Hrrrmph
A Dwarf's Story

Look, I done some bad things in my life. I've faced up to those, ya know? Ya can't go through this life hating yerself fer ev'rythin' that you done... ya just gotta face up to yer past and try ta make up fer it, anyway ya can.

Growin' up dwarf ain't easy. Fer one thing, it takes too bloody long. I spent all my time buildin' shit, and then takin' it apart... or the oth'r way 'roun'. I got tak'n in early by this weird ol' fart on de edge o' da settlement, who taught me how to build shit better. No need for some o' the shit normies gotta go through ta get their shit to work, just mumble some words, think about it, and the damn thing works. I could get used ta this kinda shit, I thinks, so I see what 'e can teach me.

I worked for that bastard for ten years, the last two of which he hemmed and hawed about teachin' me stuff, till I realized he couldn't. I stole what I could, left a note that said so long, and took his daughter with me for entertainment along the way... and ta keep him from followin' too close, like. She didn't like me too much, but she got docile enough when I blew the tree in half, then threaten'd ta do the same ta her. We had ourselves a real good time, ya see... gods, I wish I could take it all back, but can't, not after what... but I'm ahead o' meself.

I'm tooling along sout', this girl tied up behind me, when we get ta this town. Now, at da time, I spoke Gobbley real good, but on account o' dis (tapping his left eye), I don't know more. Some sorta brain damage when they put it in. But I'd getting ahead o' meself again. Like I was saying, these two big n' bads... brodkill, ya see... come jandering up, demanding me money and me woman. Now, I ain't stupid enough to fight these two, so I jess flipped a little switch on da panel and faded inta the shadows of da tree we by.

They starts ta howling, you'da think I'd shot 'em. But no, that's when this big, mean-ass dude floats over to 'em, screaming about how they's incompetents an' can't see me e'en though I's sittin' der, plain as day. So, being the cocky young shit I was in dose days, I yells at 'im "It's because you hire fuckin' morons ta do your work, Gold Knob" (dat last bein' on account o' him wearing dis big gold'n helmet... found out later he covers up all sorts a knobs an bumps on 'is 'ed with 'em)!

'E looks at me all funny, an I can feel him rifling through me head an' thoughts. He says ta me "You want a job?" I says back, trying ta sound all casual-like, since de odder two is seein' me now, "What's da work an da pay?".

"You gits ta play wit' machines and make 'em work better, but we tells ya how we want dem ta work. You gets all da shit ya need ta work, mebbee a bit more on da side, an' ya gets yer own crew ta order aroun'." Now, he din't talk like dat, naturally... 'e weren't so eloquent as me... but I wuz likken 'is words, anyway. So I's take da job.

We go backs ta this complex, ya see, an' they sets me ta work. Dey takes the girl away from me fer a bit, an' I start ta get a bit hot under da collar, but they's go on an tell me that they's jess gonna teach her right... sure enough, she comes back, docile as a sheep and followin' me ev'ry word... an' skilled at doin' most ennyting I ask o' 'er.

So, dey set me ta work, buildin' shit, makin' dere cyber-doo-dads, tinkerin' wit dem so they's gonna run better and do better stuff. It takes me a while ta git used ta workin' as small as dey want, but I do's it well ennuf.

Dat goes on fer years an' years, an' likely still wo'ld be, save what happen once. Dey's got me up on dis one robot, fixin' its arm. I's got me helmet on, an me straps, so I's thinkin' I's pretty safe. I musta crossed two wire's, do, cause dis big-ass arm jess suddenly trows me acrost da room, smackin' me inta da wall. If I hadn'tna had me brain-bucket on, I woulda been toast, I tells ya, but as it is, I jess get royally fucked up.. me head broken open and oozin' shit that shouldn't be oozing, ya know, an me eyes just poppin' like eggs unner a rhino-buffalo. Fortunately, de Angel o' Death, me employer, fixes me up, putting me head back ta gether wit steel an' ceramic, putting in some odder shit, like dese two new eyes an' dis high-tech headjack. In a coupla months, I's up an around agin, workin same as always...

But it ain't same as always. Like I see'n shit now that I jess looked over before, like da guys getting shit put in der heads dey don't want der, or dat da people who do wan' it in ain't exactly da nicest folks ta be aroun... not like me, right? Dey's jess plain _nasty_. So, sayin' I's goin out ta take care o' some tings, I takes da little girl I stole from 'er daddy all dose years ago, I drive out o' dat place, nacheral as can be.

