Background Lenses

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Nomad

You’re a Nomad or used to be a member of one of the Nomad packs who travel the length and breadth of North America looking for transient work or pillage. Nomads are often sustained by a strong sense of kindred, one found even among rival Packs when dealing with the “Statics” who look down on them all.

Skills: Survival (Any) (A) Per+1 ⁴. • Another 16 points chosen from Brawling, Knife, or Guns (Any), all (E) DX+1 ²; Driving (Any) (A) DX ²; Area Knowledge (Any) or Panhandling, both (E) IQ+1 ²; Mechanic (Any) or Merchant, both (A) IQ ²; Naturalist (H) IQ-1 ²; Intimidation (A) Will ²; Scrounging (E) Per+1 ²; Tracking (A) Per ²; Hiking (E) HT+1 ²; 2 points in any lens skill to raise it by one level; or 6 more points to raise it by two.

Social Traits: Those who are currently Nomads must take Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10], and may spend some of their advantage points ( and/or leftover lens points) on Contact (Fence, fixer, smuggler, etc.; Appropriate skill at 12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [1, 2, or 3] and/or Contact Group (Nomad Pack; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5, 10, or 15].

Metatraits

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Cyberpsychosis

You suffer from a specialized form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that only affects those with cybernetic implants. Specifically, you suffer from a variety of mental conditions specifically linked to the trauma of the implantation of your bionics. Cyberpsychotic episodes are typically triggered by stress, and can result in unpredictable behavior. You are treated in much the same manner as a convicted criminal by those who know you suffer from cyberpsychosis; others react to you at -2 except for fellow cyberpsychos, and certain classes of items might be legally barred from you – all weapons effectively have an LC one lower. Some big city police departments have units specially equipped for dealing with cyberpsychos and the problems they cause.

There are three ‘stages’ of Cyberpsychosis; Stage One is the least abnormal, while Stage Three is the most. These stages don’t necessarily come in order; someone might start off at Stage Three Cyberpsychosis after a single cybernetic implantion, or they might get a full-cyborg conversion with no cyberpsychotic effects. It’s almost impossible to tell.

Stage One: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Social Stigma (Cyberpsycho) [-10]. • Another -10 points of mental disadvantages from the following list: Alcoholism [-15]; Amnesia (partial) [-10]; Berserk [-10*]; Callous [-5]; Chronic Depression [-15*]; Confused [-10*]; Flashbacks [varies]; Impulsiveness [-10*]; Light Sleeper [-5]; Loner [-5*]; Manic-Depressive [-20]; Nightmares [-5*]; On the Edge [-15*]; Paranoia [-10]; Phantom Voices [-5 to -15]; or Short Attention Span [-10*].

Stage Two: As above, except Bad Temper (9) [-15] and -15 points of mental disadvantages.

Stage Three: As above, except replace Bad Temper with Berserk (6) [-20]; and -20 points of mental disads from the list; add Bad Temper [-10*] to the list.

Some jurisdictions require the registration of cyberpsychos’ placement in court-mandated therapy programs. Basic cyberpsychosis may go undiagnosed, as the cocktail of neuroses can disguise themselves as conditions of living in a fast-paced urban environment. At Stage Two, the condition may become more apparent as a mental condition rather than a social one. In many places, Stage Three sufferers are whom most people think of when they hear the word cyberpsychosis; they are the ones featured on the news after causing several violent deaths or wholesale property destruction. As a rule, local law enforcement units take them down hard, and lock them away.

Special Limitation
Mitigator (-60%): At TL9+, treatments for cyberpsychosis are available in the form of psychotherapy and a multi-drug cocktail intended to deal with the psychological and physiological effects. The effects of cyberpsychosis are not cured, only arrested for as long as the treatment is continued or until the cybernetics are removed and for 2d months afterward. Treatment cost: $12,000/month.

Credit: cybermancer2k1 on the SJG Gurps Forums.

Janissary

Advantages: Unfazeable ¹⁵; Patron (6-; Equipment, +100%; Minimal Intervention, -50%; Very Powerful) ¹⁵; Legal Immunity ⁵.

Cybernetics: Integrated Computer Implant ³⁵; Neural Jack ⁵; Biological Operating System ⁵.

Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Nightmares [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Partial Amnesia [-10]; Killjoy [-15]; Social Stigma (Subjugated) [-20]; Duty (Involuntary; Extremely Hazardous; 9-) [-15].

Free Janissary

Advantages: Unfazeable ¹⁵.

Cybernetics: Integrated Computer Implant ³⁵; Neural Jack ⁵; Biological Operating System ⁵.

Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Nightmares [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Partial Amnesia [-10]; Killjoy [-15].