Table of Contents
Exohumans | NPC
COLM McKEEGAN
Race and Faction
- Species: ExoHuman
- Born: 2560, aboard the spaceship Last Frontier
- Affiliation: Founder & Proprietor, The Red Wheel (Beta Age)
- Place of Residence: Firetown
Background
Colm McKeegan was born in 2560 aboard the Last Frontier and grew up drifting between card games and con tables, never holding a steady job but cultivating an uncanny gift for reading people and manipulating odds. When the ship crash-landed on VOI 700 D on Day Zero, Colm was caught in the firestorm of collapsing bulkheads. He survived, but lost both legs to third-degree burns and shrapnel.
Rather than retreat into obscurity, Colm re-emerged years later in Firetown’s fledgling Entertainment District. Strapped into a brutal, custom-engineered wheelchair powered by a stolen and refurbished Micro-Grade QFBs, Colm became a living legend: a flamboyant host of high-stakes games, charming patrons with barbed humor and luring them into games they'd rarely win.
In 2627, he founded The Red Wheel, Firetown's most infamous gambling saloon, where traditional card games like Twenty One met experimental spectacles like Space Roulette — a game involving live gunfire and a blind marksman. Colm became both ringmaster and symbol of chance itself: broken, scarred, but eternally defiant.
Known for his unpredictable mood swings and undeniable charisma, he made enemies in the criminal underworld by refusing house affiliation, playing all sides for maximum profit. The Peace Treaty and Communardist reforms of 2631 eventually shut down The Red Wheel. Rumors suggest Colm officially retired, but he is secretly waiting for the day when gambling is legal again — and ready to relaunch his empire, flamethrower armrest and all.
Roles by Ages
Beta Age
- Founder & Proprietor, The Red Wheel (2626–2631): Managed Firetown’s most dangerous gambling establishment. Hosted Space Roulette, directed daily operations, and cultivated a network of gamblers, criminals, and curious thrill-seekers.
Personality
- Traits: Charismatic, volatile, sharp-tongued
- Behavior: Shifts between disarming charm and chilling aggression. Loves spectacle. Treats life like a game he plans to win.
- Values: Risk, dominance through cleverness, autonomy
Physical Attributes
- Height: 1.76 m (before accident)
- Weight: 95 kg (including wheelchair)
- Appearance: Scarred from burns, with a partially melted left ear and skin grafts along his jaw. Wears a crimson waistcoat, fingerless gloves.
Combat Statistics
- Armor Class (AC): 15 (modified armored wheelchair)
- Hit Points (HP): 42
Actions
- Flamethrower Armrest (Left): +6 to hit; 3-meter cone; 2d8 fire damage; targets must make DC 14 Dex save or be ignited (1d4 ongoing fire damage)
- Crossbow Armrest (Right): +5 to hit; range 12 m; 1d10 piercing damage; silent mechanism
- Wheelchair Charge (Ram Action): Once per encounter; 70 km/h burst speed; +4 to hit, 2d6 bludgeoning damage and target must make DC 13 Strength save or be knocked prone
- Hidden Knives (Backrest): Quick melee slash; 1d6+2 slashing damage; usable as reaction against grapple or flanking
Special Abilities
- Mechanical Menace: The wheelchair is powered by a Micro-Grade Quantum Fusion Battery (\u00b5QFBs); Colm gains +2 on initiative and advantage on any mobility-based skill checks while mounted.
- Gambler's Aura: Once per in-game hour, Colm can force a re-roll on any d20 result within 10 m (friend or foe), citing “the house always wins.”
Motivations and Goals
Beta Age Motivations
Colm aimed to build a temple of chance and danger, where destiny was written in bullets and bluffing skill. He refused to work for the cartels, preferring to remain a wildcard, dreaming of a future where he controls the odds in every corner of Firetown.
Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters
Colm McKeegan can serve as:
- Roulette Master and Information Broker: A charismatic lead to gambling quests or a key to unlocking the secrets of Firetown’s high-stakes underbelly.
- Wild Card Ally: His independence means Colm can be bribed, betrayed, or manipulated—or he may do all three first.
- Surprise Combatant: When cornered, Colm's wheelchair turns him into a terrifying opponent who can flame, stab, and ram through enemies with shocking speed.