[IW] Slick Diplomat and Half-hearted Spy (Armada-2)

[Michele]

JUAN DUERO D'ANGERS
Slick Diplomat and Half-hearted Spymaster (Armada-2)

(c) copyright 2010 Michele Armellini

Base Setting: GURPS Infinite Worlds

Total Points: 245

Age: 44 Height: 5'10" Weight: 140 lbs. Description: A thin, pale middle-aged man, with black hair and eyes, in somber clothing
ST 11 [10] HP 11 [0]
DX 11 [20] Will 14 [0]
IQ 14 [80] Per 14 [0]
HT 10 [0] FP 10 [0]

Basic Speed: 5.25 Move: 5
Basic Damage: Thrust 1d-1, Swing 1d+1
Basic Lift: 24
[Total Attributes: 110]

DR: 0 Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 (Saber) 8 (DX) Block: 0

Reaction Modifiers: Charisma (+2), Reputation (-4), Status (+3), Talent (Smooth Operator) (+1); +1 from Merchant.
Fright Check: 14

ADVANTAGES AND PERKS: Administrative Rank 2 [10]; Alternate Identity (Legal) [5]; Charisma +2 [10]; Contact Group (Expatriates) (Effective Skill 12; on 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5]; Cultural Adaptability [10]; Diplomatic Immunity [20]; Language Talent [10]; Legal Enforcement Powers 2 [10]; Smooth Operator 1 [15]; Status 3* [10]; Unusual Background (Raised in a Multicultural Environment) [10].
Base (His Own Safe House); Disarming Smile; Good with Other Diplomats [3].
* Includes +1 from Administrative Rank.
[Total Advantages and Perks: 118]

DISADVANTAGES AND QUIRKS: Code of Honor (Personal)[-5]; Duty (to the Crown; on 12 or less) [-10]; Enemy (Counterespionage; on 9 or less; Watcher) [-7]; Motion Sickness [-10]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Reputation (Spy) –4 (on 7 or less; spies and agents) [-2]; Xenophilia [-10].
Dislikes the countryside; Hates Being at Sea; Imaginative; Nervous Stomach; Vaguely Patriotic [-5].
[Total Disadvantages and Quirks: -54]

SKILLS: Acting-17* [8]; Administration-13 [1]; Artist(Drawing)-12 [1]; Carousing-12* [2]; Cartography/TL5-13 [1]; Connoisseur (Literature)-13 [1]; Cryptography/TL5-12 [1]; Current Affairs/TL5 (Politics)-14 [1]; Dancing-10 [1]; Detect Lies-14* [2]; Diplomacy-16* [8]; Disguise/TL5 (Human)-13 [1]; Expert Skill (Political Science)-12 [1]; Fast-Talk-15* [2]; Forgery/TL5-13 [2]; Guns/TL5 (Pistol)-13 [4]; Intelligence Analysis/TL5-14 [4]; Law (International)-12 [1]; Merchant-13 [1]; Observation-14 [2]; Propaganda/TL5-13 [1]; Psychology (Human)-13 [2]; Public Speaking-16** [1]; Research/TL5-13 [1]; Riding (Equines)-10 [1]; Saber-12 [4]; Savoir-Faire (High Society)-15* [1]; Shadowing-13 [1]; Stealth-11 [2]; Strategy (Land)-12 [1]; Streetwise-14* [1]; Theology (Catholic)-12 [1]; Urban Survival-13 [1]; Writing-13 [1].
* Includes +1 from Smooth Operator 1.
** Includes +2 from Charisma +2, +1 from Smooth Operator 1.
[Total Skills and Techniques: 64]

TL: 5 Cultural Familiarities: all [0] (thanks to Cultural Adaptability).
LANGUAGES: Spanish (native) [0]; Arab (accented)* [2]; English (accented)* [2]; French (native)** [0]; Latin (written, literate)* [1]; Swedish (accented)* [2].
* Includes +1 from Language Talent.
** Bonus from Unusual Background.
[Total Cultural Familiarities and Languages: 7]

EQUIPMENT: Juan owns nothing really worth of note, save that it's a rule of his to have a safe house nobody knows about, wherever he is posted. That is his last resort, and he has managed to set up a rented dwelling in a quiet neighborhood, not far from the embassy. He didn't use his "official" false identity to rent it, and he only goes there after making very sure he's not being followed. He can use enough discretionary funds to afford it.

BIOGRAPHY: Juan's father was a minor, impoverished Spanish nobleman and junior diplomat, moving from post to post with his family. His wife was a French noblewoman who taught Juan her language; so did his nannies with theirs. Juan thus grew in a multicultural environment, and, unlike the scions of more important Spanish diplomats, he didn't live a sheltered life; he often played with the local boys. This gave him some of his Advantages and Disadvantages. Not having either brawn or family clout, he soon learned to make use of his brains in order to woo people.
When Juan was 17, his father discovered that his wife had an affair with a much more important nobleman, and challenged him to duel. The diplomat was no swordsman, and was soon wounded; the opponent ignored that first blood, as well as the calls from seconds to stop. Juan's father was no longer able to defend himself when he was killed; yet the killer had important connections in the imperial court. If Juan had had any loyalty to the Spanish crown or any faith in how the empire was run, these ended then. The same could be said about delusions concerning gentlemanly rules of conduct; Juan developed his own personal code of honor (see below), instead.
Juan's mother rediscovered her religion and sent Juan, for a long unhappy year, in a seminary. He finally succeeded in choosing his own career, in the army. An old friend of his father, a general, took him in as an aide, and given Juan's language skills and other natural gifts, he soon ended doing the intelligence work. This could have been his life's job, but three years later the general died. His replacement, of course, had his own friends' son to place in that comfortable headquarters. Juan was to be moved to overseas duties, with a unit that was posted on several islets in the Spanish Main; it would have meant frequent, miserable journeys. Juan already knew that on a ship, he could be at most an incapacitated passenger, not an officer. He tried to see the general and talk him into changing his mind, but he was already known as a smooth talker; the general simply avoided meeting him. Juan resigned.
Thus he came to his father's career. But, with his resume, naturally the diplomatic service didn't want him to be straight diplomat, a negotiator, like his father; he wanted him to do the other job of diplomats, spying.
Over the years, Juan became quite good at this. He honed his skills, learned the trade, run several successful operations and then spy rings. If he were well connected, by now his position would be much more important. But he's not. Additionally, his personal wealth and income are no more than average, so he'd struggle to maintain a standard of living adequate to his station – were it not for the discretionary funds.