Atomic Dawn: Mr. Nicholas

Mr. Nicholas
I reckon you done what you done because you didn't know I was who I was. And if I hadn't been who I was, I'd have still been much obliged for you to have done what you done." -Mr. Nicholas
Mr. Nicholas is an aged but powerful man with a thick beard, ham-sized hands, and deep set eyes set in a creased brow. He comes across as an old grump to most upon first acquaintance, but this is largely an act for business and safety sake. When around friends and children, Mr Nicholas is full of laughter and very generous.
Mr. Nicholas is a very successful merchant and inventor who has made a name for himself in many a remote locale as a purveyor of quality whiskey and seller of trade goods all across Merica and the Kooba Isles. He is widely known to be tough but honest, and willing to trade with nearly anyone except known man-eaters and slavers (whom he hates). Because of his accomplishments and growing influence amongst independent merchants and junk traders, Mr Nicholas now has a 10,000gp bounty on his head posted by the Mega-corporation CostMart, though none have yet survived attempts to collect this tempting sum.
Mr. Nicholas started out as a ambitious junk merchant, but has come very far over the years due to his brilliant mind, solid work ethic, and more than a little luck. Now he has several fortress hidey-holes where he brews moonshine and maintains repair facilities, the largest rumored to be somewhere near Mount Robson. His personal technological skills allow Mr Nicholas to understand and build devices of late 1800's to early 1900's level of technology. More advanced devices are beyond him though he can repair light damage and utilize advanced materials with exceptional skill.
Race: Pure Human
Level: 10
Hit Points: 76
Armor Class: 5
THAC0: 15
Alignment: Neutral (Neutral Good)
STR 12 (+0 to attack and +0 to damage)
DEX 11 (+0 to missile attacks and initiative and -0 to armor class)
CON 16 (+0 on poison saving throws)
INT 21 (+30% to technology and 5 languages, English, French, Inuktitut, Nakoda, Spanish)
WIL 14
CHA 17 (-1 to reaction rolls, 6 retainers at morale 9 each)
Skills: Academics 40% (70% on tech checks), Business 50%, Crafting 60% (90% on tech rolls), Diplomacy 30%, Outdoors 30%, Perception 40%, Piloting (airship) 20%, Politics 30%.
Equipment: Ballistic Nylon Long-johns (Red), Borealis II Airship (see below), Dagger, Carbine, Laser Pistol Mk 2, Force Field Belt, several tons of trade goods, lots of moonshine.


Borealis II
The Borealis II is a rigid airship (ala Zeppelin) though using helium, advanced materials and impressive armors and salvaged gadgets to make it far more reliable than its WWI predecessors. Photovoltaic cells and Ethanol burning engines supply most of the power for the airship. This 784 ft long vessel can carry up to 72 tonnes (71 LT; 79 ST) of cargo. When flying at top speed it would take just over 37 hours for the Borealis II to cross Merica (barring weather and hostile forces), though with the many dangers to bypass this is rarely done.
Mr Nicholas uses this vessel as his primary home, and so it is equipped with a well-stocked but small workshop, a comfortable lounge/study, and a still. As much of the vessel is cobbled together from fallen robots and junked relic vessels, the overall effect is a bit slap-dash, but the vessel is tough and very reliable. The living quarters can best be described as "rustic pigsty".
Presently the crew of the Borealis II consists of a small tribe of Homo Erectus and an assortment of androids, humans and mutants, all of whom are fanatically loyal to Mr Nicholas and his officers. There is always at least one Blacksmith and one Scholar aboard, with the rest being treated as (Sky) Sailors in regards to skill. The entire crew is male save for the cook, a Canisoid by the name of Wilma who cooks all the four food groups- Beans, bacon, whiskey and lard. Salads are strictly forbidden.
The Borealis II is equipped with docking facilities that hold a high altitude hovertruck and four hoverbikes (see Mutant Future page 132 for details) so that cargo and personnel may be transported on and off of the Borealis II without landing. All of these vehicles have Duralloy Armor (AC 2), and the truck is pressurized for 10.000 feet.
Required Crew: 50
Top Speed: 87 mph
Cargo: 72 tonnes
Structural Hit Points: 300
Armor: Reactive Armor Skin (AC 1)
Weaponry: 3 Machineguns (1 top, 1 fore, 1 aft)
Dimensions: Length 784 ft, Beam- 133 ft, Height- 146 ft.
Special: Class IV sensor system, Holo Projector, Stealth Skin (invisible to radar),