MagicWorld1932:Philip Pala

Name: Philip Pala

Race: Dwarf

Attributes [60]

ST 12 [20]

DX 11 [20]

IQ 11 [20]

HT 11 [0]

HP 12, Will 11, Per 11, FP 14

Basic Lift 39, Damage 1d-1/1d+2

Basic Speed 5.5, Basic Move 4, Ground Move 4, Water Move 1

Social Background TL: 6 [0] Cultural Familiarities: Chinese

Languages: Abyssal (Accented/None) [1]; Cantonese (Native/Literate) [3]; English (Native) [0]; French (Accented/None) [1]; Japanese (Accented/None) [1]; Lushootseed (Native/None) [2]; Runic (Accented/Native) [3]; Sperethiel (Accented/None) [1].

Advantages [153]

Combat Reflexes [15]

Common Sense [10]

Contact (Li "Egg" Shen, Chinese magician, Thaumatology) (Effective Skill 18) (9 or less; Usually Reliable) [6]

Contact (Madame Rosmerta, brothel owner, Savoir-Faire (Mafia)) (Effective Skill 18) (12 or less; Unreliable) [3]

Contact Group (Seattle PD) (Effective Skill 15) (9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [10]

Dwarf Template (Shadowrun 1932) [22] (Includes: HT+1 [10]. FP+3 [9]; Basic Move-1 [-5]. Alcohol Tolerance [1]; Damage Resistance 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Lifting ST 2 [6]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Rapid Healing [5]; Resistant to Poison (+3) [5]. Phobia (15) (Agoraphobia) [-5], Social Stigma (Second Class Citizen) [-5]; Stubbornness [-5]; Unnatural Features (Dwarf, short, pointed ears, beards) [-2] Feature: Armor isn’t interchangeable with human armor.)

Hard to Subdue (2) [4]

Language Talent [10]

Luck (Weird Luck, -15%) [13]

Natural Copper (3) [30]

Reputation (An honest PI) (2) (10 or less; Small class) [1]

Tough Guy (3) [15]

Disadvantages [-50]

Addiction (Tobacco) (Cheap) (Highly addictive; Legal) [-5]

Code of Honor (Private Investigator) [-10]

Compulsive Gambling (12 or less) [-5]

Divine Curse (Monster Magnet) [-15]

Sense of Duty (Companions) (Small Group) [-5]

Wealth (Struggling) [-10]

Quirks [-5]

Bad dreams about the Great War (Nightmares with self-control 18) [-1]

Distinctive Feature (Facial scar) [-1]

Likes expensive scotch [-1]

Poker Player (Always fails self-control roll for Compulsive Gambling for poker) [-1]

Rough voice [-1]

Skills [92]

Combat Skills

Brawling DX/E - DX+2 13 [4]

Broadsword DX/A - DX+0 11 [2]

Guns/TL6 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+3 14 [8]

Guns/TL6 (Shotgun) DX/E - DX+1 12 [0]

Guns/TL6 (Submachine Gun) DX/E - DX+1 12 [0]

Knife DX/E - DX+0 11 [1]

Throwing DX/A - DX-1 10 [1]

Other Skills

Area Knowledge (Seattle) IQ/E - IQ+1 12 [2]

Area Knowledge (United States) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Body Language (Human) Per/A - Per+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Carousing HT/E - HT+0 11 [1]

Climbing DX/A - DX+0 11 [2]

Connoisseur (Scotch) IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]

Criminology/TL6 IQ/A - IQ+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Current Affairs/TL6 (Business) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Current Affairs/TL6 (People) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Current Affairs/TL6 (Politics) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Current Affairs/TL6 (Seattle) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Current Affairs/TL6 (Travel) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Detect Lies Per/H - Per+1 12 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Disguise/TL6 (Dwarf) IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [4] includes: -2 from 'Unnatural Feature (Dwarf, short, pointed ears, beard)'

Driving/TL6 (Automobile) DX/A - DX-1 10 [1]

Escape DX/H - DX-1 10 [2]

Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Tough Guy'

Filch DX/A - DX+0 11 [2]

First Aid/TL6 (Human) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Forced Entry DX/E - DX+3 14 [1] includes: +3 from 'Tough Guy'

Gambling IQ/A - IQ+1 12 [4]

Gesture IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Hidden Lore (Free Spirits) IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]

Hidden Lore (Shamanic) IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]

Hiking HT/A - HT+0 11 [2]

Holdout IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]

Housekeeping IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Intelligence Analysis/TL6 IQ/H - IQ+1 12 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Interrogation IQ/A - IQ+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Intimidation Will/A - Will+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Tough Guy'

Law (American Criminal) IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]

Law (Police) IQ/H - IQ+0 11 [4]

Lockpicking/TL6 IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]

Observation Per/A - Per+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Occultism IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]

Photography/TL6 IQ/A - IQ+1 12 [4]

Photography/TL6 (Spirit) IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]

Pickpocket DX/H - DX-1 10 [2]

Research/TL6 IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]

Savoir-Faire (Mafia) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Savoir-Faire (Police) IQ/E - IQ+3 14 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Savoir-Faire (Servant) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]

Scrounging Per/E - Per+0 11 [1]

Search Per/A - Per+2 13 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper'

Shadowing IQ/A - IQ+4 15 [2] includes: -2 from 'Unnatural Feature (Dwarf, short, pointed ears, beard)', +3 from 'Natural Copper', +3 from 'Tough Guy'

