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Assad ebn Sarab; Islamic assassin
(c) copyright 2000 Brandon Cope
Total Points: 225 Points
Age 30-35; 5'8"; 160 pounds; a man with lightly-tanned skin,
black hair, brown eyes and a slightly-hooked nose, wearing a
plain robe and sandals.
ST 11 [10] - thrust 1d-1, swing 1d+1
DX 15 [60] - basic speed 6.75, move 6, dodge 6
parry
7 (broadsword), 8 (karate, staff)
IQ 13 [30]
HT 12 [20]
WL 13 [-]
ADVANTAGES: Ambidexterity [10]; Double-Jointed
[5]; Extraordinary Luck [30]; Literate
[10]; Reputation +2 (as efficient assassin, with
underworld) [5], Serendipity [15].
DISADVANTAGES: Code of Honour (Mercenary) [-5];
Secret (Assassin) [-30].
QUIRKS: Quiet and melancholy; Refers to target as "it";
Dislikes unnecessary violence; Reads the Qur'an, but is not
a devout Moslem. [-4]
SKILLS: Acrobatics-14 [2]; Blowpipe-14 [2];
Broadsword-14 [1]; Crossbow-15 [1];
Disguise-16 [8]; Intelligence Analysis/TL3-14
[4]; Karate-16 [8]; Knife-15 [1];
Lockpicking-14 [4]; Philosophy-12 [2];
Physician/TL3-13 [4]; Poisons-14 [4]; Riding
(Horse)-14 [1]; Shadowing-14 [4]; Staff-14
[2]; Stealth-16 [4]; Streetwise-13
[2]; Theology (specialises in Islam)-11/17
[2]; Throwing-14 [2].
LANGUAGES: Arabic (native)-13 [0]; English-13
[2]; Latin-13 [2].
MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: Sharnal (see below).
MANOEUVERS: Back Kick-15 [1]; Elbow Strike-16
[1]; Hook Kick-16 [1]; Jump Kick-15
[1]; Kicking-16 [1]; Knee Strike-17
[1]; Spin Kick-16 [1].
EQUIPMENT
Assad travels light, wearing no armour and typically
carrying only his staff, and a blowpipe with poisoned
needles.
BIOGRAPHY
To most appearances, Assad is a simple pilgrim, wandering
the Moslem world. In truth, he is the assassin known as 'The
Wind.' Assad was trained by his father Sarab, also
accomplished in the profession. Part of his training took
place in the strange northern lands, where he learned the
unusual unarmed combat style known as Sharnal (functionally
similar to Karate). In slightly over a decade he has carried
out over one hundred and twenty assassinations, including
military officers, holy men and merchants. He spends as much
time as each target required, selecting a method appropriate
to their defenses and habits. He usually strikes from a
distance with the crossbow or blowpipe, but has frequently
combined his knife and sharnal abilities to rapidly kill a
target face-to-face. As the years passed, he took some
pleasure from the rapidly increasing bounty on him, which at
one point reached twenty thousand silvers.
After ten years of causing so much death, Assad began to
loose the desire to continue his profession. He continually
attempts to live as a hermit, but such a life does not suit
him and people still seek out his services. Assad is
convinced he is already damned, so sees little reason to
stop. Though he has never enjoyed killing, he feels there is
nothing else for him to do. However, unlike many assassins -
including his father - Assad does not overestimate his
abilities and knows that much of his success can be traced
to his almost unnatural luck. Therefore, unlike many
assassins - again including his father - he is still
alive.
ENCOUNTERED
Assad is a quiet man, likely to be encountered in an
isolated place, living as a hermit or pursuing his study of
the Qur'an. To PCs who know nothing of his profession, he'll
seem learned but withdrawn. To those, however, who know he
is an assassin, his quiet and pensive demeanour will seem at
odds with his spectacular record as a killer-for-hire.
"We most of our lives seeking our destiny, and the rest
justifying the means we used on that quest."
"Yes, I will see to your problem. In a week the merchant
Abdul will take away your customers no more."
CANONICALITY
Assad is written with the standard GURPS rules. Note that as
per p.AN58, Assad's Philosophy skill does not require a
specialisation; see p.AN23 and 58 for more detail.
WHAT IF?
Assad ebn Sarab was written as a historical character, set
in the Islamic world. A campaign set in the era of the
Assassins would be in the 9th to 13th centuries; for more on
the Order of Assassins, see p.AN36 and p.MA82. Additional
information on historical Arabic gaming can be found on
pp.AN105-110.
Contemporary: Literacy is free, and Broadsword skill should
be replaced with Guns (Pistol)-17; net cost is -10 points.
All other weapon skills would remain the same. While Assad
will accept Westerners as targets, the GM should remember
that he is a hitman and not a terrorist. He certainly
doesn't have very strong religious or political
convictions.
Near Future: In a cyberpunk or post-contemporary campaign,
modify Assad as above. Also, Assad will rarely work for
megacorporations, preferring private clients, or members of
the criminal underworld.
Space: As above, but with Beam Weapons instead of Guns.
Also, change Crossbow to Shuriken, and add six sonic
shuriken (p.UT57, TL10+) to his equipment list.
ADVENTURE SEEDS
The Hitman: Assad has once again left his life of a hermit
to perform an assassination - and his target is one of the
PCs! Since it will take several days for Assad to prepare
for the attempt, this gives the target character plenty of
time to learn that he is in danger, prepare a defense and
grow paranoid... The target may have enough time to find out
who wants him dead, and why.
- written by Brandon Cope (copeab@hotmail.com)
- editting/formatting by andi jones
(andi@angelwerks.com)
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