Independent Alden DiCosta

[Santoro]

Alden DiCosta​

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Criminal Mastermind

​

The Basics​

Name: Alden DiCosta
Faction: Independent (DiCosta Enterprises, DiCosta Cartel). Alden is a self-made-man, and years of hard work have gathered him a large series of businesses in multiple sectors. The primary subsidiary companies are:

• DiCosta Medical Research
  • Specializes in researching chemical and behavioral pathways in the brain to improve live expectancy and health at practically no cost.
  • This serves as his front for a chemical factory and nanotech development.
• DiCosta Transportation
  • A free ferry service for citizens in the Thyferra sector to get from their location to anywhere in the sector. This provides poor citizens a fair chance at improving their lives.
  • Additionally, this company serves as a smuggling front for low volume shipments.
• DiCosta Logistics
  • A large cargo freight company based on Thyferra.
  • This conceals high volume shipments.
• Umbral Arms
  • Formerly owned by the late Tannor Javal, Umbral Arms is an experimental weapons laboratory that manufactures both military-grade and civillian blasters. They are most known for their Umbral Arms Cyclical Blaster Rifle, a light machine gun that can be carried by an individual soldier. Patent Pending.

Rank: CEO of DiCosta Enterprises. Head of DiCosta Cartel.

Species: Human

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Height: 6' 4" (approximately 2 meters)

Weight: 210 lbs (95.25 kg) (built like a tank - mostly muscle)

Force Sensitive: No

Appearance: An imposing figure, Alden DiCosta stands above most sentient species in the galaxy and can hold his own against nearly all of them. Practically built of muscle and testosterone, he is in very good shape, though his age and hard lifestyle show in his demeanor and face. He is generally considered good looking, though by no stretch a model.

Attributes & Personality: Alden is known for his sharp intellect and clever, devious mind. Ruthless to the core, he is able to think and process information faster, better, and more accurately than his enemies. He also has a tendency to think in the grander scale and is capable of executing his grand plans with smart moves, good timing, and his intimidating (but somehow appealing) presence. He is physically strong, enhanced by electro-training while he sleeps along with a rigid fitness regimen and diet enforced by his personal trainers and chefs.
While outwardly it seems Alden has very little to concern himself with, severe flaws in his personality can and have worked to his detriment. First and foremost, Alden has fostered a giant ego, which can lead to overconfidence and mistakes. This ego has led him to flaunt his outrageous spending and clearly shady lifestyle, which has drawn a target on his back to bounty hunters, thieves, and law enforcement agents... The best of which he adds to his payroll.

Additionally, he is a very emotionally scarred individual. While little about his upbringing is known, he craves respect and attention and will go to great lengths to spread his reputation and good name. This need for acceptance is often mixed in his mind, where he interprets power as acceptance - he will do anything for more power and control about his environment.
Alden is a dangerous individual and classifies everyone in one of two categories: those who can help him and those who he should dominate. This behavior has earned him a reputation amongst his peers as a brutally efficient machine - emotionless and cruel, but he certainly gets results.

Biography​

Little is known of Alden DiCosta's early childhood, as no records of birth matching that name can be found on Thyferra, his alleged home world. The first record of his existence came when he was twelve years old and picked up by local law enforcement for petty theft of a bottle of alcohol. While normally his young age would have resulted in a stern talking to and informing his parents, Alden staunchly refused to cooperate with police. Local news ran nightly sessions with his image, door-to-door questioning ensued, and genetic testing was performed. After months of a planet-wide searches and in-depth detective work, no connection to anyone at all could be found. Eventually, a judge determined he was an orphan on the streets, and Alden was put into foster care.

In his teens, Alden scored very high marks on his schoolwork. While he was by no means a social butterfly, he did gain a large network of friends from all walks of life and was generally well-liked. His charisma and intellect drew attention from top planetary universities, and he enrolled in upper education two years early, eventually getting an advanced business degree shortly after his twentieth birthday. It seemed that he was on track for a bright and successful future, with dozens of job offers for businesses from financial firms to consumer goods. Over and over, teachers, friends, and mentors would praise him for his drive and vision, always striving to take on more.

