Vital Stats
- Known Name: Riff
- Race: Space Goblin
- Age: mid teens
- Height: 3'2"
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
- Affiliations: None
- Belief: Triune, The All-Code
- Theme: Botscrap Junkracer
- Character Class: Operative (Daredevil)
- Place of Origin: Botscrap, The Spike, Absalom Station (The Nexus)
Appearance
It would be easy for the untrained eye to accuse Riff of looking "like any other Space Goblin" - short in height, greatly over-sized head, green skin and glowing red eyes, with tattered and beaten freebooter armour and weapons. To the discerning, Riff is actually a little under the average height for a Space Goblin and skinnier than most. The battered clothing and items he carries are proud trophies of his victories having either been taken off vanquished foes, or finances from loot taken.
Background
Riff 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 to be able to compete in Botscrap's Junkracing circuits. Unfortunately for him he was a little shorter and scrawnier than most, and so he would often get bullied by the bigger, stronger goblins, which is why he was originally named Nok-Nok (after the sound objects striking his head make)... until one day he just cracked. Although, like all goblins, Riff 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 Riff. 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 natural goblin agility to outmanoeuvre his enemies with rapid attacks. He soon outsmarted most of his rivals and through his smarts ended up becoming leader of his own gang. Whilst Riff 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 him more when he was just a nobody. Thus they came up with a cunning plan... and they threw a party...
Riff doesn't remember much of that night, except that his gang wanted to have a party to celebrate their latest score - then everything else is fuzzy. 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 nova on them - requiring several of them to restrain him, and not without earning the requirement for medical treatment in the process. Impressed, the crew saw more capability in him than as a mere slave and put him to more meaningful work. Soon enough he became a respected member of the crew, respected for his natural technical and piloting skills and stealthy prowess. He learnt many things with this crew, even discovering a love for music and playing electric guitars - leading him to change his name to Riff to symbolize his new life and leave the past behind... The fact he was the only one to appreciate his burgeoning musical talent was lost on him, the entire crew agreed that whilst his music playing ability was reasonable, his taste in music and his singing (sweet gods, the singing!!!) was like being exposed to constant sonic attacks!
Unfortunately, once again his willingness to take [often totally unnecessary and costly] risks made many of the crew nervous or caused more problems than they wanted (plus the music - someone stop the music!!!). So, after selling their latest haul at Absalom Station, they threw a party...
And so it was that Riff woke up and found his ship gone and abandoned by the crew. Again. At least this time he hadn't been sold into slavery! Riff isn't mad. Life is an adventure, and as long as he can fly ships, shoot tall folk (or small folk for that matter), watch inter-species porn, tinker with technology and occasionally get blitzed out of his skull, life is good and he's happy to see where the universe takes him.
Personality
Riff has never really shaken off the Space Goblin instinct of strength in numbers and instinctively needs 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 more than the actual violence, and he doesn't want to kill his crewmates for any little thing. When treated well (albeit like a pet) by others, he has been extremely loyal and supportive of them (albeit, again, like a pet). Unfortunately, this loyalty is tempered by an aggressive need to take unnecessary risks, usually whilst cackling maniacally, that indicates he is either supremely overconfident, or psychotic. Unlike most Space Goblins he is more likely to run towards danger, even when terrified, than from it.
Other Notes
Riff's key role is usually as that of pilot - and indeed he is capable of performing feats of piloting that normal people cannot - but he did not begin his starhopping career as a pilot and has always maintained his technology skills. It often surprises people to find that he is a far better hacker and engineer than he would appear to be. It even surprises Riff.
Combat Style
Riff is fast and knows how to use this to his advantage. Although he is technically a better combatant with ranged weapons, his incredible dexterity, sheer fearlessness, and combat cunning makes him unpredictably nasty in any circumstance as his amazing speed allows him to cross great distances very quickly, often to others' surprise, and his acrobatic skills help him open up opportunities for dirty hits on enemies. As Riff says, he fights smart, not nice. Unless told to hang back and stick to ranged combat, Riff's default setting is "charge at the enemy, shooting at them, until you're close enough to stab them." It doesn't matter if his target is another Goblin or a Space Dragon, the tactic is the same. Although it is not a primary weapon, Riff gets easily agitated in social situations and is prone to sudden attacking others by beating them repeatedly with his guitar (which, having been broken multiple times due to his penchant to hit things and people with it, was custom-made for him as a parting gift by his old Captain and is specially reinforced for this purpose - effectively a musical club)
Social Style
Riff is brutally honest and doesn't lie. Or he lies through his teeth. He 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 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 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 in the recreation room whilst in the company of others. He finds "tall folk" use too much 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. 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 him.
Signature Equipment
Armour & Weapons
- Tattered Freebooter Armour II: this armour has a large crack in the visor which is visibly held together by a generous splash of ion tape. Riff has upgraded his armour with descent thrusters.
- "Horseskewer": custom-created by Multifold Industries, this love-child of a large club and a guitar is hardened to survive Riff's excited impulses to smash it against anyone or anything that his mood fancies. This item has the durable fusion.
- "Dogslicer": a large, crude goblin-style knife.
- "Junklaser": a laser pistol built using components primarily from an azimuth laser pistol, as well as other scavanged parts. Surprisingly reliable and effective, when it doesn't suddenly malfunction, heat up, and explode.
Augments
- Lightvision shades: Commonly used when there are strong light sources, or Riff is hung over (very commonly) these are dark shades intended for Drow to stave off light blindness, which are integrated into his forehead and can be retracted or hidden at will.
- My 1 Synaptic Accelerator (Dexterity): Being pretty much as fast as Space Goblins could be wasn't enough for Riff. He wanted more.
- Respiration Compounder: Allows Riff to hold his breath longer, and filters protect against inhaled poisons and toxins.
- Squirming Entrails: This necrograft regularly makes others feel ill to watch as undead entrails in his throat are extruded from his mouth and used to hold his balance. They also protect him from spoiled food, drugs and poison.
Magic Items
- Pilot's Helmet: This floppy leather helmet and goggles set looks like something from a bygone age, but grants Riff special ability to counter trick flying by enemy vehicles.
- Reckless Gloves: These gloves make Riff more effective at ramming and running over others.
Technological Items
- Datapad: used for entertainment purposes as well as communications.
- Thieves' tool kik: all the essentials for bypassing computerised, technological or mechanical locks and doors.
- Ion Tape: strips of adhesive tape that when charged with power becomes a mass of highly durable plastic-like material. A second charge returns it to it's weaker state.
- Zipstick: supposedly for use with charging Ion tape, Riff is annoyingly fond of using this to zap unsuspecting colleagues.
Other Items
- Goblin Junkcycle: a small hover-cycle that is not very fast, is loud, lets off more smoke than an ancient-Golarion industrial factory, and prone to exploding. But it gets him around.
Signature Quotes
- "I'm a mote in the Vast. Watch how I Drift. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Gallery
Riff in action