[Icon] Matthias Salem

[redwood973]

I was searching the web today and found what I consider to be a realy cool write up of a non-Starfleet character. I would love to find a way to fit this character into our sessions when we start up again. But I am having a hard time developing an idea.

I want to avoid the story line used in TOS where Kirk discovered the mass murdering Governor Whats-his-nuts in an travel drama troop. And I would like the character to make three or so appearances as a so-so character the players may not even pay much notice to.

Personal
Name: Matthias Salem
Assignment: SS Lucas THX-1138
Duty: Purser
Race/Gender: Human/Male (age indeterminate)

Attributes
Fitness: 2
Coordination: 2
Intellect: 3
Presence: 2
Empathy (-1)
Willpower (+3)
Psi: 0

Skills
Administration (Logistics) 2 (3)
Artistic Expression (Food Prep.) (Opera) 1 (4) (5)
Athletics (Running) (Swimming) 1 (2) (2)
Bargain (Shipping) 2 (3)
Computer (Replicator Program.) (Sim./Mod.) 2 (3) (3)
Culture (Native) 2 (3)
Engineering, Systems (Transporter/Replicator) 2 (3)
First Aid (Wound/Trauma) 2 (3)
History (Native) 1 (2)
Language (Fed. Basic) (2), (Klingon) (1), (Native) (2), (Romulan) (1), (Vulcan) (1)
Merchant (Transport) 2 (3)
Security (Security Procedures) 1 (4)
Shipboard Systems (Transporter Systems) 2 (3)
Streetwise (Locate Contraband) 2 (3)
Vehicle Operation (Shuttle) 2 (3)
Weapon, Projectile (Needler) 1 (3)
Weapon, Unarmed (K’ung Fu) (Moq’Bara) (Savate) 4 (5) (5) (5)
World Knowledge (Homeworld) 1 (2)

Traits
Alertness, Exile, Hides Emotions, Strong Will, Toughness

Other Statistics
Courage: 5
Renown: 10 (Discipline 3, Initiative 1, Openness -4, Skill 2)
Resistance: 2

Background Notes
Little is know about Matthias Salem. He’s knocked about the frontiers of the Federation for over twenty years without giving much away about his background. Extremely cautions and apparently an expert in several martial arts, rumor has him to be on the run from an unknown person or organization while others indicate he’s been banished from his homeworld for some misdeed.

Appearance and Personality
Height: 1.75 meters
Mass: 70 kg
Complexion: pale
Hair: gray
Eyes: gray

Mathias Salem is a Human of average height and build. He has no visible distinguishing marks and wears his hair in a conservative cut. He hold himself erect as if he’s served in Starfleet or a planetary military, and dresses in austere grey clothing of vaguely military cut. He rarely ever shows emotion, does not use profanity and does not drink or use recreational stimulants or depressants. He seems indifferent to food, eating whatever is served without comment. He is not overly social, preferring his own company.

Salem generally avoids violence of any sort, but is quite capable of handling himself when attacked. He is not known to use weapons.

Salem is frequently observed reading an ancient leather bound paper book, written in an unknown language. Occasionally, he is overheard listening to an operatic aria of extreme beauty and complexity, sometimes singing along himself. The lyrics are also in an unknown tongue. The origin of the book and music are unknown, and may be from his planet of origin.

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

And if anyone knows what type of ship "THX" would designate I could use some help on that as well (the SS Lucas is obviously non-fleet but would that be a freighter or star liner?). I assume "THX" was just made up by the writter, but thought I would ask in case someone knows.

Thanks all!

[silverthorn]

It may be a in-joke (for lack of a better term). THX-1138 is the name of George Lucas's first film. It's also been a in-joke in a lot of his movies.

[Owen E Oulton]

Salem is an NPC in my Star Trek: Lucas campaign which unfortunately is not currently active. I really haven't developed more background for him than is given in the character writeup, though the general idea was to do a sort of Kung Fu riff - he accidentally killed an important official on his homeworld and is wandering the Galaxy. Feel free to make up a background if you choose to run him.

