single shot, and the elite fell forward, falling face down, the face shot out from the exit of the bullet out of the back of the head.

Angel offered a hand to the Asian Special Forces member, who took it, and they spoke to each other, in Japanese, and Angel called in a Blood Knight helicopter to take the two injured soldiers back to safety. 

Wulf got to know the young woman, who had earned the nickname ‘Needle’ from her squad mates, (As in, threading the needle, a reference to her incredible accuracy.) and the two hit it off fairly well, having a bit of a comedic connection over both getting taken down by ricocheting gun fire.  

Needle became a blood knight herself, a sniper elite, with an interest in martial arts and sword play. Wulf spent a great deal of time sparring with Needle, and in doing so, began to get a much greater appreciation for the skill of the blade, the samurai style, the quick draw. Needle taught him well, and they became good friends. 

This grew into much more, after an intense situation back home, off the coast of British Columbia, 2 years ago. A Category 3 Kaiju was approaching the coast line, and X-Com had no available Jaeger, as they were busy dealing with a problem involving multiple kaiju strikes in Europe and South America. Canada, in its generosity, had lent all its up to date Jaegers to X-Com and the Americans, they only had one in a museum, an old school drift requiring Jaeger, the Mark 7 Krallen Sturmer. (Clawed Striker.) The government was having a hard time finding drift compatible pilots, and Needle had Jaeger Simulator experience as part of her Japanese special forces training. A search was made for drift compatible minds, and Wulf turned out to be the only one. 

They were tossed into a very quick, 10 minute ‘crash course’ sim battle, the free exchange of memories between the two minds was intense… and the two bonded in that exchange. Needle and Wulf had much in common, like a shared hatred for the Covenant. Since Kaiju were leaving Japan alone with Godzilla living there, the covenant were a constant threat, and her parents, and brother, we taken by the covenant prisoner, she could only watch from her hiding place… a cabinet under the kitchen sink. Wulf learned the basics fairly well with Needle’s help, and they were sent out to British Columbia, to take on a Kaiju in a 50 year old Iron Giant. The coast was under attack by ‘Crab Claw II’ a tri armed Kaiju with 2 horrid ‘crab claw’ arms on the right side. Krallen Sturmer was inspired very much by the 20th century comic book character ‘Wolverine,’ and the grappling intensive kaiju was the perfect one to try these claws out on. The pair made quick work of the crustacean resembling kaiju, lopping its arms off before stabbing it in the heart as a death strike. 

(The kaiju resembled this.)

After the drift, Wulf and Needle were inherently uncomfortable around each other, they had been in each other’s minds, and seen the … rather intense visuals… that the pair had for each other. Finally, after dealing with awkwardness for several months, Needle pulled Wulf into a barracks broom closet, pinned him against a wall, and pressed her lips to his, coaxing his lips open with her tongue. 

Mongoose found them some time later, both half naked, making out, and feeling each other’s skin in heated passion, before the interruption by the good ol’ boy. “Oh look at that, the kids are getting’ hot an’ heavy in the broom closet. Just hand me the bleach, I gotta make me some grits and the grill is filthy.” He smiled widely. The moment was lost, and the pair took off in separate directions, Mongoose’s laughing echoing throughout the empty barracks. 

Wulf and Needle would have the occasional Rendezvous, but the nature of their work never allowed them to get as close as they both wanted to be. The pair had to pilot the ‘Krallen Sturmer’ twice more, each time thankfully the Canadian Government had upgraded the machine, and each time the machine was needed, Canada had sent its primary Jaegers, with their pilots, elsewhere. 

Things were progressing fairly well for the Blood Knights, when a call came through, an assault on Calgary was in progress, and the Canadian Government needed all the help it could get. The Blood Knights arrived to a horrid situation, covenant absolutely everywhere. The city was under a grand siege… Wulf went with Needle and Mongoose to set up a secure sniping and artillery station, and as the trio made it to the roof, there was a pair of Elites, several grunts, and a few jackals, setting up some sort of long range plasma artillery. Silently, the trio set up their shots, Mongoose readying a large grenade of his own design. They pulled the trigger, and Mongoose let loose the grenade. They ducked behind cover until the explosion, then the trio popped back out, letting loose a hail of bullets. When the smoke cleared, there was a hole in the floor, from the grenade, the grunts and jackals were dead, and one elite also appeared to have fallen, lying still near the opening. Wulf carefully took point, looking for any signs of the other elite, when suddenly the fallen blue skinned warrior leapt up, tackling Wulf down into the hole, the impact breaking through the two floors below them and knock the wind right out of Wulf after falling over 20 feet and smashing through two floors. The Elite was on top of him, and as Wulf regained his vision he could see the Elite above him, fist clenched, ready to come down on him. There was then a flash of purple lightning, and the creature was knocked off of Wulf, shouting with startled pain. Wulf rolled over, hobbling away, and looked in the direction of the blast, and saw a most peculiar being. 

(Beware the thunder kitty!)

It was a purple kitten, made of lightning. Wulf was confused, then there was a voice. “Fear not, I am Strundu’ul, the crown of thunder, and I have chosen you.” Wulf wasn’t any less confused as the kitten seemed to become more ‘lightning’ and it flowed over Wulf, giving him a sudden rush of vitality and strength. He flipped up, refreshed, and glowing with purple energy. The elite in front of him looked amused, and lifted his fists into a rather alien stance, that looked like some sort of mantis fist. The pair launched themselves at each other, punching, head butting, biting, throwing. A solid slug fest, the spirin enhanced body of Wulf going blow for blow with the Elite, and the Elite seeming to enjoy it.  Then, Wulf was suddenly struck in the side of the head by a heavy, round object. When he looked up from the ground, the other elite was there, a plasma rifle aimed right at the young man. The pair was laughing at the glowing warrior, and then a flash of grey and blonde, as Angel leapt from above, kicking each one, and pulling her side arm. 

She fired several rounds into the unarmed one, whose shields had still not recovered, and then wrapped her left leg around the head of the other. She shot her last few rounds into the unarmed warrior, then gripped the plasma rifle with her other hand, twisted it at an angle the Elites hand could not physically bend, and ripped it from the creatures grasp, flipping off him, releasing his head from her grip and springing off, sending the elite flying into the wall and smashing the plasma rifle into the face of the bleeding elite. She then pulled apart the stock of the plasma rifle, and laid it next to the weakened elite, an overload function appearing to build up. She then grabbed Wulf, and ducked behind a wall. There was a flash of heat, a blue wispy explosion, and Angel peered around. “One dead, no eyes on the other.” She stated, looking at the sealing wounds on young Wulf. “You and Raven will have something else in common.” She said, smiling at Wulf. She then looked past Wulf… the Elite was standing right there, having found there hiding place. Angel leapt upon the creature. Its shields were down, but it appeared to be mostly uninjured otherwise. Wulf then learned that Angel was indeed not a super human… the Elite was massively stronger than she was, and appeared to be as skilled of a martial artist as she was. He blocked most of her techniques, landed several blows to the face, stomach, and broke her left leg at the shin. Wulf’s body was recovering enough to get back up, and Wulf tried to help his mother. He punched the elite once, right in the face, knocking it off balance, but the elite flipped with a kick, somersaulting into Wulf’s chin, flipping the warrior completely over, almost knocking him out again. Angel dragged him away, looked at him right in the eye, “I’m sorry.” She said, and leapt at the Elite, wrapping her legs, the left one dangling horribly, around the creature’s chest, punching it several times in the face. The elite grabbed her by the throat, and began to squeeze. Then there was a sudden look of panic on the aliens face, Angel had triggered all 3 plasma grenades hanging at the creature’s hip with her right foot, and there was no time to react. The explosion was intense, Wulf rolled behind a nearby destroyed couch for what little cover it would provide, and when the smoke cleared, all he found was a bit of covenant anatomy, and Angel’s tags. 

