[Supers] A More Scientific Golden Age

[Prince Charon]

An important (relatively) figure from the scientific history of this worldline:

Umberto di Torino, 1389

Age: 67

Attributes

ST 9 [-10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 12 [20]

Secondary Characteristics

HP 9; Will 14; Per 14; FP 12

Social Background

Languages: 14th century Piedmontese (Native) [0]; Latin (Native) [6].

TL: 3^

Cultural Familiarity: 14th century Western Europe [0].

Subtotal: 96


Advantages

Gadgeteer (One Skill Only: Pharmacy (Herbal), -60%; Biological, -10%) [8]
Gizmo 1 [5]
Wealth (Comfortable) [10]

Healer Talent 2 [20]

Perks

Dabbler (Current Affairs: Business 11, High Culture 12, People 11, Politics 12, Regional: Piedmont 12). [1]
Dabbler (Liberal Arts: Accounting 11, Astronomy/TL3^ 9, Mathematics (Pure)/TL3^ 9, Mathematics (Surveying)/TL3^ 10, Public Speaking 10). [1]
Honest Face. [1]
SOP: Always has things to write on and with. [1]

Subtotal: 47


Disadvantages

Code of Honor (Professional) [-5]
Delusion ('I hear the voices of angels!') [-10]
Fat [-3]
Overconfidence (12) [-5]
Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]
Phantom Voices [-5]
Sense of Duty (Piedmont) [-10]

Quirks

Fond of horses. [-1]
Loves wine, but isn't picky about the quality. [-1]
Prolific diarist and writer. [-1]
Sings (poorly) while he works. [-1]

Subtotal: -47


Features


Skills

Animal Handling (Equines) [IQ/A] [1] 13
Area Knowledge (Piedmont) [IQ/E] [1] 14
Artist (Drawing) [IQ/H] [1] 12
Chemistry/TL3^ [IQ/H] [4] 14
Current Affairs (Headline News)/TL3^ [IQ/E] [1] 14
Current Affairs (Science and Technology)/TL3^ [IQ/E] [1] 14
Diagnosis/TL3^ [IQ/H] [4] 16*
Esoteric Medicine (Humouralism) [Per/H] [2] 15*
Expert Skill (Natural Philosophy)/TL3^ [IQ/H] [4] 14
First Aid/TL3^ [IQ/E] [1] 16*
Knife [DX/E] [1] 10
Literature [IQ/H] [1] 12
Mathematics (Applied)/TL3^ [IQ/H] [1] 12
Musical Composition (Voice choirs) [IQ/H] [1] 12
Naturalist [IQ/H] [2] 13
Pharmacy (Herbal)/TL3^ [IQ/H] [8] 17*
Philosophy (Medieval Scholastic) [IQ/H] [1] 12
Physiology/TL3^ [IQ/H] [1] 14*
Poisons/TL3^ [IQ/H] [4] 14
Research/TL3^ [IQ/A] [2] 14
Riding (Horse) [DX/A] [2] 10
Surgery/TL3^ [IQ/VH] [1] 13*
Theology (Catholic) [IQ/H] [1] 12
Veterinary/TL3^ [IQ/H] [2] 15*
Writing [IQ/A] [4] 15

Includes +2 from Healer Talent.

Subtotal: 52

Total: 148


Equipment

Nice clothes
Sturdy boots
Keys
Knife
Purse

Notes

Umberto di Torino (Humbert of Turin) was a Late Medieval mad scientist, Piedmontese patriot, and prolific author. The second son of a wealthy Turinese merchant, he had both the money and the time to indulge in intellectual pursuits. Many modern superscience drugs on this Earth are derived from his work. Likewise, historians often refer to his surviving diaries, as he wrote extensively about his life, and the events of the day. His dates of birth and death are uncertain, though if he lived much longer than sixty-seven years, the above character sheet would not be accurate any more.

All his life, Umberto was occasionally plagued by quiet voices that only he could hear (but not quite understand). Eventually, he came to the conclusion that these were angels trying to talk to him, though he rarely managed to get anything meaningful out of them. He has been known to attribute some of his works to their 'advice.' He has both positive and negative reputations from this, such that they cancel each other out (which is why they aren't listed).

