#### 30 MEMBERS OF THE PLAYERS CULT ####

 * A set of whackos, nutjobs and other dangerous NPCs *

Author: Willow Willis
Re-publication date: 2022

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1) Player One (aka Jared Oswald): The founder of The Players Cult, Player One 
disappeared five years ago and is by now a near-mythical figure within the 
cult. Some say that he discovered the way Out, and has left clues for the 
devout to follow. Still others say that he will return one day, and bring about 
the End Game. The only people who know for sure what he looks like are Mega, 
Meta and Exodus, and they have little motivation to go looking for him.

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2) Player Two (aka Scott Inskeep): Cofounder of the cult, Player Two was also 
the Cult's first casualty. In life he was the glue that kept the first group 
together -- the heart of the cult even as Jared was the brains. Pictures of him 
still exist on the obituary profile his family keeps up on several social 
networking sites -- a spindly, gray-eyed man with a shock of dark hair and a 
winning smile. Oddly, cryptic comments and links will sometimes be posted to 
his old profiles, leading some to believe that his accidental 'death' may not 
have been what it seemed.


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### POWER GAMERS ###

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3) Mega (aka Josh Norris): At just under six feet, Mega is somewhat shorter 
than his name would imply, but has more than enough combat skill to secure his 
position at the top of the Power Gamers Guild. An army brat and ROTC student 
before joining up with Jared and Scott, he knows the value of properly applied 
force. He keeps his head shaved and sports several Cult tattoos that he 
commissioned after his first stint in prison -- one of several he's served 
since joining the Players.

The experience has hardened him. He runs his guild like a gang, and will not 
hesitate to move against anyone that threatens his new 'family'. Expect him to 
have three weapons within reach at all times (a main sidearm and two holdouts) 
-- even while he sleeps. He knows how to use them, too.

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4) Frag: One gets the sense that Frag played with a lot of fireworks as a 
child. Probably illegal ones, at that. His passion for explosions is unrivaled 
among his peers, and he always seems to know the right type of charge to use in 
a given situation. Always carrying at least three types of grenades on his 
person, Frag is the go-to choice when the Players need a more violent 
distraction.

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5) Gank: Unlike the better fighters, Gank can't hold his own in one-on-one 
combat, and he knows it. His small size is a disadvantage that he wasn't able 
to overcome with training. Luckily, his brain has no such handicap. Able to 
quickly analyze the tactics in any situation -- even an all-out slugfest -- 
Gank inserts himself into combat where he can do the most damage. A knife in 
the back or side of an opponent while they are engaged with one of the other 
Players may be all it takes. And he will always remember to take the second 
shot once an opponent is down.

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6) Gib: Boasting the best hand-eye coordination of the Power Gamers, Gib spends 
his days shooting. Shooting at people on screens, shooting at targets on a 
range, shooting darts, and shooting off his mouth. Mega tolerates his attitude 
because he's the best sniper the Cult has got -- Gib has proven that his 
talents are transferable to real-life assassinations on more than one occasion. 
Still, if he keeps shooting looks at Meta, Mega may arrange for Gib to have a 
range accident.

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7) Grind: What Grind lacks in natural talent, he makes up for in sheer 
determination. He has spent hundreds of hours on the shooting range and in the 
Power Gamer's dojo, and as a result is surprisingly competent in just about 
every combat skill they teach -- just not a master of any. Still, don't expect 
him to be out of the fight after a few punches. He has a great ground game, and 
is not above tripping an opponent to get him into a grapple. The choke hold 
soon follows.

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8) Bane: Unlike most cult members (who are usually ex-college students or 
clueless high school dropouts), Bane was a violent convict before his 
indoctrination. Recruited in prison by Mega, Bane had no great difficulty 
passing the recruitment phase. Rather, the Players had a more difficult time 
finding someone that Bane still cared about. In the end, Bane killed his own 
sister in under five minutes -- a record that he still holds today. He is 
unnervingly intelligent, unwaveringly loyal to Mega, and willing to kill anyone 
that Mega orders him to, including former Players.