Then, with a poor twist of fate, Alden's life changed forever. Walking home from his favorite bar after an evening with friends, he was attacked by three assailants brandishing knives and pistols. Stubborn and arrogant, Alden refused to hand over what little he had on him. The thugs attacked... and were blindsided by Alden's physical aptitude and combat prowess. Having taken martial arts classes during his time in university, he quickly and efficiently disarmed his attackers. While this alone would have been remarkable (but ultimately minor), something more pivotal happened. Looking down at the three writhing and broken bodies at his feet, it was at this moment that Alden DiCosta realized what he truly was, and what he was capable of. The universe aligned in his mind, and he had a moment of crystal clarity on his path to success. With a smile, he looked down at the worn and aged DL-18 in his palm. It felt good in his hand, and at the same moment he gripped the blaster, he took hold of his future. A few seconds later, Alden walked out of the alley a hardened criminal, the smile not leaving his lips for days.

He rejected all job offers. He turned away from a lot of friends. Almost overnight he changed from a law-abiding citizen to a brilliant mastermind, edging the line of legality that he had learned so well. He wasted little time in identifying and understanding the most lucrative black market businesses and found the biggest local players. Fearless and bold, he approached the heads of two rival cartels and negotiated a win-win(-win) situation for all involved, improving efficiency for both cartels and earning himself a high ranking position in their new combined spice distribution chain. Over the next few years, he learned the fine details of the trade, made invaluable connections, and amassed a small fortune.
His most notable contribution had yet to come. Falling back to his university contacts, he enlisted some of the best chemical and nanotech engineers in the galaxy and secretly gathered them at a hidden facility near his personal estate. There, his plan came together and a new drug was born - Azure Star.

Azure Star was unlike any other spice. Not specific to a certain subspecies, it works on a broad spectrum of sentient beings (though its intended users are humanoid). In a broad sense, it uses a chemical compound to improve blood flow to the brain, stimulating the base of a mild natural high, similar to the calming effect of a human inhaling direct oxygen. Having little effect on its own, what makes Azure Star special is the nanotech within the drug and how it interacts with other parts of the body. Depending on the spice that it is mixed with, these nanobots form sturdy structures in the user's body (and more importantly their brains), keeping pathways that are activated by the companion drug open. To continue the human and oxygen analogy, Azure Star would keep oxygen pathways to the bloodstream and brain open, forcing the body to use more until the user's body runs low. The user would then have negative effects that are typical of oxygen deprivation, resulting in exhaustion, lower cognitive function, and general depression.

In short, Azure Star could enhance the cognitive effects of Muon Gold, improve the physical prowess gifted from Neutron Pixie, and increase the high of the finest Gunjack. The drug requires a slight buildup in the system so the nanobots have time to build their structures, so the average humanoid takes three to five doses before feeling the typical crash that spice causes - these crashes are worse than if the original spice was on its own, which helps drive repeat users.

With a new product and new investors, only one thing stood in Alden's way - the competition. Arranging a meeting under the pretense of a second revolutionary new business tactic, he gathered the heads of the other cartels. The next day, news broke of the Thyferra Massacre, a bloody and brutal set of murders without a single unexplained or unaccounted for scrap of evidence. It remains one of the greatest unsolved crimes in the relatively peaceful planet's history to this day.

It was a few years later and business was booming. With nothing to distract him and nobody to rival him, he dominated the planetary drug trade by his thirty-fifth birthday. He quickly discovered that there wasn't a problem that money couldn't solve - when a suspicious cop came poking around, all of a sudden that officer could afford a brand new speeder. When the planetary governor sent the militia to search his estate, they found nothing but legitimate business, and Alden was gracious enough to not only forgo a lawsuit, but donate a hefty sum to the narcotics unit. From that day forward, there always seemed to be a police escort whenever Alden DiCosta needed a bit of muscle.

Adopting a policy of "Credits or Carbon Scoring", DiCosta quickly drew a clear line in the sand for all to see - be on his payroll or be in the ground. This cleared the path to expand his business off-planet, and like the ambitious, driven man everyone always said he would be, DiCosta saw an opportunity to spread the light of Azure Star across the galaxy, and he took it.

