Farrak   -45 points

The farrak are a race of vampires with a rare supernatural sense. Once each day, the farrak can make an IQ roll (modified by Alertness) to detect an omen. To interpret the omen, make a second IQ roll (with no modifier this time).

this image created by Nick Savy

      If the second roll is made by five or less, the Game Master gives the farrak's player one or two vague phrases — an enemy is approaching, today a friend will be injured, you will lose something valuable, etc. The event will always be within twenty-four hours. If the roll is made by more than five, he gets more specific information — the name of the enemy and the hour of his arrival, who will be injured and how badly, what will be lost, etc.
      The farrak are insomniacs. They need no more than four hours of sleep a day. They have no hair, unusually thick skulls, and unmatched eye color.
      They tend to be larger than the human average, outspoken, and active. These traits to not translate into any required advantages or disadvantages, but it would not be surprising if a farrak any of the following: Gigantism [-10], Impulsive [-10], Compulsive Carousing [-5], Glory Hound [-15], Short Attention Span [-10], Overconfidence [-10].
      In all other respects, the farrak are common vampires. They feed on blood to survive, they are sensitive to sunlight, they don't like mirrors, they are undead, and they cannot heal normally.
      This template can be used to create player characters. I built it by following the guidelines in the

Attributes
Health +2 [20]

Advantages
Oracle [15]
Very Thick Skull [2]
Less Sleep, four levels [12]
Bite [30]
Immunity to Disease [10]
Immunity to Poison [15]
Unaging [15]

Disadvantages
Bloodthirst [-15]
Unhealing [-20]
Dread of mirrors [-20]
Unhealing [-20]
Unliving [-50]
Hairless (unnatural feature) [-5]
Eye colors do not match (unnatural feature) [-5]
Dependency on blood, once per day, doesn't have to be human blood [-15]
Weakness to sunlight: 1d every half-hour [-15]

Background Skills
      To supplement the Oracle advantage, each farrak has one point in Hidden Lore (m/a), Occultism (m/a), Dreaming (m/vh), or Meditation (m/vh).

Kid   -165 points

      Children are weak compared to adults. They are usually naive and penniless. Their age carries a social stigma — adults don't respect them. Their size and youth can slow down an adventure. They have trouble fitting into spacesuits, driving a getaway car, and getting inside adult-only places (like taverns in a fantasy campaign). Child characters are usually NPC sidekicks. In a campaign, they are someone's Dependent.
      But it's not all bad. Kids are hard to target. They can use their innocence to charm or sneak past adults. Many of them are fit, cute, and easily adapt to new situations.
      This template is for a child aged five to ten. An example of a kid character is Billy Dawson.

Attributes
ST: 5 [-40]
DX: 7 [-20]
IQ: 7 [-20]
HT: 9 [-10]

Advantages
      The kid has a Patron: two parents (or some other guardian) whose character point value adds up to 100. They appear on a 15 or less [15]. The default appearance for kids is Attractive [5], giving them a +1 for reaction rolls.
      Optional advantages include Pitiable [5], Sanctity [5], Cultural Adaptability [25], and Fit [5].

Disadvantages
      The kid is dead broke [-25] and Short [-5], with a Social Stigma [-5] and -3 Reduced Hit Points [-15].
      Add 45 more disadvantage points from this list: Clueless [-10], Gullible [-10], Coward [-10], Semi-Literate [-5], Curious [-5], Klutzy [-5], Shy [-5], phobia of darkness [-15], phobia of being alone [-15], phobia of weapons [-10].
      Children are illiterate until age six (give or take two years). In a literate society, this is worth -10 points. The Semi-Literate disadvantage is best for kids under age ten. See page 29 of the Compendium I. In a modern society, it is worth -5 points.
      If the child cannot do any arithmatic in his head — or accurately guess of the resutls on a calculator are right — the child is Innumerate [-5].
      Do not give the child any of the following disadvantages: Sterile, Ignorance, and Age. Youth is also restricted because it is reserved for teeagers.