After Angel’s death the Blood Knights began to break up. Wulf tried to keep the group together, but over the year everyone had gone their separate ways. Raven became isolated, and very depressed. He would partake in ‘vision quests’ and perform shamanic rituals by himself, when asked, he would say that he refused to believe Angel was dead, and that without her warrior spirit to guide him, his existence felt empty.

Mongoose became an American Mercenary, “More money, a lot more money.” Was all he said. Needle went back home to Japan, seeking a job, “Perhaps as a Jaeger Pilot.” She left, giving Wulf a kiss on the cheek before getting on a plane. 

Wulf had seen on the news the monstrous ‘Necro-Gear’ and the existence of X-Com had become public knowledge, their base was even off the coast of Japan… maybe he might run into Needle out there… Wulf thought to himself. And so with a wealth of combat experience, special forces experience, and Jaeger experience, he was able to procure a job at X-Com, and with him, Canada was kind enough to lend (Those polite Canadians…) the newly refurbished ‘Sturmer Krallenhass,’ a now single pilot, and with some maneuverability upgrades, close combat intensive clawed Jaeger, under the condition that should there be a Kaiju threat, that at the very least Wulf and the ‘Sturmer Krallenhass’ must report to protect that country.        

A Closer Look: Xbalanque

(Today we cover another player character, James, the Earth Spirit.)

Fenrir File: 420

Area of Origin: San Miguel, El Salvador. Born 04/28/2076 (Age: 24) Blood Type: AB-

Background: The Earth Spirit (Psychic Abilities: Psi-Barrier, Energy Barrier, Minor Healing, and Sense Xenomorph)

Spirin Bonded: Tlaltecuhtli (Tlalt.) (Raw Earth/Earth, Feral Spirit + Enhanced Human Synergy)

Jaeger: Spiked Mictlantecuhtli (Mict.)  (Rebuilt Mk. 80)

(Entry photo into X-Com.)

Basics: Xbalanque, born Gorge Luis Gonzales, began developing intense psychic abilities before he became a teenager. His first official act of heroism is recorded by the El Salvadoran special forces, where he forced himself on a 'hive cleaning crew' and helped the team dispatch the hive efficiently. His ability to 'hear' the xenomorph threat was invaluable, and he earned the name 'Xbalanque,' a name of a Mayan God of Heroism, and young Gorge has stuck with it ever since. Official records are spotty for the next several years, but his Spirin recently contacted the X-Com project through the spirin collective, and convinced them of his immense worth. So X-Com expended much more resources than was necessary to bring the young mystic into the X-Com project, and they purchased an incomplete Jaeger from the Peruvian Government, and finished it, giving the new recruit a cheaper, but still effective, Jaeger.

(The legs are shiny and new, everything else has seen better days.)

Full Back Story:  Born Gorge Luis Gonzales in a small village north of San Miguel, a bustling town in El Salvador. Gorge grew up loving soccer(football for non-americans.), being an active child, and loving the old myths of his mixed Mayan and Aztec heritage. While he was always different even as a child, not fitting in entirely, it started to become clear to young Gorge in the 10-12 age range, when he began to hear things… whispers on the wind… at first, Gorge didn’t understand what was happening, but eventually he understood them to be the surface thoughts of those around him. He hated it… it horrified him. The influx of voices maddening… So as a young man he would spend time out of the village, exploring Mayan Ruins near the Honduran border. In the ruins he would hear other… more ancient voices… memories locked in the stones of the ruins themselves… the life force sacrificed on those stones imprinted the emotion, the memories… and Gorge could hear them… and other voices too… Ancient voices… of spirits that take on the forms of life itself. 

When Gorge turned 14, he wanted to please the ancient voices he was hearing, so he took the family goat to an ancient Mayan temple, over 50 miles away, and sacrificed the poor creature, bleeding it out down the ancient steps. He heard many voices, including his family pets… and the ancient voices were angry… it was the wrong sacrifice. 

(Something like this.)

His family found him over the body, yelling at it and the stone around him, and so they, being a traditional Catholic family, sought out the local priest, and an exorcism was performed. Such intense thought was easy for the young man to read… to feel the emotions… and the fear… such fear of the unknown. 

Over the next four years, all of High School, Gorge’s powers intensified, he could tell more and more of a person’s mind, and hear the thoughts of his classmates… and it was nothing but fear, the women were full of fear, of men, of kaiju, xenomorphs, foreign folk… the men, full of pride, self-worth, all as a cover for their fear. Gorge would see so few who could overcome their basic fear, and not cower… but as Gorge matured, as he grew, he drew strength from that fear… he would challenge the arrogance of bullies, show them their fears. As he got into scrapes at school, and in sports, he was learning to shield himself with his mind. Blows would lessen, sometimes just glance right off, and Gorge started becoming known around school as someone tough as nails… and when a xenomorph hive was found near the village, Gorge forced himself onto the clearing crew, ‘hearing’ the xenomorphs… while the military men were not wanting to take the high schooler on, his uncanny ability to detect the xenomorphs was invaluable, and they cleared the hive with no casualties, the young man healing the one soldier who took a xenomorph tail in the gut.

The xenomorph leapt upon the squad leader, Colonel Louis Ramos, and plunged his tail into his stomach. Gorge leapt at it, before anyone else reacted, kicking the xenomorph hard in the face, and pushing the soldier away from the monster while the other soldiers rained bullets upon it. He channeled his energy into reforming the flesh… taking away the pain. He felt the intensity in his own mind, the searing pain… and other memories. With a gritting of his teeth, and an intense removal of his hands, with sweat dripping off his brow, the soldier’s stomach was sealed, a jagged scar where the open, bleeding wound was moments earlier.

(Do not try to kick in the face unless there is no other option.)

 The El Salvadoran special forces agent, Colonel Louis Ramos, called young Gorge Xbalanque, saying he embodied the spirit of heroism, going fearlessly, unarmed, into a hive of xenomorphs voluntarily. Gorge liked the name, and started using it on his online profiles, game accounts, and the like… and kept loose online contact with the Colonel.

When he graduated high school, he decided to spend the summer exploring the ruins nearby his home. He found that during his travels, he would be compelled by visions in the ruins… ancient memories living on in the stone… to practice shamanism, to listen to the voices of the world… he could hear the Earth itself it seemed, the Earth mother Gaia, and the voices of the spirin creatures… and so, after partaking of an intense vision quest fueled by jungle mushrooms, Gorge abandoned his name, and became fully Xbalanque, and left, on foot, walking 400 miles north, to the Yucatan Pennisula.

His senses, and the voices on the wind, drove him to a ruin deep in the rainforests… deep into the still not fully explored heart of the Mayan empire. The voices on the wind became as one, a deep, grumbling voice, like the slow grind of the plates of the ocean floor… deep, grinding, like a whale almost. It drove Xbalanque on, calling him by that name, leading him to an ancient ruin hundreds of miles from civilization. Xbalanque could sense the occasional xenomorph mind, one began hunting him, and he was forced to run from the creature, hitting it with a tree branch in the face and swinging over a waterfall by a vine to escape. He eventually made his way to a large Mayan temple. Deep inside, he found a talisman, to an Aztec God, in a Mayan temple…    

(The physical embodiment of Earth)

He could hear the xenomorph as it entered the temple. The same one he had hit with a branch. It had taken it rather personally. Xbalanque felt a tinge of fear, and grabbed the talisman. Holding the talisman, Xbalanque heard the voice. A deep, rumbling voice, male in sound, "It is time," the voice says. Then Xbalanque turns, fist becoming as stone, slowly spreading up his body, and a writhing, dark, dangerous form leaps up from the shadows, hissing menacingly. Xbalanque swings his fist down, like a hammer, smashing the xenomorph down with the talisman, empowered by the stone fist. Slowly, the stone begins to cascade around the young man’s entire body, encasing the shoulder, neck, and traveling down, slowly growing over his body. With the human left hand reaching down, Xbalanque grabs the writhing tail, and with a mighty yell, turns with all his might, slamming the creature down onto the pedestal that was until moments ago holding the talisman. The creature tries to leap up, secondary jaw snapping in front of Xbalanque’s face, tapping lightly the stone forming over his nose. A grin forms on the stone face, and the left hand, now solid stone, releases the tail and delivers a massive left hook to the monstrous Xenomorph head. Raising the talisman above his head, and with strength of the earth itself, the flat, round talisman is brought down onto the chest of the creature, breaking its ribs, caving in the sternum, and crushing the heart itself. Xbalanque feels the acid burning his fist... but the talisman is unharmed.

