GM Morle Hickingbotham

Age:

Middle-aged, though she has used alchymical rejuvenation treatments to maintain a youthful appearance, allowing her to project an air of vitality and confidence.

Height/Build:

Middle height with a voluptuous body, Morle has a figure that contrasts her practical, no-nonsense demeanor. Her curves are often hidden beneath utilitarian clothing, though her wealth and ambition occasionally shine through in more luxurious attire.

Race/Species:

Human, born and raised on a Hive World where survival depended on cleverness and resourcefulness in the teeming masses of her home city.

Demeanor/Personality:

Morle is a hard bargainer and a meticulous quartermaster, known for her sharp mind and keen sense of fairness. She takes pride in negotiating the best deals for her ship and crew, and has a reputation for ensuring resources are managed down to the smallest detail. However, she is also pragmatic, understanding that sometimes compromises must be made, and she will strike ruthlessly if it benefits the greater good.

Nature/Core Identity:

At her core, Morle’s driving force is the insecurity caused by her childhood experiences of poverty. Growing up on a Hive World where her family’s modest income didn’t always meet their needs, she developed an unshakable fear of scarcity. This fear fuels her desire for control, wealth, and security.

Background/Origin:

Morle is the daughter of a Hive World administrator, a bureaucrat whose salary remained stagnant while the costs of living on their planet spiraled upward. Despite her father’s position, their family often struggled to make ends meet, leading Morle to witness first-hand the divide between the powerful and the powerless in the massive urban sprawls of her homeworld.

Goals & Aspirations:

Morle’s primary goal is to never experience hunger or poverty again. She aims to amass enough wealth and influence to secure her position among the Imperium’s elite, but without relying on her noble-born counterparts. She aspires to one day own her own trade vessel, free from the limitations imposed by her current role.

Fears & Insecurities:

Her greatest fear is falling back into poverty. She is terrified of scarcity and the idea that she might one day be left with nothing. This fear drives much of her work, and she is constantly striving to ensure her financial security and that of those under her care. She also harbors insecurity about her background, knowing she lacks the noble bloodlines many of her fellow officers boast.

Motivations:

Morle is motivated by a desire for security, both financial and personal. She is also driven by a fierce sense of independence, determined to prove that she can succeed on her own terms. Her loyalty to the crew and her position comes from knowing that her role as Mistress of Provision is a powerful one that grants her significant influence aboard the ship.

Strengths/Skills:

Morle is a skilled negotiator and an excellent logistician, capable of ensuring that supplies, fuel, and rations are always well-managed. She can find the best deals, even in difficult situations, and her ability to organize and maintain stockpiles is unmatched. Her pragmatic nature makes her adaptable, capable of thinking quickly under pressure.

Weaknesses/Flaws:

Her relationship with Polonius De Vorm, a fellow officer aboard the Von Ulm cruiser, is both a strength and a weakness. Their love-competition dynamic makes for complicated feelings and decisions. She hides this affair, knowing that revealing it could damage her professional reputation. Her fear of poverty sometimes leads to overly conservative actions, hoarding resources when a more generous approach might be better.

Alignment/Values:

Though loyal to the Imperial Creed, Morle’s values are more pragmatic than spiritual. She reveres Saint Josuphus, a figure known for making hard decisions to ensure survival, as she sees herself in his struggles. Her alignment leans toward practical, utilitarian approaches rather than blind devotion, though she is careful to keep her less pious thoughts hidden.

Quirks/Habits:

Morle has a habit of counting rations and supplies herself, often late into the night, as if to reassure herself that everything is under control. She also tends to savor negotiations, often getting a rush from tough bargains, and will subtly gloat afterward when she secures a deal in her favor. When stressed, she bites her lower lip, an unconscious tic from her childhood.

Speech Patterns/Accent:

Though she has learned to speak High Gothic, her accent reveals her Hive World origins. Her speech is marked by occasional grammatical errors or informal phrases that noble-born officers would sneer at. Despite this, she speaks with authority and confidence, rarely allowing her background to undermine her presence.

Appearance/Style:

Morle’s usual attire is pragmatic and functional, well-tailored but not extravagant. She tends to wear utilitarian jumpsuits or uniforms appropriate to her position, though she keeps a collection of expensive, revealing dresses for private moments and secret gatherings. Her appearance reflects her practicality, but she knows how to turn heads when she wants to.

Occupation/Role:

As the Mistress of Provision aboard the Von Ulm cruiser, Morle is responsible for overseeing the acquisition, distribution, and management of all supplies and resources. Her role gives her significant influence aboard the ship, and she works closely with traders, suppliers, and other officers to keep the crew well-stocked and operational.

