Crenshaw Mack
“Crenshaw Mack? He’s what happens when you cross a psychic bloodhound with a busted compass. He’ll find the trail every time—only problem is, he’ll burn the map to make it fit his story.”
Origins and Early Career
Crenshaw Mack was born Morossan, carrying all the swagger, suspicion, and stubbornness typical of his people. His youth in New Morossu was marked by a stint in Vanguard Dynamics security, where his keen instincts and willingness to cut corners set him apart. It was here that House Helicon’s Criminal Investigation Division first noticed him, and in an unusual move, poached him outright.
Mack thrived in the early years of his Helicon career. His instincts were razor sharp, and when paired with the Psychovector predictive system, he became one of the best closers in the division. But his flaw was just as sharp: when the evidence didn’t line up, Mack would bend it until it did. He wasn’t taking bribes, wasn’t working for the other side—he simply couldn’t accept being wrong. Over time, his “adjustments” began to accumulate, showing up as statistical anomalies. An internal review of the Psychovector flagged him, and the resulting scandal saw him stripped of rank and demoted.
Disgrace and Betrayal
The military life of a Man-at-Arms didn’t suit Mack. He drank heavily, despised drill and order, and eventually found what he thought was salvation in Georgina Wilcox, a lover whose approval and affection anchored him. But she was a Nil Mandate spy. When the betrayal was uncovered, it cut doubly deep—not only personally, but culturally, as Morossans pride themselves on their ability to sniff out infiltrators. For Mack, the humiliation was complete.
He was expelled from Helicon in disgrace.
Private Eye in Nicholson
With his severance pay, Mack set up shop as a private investigator in Nicholson, a sprawling city on Ganymede. His office sits above a Xinzhouren restaurant in the ghetto district, glass doors boldly advertising C. MACK: PRIVATE EYE. APPOINTMENT ONLY. His life is mostly booze and self-pity, punctuated by the occasional case that keeps him in cheap rent, greasy takeout, and the liquor he calls breakfast.
Current Cases
Despite his indolence, Mack remains dangerous when motivated, and he’s become entangled in several high-profile cases:
- The Monster Hunt: Mack’s most important client is an anonymous benefactor paying him to identify and unmask the vigilante known only as the Monster. Mack doesn’t know his true employer, but the money is good and the chase is intoxicating.
- The Kosse Probe: Ironically, House Helicon itself has retained him as a deniable asset to investigate the House of Kosse. By outsourcing to a disgraced former Agent, Helicon can avoid sparking a larger political incident if Mack is caught.
- Celebrity Extortion (Unintentional): Mack has found himself the middleman in a marital cold war. A famous husband-and-wife pair, both guilty of infidelity, are each paying him to stay quiet. He didn’t extort them directly, but a careless slip revealed that he knew too much—and now both are paying “gifts” to keep their reputations intact. Sure, if he did tell them that they both are roughly equal on the body count their anxieties would be relieved and they might even fix their marriage (or just agree to be open) but that wouldn't get him lo mein every Friday.
Character and Reputation
Crenshaw Mack is a man defined by contradictions. His instincts are impeccable, but his pride drives him to cheat when those instincts falter. He’s a drunk, yet still a sharp investigator. He insists he’s no longer corrupt, but he gladly takes money from almost anyone to keep his office light on. He is haunted by love and betrayal, disgraced but unable to stop chasing the next case.
And, above all, he’s still an investigator. No amount of disgrace or drink has shaken the simple fact that Crenshaw Mack can’t stop hunting.
Physical Description
Apparel & Accessories
Biomon Bodysuit
Nanoweave Shirt, Sleeved
Nanoweave Vest
Nanoweave Trousers
Monocrys Trenchcoat
Monocrys Hat
CRA-07 'Flatfoot' Combat Boots.
Gyroc Launch Pistol (BioFeedback Pad, BioLock Trigger, Flip-Up Micro Optics)
Momentum-Amplifying Knuckle Grips
Social
Hobbies & Pets
Dolly, as Crenshaw Mack’s unlikely partner, is a refurbished companion synth repurposed into an investigative aide and field backup. Purchased cheap from the Xinztown market, her original role as a dancer is still obvious in her lithe frame, graceful bearing, and the cosmetic flourishes of her design—bright blue eyes framed with lashes, flawless synthetic skin, and an exaggeratedly pretty face. Now, though, aftermarket mods and a samurai melee suite define her function: she carries a full katana set on her hip and a laser pistol strapped to her thigh, waiting patiently for Mack’s gruff command—“Dolly, Play”—to switch into combat mode. In his office, she listens attentively while he drinks and muses over cases, offering the occasional logic-pointing correction; in the field, she shadows him like a dancer’s partner, poised to intercept threats with unerring precision. To Mack she is not just backup but the closest thing he has to a confidant—an uncomplaining presence in a life otherwise defined by betrayal, booze, and failures. Despite his firm denials, the eye-candy accusation clings to her presence, though anyone who watches the pair in action can see that Dolly is far more than decoration: she’s his last safety net.
