Nok-Nok (Starfinder)

Starfinder Society Profile

• Known Name: Nok-Nok / Lick (nickname)
  
• Race: Space Goblin
  
• Age: mid teens
  
• Height: 3'2"
  
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
  
• Affiliations: Free Captains (formerly)
  
• Belief: Triune, The All-Code
  
• Theme: Street Rat
  
• Character Class: Soldier
  
• Place of Origin: Botscrap, The Spike, Absalom Station (The Nexus)
  
• Player: NPC

Appearance

It would be easy for the untrained eye to accuse Nok-Nok of looking "like any other Space Goblin" - short in height, greatly over-sized head, green skin and glowing red eyes, with tattered and beaten armour and weapons. To the discerning, Nok-Nok is actually under the average height for a Space Goblin - enough that Goblins would bully him over it, and Gnomes or Halflings likewise, although most taller species likely wouldn't really notice much difference. The battered clothing and items he carries are proud trophies of his victories having either been taken off vanquished foes, or financed from loot taken and pawned off.

Most notably, however, is that Nok-Nok has survived more than he really deserves to, and has the scars to show for it. Much of him is cybernetic or biotech replacements - both of his hands and arms are mechanical prosthetics, as are both his feet (though the rest of his legs are still his own). And those are just the cybernetics that are visible - there are more "under the hood". Most of these prosthetics are not obvious when he is wearing armour, but he displays them proudly when in casual clothing as a form of war trophies.

Background

Nok-Nok was born and raised in one of the various Botscrap space goblin gangs squatting in the junkyards, often competing with Ysoki scavengers (and other races) for territory and junk. Unfortunately for him he was a little shorter and scrawnier than most, and so he would often get bullied by the bigger, stronger goblins... until one day he just cracked. Although, like all goblins, Nok-Nok was fairly quick to get into fights, Goblins were generally fairly cowardly creatures who had strength in numbers and were quick to flee in the face of disaster - except for Nok-Nok. He just one day decided he'd had enough of always having to retreat and run from threats, and decided never again. Since then he dives into danger with reckless abandon, living off the adrenaline rush and preferring to have a short (but SO much more fun) life on his own terms than to survive a long one bowing and scraping for scraps.

Somehow, his psychotic new outlook didn't result in an early death and through surviving enough traps, dangers and beatings became smarter and faster than most - especially faster, learning to take advantage of his small size and high agility to outmanoeuvre his enemies with rapid attacks and seriously loud, flashy, and overly aggressive attacks using the biggest and nastiest weapons he could get his hands on. He soon outsmarted or killed most of his rivals and ended up becoming honchohead of his gang. Most of his gobbos would agree he was a relatively benevolent (to goblin standards) and fun leader but, whilst Nok-Nok appeared to be able to overcome any danger he threw himself into, his followers were rarely as lucky. Soon, the other goblins came to a realisation - they liked Nok-Nok more when he was just another one of them. Thus they made a cunning plan to get rid of him... and they threw a party to celebrate their latest junkrace victory and his glorious leadership.

Nok-Nok doesn't remember much of that night, except that there was incredible amounts of vesk alcohol involved and some drunken junkcycle racing. He woke up on a pirate vessel bound for the Diaspora, having been sold to the crew as a slave. When his new owners tried to set him to task, he went absolutely nova on them - requiring several of them to need medical treatment - and fled into the ship's maintenance ducts. He held out for several days, fighting his own little guerrilla hit-and-run war against the pirates - until the crew finally realised they could use Nok-Nok's own belly against him, and lured him into a trap with food (though Nok-Nok ate a week's worth of rations for a normal human before his capture). Impressed by his cunning and ferocity, the crew saw more potential in him than as a mere slave and agreed to let him join the crew, immediately putting him to more meaningful work. Soon enough he became a respected member of the crew, respected for his gunnery skills and amusingly madcap antics. He learnt many things from them, including developing a love for playing the drums and, in return, would often treat them to musical performances in appreciation. The fact he was the only one to actually appreciate his musical talent was totally lost on him! The entire crew generally agreed that whilst Nok-Nok's music playing ability was actually pretty good his dire taste in music, and his singing (dear gods, the singing!!!), were like being exposed to mind-shattering sonic attacks from the Abyss!