A voice then echoes in his mind, "Place me on the heart." Doing so, the Xenomorph writhes, and a strange blue/green ethereal energy begin to fill the ancient stone room. The stone begins to drop off, the skin unharmed underneath, and the Xenomorph screams... writhes... And slowly, the acid blood starts flow down the altar, slowly burning into the earth...The body seems to start to cave in completely on itself, fade into blue/green energy, and flow into the ancient talisman. 

The room seems to return to relatively normal, and the voice entered the young man’s mind once more. "You are the one I have been looking for. The mind of Xbalanque. Take up the power of Gaia. I am the Earth's Defender, Tlaltechutli, and I have chosen you as my champion.” Leaving the ancient ruin, Xbalanque walked a year and a half, making his own Macuahuitl on the way, studying shamanism, warfare, and hunting with the tribes he found along the way, before one fateful day in Ecuador. 

In the forest, he found a beautiful woman, dressed in next to nothing, which wasn’t unusual for indigenous peoples he’d met along the way, only she… she was something exceptional. Beautiful beyond compare, but also a mother of a 6 year old girl… both of whom Xbalanque discovered very shortly after meeting them had a psychic gift similar to his. 

(Love at first telepathic sight.)

Xbalanque fell very hard for Rosa, and she fell for him as well, being a lonely widow herself. Xbalanque and Rosa raised her daughter, Emma, together in that village in the heart of the Rainforest in Ecuador. Xbalanque finally felt like he had a family, his gifts were also respected in the village, and he and Rosa were both being trained in the ancient art of shamanism and herbalism. For an entire year, Xbalanque was happy. A father, a lover, a healer of the whole village… he adopted the entire place, and couldn’t leave. All that changed one day though… one horrible day. Xbalanque was out gathering medicinal herbs in the forest, when his xenomorph sense went haywire… he could hear them… and they were hunting. 

Tlalt empowered Xbalanque, giving him increased endurance and strength, and the pair ran back to the village. He could see several dead men, hunters trying to defend the others, but the bulk of the village was getting carried off by the horrible, black, rubbery skinned invaders. Xbalanque only slowed for a moment before rushing the closest he could see, catching it by surprise with a massive smash from his Macuahuitl. Acid began burning his club, and the xenomorph, skull completely caved in, acid spraying, spun around, flying over 10 feet before falling lifelessly to the ground. Xbalanque concentrated on the acid burning his club and his body from the flying xenomorph, and a shimmer formed over him, the acid falling harmlessly off it, and his club. (Energy Shield) 

(The 'Spirin Merged' form.)

Reaching down, he grabbed a rock, and pressed it to his holy symbol, Tlalt’s energy moving from Xbalanque to the stone/symbol, starting to take shape. Xbalanque then tossed the shifting, forming rock golem into the Xenomorphs, the small golem popping out, tackling one, causing him to drop the young child being carried. 

Xbalanque focused his mind, increasing his kinetic barrier, before rushing to Tlalt’s aid. While they managed to free a few villagers, the bulk, Rosa and Emma, included, were being hauled away. After killing 3 Xenomorphs between the two of them, Xbalanque’s Macuahuitl had burned away, despite his energy shielding. Tlalt remerged into Xbalanque, preparing for Earth Knight, and running after the hive of Xenomorphs… the screams of the villagers, but more importantly, the emotions… the fear of his fellow psychically gifted family, the thoughts of Rosa… and Emma… echoing through the trees… shouting on the wind. 

Xbalanque ran for several miles, Tlalt’s endurance enhancing merge keeping him on their heels. As Xbalanque approached a large clearing, at the base of a mountain, he could hear intense thoughts… the thoughts of many, many more xenomorphs… and in the clearing, in front of a cave, stood a xenomorph queen. Stone began forming up the legs, and over the arms, when a  Xenomorph came leaping from the cave. Xbalanque smashed the creature down, then raised a stone foot, smashing it on the back of the Xenomorph, breaking its back, smashing its organs, and causing it to scream in pain as the stone form completed over Xbalanque. Xbalanque took a few strides before roaring at the queen. He could see villagers getting taken into the darkness of the cave beyond… and the Queen approached. 

With speed Xbalanque was not expecting at all, the tail pierced right through the 2 kinetic barriers, the stone, right into his heart and out his back. The stone began dropping off his shoulders immediately, Tlalt starting to try and save his host. Xbalanque then heard Emma’s voice. “PAPA!” 

He looked up, and with great strength, gripped the tail with his left stone hand, and swung his right with all his might, chopping the tail right off. He ignored the pain, and the blood pumping from his pierced heart, being kept pumping by Tlalt. The Queen reared back, screaming, and he could see Rosa and Emma vanishing in the darkness, hear their thoughts… the fear… 

(The 'Earth Knight' form)

Charging, ignoring the acid blood the queen was flinging at Xbalanque, and pulled the massive bladed tail from his heart, holding it like a sword in his right hand. The earth fell off completely, Xbalanque kept running, the queen lunged forward, and Xbalanque swung the tail, hitting it in the side of the face, a clear cut bleeding on the creatures face. It screamed, and turned to go back into the cave. Xbalanque was about to throw the tail at the queen, when two more xenomorphs charged him. Xbalanque impaled one, and the other raked his claws across his back… drawing an enormous amount of blood. Xbalanque took the tail blade from the dead xenomorph, and thrust it into the xenomorphs hissing mouth, ripping through the top of its skull. Xbalanque began to lose consciousness, the damage becoming too great to keep going… Tlalt starting taking over the fading mind…

And he awoke later in the mountains. He made his way to Machu Pichu, Peru, protecting who he could… and trying to deal with the pain in his heart… both from the alien tail and his lost family… He has most recently defeated 4 xenomorphs, and after his spirin Tlalt communicated with the spirin collective… Xbalanque needed a change of pace, and a way to actually help those he needed to. He negotiated the evacuation of the entire city of Aquas Calientes, and X-Com went ahead and purchased Peru’s incomplete Jaeger, at double the cost… and finished it, readying it for X-Com’s newest secret weapon… the next step in human/spirin evolution. 

A Closer Look: Dekar Cole

Now that we've covered the rules, equipment, perks, spirins, and some basic world history, from here on out we're going to be looking at our players, and the factions, in more detail.

For each player's entry, the players background, jaeger background, and personal side quests will be posted, and updated on these pages as needed.

As far as these go, these are going to be called the 'Fenrir Files,' and are the specialized personnel files of the X-Com project. They are detailed looks into the lives of its chosen champions. So without further ado, let us begin with Josh, who's been my super helpful assistant with this.

Fenrir File: 334

Dekar Cole, Born 12/28/2078 (Age: 22)   Blood Type: O   Character Level: 3

Area of Origin: Annapolis, Maryland, USA.  Background: Combat Jaeger Pilot

Spirin Bonded: S.1.Zard  (Lizard/Soil with hardened carapace.)

Jaeger: Metal Drago, EXAM-01 (Experimental Alien Model 01)

(Recent photo.)

Basics: Dekar Cole is a relatively new Jaeger pilot who graduated the top of his class, and is the adopted son of X-Com Lt. Colonel Samuel Cole. During his 2nd combat mission, in an American lent Jaeger, he bonded with his Spirin. He is currently in line to pilot the newest, most advanced Jaeger that X-Com has built, the Experimental Alien Model 01, dubbed the 'Metal Drago.' The Jaeger itself houses an experimental alien reactor recovered from a downed Overseer battle ship, and a standard Fusion reactor. It is also entirely plated with recovered covenant alloys, and forged Meteorian, the toughest material we know of at the moment. He is our current 2nd highest ranking Jaeger pilot, behind Dmitri Barinov. (NPC.)

