Rifts®: Megaversal Highway™
Dale Williams
Mentally Challanged Psychic Janitor
Description:
Archetype: Outsider
Alignment: Scrupulous (Good)
Motivation: To recapture some semblance of happiness
Disposition: Although once ignorant of the severity of his condition and extremely amiable in spite of it, now after the ordeals he has endured he has become a lot more quiet, noticably morosse.
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Age: 41 (Physically 30 although it is hard to tell considering he looks much older)
Height: 5’10"
Weight: 240 lbs
Appearance: Dale has 6 inch long brown hair grown to what he believes to be the perfect length to cover up his bald scalp. Aside from the part perfectly combed to cover his scalp, the hair is always in a standard, greasy and unmaintained fashion. He is an over-weight white male with brown eyes and of an unknown descent. His most prominent feature is a nose that has healed quite unnaturally after being broken in one of his many fights as a youth.
Home Dimension: Rifts Earth
O.C.C.: Reactionary
Level of Experience: 5
Current Experience: 16,501
Affiliations/Factions: Lazlo Custodians inc., formerly CS Lonestar
Attributes: I.Q. 6, M.E. 25, M.A. 14, P.S. 15, P.P. 9, P.E. 10, P.B. 7, Spd. 11 (7.5 mph, 11 m/action)
Attribute Bonuses: + 5 Save vs Psionics, + 8 Save vs Insanity
Hit Points: 30
S.D.C.: 21
M.D.C.: None; except by use of his “Shell” ability which provides 8D6x10+50
Horror Factor: None
P.P.E.: 4
I.S.P.: 165 I.S.P. Recovery 2 per hour of activity or 6 per hour of rest
Attacks/Actions per Melee: 5
Combat Bonuses: Strike + 1 (+ 3 with Shield) (+ 2 with Blunt), Ranged Strike (+ 2 with Energy Rifle) (+ 3 with Energy Pistol), Disarm + 1, Parry + 2 (+ 4 with Shield) (+ 2 with Blunt), Dodge + 2, Pull Punch + 2, Roll With Punch + 2
Resistance/Saving Throw Bonuses: Save vs. Psionics + 5, Save vs. Insanity + 8, Save vs Charm/Vampire Pheromones + 4, Save vs Horror + 4
Abilities:
1. Backlash: 350’ range, standard Save vs. Psi, when reactionary is physically attacked, attacker loses initiative, two melee actions, -4 to all combat rolls and -10% on all skills for 1D4 minutes and has a 25% chance of knocking the victim unconscious for 1D4 minutes.
2. Feedback: 175’ range, 1D4 + 5 melee duration, standard Save vs. Psi, when reactionary is mentally attacked, attacker is unable to use magic or psionics for the duration.
3. Shell: 5D4 melees duration, when dealt a fatal blow, an ectoplasmic shell forms and absorbs the damage. 8D6x10 + 50 MDC protection. When shelled is unable to perform any action other than speak.
4. Suppress Reaction (10) Can turn off all reactionary powers for 1 melee, cannot restart powers prematurely and requires one melee action to activate. Requires a roll of 9 or higher on a d20 to succeed.
Birthrights:
1. Chosen One: The character is prophesied for greatness and destined to accomplish something truly grand or terrible. The character may or may not know his fate (and certainly doesn’t have a say in it!) but it is sure others in the world will. The nature of the prophecy should be determined only after the player and the game master have had an opportunity to sit down and talk about the game’s overall theme and direction. Bonuses: The character gains twice the normal experience points and adds + 2 to one attribute of choice at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. Penalties: If for any reason the character fulfils (or fails or fulfil) their destiny the character becomes a Fallen Hero and loses all of the bonuses listed above (including the attributes; they become dumber, weaker, more cowardly, etc.) until which time they rectify their mistake or given a new purpose by the fates.
2. Hidden Potential: The character has incredible (near supernatural!) raw talent but lacks the ability to bring it out in all but the most-dire situations. Perhaps the character is lazy, too kind or gentle to cut loose, or is afraid of their own strength. Whatever reason, the character’s legendary potential mostly remains dormant. However, during times of great need that hidden potential boils to the surface. Requirements: Can only be taken at character creation, cannot be developed later through character advancement. Bonuses: None, although whenever the character’s loved ones are directly threatened or their own life teeters on the edge (defeat is not enough, it must be a life or death situation!), the character’s physical attributes are temporarily raised to 25 and gains 3D6 supplemental P.P.E. until the threat is defeated, escapes, or their loved one(s) are rescued. Note: A character with this Birthright might be an overweight oaf 90% of the time but becomes a dynamo of explosive strength and energy when their friends or family are in danger!
3. Loves the Opposite Sex: The character is unlikely to notice things going on around him/her when in the presence of the opposite sex. The character is also more susceptible to seduction and the “obvious” good character of the opposite sex. Bonuses: Add one birthright of level three or lower. Penalties: – 6 to initiative in the presence of attractive members of the opposite sex (anyone with a P.B. of 15 or higher) and – 10 to save vs charm.
