Blackjack's People #150
Meet The Troll Tones
By Blackjack [Blackjack's Shadowrun Page: www.BlackjackSR.com] [BlackjackSRx@gmail.com] [@BlackjackSRx]

Posted: 2019-05-31

Doug

Archetype: Troll Acapella Singer

Quadruplets who all goblinized on the same day, Doug, Ed, Marv and Bud are about the closest a set of siblings can get.  They’ve witness many horrors in their lives, from their mother slitting her own throat after they changed, to the policlubs and racists who seemed to make it a game of whether they could capture all four.  Once they reached 18 the brothers left their small Kentucky home, working odd construction jobs and constantly moving with no real direction.  Then somebody working alongside again started singing, and the four joined in, instantly blowing away all who heard them weave complicated harmonies to create a bass/baritone acapella quartet.  While they had tried to start singing at a younger age, the oppressive and bitter father routinely abused them if they so much as hummed, let along sang. 

Pondering their possible paths, the four decided to attend an open mic night at a small club whose attendees pretty much spat on anybody who wasn’t a troll.  As their popularity grew in the troll community, more secret shows ware added and while it is now, on occasion, possible for a non-Troll to gain entry, they may want to bring a barf bag.  Apparently The Troll Tones, either accidentally or on purpose, would often sing notes so low or complicated that the resonance is enough to make most humans quite sick, even with dampeners or ear plugs as neither stop you from feeling bass.  The specific music they sing is actually usually just pop songs shifted down a few octaves.  All dress in identical tuxedos when they preform, changing into their own individual street clothes immediately after a performance.  In addition to a dedicated fan base, the Tones are also close friends with Brumby, Troll Philosopher, who is occasionally seen at their shows.

An extrovert to the extreme, Doug is always ‘on’, schmoosing, negotiating, and lining up additional gigs (the Tones have no true manager).  He’s usually the first one into the crowd to sign autographs.  Er, well, as long as you’re a troll.  Everybody else usually just gets flat overlooked because Doug really hates other metahumans.  And, besides, the rest of the group is happy to oblige anybody, always trying to steer the non-humans away from Doug.  Anyway, he can be a dick to non-trolls.

Marv

Archetype: Troll Acapella Singer

Smooth with the ladies and an outspoken connoisseur of a familiar green herb, Ed is chill to the point that one might wonder if he simply fell asleep with his eyes half open and a big grin on his face.  And while Marv likes the fans, he usually disappears with a female escort or two not long after the performance is over.  Other than being a good really singer, that pretty much sums up Marv’s existence.  Sleep, show, sex, travel, repeat.  And while his brothers have taken up hobbies, studied new skills, and bonded with new people over the years, Marv is perfectly happy with who he is and what he does.  Despite the motivational differences, the only real issue Marv has with the rest of the brothers is that the other three don’t think it’s fair that they all pay 1/4 of the expenses, even though Marv consumes nearly 80% of the stuffers.

Ed

Archetype: Troll Acapella Singer

The only brother to part ways with his siblings, and then only for a year, Ed joined up with the CAS military briefly before a short fuse and racial pressures caused him to abandon the pursuit.  Ed still retained an interest in weapons, becoming skilled with pistols and blades and is currently the only member of The Troll Tones to carry a firearm while preforming.  (All carry hand held Tasers, however).  When not preforming, Ed is usually working out or target shooting at a local range. 

Bud

Archetype: Troll Acapella Singer

While Doug may make the deals, it’s Bud who actually keeps the group’s finances going.  Choosing to sacrifice enough essence to have a cerebral enhancer installed, Bud uses his ‘troll voice’ only for show, his intelligence hindrances rendered null by his ware.  Bud mainly keeps to himself and, while the rest of the group appears to want to go on singing forever, Bud is already growing tired and is looking to depart should the right moment arise.