A pivotal moment came when the Tabula Rasa was ambushed by a Hellknight cruiser. The battle was rough and one-sided, and Captain Ching was killed during the skirmish. It all looked lost until Nok-Nok undertook a daring (some would say reckless and risky) tactic at a crucial moment, taking the helm after the pilot was killed, and ramming the larger ship, damaging the Hellknight cruiser just enough to disable it for the precious few moments that allowed an ysoki engineer to be able to take the ship into Drift space and escape. After the battle, the captain's wife, Portia Ching, took over as Captain and Nok-Nok aided her revenge assault that resulted in the Tabula Rasa being scuttled whilst invading and taking control of the Hellknight cruiser, which became the new Tabula Rasa. But Captain Portia Ching's ascension was not bloodless - others tried to steal the chair of the powerful new ship but , as Portia Ching had always seemed to have a fondness for him and treated him with respect, he backed her. Whilst the ysoki engineer couldn't handle the bloodshed and quit soon after, Nok-Nok saw and accepted bloody power struggles for dominance as normal thanks to his goblin culture. Under Captain Portia Ching, Nok-Nok prospered.

But in time Captain Ching became a big shot Pirate Lord of the Free Captains and someone else took over running of the ship in her regular absence. And things quickly changed. Without Ching's presence to temper Nok-Nok's activities, it eventually once again occurred that Nok-Nok's willingness to take [often totally unnecessary and costly] risks made many of the crew nervous or caused more problems than the crew wanted. Plus the music - sweet Besmara someone stop the music!!! - was driving them insane. But Free Pirates don't normally kill other Free Pirates in good standing (especially ones in the favour of a Pirate Lord). So, after smuggling the latest haul to Absalom Station, they threw a party...

And so it was that Nok-Nok woke up to find his ship gone and himself abandoned by the crew. Again. At least this time he hadn't been sold into slavery! Nok-Nok isn't mad. Life is an adventure, and as long as he can shoot starship weapons, play around with whatever mechanical or technological gizmos grab his attention, play music, shoot tall folk (or small folk for that matter) with loud and flashy weapons, watch copious amounts of inter-species porn, and occasionally get blitzed out of his skull, life is good and he's happy to see where the universe takes him.

Background

Nok-Nok was born and raised in one of the various Botscrap space goblin gangs squatting in the junkyards, often competing with Ysoki scavengers (and other races) for territory and junk. Unfortunately for him he was a little shorter and scrawnier than most, and so he would often get bullied by the bigger, stronger goblins... until one day he just cracked. Although, like all goblins, Nok-Nok was fairly quick to get into fights, Goblins were generally fairly cowardly creatures who had strength in numbers and were quick to flee in the face of disaster - except for Nok-Nok. He just one day decided he'd had enough of always having to retreat and run from threats, and decided never again. Since then he dives into danger with reckless abandon, living off the adrenaline rush and preferring to have a short (but SO much more fun) life on his own terms than to survive a long one bowing and scraping for scraps.

Somehow, his psychotic new outlook didn't result in an early death and through surviving enough traps, dangers and beatings became smarter and faster than most - especially faster, learning to take advantage of his small size and high agility to outmanoeuvre his enemies with rapid attacks and seriously loud, flashy, and overly aggressive attacks using the biggest and nastiest weapons he could get his hands on. He soon outsmarted or killed most of his rivals and ended up becoming honchohead of his gang. Most of his gobbos would agree he was a relatively benevolent (to goblin standards) and fun leader but, whilst Nok-Nok appeared to be able to overcome any danger he threw himself into, his followers were rarely as lucky. Soon, the other goblins came to a realisation - they liked Nok-Nok more when he was just another one of them. Thus they made a cunning plan to get rid of him... and they threw a party to celebrate their latest junkrace victory and his glorious leadership.