(The Metal Drago)

Full Back Story: Dekar Cole was only 8 years old when a category 5 kaiju destroyed his home city of Annapolis, Maryland. One of humanities few remaining Jaegers, Magnet Smasher, was engaging the kaiju, code named Tongue Lasher, by using his Magnetic Arm Rail Cannon to take pot shots at the Kaiju. In response, the Kaiju let loose an electrical shockwave that knocked out all electronics in the area, including the Jaeger. The Kaiju then began searching and consuming any humans he could find or dig up that were hiding in the kaiju bunkers. Dekar and his family, as well as many other people were hiding out inside a kaiju bunker, nervous, and fearful as the lights went out. They could hear the sounds of the soil and concrete above them moving… grinding… the scratching on the metal ceiling... Dekar can remember then a silence, a long silence, his heart beating… he can hear his mother and father breathing… then an enormous crash, the Kaiju claw ripping through the thick metal ceiling. The massive face of the Kaiju peered in, those horrible, slit, reptilian eyes… then the maw went over the hole, and out came a massive, sticky, cat-like tongue. Dekar can still remember the smell, and the hot horrid feeling that came as the creature’s breath washed over them. Then the tongue started scooping up the gathered people, by the dozens, screaming, kicking, panicking… but we could do nothing. There was nowhere to go. Dekar remembers being in the very back of the bunker, only a small handful of us left in the back, when the tongue picked us all up. Dekar’s Mother and Father managed to toss the young Dekar to the ground, Dekar looked up to see them screaming, and vanish into the maw… the tongue then making its way to the frozen child. Dekar then remembers the creature screaming out, a brief gust of putrid breath filing the bunker briefly before a vibrant blue light filled the area, carrying the Kaiju away. Then, a war cry… a loud, screeching war cry, and the earth shaking…

(Godzilla, eater of Kaiju?)

Dekar, in shock, crawled out of the bunker. Several city blocks away, the monstrous Godzilla was standing over the Kaiju, kicking it in the ribs. It reached down, and tore the creatures’ right arm right off its body. Turning, taking a few steps, munching on Kaiju arm, Godzilla sees the child in the bunker ruins. He stands, studying the young creature for several moments. Dekar, out of some sort of weird nervous response, salutes Godzilla. The creature seemed to nod in response… and then his tail smashed down on the Kaiju a final time, before it made its way back to the ocean, swimming away, kaiju limb still in its mouth…

(What a tongue kaiju might look like.)

Dekar looked around Annapolis, the city was destroyed… buildings obliterated, rubble everywhere… then his eyes went to the Tongue Lasher, the tongue was starting to unfurl, and slowly, weakly, make its way to Dekar’s location, over 100 yards away. It started to pick up speed, Dekar stood, frozen, watching it approach. There was then a loud ‘Thunk’ sound and the Kaiju’s head exploded, the tongue getting carried away, wrapping around a nearby ruined skyscraper by the force. Dekar looked to the bay, and standing there was Magnet Smasher, his rail gun arm glowing, reactor core flickering, barely recovering from the EMP. The Jaeger then walked over, and sat ‘next’ to Dekar, still frozen on the ruins of the bunker. Dekar remembers staring at the scene, the kaiju, the city, the jaeger… then the rescue and recovery teams coming to take him away to the orphanage…

After this incident, Dekar, along with many other kids who lost their families, were set up for adoption. Within 3 years, Dekar was the only one of them not to be adopted. He was barely even looked at by the potential families, he was obviously traumatized. Dekar was inspired though by the heroics of Godzilla and the Jaeger Pilots to a point that he idolized them. His childhood drawings would be of Jaegers, Kaiju, Godzilla. He was obsessed, and this obsession turned him off to many potential adoptive parents. Despite obviously being way too young, Dekar kept sending application after application to the Jaeger program of the U.S. military, wanting to help it in some way. When he was 11, someone came to the orphanage, from what Dekar could tell he was high ranking military. As he was led by the orphanage’s volunteer worker to seeing each and every child there, save Dekar, but Dekar kept watching the pair, especially the military man. The person from the military also glanced at Dekar every once in a while during the tour. He kept asking about Dekar, but the volunteer was making a point to veer the military man away from the child.

It finally culminated in a rather heated exchange, “I really don’t think you would be interested in that child sir, with respect, he needs a LOT of therapy, he isn’t stable.” The military man smiled at her, a charismatic smile, “Ma’am, none of us in the military are what I would call stable, now please allow me to see the young man.” His dark skin and impeccable teeth disarmed the social worker, and she led him to Dekar’s… room. (It was closer to a cell to be honest.)

As the pair entered the room the tall, officially dressed black man with a military hair cut spoke, “That’s just who I was looking for, Dekar.” He then turned back to the volunteer, “That will be all, thank you.” The woman looked like she was going to stand her ground, but after glancing between the two, decided against it and left. “Are you the young man that has been sending Jaeger Pilot applications for the last 3 years, since you were 8 and a half years old?” The man smiled, Dekar seemed almost embarrassed by it, an unsure feeling in his stomach. “Yes… I am…” The man then asked Dekar another question, “You want to pilot Jaegers, and fight the alien threat, young man?” Dekar then, less sheepishly, answered back. “Yes sir! More than anything!”

“Now that right there, that’s what I expected to hear from a person who sent so many applications to us. We could use someone motivated like you in the program. Unfortunately, you’re a bit too young, but I’m sure we can find something to make it work. What do you say, you in?”
“R-really? YES! A thousand times yes!”
“Good, just what I wanted to hear. Dekar, as of today, I’ll be your new dad.”  He then turned and knocked on the door, telling the woman to start the paperwork.

(Canceling the apocalypse? Fuck yeah.)

For the next seven years, Dekar lived with his new father. His new father, Samuel Cole, was an incredibly intense trainer, but a fair man that made it a point to be as relate able and approachable as a career military man could be. Dekar was expected to be the top of his class in school, to excel at his own training at home, and to be able to compete with his father on the chance Sam could get some ‘unofficial simulator time’ for the two of them… during these teen years, especially after simulator time, Samuel and Dekar Cole would sit and smoke fine cigars, Cuban, Haitian, Puerto Rican, etc… It became a daily ritual by the time he turned 18, and Dekar joined the military with his adoptive father’s blessing. Dekar excelled at his military training, mostly because his foster father’s training was about 1000 times tougher, coming in the top of his class. He was with the military for 2 years before being approached by the X-Com project, by their representative during a smoking session after a simulator battle… Lt. Samuel Cole. Dekar gladly accepted, and he was placed into a Jaeger specific training academy at 20. He quickly ascended to the top of the academy, beating even a few of hot shot pilot Dmitri Barniov scores from 2 years prior. At 21, Dekar was accepted fully into the X-Com Jaeger Defense squad, the 10 most elite jaeger pilots on the planet. He was unfortunately the only one to not have a Jaeger… his still being under construction, the experimental new model, ‘Metal Drago.’ Shortly after his induction into the program, the Necro-Gear appeared in Africa… and 8 of the 10 Jaeger pilots were sent. Dmitri and Dekar being the only 2 held back.

Dekar remembers he had no choice in the matter, ‘Metal Drago’ wasn’t even close to being done, it still is just getting finished up… but Dmitri, the young hot shot pilot from Russia, had to be heard. Dekar remembers him arguing with his adoptive father. “I’m the best damn pilot, in the strongest Jaeger we got! I should be out there!”

The screens were showing the Necro-Gear taking on 8 Jaegers, and the alarm screens going off, the Rift Sensors placing 3 Category 5 Kaiju warping in nearby off the Continental Atlantic Divergent Line, and heading to the battle.

