The following backgrounds are predominately for Humans. Each one replaces the starting skills and 150 points of the 300 points normally used for creation. Only one background can be chosen, due to the specific points cost. With slight modification, Frothers, Ebons and Brain Wasters could also use these backgrounds.

DownTown Ganger

"I grew up in the worst areas of DownTown and there is little I haven't seen or done. Each day is just a constant struggle with only a few friends on your side, but plenty of enemies. Violence and keeping one step ahead of your enemies is your only concern and the only way to keep alive. Thankfully SLA realises this which is why after the gang was caught by the Shivers we weren't all just shot behind the precinct. The Shivers wanted to, I could tell, but a suit offered us another choice and now I get paid for my knowledge of the street. I have to use my street smarts even more but it is worth it for the chance of a better life than I grew up in. "

DownTown is often described as a chaotic rabbit warren, but you know that isn't true. For those that know the way DownTown works, can easily navigate their way through, knowing instictively which areas will be dangerous and which areas are safe. You grew up on the streets, deserting your family who spent all their time watching teevee. Looking for an alternative to their existance it was not long before you joined one of the numerous gangs prevalent in DownTown. Now you find it almost impossible to recall what anyone from your family really looked like.

The majority of the time with the gang was a mixture of extremes, some days up and some days down. The good days were those when you helped pick on those stupid enough to be intimidated by you, gaining goods and items that you could never afford working in a factory or dead end job. The bad days were when rival gangs clashed over your territory. Mindless battles over streets and hangouts with no real advantage gained by the victors. It was these days, when friends became just another corpse to be looted, that you realised why so many turn to the all pervading teevee. With your capture by the Shivers during your last street battle, you at last thought it was all over, but then you got offered a second chance by people who recognised your skills. Now it is time to start making something of yourself, show the teevee watchers that you made the right choice.

STR +3

DEX +2

COOL +2

Figure: Good Vehicle: Cool: Exceedingly Major: Friend Minor: Friend Streetwise (NA) Simple Hobby

3 2 --- 4 5 4 4

Drug Addiction: Phobia (pick one) Arrogant Sociopath Minor: Enemy Minor: Enemy Bad Rep: Shivers

2 2 3 2 3 3 2

Literacy Detect SLA Info Rival Comp. Streetwise Un. Combat Blade 1H Club 1H Sneak Hide Pistol

2 3 3 2 4 4 2 2 3 3 2

Motorbike Run Climb Throw Haggle Bribery Intimidation Weapons Main. Eval.Opponent Killan

3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 3 3

DownTown Orphan

"I guess I should be grateful to them for clothing and feeding me, but then it wouldn't have cost them anything to be nice to me. I know that nothing in this world is just handed to you, but it wasn't my fault my parents left me. Besides I've been doing factory work here since I was eight years old to pay for my upkeep. I hear in Suburbia you don't even have to work in the Orphanage, but then I guess they're sponsored by one of the big departments and not this small little sweat-shop division. I'll show them though. When I'm working the Contract Circuit, I'll pay them a little visit, thank them for old times."

You don't really remember much about your family. Every now and then you get a brief flash of a small apartment and a gentle touch but that is all. Your earliest real memory is of being in an orphanage, with its strict rules and tasteless food. You've been here for most of your life, first being taught how to read and write and then being shown how to use the factory machines in the buildings next to the Orphanage. It is rumoured that you don't have to work here, but those that complain tend to disappear. At least whilst you are working you are safe from the Skin Trade. Life in the Orphange itself is pretty tough, with older children always picking on the younger ones. Fights tend to be ignored by the staff as do more violent actions. Every now and then the staff will intervene, but most the time they just left everyone alone.

The biggest problems tend to be be with children who are bought in from gangs. They tend to be the same ones who complain about working in the factory and are always trying to escape. Although they tend to be more unpredictable than most they make good friends and they have taught you things that you would never learn in the factory. They also tell you what it is really like in DownTown and how if you want to be anyone in this world you have to be a part of Sla Industries. During one bad fight in the Orphanage the staff intervened only to be attacked themselves. With the children rebelling throughout the building the Shivers were called in to regain control. All of the ring leaders of which you were one were taken to a Shiver base, where a man in a suit offered you the chance to be an Operative instead. It has to be more interesting than working in the factory.

STR +2

DIA +2

COOL +1

TimeKeeper: Good Major: Friend Minor: Friend Simple: Hobby

2 4 6 4

Allergy (pick one) Phobia (pick one) Paranoia Dependant Pacifist

2 2 2 1 3

Literacy Detect SLA Info Rival Comp. Streetwise Un. Combat Club 1H Sleight Sneak Hide Pistol

4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 2

Acrobatics Running Comp. Use Bribery Elec. Ind Mech. Industrial Lock Picking Manual Forgery Eval.Opponent Killan

3 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 4