Barrett Lukowski (born 24 January 2045) is the head of the Lukowski clan and a member of the MPD-ruling body known as the Four Families.

Early life and family

Barret Lukwoski was born in Legnica, Poland. His German-Polish father, a multimillionaire who made his money through the natural gas industry. The family split time between homes in Legnica, and overseas in the cities of Sauklund and Rivertown, where they had extensive families on both the maternal and paternal side. A rabid fan of European football, Barrett was a majority shareholder for the teams Motor Miedź in Poland and the Sauklund Blues and brokered several player exchanges between the clubs. After his marriage to Abele Bauer, a prominent Rivertown businesswoman, he relocated from Poland to his wife's hometown and inserted himself into the local and regional politics.

Barrett and Abele had six children, three boys (Martin, Philip, and Poul) and three girls (Abele, Alcy, and Gemma), all of whom attended university in the Rivertown area and made their professional careers in either Sauklund or Rivertown. Along with Barrett's sister Lydia and brother Karl, the Lukowski-Bauer network was impressive, and the combined members of the family had an enormous amount of influence throughout the region and dominated the field of specialized healthcare equipment. Probst Liquor, a regional discount liquor chain, was also owned by the Lukowskis.

Many of the Lukowskis were fortunate to possess a natural immunity to the superflu, yet it did claim the lives of both Abeles, mother and daughter. Barrett, besieged in his downtown apartment by looters and rioters, received word about the community forming at the Rock and struck out to join them with his remaining five children, but lost Poul to a bullet during a skirmish in the two-mile journey. Barrett served alongside Martin and Philip in Project Reclamation and, years later, his sons both participated in Project Unification with less happy results: Philip died from a lingering chest wound, and Martin tore his ACL in a fall and his limp forced him into retirement.

Barrett Lukowski has been an influential figure since the inception of the MPD and it has been said that as many as 20% of guards and citizens are relations by blood, marriage, or extended family to the Lukowski patriarch--an inflated figure no doubt but perhaps not by much. He very much plays up the role of "man of people." He initiated the effort to provide basic education for children under the age of 18 and installed his surviving daughters, Alcy and Gemma, as the first teachers. He doles out kickbacks and small favors to anyone who can provide him with infornation of the goings-on around Rivertown, which can make the other Family members nervous.

Disposition and traits

Barrett is a difficult man to read for friends and enemies alike. He has a smooth demeanor that either wins people over or makes their flesh crawl; the former see him as a classic politician while the latter suspect he's a sociopath dressed as a snakeoil salesman. He is a master of controlling information, using rumor and gossip to his advantage while smothering stories he doesn't want others to hear.

He believes that his opposition must always be kept off balance and guessing at his intention; he also views anyone who isn't a relative as opposition. On one hand he is fiercly loyal to those who identify themselves as tied to the Lukowski clan, yet on the other he believes anyone is expendable. The only exception would be his two daughters, whom he loves more than his own life.

Goals and motivations

Barrett's outlook could be summed up in a single word: more. He wants more resources, more followers, more power in the MPD. He is also supremely patient and, like an accomplished chess player, thinks several moves ahead and knows that sacrificing pawns--or even more important pieces--can be necessary in order to execute a master plan. He respects the other Family members as worthy adversaries and is philosophical about setbacks, yet he possesses an unflagging faith in his own cunning and intellect.

Primary residence

Barrett spends the majority of his time at Lukowski Terrace, his upscale condo in Summerland. He often takes a long walk, his evening constitutional, around Summerland to rub shoulders with the inhabitants. He will occasionally commission a security squad and drop in at the Rock and Ol' Federal, more to shake people up than conduct any business.

Attributes and Abilities

For an older man, Barrett keeps himself in good physical condition through regular exercise, though he drinks and smokes heavily. He has little interest or knowledge about art or literature; his core skills are entirely interpersonal, and he has an uncanny ability to control conversations.