Sam pointed at the alarms, “That is why you’re staying Dmitri. We need our best here in case something like that happens. We can’t lose EVERYTHING here. Now stand down and get on the com, keep an eye on those screens and give whatever eyes you can to our battleships approaching the area, they’re going to need coordinates for those rail guns.”

Dmitri swallowed his pride, and went to a nearby computer. Dekar looked on as all 8 of our best Jaegers were destroyed that day… and Godzilla himself nearly killed by the ‘Necro-Gear.’ There was no one left, just him, and this annoying arrogant Russian.   

(Destroyer of worlds.)

X-Com was in dire straights at the beginning of last year. They arranged to borrow an older Jaeger from America, the 'Flaming Fist Mark VI.' Dekar has had 3 missions so far. Dekar, now that necessity has placed him more in the spotlight, has been nervous. Not only is he now expected to be able to take on any Kaiju related threat, but hopping out of his Jaeger, and taking down a Xenomorph or Overseer Grunt while the search and rescue teams arrive is expected as well… and he’s had to take down a xenomorph to save a young girl on his 2^nd mission, in Chile. An event that had incredible consequences, as he helped the young girl out of the rubble, a 2^nd xenomorph was coming from above him. From the very earth beside them, erupted a 2 foot, blue, glowing lizard-soil like creature… he could have sworn it belonged on a children’s anime cartoon… it grabbed the xenomorph and pulled it into the earth, Dekar ran, carrying the child away from the lashing tail, and turned to see the xenomorph flailing about, half buried in the hard earth, Dekar drew his side arm, and emptied his clip into the immobilized monstrous alien drone. Turning back to the young girl, there was that same lizard creature on her shoulder. Dekar was confused, “He says he’s been looking for you.” The little girl said, and held out her hand. He took her small hand in his battle encrusted large one, and the lizard creature turned into blue/green energy, and moved from her arm up into Dekar, and the Spirin bonded with him… The two still sometime feel a strange psychic link through this once shared Spirin.

Dekar sometimes feels overwhelmed by the new responsibility he’s volunteered for, but his father has trained him well, and he is still there at X-Com HQ to talk to and support him. Dekar’s promised Jaeger, the ‘Metal Drago’ nears completion, and X-Com needs him more than ever…

Mission Files:

Mission 1: The Kaiju had 30 minutes of rampage time before ‘The Green Russian’ and the recently borrowed ‘Flaming Fist Mark VI’ arrived, heavy casualties. Pilots Dmitri and Dekar are more than the Kaiju are even remotely expecting, and they are dispatched efficiently and, in the case of the 1 that Dekar killed, rather brutally getting its head torn off after a point blank napalm scorching of the Kaiju’s neck area. Even Dmitri is rather impressed at the brutality. He isn’t impressed by Dekar’s insistence on leaving his Jaeger and exploring the city, nor is he thrilled with him bring a young boy and girl back to X-Com base.

Mission 2: Two months later, Chile, 3 Category 1 kaiju, led by a category 2 kaiju, appear off the coast of Chile, and it takes us 2 hours to deploy to the location. There is xenomorph activity in the area as well, making it a high danger zone. Dekar volunteered to take the category 2, ‘Tri-claw Hammerhead V’ and Dmitri was happy to ‘show off’ against the 3 lessers. Dekar efficiently and ruthlessly killed the Category 2, using the Flaming Fist’s napalm launchers to weaken the 3 armed, grappling intensive kaiju before it got too close. As soon as he finished off the Kaiju, he didn’t bother helping Dmitri, the local scanner was picking up Xenomorph activity, so he dismounted from his Jaeger, his standard issue Mk. I gauss pistol in his hands, cigar in his mouth. He saved a young girl, and attracted a spirin to himself, which Dmitri was also not thrilled about, but grudgingly accepted.

Mission 3: Tokyo Japan, 1 category 3, a category 2, and 2 category 1s emerged from the rift very close to Japan, and Godzilla is still healing. Green Machine and Flaming Fist were deployed, 30 minute arrival time, damage moderate to the city. The category 2 was ‘Tri-Arm Lasher II.’ Dekar ignored Dmitri’s order to isolate the category 1’s and charged the Lasher. He violently shoved his napalm scorcher down the throat of the lasher, taking several cuts from the tri-arms in the process, and poured napalm down his gullet. Dekar then re-transformed the scorcher into a hand, gripped the long tongue, and tore it out of the Kaiju, throwing the body into the Category 3 in the process. Dmitri then took the initiative to turbine rush past Dekar and take on the category 1’s. Dekar then used the lashers tongue like a whip on ‘Acid Knifehead III,’ which only infuriated it. It charged into Dekar, impaling him, ignoring any pain or damage, Dekar emptied his napalm scorcher, shoulder missiles, and even manually punched the creature until the elbow rockets, and the arms themselves, gave out. Afterwards, Dekar did not smoke a cigar, but he did find 2 surviving orphans in the remains of a school. Dmitri, unlike himself, said nothing. The U.S. Government said many things about Dekar’s treatment of their property however.

Experienced Warrior: Level 3 Character.

Orphans So Far :

John + Diana: John is a 15 year old dark skinned American orphan, found with 12 year old, not at all dark, American Diana. Both grew up in Texas, and lost their families in Kaiju attacks 8 months ago. Responding to this attack was Dekar’s first combat assignment, and he found them huddled together in the ruins. John is a natural trouble maker, rowdy, but loyal and protective. He views Diana as a little sister, and is extremely protective of her.

Sofia: Sofia is a 6 year old girl from Chile. She had bonded with a spirin from the time she was 4, and when the building she was in was caved in by the battle happening above her, the spirin sustained her, until Dekar found her and dug her out of the ruined building. He then saved her from a Xenomorph with his pistol, and the Spirin knew this was the warrior it was looking for. It left Sofia, forming into a combat form, and leapt upon the Xenomorph, containing it within the earth so Dekar could end the creature. Now, 5 months later, Sofia still feels empty, and has occasional psychic connections with Dekar and his spirin. She has said many times that she wishes she could meet another spirin… (Dekar wishes to find a spirin for her.)Sofia doesn't know yet her parents are dead, and she still has her innocence. Dekar is too afraid of telling her the truth, and the spirin that connects the three of them agrees.

Akira + Mikasa: 9 year old boy Akira and 13 year old girl Mikasa were found in the remains of a school, Mikasa attempting to shield Akira from the crumbling, and burning thanks to Dekar, city around them. It has been 2 months now, and Akira is afraid of Dekar, viewing him as a monster with how he fought, and Mikasa behaves significantly older than her age, acting more like a mother to Akira than a sister. Samuel Cole gets along better with both of them than Dekar does.      

Perks, Traits, and Game Rules

Today we list the traits and perks that characters can choose from, and after we will be covering combat rules. Certain perks and traits are only open to certain backgrounds, (like infinite resources) and others have prerequisites. Perks and traits are chosen only at character creation, though players gain another one every 10 levels. The difference between a perk and a trait is a simple one, a perk just provides a bonus, while a trait has a negative and a larger bonus.

So without further ado, perks and traits. (I am also copying the perks/traits from the background post, so they can all be in one location, and I'm adding prereqs, background limits, etc.)

Basic Training: You have had basic military training, this imparts a passive +1 to all attack and damage rolls, and all 3 defense types. This stacks with every other bonus given from skills/gear/etc. (Requires 2 marksmanship and 2 combat survival training, must be taken at level 1.)

(We tell them there are alligators in there... but it's really just turtles and goldfish.)

Experienced Warrior: You have actual combat experience, this translates into your character starting 2 levels higher than everyone else. This gives you 2 extra points to distribute in your skills as you see fit, and places you closer to the HP increases at level 5, and bonus perks at 10. (Background Specific)

Combat Specialty (Insert Enemy Type Here), You have exceptional experience, training, and often malice for the type of enemy chosen. Whenever facing the chosen enemy type, you gain +2 to all attack rolls, damage rolls, stealth, knowledge, intimidation, etc. Your critical threat range also increases from a natural 20 to 19-20 against that type of foe. (No prereqs, will get written into your background.)

