Tomasz Szymanski's page

Bright eyes, hemmed in by crows-feet, lay claim to a face that would've been clean shaven if you had met the Pole two or three days ago. He has spots of grease in his greying hair and on his pianists fingers; on the desk in front of him are a disassembled pistol, a dizzying array of cogs and flywheels, and a copy of Der Ricci-Kalkül. On the wall there's a single frame; an Armia Krajowa identification document signed by a 'Józef Pilsudski'. His shirt and suspenders are spotless, and he seems to be waiting for you to speak.

Background:
This is Tomasz Szymanski's third war. He was born in 1901 in the city of Krakow, a citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the son of a watchmaker. His father and older brother died in the Great War; at 15 he himself was conscripted into the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions as a driver and runner for the artillery battalion. He had a talent for math; once the War ended he transferred into the newly-formed Sekcja Szyfrów working first as an engineer and later as an applied mathematician. He took time off in the interbellum years to study mathematics and mechanical engineering at Poznan University; re-joining what was now called Biuro Szyfrów - the Cypher Bureau. When the Germans marched on Warsaw, he, along with his colleagues, burned their work and fled for Allied land.

Well, that's the official version at least. After the Second Polish Republic was established, it was recognized that Poland would need it's own version of the Black Chamber or the Laundry if it was to have a chance of remaining a free nation. That organization became BS-5; Tomasz was one of its founding members and, at Poznan, made a special study of what was euphemistically called 'Informacje Praktyczne Teorii' - Practical Information Theory. Though it had field agents, BS-5's specialty was the interception and compromise of demonic agents and demonically-enabled communications; when forced to go toe-to-toe with the Ahnenerbe-SS they were blown away by the latter's callous use of apocalyptic magic. As the Reich came within view of Warsaw and the first incursions broached the wards around the Saxon Palace, Tomasz and what co-workers were left sent out a last few desperate messages and, in a midnight storm, fled to the sea and to the Laundry's welcoming arms.

Combat Engineer Alchemist 6

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Attributes:
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STR: 10, DEX: 18, CON: 12, INT: 18, WIS: 14, CHA: 11

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Traits:
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Independent Operative: +1 to Kn. Engineering and Kn. Geography; Kn. Engineering is a class skill.
Militia Veteran: +1 to Drive and it's a class skill

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Skills:
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Acrobatics +8, Disable Device +14, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (Arcana) +13, Knowledge (Engineering) +15, Knowledge (Geography) +7, Knowledge (History) +10, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Linguistics +5, Perception +11, Ride +12, Sleight of Hand +10, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +10, UMD +9

Languages: Polish (Native), Latin (Native), English (Proficient), German (Proficient), Russian (School)

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Defenses:
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HP: 52
AC: 19 PAC, 19 BAC, Touch: 14, Flat-footed: 15 / 15
Fort: +8 Ref +11 Will: +6
CMD: 19

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Offenses:
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Initiative: +4, Speed: 30ft
BAB: +5, CMB: +5
Melee:
Silvered Bayonet: +10 (1d6, 19-20/x2) (Attuned)
Ranged:
Heavy Pistol: +10 (2d6, x4) (Attuned)
--Ammunition: 50
Grenade: +10 (4d6+4, x4)
--Ammunition: 3/3

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Feats:
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Weapon Finesse, Extra Magic Talent, Throw Anything, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Extra Magic Talent, Extra Spell Points

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Abilities:
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Alchemical Engineering: (11/day, 2 Modifications)
-- Concentration Enhancement: CL +1, up to class level. May be applied more than once.
-- Diffuser (2 Modifications): Saving throws must be passed twice by anything that breathes, though they may hold their breath to avoid this.
-- Explosive Charge (2 Modifications): The device does bomb damage in addition to its other effects.
-- Fuse: The device is considered a thrown weapon with a range of 10ft.
-- Miniaturization (2 Modifications): The device may be used as a piece of ammunition.
-- Rare Ingredient (2 Modifications): The device treats a creature with SR as having an SR of 5 lower.
-- Projector: Increases the radius of the sphere ability by 50%.
-- Resonator: Increases the duration of the sphere ability by 2 rounds.
-- Slow-Burning Agent: A sphere effect created with this modification lasts an additional minute without any spell points needing to be spent or any concentration required.
-- Sturdy Construction: The sphere effect has a +5 on Magical Skill Defense checks to be dispelled or counterspelled.

Discoveries:
-- Abjuring Device: May use devices with Protection talents.
-- Hedgewitch Secret (Amateur Spiritualist): May roll twice and take the better of all Knowledge checks, and may make knowledge checks untrained.
-- Illuminating Device: May use devices with Light talents.

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Spellcasting:
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Casting Tradition: Small-Unit Strategist, Limited Protection (Wards Only), Rebound, Focus Casting
Spells Points: 13
Talents Known:
War: Totem of Expulsion, Rebellious Totem, Gyroscopic Totem, Favorable Momentum, (No Totem of War)
Light: Blinding Light, Bound Light, Flicker
Protection: Greater Barrier, (No Aegis)
Alteration: Perfect Imitation

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Other Equipment:
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Light Armor (Included Above), Specialist Kit, Night Vision Device, 6x 1st Level Potion (Undecided), 2x 2nd Level Potion (Undecided), Traveler's Any-Tool, Abjurant Salt, Oil of Silence x2, Elixir of Vision, Elixir of Hiding, Dowsing Rod of Aberrations, $500

- Tomasz's motorcycle isn't necessarily for driving; it's one of his 'sanity blankets'. When the world starts sliding down the Mandelbrot Set it helps to have something you can take apart and put back together.
- He's still under all the BS-5 geasa, which causes the occasional complication when the Laundry asks him for information he can't give.
- If the campaign goes on long enough, we may have some inter-party problems between Tomasz and the Russians come 1944.