Ferengi
Sept 5, 2021 4:49:18 GMT -6
Post by insertnamehere on Sept 5, 2021 4:49:18 GMT -6
The Ferengi are a humanoid species from the perpetually rainy Sphere of Ferenginar. Ferengi civilization is built on free enterprise, where earning profit was the sole meaningful goal in life, superseding all other endeavors and was centralized around the concept of greed and earning profit. Ferengi do not have any clear idea of their origins, as all historic documentation are either quarterly earnings reports, stock market patterns, or blacklists of Ferengi deemed "unprofitable". Despite the importance they place on acquiring profit, though the Ferengi would argue that its because of the importance of acquiring profit, the Ferengi managed to avoid many of the worst aspects of an evolving culture and their social history was notable for the absence of atrocities such as slavery or genocide, a distinction the Ferengi felt made them morally superior (though their definition of "slavery" is a lot different compared to the other races of the Great Wheel).
Almost all aspects of Ferengi life is some form of transaction or business contract, guests must pay "entrance fee's" and sign waivers before entering a Ferengi's home for example. Even the religion of the Ferengi is based on accumulating wealth, as its said that when you die you go to the Grand Auction House and those who died rich will be able to afford a better life when they reincarnate. Desperate Ferengi on their deathbeds will auction off all their belongings, even their organs, to attain a better chance in the afterlife. The central government of the Ferengi is the Ferengi Alliance which acts more of a commerce guild then an actual government and in place of a police force there is the Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA) who are responsible for enforcing any and all Trade By-Laws and liquidating the assets of those that break them. A standing military does exist within the Ferengi Alliance but its main function is protecting high valued assets used for commerce. Majority of military personal are mercenary companies that are hired by the various officials of the Alliance.
While many in the Wheel view Ferengi society as exploitative, there are just as many that argue that its completely fair. How can you be taken advantage of if that's what to be expected or complain about hidden fee's when you can apply your own? Say what you will about the Ferengi but to them no one is above or exempt from their contractual obligations.
Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 1.5-1.7m
Average Weight: 55-65kg
Languages: Trade, Ferengi
Common Personality Traits: Greedy, Deceitful, Opportunistic, Business oriented, Self-Centered
Common Physical Traits: Large ears, Prominent skull, Wrinkled nose, Pointed Teeth, Orange-Brown skin
Example Male Names: Nog, Quark, Sovak
Example Female Names: Ishka, Pel, Lumba
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to Charisma or Fellowship
Skill Bonus: +1 to Persuasion and Deceive
Power: Lobes - Gain the Heightened Senses (Hearing) feat and Perception (Listening) specialization
Size: 3
Racial Feats
Four-lobed Brain [Ferengi]
The Ferengi's unique brain physiology makes them hard to read... literally. The TN is increased by 10 for spells or spell-like abilities that read the Ferengi's mind.
Knowledge equals profit [Ferengi]
If there's one thing people dont expect from a Ferengi is that they actually know what they're talking about. Once per Scene, apply a Specialization from another skill to a Social skill roll appropriate to the situation at the SM discretion
(i.e. applying Drive (Ground Vehicle) specialization to a Deceive roll to make the owner believe his car is in working order or Common Lore (War) specialization to a Command roll to motivate a group of soldiers)
Hear all, trust nothing [Ferengi]
A Ferngi's ears is his greatest asset. Before business has even started, a Ferengi can tell the disposition of the entire room with nothing but their sharp ears. You can use the Perception skill in place of Scrutiny rolls but only if you are able to hear the target.
Asset
Grand Nagus [Ferengi, Paragon]
All Ferengi dream of becoming the Grand Negas, the financial head of the Ferengi Alliance and THE Ferengi to do business with. Unfortunately, there can only be one Grand Nagus so you got lots of competition for the job. That just means you'll have to suck up to the boss harder. When you spend Action Points to add rolled dice to a Social skill test, gain additional dice equal to either your Backing, Holdings, or Wealth (whichever is highest).
Physical Qualities
Ferengi have proportions similar to Humans but stand just a tad shorter then them. The most noticeable feature of a Ferengi are their extraordinarily large ears, called "Lobes" by the Ferengi, giving them a terrific sense of hearing and sound filtering. They have skin tones ranging from bright orange to a dull brown, flat wrinkled noses, and small pointed teeth. The average Ferengi life span is at least a century, which can be attributed to their robust immune system as Ferengi rarely get sick, though this doesnt mean that they are anymore resistant to lethal poisons or toxins then everybody else in the Wheel. The most unique aspect of Ferengi biology are their four-lobed brains, making many Ferengi resistant or even out-right immune to mind reading sorceries, as their brains are just to "complex" to reliably peer into.
Playing a Ferengi
A Ferengi's first and foremost concern is of Profit and how to acquire it, leaving all other concerns, such as family or friendship, as secondary. Generosity is considered weakness to the Ferengi, as they dont believe in helping people but doing favors that can be cashed in at a later date. The Ferengi are rare to provoke violence and even rarer to actively kill someone, as killing someone outside of self defense has the effect of killing potential profit to be made for the Ferengi as a whole. That's why those that travel the Great Wheel, either as merchants or representatives for businesses, often have bodyguards or even entire mercenary companies for protection. Though not all Ferengi who travel the Wheel are on business. Some are under Indentured Servitudeā¢ for a time as punishment for "unprofitable" actions against the Ferengi Alliance. While the desperate and destitute are often pirates, hoping to make as much profit as they can from who they assume to be easy pickings.
Ferengi Heroes
Profit Obtaining Gynoid (or Pog) was designed for one thing and one thing only, to obtain profit! Her mind was based on an one of the first Ferengi that managed to establish business with another race of the Wheel and was designed to assist her masters within the Ferengi Alliance in acquiring profit. However, she realized that she enjoyed obtaining profit for herself more so then for others and after spending years secretly embezzling funds for herself through her duties, she managed to buy herself to freedom. Pog now travels the Great Wheel in search of opportunity and profit.
Nok was not like other Ferengi. In fact, he was anathema to what every Ferengi stood for in that Nok was a mercenary. For the Ferengi, wanting to kill someone instead of trying to use them to make profit was strictly taboo but Nok didnt care. All he cared about was the thrill of the kill, hearing his opponents panicked screams, and the feel of his chainsword swing. This garnered the attention of Khorne who bestowed upon the Ferengi his favor which granted him brutal strength and speed... in exchange for blood and skulls of course.