Close Quarters Combat Training: Whether it is advanced martial arts, boxing, a lot of bar brawls, or just accumulated over a lifetime of close encounters, your character is much more effective when the enemy gets to close. You gain +2 to hit and damage with all melee attacks, and an additional +2 in grapple situations.  A nice passive bonus of this skill is a +1 HP, as you're tougher than normal as well. (Requires 4 Survival Training) (Human Scale Only)

("I know Kung Fu.")

Marksmanship Training: You have advanced military training with all manner of long ranged weaponry. This skill grants a +2 to hit and damage with all ranged weapons, and grants a situational bonus to the range of whatever weapon they are using. (Example, grenades might have a +2 max range while a sniper rifle gets a +10.) (Requires 4 Marksmanship) (Human Scale only)

Support Specialty Slots: You gain 3 minor accessory slots, which can hold items like med-kits, grenades, communication equipment, stun guns, etc. The support specialist will have a list in the gear post that will list the options available starting. The communication equipment can call in airstrikes though, so think on that. (Background Specific)

Narcissistic Personality: You are a completely self centered rich douchebag trying to save the world. You must have things your way, you genuinely don't give a shit about bureaucracy, social etiquette, and other niceties. This stubbornness grants a +2 psychic defense, if you don't role play this properly though I will punish you in some way. (No prereqs.)

(Narcissism in one of its many forms...)

Infinite Resources: You are worth literally billions of dollars. You have your own Jaeger bays, labs, ships, aircraft, staff on hand, and a world wide network of businesses and connections. This grants a passive +6 on any knowledge roll made out of combat, and a +2 bonus to those made in combat. This also grants a 50% bonus to credits earned after missions. (Background specific, unlocks Billionaire options.)

Scavenged Necro-Gear Tech: Part of your Jaeger you pieced together from the remains of the 'Necro-Gear' that washed ashore after the last great battle involving Godzilla and the remains of our Jaeger fleet. This individual piece of gear is more advanced than anything available to us, but it is only 1 piece, and you can not pick the 'reactor' or 'core' pieces. It must be something like 'fist' or 'knee' or 'shoulder' or something along those lines. It will have a unique ability though whatever it is. (Background specific)

Bonus Primary/Secondary Accessories: Gaining one free for both Jaeger and human scale combat. Primary accessories are things like weapons, armor, rail gun, jaeger sword, etc. Secondary accessories would be like grappling hooks on your armor/belt/gun, or anything 2 credits or less from the various gear posts. (Background Specific)

Sixth Sense: You can sense impending danger, this grants a +2 bonus on all defense types, and a +2 on all perception rolls. (Requires psychic ability.)

("I see spirits.")

Bonus Psychic Spirin Trait: Your spirin gains an extra trait/perk. Must be chosen from: Psychic Mind, Enhanced Human Synergy, Mind Meld, or Psychic Spirin. (Background specific)

Major Psychic Ability: A very powerful offensive, defensive, or utility ability, thought up by the player, and I will make the numbers. Various options include pyrokinesis, with things like fireballs, firewalls, etc. telekinesis, which would allow you to hit with raw force, or with an object, maybe even a force cage later on, or even just raw psychic power, melting people's brains. Defensive abilities involve all manner of defense enhancing abilities, from shielding yourself or others, resisting elemental type damage, (possibly even EMP) and the like. Utility skills are things like group invisibility to a specific type of opponent, (Xenomorph, Necromorph, etc.) powerful heals, and movement abilities, like flying or super speed. (Background specific)

(Oh this? Not a big deal. Did you want your car back?)

Minor Psychic Ability: Lesser versions of the above, if you wanted a powerful attack and still the ability to say, make yourself (not the group like above) invisible to xenomorphs, this minor ability allows that. Just about anything in the major ability group is allowed, just at reduced effectiveness. (For example, you can have a damage ability, but not a big AOE damage ability with minor ability.) (Requires Psychic Ability)

Impromptu Science: You are exceptional at quick, absurd thinking of technological applications of things that don't seem all together probable. The 'Samantha Carter' ability to figure a way out of the situation when no one else can. This grants all manner of role play options not available to others. ("Can I try to jury rig the fallen Jaeger reactor to overload the plasma cannon for a massive burst of power?" "Umm... role a d20." "16" "Yep. critical damage, go for it." for example.) As far as combat numbers go, you roll a combat intelligence check, (DC determined by the difficulty of what you are attempting) and if you succeed, you do whatever it is you're going for. Essentially a science jack of all trades catch all skill. (Requires 3 combat intelligence, 3 jaeger survival training, and 3 knowledge)

(I obviously think she's awesome... since I use her name in every other post...)

Favored Enemy: A more focused, intense hatred/training in taking down a specific type of opponent. Must have a Combat Specialty, then when this perk is chosen, you pick a specific type of opponent, (Examples, Covenant Elites, Xenomorph Queens, EMP Kaiju.) and against that type of opponent you gain +2 additional to hit and damage, (for a +4 total, stacking with combat specialty) and the threat range for critical hits increases to 18-20. In addition, you ignore some damage from those opponents, gaining 2/- DR (damage reduction) against the chosen enemy. (Requires Combat Specialty.)

Lightning Reflexes: You're fast on your feet, this translates to a +2 bonus to both initiative rolls, +2 defense against attacks of opportunity, and a +2 bonus on saves vs. AOE damage, Traps, and Burns. (No prereqs.)

Improved Initiative: You're great at getting the jump on your opponents. +4 initiative rolls. (No prereqs.)

Toughness: You're tougher than normal, you gain +3 HP. This also transfers through the neural link to your Jaeger, strengthening it by +10 HP.  (No prereqs, can take multiple times.)

Weapon Specialization: You have special training with a chosen weapon type. When using that type of weapon, you have a +1 to hit and damage. (Type, like old school pistol, shotguns, bladed weapons, etc.) 

Unique Starting Point, Africa: (Background Specific, 'The Survivor') You begin the game differently than the other backgrounds, and because of that you have a unique ally, a powerful, alien unique ally. 

J.A.R.V.I.S.: You have a highly advanced, very helpful, integrated AI that assists in the management of your entire business network, your power armor, bank accounts, Jaeger targeting and the like. While yours might not be named JARVIS and sound like an English butler, it will still be polite, friendly, and incredibly helpful. Provides a +1 targeting assist bonus on all attacks made while in Power Armor or a Jaeger, (stacks with targeting bonus from head piece.) increases the knowledge bonus of infinite resources made in combat from +2 to +4, and empowers multiple other 'billionaire' perks. (Requires Infinite Resources)

Predator Drone Fleet: Purchasing an enormous amount of old Predator Drones (And airstrip rights) from the U.S. government has given you a worldwide network able to strike anywhere, with the proper target painting. This grants a 2 use per mission ability to call in an airstrike, which deals 4d6 to a large area, or that number to a single kaiju. The ability requires 2 rounds for the drones to re-position for another attack on the same area, but a rapid fire dual use on two areas in a line/arc is allowed. JARVIS grants another use per mission, and a +2 on all attack rolls associated with the predator drones. (Requires infinite resources, this ability can be upgraded with research and investment.)

(You own a few hundred of these around the globe...)

Jaeger Battle Support Navy: (Requires Infinite Resources) By purchasing decommissioned warships off of financially strapped nations like Russia, you've put together for yourself a 4 ship support fleet, independent of X-Com. 

This fleet contains one actual WWII Era battle ship, with 2 weapon options, Anti-Air guns, which deal 2d4 damage, (This is Jaeger Scale damage, more about that in the rules later.) This is meant for closer combat situations, having a range of 6. The primary weapon however, is a very large Rail Gun, with a limited aiming capability, a pretty long charge time, and good damage. This weapon deals 5d8+5 damage, and has a range of about 50 miles. It is not effective in closer combat (where I would use spaces to measure). The Ship has 40 HP, 14 physical and 13 energy defense, and 4 movement speed. Jarvis increases all the attack rolls of the battle ship by +2.

