“I understand you’ve got some reservations, but let me assure you IPX will absolutely take care of your family back home if we can get these permits cleared today”
System Notes
Mia Cory is one of the most straightforward characters and concepts to see. The Agent class, with its high skills and emphasis on Dexterity, is a Rogue or Thief class for the modern and future settings. While the show didn’t get too deep into it, there were a number if large megacorporations that had immense influence within EarthGov and the Earth Alliance. I wanted to peak at that part of the world in Nakir’s Zocalo Bar’s Happy Hour Drinking Society. IPX, or Interplanetary Expeditions, is one of the corporations that has regular contact with Babylon 5 in the setting, so I pick that as a good corporation to be trying to get something done and it fits with certain story points in the first few seasons of the show. As a general fixer or corporate spy character, and keeping in mind that this is similar to a Rogue, Mia Cory’s abilities are: Strength 10; Dexterity 16; Constitution 12; Intelligence 15; Wisdom 12; and Charisma 15. As a human, Mia has an extra feat and extra skill points but few other benefits compared to the other species.
As an Agent, Dexterity is prioritized as well as having the highest possible skill ranks to select Low hit points are not a surprise and it comes along with high Reflex saves and a fair amount of influence spread out a bit more than the Diplomat’s. I chose to max out the skill ranks for Acrobatics, Bluff, Notice, Sense Motive, Subterfuge, and Stealth. The remaining skill points are used for at least a base level of ranks in Appraise, Drive, Pilot, and a number of different knowledges related to the idea of the Corporate Agent.
For feats, Mia needs to make sure that combat isn’t a lost cause in this grouping so Dodge is her free feat with Improved Point Blank Shot as her first level feat. The Master of the Craft special ability of an Agent is used to provide Skill Focus bonuses on Subterfuge.
For Influence, Mia starts with 1D6 influence in two different influences. I’ll keep her Earth Alliance centered, so 1 in IPX as the required faction as well as 6 in Earth Economic. Her employer may not like her a lot, but she sure does have some good friends in other business circles.
Some simple weapons, armor, and a berth in Red Sector for IPX’s corporate development, and Mia is ready to go!
Advancement Notes
Advancement in the d20/OGL system is a straightforward affair where saving throws, base attack bonuses, and skills all have improvements as the character levels. Similar to how Vr’korl was advanced, it pays to keep those maxed out skills maxed out. I further some skills around to create a broad base of options for her job. For Class abilities, Mia picked up the Opportunist Ability that is used for Crippling Shots to try to take down opponents on those occasions that fights do break out and a bonus feat of Improved Feint (now that she has a BAB +1 prerequisite met) to work with that ability. For advancing Influence, Mia has minorly increased those original Influences to 3 and 8 respectively but also branched out into having a 2 Influence in League Economic and Criminal to help expand IPX’s reach.
Character Notes
Even in the 2230s, growing up in Australia, Earth, Earth Alliance, is a special experience. While Earth had certainly seen more than its fair share of advancements, there was something still about Australia that never quite seemed to be on the same page. Marsupials and poisonous creatures were part of the legacy of the continent and it has its own pride to this day. Mia Cory grew up expecting there to be wilderness, to be have something to explore, and to be able to see a horizon at all times.
As Mia grew older, she saw that most people never looked out to the horizon; she couldn’t be like most people. Interplanetary Expeditions was always her goal. She applied herself in school to be a desirable hire by a company known for going off world and charting new systems. The Earth-Minbari war frightened her as she was finishing school because she didn’t want to be in a warzone, she wanted to see the unknown. She shifted her focus away from being out in the open to exploring or sneaking in more civilized areas. IPX never slowed down hiring and Mia became a proud member of the IPX family in 2252. 5 short years later, Mia was still stuck in Earthspace with only brief ventures to expeditions, colonies, or other far flung locales.
When the Babylon 5 assignment came up, she didn’t try to avoid it because she secretly wanted to be given some freedom and space in the far reaches of space. She was already far enough down the pecking order that it was likely she would get the assignment and she has spent the past two years lobbying for IPX, doing whatever was needed as IPX assignments and expeditions came through, and making sure she was a regular at Nakir’s.
The future is going to be a difficult time for Mia. When the galaxy shudders into war, IPX will be hit hard since it can’t fulfill its main business purpose. Rumors of IPX as nothing more than a front for EarthForce weapons development will surface and Mia may be less and less confident in her role with the Company. Mia will broaden out into a new class, Trader, and use these two classes together as a cover to work as an Agent for a new employer as humanity and the galaxy enter a new age.
Nakir’s Zocalo Bar Happy Hour Drinking Society Here
Mia Corey Human Agent Sheet
BABYLON 5 and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Copyright © 2006 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The Babylon 5 2d Edition game is subject to the OGL and was published by Mongoose Publishing.
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