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| Characteristics | ||
|---|---|---|
| STR | 10 | 0 |
| DEX | 11 | 3 |
| CON | 12 | 4 |
| BOD | 10 | 0 |
| INT | 13 | 3 |
| EGO | 20 | 20 |
| PRE | 15 | 5 |
| COM | 10 | 0 |
| PD | 6 | 4 |
| ED | 2 | 0 |
| SPD | 3 | 9 |
| REC | 4 | 0 |
| END | 24 | 0 |
| STUN | 25 | 4 |
characteristics cost: 52
| skills | |
|---|---|
| 2 | WF: small arms |
| 2 | WF: common melee |
| 2 | WF: common missile |
| 5 | +1 with small arms |
| 6 | +2 with rifles |
| 1 | TF: aerial flier trimsman |
| 1 | TF: aerial flier pilot |
| 5 | Riding, 11- (+ pacyosaurus, gashant) |
| 5 | Mechanics, 12- |
| 3 | PS: steam engineer, 13- |
| 5 | Survival, 12- |
| 3 | Tracking, 12- |
| 3 | Navigation, 11- |
| 7 | Persuasion, 14- |
| 1 | High Society, 8- |
| 8 | Gentry social class |
| 4 | KS: Mars, 13- |
| 3 | KS: Syrtis Major, 12- |
| 2 | KS: Martian aerial vessels, 11- |
| 5 | Gaaryani language (several dialects) |
| 4 | Eonotrian language |
77 skills cost
= 129 total points
| disadvantages: 75+ | |
|---|---|
| 5 | Age: over 40 |
| 15 | Hunted by Worm Cult, 8- (paid off) |
| 10 | Loyal to England |
| 10 | Various dislikes: High Martians, the Irish, etc. |
| 5 | Heavy drinker (paid off) |
disadvantages total 45 points; starting points were 120
EP earned = 29
EP spent = 29
Atherton was born in 1846, second son of a prosperous Manchester machine shop owner. After a variety of jobs for foundrys, railroads, and shipyards, he was hired as one of the workmen for the first British yards at Syrtis Major, about ten years ago. He soon was hired away by one of the Martian cities to improve their own ships. Various industrial and commercial opportunities have come and gone since then: liftwood harvesting, ship building, electrification schemes, mining ... all the lot of the hard-working Victorian man of science and industry.
Atherton spent the 1880s at a variety of Martian cities. The animosity of the various anti-human cults was not assuaged by his surviving a number of assassination attempts; the resulting reprisals by his princely employers only made him more of a target.
Atherton had made and lost a lot of money; he returned to Earth with enough to afford a house, carriage, servants and a good club. In 1891 he was persuaded to join Lord Holdernesse's expedition to Mars for the rescue of Professor Olsza.
Olsza was held captive by the mad Tyrant of Ogygis, Haldis the Golden. The professor was rescued, and Haldis's plans for conquest foiled; but the Terrans were stranded on the South Polar ice cap!
Further adventures in the hidden lair of the Ancient One followed, before the expedition returned safely home.
From 1893 to Februay of 1896, Atherton was part of a Royal Navy expedition to Ganymede. "Very cold, strange electrical and magnetic effects ... and ice beasts. The Vulcans had been there."
He returned to Earth from Mars on the same vessel carrying the body of Captain Young, assassinated by a Belgian official in Syrtis Major. The vessel arrived on June 5, 1897 in London.
In less than two weeks, the widowed Mrs. Young, her child, Professor Olsza and his daughter, and several other persons were travelling on an aerial flier which vanished mysteriously. Mr. Atherton joined once again with Lord Holdernesse to foil a strange plot in Brazil!
Height: 5’11” Weight: 182 lbs. (13 stone)
Hair: graying brown Eyes: blue