Stat Challenge: Ebenezer Scrooge

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

His miserliness seems to lead to a certain amount of self-deprivation, so I'd consider something like Reduced Consumption. This might also suggest an above average HT. 0

Not considering that if he didn't alter his habits when it came to food and heating he had less than a year to live

[David Johansen]

Scrooge in the book is not as terrible as he is in the movies. A sad, bitter, old man to be sure but a bit more relatable. Movie Scrooge might actually have Sadism instead of Callous and 10 Strength and Health. I could see arguments for Crachet as an ally or dependant not to mention the ghost of Jacob Marley (someone, somewhere thought Scrooge was worth saving). I could also see a point or two in Shortsword as a gentleman likely carries a cane for self defense I can't imagine Scrooge giving a mugger anything more than a sound thrashing. To make a pulp villain out of him, add a couple points of Intelligence and Dexterity, give him the police and crime bosses as allies. Jacob Marley lost his job to a difference engine and Tiny Tim died young and his body is in a pickle jar on the shelf behind Scrooge's desk. Scrooge might even have some manner of supernatural power like numerancy and frightens animals.

Ebenezer Scrooge
20 points

Attributes:
St 9 [-10]
DX 10 [0]
IQ 12 [40]
HT 8 [-20]

Per 10 [-10]
Will 14 [10]

Advantages:
Very Rich [25]
Status 1 [0]

Disadvantages:
Reputation Predatory Business Man -3 on 12- [-15]
Miserly [-10]
Callous [-5]
Stubborn [-5]

Quirks:
Paranoia (about being conned by humbugs) [-1]
Doesn't Celebrate Christmas [-1]

Skills:
Accounting 14 [8]
Area Knowledge (London) 12 [1]
Economics 12 [4]
Interrogation 12 [2]
Intimidation 12 [2]
Mathematics 12 [4]
Merchant 12 [2]
Scrounging 11 [1]
Shortsword 9 [1]

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

. I could also see a point or two in Shortsword as a gentleman likely carries a cane for self defense I can't imagine Scrooge giving a mugger anything more than a sound thrashing.1]

By length it'd be Broadsword.

If you wonder I use a cane daily and have inherited more from my parents. So I took a yardstick and measured from beyond the grip. The metal canes I use are adjustable and appear to be set at about 36". A wooden one from my father's collection was the same and even a wooden one that got cut down for my mother (who was less than 5' tall) was still 28".

So even if you choke up on the grip somewhat a full length walking cane will still be in the Broadsword range.

If you flipped the grip so you could strike with a possibly heavier head you'd be in Axe/Mace territory.

Oh well, I guess I can add Gurps Walking Sticks to the list of books I'm just waiting to contribute to. I guess I'll file it next to Gurps Magnifying Glasses. :)

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by whswhs

It's not clear to me that Scrooge was Greedy, though I certainly agree that he was Miserly.

Aside from reluctance to spend (Miserliness), he has a fixation on getting the most out of what he does spend. The story is about his reluctance to pay for labour:

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice.

but I am sure it affected other spheres. If he hired someone to put in a new crane at his warehouse he would stand over them and demand this or that change and complain about the parts and materials until it was a marginal job for whoever he hired. He probably gets into legal disputes over fulfillment of contracts, and pays his butcher and his tailor on the last possible day.

In story terms, that seems different than Greed. Scrooge does not get into adventures because he sees an opportunity to make an easy buck, he gets into adventures because he presses anyone he does business with hard and sometimes they (or a Higher Power) press back.

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46

[Inky]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

By length it'd be Broadsword.
<snip>

It might also be Smallsword. (I'd thought it might be Shortsword too, but apparently I misremembered - Shortsword is 2 feet or less). It seems that it wouldn't be Staff, because Staff seems to be for staffs that are as long as a polearm.

Smallsword (DX/Average): Any short (up to 1 yard), light thrusting sword or one-handed short staff (such as the sticks used in the martial arts arnis, escrima, and kali). Default: Shortsword-4.