(One of these, with a Rail Gun taking up the entire front area.)

The 2nd ship is a turn of the century Russian nuclear submarine, it does have torpedoes that deal 2d8+2 damage, and sea to land rockets that deal the same damage, but it is more important for its undersea stealth abilities and advanced sensors. The Submarine has 20 HP, 13 physical and 12 energy defense, 4 movement speed. (+5 base perception checks, +5 stealth) Jarvis increases the attack rolls, stealth and perception rolls by +2.

(Something along these lines.)

The 3rd ship is a small destroyer, from the 2050's, it is significantly more maneuverable than the other ships, and contains mainly Gauss based weaponry, anti-air craft guns and some larger caliber 'anti-kaiju' weaponry. The Anti-air guns deal 3d4 damage, with a range of 8, and the rail cannons deal 3d8+3, with a range of 30 spaces, with 1 round charge up. They are also lighter and easier to adjust then the large model on the battle ship, having a full 180 degree range of motion. The ship has 30 HP, 16 physical and 14 energy defense. It moves 6 squares a round. Jarvis gives this ship +2 on all attack rolls.

(Like this, slightly better armed and faster.)

The final ship has no weaponry of its own, but is the most important ship, a decommissioned American Aircraft Carrier. (Nimitz Class, a little over 1000 feet long.) Currently it houses a Jaeger, 3 Pelican transport craft to carry the Jaeger, and several older US fighter craft. (F-14's, F-16's, etc.) The ship has 50 HP, 14 physical and 13 energy defense, with a movement speed of 4, and is 2x3 'squares' in size on the combat map. Jarvis increases the movement speed by 1. The Fighter craft can perform 2 'strikes' with their explosives, and can attempt to fight kaiju and ships with their guns after. The missile strike has a 'deploy range' of 100 miles, double the railgun, and can deal 3d6 to a large area, or single kaiju. The fighter jets automatic weapons deal 1d4 damage to ships and kaiju. If used in an AOE attack on human scale opponents it deals 4d4+4 damage, save vs AOE damage. Jarvis increases the attack rolls of the fighter planes by 2, and the defense scores by 2 as well. The planes have 5 HP individually.

(Exactly like this.)

All the ships and abilities of this trait are able to be upgraded, with the proper amount of credits/research tech. However, these abilities, as awesome as they are, are limited use. If your fleet is stationed in San Diego and you're getting deployed to Washington DC they can't make it through the Panama Canal and around the country in time. The Jaeger is just taken by the 3 pelicans to the combat location. If the same situation was occurring and the enemy was in San Francisco or maybe even Seattle, your ships could make it to help. So that is the downside to this as opposed to the predator drone strike. You will have the drone strike every mission, that might not be the case with the ship fleet.

EMP Shielding: Experimental alloys and insulated wiring helps ward of EMP shock waves. This reworks not only the Jaeger and Power armor, but all associated support structure. If you have a ship fleet, or a predator drone fleet, those also have the insulated electronics. This grants +4 EMP resistance. (Requires Infinite Resources)

For the moment, that shall conclude perks and traits, I'll add more later.

Let us begin on playing the game, Combat Rules!

We're starting with human scale combat, which is easier than Jaeger combat.

(So, I know I'm going to make some assumptions and probably assume a 'base knowledge' level, that you've played some d20 games, it isn't a big deal if you haven't, I'll help you out.)

This is d20 based, so like DnD, you roll a d20 to determine if you hit, make a save, etc. adding the various modifiers. (If your guy has a +6 to hit with his assault rifle, you would roll 1d20+6, trying to get higher than the target number.)

Every player has 3 defense types, and each attack has an attack type. It is really easy to figure out, a gun, claws, knife, etc. is a physical attack, and is rolled against physical defense, and if it is something like a plasma grenade, beam sword or perhaps a pyrokinetic fireball, it would roll against energy or psychic respectively.

As combat goes along, you will be asked to make a save vs. some sort of effect. Every save works the exact same way, you roll a 1d20, (+ or - any modifiers) and get higher than a 10. Kill a xenomorph with a knife? Make a save against Burn to see if the acid burns the knife away. (Or rather if you fling the acid off in time.) This will occur against EMP, AOE damage, and all kinds of other special attacks.

(A Kaiju charging an EMP shockwave.)

So we've established the basics, you got attack rolls and saves, you add modifiers, and you try to beat a target number, either a 10 in the case of a save, or whatever the defense you attacking is. (A xenomorph with 16 physical defense would take 16 to hit with a gun, baseball bat, etc.)

From there, you have a few combat options that we will cover.

First off, when starting a battle, and at the start of EVERY round, initiative is rolled. In one on one fights, this can allow for sometimes two actions in a row. The two init. perks are very important, as this is a difficult skill to boost. We roll a 1d20, and add init. modifier, if any, to determine combat order.

Charging Melee Attack: By performing a full round action, you may move at double your movement speed placing your momentum into a melee attack. This grants a +2 to hit and damage, but grants you a -2 to energy and physical defense for a round after. (There are several items that make this bonus and distance greater.) Doing a full movement action you can also cover double your movement speed, just without attack. This is different then Jaeger rules, stating that here and now.

Grappling: Many of the invaders are at their most deadly when they have you pinned. Xenomorphs can use that horrid second jaw, necromorphs will try to infest you, and Kaiju of course love to grapple. Most of these creatures are stronger and tougher than a normal human, so it takes special training to be able to go toe to toe with these creatures.

Grappling works like a physical attack, only you add your 'grapple bonus' to all offensive and defensive d20 rolls. If you have a +6 physical attack in melee, and you have a +1 grapple bonus, all your grapple checks would be made at +7, for example.

The way a grapple works is like so:

A person says 'I'm grappling' and makes an attack roll. Most alien grappling attacks do not provoke attacks of opportunity, but most made by human players will. (An attack of opportunity is as it sounds, a free attack.) When first initiating a grapple, a creature must first hit your standard defense, and then both creatures involved roll a d20, adding their grapple scores, whoever gets the higher score wins.

If the defensive player wins, the grapple never happens, and most of the time there will be no damage, even if the initial attack 'hit.'

If the offensive player wins, the target is 'grappled' and they suffer normal physical damage. (There are some accessories that add to grapple damage specifically, you would add that damage now.) And the target is grappled.

The next turn, the offensive player can now perform any special attack that it may have, (Example, xenomorph secondary jaw.) but first another grapple check is made, and if the offensive player wins, the attack hits. If the attack misses at this phase, the player is still grappled, but he is no longer pinned, and the attack doesn't occur. (Grapples can last many many rounds of back and forth.)

(You can guess who won that grapple check...)

Critical hits (and critical failures) are universal in all combat forms. If you roll a 20 or a 1, you roll again to 'confirm' the critical success or failure. This means that you would roll again, trying to beat the same number you just rolled against, to confirm. Should you confirm a critical hit, you deal x2 damage. (some weapons deal more, like x3) If you confirm a critical failure, meaning you fail again on that roll, something really bad happens. (Examples: You're shooting your shotgun at a covenant elite. You roll a natural 20, and you have to roll again to 'confirm.' The Elite has 19 physical defense, so on your 2nd d20 roll, you would have to beat a 19, if you do, you confirm. If you don't, you still hit, it just deals normal damage. On the flip side of that, same scenario, only you roll a 1. You would roll again, trying to 'confirm.' If you rolled below the 19 mark, you critically fail, and something bad happens, like the Elite grabbing your shotgun from you and smashing you in the face with it. If you beat that hypothetical mark, in this case a 19, you just miss, nothing bad happens.)

(Yep.)

Critical Surges (and negative surges): A house rule spanning over a decade now in all my games. When you roll either a 20 or a 1, you must confirm, like above. If on the followup roll, you roll either another 20 in the case of a critical hit, or a 1 in the case of a critical miss, you 'surge' having an exceptional effect happen. Each time you roll a 20 or a 1 on the follow up rolls, the 'incredibleness' of your success/failure is amplified. This stacks each time you roll a 20 or a 1. (The house record is 4 20's in a row, which gave the player a massive critical bonus, permanent fire resistance, and permanent on hit fire damage, the critical failures disabled all the players internal weapons, shield generators, and the like. These were a DnD game and home made Fallout d20 game respectively.)