Quirks
These three quirks are common. They are not part of the template total listed above.
      Temperamental
      Distractible (-1 to rolls for long tasks)
      Undiscriminating (they ignore racial differences)

Skills
      Because skills are supposed to be the result of formal training, few children will have any. Most skill rolls will be made by default.
      Then again, child characters tend to be exceptional, with experience far beyond their years. Street urchins know half a dozen Thief/Spy skills, Fast-Talk, and Area Knowledge. Rural children know Animal Handling and Riding. Exceptional kids are likely to know all local languages at IQ level. They can have Combat/Weapon skills for unarmed fighting (Brawling, Wrestling), lightweight weapons (Blowpipe), and weapons that have prosaic uses (Net, Lasso, Knife).
      Child kings benefit from Savoir-Faire and a little Politics or Diplomacy.
      If the kid has more than two skills, give him the Unusual Background advantage [10].

Infants
      Add Delicate Metabolism [-20] because the baby can't eat adult food. (You could make this a Dependency instead.) A premature or sickly infant will have a Weak Immune System [-30]. Replace Short with Inconvenient Size [-15].
      Infants are Horizontal [-10] or Semi-Upright [-5], depending on the exact age. They have Short Arms [-10], Bad Grip [-10], and a Low Pain Threshold [-10]. They have a few Odious Personal Habits, like pooping their pants and waking their parents in the middle of the night.

Examples from Film, Literature, and Elsewhere

Problems With the Basic Set
      The published rules for children are on page B14. The attribute chart is useful. So is the mention on the limits of points avaialble for skills.
      Then you get to the paragraph on attributes. It says you should measure a child with unusually high attributes (those that don't match the chart) against other children. According to p. B14, if a nine-year-old has an IQ of 15 (7 above the norm) that IQ has the same value as an adult qith IQ 17: 100 points. This doesn't make any sense if the kid is around adults in the game. Think about it: If a kid has a DX that is typical for his age and he'sa sidekcik of an adult hero with a typical DX, should their dexterities have the same value? They shouldn't.
      Does this matter? It does when you get to the first sentence of the last paragraph on the page. "As a rule, children should be created with 50 points or less." If you stick to that, accurately measuring unusually high attributes matters a lot.
      Kids should be measured against adults, just as centaurs and elves and vampires are measured against average, non-supernatural, adult humans.
      (This means that kids start off with a very low character-point value for their attributes. A four-year-old has a total attribute value of negative 170. A nine-year-old has negative 80.)

Bodyguard   100 points

While designing a trio of bodyguard characters, I looked in GURPS Warriors for a template. I didn't find it, so I wrote this. The next day, I found what I was looking for — but the template is called Guard. Duh! I think you'll find this useful, even if it is a little redundant.

      Bodyguards are hired to protect someone. The job requires patience, perception, and rare bursts of violence. A bodyguard must be one-part thug and two-parts surveillance expert. He watches the area around his employer, locates potential threats, and deals with them as efficiently as possible.
      In modern settings, surveillance is more important than combat. The best bodyguards use high-tech equipment — everything from radio earpieces to computer searches — to neutralize attackers before they strike.
      In low-tech worlds, gadgets are replaced by sharp vision and a nose for suspicious behavior. These bodyguards are much more likely to be large, silent men who smash heads when someone pulls out a knife. Intimidation and fast reflexes are valued over technical skill and preemptive strikes.
      Employers invariably have Status 2 or more. Characters with less status have to deal with threats on their own. Wealth and military Rank are also common. Bodyguards are hired by kings, princesses, mayors, mob bosses, generals, diplomats, cult leaders, executives, and celebrities.
      Some bodyguards serve more than one function. Instead of fading into the woodwork, they act as chauffeurs, servants, and assistants. Those that serve high-Status employers for extended periods can turn into sycophants or sidekicks. Romantic relationships are also possible.

Basic Low-Tech Bodyguard
      Found at the back of a throne room. He is big and not too bright, but quick to detect threats and kill assassins.
      ST: 13, DX: 11, IQ: 9, HT: 12
      Advantages: Danger Sense [15], Combat Reflexes [15], Collected [5], Deep Sleeper [5], Patron — longtime employer, 15 or less [30]
      Disadvantages: Duty (15 or less) [-15], Overweight [-5], Lazy [-10], Gullible [-10], Gigantism [-10]
      Skills: Stealth-12 [4], Two-Handed Axe/Mace-12 [4], Brawling-12 [2], Holdout-11 [6], Intimidation-12 [8], Servant Savoir-Faire-12 [6]

