[K5pbem] Character Profile: Frank Shou

[nestor42 at aol.com]

OK, here's my rough draft for a character. And, yes, for those who've 
played with me, I'm playing a cop yet again. :-)

DET. FRANK SHOU

PLAYER: Nestor Rodriguez

BACKGROUND:
When Shou Fa rong (aka Frank Shou) was a young boy, his older brother
disappeared one day. His parents gave him some vague answers as to 
where his
brother had gone, then moved to a new place where they sternly told 
young
Frank to never mention his brother again. Frank was sure that his 
brother's
disappearance was related to the "magic" tricks that he had started to 
do,
so he made sure to never pretend he had or even show any interest in 
these
"esper" abilities (he overheard his father use the term), or his parents
would make him go away, too.

Needless to say, the rest of Frank's childhood was not a happy one. He 
grew
up to be a moody and withdrawn teenager, with pent-up anger and mistrust
against his parents and other adults. He started hanging with local 
street
gangs, seeking companionship. As an initiation rite to one of the 
gangs, he
was sent to pilfer an old man's apartment. What he didn't know (but the 
gang
may have), was that the apartment's tenant was a retired police officer 
of
some reputation. The ex-cop caught Frank in the act, but something 
about the
angry defiant boy kept the old man from just turning him in. He took 
Frank
under his wing, straightening the young man out, treating him fairly but
sternly, helping the teen work out his problems, and instilling a clear,
practical view of the world in him. He explained to Frank about the
corporations' habit of collecting young espers for indcotrination and
suggested that his  brother could have suffered this fate. In time, the 
old
cop became an adopted parent and role model, so it was no surprise when 
Frank
decided on a career in law enforcement after graduating from high 
school.

The time spent learning from the old cop served Frank well, as he was
familiar enough with the skills and attitudes needed to be a police 
officer.
Sadly, the old man passed away before being able to see his young charge
graduate from the academy with honors.

Frank joined the HKPD, where he gained a reputation as a dedicated 
officer
who didn't let anything get in the way of stopping a crime or capturing 
a
felon. He was prepared to deal with the institutionalized corruption 
that
existed in the force and navigate the path between selling his soul to
the Triads and standing out as a threat to the status quo. Soon, Frank 
was
promoted to Detective First Class, and after a stint in the OCTB 
(Organized
Crime Task Bureau), transferred to Homicide.

Now, after a short and very unsuccesful marriage, he has nothing to look
forward to but a life of dealing with the scum and crime of the city, 
until
he gets either a gold watch at his retirement ceremony or a bullet in 
some
back alley for his troubles.

PERSONALITY/MOTIVATION:
Frank's life has left him a worldly-wise man who comes across as 
cynical and
jaded. He's never quite mastered the art of diplomacy, so he comes 
across as
brusque and aloof to most people. He has few friends, but he is very 
loyal to
the ones he has.

On the job, Frank is tenacious. On one hand, he does everything in his 
power
to solve any case he is assigned. On the other hand, he tends to leave 
a lot
feathers ruffled in his wake. While not a dirty cop, he's not lily-white
either, and has made deals with the Triads in the past.

Fank reacts badly to espers, a left-over from his childhood trauma, and 
this
has given people the impression he is prejudiced against them. He also 
has
no love lost for corporations, and has been known to be involved in...
clashes when corporate stooges try to interfere with his work.

Frank is a borderline alcoholic, as he finds booze to be a way of 
dealing
with the infrequent headaches he suffers. He is also rarely seen 
without a
cigarette in his mouth. This has done nothing good to his health, but 
he is
still functional enough to do his job.

QUOTE:
<Gang Member>: "What if I cut your fragging ear off, cop?"
<Frank>: "I'd probably scream like a little girl. Why? You tired of 
talking?"

POWERS/TACTICS:
Frank is an experienced police detective, with a stable of informants 
to keep
his finger on the pulse of crime in HK. He knows how to interrogate 
witnesses,
examine a crime site for evidence, and subdue uncooperative perps.

While his marksmanship scores in the academy were only slightly above 
average,
he's displayed an admirable level of accuracy on the field. In spite of 
his
disregard for social niceties, he's also very good at "reading" 
people's body
language, and can usually tell when a person's agitated or lying 
through his
teeth. His situational awareness has gained him a rep for being a 
bloodhound;
stories circulate about how he singled out a hidden Triad sniper at a 
stake-out
and took him out before the criminal could take his shot.

Whatever you do, though, don't even joke about him having ESP. That's a 
quick
route to eating a knuckle sandwich.

APPEARANCE:

Frank is a man in his late thirties, average height, with black hair 
cut short
and muddy brown eyes under deep brows. He's broad-shouldered, not 
athletic-
looking, but not totally out of shape either. His face shows a history 
of
stopping many a fist.

He normally wears a suit with the tie loosened, with an overcoat if the 
weather
warrants it. There is no mistaking for anything else than a cop.

"Reality Bites... and I've got the toothmarks to prove it!"
- Nestor D. Rodriguez -