Name: Richard Masterson

Nature: Conniver

Allegiance: Ministry

Visual: Richie Ryan (Highlander: the Series)

Strength 3;

Dexterity 2; Athletics 1, Firearms 1, Martial Arts 2, Stealth 1,

Stamina 3; Resistance 1,

Perception 2; Awareness 1, Investigation 1,

Intelligence 2; Bureaucracy 1, Intrusion 1, Linguistics 1

(English, Chinese),

Wits 2; Meditation 1, Rapport 3,

Appearance 3; Style 1,

Manipulation 3; Command 1, Interrogation 2, Subterfuge 1,

Charisma 4; Etiquette 1, Perform 1, Savvy 1,

Willpower: 5

Psi: 7

Aptitude: Telepathy

Basic Techniques: Mindscan

Modes: Empathy 2, Mindshare 1, Psychbending 1

Auxiliary Modes: None

Backgrounds: Citizenship 1 (China, Australia), Resources 2, Contacts 4

Weapons: Banji Lightning Taser Baton (Dmg 6B, RoF 1),

Armor: Armor Vest (1/3, 0), Reinforced Clothing (0/2, 0)

Other Equipment:

'Richie's' birth certificate says Australia, but he was born in the oceans between Indonesia and the Northern Territory of Australia in the Arafura Sea. His parents were aquaculturists, inhabitants of a raft-city of several hundred boats that would lash together at night and then leave before dawn to tend plots of fishfarm, kelp bed, crab traps, oyster strings, etc. Enormous swathes of seabed in the Java Sea, Molucca Sea, Banda Sea and Timor Sea, extending only marginally down into the Arafura Sea and Australian waters, were used in this form of aquaculture, producing food and goods (pearls, chitosan, etc) from the sea to support Indonesian, Malaysian, Papuan and Phillipino fishermen, as well as the odd Australian like the Mastersons.

Oddly enough Richie hates the open water and, while capable of swimming, doesn't much like boats, fish or the smell of salt water either. So when he seemed to be mildly thalassophobic, his bewildered parents shruggingly pawned him off on a landbound aunt back on the mainland. It was with the somewhat gullible and indulgent Aunt Mary that Richie first learned about the tremendous benefits to be gained by the occasional white lie or wheedle. He wasn't even a teenager yet by the time he had managed to finagle his first drink, his first pack of smokes or his first night away (for a 'slumber party' which was anything but!). He went to an actual public school as Aunt Mary didn't really have an adequate computer set up for home schooling to be practical, so he was out amongst others every day, developing some useful social skills and experiences of which his aunt would have been aghast to learn!

It was a few months before graduation that he heard about the cool perks that came with signing up for the Legions, and being a longtime veteran of donating blood for the free cookies, he went to the recruitment center to be tested (pocketing the 50 bucks and telling his Aunt that he stayed behind to help the drama instructor with sets and stagecraft). His scores ended up quite high, but geared more towards Telepathic and especially Empathic Modes of expression than mind over matter, and the Legions were somewhat irked to find out that Richie was offered Ministry membership 2 days later, despite the Third never having relayed his scores to the Telepaths. . .

Richie thought for a few days about the inherent possibilities of Chinese intelligence work, both the authority of the uniform and the inconvenience of his superiors being able to read his mind. He said 'to Hell with it,' and signed up with a good fortification of strong drink.

Training was Hell, they could and did read his mind, finding a simplistic user, addicted to venal pleasures and unsubtle machinations that would work only on the gullible and his peers. They not only pulled this information out of his mind, but showed it to him in graphic detail, bringing him face to face for the first time with himself. He hardly 'learned his lesson' or 'changed his wicked ways,' but at least he can now look in a mirror and understand exactly who and what is looking back at him. In fact that is part of his morning regimen, he looks deep into his mirror every morning, closes his eyes and thinks over everything he did the previous day and what basic venal petty impulses may have inspired each action, every drink or smoke or snide remark. He still shows many signs of self-indulgence, of what some might consider weakness, but he now knows of these things and keeps an inventory of his failings in an effort to understand himself. There is a not-so-subtle difference between when he puts on his uniform and stands tall and emotionless, hardly proud, but focused only on Ministry goals. Afterwards, the change may be as subtle as taking his cap off and loosening his collar, unbuttoning his sleeves, etc, but his posture changes, he smiles, lights up a cigarette and rejoins the lowest common denomination of the human race. He has avoided thus far learning the power of Emotional Achilles not because it wouldn't be useful for his work, but because he is terrified of becoming addicted to its use!

Richie is a handsome redhead in pretty good physical shape (with just a touch of a receding hairline), about 5' 11" and 170 lbs. He can usually be found out of uniform (or at least partially so) and his mood ranges from severe and meticulous when on business or fully in uniform to slightly buzzed, energetic and extremely friendly and open when relaxed. It is in the latter phase, fully out of uniform, that he finds the most useful information for his Order. He makes the perfect recruitment poster material outside of mainland China as he makes the Ministry look laid-back and fun!