The name SS Lucas and THX-1138 are indeed in-jokes - as Silverthorn pointed out, THX-1138 is George Lucas' first movie. The main player when the campaign was active is a Star Wars fan. More on the Lucasand her crew can be found at my site (click on the banner below) - click on the Star Trek: Lucas tab on the front page.

Out of curiousity, where did you find the stats for Salem?

[redwood973]

Originally posted by Owen E Oulton
Salem is an NPC in my Star Trek: Lucas campaign which unfortunately is not currently active. I really haven't developed more background for him than is given in the character writeup, though the general idea was to do a sort of Kung Fu riff - he accidentally killed an important official on his homeworld and is wandering the Galaxy. Feel free to make up a background if you choose to run him.

Well what do ya know! I found the owner! I really like this character and would love to use him, but not sure how. I usually ask my group for input, but the mystery around Salem is so cool that I dont want any of them in on his background till they discover it in session. If anyone has any ideas please post them.

What do you mean by "Kung Fu riff?"

Originally posted by Owen E Qulton
The name SS Lucas and THX-1138 are indeed in-jokes - as Silverthorn pointed out, THX-1138 is George Lucas' first movie. The main player when the campaign was active is a Star Wars fan. More on the Lucasand her crew can be found at my site (click on the banner below) - click on the Star Trek: Lucas tab on the front page.

I get the "joke" now. . .well part of it. Never heard of the movie, but doesn't "THX" appear on the start of the Star War movies? Something to do with the sound or something?

I took a quick peek at your site. . .nice! I am gonna explore it more tonight after work and see what else I might be able to use in our games. Thanks for the lead. . .I just assumed those banners were for looks. Never realised they did anything (still a little new to this computer stuff really. . .still a lot to learn).

[I]Originally posted by Owen E Qulton[I]
Out of curiousity, where did you find the stats for Salem?

I was bored. . .waiting to get off work so I put "Shipboard Systems (Transporter) 1 (2)" into the search box on the Yahoo Main Page. Your page on Salem was one of the hits it came up with, but it did not let be look around your site; just the Salem page.

Thanks again for pointing out your banner link!

[Ineti]

Originally posted by redwood973
I get the "joke" now. . .well part of it. Never heard of the movie, but doesn't "THX" appear on the start of the Star War movies? Something to do with the sound or something?

Yup. After Lucas made his millions off the classic Star Wars trilogy, he created a company specializing in state-of the art sound. That company is THX, named for his first film. Lucas does like his in-jokes.

If I'm not mistaken, THX is one of the industry leaders if not the benchmark for quality sound.

[Owen E Oulton]

'What do you mean by "Kung Fu riff?"'

A "riff" is a jazz term meaning a theme or motif. Kung Fu was an old David Carradine series which followed the adventures of a half Chinese/half American monk who'd accidentally killed the son of the Chinese Emperor while protecting his blind Shao'lin master from the Prince's guards. The show follwed his wanderuings around the old west trying to find his father's family while being tracked by Chinese assassins. If you saw Pulp Fiction, Jules makes a reference to the show in the final scene in the restaurant. The show was originally envisioned as a vehicle for the late Bruce Lee, but with their usual wisdom, the producers decided he looked "too Asian."

Re: THX

George Lucas always puts references to THX-1138 in all his other movies. In American Grafitti it was the license plate number of Ron Howard's Edsel. In Star Wars, Han told the Death Star guards that Chewie was a prisoner being transferred from cell block 1138. And, Ineti points out, it's now the name for his theatrical sound technology.

[redwood973]

Thanks for the explain. I guess I have seen that old show a few times. . .didn't know the name of it. I knew David Carradine though because I thought it odd the character was asian but he looks absolutly non-asian. I might have liked the show better had Bruce Lee done it.