Skills​

Skills - Knowledge:

• Business Management & Finance
• Supply Chain Logistics
• Criminal management (particularly around the spice trade and managing enforcers)
• Ability to quickly learn and grasp information and concepts about new subject matter

Skills - Social

• Negotiation
• Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation
• Social Engineering

Skills - Action

• Brawling/Close Quarters Combat
• Marksmanship (pistols, and to a lesser extent rifles)
• Piloting (certified for vehicles up to bulk freighters, but specializing in swoops, speeders, and starfighters)

Equipment and Assets​

Ships & Vehicles​

The Rapier, a custom starfighter.

Currency​

50 million credits (most in property and investments - only ~20% is ever hard cash)

Equipment​

While Alden has a large variety of equipment at his disposal and often carries a small arsenal of weapons on his personal ship, he typically travels light and with a cadre of armed bodyguards. He usually has very little on his person that could get him into legal trouble, instead preferring to have a bodyguard pass him the disruptor rifle if things get hairy.

That said, he is never without the following:

• An encrypted commlink, rotated to a new device daily.
• An encrypted datapad with a hardware switch that, when flipped, triggers a small detonation to destroy the internal storage (less than a firecracker).
• A heavily upgraded DL-18 Blaster Pistol, modified by a skilled gunsmith under Alden's direct supervision. Modifications include:
  • Increased range to 50 meters (added simply by upgrading with more modern parts and swapping the stock scope for a slightly larger, significantly more advanced model).
  • Front barrel compensator reduced (to allow for a sleeker draw and slimmer profile - extra weight has been added to the top interior of the pistol in front of the trigger to keep natural balance while firing).
  • Automatic fire enabled by a fire selector switch above the trigger on the pistol's right side (where the finger would rest). This mode can cause the pistol to overheat, and is typically used in short bursts or suppressive fire and in desperate situations.
• Synthweave fabric suit - Appearing outwardly as a standard fabric suit, the cloth is carefully woven and exorbitantly expensive energy dissipating material, able to stop a medium blaster bolt at 10 yards. Does not stop kinetic energy.

Some of his favorite weapons he carries aboard his ship include:

• An Umbral Arms repeating blaster rifle with attachments. Capable of sustained high rates of fire, this longer blaster rifle is difficult for shorter beings to wield, but fits comfortably with his body size. This is akin to an Imperial T-21.
  • Fire select: Single Shot, 3 Round Burst, Automatic
  • Rate of Fire: 100 shots per minute (sustained), 800 shots per minute (rapid, will very quickly overheat the blaster)
  • Ammunition: 300 rounds per power pack (which can be quickly changed out as needed)
• A Needlegun with extended magazines to hold 60 rounds. Due to stabilized darts, this is effective up to 200 meters with an ideal range of up to 50 meters, as lethality is reduced as velocity fades.
• A pair of Ulu style vibroknucklers.

Relationships​

NPCs​

• Aayn'aren (Aayana)
  • His personal assistant who is deeply involved in his business affairs and is extremely loyal.
  • The relationship is flirty, but not official or acted upon in any way. Yet.
• Gwyn Sionne
  • His Head of Security and top enforcer.
  • With the two having grown up in the same foster system and knowing her for two decades, Sionne was an obvious choice. Prior military experience.
  • The relationship is strictly platonic.
• Other various employees.

Roleplays​

• Introduction

 

[Santoro]

Reserving this for formatting and Q&A.

 

[Apollyon]

Hey man! While I always enjoy a self made man, I would really suggest you take a look at some profiles of other criminal characters. DiCosta here has an empire that seems to rival senior member’s of Five Syndicate’s in terms of scale and value. These are character’s who have been active for extensive periods and brought tons of value and business to their respective cartels.

In addition, there is talk of nano-tech that can alter cells/enhance the spice while providing no down side outside of crippling addiction. It’s a cool idea, I’d just suggest submitting a tech profile for it that way the staff team can clear something like that.

Overall, this character is starting out as a titan in the underworld with a lot of assets to his name. I might suggest starting with less and having him build into your vision! Work along side other criminal elements and manipulate or brute force your way to the top of the food chain!

You have a lot of cool concepts here and I’ve heard you’re an awesome role player too. So welcome back to the site and I hope to see you in character!