Broadsword (DX/Average): Any balanced, 2- to 4-foot blade wielded in one hand – broadsword, cavalry saber, scimitar, etc. This skill also covers any stick or club of similar size and balance to these blades, as well as bastard swords, katanas, and longswords used one-handed. Defaults: Force Sword-4, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or Two-Handed Sword-4.

It seems like to know which it is you'd have to know whether a broadsword's weight and balance are more like an ordinary walking stick's than a shortsword's are. From a quick web search, most escrima sticks seem to be 26" long, so an average walking stick is quite a lot longer but might still be under 1 yard.

(For other characters, it might be convenient if Smallsword worked for walking sticks, since that means that a sword-stick uses the same skill in both modes).

With ST 9 he might not be very good, but he might be using a bunch of Extra Effort rather than hand over any money.


Paranoia seems like it might fit if you change some of the fluff, for the book version, at least. From what I can remember (it's possibly a while since I read it), Scrooge seems to be described as having had some hard luck early in life and fallen into an attitude of "do unto others before they do unto you". He seems to take it for granted that everyone, even Bob Cratchit, would swindle him if they got a chance, just as he would swindle them. The mechanical effect of Paranoia seems to fit - people react to a Paranoid PC at -2 because he makes it obvious what he thinks of them, and a Paranoid NPC reacts to everyone at -4.

Alternatively, you could describe it as Major Delusion (Everyone is just after my money), which works out at the same price and reaction penalty.

[cptbutton]

Is his long lost fiancée in the book or is that something added by the Muppets?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Inky

It seems like to know which it is you'd have to know whether a broadsword's weight and balance are more like an ordinary walking stick's than a shortsword's are. From a quick web search, most escrima sticks seem to be 26" long, so an average walking stick is quite a lot longer but might still be under 1 yard.

The escrima stick is giving you a total length but not paying attention to how much of the stick will be used as a grip. That shouldn't be less than 4 inches and could be more. So escrima sticks appear to emulate short swords lengthwise.

Sword-like sticks don't have to equal an actual sword's weight to be part of the Broadsword or Shortsword Skills. Length of a balanced stick is the determinig factor.

Also, look in the Martial Arts. Styles meant to be used with walking sticks like Canne du Combat use Broadsword.

Smallsword probably is an option.

[Astromancer]

Giving it a go.

Age: Although played by sixty and seventy year olds, Stooge is probably in his late forties or early fifties. Fan was young when she died and Fred is obviously below the age a business man like Scrooge thinks proper for marriage.

IQ: Scrooge is witty and brutally sharp tongued, (I suggest he has OPH(Sharp Tongue )). Also Scrooge is very quick on the intellectual uptake and later in the story demonstrates emotional intelligence. He also achieved prosperity in a brutally competitive profession. I say he's a solid 13.

More later.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

Is his long lost fiancée in the book or is that something added by the Muppets?

The sections with the fiancee are in the section with the Ghost of Christmas past. Are as the sections with Fan his sister.

[Astromancer]

As to Scrooge's physical stats. Nothing in the story really justifies low physical stats. Scrooge isn't old enough for serious aging deterioration, he can't be older than his early fifties. At no time does Dickens indicate Scrooge is physically weak, clumsy or stiff, or especially tired. GURPS normal stats are indicated.

Scrooge seems to have negative Charisma. Consider the narrator's description of the reaction of the Blind Man's dog. "Better no eyes than an evil one..." Even people who don't interact with Scrooge back off. On the flip side, after his redemption, Scrooge seems unrecognizable to many people who knew him.

I've already suggested that Scrooge has OPH(Sharp Tongue ). Scrooge also seems to be a Workaholic of some kind. In spite of having a quick and acerbic wit, Scrooge seems to see himself as humorless. Clearly a delusion.

I suggest that the normal Social Status gains with Wealth don't apply to Scrooge as he doesn't do anything to achieve status and lives like he's a poor man in spite of his wealth.