Nok-Nok doesn't remember much of that night, except that there was incredible amounts of vesk alcohol involved and some drunken junkcycle racing. He woke up on a pirate vessel bound for the Diaspora, having been sold to the crew as a slave. When his new owners tried to set him to task, he went absolutely nova on them - requiring several of them to need medical treatment - and fled into the ship's maintenance ducts. He held out for several days, fighting his own little guerrilla hit-and-run war against the pirates - until the crew finally realised they could use Nok-Nok's own belly against him, and lured him into a trap with food (though Nok-Nok ate a week's worth of rations for a normal human before his capture). Impressed by his cunning and ferocity, the crew saw more potential in him than as a mere slave and agreed to let him join the crew, immediately putting him to more meaningful work. Soon enough he became a respected member of the crew, respected for his gunnery skills and amusingly madcap antics. He learnt many things from them, including developing a love for playing the drums and, in return, would often treat them to musical performances in appreciation. The fact he was the only one to actually appreciate his musical talent was totally lost on him! The entire crew generally agreed that whilst Nok-Nok's music playing ability was actually pretty good his dire taste in music, and his singing (dear gods, the singing!!!), were like being exposed to mind-shattering sonic attacks from the Abyss!

A pivotal moment came when the Tabula Rasa was ambushed by a Hellknight cruiser. The battle was rough and one-sided, and Captain Ching was killed during the skirmish. It all looked lost until Nok-Nok undertook a daring (some would say reckless and risky) tactic at a crucial moment, taking the helm after the pilot was killed, and ramming the larger ship, damaging the Hellknight cruiser just enough to disable it for the precious few moments that allowed an ysoki engineer to be able to take the ship into Drift space and escape. After the battle, the captain's wife, Portia Ching, took over as Captain and Nok-Nok aided her revenge assault that resulted in the Tabula Rasa being scuttled whilst invading and taking control of the Hellknight cruiser, which became the new Tabula Rasa. But Captain Portia Ching's ascension was not bloodless - others tried to steal the chair of the powerful new ship but , as Portia Ching had always seemed to have a fondness for him and treated him with respect, he backed her. Whilst the ysoki engineer couldn't handle the bloodshed and quit soon after, Nok-Nok saw and accepted bloody power struggles for dominance as normal thanks to his goblin culture. Under Captain Portia Ching, Nok-Nok prospered.

But in time Captain Ching became a big shot Pirate Lord of the Free Captains and someone else took over running of the ship in her regular absence. And things quickly changed. Without Ching's presence to temper Nok-Nok's activities, it eventually once again occurred that Nok-Nok's willingness to take [often totally unnecessary and costly] risks made many of the crew nervous or caused more problems than the crew wanted. Plus the music - sweet Besmara someone stop the music!!! - was driving them insane. But Free Pirates don't normally kill other Free Pirates in good standing (especially ones in the favour of a Pirate Lord). So, after smuggling the latest haul to Absalom Station, they threw a party...

And so it was that Nok-Nok woke up to find his ship gone and himself abandoned by the crew. Again. At least this time he hadn't been sold into slavery! Nok-Nok isn't mad. Life is an adventure, and as long as he can shoot starship weapons, play around with whatever mechanical or technological gizmos grab his attention, play music, shoot tall folk (or small folk for that matter) with loud and flashy weapons, watch copious amounts of inter-species porn, and occasionally get blitzed out of his skull, life is good and he's happy to see where the universe takes him.

Personality

Nok-Nok has never really shaken off the Space Goblin instinct of strength in numbers and falling under a powerful leader, so instinctively needs a strong leader to be under and a group to be with - whether this is an understanding of needing others for success, or simply requiring an audience for his madcap hijinks, is anyone's guess. He is surprisingly loyal and reliable for a Space Goblin. Sure, he's just as loud, frantic, obnoxious and prone to violence as any Space Goblin, but he seems to enjoy the thrill of action more than the actual killing (though watching him cackle as he decimates someone often indicates otherwise), and he doesn't want to kill his crewmates for any little thing and constantly plotting their demise so as to advance his ambitions. When treated well (albeit often like a pet) by others, he has been extremely loyal and supportive of them (albeit, again, much like a pet). Unfortunately, this loyalty is tempered by an extreme impatience and aggressive need to take unnecessary risks, usually whilst cackling maniacally, that indicates he is either supremely overconfident, or psychotic (or both). Unlike most Space Goblins he is more likely to run towards danger, even when terrified, than from it. Although he was once the honchohead of his own gang, the reality is that Nok-Nok doesn't seek power - he seeks acknowledgement and for this reason loves both fame and attention, which he sees as a form of acknowledgement of his greatness. Ultimately, Nok-Nok simply wants to enjoy his existence without regrets, not have to worry about being stabbed in the back by his own team (again), driving things way too fast, and enjoy the excitement of blowing things up.