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9) Lobo: Another former convict, Lobo has some truly sick appetites that he is 
now able to enjoy on a semi-regular basis, thanks to the Cult. He rapes and 
murders NPC prostitutes for the thrill he gets as they scream and struggle. 
Sometimes, he even lets them run away with gaping wounds in their legs and 
hindquarters, shooting them in the back just as they reach the door. Other 
Players privately wonder if he is insane. His favored weapon is a long, curved 
knife that he uses with suspicious skill.

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10) Zerg: Zerg doesn't have a death-wish, but his propensity to charge 
head-first into fights makes some of the other Power Gamers cringe. He's one of 
the newer Players, in that dangerous phase between accepting their life is a 
Game, and learning they are not invincible. Zerg is worshipfully loyal of Mega, 
and obviously spent a lot of time playing fighting games -- he prefers 
theatrics and big, one-liners to common sense and stealth. Lobo finds him 
amusing. Expect to see him on the front lines, swinging around a freaking 
katana instead of using a more sensible (and less cool) pistol.

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11) Rodeo: So named for his love of vehicles, Rodeo can drive just about 
anything if you give him a minute to figure out the controls. He has hijacked 
construction equipment, light aircraft and even a few military grade vehicles 
that were under-guarded. Rodeo has an easy-going personality that most Power 
Gamers lack, and is often sent out on recruiting missions to college campuses 
in one of the more flashy (legal) vehicles. His stories of wild chases and 
adventures (some true) usually manage to draw a few curious souls into the fold.

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12) Vertigo: Before joining in with the Players, Vertigo had been arrested 
several times for trespassing and reckless behaviour -- hazards that a Parkour 
hobbyist learns to accept. The Players offered her protection and acceptance, 
and she has developed her natural skills to an almost ninja-like edge. She can 
get onto (or into) any building or structure that doesn't have military-level 
security, and can even leave packages or messages behind. Vertigo acts as a 
special delivery service for the Cult, and often accompanies the Puzzle Gamers 
on field work, acting as general lookout and backup for the less 
combat-oriented Players.


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### PUZZLE GAMERS ###

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13) Meta (aka Anya Smith): Double majoring in computer science and theatre 
before joining up with the Players, Meta is of average height and above-average 
looks -- an advantage that she shamelessly exploits when recruiting or pumping 
an outsider for information. She is the face of the Cult, though the most 
anyone usually sees of her is a darkened silhouette accompanying a steady, 
silken voice. Meta knows how to pull peoples' strings, has dirt on just about 
everybody, and knows many more things she shouldn't. What she doesn't know, she 
can usually find out.

As the leader of the Puzzle Gamers, she has a capable network of spies and 
hackers that are extremely loyal and protective of her. She has a love/hate 
relationship with Mega (they've had a series of one-nighters and short stints 
as a couple, but nothing that stuck) and thinks of Exodus as a close friend. 
Expect to find her in a slouch hat, baggy pants and a tight gaming t-shirt, in 
a dark room backlit by computer screens.

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14) Switch & Flick: Also knows as the Tech Twins, Switch and Flick were interns 
in the IT department of a major university before joining up with the Cult. 
Gawky ginger-headed youths with little evident sun exposure, Switch & Flick 
enjoy playing the occasional tech prank on anyone who makes the mistake of 
calling them 'ginger' -- they've had Zerg's ringtone set to a Justin Bieber 
song for weeks now -- but refrain from really malicious stuff. They keep the 
Players' equipment running smoothly, and can fix, tweak, upgrade and build 
almost anything electronic.

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15) Mana: Mana is convinced that he is capable of learning magic -- real magic 
-- if only he can figure out the way to unlock that potential within the Game. 
He's the Cult's primary investigator into the occult and has studied dozens of 
religions and mythologies. Mana has been pestering Meta to invest more 
resources in Cult activities regarding the Seven Ancient Wonders of the world. 
Perhaps collecting an artifact from each site is the key to unlocking Real 
Ultimate Power!

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16) Patch: One of the more 'field-active' Puzzle Gamers, Patch knows networks. 
She maintains the Cult's internal and external communications, and is on call 
24/7 to deal with emergencies. She can exploit security holes in a foreign 
network, and is responsible for opening and obscuring hidden access points in 
systems and locations of interest to the Cult. Often, this requires going to a 
location in person and Rodeo usually accompanies her as getaway driver. She has 
a huge crush on him, but hasn't worked out the courage to tell him yet.

