This is an NPC I created more than a year ago for my ongoing GURPS:TRAVELLER campaign. She is an independent traveling Courtesan that works these days mainly in the Glisten and District 268 subsectors.


Name: TSUNG, Violet   (147-1118)
Race: Human (solomani )

Age: 29

Attributes [80]
ST 10
DX 12 [40]
IQ 11 [20]
HT 12 [20]

HP 10
Will 11
Per 11
FP 12

Basic Lift 20
Damage 1d-2/1d

Basic Speed 6
Basic Move 6

Ground Move 6
Water Move 1.2

Social Background
TL: 11

Cultural Familiarities: Third Imperium  (Native)

• .

Languages: Galanglic (Native)

• ; Vilani (Native/None) [2]; Zhodani (Native/None) [2].

Advantages [41]
Appearance (Beautiful) [12]
Charisma (2) [10]
Fashion Sense [5]
Language Talent [10]

Perks [3]
Alcohol Tolerance [1]
Honest Face [1]
No Hangover [1]

Disadvantages [-98]
Code of Honor (Courtesan's ) (-2) [-10]
Compulsive Spending (12 or less) [-5]
Curious (12 or less) [-5]
Debt (To her original Mentor & Teacher) (-3) [-3]
Flashbacks (Mild) [-5]
Greed (12 or less) [-15]
Gregarious [-10]
Honesty (12 or less) [-10]
Sense of Duty (To other Sisters and Brothers in the Profession) (Large Group) [-10]
Sense of Duty (To Protect her Client or Companion's welfare) (Small Group) [-5]
Slow Riser [-5]
Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5]
Stubbornness [-5]
Workaholic [-5]

Quirks [-6]
Broad-Minded [-1]
Careful [-1]
Dislikes Arrogant Nobles  [-1]
Prefers to work in or near District 268, if she can. [-1]
Proud [-1]
Vow (Won't Take Hard Drugs) [-1]

Skills [105]
Accounting IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Acting IQ/A - IQ+1 12 [4]
Administration IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]
Area Knowledge (Spinward Marches ) IQ/E - IQ+2 13 [4]
Beam Weapons/TL11 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+1 13 [2]
Brawling DX/E - DX+1 13 [2]
Carousing HT/E - HT+1 13 [2]
Computer Operation/TL11 IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Cooking IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]
Current Affairs/TL11 (Politics) IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Dancing DX/A - DX+0 12 [2]
Diagnosis/TL11 (Human) IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Diplomacy IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Erotic Art (Human) DX/A - DX+3 15 [12]
Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]
First Aid/TL11 (Human) IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Free Fall DX/A - DX+0 12 [2]
Games (Chess) IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Gesture IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Holdout IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]
Knife DX/E - DX+1 13 [2]
Makeup/TL11 IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Performance IQ/A - IQ+2 13 [7]
Physiology/TL11 (Human) IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Pickpocket DX/H - DX-2 10 [1]
Professional Skill (Courtesan) IQ/A - IQ+4 15 [16]
Psychology (Human) IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Savoir-Faire (High Society) IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Sex Appeal HT/A - HT+5 17 [4]
   includes: +4 from 'Appearance'
Singing HT/E - HT+1 13 [2]
Spacer/TL11 IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]
Streetwise IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]
Typing DX/E - DX+1 13 [2]
Vacc Suit/TL11 DX/A - DX+0 12 [2]
Whip Art DX/A - DX+0 12 [2]
Writing IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]

Stats [80] Ads [41] Disads [-98] Quirks [-6] Skills [105] = Total [125]

Hand Weapons
1  Dagger LC:4  $20  Wgt:.25  
    Dam:1d-3 imp  Reach:C  Parry:-1  ST:5  Skill:Sword!, Knife, DX-4, Force Sword-3, Maine-Gauche-3, Shortsword-3  Notes:[1]  
1  Whip (1-yard) LC:4  $20  Wgt:2  
    Dam:1d-2 (0.5) cr  Reach:1  Parry:-2U  ST:6  Skill:Whip, DX-5, Kusari-3, Monowore Whip-3  Notes:[12]  
1  Whip (2-yard) LC:4  $40  Wgt:4  
    Dam:1d-2 (0.5) cr  Reach:1-2*  Parry:-2U  ST:7  Skill:Whip, DX-5, Kusari-3, Monowore Whip-3  Notes:[12]  

