=== Exohumans | NPC ===

====== MUSTAFA “MU” METZGER ======

{{ :npc_mustafa_mu_metzger.png?direct&200|}}
===== Race and Faction =====

  * **Species:** [[the_humans|ExoHuman]]
  * **Born:** 2594, aboard the spaceship [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]]
  * **Affiliation:** Drifter & Gambler (pre-2626) • Penal Laborer, [[trade_route|Trade Route]] (2626) • Hand & Errand Runner for [[Jareth Wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] (post-2626)
  * **Place of Residence:** Jareth Wyrick’s property, [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Region]] (near [[morningstar|Morningstar]])

===== Background =====

Mustafa Metzger was born into promise — and lost it early.

His parents, Zarah and Kellen Metzger, were researchers for the [[last_frontier_university|Last Frontier University]], both deeply committed to scientific progress and intellectual prestige. The crash-landing on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]] shattered their expectations of a new world. Three weeks after the landing, unable to reconcile reality with ambition, they took their own lives — leaving Mustafa orphaned before he reached adulthood.

Raised in a succession of provisional settlements, Mustafa drifted. He never applied for land, never settled, never committed. Instead, he developed a sharp mind for probability, deception, and risk. Gambling became his trade — and his vice. Twenty One tables, minor fraud, rigged deals, and short-lived schemes carried him from settlement to settlement, always close to broke, always chasing the next win.

On 3 February 2626, in [[firetown|Firetown]], a high-stakes game of Twenty One at Saloon Gloria escalated into violence. Mustafa inflicted severe bodily harm on another patron during the brawl. The [[settler_s_council|Settler’s Council]] in [[new_kourou|New Kourou]] convicted him in March 2626 as a violent offender.

He was sentenced to six months of penal labor along the Trade Route and branded with a [[criminal_code_of_the_free_state_of_settlers|Mark of Shame]] — a slash beneath his right eye, denoting violence.

When he was released in September 2626, Mustafa moved to Morningstar with nothing but a reputation he could not erase. It was there that he encountered one of Jareth Wyrick’s hands. Within weeks, Mustafa was absorbed into Wyrick’s operation — not as a hunter, but as a courier, trader, and errand runner.

For the first time in his life, Mustafa belonged somewhere.

===== Roles by Ages =====

==== Beta Age ====

  * **Errand Runner & Hand of Jareth Wyrick (post-Sep 2626):** Runs supply errands into Morningstar, trades furs for food and equipment, distributes handwritten instructions, and ensures discretion through presence alone. Acts as the public interface between Wyrick and the settlements — seen, but not questioned.

===== Personality =====

  * **Traits:** Quiet, controlled, observant.
  * **Behavior:** Speaks little, listens carefully, never escalates first.
  * **Values:** Loyalty to those who give him purpose, personal survival, earned respect. Mustafa is not cruel — but he is dangerous. He does not posture, threaten, or bluff. Violence is a tool he uses only when necessary, and without hesitation.

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

  * **Height:** 1.82 m
  * **Weight:** 86 kg
  * **Appearance:** Lean, weather-hardened build; dark hair; heavy boots; cargo trousers; weathered rain coat; old Earth–style cowboy hat reinforced with fur. A slash-shaped Mark of Shame is clearly visible beneath his right eye.

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

  * **Armor Class (AC):** 15 (alert posture, light armor, reflexes)
  * **Hit Points (HP):** 38

==== Actions ====

  * **DIY Handgun (Ranged):** +5 to hit; range 20/60 m; hit 1d10 piercing.
  * **Close-Quarters Strike (Melee):** +6 to hit; reach 1.5 m; hit 1d6+4 bludgeoning or slashing (improvised or boot blade).
  * **Cold Threat:** When Mustafa openly places his hand near his weapon, one target within 6 m must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or suffer disadvantage on their next action.

===== Special Abilities =====

  * **Marked Survivor:** Advantage on Intimidation and Insight checks when his Mark of Shame is visible.
  * **No Hesitation:** Mustafa gains advantage on his first attack roll in any combat he did not initiate verbally.

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

==== Beta Age Motivations ====

Mustafa does not dream of power or wealth. His goal is simpler — and more dangerous.He wants structure, belonging, and protection through usefulness. Serving Jareth Wyrick gives him rules, purpose, and safety. As long as he is valuable, he survives.

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

Mustafa “Mu” Metzger works best as:

  * **A Silent Threat:** Calm, watchful, and unsettling — violence always feels close. He should never monologue. If Mustafa talks, something has already gone wrong.
  * **A Mobile Lead:** His routines create repeatable observation windows at the Food Market.
  * **A Hunter Who Can Become the Hunted:** If followed poorly, Mustafa sets traps and chooses terrain carefully.
  * **A Moral Contrast:** Unlike louder criminals, Mustafa shows how quiet loyalty can bind someone deeper than fear.
===== Related Pages and Further Information =====

  * [[beta_age|Beta Age]]
  * [[free_state_of_settlers|Free State of Settlers]]
  * [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]]
  * [[morningstar|Morningstar]]
  * [[firetown|Firetown]]
  * [[saloon_gloria|Saloon Gloria]] (Firetown)
  * [[twenty_one|Twenty One]]
  * [[criminal_code_of_the_free_state_of_settlers|Mark of Shame]]
  * [[Jareth Wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]]
  * [[valen_vanlith|Valen Vanlith]]
  * [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] ([[available_beta_age_adventures|Beta Age Adventure]])