Basic High-Tech Bodyguard
      A mercenary who knows as much about high-tech surveillance as he does about hand-to-hand combat.
      ST: 11, DX: 11, IQ: 11, HT: 11
      Advantages: Alertness +4 [20], Collected [5], Less Sleep: two hours [6], Legal Enforcement Powers [10], Security Clearance [5], Reputation as a professional bodyguard: +2 with potential employers, recognized 10 or less [2.5]
      Disadvantages: Duty (12 or less) [-10]
      Skills: Stealth-12 [4], Holdout-12 [4], Law-10 [2], Karate-11 [4], Fast-Draw (pistol)-10 [.5], Guns (pistol)-12 [2], Guns (rifle)-11 [1], Intelligence Analysis-11 [4], Computer Operation-12 [2], Electronics Operation (sensors)-12 [4], Traps-12 [4]

Advantages
Detection
      Danger Sense is useful for locating threats (p. B20) [15]. So is Alertness [5/lvl], Acute Vision and Acute Hearing (p. B19) [2/lvl], Peripheral Vision (p. B22) [15], Infravision (p. 58) [15], Empathy (p. B20) [15], and Intuition (p. B20) [15].
      Supernatural powers of detection include Sensitive (a weaker form of Empathy, p. 30) [5], Awareness (p. 35) [15 or 35], and See Invisible (p. 65) [15].

Attack and Defense
      Combat Reflexes (p. B20) [15] insure a quick response to danger. Toughness (p. B23) [10 or 25] and Rapid Healing (p. B23) [5] increase the bodyguard's chance of surviving a fight. In high-tech settings, Sharpshooter comes in handy (p. 30) [45].
      A bodyguard who is Collected (p. 22) [5] does not scare easily. He gets a +3 bonus on Fright Checks. If he is Imperturbable he gets a +5 bonus (p. 26) [10]. If he is Unfazeable, he ignores Fright Checks entirely (p. 31) [15]. Add Strong Will (p. B21) [4/lvl] to raise his resistance.
      Deep Sleeper is special. If he has Combat Reflexes, it's an advantage worth 5 points (see p. 23). If he doesn't have Combat Reflexes, Deep Sleeper is a disadvantage worth at least -5 — maybe more, depending on whether or not he is "conditioned" to wake at the sound of intruders.
      He might need Less Sleep (p. 27). Each hour he loses (from the required eight) costs 3 points.
      If he wants to avoid detection, Silence (p. 66) [5/lvl] adds +2 per level to his Stealth rolls when motionless (+1 when moving).

Social Advantages
      To better serve his employer, the bodyguard needs a badge, security clearances, and other law enforcement perks. Start with 10 points of Legal Enforcement Powers (p. B21). If his regular employer is a military officer, he will have a Military Rank of 1 or better (p. B22) [5/lvl]. If he has been employed by a diplomat, he might have Diplomatic Immunity (p. 24) [20].
      Longtime employers become Patrons (p. B24). The value is high (50+ points) when the bodyguard has access to the Patron's organization, inside information, and assistants. Use the frequency of appearance to reflect his degree of access.
      Security Clearance is very common, even in low-tech worlds (p. 29). This costs 5 points per level for world-power countries and megacorporations, 2 points per level for anything less. (In a fantasy world, merchant guilds are the equivalent of corporations.) If the bodyguard is regularly employed as a guard for high-Status people, he should have at least two levels.
      It helps to have a positive Reputation (p. B17) among potential employers. This is the ``word on the street'' that gets him hired. A negative Reputation makes it hard to find a good job.

Disadvantages
Standard Drawbacks
      A bodyguard has a Duty to his current employer (p. B39). The frequency roll reflects how often he is needed. If the roll is a 15 or less [-15], we assume he is on duty full-time.
      Some bodyguards are property. They are owned by their employers. This gives them a Social Stigma (p. B27) worth -10 points. They are likely to be Eunuchs, as well (p. B28) [-5]. Lifelong duty can result in Fanaticism [-15] or Bloodlust [-10].