Ranged Weapons
1  Dagger  LC:4  Dam:1d-3 imp  Acc:0  Range:5 / 10  
    RoF:1  Shots:T(1)  ST:5  Bulk:-1  Rcl:  $20  Wgt:.25  
1  Laser Pistol  LC:3  Dam:3d (2) burn  Acc:6  Range:250 / 750  
    RoF:10  Shots:400(3)  ST:6  Bulk:-2  Rcl:1  $2800  Wgt:3.3  Notes:[3]  
1  Laser Rifle  LC:2  Dam:5d (2) burn  Acc:12+2  Range:700 / 2100  
    RoF:10  Shots:150(3)  ST:7†  Bulk:-4  Rcl:1  $10000  Wgt:10  Notes:[3]  

Armor & Possessions
1  Antibiotic  $20  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Antitoxin Kit  $25  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Bandages  $10  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Batteries  $1  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Blanket  $20  Wgt:4  Location:  
1  Boots  $80  Wgt:3  Location:feet  
1  Camcorder  $1000  Wgt:1  Location:  
1  Camera¸ 35mm  $50  Wgt:3  Location:  
1  Cell Phone  $250  Wgt:.25  Location:  
1  Cloth Gloves  $15  Wgt:0  Location:hands  
1  Cosmetics  $663  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Film¸ 35mm  $10  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  First Aid Kit  $50  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Formal Wear  $1987  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Handcuffs  $40  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Laser Pistol (Ammunition)  $10  Wgt:.5  Location:  
1  Laser Rifle (Ammunition)  $40  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Lockpicks  $50  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Mini-Camera¸ Digital  $500  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Ordinary Clothes  $1325  Wgt:2  Location:  
1  Purse  $10  Wgt:3  Location:  
1  Rope¸ 3/4'' (per 10 yards)  $25  Wgt:5  Location:  
1  Rope¸ 3/8'' (per 10 yards)  $5  Wgt:1.5  Location:  
1  Sandals  $25  Wgt:.5  Location:feet  
1  Shoes  $40  Wgt:2  Location:feet  
1  Sleeping Bag  $25  Wgt:7  Location:  
1  Sleeping Bag¸ Insulated  $100  Wgt:15  Location:  
1  Spurs  $25  Wgt:0  Location:  
1  Wristwatch  $20  Wgt:0  Location:

In the campaign she was a paying passenger on the group's ship, the Margaret Thatcher.
They were all traveling to Glisten/GLISTEN for a big Banquet and fancy dress Ball that was being hosted by the Duchess of Glisten.

 When they got there  it turns out that Violet Tsung was the arranged escort for Archduke Norris.  (yes him)
The other reason that a few Imperium officials and nobles like her is because she can speak Zhodani fluently. Seeing a courtesan whispering in your ear looks like its romantic - when actually she is doing translating of a nearby conversation at a large gathering where there are many diplomats and spies.


 A couple of my players decided that she should look like the actress Lucy Liu.

- Ed C.

Ah.  The venerable "Dragon Lady".

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaAh.  The venerable "Dragon Lady".

!i!

Not really . She was portrayed as probably  "One of the Good Guys" and potential recurring ally to the group.

Violet's brother Nigel Tsung is a starship owner and captain that sometimes is quite friendly with Capt. Anat Nesher , who commands the Maggie Thatcher.


- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarShe was portrayed as probably  "One of the Good Guys" and potential recurring ally to the group.

That's not what I was referring to at all.

!i!

Oh...Okay. Now that I have more context - Let me explain.


 Violet's older brother Nigel Tsung was an NPC that the players characters met several months before they met her. His last name was already established as Tsung , so she was going to have the same family name.


 Nigel Tsung was originally introduced into the game's story as another Merchant ship captain and owner. He also became a recurring romantic partner for the Maggie Thatcher's commander. (see how all my thread topics technically start to overlap at some point....)

The commander of the group's ship is a middle aged female character....thats actually played by a middle aged woman.
So Nigel was set up as a flirtation interest for her that didn't have yet another anglo/american-sounding name.

When the adventuring group was proposing the idea of an organized merchant coalition for the District 268 area  - Nigel asked if Courtesans would be considered members. Thats when he mentioned that his sisater was a member of the Courtesan's Guild.

Such things start fun bits of recurring subplot and characters.


- Ed C.

If my main computer hadn't crashed - I would've posted the version of her that 4 years later - during 1122.

 At that point, Violet has her own Marava-class Far Trader and is travelling to various star systems in the District 268 and Glisten subsecters. Her ship is called the Veronica Franco.

She has also set up a Courtesan's Guild house on Tarsus in District 268.


- Ed C.