My DokuWiki

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
=== Exohumans | NPC ===

====== FRANCOISE MCENROE ======

===== Race and Faction =====

  * **Species:** [[the_humans|Exohuman]]
  * **Born:** 2590 on the spaceship [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]] | Presumed Deceased since 2629
  * **Affiliation (Alpha Age):** None
  * **Affiliation (Beta Age):** [[free_state_courier_riders|Free State Courier Riders]]
  * **Place of Residence:** [[morningstar|Morningstar]] (Last registered location)

===== Background =====

Francoise McEnroe was born in 2590 as the second child of Tanita and Gabriel McEnroe aboard the Last Frontier. From an early age, Francoise struggled with a rare psychological condition identified among long-term space passengers: Void-Pressure Disorder (VPD) — a mental illness characterized by acute anxiety, spatial disorientation, and sensory overload triggered by enclosed, synthetic environments. Though not life-threatening, VPD made it impossible for her to pursue her trained occupation as a Service Bot Maintenance Mechanic.

Her years aboard the Last Frontier were marked by restriction, internalized shame, and a longing for open space. However, after the crash landing on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]], Francoise experienced a dramatic psychological turnaround. The open skies, natural terrain, and unstructured freedom of the planet brought her peace, clarity, and — eventually — joy.

Settling in [[morningstar|Morningstar]], she reinvented herself as a wilderness guard and Free State Courier Rider, working solo routes across dangerous terrain. Known for her sharp instincts and calm in the face of wild predators, she soon built a reputation as one of the most reliable support agents for scientific expeditions in the [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]].

In 2628, Francoise joined the [[vazhak_i_and_ii|Vazhak I Expedition]] as its wildlife guard, tasked with managing animal encounters and protecting the expedition team during their journey into the unknown territory of [[vazhak|Vazhak]]. Three months into the expedition, all contact with the team was lost. Francoise, along with the others, was declared officially deceased in 2629 following the partial return of the Vazhak II Expedition.

===== Role by Age =====

==== Alpha Age: ====

  * **Job Title:** Unemployed (due to medical discharge from Service Bot Maintenance)
  * **Responsibilities:** N/A (under treatment for Void-Pressure Disorder)

==== Beta Age: ====

  * **Job Title:** Free State Courier Rider & Wilderness Guard
  * **Responsibilities:** Escorting expeditions into the Ralar Region, tracking and monitoring wildlife activity, field scouting, courier missions across high-risk zones, expedition defense and safety operations

==== Gamma Age: ====

  * **Status:** Presumed deceased since 2629

===== Personality =====

  * **Traits:** Resilient, grounded, fearless
  * **Behavior:** Francoise was known for her composed presence under pressure and her deep connection to the wilderness. She rarely talked about her past aboard the ship but spoke passionately about the natural world. Her courage bordered on recklessness, especially when it came to protecting others. She was known to sleep under the stars even during high-risk missions.
  * **Values:** Freedom, trust in instinct, and harmony with nature. She rejected technological dependence and believed in living with the land, not against it.

===== Physical Attributes =====

  * **Height:** 1.75 meters
  * **Weight:** 67 kg
  * **Appearance:** Francoise had short-cropped hair, and a lean, muscular frame. Her uniform was always patched, worn, and personalized with animal tooth charms and braided leather tokens. Her eyes had the alert, reflective look of a predator tracker.

===== Combat Statistics =====

  * **Armor Class (AC):** 14 (light but reinforced wilderness gear)
  * **Hit Points (HP):** 44

==== Actions: ====

  * **Tranquilizer Dart Launcher:** Non-lethal ranged option | **Damage:** 1d4 + sleep effect on failed CON save (DC 13)
  * **Survival Blade:** Multi-purpose combat and utility blade | **Damage:** 1d6 + 2
  * **Animal Scare Protocol:** Can create a distraction using scent lures or noise traps to deter wildlife or redirect predators
  * 
==== Special Abilities: ====

  * **Beast Intuition:** Gains advantage on rolls involving the detection or calming of wild animals
  * **Open Terrain Adaptation:** Party receives +1 to initiative and survival checks in open or forested terrain when Francoise is present
  * **Fearless Flank:** Once per encounter, Francoise may intercept a creature targeting an ally, forcing it to redirect its attack to her

===== Motivations and Goals =====

Francoise lived for the wilderness. Her mission was to protect others and prove that she was more than her disorder—a fierce ally, a guide, and a survivor.

  * **In the Alpha Age,** she was trapped — by metal, protocol, and an unspoken stigma. Her days were marked by fear and silence.

  * **In the Beta Age,** she exploded into the world like a freed bird. Her life had new purpose: to protect the living, to walk paths no one else dared, and to be defined not by her past, but by her courage.

  * **In the Gamma Age,** Francoise is remembered in settler folklore as a wild spirit — an embodiment of the wilderness who vanished where the light does not reach.

===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====

Francoise McEnroe is perfect for survival-based or wildlife-focused arcs:

  * **In the Alpha Age,** Francoise can serve as a background or supporting character to highlight the psychological toll of long-term space travel. Her struggle with Void-Pressure Disorder can offer a poignant contrast to the highly structured, artificial life aboard the Last Frontier. DMs may use her as an example of how some passengers were deeply affected by the ship’s environment, potentially triggering moral or medical discussions among player characters about mental health, confinement, or failed support systems.

  * **In the Beta Age,** she can serve as a party escort, wilderness tutor, or emergency backup. Her knowledge of regional fauna, predator patterns, and terrain is unmatched. DMs can use her to foreshadow environmental threats, introduce new species, or provoke moral tension about hunting vs. coexisting with wildlife.

  * **In the Gamma Age,** Francoise is remembered as a ghostly figure in settler legends. NPCs may speak of her sightings in Vazhak or claim to have found her trail markings.

===== Related Pages and Further Information =====

  * [[free_state_courier_riders|Free State Courier Riders]]
  * [[vazhak|Vazhak Region]]
  * [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]]
  * [[vazhak_i_and_ii|Vazhak I Expedition]]
  * [[zathurr|Zathurr (Vazhak Maw)]]