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17) Bit: Bit is your typical movie hacker (in his own mind at least). More of a 
script-kiddie than a true software guy, Bit still knows a few useful tricks. 
The only 'programming' he can do is in Javascript, but he has used that to 
crack into a few unsecured databases, like those of schools and non-profits. 
Bit has a crippling caffeine addiction, an undersized frame and an 
overdeveloped ego. He has unwittingly attracted the attention of several govt. 
agencies and a dozen computer security firms with his blundering attempts at 
'hacking'.

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18) Wiz: Wiz is brilliant -- he has an IQ bordering on savant and can divide 
his attention in a dozen ways at once. He is generally found in a special room 
of his own, along with a couple of whiteboards covered in cryptic shorthand and 
about a half-dozen computer monitors, all on different websites. Wiz is 
responsible for information warfare on behalf of the Cult. He spreads rumors 
about Cult enemies, manages online auctions of illicit goods, maintains contact 
with hundreds of informants and can either increase or decrease Cult 
visibility, depending on his current orders from Meta. Outside of his 'zone', 
Wiz is painfully shy and horribly awkward in social situations.

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19) Poly: Poly has so many covers, it's hard to get a pin on what she's really 
like under the act. At one moment, she's a visiting VIP from a parent company, 
there to 'get to the bottom' of your team's apparent failings. The next moment 
she's an emergency responder, directing curious bystanders away from more 
conspicuous Cult activities. A consummate actress, Poly collects accents like 
they are playing cards and is one of the Cult's best spies (and distractions). 
She works well with Wiz, and the two are a bit of an item.

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20) Enigma: The essence of a Puzzle Gamer, Enigma has a wild imagination and 
even wilder plans for the future of the Cult. She sees herself taking over 
after Meta one day, and is careful to insert herself into most of the planning 
& strategy meetings -- even when not invited. If she wasn't so good at sussing 
out emerging patterns in the currency markets (and making the Cult a lot of 
money in the process), Meta would probably have clamped down harder on her by 
now.

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21) Crypto: Crypto is an ex-PhD student in mathematics and cryptography. He 
sees hidden connections and messages everywhere, and has a highly-developed 
sense of paranoia. Couple that with a fondness for hallucinogenic drugs that 
help him 'see' the hidden messages, and Crypto's predictions are often worse 
than useless. When down off his high, however, his perception and vigilance can 
pay off -- sometimes in a big way. He can be amazingly accurate, both in 
predicting anti-Cult activity and in deciphering hidden patterns in current 
events. Meta knows that if Crypto says something once, she can usually ignore 
him. If he says it on two separate occasions, something is probably up.

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22) Pseudo: Pseudo is an undercover outsider -- either an officer of the law, 
or a plant for a different power group, depending on the game. He makes himself 
useful by acting as a double agent within that group, 'spying' for the Cult on 
his real employers and feeding them misleading or unimportant data. Pseudo is 
such a good liar that Meta doesn't suspect him yet, but Crypto is beginning to 
wonder about the encrypted messages he sometimes sends from within the Cult's 
network.


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### DEATH BRINGERS ###

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23) Exodus (aka Joe Porter): Exodus knew both Players One and Two for years 
before they formed the Cult, and he was also their first recruit. A close 
friend of both, he was hit especially hard when Scott died and Jared skipped 
town. Afterwards, most expected Joe to abandon the Players or at least try to 
follow them by killing himself. He didn't. Instead, he hung onto the fringes of 
the Cult, fading into the background as the Players grew in number. Exodus 
eventually turned his grief over his friends' loss into a niche for himself. 
When a Player begins to lose hope, he counsels them through it or at least 
helps them find death in a 'meaningful' way. He's the closest thing the Cult 
has to a priest.


