I think a really strong NPC can create all sorts of new situations for an established group of characters. Imagine if the following fellow had booked passage on Serenity for awhile...
Ezekial cuts a striking figure with his long black coat and top hat. He holds himself like an important person and dresses more for appearance than convenience. His voice is strong and really carries in a crowd. When you talk to him or even listen to him, you can sense the energy he has. He makes you wonder why he isn't a politician.
Ezekial T. Jonah believes that the 'Verse needs strong voices willing to say the things that ought to be said. Somewhat of a history buff, he became fascinated by tales of newspapers and heroic reporters back on the Earth-That-Was. And that is how he has modeled his life, seeking truth wherever it lies, speaking for those who can't speak for themselves, dedicating himself to the greater good.
None of this has made him beloved by the Alliance or anyone with a stake in 'the ways things are'. He craves to be accepted and respected by the very social upper crust that his investigations endanger. But he'd rather tell the truth once than accept a life membership at the Ting Lao Club on Londinum.
Ezekial is also a skeptic. He fervently believes in verifying things and getting multiple sources. Better yet, he'd rather see things for himself. So he has little patience for conspiracy theorists unless they have strong proof.
His belief in the power of the written word is unusual in an age of flimsies and tri-plex video. 'Tri-plex can be faked,' he'll say, 'But true words penetrate.' So he will have a small camera with him to capture evidence but his missives to the 'Verse are either spoken or written.
Ezekial should be a fun NPC to play. He'll always have an opinion about something, invariably tying it back to a scandal people haven't heard of, or some secret he's trying to uncover. If neither of those fit, he'll gladly impart 'advice' to just about anyone who will listen, coaching the crack engineer on how to care for ball joints, or explaining the defects in the gun-bunny's favorite rifle.
Good old Ezekial has a great way of stirring up trouble. He'll gladly pay passage on a ship-for-hire under false pretenses if it gets him to a story. He's also not one put off by danger, so he could easily drag PCs into quite dangerous situations. And even being associated with him will bring a new cast of friends and enemies to the PCs for being associated with him.
Some of the truths Ezekial would typically try to uncover are: worker slavery, covered up murders, corrupt Alliance officials, neglected settlements, hushed-up plagues, unpublished Alliance 'programs'.
Agl: d6, Str: d4, Vital: d6, Alert: d10, Intel: d8, Will: d12
Life: 18, Init/React: d6+d10, BurstStr: d4+d4
Memorize: d10+d8, Resist: d6+d6
NOTE: Some traits reference Nathan Rockwood's 'New Traits' list available at Waves in the Black, the best fan-run Serenity RPG site on the net!
I hope this has been of interest and informative for Serenity GMs. I'd also suggest reading through our Creative GM's Workshop.
Jim Davenport