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LokiRagnarok
2015-10-09, 05:13 AM
Hello fellow playgrounders.
I am playing a scientist in an interstellar travel game called Traveller. My char is a cynical neurobiologist with somewhat questionable ethics (basically seeing a lot of NPCs as weakminded and thus inferior and disposable). What I am really lacking is having some goals for him to strive for.

Some more detail which may be relevant:

* The ship he was working on/for was destroyed, so for now he is basically tagging along because he is being paid.

* Our current quest is hunting down and defeating/possibly joining a Psion who is trying to topple the Empress of the Galaxy (who we are loosely aligned with).

* My character has a female childhood friend (rolled from random life events table) who is currently quite far out of the galaxy (a few weeks of game time away). That NPC is, as far as I know, not really developed by our GM, so maybe I could work something out with him. Why might she be important for my character?

* My character would love to become a Psion. Unbeknownst to him, he has no talent whatsoever.

I am looking forward to any and all suggestions :)

goto124
2015-10-09, 05:46 AM
FOR SCIENCE!

Carry on...

LudicSavant
2015-10-09, 05:59 AM
The quintessential scientist's goal: Find something you don't quite understand. Try to understand it better.

Anonymouswizard
2015-10-09, 06:14 AM
Discover the difference between a normal brain and a psion's brain!

Take over the world.

Play Jean Valjean in the latest Les Miserables production.

Combine your childhood friend with yourself, so she'll never leave you again.

Prove yourself to be the bestest BFF in the entire galaxy.

Gray Mage
2015-10-09, 08:33 AM
Maybe the friend is important because he can see her as an equal mentally.

Cazero
2015-10-09, 08:56 AM
Create a biological singularity (aka Zerg), because there is no reason programmers have all the fun with artificial intelligence.
Then use that to become a psion. Being one is obviously an improvement over not being one, wich implies it will emerge in the abilities of your zerg, wich imply you can study that emergence to learn how to become one yourself.

AceOfFools
2015-10-09, 09:33 AM
The obvious "develop a way to turn on psychic ability in a brain with no latent talent" hasn't already occured to you? Because it is awesome.

Other things: brain uploading, creating a direct neural interface with radios to achieve cybernetic direct mind to mind communication, the technology to replace a brain with a computer to "convert " those idiots into your servants.

That's of course you want to have neurobiology-related goals. Standard human goals of love, family/children, home and stability, owning your own buisness, revenge, fame or simple fortune can be given to any character in any setting.

JusticeZero
2015-10-09, 03:54 PM
To learn about something, and find a whole lot of research on it and a way to test the thing in an unbiased way so they can write about it conclusively against people whose careers are based on playing devils advocate to discredit what they wrote. Leverage the many papers that you will write on the subject into academic fame and prestige in order to win tenure at a highly respected college.

fifacome08
2015-10-09, 10:08 PM
Student: I cannot point out but I know the answer.
Teacher: Please tell us.
Student: The swallow is beside the sparrow and the sparrow is beside the swallow.

Coidzor
2015-10-10, 06:38 PM
Well, the character from The Future Soon (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDiDK_yBCw0) might serve some inspiration, especially for wanting to make said childhood friend into his robot bride.

As for something Neurobiology-related, well... (https://xkcd.com/520/)

Edit:


Create a biological singularity (aka Zerg), because there is no reason programmers have all the fun with artificial intelligence.
Then use that to become a psion. Being one is obviously an improvement over not being one, wich implies it will emerge in the abilities of your zerg, wich imply you can study that emergence to learn how to become one yourself.

Make psychic cephalopods, have them absorbed by your proto-Zerg. Become the Overmind. Birth Cerebrates.

Find your childhood friend and make her your queen of blades.