Caleb Rook's page

Standing six feet tall, Caleb has more or less the appearance of a human male of an age anywhere between late twenties to mid thirties, fit and somewhat slender of build, with raven black shoulder-length hair and a pale complexion. But even though he lacks the glowing tattoos of most other androids, there are other telltale signs of what he truly is, such as his synthetic skin, which is a little too cool to the touch and never shows signs of reacting to effort or temperature, and his eyes, with their black sclera and white irises and their apparent lack of pupils.

Born, or to be more precise created, almost two centuries ago -meaning before the time androids were finally considered full citizens- in a secure facility on Verces, Caleb was one of the sixteen androids of Project Chess, their designations named after the pieces on one side of a chess board. Thus, there was a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns, with each group of the last four types split down the middle into male and female. Each android had a distinct appearance and, to a degree, personality, while each designation type had its own level of sophistication and capabilities. There were two constants though; one was the absence of the glowing tattoo-like circuitry of other androids, while the other was the fact that all sixteen of them had the same black and white eyes. The Project was overseen by one Elijah Morrow, its goal possibly being the creation of advanced and adaptable prototypes to be used as weapons, as assassins and infiltrators and spies among other things. To that end, the Project's androids underwent frequent deactivations and reactivations so that modifications and refinements could be performed, a process that resulted in the loss and fragmentation of memories (though one might argue that was more of a feature than a bug, as it helped keep the subjects under control more easily).

A few years after androids had finally been granted full Pact Worlds citizenship something changed in Caleb's existence. He found himself free and away from Project Chess' facilities thanks to Dr. Helena Kherev, one of Elijah's employees and top researchers (and more than that), who early on had come to view the androids as something more than mere machines made to serve their creators. And their newly gained independence and citizenship gave her the added incentive to finally do something about it. The next years were spent on the run more or less, their stay on any particular locale usually cut short by agents of the Project closing in, though some times it took longer than others. Still Caleb found he liked, even enjoyed, his freedom and Helena's company and despite the adversities they encountered he was grateful for both, even though on occasion he had to let her deactivate him to make certain things, such as traveling or evading their pursuers, easier.

Caleb's physical characteristics are not exactly entirely original. His features were modeled after Elijah Morrow's son, who had died a few years prior to the androids' creation. It was hardly a secret among the scientists who worked on the Project, and especially Dr. Helena Kherev, who had been the younger Morrow's fiancee before his death. Although the details of his passing were not something Elijah shared with anyone, the fact that he "wore" the dead man's face and body of sorts was eventually found out by the male Rook, thanks in no small part to Helena herself. Because while Elijah only saw his son in the android's features, she saw a different being, one that had the right to exist independently of both the Project and its overseer's ambitions. And it was out of respect and fondness for Dr. Kherev -and after making sure that she agreed with his choice- that the android named himself Caleb, the same name as her deceased fiance.

Caleb's latest awakening after so many years of slumber is thanks to a passcode issued by his portable computer's artificial personality, Lena. A failsafe included in the device's programming by Dr. Kherev herself, it was to be used only once and under circumstances that could threaten the android's life and well-being. Such as, in this case, a ship-wide alert regarding a distress signal and unknown hostiles in the vicinity. Although he has no recollection or even idea of how he found himself on the ship in the first place, especially considering he was part of the cargo rather than the crew (albeit with several items that could be of use to him stored alongside him in the same box, a box that could be opened from the inside), given what he knows of others of his kind and their method of "reincarnation" so to speak, he is confident his presence and the gaps in his memory would not appear so strange perhaps.

2. List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.

One of the android's main goals is to piece together the fragments of his past and regain the entirety of his memories. This includes finding out what Project Chess was all about and, quite importantly, if they are still after him, as well as what happened to Dr. Kherev after the last time he laid eyes on her. Although he realizes she cannot possibly be still alive of course, he hopes that she at least lived her final years in peace and believes that if he indeed finds out that is the case it would give him some sort of closure and even contentment.

Another goal is a little more esoteric. Caleb is intrigued and more than somewhat troubled about his own nature. He does realize androids are not mere machines, that they have actual souls that inhabit their bodies. Still, he cannot help but feel that such a commonly known fact may not apply to him. Considering the circumstances of his creation, he cannot help but wonder if he too has a soul or if he is just a machine, albeit a highly sophisticated one, in a way that is different from other androids. He finds he would certainly like to find an answer to that.

As a player, I would indeed like it if Caleb's story regarding Project Chess, the other androids created alongside him and the man behind it all developed and perhaps even reached some sort of conclusion over the course of what will hopefully be a long and fun campaign.

