By 
quarkstomper
He has a commanding presence that dominates the ballroom. He stands at least half a head taller than any other man in the room and his shoulders are as broad as a barn door. His army uniform is immaculately spotless and his neatly-trimmed mustache waxed to military points. His eyes are a steely blue and his jaw so firmly square that Messrs. Mason and Dixon could have used it to survey the Maryland border. "Ah yes, the Kickapoo," he says in response to a question from a female admirer. "Dreadful savages. They have a habit of torturing their captives. First they cut off the victim's right arm; then his left; then his legs and so on."
"My word, Major!" the hostess exclaims. "How ever did you escape from them?"
The Major gives a laugh and the curious muffled ticking sound that comes from deep in torso seems to grow slightly louder. "Whoever said I did?"
John Jeroboam Hunter was a renowned Indian Hunter during the Indian Wars of the early 19th Century. After winning a major battle against the Kickapoos, he was captured and held prisoner for nearly a month during which time he was mutilated and left for dead. When he was found, there was very little left of him; but he was alive. He had the good fortune to be cared for by an Army physician who was a tinkerer and who constructed clockwork prosthetics to replace the parts of his body the Indians had destroyed.
After being discharged from the hospital, he left the Army. For a time he appeared as an exhibit in Barnum's American Museum giving public lectures on his experiences in the Indian Wars, (suitably bowdlerized so as not to offend the ladies and the small children in the audience). Eventually, though, he tired of showbiz and began to long for the adventurous life.
Major John Jeroboam Hunter - 184 points
ST 20 [100]; DX 9 [-20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10];
Damage 2d-1/3d+2; BL 80 lbs.; HP 20 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 12 [5]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8
Social Background
TL: 5-6 [0].
CF: 19th Century American [0]; Native American (Northern Woodlands) [2]
Languages: English (native) [0]; French (broken) [2]; Kickapoo (broken/none) [1]
Advantages
Appearance: Handsome (Impressive; +3 react) [12]; Charisma 1 [5]; Courtesy Rank 5 (retired Major) [5]; Damage Resistance 10 [50]; Fearless +3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Injury Tolerance - Unliving (torso and limbs) [20]; Reputation: War Hero (+2 react. Americans) [5]
Size Modifier: SM 1 [0]
Disadvantages
Chronic Pain, Mild (-2 to rolls) [-5]; Code of Honor, Soldier's [-10]; Ham-Fisted (-3 to fine DX rolls) [-5]; Maintenance (weekly) [-5]; Lame: Legless (mitigator: prosthetics) [-18]; No Manipulators (mitigator: prosthetics) [-30]; Noisy 1 [-2]; Sense of Duty: Comrades [-5]; Unhealing [-30]
Quirks: Cannot Swim; Fatalist; Intolerance: Indians; Neutered; OPH: Likes to tell War Stories; [-5].
Skills
Brawling (E) DX+3 [8]-12; Dancing (A) DX [2]-9; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-8; Gambling (A) IQ [2]-11; Gunner (E) DX [1] -9; Guns: Pistol (E) DX+1 [2] -10; Guns: Rifle (E) DX+2 [4]-11; Leadership (A) IQ+1 [4]-13; History: Military (H) IQ [4]-11; Melee: Saber (A) DX [2]-9; Riding: Horse (A) DX [2]-9; Savoir-Faire (E) IQ [1]-11; Soldier (A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Stealth (A) DX [2]-8; Survival: Woodlands (A) PER+1 [4]-13; Strategy (H) IQ+1 [8]-12; Tactics (H) IQ [4]-11; Teamster (A) IQ [2]-11; Tracking (A) PER+1 [4]-13
Notes:
- First Aid includes -3 for Ham-Fisted
- Leadership includes +1 for Charisma
- Stealth -1 for Noisy
Damage
- Base Damage: thrust: 2d-1 / swing: 3d+2
- Punch: 2d cr
- Kick: 2d+2 cr
- Sabre: 3d-1 cut
- Pistol: 2d-1 pi
- Rifle: 5d pi
Variants
The character is designed for a Steampunk campaign set in the mid-1800s. For a campaign set later in that century, replace the Kickapoo with the Apaches or the Souix and make his clockwork prosthetics steam-powered. His Intolerance towards Indians is at quirk level assuming a campaign set in the East. In a Wild West campaign, of course, his Intolerance would be worth [-5]
For a higher point-value game, raise his strength and combat abilities and perhaps give him a couple Innate Attacks in the form of built-in weaponry.
He was originally conceived as a sidekick character of the Boisterous Bruiser variety; but could easily work as a heavy by adding a few nastier disads such as Bloodthirsty and Sadist. He could also serve as the basis for a PC
Adventure Ideas
- The party encounters Major Hunter at Barnum's Museum, where he delivers lectures three times a day (twice on Saturdays) about his experiences in the Indian Wars and demonstrates his clockwork prosthetics. If they engage him in conversation after the lecture and make friends with him, he could become a Contact or even an Ally.
- Major Hunter could turn up as the bodyguard to a rich and powerful NPC; perhaps an influential Senator or a wealthy Robber Baron or even a European Nobleman visiting the United States. If his boss is a bad guy, the Party and Hunter will be on opposite sides.
- He could easily turn up as the leader of a group of mercenary soldiers. He could be an enemy, or perhaps just a rival.