He was built partly using the Physician template from GURPS Historical Folks p87 (and the 4e conversion hosted at RPK's MyGURPS.com, p36).


Thoughts?

[Prince Charon]

The Van Meter Visitor

In 1903, a number of respectable residents of Van Meter, Iowa reported encounters with strange flying entities, that seemed to be looking for something in the buildings along the main street. The creatures appear to have been material beings rather than spirits, though they were highly resistant to bullets from early twentieth-century small arms. The Bedtime Stories channel on YouTube has a twenty minute video on the incident. My current thought for this setting is that they were either aliens (whether from space or from a parallel dimension, perhaps coming through a worldgate in the mine), or the products of a mad scientist's work, though there's an outside possibility of something weirder, like Embodied spirits, or bats mutated by something the mine-workers exposed.

What do you think? Also, is it interesting enough to try statting it out, and if so, what do you suggest?

[Prince Charon]

Working Title: BIS Operational Ranks

There were many arguments over what rank system uniformed BIS personnel should use, some of them still ongoing, though most in the BIS have accepted this compromise:

Space Chief Marshal (one crown over crossed rockets, wreathed) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Space Marshal (one crown over crossed rockets) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Space Vice-Marshal (crossed rockets) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Rank 4 (with Courtesy Rank 2) [22]
OF-6 Space Brigadier (one crown and three bronze pips) (de facto professional head of space operations)

Rank 3 (with Courtesy Rank 2) [17]
OF-5 Group Colonel (one crown and two bronze pips)
OF-4 Wing Major (one crown and one bronze pip)

Rank 2 (with Courtesy Rank 2) [12]
OF-3 Squadron Major (one crown)
OF-2 Flight Major (two bronze pips)

Rank 2 (with Courtesy Rank 1) [11]
OF-1 Pilot Officer (one bronze pip)

Courtesy Rank 3 [3]
OF(D) Space Cadet (one to five orange pips, showing class ranking)

Rank 1 (with Courtesy Rank 1) [6]
Sergeant (three chevrons)

Rank 1 [5]
OR-3 Leading Spacecraftman (one chevron)

Rank 0 [0]
OR-1 Spacecraftman (no insignia)

The Rank/Courtesy Rank levels are due to the small size of the service not matching the intended prestige of the service, nor the level of training required.

'Captain' exists as the positional title for the onboard commanding officer of a rocket, rather than as a substantive rank as the Royal Navy had wanted. The Executive Officer has the positional title of 'Vice Captain.'


I really think that there's more that needs to be added to this article, but I'm not really sure what. Does anyone have suggestions?

[Prince Charon]

Mask of the Heroic Daredevil

Seemingly a simple domino mask, but whomever wears it gains several traits (enough to turn an above-average person into a decent pulp hero):

Attributes
DX+2 [40]

Advantages
Charisma (Spirit, -10%) 3 [14]
Daredevil (Spirit, -10%) 5 [68]
Obscure (Vision; Defensive, +50%; Stealthy, +100%; Anti-Targeting, -20%; Spirit, -10%) 9 [40]
Rapier Wit (Spirit, -10%) [5]
Visualization (Reduced Time 7, +140%; Spirit, -10%) [23]

Subtotal: 190

Disadvantages
Code of Honor (Hero's) [-10]
Sense of Duty (Friends) [-5]
Trickster (15) [-8]
Quirks: Flamboyant and Trademark. [-2]

Subtotal: -25

Skills
Acrobatics [DX/H] [12] DX+2
Cloak [DX/A] [4] DX+1
Sabre [DX/A] [4] DX+1

Power Techniques

Serendipity (H) Acrobatics-5 [5] Acrobatics-1
Super-Climbing (H) Acrobatics-2 [2] Acrobatics-1
Super-Jump (H) Acrobatics-2 [2] Acrobatics-1
'Tis But a Flesh Wound (H) Acrobatics-7 [6] Acrobatics-2

Subtotal: 35

Total: 200

Notes

The mask is haunted by the spirit of its first owner, an 18th century masked adventurer/pulp hero; the disadvantages listed are the price the wearer pays for power. The Trademark is chosen by the wearer, but they must choose something.

If damaged, the mask repairs itself at the rate of the wearer's natural healing.