Common Disadvantages
      Gigantism (p. B28) [-10] makes it easier to intimidate potential attackers. Giant bodyguards tend to be Lazy (p. B34) [-10] because they are not required to do anything except look big and mean. This can also lead to being Overweight or Fat (p. B28) [-5 or -20].
      Ugly and Hideous bodyguards are more intimidating, but they have trouble fading into the background (p. B15) [-10 or -20]. Instead of ugliness, you can add a physical deformity like Hunchback (p. 81) [-10], Mute (p. B29) [-25], or One Eye (p. B29) [-15].
      An Odious Personal Habit (p. B26) [-5] is good for comic relief. If you add a Phobia (p. B35), enemies will have a weakness to exploit.
      Gullibility is a classic weakness (p. B33) [-10]. Enemies can use it to distract or confuse the bodyguard.

Restricted Disadvantages
      Don't use Blindness, Bad Sight, Hard of Hearing, or Deafness. A Code of Honor may conflict with an employer's methods.
      No one with Combat Paralysis could be an effective bodyguard. It is possible to be a Coward (p. B32) [-10] in high-tech worlds — the bodyguard works hard to make sure his employer is always safe, avoiding combat with thorough planning. But don't use Coward in low-tech worlds.
      Impulsive bodyguards are not patient enough to do their job. Megalomaniacs can't handle being in the background and serving someone of a higher social rank.
      Bodyguards focus all of their energy on their employer's Enemies, so they should not have their own.

Skills
Stealth and Surveillance
      A bodyguard must stand still, be quiet, and watch everyone. Expertise at being inconspicuous is measured by the Stealth skill (p. B67) [p/a]. With special training, he could add Invisibility Art (p. 141) [m/vh]. To secretly follow someone, he needs Shadowing (p. B67) [m/a].
      To detect a threat, he can use Detect Lies (p. B65) [m/h], Interrogation (p. B66) [m/a], and Body Language (p. 132) [m/h]. (Body Language defaults to Detect Lies and Psychology.) He can use Criminology (p. B60) [m/a] to outguess a criminal and Streetwise (p. B68) [m/a] to gather important rumors.
      One of the most important skills is Holdout (p. B66) [m/a]. It is used every time the bodyguard "pats down" someone.
      In high-tech settings, the bodyguard uses computers and other equipment to track potential threats, defuse bombs, and operate (or install) surveillance equipment. The relevant skills include Intelligence Analysis (p. B66) [m/h], Computer Operation (p. B58) [m/e], Electronics Operation (sensors) (p. B58) [m/a], Explosive Ordnance Disposal (p. 150) [m/h], SIGINT (p. 151) [m/h], and Traps (p. B68) [m/a]

Knowledge and Behavior
      With Area Knowledge (p. B62) [m/e], the bodyguard can use his knowledge of countries, organizations, and cultures to understand the people who approach his employer. He could, for example, identify the country of origin of a visiting diplomat by analyzing his clothing and mannerisms. With a higher skill level, he might notice if the diplomat's accent is faked, what it means when he refuses to shake someone's hand, or why he can't close a deal until he gets approval from his superiors. If anything is noticeably wrong, the bodyguard can warn his employer or act immediately.
      Heraldry (p. B58) [m/a] can be used in the same way, but it is limited to military organizations and quasi-military agencies.
      Law (p. B58) [m/h] is useful in high-tech worlds, where Secret Service agents and hired bodyguards need to know what they can legally do. (If he has this skill, he probably has Legal Enforcement Powers, as well.)
      Bodyguards that step out of the shadows and act as servant or assistants need to behave properly. This is covered by Savoir-Faire (p. B64) [m/e], Military Savoir-Faire (p. 160) [m/e], and Servant Savoir-Faire [m/e]. A little Diplomacy can't hurt, either (p. B63) [m/h].