4. Dim-witted: The character is not the sharpest tool in the shed. In other words, they’re a dullard, a ditz, simpleton, or a fool. They might be a charming oaf, ironic court jester, or just a tragic victim of poor genetics. Fortunately, the character’s disability has motivated them to excel in another field (“Run Forrest, Run!”). Requirements: I.Q. attribute 7 or lower. Bonuses: Add 1D4 to one attribute of choice (except Intelligence Quotient) and the character receives twice as much experience as normal for Playing in Character whenever their character must endure suffering or tribulation as a result of their low intelligence. Penalties: Penalties vary, dependent on the character’s I.Q. attribute (see below).
I.Q. attribute of 5 – 6: The character is a true dim-wit and probably rather child-like. His level of comprehension of an 8 – 10 year old child. Reduce the number of O.C.C. Skills by four, reduce the Related Skills, Secondary Skills and all Skill Bonuses by half. However, the character gain 1D4 + 2 additional Secondary Skills.
5. Oblivious: The character is blissfully unaware of the dangers that constantly surround them. They are not lost in fantasy but meaning is often lost on them and it sometimes takes a while for the seriousness of the situation to sink in. This birthright is commonly paired up with Absent-Minded or Dreamer. Requirements: The character’s I.Q. attribute cannot be higher than 7. Bonuses: + 4 to save vs Horror Factor, + 4 to save vs charm and vampire pheromones. Plus, all social rolls made against the character suffer a – 10% penalty. Penalties: – 5 on all Perception Rolls.
O.C.C. Skills:
Language: American 97%
Maths: Basic 84%
Housekeeping 84%
Cook 84%
Sewing 89%
O.C.C. Related Skills:
General Repair and Maintenance 74%
Prowl 54%
Pilot: Automobile 72%
Breed Dogs 50%
W.P. Blunt
Secondary Skills:
Brewing 59%
Climbing 69%
Preserve Food 59%
Swimming 79%
Fishing, 69%
Rappelling 59%
W.P. Shield
W.P. Energy Pistol
W.P. Energy Rifle
Hand to Hand: Basic
Magical Knowledge: None
Spell Strength: N/A
Psionic Powers (Master): Outburst (15) everyone within a 120’ radius of the Reactionary must Save vs Psionics or lose initiative, two melee actions, -4 to all combat rolls and -10% on all skills for 1D4 minutes and have a 25% chance of being knocked unconscious for 1D4 minutes. Each Outburst counts as 1 melee action.
Vulnerabilities: None beyond his self-esteem issues
Weapons:
●Wilk’s 447 Laser Rifle: 3D6 MD, 2000’ range. +1 strike on aimed, 20 (17) shot payload
●Neural Mace: 2D6 SD plus stun. Any victim without any sort of electrical resistance/immunity that is not wearing full environmental armor must make a saving throw vs pain (14 or higher) or be rendered unconscious for 1D4 minutes. Those who make their saving throw suffer a -8 penalty on all combat-related rolls, reduces their attacks/actions per melee, speed, and skill performance by half for 1D4 melee rounds.
●Wilks Laser Wand, 1d4,1d6, 2d6 or 3d6 SDC damage or 1 MD. 10’ range, 50 payload
Equipment: Clothes, Broom, Cleaning Supplies, Crowbar, Pants, Skirt, Toolkit, Staff, Binoculars, Flask, Small Sack, Fuzzy Handcuffs, Sleeping Bag, Steel Cup, Silver Cross, Laser Distancer, Pen Flashlight, Journals
Bio:
Dale was born into society as a Coalition citizen, a fact that many would consider a gift and treat Dale as a man of extreme luck. Dale isn’t lucky, nor is he what anyone in their right mind should consider “gifted”. The opposite is true. If genetics was a lottery, Dale clearly got landed with the booby prize, his only quality of merit being that he has an incredible degree of mental endurance, a quality that a man of his stature would need to endure the taunts he was subjected to growing up.
As a mentally challenged young lad, Dale was easily the most prominent target for the schoolyard bullies, constantly bombarded with ridicule and often acts of violence. If Dale was to be considered “lucky” in any respect, it would be that his limited mental faculties painted a target prominent enough that his obesity went ignored, not significant enough to be ridiculed.
Not content with living as the punching bag of others, Dale strove for a better lot in life, his efforts rewarded with his dream position. He was now an agent at the top secret Lone Star facility in the position of “Special Maintenance Operative”. For a time, his life as a Janitor would be considered the peak of his existence. It was a position that gave him great pride and was treated as a sign that the respect he craved so relentlessly would surely follow. The job itself, was significantly less endearing. Although it was undeniably a step up from being the punching bag of others, Dale hated his duties enough that any opportunity to minimize them was considered a divine gift. Although not divine in nature, that gift was given to him at the hands of Doctor Desmond Bradford and Doctor Henry Clemons. The deal was simple: If Dale was willing to undergo a tiny bit of genetic manipulation, he would be allowed to take an extra 20 minute break each day with full pay; Not really understanding what genetic manipulation was, the choice was obvious – Dale might not have been too bright but he understood that a little extra work now was nothing compared to an extra 20 minutes break each day for the rest of his life. As it turned out, Dale’s 20 minute break quickly expanded to what Bradford would wish to be a lifetime of inactivity.