Dis girl... ahhh, shit, da tings I put 'er tru... Well, when I tries ta make her go home, she won't. Wants ta stay wit me. So I takes her home, ties 'er up, and leaves 'er on da doorstep fer 'er daddy ta find. I hopes she's ok, but I couldn look at 'er, after all da wrong I done ta 'er.

I started out, den, not givvin a shit where I went, jess tryin' ta make up fer me past. Its gonna take mebbee more time dan I gots on any worlds. But I gots ta try.

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Daggen Steelskull, Dwarven Techno-Wizard
IQ 22
ME 15
MA 3
PS 27
PP 15
PE 27
PB 5
Spd 7
Ht: 45"
Wt: 200#
Age: 40
HP: 34
SDC: 42
PPE*: (120) 96
ISP*: (40) 30
Unprincipled (Good) Alignment**

*The numbers in parenthesis represent his true total. The numbers outside the parenthesis are his total, modified for the extensive cybernetic alterations to his head.
**Result of Reborn Random insanity. Was Miscreant (Evil).

Appearance: Daggen is a medium-sized, but very thick and dirty dwarf. His face is covered with scars and patches of a full beard grow wherever the scars aren't. Some places on his head, steel is visible in patches where the skin refused to grow back. The upper left side of his face (around the eye) is covered by a plate, and neither of his eyes resemble anything remotely human... purely cybernetic eyes.

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Natural Abilities and Bonuses:
+5% to all mechanical, military, electrical, and computer skills
+8% to all skills (High IQ)
Carry 540#/Lift 1080#
Throw 540# 9'
Run 35 yards/melee
Run ~24 mph for 27 minutes
Knowledge to build a White Star's Fusion Guns
+12 Damage
+1 strike
+24% vs. Coma\Death
+6 vs. toxin
+6 vs. magic
+2 pull punch
+2 roll with punch/fall/explosion
+2 parry
+2 dodge
+2 vs. HF

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Cybernetics and Bionics:
Reinforced Skull: 5 MDC
-25% ISP, -20% PPE, total
Multi-Optic Eye (Right)
-Telescopic, 4x magnification, 6000' range
-Macro Lens, 8x magnification, 3' range
-Passive Nightvision, 2000' range
-Thermographic Imaging, 2000' range
-Light Filters (reduce glare)
-Targeting Display
Headjack with Ear Implant
-Can plug into most audio, sensory, robot, and computer equipment
Long range, wide band radio modification
-20 mile range
-100 mile range with antennae attached
-Can transmit own whispers, or voices within 6'.
Optic nerve implant
-Can transmit visual data
-Can view video data in his eyes
Psynetic Eye (Left)
-Mechanical Abilities
--6x magnification, 6000' range
--Passive night vision, 2000' range
--Laser Distancing, 6000' maximum
-Psionic Abilities
--See Invisible, 120' (constant)
--See Astral Beings, 20' +5' per level (constant)
--See Aura, 20' +5' per level (6 ISP per 30 seconds)
---+4 initiative, +2 dodge psionic attacks
--Electromagnetic Energy Blast
---20' +5' per level, +1 to strike
---3d6 SDC (6 ISP)
---1d4 MD (40 ISP)
---Can be used vs. astral beings
---51-100% chance to do double maximum damage, but shorts out the eye for 1d4 melees

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Psionic Abilities:
Telemechanics: 10 ISP
-Range: Touch to 5'
-10 minutes +2 per level
-Instills 80% skill with all aspects of any machine used upon
-Instills 88% skill with all aspects of any artificially intelligent machine
Mind Block: 4 ISP
-10 minutes per level
-Immune to psychic probes and mind-based psionic attacks
-+1 save vs. all other psionic and mental attacks
Speed Reading: 2 ISP
-3 Minutes per Level
-Reads 15-30 pages per minute, depending on difficulty
Total Recall: 2 ISP
-Remembers everything about a given subject/time period, etc.

