Today’s character is for the sadly obscure Palladium title After the Bomb, originally published as a post-apocalyptic supplement for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness. It’s another very old-school system based on very random generation. In this case, it spat out a wandering healer who also happens to be a skunk!
Silphium Noseclearer had the remarkable and remarkably common unluck to be born in the Contested Territories ~ what was once known as southern New Jersey. It was a rough life in those days so shortly after the Crash, as mutant animals scrambled to build themselves a society from the scraps left behind by the humans so quickly banding together to hate those very same mutant animals. Factions jockeying for power and groups just trying to figure out wtf life even was now that the humans had largely killed themselves off twice over settled into territories and diplomacy, but Silphium’s homeland bought its independence with fierce in-fighting and a delicate geopositional strategic value.
Ten years ago, while Silphium was still a small cub, the humans seeded the area north of these lands with a new kingdom, full of canines stupidly loyal to the humans who gave them food and attention and scritches and toys. It was called New Kennel, and it quickly tried to claim the land which had given birth to the mutant skunk, repelled only by the nation of Cardania. Cardania didn’t want to control the area, certainly, but it would be damned if anyone else brought their threats to its front door like that.
Pranks played on all of these factions, petty warlord and invading nations alike sprinkled Silphium’s childhood, all in good, if brutal, fun. Until one day eir slow speed and weak strength caught up to em. The Rodent Cartel of Filly was not fond of humor at their expense, but the mutant mouse who had imprisoned Silphium was suffering from a medical ailment. Some half-remembered folklore Silphium had picked up at eir mother’s tail proved life-saving, and saving a lieutenant’s life proved valuable.
A favor for a favor later, and Silphium was apprenticed to a Cartel doctor. Once e learned everything e could about patching people up, e found a way to disentangle emself from the cartel’s grips ~ e never really liked young Cakeblade, anyway, if we’re being honest ~ and returned home to offer eir services as doctor to any who needed them. Free of charge, which would have been sacrilege of the highest order in Filly.
Silphium maintains a home base in the automotive city known as the Cam-Bridge, growing crops of food and medicine in giant rusted pots, multicolor paint still showing in flakes, that once were cars. Cam-Bridge huddles just outside the borders of Filly, free of its control in the Contested Lands. From there, the doctor makes frequent roaming trips, wandering throughout the realm.
Dr. Silphium Noseclearer, mutant striped skunk villager/towny
Intelligence Quotient 21, Mental Endurance 14, Mental Affinity 11, Physical Strength 7 (6)
Physical Prowess 12, Physical Endurance 13, Physical Beauty 14, Speed 6
Hit Points 14, Structural Damage Capacity 25, Unprincipled Alignment
+7% to all skills, run at 360 fpm/4 mph (or 120 fpm/1⅓ mph if upright) for 13 min.
Dig 3 feet per round/0.136 mph
Carry 70 lb. for 52 min. or 26 min. while running or fighting, lift 210 lb. for 13 rd./3¼ min.
See clearly within 5 feet, as a blur out to 22 feet, and not really at all beyond that
+1 parry
During the Day: -2 initiative, -1 strike and dodge, -5% skills
Apprenticeship: Healer
Sign Language 47%
Main Skills: Biology 82%, Herbal Medicine 62%/52%, Internal Medicine 90%/80%
Core Skills: Animal Husbandry 50%, Basic Mathematics 85%, Brewing 62%, Chemistry 72%, Computer Operation (specializing in medical computers, gene scanners, and auto-med units) 62%, Identify Plants & Fruits 37%, Literacy 52%, Language (Spanish, Chinese) 62%, Surgery 81%, Weapon Proficiency: Knife (Scalpel)
Medical Skills: Dentistry 62%, Paramedical 65%, Pathology 62%
Pilot Skills: Motorcycle 76%, Truck 71%.
Primary Skills: Antiquarian 52%, Automobile Mechanics 62%, Botany 42%, Cook 42%, Farming & Gardening 51%, General Repair & Maintenance 47%, Preserve Food 52%, Prowl 37%, Weapon Proficiency: Revolver, Weapon Proficiency: Shield, Weapon Proficiency: Shotgun
Secondary Skills: Land Navigation 47%, Boating 71%, Public Speaking 42%, Radio: Basic Communications 62%, Barbering 80%, Card Shark 35%, Astronomy 42%
Medical Familiarity: Mutant Skunks, Mutant Turkeys, Human Mutants, Mutant Rabbit, Mutant Bat
12,000 bucks, well equipped with clothing & traveling equipment, 2 weapons
3% chance of running into someone from same hometown while visiting other mutant animal communities
Size Level: 5 (2 feet 2 inches long, 35 lb.); Build: Short
Human Features: Full hands, partial bipedal stance, no speech, partial human looks
Animal Psionics: Cell Reader, Psychic Diagnosis
Natural Weapons: Stink Spray of Butylmercaptan
Mutant Animal Powers: Extra Limb: Fluffy Spray Tail, Digging, Nightvision, Extra Physical Beauty
Vestigial Disadvantages: Nearsightedness, Nocturnal
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