Relationships
Crenshaw Mack
Morossan Private Investigator, Ex-Helicon CID
~225 points
Attributes
- ST 10 0
- DX 10 0
- IQ 12 40 (includes +1 from Morossan)
- HT 11 10
Secondary Characteristics
- HP 10 0
- Will 12 0
- Per 13 5 (IQ 12 +1 Morossan)
- FP 11 0
- Basic Speed 5.25 0
- Basic Move 5 0
Advantages
Morossan Traits
- Acute Vision 1 2
- Cultural Adaptability 10
- Reputation +1 (Espionage Underworld; all the time) 2
“Morossan” means something in the shadows.
Professional / Personal
- Intuition 15
“Psychic bloodhound with a busted compass.” He feels the right trail, even if his pride mangles the conclusion. - Ally (Dolly, modified synth bodyguard; 75% of points, 12 or less) 9
Refurbished companion synth turned unknowing AI partner and combat backup. - Contact (Helicon CID Archivist; Skill-12; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) 1
Old colleague who occasionally pulls sealed files or quiet checks. - Contact (Nicholson Street Fixer; Skill-12; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) 2
Underworld info broker in Xinztown and the Ganymede slums. - Fearlessness 1 2
He’s been shot at enough that he doesn’t rattle easily. - Single-Minded 5
Once he locks onto a case, he chews it like a dog on a bone.
Total Advantages: 48 points (plus racial IQ/Per already counted above).
Disadvantages
Morossan Disads
- Paranoia -10
- Code of Honor (Clan Loyalty) -5
- Callous -5
Personal / Psychological
- Alcoholism -15
Functional, but his life revolves around the bottle when he’s not on a case. - Obsession (Close the Case / Be Right; 12-) -10
He cannot accept being wrong; he’ll bend reality to make the evidence fit. - Overconfidence -5
His gut is good… until it isn’t, and he still trusts it. - Insomniac (Mild) -10
Sleep is short, restless, booze-limited, and full of half-recalled guilt. - Reputation –2 (Disgraced Ex-Helicon Investigator; among Helicon, law enforcement, intelligence circles) -5
Total Disadvantages: -65 points.
Quirks
- Obsessive Grooming -1
Hair, coat, hat, boots—always sharp, even when drunk. - Enjoys Espionage Drama -1
Reads/watches spy trash and treats it like professional critique. - Terrible Luck with Women -1
From Georgina Wilcox on, his romantic life is a burning wreck. - Secretly Sentimental -1
Keeps mementos from cases and ex-lovers in his desk or pockets. - “I’m Not Corrupt Anymore.” -1
Insists he’s clean now, while taking “gifts” and fudging edges.
Skills
(IQ 12, DX 10, Per 13 as bases)
Core Investigator Skills
- Area Knowledge (Nicholson, Ganymede) (E) IQ+1 2 – 13
- Criminology (A) IQ+2 8 – 14
- Detect Lies (H) Per+1 8 – 14
- Forensics (H) IQ 4 – 12
- Interrogation (A) IQ+1 4 – 13
- Shadowing (A) IQ+1 4 – 13
- Streetwise (A) IQ+1 4 – 13
- Observation (A) Per 2 – 13
- Search (A) Per 2 – 13
- Psychology (Applied/Criminal) (H) IQ 4 – 12
- Hidden Lore (Redspace/RAIs) (A) IQ-1 1 – 11
He thinks it’s all superstition, but he’s read the briefings and urban legends.
Social & Deception
- Acting (A) IQ 2 – 12
- Fast-Talk (A) IQ+1 4 – 13
- Intimidation (A) Will+1 4 – 13
- Savoir-Faire (Police / Bureaucratic) (E) IQ 1 – 12
- Diplomacy (H) IQ-1 2 – 11
Technical / Professional
- Computer Operation (E) IQ 1 – 12
- Electronics Operation (Surveillance/Psychotronic-Psychovector) (A) IQ 2 – 12
- Research (A) IQ 2 – 12
- Photography / Image Analysis (A) IQ-1 1 – 11
- Writing (Case Reports) (A) IQ-1 1 – 11
Combat & Physical
- Guns (Pistol) (E) DX+4 8 – 14
- Brawling (E) DX+2 4 – 12
- Knife (E) DX+1 2 – 11
- Stealth (A) DX 2 – 10
- Driving (Ground Car / Groundcar) (A) DX 2 – 10
- Running (A) HT-1 1 – 10
Background / Cultural Defaults (from Morossan)
(Already subsumed by higher bought levels, but conceptually present):
- Acting, Fast-Talk, Guns (Pistol), Shadowing, Streetwise all at at least one point as part of his upbringing.
Typical Gear
Clothing & Armor
- Biomon Bodysuit (underlayer)
- Nanoweave Shirt (Sleeved)
- Nanoweave Vest
- Nanoweave Trousers
- Monocrys Trenchcoat
- Monocrys Hat
- CRA-07 “Flatfoot” Combat Boots
(Net effect: decent concealed DR without screaming “armored tac-ops.”)
Weapons
- Gyroc Launch Pistol
- BioFeedback Pad
- BioLock Trigger
- Flip-Up Micro Optics
- Momentum-Amplifying Knuckle Grips (for Brawling punches)
Other
- Cigarettes or equivalent vices, cheap flask, battered case datapad, Helicon-grade but out-of-date investigative toolkit, office in Nicholson over a Xinzhouren restaurant.
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