3. List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!

Caleb's secret is not only of the unusual way he came to be, but also of the fact that the nanotech inside of him is somewhat unique, or at the very least quite rare taking into account as how once there used to be fifteen more like him. Although he does not hide that he is an android, albeit somewhat different than most of them, a fact he explains away by referring to the various different permutations and appearances those of his race can have, he does hide the fact that the technology of his body and the nanites inside it is a highly adaptable one, making it so that he can upgrade and evolve depending on the challenges he faces and overcomes and the experiences he accumulates. And such technology could be highly desirable, enough to make him a target.

Unbeknownst to Caleb, Project Chess still exists, though at what exact capacity is open to interpretation. Not only that, but at least some of his "brothers" and "sisters" are still alive, even if they are probably scattered to the four winds. And while there are those of them that serve the Project, it is entirely possible there are also those that, like him, have managed to gain their freedom. But perhaps most surprising of all is that Elijah Morrow yet lives, though the specifics of how that came to be, as well as what he actually is presently, are not quite so clear.

One more secret Caleb does not know, and one in fact that only Elijah Morrow is privy to, is the real reason he went after the android so doggedly one might say. For while Caleb quickly found out that he wore the face of Elijah's deceased son, he did not know that the man was planning to transfer his child's preserved brain patterns and memories into the android in an attempt to bring him back to life.

4. Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.

Thirteen, an android he met and befriended on Absalom Station decades ago, while staying there with Dr. Kherev. Although the pair's stay did not last very long, still Caleb had the time to talk with Thirteen, the latter sharing much information about android life and history and their status as full citizens, this last event having taken place only a few years before. Although it did seem strange that such things appeared to be mostly new to Caleb, Thirteen nevertheless indulged the other android. Of course, had Thirteen known that the last time Caleb had been awake androids were more or less treated like property or second-class beings, perhaps the curiosity would not have felt so surprising.

Dr. Helena Kherev, one the two people Caleb saw when he first came online. A kind and beautiful genius of a woman who considered the androids of Project Chess as more than just machines to be used as mere tools or weapons, she was the one who took him away from the facility he was "born" and "raised" in and ended up spending most of her life trying to keep him safe and free from the Project's influence. Although she must have passed a long time ago considering her advanced age the last time he saw her, a part of her still lives on as Caleb's computer's artificial personality, Lena; one final gift to help him and keep him and, perhaps, remind him of her.

Elijah Morrow, the other person Caleb first saw upon his "birth". Cold and calculating and pragmatic above all else, he was the one in charge of Project Chess and the creation of its sixteen androids. Although his exact goals for them were vague at best, just as the fact of whether he answered to someone else even higher in the hierarchy than himself or not, he nevertheless oversaw the whole thing and made most, if not all, of the decisions regarding the androids' creation and subsequent education and training. Considering how long ago that was, he must certainly be long dead by now, the Project gone alongside him. Still, taking into account the advanced research in cybernetics and bioengineering he was in charge of, then perhaps such things are not quite so certain.

5. Describe at least three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.

Caleb's first memory is of lines of code amidst a background of blackness that took up the entirety of his field of vision. And then the black giving way to light as the letters and numbers and symbols dissipated and in their place a room and two faces came into focus. The one was of a stern-looking man in his forties or fifties, gray already coloring the hair on his temples. The other was of a young woman, probably early to mid twenties, kind-looking and, as the android would conclude later on, brilliant and beautiful.

Another memory is of his coming online once again, awakening as he likes to call it, to the sight of Dr. Kherev -Helena, as she preferred he called her- and the sound of her voice. They had left the Project's facilities behind them and he was now free, she told him, although they would have to keep moving if he was to remain that way. She was older now than the first time he had seen her by a decade or two. It was not quite so easy for him to tell as he himself never aged, just as it was not easy to discern how long he had been asleep or how exactly that had come to be; his memories were... fragmented.

His last memory is of the same woman, now old, so very old, yet still gracefully so. She had awakened him to say that this would only last for moments before slumber claimed him again, although she did hope he would one day come alive again; they were still looking for them, she shared, and this was the only way she knew to keep him away from the Project's hands. She had awakened him to tell him that this would be the last time they would see each other. She had awakened him to say goodbye.

Caleb never uses contractions. Whether this is a remnant of the somewhat unusual circumstances of his creation or simply personal preference or even just a bit of a quirk of his is anyone's guess, but it is what it is and he has to admit he is rather fond of this little idiosyncrasy of his.

Caleb almost always wears gloves. Fully conscious of the fact his body temperature is lower than that of most organics, he has found that on occasion a simple handshake is enough to make the other person feel somewhat ill at ease due to the odd sensation. Thus, the gloves, though after a while he has found he simply just likes them as well.