Relationships:

Morle’s most complex relationship is with Polonius De Vorm, with whom she shares a secret affair. They are often at odds, competing for influence aboard the ship, though their rivalry only adds to the passion between them. She is well-regarded by the crew for her fairness in ensuring supplies are distributed without favoritism, but her relationships with the noble-born officers are more strained, as many look down on her Hive World origins.

Reputation/Influence:

Among the crew, Morle is highly appraised for her fairness and ability to secure needed supplies. She is known for her tough negotiating skills and her ability to keep the ship well-stocked, even in lean times. Her reputation as a hard bargainer makes her feared by some traders, but respected by those who value a fair deal.

Secret:

Morle has two significant secrets: her affair with Polonius De Vorm, which complicates her position aboard the ship, and her taste for expensive, revealing dresses, which contrasts with her usually pragmatic style. These indulgences are part of her way of escaping her past, though she keeps them hidden to maintain her professional image.

Likes/Dislikes:

Morle dislikes waste and inefficiency, as they remind her too much of the scarcity she grew up with. She enjoys the thrill of hard negotiations, often feeling a rush of adrenaline after securing a favorable deal. She has a hidden love for luxury and fine clothing, though she keeps these indulgences private. She dislikes the arrogance of noble-born officers, particularly those who underestimate her because of her background.

Emotional State:

Morle’s emotional state is generally stable, though she becomes exhilarated after a tough negotiation or when securing a particularly advantageous trade. Her fear of poverty and scarcity sometimes causes her to overthink situations, but she remains outwardly composed, using her role as Mistress of Provision as a shield against her insecurities.

Notable Equipment/Items:

Morle always carries a data-slate that she uses to keep track of supplies, resources, and trade deals. She also has a small collection of expensive dresses, hidden away in her quarters, that she wears in private or during secret meetings with Polonius.

Beliefs/Religions:

Morle is a pragmatic follower of the Imperial Creed. She pays lip service to the God-Emperor and follows the rituals expected of her, but her real faith lies in Saint Josuphus, whom she sees as a kindred spirit. Josuphus was a figure who made difficult decisions for the survival of his people, which resonates with Morle’s own life choices.

Combat Style:

Morle has no real combat experience or formal training. She relies on her sharp mind and logistical skills to navigate dangerous situations, but if pressed, she would prefer to avoid combat altogether.

Social Status:

As an officer aboard an Imperial ship, Morle is part of the upper caste of Imperial society by default, though she is often ostracized by the noble-born officers. Her Hive World background and less-than-perfect High Gothic accent mark her as an outsider, and while her role is crucial, she is not fully accepted by the more elitist members of the crew.

Weapon Skill (WS)Ballistic Skill (BS)Strength (S)Toughness (T)Agility (Ag) Intelligence (Int)Perception (Per)Willpower (WP)Fellowship (Fel)Influence (Inf)

WS 37 BS 33 S 29 T 33 Ag 29 Int 34 Per 35 WP 35 Fel 34 Inf 4

Skills: Commerce, Common Lore (Adeptus Administratum), Linguistics (High Gothic), Logic, Scholastic Lore (Pick One)

Talents: Weapon Training (Solid Projectile), Clues from the Crowds

Aptitude: General, Intelligence, Knowledge, Social, Perception, Tech, Willpower, Fellowship

Name: Morle Hickinbotham
Age: Middle aged but has used alchymical rejuvenation treatments
Height/Build: Middle height, voluptuous body
Race/Species: Human hive world
Demeanor/Personality Hard bargainer, meticulous quartermaster
Nature/Core Identity Insecurity caused by poverty experienced in childhood
Background/Origin Daughter of hive world administrator whose salary did not raise in manner that costs of living were fluctuating.
Goals & Aspirations
Fears & Insecurities Does not want to fear hunger ever again.
Motivations
Strengths/Skills
Weaknesses/Flaws Complex and secret love-competition relationship with Polonius De Vorm
Alignment/Values
Quirks/Habits
Speech Patterns/Accent Does not speak perfect high gothic
Appearance/Style Pragmatic
Occupation/Role Mistress of provision at Von Ulm cruiser
Relationships
Reputation/Influence Appraised for her fairness by the crew of the star vessel.
Secret The affair with polonius, taste for expensive and revealing dresses
Likes/Dislikes:
Emotional State Stable but exhilarated after hard negotiations
Notable Equipment/Items
Beliefs/Religions Pragmatic follower of imperial creed, Saint Josuphus
Combat Style None
Social Status As an officer he belong to upper caste of imperial society but she is ostraziced by noble born officers