Stitch

A spacefaring healer or scientist

Respected across the sector, the ability to heal is one of the most valuable out on the edge of Hegemonic space. Properly trained physicians are, if not welcomed, at least treated well. For crews that tend to take a few injuries, a Stitch capable of knitting bones and patching blaster burns is always a welcome addition.
When you play a Stitch, you thrive when you address challenges with insight or compassion. Make sure you see the whole picture and help keep your crew safe and sound. When things get out of hand, they’ll need you. When they lose their way, guide them. Remember that not all wounds are physical.

PLAYING A STITCH

When making a Stitch, think about what drives you to tend to this particular crew. Do you care deeply for this crew of scoundrels, or is this a way to keep one step ahead of the law? Equally important is what kind of person you are—are your patients always safe in your care? Would you refuse to help someone you think is a bad person?
Stitches can have varied backgrounds. Some are former university trained field medics who may have fallen on hard times. Others are folks that learned through necessity. Some might be scientists whose line of research is not condoned by the Hegemony.
Your starting ability deserves some attention. With it, you can do two things at the same time. You can substitute your doctor rating for any other ability for a push, but more importantly, you get to have a cool moment where you talk about a former patient, posting, or research project that lends you the knowledge you need.
For Actions, consider sway and consort, if you’re a friendly sort or still have connections in high society. If you used to be a combat medic, prowess actions are good.
Although Stitches are usually on board to tend to wounds, some are pure scientists. Consider starting with Dr. Strange or Book Learning in that case. Also rig and hack might be useful to these types, as well crafting for your gadgets and newfangled inventions.

STARTING ABILITY

I’M A DOCTOR, NOT A…
You can push yourself to roll your doctor rating while performing a different action. Say which patient, research, or posting taught you this trick.
Each time you use this ability we learn a little bit more about your past. Consider introducing your contacts in these discoveries, if appropriate.

SPECIAL ABILITIES (PICK ONE)

PHYSICKER
You may study a malady, wounds, or corpse, and gather info from a crime scene. Also, your crew gets +1d to recovery rolls.
This ability often represents formal training, giving you a way to forensically understand a corpse or scientifically deconstruct a malady. The bonus to recovery for your crew only applies if you help treat wounds or injuries at any point during the recovery.
PATCH
You may doctor someone during a job to allow them to ignore the effects of a harm penalty.
A successful roll lasts for the job. While your patient may ignore the effects of the harm penalty, it does not remove the penalty; there are still fewer boxes for additional wounds.
WELCOME ANYWHERE
While wearing your medic garb, you are welcome even in dangerous places. Gain +1d to consort and sway when offering to tend to anyone in need.
When you choose to be, you’re recognizable as a medic, and of value to those living the hard life of Procyon.
UNDER PRESSURE
Add a gambit to the pool whenever you or a crew member suffers level 2 or greater harm.
In order to gain the gambit, the resulting applied consequence must be level 2 or greater—if it is resisted or reduced below that level, you do not gain the gambit.
COMBAT MEDIC
You may expend your special armor to resist any consequence while tending to a patient. When you doctor someone in combat, clear 1 stress.
When you use this ability, tick the special armor box on your playbook sheet. When you resist consequences, they can be for yourself, as a result of one of your rolls, or to protect the patient. Your special armor is restored when you select your load at the start of a job.
MORAL COMPASS
When you do the right thing at cost to yourself, mark xp (any category).
The cost to yourself must be real, though it need not be devastating. Losing a meaningful opportunity, experiencing a setback with a project, or getting into a heated argument with a friend could all count.
DR. STRANGE
Your research and fields of study are fringe, esoteric, and focus on the mystical. You may always handle Precursor artifacts safely. When you study an artifact or doctor a strange substance, you may ask one: what could this do?—why could this be dangerous?
Normally it takes an attune roll to handle a Precursor artifact safely. When you ask your questions, this may be in addition to whatever else you were doing with the artifact or substance. Treat this like a gather information roll where you rolled a 6.
BOOK LEARNING
You speak a multitude of languages and are broadly educated. Gain +1d when using study during a downtime activity.
Communication is almost never an issue for you. Additionally, you have a background in almost every academic subject that might come up, and can use gather information checks to find out what you might have learned in those studies.

STARTING ACTIONS

2 Doctor
1 Study

OLD FRIENDS

• Jackev, a drug dealer. Legitimate hookup or feeding a vice? Or did you cut into their profits?
• Alben, a former patient. What did you treat them for? How can they help you now?
• Ditha, a family member. Are they supportive of your work? Or are they trying to get you to come home?
• Juda, a doctor. Do they still help you? Or was this an old rival who wants you punished for unlawful practice of medicine?
• Lynie, a hospital admin. An old boss? Did they get in trouble for something you did?

STITCH ITEMS

A Stitch’s items are less about the garb and more about the things you bring with you to any given situation.

• Fine medkit. Better stocked than the standard. Skin staples, diagnostic hand scanners, synthflesh, bone stabilizers, spray hypos, antivenom (for dangerous alien beasts), and a wider selection of drugs. Are there any distinctive markings on your medkit? [2 load]
• Fine bedside manner. Charm that sets patients at ease. Some Stitches never bother to bring this. Do you know how to relate to many people? Do you share a lot of anecdotes? Do you project a demeanor of confident skill? [0 load]
• Fine clothing. A suit or outfit for fancy dinner parties and high society. Is this an artifact of your past, or something you’ve picked up for when you need to secure funding for your doctoring work? [1 load]
• Recognizable medic garb. The common red medic outfit bearing the official white medic seal of the Hegemony. Recognizable from a distance. What are the rules about how medics should be treated in combat? Do medical personnel have legal obligations while so-dressed? [0 load]
• Candies and treats. For those extra brave customers. Do you indulge in them as well? Have you ever disguised a sedative as one to subdue someone? [1 load]
• Syringes and applicators. Syringes, injectors, patch applicators. Many can be palmed easily. Sometimes having drugs on hand also means having to subtly administer them. Are any of these not for medical purposes? [0 load]