|
Jumo; entertainer and escaped slave
(c) copyright 2000 Brandon Cope
Total Points: 31 Points
Age 24; 4'6"; 100 pounds; a diminutive man with black hair,
brown eyes, dark skin and wearing a painfully colorful
outfit.
ST 10 [-] - thrust 1d-2, swing 1d
DX 11 [10] - basic speed 5.5, move 4*, dodge 4
IQ 12 [20]
HT 10 [-]
WL 12 [-]
*includes -1 for Dwarfism
ADVANTAGES: Musical Ability +3 [3]; Voice
[10].
DISADVANTAGES: Alcoholism [-15]; Dwarfism
[-15]; Social Stigma (Barbarian) [-15].
QUIRKS: Likes to wear gaudy outfits; Homesick; Hates to see
other people not happy; Gets depressed easily; Likes
children. [-5]
SKILLS: Acting-13* [0]; Area Knowledge (homeland)-13
[2]; Bard-17** [8]; Bardic Lore-12
[4]; Carousing-11 [4]; Dancing-11
[2]; Juggling-13 [4]; Knife-11 [1];
Musical Intrument (Lute)-15*** [4]; Musical
Instrument (Harp)-14*** [2]; Performance-14*
[0]; Savoir-Faire (local)-12 [1];
Singing-16**** [2]; Streetwise-12 [2].
*default from Bard
**includes +2 for Voice
***includes +3 for Musical Ability
****includes +2 for Voice and +3 for Musical
Ability
LANGUAGES: Native-12 [0]; Local-12 [2].
EQUIPMENT
Jumo can be expected to be dressed in a gaudy minstrel
outfit, and carrying six juggling pins, a lute, a small
harp, a small (and concealed) knife (1d-3 imp), and about
$150 in various coins.
BIOGRAPHY
Jumo was originally a singer and storyteller in his
primitive homeland to the south. He never knew his parents,
having been abandoned shortly after birth. He was raised by
a small group of entertainers, the only ones willing to deal
with a "freak" like Jumo. They quicky recognized his
speaking and musical abilities and the entire troupe worked
hard to train him in those areas. Then - while in his early
20s - he was taken from a coastal village by sea slavers.
The slavers sold him off in an old and decadent country to
the north, but before he could be branded, he managed to
escape. Unfortunately, he was a very long way from his
homeland.
He hadn't travelled far when he was taken in by a minor
noble family who were opposed to slavery. In exchange for
food, shelter and clothing, he entertained their guests.
Jumo quickly became friends of the familiy and stayed with
them for several years. He gained some notoriety in the
region with the nobility, and often times travelled to
special events.
Increasingly, however, he grew homesick and tearfully left
the family that had shown him so much kindness. On his trek
home, he became more depressed as he no longer had anyone
familiar to talk to. Although he has been unable to make
enough money to support himself, he eventually turned to
alcohol to ease his pain.
He has now travelled far enough that his good reputation is
effectively gone - no one knows him - and as he has
attempted to perform drunk several times (with disasterous
results) he may even begin to acquire a poor reputation.
ENCOUNTERED
Jumo is headed southwest, to his home; he has been gone
nearly four years now. In towns, he is most likely to be
found near taverns at night and the open market during the
day. Fortunately, he escaped before the could recieve a
slave brand and can thus pass freely.
CANONICALITY
Jumo has -45 rather than the suggested -40 points' worth of
Disadvantages, but he otherwise adheres to the standard
GURPS rules.
WHAT IF?
Jumo works well in most fantasy settings, as long as there
is travel and trade between different cultures. And, of
course, slavery in some form or another. Jumo's land and
people are considered less sophisticated by the setting's
"local" culture, but that is not necessarily true. In
historical settings, he works best in ancient times, but can
also easily play the role of social outcast in any imperial
cultures up through the 18th and 19th centuries.
ADVENTURE SEEDS
Jumo could be used in several ways. First, he could be the
not-so merry minstrel the PCs encounter while staying at a
village overnight. A desperate party may even hire Jumo (or
he could temporarily be working for a PCs patron). Depending
on the goals and temperment of the party, it is possible
that they could try to help Jumo home (or return him to the
slave pens, although "The Ransom of Red Chief" is
recommended reading for one way to handle that
scenario).
- written by Brandon Cope (copeab@hotmail.com)
- editted and formatted by andi jones
(andi@angelwerks.com)
|