Soldier/TL6 IQ/A - IQ-1 10 [1]

Stealth DX/A - DX+1 12 [4]

Streetwise IQ/A - IQ+5 16 [1] includes: +3 from 'Natural Copper', +3 from 'Tough Guy'

Urban Survival Per/A - Per-1 10 [1]

Stats [60] Ads [153] Disads [-55] Quirks [-5] Skills [92] = Total [250]

Weapons and Equipment

Hand Weapons

1 Large Knife LC:4 $40 Wgt:1

   Swing  Dam:1d cut  Reach:C, 1  Parry:8  ST:6  SK:Knife, ST:DX-4, 
   Thrust  Dam:1d-1 imp  Reach:C  Parry:8  ST:6  SK:Knife, ST:DX-4 

Ranged Weapons

1 Large Knife LC:4 Dam:1d-1 imp Acc:0 Range:10 / 18

   RoF:1  Shots:T(1)  ST:6  Bulk:-2  Rcl:-  $40  Wgt:1 

1 S&W Model 10 M&P, .38 Special LC:3 Dam:2d pi Acc:1 Range:110 / 1200

   RoF:3  Shots:6(3i)  ST:9  Bulk:-2  Rcl:2  $200  Wgt:2  Notes:[2] 

Armor & Possessions

Spare $195

1 Composite Body Armor (p. HT65) [Torso, Groin]. DR 4. $150 Wgt:6

1 Ordinary Clothing (p. HT63) [Torso, Limbs]. Status 0. $120, 4 lbs.

1 Leather Long Coat (p. HT64) [Torso, Limbs]. DR 2. (free; plus Fortify and Lighten), 7.5 lbs.

1 Belt (p. HT31) [Torso]. $10, neg.

1 Boots (p. HT68) [Feet]. DR 2*. $80, 3 lbs.

1 Leather Gloves (p. B284) [Hands]. DR 2*. $30, neg.

1 Felt Hat (p. HT64) [Head]. $60, 0.5 lb.

1 Personal Basics (p. B288) [Clothing]. $10, 1 lb.

1 Cheap Pocket Watch (p. HT31) [Clothing]. $50, neg.

1 Multi-Function Knife (p. HT26) [Clothing]. $25, neg.

1 Notebook, Pencil, and Chalk (p. HT17) [Clothing]. $2, 0.1 lb.

1 Religious Symbol (p. HT31) [Neck]. $1, neg.

1 Waist Pack (p. HT54) [Sling]. Carries 10 lbs. $10, 1 lb.

1 Flashlight (p. HT52) [Waist Pack]. Includes 2¥S batteries. $20, 1 lb.

1 2x Small Batteries (p. HT13) [Waist Pack]. $2, 0.66 lb.

Total Weight: 27.76 lbs.

Biography

Philip Pala was born a dwarf in 1901, to human parents. Growing up, he always felt that he had something to prove, to his parents, his neighbours and friends in the small town in New York where he was raised, and the world - to prove that his birth wasn't a mistake, that his stature and frame didn't make him weak or a pushover, to prove he was worth something. He joined the Army in 1917 when America entered the Great War, lying about his age to enlist. His experiences in the trenches in Europe left its mark on him, both physically (he has a long scar from shrapnel running up his face, and his voice is harsh and rasping after inhaling a whiff of mustard gas) and mentally (he still wakes up some nights sweating and hearing the whine of tracer rounds and the roar of artillery shells).

When he returned from Europe in 1918, he moved to Seattle, hoping to make his mark there. He initially tried to join the Seattle police, but his inherent sense of justice and stubbornness in following cases to the bitter end conflicted with the Seattle PD's general corruption and willingness to bend to powerful figures. After a couple of years he left (though he still has friends on the force, and didn't leave on particularly bad terms) and hung out his shingle as a PI. Since then, he's worked a wide variety of cases. Somehow, though, he seems drawn to the weird ones. He's dealt with faeries, in-betweeners, rogue loa, and, most notably, several Chinese spirits that were making messes in Seattle's Chinatown. It was these cases that have let him develop his fairly extensive knowledge of Chinese culture and language, and make some friends in Chinatown to boot.

In personality, Philip is practically a stereotype, both of dwarves and private investigators. He's gruff, cynical, and takes absolutely no shit from anyone. Many have called him "belligerent" (sometimes shortly before he headbutts them in the groin). But he's absolutely committed to seeing the job through. Once he takes a client, he will solve the case. Sometimes, that means turning in his client - if you're hiring him to help you frame someone, you're not in for a good time. He's actually quite good at the investigation business, having a natural talent for it. However, he's not very good at getting clients, since he's a bit short on social skills. Thus, his PI business was tottering along, barely paying for his cheap office with a 2-room apartment above it, and cheaper alcohol than he'd like, for several years. In the last year, it finally went belly-up, and Phil has had to accept an offer to work for someone else again rather than being his own dwarf. So far, he's adapting, but he's still not really happy with the situation, and dreams of making enough to start up on his own again.

Physically, Philip is medium-height for a dwarf at 3'11", with black hair and a short beard he keeps closely trimmed. He has dark grey eyes, and his face is marred by a long scar that starts at his chin, traces up over one cheek, and just misses his right eye. He's obviously well-muscled, though not particularly bulky (for a dwarf). He usually looks sharp and observant, meeting people's eyes when they speak, but sending his gaze darting about when he is talking, taking everything in. He usually dresses in a trenchcoat and fedora, and carries a few cigars loose in his pocket.