In time, Exodus built up his own small Guild comprised of death-seekers and the 
suicidally depressed, people the other Guilds are not equipped to handle. An 
unimposing man with honey brown hair and soulful brown eyes, he maintains an 
unwavering loyalty for the absent Player One. He rarely speaks, but when he 
does, the other Players listen -- even Meta and Mega. He helps to balance them, 
and his steady advice has saved the Cult from disaster more than once.

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24) Shard: Shard passed the initiation phase of the Players Cult, but was 
broken in the process. He beat his then-girlfriend bloody during The Swearing, 
giving her brain damage from which she never recovered. At the time, he had 
been drunk on power and sadism. Afterwards, he couldn't bear the shame of what 
he had done. Shard wants out of the Cult, but is too cowardly to go to the 
authorities and too terrified of seeing his ex again. He spends his days as 
high as possible, not having worked up the courage to overdose.

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25) Kluge: Kluge is one of those young veterans who fell through the cracks in 
the system. After receiving a disabling injury overseas, Kluge returned to 
lackluster veteran support and medical care that left him with a replacement 
arm and leg, but little else. Post-traumatic stress disorder ended his marriage 
early, and strained relations with the rest of his family. The Players offered 
him respite, companionship, and recreational drugs to help take the edge off 
his misery. Due to his prosthetics, Kluge isn't going on field missions for the 
Cult, but he does provide some much-needed tactical experience via 
walkie-talkie to the more reckless Power Gamers.

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26) Phreak: A Player is a Player -- worthy of receiving help and guidance from 
the rest of the group. If that wasn't the case, Phreak might have been 
abandoned at a mental facility months ago. He was actually part of the original 
group that dropped out of university together, along with Players One and Two, 
Meta, Mega and Exodus. Back then he was much like Gib -- brash, confident and 
excited to be part of something so damned cool. A couple of years later, and 
his body has mostly wasted away from hard drug use. A series of bad trips 
screwed up his mind pretty badly, too. The Death Bringers care for him at 
Exodus' insistence, but his time is coming. Phreak doesn't have much strength 
left in him, but you may find him with a gun in his hand (or a bomb on his 
chest) and madness in his eyes, let loose in a situation where his death could 
provide the others with a meaningful distraction.

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27) Demo: Demo wants to destroy The Game, and is willing to bring the whole 
world down to accomplish that. He's probably the most furious of the Players, 
nursing a deep-seated hatred for the imagined race of people who trapped him 
here. He sees every NPC as agents of his imprisonment, and derives no small 
satisfaction from inflicting pain and other suffering on them. As such, Demo is 
the Cult's chief torturer/interrogator. Exodus is worried about his mental 
stability; of the Death Bringers, Demo is the most likely to go rogue and piss 
off the authorities.

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28) Worm: Unlike Bit, Worm actually has a great deal of skill in hacking, 
having written his first piece of software when he was still in grade school. 
Unfortunately, it's hard to get him to bother with much these days. Worm has 
become jaded and bitter after years of chasing false leads on the End Game. 
Every system he cracked, every bit of information he gleaned from secure 
sources, simply led to more disappointment. Worm couldn't know that Meta used a 
lot of his finds to blackmail and rob various officials and industry leaders. 
She would dearly love to have his skills back, but for now Worm is in 
self-imposed retirement.

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29) Jinx: Jinx was a Power Gamer, back when she joined the Cult. And a damned 
good one, too. Though she wasn't much of a fighter, she had nearly completed 
and EMT certification course, and was the Guild's top scorer when it came to 
wilderness and survival skills. All that changed when a Cult raid of a private 
medical facility met with much stronger resistance than expected. The 
supposedly unguarded firm was crawling with private security goons, and Jinx's 
entire cell was cut down around her. She was the only survivor. Since then, she 
hasn't been any good for field work, believing that she is cursed somehow.

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30) Sushi: No one really knows where the nickname comes from. He has enough 
scars covering his face and neck that some think he was 'carved up like Sushi,' 
while others believe that his silent exterior hides a cold-blooded murderer. 
Perhaps he cuts up his opponents into Sashimi and eats them raw. Sushi won't 
(or can't) say. The only certainty is that this small, unasuming Asian will do 
anything that Exodus asks of him, quietly and without any undue mess. Only 
Exodus knows what his real motives are.

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