Martin “Marty” Tabard Jr

   Marty hails from a rather bizarre Toonworld: one where business is often literally war, technology never advanced past the early 21^stcentury, and injuries are disturbingly realistic but never fatal or even permanent. The few Manifold researchers who know of it call it Battling Business World. Marty is one of many battling businesspeople who worked their way from the lower middle class to management positions. He earned his Masters of Business Administration, with a minor in Blood Blade Technique martial arts, and joined a minor corporate raiding firm, Amarant Solutions. In his world, corporate raiding entailed storming into the victim corporation’s corporate headquarters and expelling all officials through whatever means necessary. Marty specialized in sneaking behind people and stabbing them. Sometimes he would garrote them with his necktie for variety. He was very good at his job. Some even considered him a star of Battling Business World’s New York City corporate raiding scene.

   Then he met a strange woman in a bar. She called herself Olivia and claimed to be researching battling business. Marty was gregarious and charming despite the nature of his job. Because he wanted to date the pretty researcher, he told her about his job and his involvement in road raging (a form of car racing used to decide hiring, contract, and promotion disputes). They grew affectionate over many nights. Despite all of Marty’s charm, though, he could never persuade Olivia to invite him to her place.

   Finally, Marty couldn’t stand it anymore. Using his stealthy talents, he shadowed Olivia home one night. He was quite surprised to see her going through a strange gate. Wanting to chew her out, Marty followed her . . . to Core Earth’s New York City. Olivia wasn’t terribly amused when she turned around and saw him gasping at the “future city.”

   Marty is now working on a new project: founding an Amarant Solutions branch on Core Earth. It has two purposes. The first is to further his career. Whatever technology he can send home will help the firm’s performance. The second is simply to have an excuse to explore the Manifold. Marty is the first person from the Battling Business World to leave it, and he’s simply curious about worlds where people can die from injury.

• Identifying Characteristics: Age 35, 5′6”, 150 lbs, smartly styled blond hair, dark blue eyes, rosy skin, generally pleasant and non-threatening appearance until conflict arises.
• Basic Appearance: Marty is a small and stocky but flexible man. His facial features are rounded and his gaze is alert—not unremarkable for someone in his field.
• Personality: In Battling Business World, Marty is simply a charming scoundrel. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect his interests, but is restrained with violence. In Core Earth, he’s considered primitive and eccentric. Mostly this is because of his blasé attitude toward injury and violence—normal among his people, but disturbing nearly anywhere else.
• Goals: Over the short term, Marty would like to learn how to create portals so he doesn’t have to rely on Olivia. He would also like to become more familiar with “standard” technology. His long-term goal is to build his branch of Amarant Solutions. So far, Marty thinks he can sell it as a band of deep cover mercenaries.
• Concept: Cartoonified Battling Businessman/Silent Neutralization Specialist

+1 ECL “Race”: Cartoonified (Toon) “Pureblood” Human (58 CP)

• Fast Learner/Specialized in Skills: +2 SP/1 CP (6 CP).
• +4 Intelligence (Normally 24 CP, reduced to 12 CP by world laws).
• +2 to any one attribute (normally 12 CP, reduced to 6 CP by world laws).
• Immunity/Aging (can expect to live almost indefinitely, uncommon / minor / major, 3 CP).
• Grant of Aid: May heal 1d8+5 damage OR 1d3 points of attribute damage OR one negative level once per three levels per day or part thereof, 6 CP), with both Regenerative options (6 CP) and +8 Bonus Uses (12 CP). In core, this requires several hours per use unless the user spends a magic point.
• Extraordinary Returning (Specialized, Requires being “animated” with standard cel-based or 3D animation tools) (3 CP). Most toons—Marty included—are unaware that they have this ability. They have trouble thinking of themselves as creations. It would take a “mundane” friend thinking, “Hmm, that guy was a lot like a cartoon character. I wonder what happens if we base a cartoon on him?” for anyone to discover it.
• Innate Enchantment: All spells Personal Only: Rubber Fall (resembles Feather Fall, but you have to peel yourself off the ground, 1400 GP), Regenerate Light Wounds (1/Round, up to 20 points/level/day maximum, 1400 GP), Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1 1/level/day as needed, 1400 GP), Immortal Vigor I (+12 + 2x Con Mod HP, 1400 GP), and Void Sheathe (may store a single weapon in “nowhere” and pull it out as needed, half cost due to single weapon restriction, 350 GP). 5950 GP total, 7 CP.
• Template Disadvantages: Insane (most toons are blasé, even bored, in even the most dangerous and deadly situations, -3 CP).

Available Character Points:

   Disadvantages: Compulsive (lechery), Dependency (alcohol), History (of character and the messed-up world he hails from, +10 CP), Duties (must balance work and adventuring responsibilities, +2 CP/Level), and +6 CP for his L1 Feat. Total: 48 CP L1 Base + 18 = 66 CP.