Other Notes

Nok-Nok's key role is usually as that of ship's pilot - and indeed his junkracing experience has made him capable of performing feats of piloting that most pilots cannot (and, sometimes, the crew even survive these feats). He is also surprisingly naturally adept with engines, however, and it often surprises people to find that he can make a far better engineer in a pinch than he would appear to be. It even surprises Nok-Nok. The problem is getting him to follow directions.

Combat Style

Nok-Nok is fast and knows how to use this to his advantage. His incredible dexterity makes him naturally good with ranged weapons, and his sheer fearlessness, and combat cunning makes him unpredictably nasty in any circumstance. As a goblin, he is surprisingly fast for someone so short - faster than most humans - and his innate agility skills can make him an elusive target and allow him to quickly move to (or stay at) optimal range for his weapons. Nok-Nok is "Loud and Proud", however, and does not do subtle. Unless specifically told to hang back and stick to cover, Nok-Nok's default setting is "charge screaming at the enemy, shooting at them with everything you have." It doesn't matter if his target is another Goblin or a Space Dragon, the tactic is almost always the same. His default primary weapon usually appears to be his junklaser (a custom-made goblin weapon made from scavenged Azimuth Laser Rifle junk parts). It is a surprisingly effective weapon - but has been known to frequently break down on him (and one time, exploded). It is actually his least-favourite weapon, but it is both his longest-ranged one, and the highest capacity - as well as the one most affordable to resupply. Therefore it tends to be his default weapon when he is out of range of his other weapons, or is conserving his more favoured weapons.

In his right prosthetic arm is a concealed Chimera Graft - a living flame-rifle made by Iratha Incorporated that produces its own petrol. He doesn't use this as often (mostly because it's very hard to "refuel" externally and usually requires him to wait several hours for it to regenerate its own petrol once consumed), especially as it is a shorter-range weapon, but as it is concealed in his arm can be a nasty surprise for those who underestimate him, get too close, and particularly useful against swarm creatures and those with vulnerability to fire attacks. Because this weapon has no effective cost to refuel, it is his favourite medium-range weapon, and he conserves ammunition only if he expects it to be a protracted fight or expecting to need it more later on.

His favourite weapon, however, is "Horsemelter" - a heavy weapon-class disintegrator cannon. This massive cannon is nearly bigger than he is and is illegal or restricted in many pact worlds. This devastatingly powerful and horrific weapon is mercifully short-ranged and has fairly low usage capacity, requiring high-capacity batteries to operate which are too inhibitively expensive for Nok-Nok to have more than one spare battery on hand unless he makes a windfall - therefore forcing him to have to be within medium range and quite conservative about its use. It fires a powerful beam that, whilst short ranged, continues unimpeded - easily going through several opponents at once if they happen to be in a straight line, which is why Nok-Nok loves to use this weapon in corridors, or at opponents unfortunately lined up in a straight line relative to his position. This weapon is technically a “high-energy proton decouplers” and produces streams of energized fields that corrode and break down matter much like subatomic acid would. However, since its effect appears to turn metal to slag, plastic to vapor, and flesh to goo, Nok-Nok refers to it as "melting" rather than the common term "disintegrating", and he cackles with glee every time he "melts" someone or something. It is rare he uses this weapon against a single opponent, and tends to employ it against groups or more dangerous threats.

After losing most of his teeth in a junkcycle incident, his teeth were replaced with hardened biotech fangs that grant him a surprisingly nasty bite attack. Whilst this isn't a primary weapon (in melee he generally prefers to stab with his "dogslicer" oversized knife), if grappled or engaged in some form of melee combat manoeuvre Nok-Nok is prone to "ankle biting" (though sometimes he goes for the head, especially against bald people and elves) with these fangs. Attempting to grapple him usually results in nasty injuries to those who tried to restrain him. He is a good jumper, and lacks caution, so he has often surprised others by leaping into a a dogslicer or bite attack beyond normal melee range.

