Oman al-Ishaaq is not your usual ripperdoc, or cybernetic surgeon, as he prefers. (And it’s both polite and wise, choomba, to call someone what they want…especially when they are rearranging your meat and metal parts.) His Arabic-American family moved to the US a few years before the Mideast Meltdown, to run the American branch of the family business.
The gifted scion of a wealthy family, his MD is from a prestigious medical school. He then got a cushy position installing cybernetics for Corp magnates, their families, and their favorite minions. But Oman became addicted to the powerful sedatives and painkillers he had access to — and lost everything. After a few years on The Street he found the willpower to get clean (even more difficult before Biotechnica’s modern treatments were available), then to regain his medical license and persuade Trauma Team to take a chance on him.
Years later, Oman (known on The Street as “The Sheik” or just “Sheik” because he wears the traditional Arabic keffiyah and igbal headdress) is practicing his original specialty in his own clinic. The clinic consists of a tiny reception area, a bit shabby but neat, decorated in a neo-Mideastern style. The operating suite, lab, cryotank, and other clinical areas are well-equipped and sterilized like clockwork. In addition to surgery, he sometimes provides Addiction Therapy (at the usual rates). While he has no psychiatric or psychology training beyond the medical school basics, his firsthand experiences with addiction makes up for this.
The Sheik runs his clinic with the help of his apprentice, Tag, a young woman of about 20, a former child patient of his. Tag’s duties range from the menial (sterilizing everything that can’t run away) to the technical (anesthesia and assisting during procedures). What patients don’t know is that Tag sometimes operates, with her teacher assisting and advising, as part of her training. Although The Sheik can be an exacting taskmaster, he is fond of his apprentice and allows Tag to use the facilities to treat her friends as long as supplies are replaced or paid for.
The Sheik is in his fifties or so, of average height, with a close-trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. Both eyes are cyberoptics with upgrades useful when doing examinations and surgery, such as microoptics. When not using those, he usually has color-shifted irises. Oman cultivates an old-world, even princely, manner that fits his streetname.
When you are ready to upgrade your metal, make an appointment with The Sheik. Most local fixers who do medical referrals can put you in touch.
Design & Play Notes: Dr. Oman al-Ishaaq, AKA The Sheik, is inspired by Cyberpunk 2077 Ripperdoc Viktor Vektor (of course) and Dr. Dyson Ido from the 2019 movie adaptation of Alita: Battle Angel, which I love. This writeup also shows an alternate version of how a clinic might be set up in the Time of the Red.
The Sheik’s apprentice, Tag, in the writeup above, is my PC in my group’s occasional CyberpunkRED one-shots. Here she is a placeholder character. If your Crew’s Medtech has Teacher or Mentor in their Lifepath, needs a stable workspace, and/or wants an in-game justification for improving their Role Ability, apprenticing to the The Sheik (or another ripperdoc) is a possibility.
If your crew just needs patching up or cyberware installs, go ahead and use Tag. (For stats, use the Trauma Team Medical Assistant [See CPR, p. 224] substituting 2 airhypos each loaded with a dose of Antibiotic, Rapidetox and/or Stim for cryopump and shield; and removing Pilot Air Vehicle from the list of additional Combat Number skills.)
Skill List: MEDICINE 4*, Athletics 7, Brawling 7, Concentration 8, Conversation 9, Education 14, Evasion 9, Human Perception 9, Language (Streetslang) 10, Language (Arabic) 12, Language (English) 10, Perception 12, Persuasion 9, Stealth 7, Basic Tech 11, Cybertech 13, Deduction 14, Handgun 8, Library Search 12, Paramedic (x2) 11, Resist Torture/Drugs 8, Science (Biology) 14, Shoulder Arms 6
*Surgery 13, Medical Tech 8, Pharmaceutical: Stim
Artwork: The Sheik consults with a netrunner interested in upgrading their cybernetics, while his apprentice, already gowned, preps for the installation. “Consultation” is © 2021 Linda Whitson (me!)
Credit: Fillable PDF is at http://sagaborn.com/cyberpunk/datapool_net/npc-sheet/
NPC Sheik CybersurgeonDisclaimer: “The Sheik (NPC for use with CyberpunkRED)” is unofficial content provided under the Homebrew Content Policy of R. Talsorian Games and is not approved or endorsed by RTG. This content references materials that are the property of R. Talsorian Games and its licensees.
Linda Whitson
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