Basics (10 CP):

• Attributes: Strength 15/+2 (DR 2/-), Dexterity 18/+4, Constitution 17/+3 (3 magic points), Intelligence 18/+4, Wisdom 14/+2, and Charisma 16/+3 (6 free contacts). Rolled Attributes: 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
• Saves: Fortitude +0 (0 CP) + 3 (Con) = +3, Reflex +2 (6 CP) + 4 (Dex) = +6, Will +0 (0 CP) + 2 (Wis) = +2.
• Hit Dice: L1: d8 (4 CP). HP 8 + 3 (Con Mod) +2 (Magic) = 31 HP

Combat Information (13 CP):

• Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons, Garrotes, and Pistols (12 CP, ‑8 from Dex = 4 CP), Light Armor (3 CP).
• Move: 30 ft.
• Initiative: +4
• BAB: +1 (6 CP)
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) + 6 (Dex) + 2 (Wis, per world rules) +2 (civilian smartclothes) = 20. Civilian smartclothes provide damage resistance 2/- and energy resistance 2.

Usual Weapons:

• Masterwork knife (+8 melee, 1d4+2 piercing, 19-20/x2, 10 ft., 1 lb.)
• Necktie (as improvised garrote) (+5 melee, 1d8 nonlethal, 20/x2, 1 lb.)
• Garroting rules come from Dragon Magazine errata; I will be happy to provide a link to this information.
• Slugthrower pistol (+5 ranged, 2d6 ballistic, 20/x2, 40 ft., 25 rounds, 2 lb.)

   Usual Gadgets: Civilian smartclothes (3), masterwork knife (1), slugthrower pistol with concealable and improved accuracy options (1), necktie (1), old-style notebook computer (1), old-style cell phone (1)

   The old-style notebook computer and old-style cell phone are useless in Core Earth, but function just fine in any world at a 21st-century tech level.

Purchased Abilities (37 CP):

• Augment Attack (3 CP): +1 to hit with knives.
• Finesse (6 CP): May replace Str with Dex for melee attack rolls.
• Improvise Weapon (3 CP)
• Martial Arts (6 CP): Inflicts 1d6 when unarmed, counts as an armed attacker.
• Reputation (6 CP): In Battling Business World, Marty Tabard is known across its New York City business community as an up-and-coming corporate raider. He’s also known among its Blood Blade Technique practitioners as someone to trust. Finally, he has a reputation as an eccentric businessman in Core Earth’s United States.
• Skill Points: 13 CP + 13 (Racial) + 16 (Int) = 42

Bonus Abilities

Privileges (6 CP): Wealthy, with a battle sedan and nice apartment in Battling Business World; licensed to practice battling business (probably applicable only to his home world, though law enforcement in others might find it amusing).

Broad Skills (All +4 Int, 25 SP):

Physical Skills (8 SP): Acrobatics (Dex) +9 (1 SP), Blood Blade Technique (Dex) +12 (4 SP), Gadgets (Dex) +9 (1 SP), Stealth (Dex) +10 (2 SP)

Knowledge Skill (7 SP): Business (Int) +12 (4 SP), Computer Operation (Int) +10 (2 SP), Electronics Operation (Int) +9 (1 SP)

Perception Skills (all +2 Wis, 10 SP): Listen +8 (2 SP), Sense Motive +10 (Wis) (4 SP), Spot +10 (4 SP)

Narrow Skills (All +4 Int +5 Training, 17 SP):

Physical Skills (7 SP):Climb (Str) +13 (1 SP), Drive/Automobile (Dex) +14 (1 SP), Golf (Dex) +14 (1 SP) Hide (Dex+synergy) +16 (1 SP), Jump (Str) +12 (1 SP), Move Silently (Dex+Synergy) +16 (1 SP)

Knowledge Skills: (All +4 Int, 5 SP): Battling Business Regulations (Int) +14 (1 SP), Battling Business World New York City (Int) +14 (1 SP), Core Earth New York City (Int) +14 (1 SP), Business Administration (Int) +14 (1 SP), Sports Betting (Int) +14 (1 SP)

Other Skills (5 SP):Bluff (Cha) +13 (1 SP), Carousing (Cha) +13 (1 SP), Diplomacy (Cha) +13 (1 SP), Intimidation (Cha) +13 (1 SP), Public Speaking (Cha) +13 (1 SP)

Blood Blade Technique (Dex)

• Requires: Weapon Finesse (Dagger) or equivalent point buy
• Basic Techniques: Attack 3, Synergy 3 (Disguise, Move Silently, and Hide)
• Advanced Techniques: Sneak Attack 3 (+3d6), and Master Technique: Quick Draw
• Occult Techniques: Serpent Strike (Con), Light Foot, Vanishing, and Ki Focus
• Blood Blade Techniques Known: Attack 2, Synergy/Move Silently, Synergy/Hide, Sneak Attack 1, Quick Draw

Contacts (6 free)

• Olivia, a researcher focusing on the Toonworlds; others are described in Marty’s unabridged history.