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Spells
Blinding Flash
Globe of Daylight
Ignite Fire
Fuel Flame
Fire Bolt
Call Lightning
Energy Bolt
Energy Field
Impervious to Energy
Telekinesis
Armor of Ithan
Eyes of Thoth
Energy Disruption
Climb

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Skills
Native Languages:
-Speak and Read Dwarven: 98%
-Speak Dragonese: 93%
-Read Dragonese: 73%
OCC Skills:
-Speak German: 78%
-Read Techno-Can: 53%
-Radio: Basic: 68%
-Carpentry: 53%
-Computer Operation: 63%
-Computer Programming: 53%
-Computer Repair: 53%
-Basic Electronics: 63%
-Automotive Mechanics: 53%
-Read Sensory Equipment: 53%
-Mathematics: Basic: 78%
-Land Navigation: 53%
OCC Related Skills:
-Advanced Mathematics: 68%
-Electrical Engineer: 43%
-Robot Electronics: 48%
-Weapons Systems: 58%, +1 to strike
-Hand to Hand: Basic
Secondary Skills:
-Pilot Motorcycle: 72%
-Navigation: 53%
-Radio: Scramblers: 48%
-WP Blunt: +1 to strike and parry
-WP Energy Pistol: +3 to strike, aimed +1 to strike, burst

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Equipment: (Items with an * are his own design)
TW Modified Plainclothes Armor Work Coveralls:
-AR: 19
-MDC: 12
-Armor of Ithan, eighth level
--10 PPE or 20 ISP
--32 Melee rounds
--80 MDC
-Escape, Eighth level
--8 PPE or 16 ISP
"Nice" (non-work) clothes
Sunglasses
TW Modified Multi-optics band*
-TW Powered
-400th power magnification, 3' range
-Color Filters
-Other systems removed, replaced with
--Eyes of Thoth
---8 PPE or 16 ISP
---20 minutes
--Globe of Daylight
---2 PPE or 4 ISP
---6 minutes
TW Climb Harness*
-TW Powered Electro-adhesive pad on 60' of 600# test cable
-Mechanical, locking winch
-Climb Spell
--3 PPE or 6 ISP
--10 minutes
Magnifying Glass
TW Powered Pocket Flashlight
TW Powered Large Flashlight
6 signal flares
Mini Tool Kit
Knapsack, Backpack, 3 Small Sacks, 1 large sack
Pocket Mirror, Silver Cross, 6 wooden stakes, and mallet
Canteen
Air Filter and Gas Mask
TW Powered Pocket Digital Disc Recorder
TW Powered Hand-held Computer
Spacer Suit
CA-3 MDC Armor, Dwarf Modified
NG-S2 Survival Pack
Grav Pack
Multi-tool
Metal Spray
Molecular Bonding Gun
4 weeks of rations
2, 1 quart canteens

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Weapons (Items with * denote own design)
Survival Knife 1d6 SDC
TW Modified Wilks Laser Pistol
-1000' range, +2 to strike on aimed shot
-2d6 MD
-10 blasts, recharge with Globe of Daylight and Energy Bolt (7 PPE total)
-Currently being heavily modified... unavailable for use
TW Modified Neural Mace*
-Normal use: 1d8 SDC + Stun, TW Powered
--Recharged with Globe of Daylight (2 PPE)
-Charged Use 1: 2d6 MDC + Stun
--Lasts 4 minutes after being activated
--Recharged with Call Lightning (15 PPE)
-Charged Use 2: 1d8 SDC + Energy Disruption
--Last 4 minutes after being activated
--Items struck must save vs. spells (12) or be off-line for 6 minutes
--Recharged with Energy Disruption (6 PPE)
-Can be used to parry energy attacks (Rifts Conversion Book, page 10)
Glitter-Steel Templar Sword
-+1 to srike -+2 to Parry -3d6+4 M/SDC damage
NE-300 "Stutterer"
-Not sure of precise stats
-20, 50 round clips (carries 2)

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Vehicles:
Dwarf Use and TW modified Wastelander Motorcycle
Tires: 1 MDC each
Main Body: 45 MDC
Magic/Electric Engine
-Top Speed: 120mph
-1000 mile range
-Recharged with Call Lightning (15 PPE)
Shadow Meld
-10 PPE or 20 ISP
-10 Minutes
TK Machinegun
-4000' range
-2d6 MDC per burst
-80 Bursts maximum
-8 bursts recharge per Telekinesis Spell (6 PPE) or 20 ISP
-35,000 Phase World credits

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Level of Experience: 2
Experience Points: 3601 /4601

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