MUSIC-DERIVED CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS

ROLAND THE HEADLESS THOMPSON GUNNER

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
15	STR	5	12-	Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage [1]
18	DEX	24	13-	OCV:  6/DCV:  6
20	CON	20	13-
11	BODY	2	11-
10	INT	0	11-	PER Roll 11-
20	EGO	20	13-	ECV:  7
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack:  4d6
4	COM	-3	10-

7	PD	4		Total:  7 PD (3 rPD)
7	ED	3		Total:  7 ED (3 rED)
4	SPD	12		Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
7	REC	0
40	END	0
30	STUN	1		Total Characteristic Cost:  98

Movement:	Running:	6"/12"
		Leaping:	3"/6"
		Swimming:	2"/4"

Cost	Powers & Skills
5	"Norway's Bravest Son":  +10 PRE; Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
27	Thompson M1-A1:  RKA 2d6-1, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4), Autofire 
	(5 shots; +1/2), 4 clips of 50 Charges (+3/4); OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), [50 x 4]
3	"Time Stands Still For Roland":  Damage Resistance (3 PD/3 ED)
20	"Time Stands Still For Roland":  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; STUN 
	Only (-1/2) plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; STUN Only (-1/2)
16	"Time Stands Still For Roland 'til He Evens Up The Score":  Mental Defense (20 points 
	total)
2	Move Soldier!:  Running +1" (7" total), END 1
50	"The Eternal Thompson Gunner":  LS  (Eating: Character does not eat; Immunity All 
	terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and 
	biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; 
	Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained 	
	Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep)
37	"Headless Body Stalking Through The Night":  Spatial Awareness (Unusual Group), 
	Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Tracking

	Talents
8	"Fingers On Their Triggers":  Combat Shooting

	Skills
12	"Roland Was The Best":  +4 with Thompson M1-A1
10	"Blew Van Owen's Body From There To Johannesburg":  +4 OCV with Autofire Firearms; Cannot 
	Use Targeting (-1/2), Only When Using Autofire Against A Single Target (-1/4), Must Use Maximum 
	Number Of Shots (-1/4)

5	"Roland Was The Best":  Accurate Sprayfire
3	Climbing 13-
3	Concealment 11-
5	"Roland Was The Best":  Concentrated Sprayfire
2	KS: Mercenary History and Customs 11-
2	KS: The Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World 11-
0	"Norway's Bravest Son":  Language:  Norwegian (idiomatic; literate)
3	Language:  English (completely fluent; literate)
2	"They Killed To Earn Their Living":  PS: Mercenary 11-
5	"Roland Was The Best":  Rapid Autofire
3	"Stalking Through The Night":  Stealth 13-
2	"They Fought The Congo War":  Survival (Tropical) 11-
3	"Roland Searched The Continent":  Tracking 11-
5	"They Fought The Congo War":  WF:  Small Arms, General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns, Grenade 
	Launchers, Knives
3	Traveler
1	1)  "Roland Searched The Continent":  AK: Africa 11-
1	2)  "He Set Out For Biafra":  AK: Biafra 11-
1	3)  "They Fought The Congo War":  AK: The Congo 11-
1	4)  AK: Ireland 11-
1	5)  AK: Lebanon 11-
1	6)  AK: Palestine 11-
1	7)  "Norway's Bravest Son":  AK: Norway 11-
1	8)  CK: Berkeley, California 11-
1	9)  "He Found Him In Mombassa":  CK: Mombassa, Kenya 11-
1	10)  "Battled The Bantu":  CuK: Bantu 11-
246	Total Powers & Skills Cost
344	Total Character Cost

200+	Disadvantages
20	Distinctive Features:  Headless (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; 
	Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
20	Hunted:  "The CIA Decided They Wanted Roland Dead" 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)
20	Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Vengeance (Common, Total)
10	Psychological Limitation:  "It's Ten Years Later But He Still Keeps Up The Fight" (Common, Moderate)
20	Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, Major)
54	Experience
344	Total Disadvantage Points

Description: Originally from Norway, Roland traveled to Denmark to sign a recruiting contract to fight in the Congo Wars. He then traveled to Biafra, where he and his Thompson submachine gun slugged it out with the Bantu over who'd control the Congo. While a skilled soldier and the best Thompson gunner of them all, the CIA decided he had to go, and bribed one of Roland's fellow soldiers, a man named Van Owen, to kill him. Van Owen did so, blowing Roland's head clean off. Roland, however, wasn't one to let death stop him, and rose back up, head missing, and searched the length and breadth of Africa before finally finding Van Own in a Mombassa bar. After blasting Van Own into bloody bits, Roland continued what he knew best, and wanders the world as a mercenary, selling his skills and gun to anyone who can pay. The CIA, for their part, and still trying to figure out how to put Roland to rest for good.

In some ways similar to the character of Camouflage (in that he's an undead soldier), Roland is the hero of Warren Zevon's Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner. I built him as a fairly normal, but fit individual, and added in some powers to simulate his undead status (not to mention his willingness to come back from the dead to avenge his own murder). As with Camouflage, Roland is written as a Dark Champions character, but is more suited for supernaturally-influenced Champions games or things like Horror Hero. Interestingly, since he's a Thompson gunner, there's nothing stopping you from using Roland in a Pulp Hero game. You don't even need to change his name!

Roland's Hero Designer File

(Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner created by Warren Zevon, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)


Return to Music-Derived Character Adaptations.