Dale’s genetic augmentation mutated out of control, not physically but mentally. The results being an entire new breed of Psychic which excited Bradford beyond all measure. Never before had he achieved such a perfect augmentation on a human being – he couldn’t let something as trivial as human liberty delay the progress in his new subject, Dale had to be imprisoned for the sake of scientific research. Dale wasn’t as opposed to imprisonment as one would expect, he didn’t understand how or why but he clearly understood that his presence was helping people and it gave him a sensation of importance even greater than his previous position. It wasn’t until he witnessed another Special Maintenance Operative performing his old duties, that he finally realized the situation he was in. He had not been promoted, he had been replaced and stripped of all title and prestige. That realization left Dale in a state of despair that no previous bully had ever achieved. Although an emotional response deeply rooted in negativity, that despair would prove to be Dale’s only salvation from his miserable existence. Dale’s constant whimpering was finally heard. Doctor Henry Clemons finally succumbed to the unfiltered emotion emanating from Dale’s cell and released the poor creature back into the wilds, with only one short warning to send him on his way “They will be looking for you”. That act of compassion is one Dale has yet to forget and one of the only memories he has that seemed equally pure during both his times as a human and an enlightened being.
Although even Dale is smart enough to be sure that Bradford and his men were looking for him, he saw no sign of it. Apparently Dale’s mentality is too alien to the Genius of Bradford and his simple evasive techniques well too mundane for the scientist to even consider. Dale’s life had finally begun the normalization process – he even managed to get himself a new job as a Special Maintenance Operative near Lazlo. His employer was a little strange and quite frightening; Being a monster which Dale had been taught to hate, but it seemed that hate was among the many teachings that Dale had failed to learn and Willie couldn’t have been so bad – he was nice enough to hire a wretch like Dale after all.
Dale’s life continued in a mundane manner until one day, when he heard strange noises coming from the barn and made the mistake of seeking out the noises to determine their origin. That mistake is one that led Dale down a path of tragedy, leading to a mind-shattering event that would forever destroy the illusion of blissful ignorance. The barn was occupied. Its basement a host to an array of imprisoned misanthropes that Dale was compelled to aid. Those same misanthropes led him down the proverbial rabbit hole and back again. Although Dale’s fragmented mind no longer recalls the events clearly, he knows that it resulted in tragedy for all those involved, perhaps none more-so than Dale himself.
Fleeing the farm with the captives, the group found themselves in Lazlo, passing time in a menial manner while seeking aid. That aid came in the form of knowledge and the realization that Willie is also a victim of circumstance, a mere construct that has been driven to insanity by grief and the loss of his father. A heartfelt story that Dale’s fragmented mind remembered above all else. Wishing to help Willie endure his grief, Dale and his party returned to the farm but Dales wishes would only be met by carnage. The farm could only be considered a bloodbath, a bloodbath resulting in Willie’s usually un-expressive face being tormented enough to form expression of agony before disappearing in a blinding light. The victim of circumstance was now also a victim of an entity powerful enough to seemingly kill the deathless. Without time to even acknowledge the situation, Dale would too become a victim, only he was victimized in a much less obvious but equally cruel manner. Dale was given enlightenment. He was elevated in position, mind, body and soul and welcomed to the Divine. All of the lessons in life that Dale had failed to comprehend, all of the mis-treatments he had endured without knowing the nature, all of the knowledge in the world it seemed was now in his possession. It would have been a gift of grand proportions if only it had been permanent. In practice, the sting of time and the awareness of his own shortcomings only proved to be a torture far greater than the human mind could ever conceive. It was a torture befitting of the divine.
Unaware that he was on the clock, Dale’s life became one every child dreamed of. He was a superhuman and acted it in every way: protecting innocents, fighting criminals and saving the damsels in distress. And on the last count at least, he received much in the way of action. There were many, many damsels seemingly sensing his divine nature and throwing themselves at him. As a man that had never lay with a women without payment, the transition was pure bliss. Although blissful and now a man of intelligence, that happiness still stemmed from blissful ignorance, if he was aware that his powers were temporary, rather than living his dreams he would have strove to find a way of making them permanent. By the time he realized his mental faculties were dwindling, he was still aware that there were ways of adding permanence to his transformation, but he was no longer capable of attaining any level of permanence.
As his divine presence faded, so did his mental and physical attributes. The last of his days as a divine being spent in isolation, frantically writing down his every thought like a man on fire, trying to preserve the last thoughts of worth that he would ever have.
His phase of enlightenment now long over, Dale has become a recluse, now aware of all the little ways society likes to crush his spirits and too stupid to defend the taunts. Isolation is the only answer he can muster. Not entirely a hermit, he has managed to find himself a job in Lazlo as a Janitor but his days are spent in his duties, never speaking to anyone if he can help it. His nights are spent longingly, staring into his journals that he can no longer read.
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