Freelance
TravellerThis is a lightly-edited version of an article that appeared in the pre-magazine Freelance Traveller website in 2008 and in this form in the June 2015 issue.
Cassius Belli is a human male, apparently in his mid-60s. When asked about his life he replies frankly, “It’s been a landscape forlorn hopes and frustrated aspirations.”—not his, but his customers’. He is first and foremost an arms dealer. He always provides the goods; that his customers don’t always use them wisely is not his concern. He is the biggest private dealer in previously owned and surplus small arms in the sector, specializing in reliable weapons for the lower-tech, standard-atmosphere market. His inventory typically includes weapons generally considered company level or below and stop well short of ship-killers. He prefers cash-and-carry deals, and anyone needing a consignment has only to contact him or his staff. Once payment had been negotiated and funds transferred the consignment would be released, or, for an additional fee he would arrange delivery to a mutually-acceptable location by the quickest secure route.
His past is murky. He clearly saw some military service early in his career, and was apparently recruited by and served for several years in an Imperial Intelligence service, but the details are unknown. He does have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of small arms and their individual faults and foibles.
He has good connections and might be encountered posh but very discreet resorts, restaurants, hotels, casinos, etc. If the PCs control, own or serve as crew on a star ship he may seek to use the vessel to deliver a consignment. While he is above board in his business dealings and will not violate Imperial laws, he is less concerned about planetary laws. Possible scenarios involving him might be kidnap attempts by irate planetary officials, delivery of cargoes and the pickup of merchandise.