Daredevil as a leveled advantage comes from GURPS Supers. For purposes of Power Stunts as Spells, it usually serves as the core advantage, while Acrobatics serves as the core skill.

The listed power techniques are not the only ones available, just the ones which the user instinctively knows. The Serendipity technique includes 'Wishing, +100%' and 'Spirit, -10%.' The Super-Climbing technique grants Super Climbing 4 (Spirit, -10%), and the Super-Jump technique allows Super Jump 1 (Spirit, -10%). 'Tis But a Flesh Wound is Injury Tolerance: Damage Reduction (Spirit, -10%) 2.


Thoughts?

[Inky]

Don't the Disads get Spirit, -10%, too? Or are they on all the time even if the ghost is somehow prevented from doing their thing?

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Inky

Don't the Disads get Spirit, -10%, too? Or are they on all the time even if the ghost is somehow prevented from doing their thing?

GURPS 4e handles limitations on disadvantages (apart from a few like Mitigator) oddly, with Counter Advantages being recommended. So, I've mostly gotten out of the habit of applying limitations to disadvantages at all (not completely, but mostly).

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Inky

Don't the Disads get Spirit, -10%, too? Or are they on all the time even if the ghost is somehow prevented from doing their thing?

If the disad is not on all the time, but only when the power is in effect, then they turn into limitations: Temporary Disadvantage (X), worth -1% per -1 the disadvantage would normally be worth.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Working Title: BIS Operational Ranks

There were many arguments over what rank system uniformed BIS personnel should use, some of them still ongoing, though most in the BIS have accepted this compromise:

Space Chief Marshal (one crown over crossed rockets, wreathed) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Space Marshal (one crown over crossed rockets) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Space Vice-Marshal (crossed rockets) (theoretical rank, no current holder)

Those are all OK. Below that, the officer structure has several flaws. It isn't clear where it gets expanded to a full British officer rank system, and having three kinds of Major will cause confusion.

Rank 4 (with Courtesy Rank 2) [22]
Space Brigadier (one crown and three bronze pips) (de facto professional head of space operations)

This should be Rank 5 with courtesy Rank 2, making him notionally equal to an Army Brigadier, Navy Commodore, or RAF Air Commodore.

Rank 3 (with Courtesy Rank 2) [17]
Group Colonel (one crown and two bronze pips)

This should be Rank 4 with courtesy Rank 2, making him equal to an Army Colonel, Navy Captain, or RAF Group Captain. But this rank should probably not be in use yet.

Rank 4 (with Courtesy Rank 1)
Wing Lieutenant Colonel (one crown and one pip)
These normally lead squadrons, although the job can be done by a Squadron Major if necessary.

Rank 4
Squadron Major (one crown)
In charge of sub-divisions of squadrons.

Rank 3 (with courtesy rank 1)
Space Captain (three pips)
The rank for fully trained officers, equivalent to a Navy Lieutenant, RAF Flight Lieutenant or Army Captain. Not in use yet - the service is so small they all become Majors.

Rank 3
Space Lieutenant (two pips)
Equivalent to an Army Lieutenant, Navy Sub-Lieutenant, or RAF Flying Officer,

Rank 2 with Courtesy Rank 1
Pilot Officer (one pip)

Courtesy Rank 3 [3]
OF(D) Space Cadet (one to five orange pips, showing class ranking)

[Prince Charon]

I keep meaning to reply to this and forgetting. While I do like your redo of the ranks generally, one thing that BIS Operations won't have is 'captain' as a substantive rank, only as a positional title (too many arguments in-setting). I do plan to post a new version using ideas from your post when I'm less tired, though.

EDIT: Also, I feel the need to point out that modern military forces can each have two types of Colonel, three or more kinds of General or Admiral, three or more kinds of Sergeant or Petty Officer, and some navies have several kinds of Captain (e.g. the German Navy).

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

EDIT: Also, I feel the need to point out that modern military forces can each have two types of Colonel, three or more kinds of General or Admiral, three or more kinds of Sergeant or Petty Officer, and some navies have several kinds of Captain (e.g. the German Navy).

Indeed, but this is presumably a British-flavoured system, and I don't think the British have ever used multiple kinds of Major. It's the lowest kind of senior officer, where you start giving orders to officers rather than other ranks, and the crown insignia symbolises that.