The final human scale combat rule we're covering is cover and concealment. When covenant are firing plasma that will kill you in a hit or two, sticking to cover is a requirement. Getting behind cover adds a flat bonus to your defenses, energy and physical only. (Psychic damage doesn't care about the wall you're hiding behind.)

25% cover, +2 defenses, 50% cover, +4 defenses, 75% cover, +7 defenses, 90% cover, +10 defenses.

Concealment is different than cover. Cover is something physically there to block an attack, concealment is smoke, fog, darkness, visibly obscuring things that affect hit chance. If a person has say, 30% concealment, and they are hit by a normal plasma rifle, the attacker would then roll a d10, and if they rolled a 1-3, the attack misses. Concealment goes from 20% up to 90%.

(Taking cover is required for survival.)

Attacks of opportunity: This occurs whenever a player/creature leaves themselves open, and is a free attack by an opponent. Common occurrences for this are: initiating grappling, leaving melee range, (like in the melee with a xenomorph and running away, it might take a tail swipe at you.) performing special attacks in melee range, (like trying to snipe a far away opponent with a covenant grunt next to you.) or trying to run across a heavily covered area. (Like running across a city intersection under siege by overseer forces, they might get a shot or two at you while running across the road.) Every player, and opponent except for a select few, (like Xenomorphs) get 1 attack of opportunity per round.

That about covers special instances and basics of human combat, now we move onto Jaeger scale combat.

First off, Jaeger scale combat is the exact same as human in style, dice rolls, and the like. The numbers are a little higher obviously, but all the terminology and attack types, like grappling, stays the same.

'Jaeger Spaces' when I describe distance, are not comparable. 1 Jaeger 'square' equals roughly 5 human squares. (Give or take, that isn't solid.) So that 20 square sniper rifle is a few strides for a Jaeger. Also, Jaeger HP and human HP are different.

Jaegers have obviously significantly higher armor factors, hit points, etc. (Gypsy Danger survives a somewhat nearby 240 megaton nuke at the bottom of the ocean. These things are tough.) This has certain effects on game play. First off, if a human scale soldier is shooting at a Jaeger or Kaiju, it is possible to hurt them, only there are some rather sizable obstacles to that.

(Putting some scale to this.)

Every large scale creature has a flat Damage Reduction Value, based on whether they have light armor, medium armor, or heavy armor.

All light armor creatures have 15/- DR, Medium have 20/- and Heavy armor has 30/- DR. This is only for human to kaiju scale, like shooting a kaiju with your laser rifle, or a tank cannon, helicopter rockets, etc. Certain attacks, like many of those in the ship support or predator drone category, have separate numbers for a kaiju strike, those supersede these DR numbers. (This is why it is feasible to slowly take down a category 1 kaiju with conventional weapons.)

As far as armor types go, all Jaegers are Medium armor, period. Category 1-3 Kaiju tend to be in the light to medium armor range, and category 4 and 5 are mostly heavy armor. The majority of Comet Kaiju are also heavy armored.

Thus, while it is possible for smaller forces to support/assist against large scale foes, a jaeger is required. Even a full modern day (2100 modern) Gauss weaponry equipped naval fleet would be unable to go toe to toe with anything beyond a category 2 without Jaeger assistance.

Now that we've covered small things attacking big things, lets go the other way.

Your jaeger sees a group of xenomorphs scaling the side of a building, and you want to burn them with your plasma scorcher. You simply say you want to attack them, and then all the enemies affected must make a save Area of Effect damage. If they fail the save, all affected take max damage of the weapon. (Let's say the plasma scorcher deals 2d8+4, those failing automatically take 20 damage. Dying pretty much.) If they succeed in the save, the jaeger rolls damage, like normal, and those affected take that damage. (This would hypothetically give those xenomorphs a chance to survive, if the roll was lower.) If a target makes the save exceptionally well, (8+ or critical success) they take no damage.

This makes Jaegers very effective as support weapons in large scale city sieges, if the Jaeger gets a break from fighting kaiju for a few rounds, his allies can call in a 'Jaeger Strike' allowing the jaeger to stomp, burn, rail gun, etc. conventional targets, causing massive damage.

While this isn't really in either category, attacking a space ship, like a covenant banshee or overseer battlecruiser, is just like attacking a Kaiju, the numbers are the exact same 'scale.' roll damage normally. (A Banshee only has 10 HP for example, so chances are a stray fist can kill one from a decent warrior.) Those small ships just have a higher on average defense number, dodging damage more than absorbing it.

Now lets move into the brunt of it, Jaeger vs. Kaiju fighting.

This battle is ran exactly like a standard human on xenomorph or other style fight, rolling your d20's to hit, damage dice, and the like. All the DR numbers and such above are ignored for Kaiju on Jaeger battles, though the armor type affects many weapons. (Buzzsaws, swords, etc.)

The following is different in large scale combat however.

Movement is different than human scale. Your charge/full movement range is dependent on your base movement speed, not just double, like for human scale.

Movement speed: 3 or below, MS +1 (MS = movement speed.)

Movement speed  4-6, MS +2

Movement speed 7+. MS +3.

Thus movement rates are more important in Jaeger battles, since you can't make drastic moves (like a charge or double move.) at the range you can in human form. Certain accessories allow for double move speed charge options, but not every Jaeger will have that.

Charging works at the max speed of the leg type above, and numerically works like normal charges. (Starts at +2 to hit and damage)

(Booster rocket punch go!)

Many Jaegers have ranged weapons that have a charge time. If a Jaeger only moves its base movement speed while charging, and the enemy doesn't move more than 5 spaces per turn of charge, the targeting computer will target locking, granting a +2 per round of charge. This may be done by choice with other non-charging ranged weapons, that are being fired in tandem with the weapon. (Example, you have a Rail gun and 2 mounted shoulder rocket launchers. The railgun has a 1 round charge time, the +2 lock on bonus will also go to the shoulder rockets as long as they are fired simultaneously with the rail gun.) This will help those powerful charge up abilities to have greater effectiveness against slower opponents. (Rule effect: +2 to hit per round of charge, opponent can't move more than 5 spaces per turn in that charging time frame to gain this bonus.)

Cover rules and concealment rules are the exact same, it's just going to be situationally much more difficult to find large cover/concealment bonuses, since Jaegers are sometimes 300 feet tall.

Grappling rules are also the same.

I imagine more rules will need to be covered as time goes on, so this post will probably be updated from time to time with more perks/traits, and rules as we need them, but I think I got the basics covered enough to actually run a campaign.

*Added Rules, Jaeger Infiltration*

There will be times when an enemy will try to break into your jaeger and fight you. In times like these, you have a few options.

First, if your Jaeger has an internal defense accessories, you can use those, making Jaeger Combat Survival checks to try and take care of the threat, but if you don't have those installed, this is how it works.

When the creature first makes 'entry' whether it is through a weak point in the armor, or actually tearing off the hatch on the head itself, the pilot makes a Perception check. If the check passes, the pilot is aware of the intruder, and has a few options.

If the player's spirin is in the cockpit with the character, the spirin may take on combat form, and try to fight off the intruder.

If the player wants to attack the intruder himself, he can either have the spirin take over primary piloting, with the AI, which makes the Jaeger still able to fight, but with a -2 on all combat numbers. If the player either doesn't have a spirin, or both need to fight off the threat, the Jaeger can continue functioning on limited neural link and AI assistance, with a -4 on all combat rolls. The Jaeger can function this way for 4 rounds before it shuts itself down.

Of course, if you fail the perception check, you will get maybe another chance or two to notice, situationally, but the last thing your character might remember is looking at a xenomorph tail sticking out through its chest.