Combat
      Before a bullet is fired or a punch is thrown, Intimidation can be used (p. 159) [m/a]. At that time, the bodyguard can roll against Tactics (p. B64) [m/h] to determine the best course of action. Tactics is also used when a team of bodyguards coordinate their efforts.
      Once combat begins, the relevant skills depend on the tech level of the campaign world.
      In low-tech worlds, the most common combat/weapon skills are Axe/Mace [p/a], Brawling [p/e], Broadsword [p/a], Fast-Draw [p/e], Polearm [p/a], Shield [p/e], Shortsword [p/a], Spear [p/a], and Two-Handed Axe/Mace [p/a]. Some bodyguards rely on ranged weapon skills such as Crossbow [p/e] and Knife Throwing [p/e].
      In high-tech worlds, the most common combat/weapon skills are Guns [p/e], Fast-Draw [p/e], Judo [p/h], Karate [p/h], and Boxing [p/a].
      In ultra-tech worlds, bodyguards use Beam Weapons [p/e], Guns, Force Sword [p/a], and Force Shield [p/e]. See the weapon charts at the back of Ultra-Tech for a list of specializations.
      If the world has any kind of Oriental influence — a historical Chinese campaign, historical Japan, or any world that includes martial artists — the bodyguard might know a few exotic combat/weapon skills. His weapon of choice could be a katana, tonfa, or kusari. He might know Judo, Karate, or a more esoteric martial art. See pp. 132-145 of the Compendium I.
      All bodyguards have the Dancing skill. They love to get down and boogie! Possible specializations include: the Mashed Potato, the Watusi, and the Hand Jive.

Instant Halflings   ??? points

      If you need a minor halfling NPC quickly, use the guidelines below. Roll up the character's attributes, then use the tables for advantages, disadvantages, and skills. You can easily develop the character by adding and removing character traits. (Should all halflings have a +1 Reputation with everyone? Are all of them Gluttonous? The standard weapon skills can be replaced with more Social or Professional skills.)

Strength: 1d+4
Dexterity: 1d+7
Intelligence: 1d+6
Health: 1d+6

      If the strength score is a 5 or 6, you've rolled up an elderly halfling.
      If the IQ score is 7, the halfling is a child.

Advantages:
Silence [5]
+1 Reputation with everyone, all the time [5]

      Roll 2d once:
      2: Serendipity [15]
      3-4: Combat Reflexes [15]
      5-6: Charisma +2 [10]
      7: 15-point Ally
      8-10: an Acute sense [2/lvl]
      11: Intuition [15}
      12: Magery 2 (and 2d spells)

Disadvantages:
Code of Honor: Hospitality [-5]
Gluttonous [-5]
Reduced Move -1 [-5]

      Roll 2d once:
      2-4: Compulsive Carousing [-5]
      5-6: Sense of Duty [-10]
      7-8: Addict: tobacco or drink [-5]
      9-11: Overweight [-5]
      12: Coward [-10]

Skills:
Pick any two of: Stealth, Bow, Sling, and Throwing at DX [2 pts for Stealth, 4 pts each for the others]

      Roll 3d twice:
      3-4: Shortsword, DX+1
      5-6: a Thief/Spy skill, DX
      7-8: Fast-Talk, IQ+2
      9: an Artistic skill, IQ+2
      10: Area Knowledge, IQ+3
      11: a Craft skill, IQ+3
      12-13: Carousing, HT+2
      14-15: Merchant, IQ+1
      16-17: Fast-Draw, DX+1
      18: a Scientific skill, IQ+2

Mountain Faun   59 points

      These creatures are a sub-race of the fauns described on pp. 56-59 of GURPS Fantasy Folk. They are just like normal fauns, except as noted below.
      The mountain fauns are thicker and tougher than their forest-dwelling counterparts. Their horns are much larger — no mountain faun could pass as a human, even in a hooded cloak. They tend to be very attractive.
      They are experts at navigating narrow mountain paths, finding new trails, and tracking creatures through mountainous terrain. All of them have Mountain Survival and Tracking skills, plus the Perfect Balance advantage.
      Unlike the woodland fauns, mountain fauns need a lot of time to get used to strangers. They react to elves and humans at -2; centaurs, gnomes, and dwarves at +1; and all other races at -1. Patient visitors will gain their trust in time if they treat them with respect.
      If the local sylvan races meet regularly, the mountain fauns will send a representative party. High-ranking sylvan leaders will be invited to stay with the mountain fauns for a few weeks afterward.

Attributes DX +3 [30] HT +1 [10]	Disadvantages Lecherousness [-15] Shy [-5]
Advantages Attractive [5] Animal Empathy [5] Alertness +1 [5] Perfect Balance [15] Musical Ability +1 [1]	Skills Carousing at HT level [2] Mountain survival at IQ+1 [4] Tracking at IQ level [2]