Revised version of the original DocBennie character. 10/14/2014
Player: Norjax
Character Name: “John J. Pongrass”
Physical Attributes: Caucasian male, 6 foot, 165 pounds, lean and wiry build, blue eyes, and close-cropped brown hair
Current Stamina: 52
Recovery Rate: 4
Current Willpower: 58
PT Defense: ?
Unskilled melee score: 60
Penetration bonus: 0
Wounds: 13
Profession: Camera Man (Photo Journalist)
Strength: 44
Dexterity: 62
Agility: 74
Personality: 34
Stamina: 52
Willpower: 58
Perception: 56
Luck: 30
Journalism(photo): 60...(Pcn+Per)/2 +15 Specialist
Electronics: 65...(Pcn+Dex+Luck)/3 +15 Specialist
Stealth: 83...(Dex+Agl)/2 +15 Specialist
Martial Arts: 75...(Str+Dex+Agl+Wpr)/4 +15 Specialist
Pistol: 77…(Dex) +15 Specialist
Items on Hand:
Flask (full of Glenlivet; gives a nice warm feeling!!!), basic clothes-shirt/pants/socks/underwear/t-shirt/shoes/jacket, wallet with $80 and all the basic ID (no CC at this time), iPhone, belt knife (3&1/2 inch blade (good for opening things but NOT as a weapon), TV camera with extra battery and power cord, small electronics repair kit (tweezers, screwdrivers, small wrench, penlight, etc), portable small light (for photos, etc).
Background:
Growing up in a small Pennsylvania town, football was everything. Unfortunately, John didn’t have what it took; too little brawn and occasional bouts of severe asthma. Instead, he turned to his real passion-photography. Oh, his old man LOVED that! “MEN play football, GIRLS take pictures!” was the constant complaint.
He’d read about Teddy Roosevelt controlling his asthma with a boxing routine, so he started taking martial arts classes. The structure of the classes was a challenge and got pretty good at the disciplined movements and power thrusts of the moves. The cardiovascular training expanded his lung capacity which limited the severity of his asthma. It also instilled a level of confidence that motivated him to take on a more ‘manly’ challenge. Seeking to explore the world beyond small town Pennsylvania, John lied about his asthma and joined the Army. He made it through basic and AIT to graduate as a forward observer for the artillery corps. Things went well until a training scenario involving tear gas, which triggered a massive asthma attack and a less than sympathetic response from the NCO in charge. This resulted in an argument, in a kick upside the head (to the NCO), an Article 15 and John’s discharge from the military.
Lacking a clear direction, John combined his passion for photography and his military training to become a war correspondent. Over the past decade or so, he has covered human conflicts across the world; in mosquito-infested jungles, sun-baked dusty deserts and overpopulated slums. Anywhere warfare broke out, he was there to cover it; first as an independent photojournalist, then as a camera man for The Company. Heck, he’d even gotten himself a nice scar on the side of his face, almost lost an eye; a little memento of his time in the trenches with the troops.
It was after that brush with death that the drinking started. He wouldn’t really call it a “problem”, per se; heck, he could more than hold his own, often drinking larger men (and women) under the table! Every now and then he would have a wee bit too much, and that is when all of his current troubles started.
He’d gotten drunk one night and had an argument with his reporter, the pompous “face man” war correspondent. Eventually, he punched the sanctimonious prick right in the mouth, smashing that perfect model nose and knocked out a few teeth as well. The Company didn’t bother pressing charges, they just yanked his travel pass and blackballed him in the industry. Fortunately, a few of his military buddies were able to sneak him on board a troop transport headed back to the states.
Back in the states, he’d quickly found out that The Company had, indeed, destroyed his career. No one in the national news field would touch him; who wanted to work with a hot-headed, violently drunk camera man, anyway? To make ends meet, he had wandered around the country, doing odd jobs here and there until one day, he found that he had come full circle back home to beautiful Pennsylvania. Eventually, he even found a gig as a camera man at the local news station, WGON. Thankfully, The Company’s wrath hadn’t reached the smaller local media outlets and so, he found himself travelling across the state covering inane events like The World Tiddlywinks Championship. Oh well, at least it was a steady paycheck. Besides, the reporter he was assigned to had turned out to be an alright kind of guy. Unlike certain big name reporters, Derek was humble and conscientious. Plus, the guy had a wicked sense of humor! All in all, a good kid!
Note: John has picked-up a British-like accent from his various foreign adventures. He has retained this speech-style to differentiate himself from those he holds in contempt; namely most people in his profession!