Social Style

Nok-Nok is brutally honest and doesn't lie. Or he lies through his teeth (although he's typically a very bad liar). He typically says whatever he feels like saying or reasons is the best in his interests to say. He does not do diplomacy (though can be surprisingly tactful (for a goblin) when the need arises, leading some to believe that it's a case of "can do, doesn't") and is naturally loud, vulgar and obnoxious. He doesn't understand (or doesn't care about) social right and wrong like most species and acts on his whims without decorum, be it laughing at and mocking important people because he finds their attire or accent amusing, or deciding to watch interspecies porn on his datapad whilst in the bridge and around others. Not only is he psychotic and reckless in combat, but he is also incredibly impatient. He finds "tall folk" use too many words and worry about too many things that aren't important, and thinks they'd be much happier if they used less words and were more honest about what they want. His impatience makes him prone to just walking away and doing a Leeroy Jenkins if his companions spend too long "planning" attacks. Fortunately, he is usually easily distracted and entertained (typically by porn, heavy metal/rock music, or anything to do with ships, vehicles, or similar engineering). He is a true free spirit, and will get along well with anyone who encourages or supports that; and more likely to clash with those who try to restrain or restrict him.

Signature Equipment

Armour & Weapons

• "Junkracer Flight Suit": this armour is mostly composed of Lashunta Tempweave elements with a large, glass helmet, which has a large crack in it is visibly held together by a generous splash epoxy glue and ion tape.
• "Horsemelter": A disintegrator cannon, Nok-Nok's favourite weapon, capable of melting multiple people at once if they are in a direct line of fire.
• "Horseroaster": An organic, living flame rifle that can produce its own petrol and heal its own damage. Integrated into his right prosthetic arm.
• "Junklaser": a goblin-built classic laser pistol made from scavenged junk parts. Nok-Nok's version is oversized and though resembling a pistol, is actually more like a carbine or rifle in capability.
• Grenades: Nok-Nok usually has a pair of mk 1 frag grenades on him, and usually one other that he makes himself. This extra grenade is something he makes using scavenged parts for whatever intention he needs, and functionally tends to work like mk 2 frag, mk 2 shrapnel, mk 3 concussion, mk 1 cryo, mk 3 incendiary, mk 1 pheremone, mk 1 screamer, or mk 2 shock grenades. This grenade is highly unstable and only Nok-Nok can use it without issue. If anyone other than Nok-Nok attempts to use it, it will at best fail and, at worst, detonate in their hand.

Augments

• Electrical Affinity Graft: Microresistors in his hands enable him to channel electrical energy to emitters in his hands. This provides resistance to electricity damage, but also allows him to use some electrical attacks against others with effects similar to the Jolting Surge and Energy Ray spells.
• Lightvision Shades: After being blinded for 2 hours after a misfire with a laser he was tinkering with, Nok-Nok had these installed. Plus they look cool! This augmentation is a pair of stylish sunglasses that are integrated into his head which he can extend or retract at will.
• Natural Weapons Graft: After losing most of them in an inebriated brawl with a particularly large Vesk, Nok-Nok's teeth were replaced with hardened and sharper biotech versions that count as natural weapons, granting him a particularly vicious bite attack. He's particularly fond of biting people's ankles, especially when they make the mistake of grappling him.
• Prosthetic Limb, Standard (left arm): Hey, sometimes junkcycles explode... though not usually whilst you're working on them. It did this time, and took both of Nok-Nok's arms with it. He had them replaced with mechanical prosthesis that restored functionality, but are no more durable than and doesn’t otherwise function differently than a normal limb for his species. But they make him look tough!
• Prosthetic Limb, Weaponized Mk 1 (right arm): The other arm that Nok-Nok had replaced after a junkcycle accident. But this one he got sneaky - it is lighter and hollowed in places to accommodate one integrated weapon and presently houses his mini-rocket bracer.

Magic Items

• None

Technological Items

• Holographic Drumkit: Deactivated, this resembles some form of electronic pedal with an attached set of drumsticks. When activated, it creates a hardlight set of drums and with light-effect drumsticks. Powerful speakers built into the device replicate the sound virtually indistinguishable from classic physical drums.
• Clothing, Environmental (Zero-G): Since Nok-Nok prefers to spend most of his time on starships, this set of clothing makes it easier for him to move around in microgravity environments.

Signature Quotes

• "Say hello to my little friend! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!" *BOOM*
• "Want know how work? Take it apart! Or eat it, if look tasty!"
• "Too many words!!! NOK-NOK HEAD HURT!!!"
• "Melted you! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Gallery

• 

  Nok-Nok in action

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