Timeless Threats: Handler

Introduction

Handlers work for a mysterious being called the Arbiter, who heads something called the Cosmic Balance. The Arbiter sends out Handlers to aid his agents throughout space and time, and collect their intelligence reports.

Handlers also act as brokers for just about everything an agent could need, if not always what they want. They negotiate in rough neighborhoods and dangerous areas, yet still keep to their principles of doing no (direct) harm. They walk unarmed, but can handle themselves in a fight.

Appearance

Handlers look exactly like what a businessman, minor bureaucrat, or other functionary would look in a particular World. Their features are utterly nondescript, to the point that people forget having a conversation with them moments before.

Tactics

Mostly Handlers talk. They negotiate, they listen, they sign formal or informal contracts.

If attacked, a Handler’s main priority will be to run away with the intelligence it has gathered. They bear no arms, or at least use none. They’re highly trained in unarmed martial arts, but mainly in techniques to discourage or slow the enemy while the Handler escapes.

Handler Characters

Extra Dice Needed: none

All Handlers are exactly alike. They differ only in the following parameters:

• Serial Number
• Alias
• Mission

The Handler Sheet

Special Abilities

Handlers do not have all these abilities in all Host Systems, but these cover the typical abilities

Convince

listeners are strongly inclined to at least listen to what a handler says, if not fully believe it.

Devil’s Own Luck

Whenever the Host System calls for a Luck Check, Luck Save, saving throw not tied to a specific attribute, or the like, the Handler always succeeds. No dice required.

Evade

Handlers excel at dodging attacks. The Host System should reflect this with bonuses to defense, higher Armor Class when taking an action for full defense, and the like.

Exceptional Condition

Handlers are in exceptional physical and mental condition. Their basic attributes, characteristics, or statistics should lie at the upper end of the Host System’s range for humans.

Flee

Once per day, the handler can simply vanish. The Handler needs some plausible escape route, e.g. out the window, down the alley, into the crowd. Others can at best attempt to trail them, only to lose them at some point.

Forgettable

Handlers’ dress, mannerisms, and looks make them impossible for witnesses to describe. Some people simply forget a meeting ever took place until the same Handler returns on the same business. Those familiar with a specific Handler recognize them on sight, but cannot describe them.

Unarmed Combat

If the Host System has no unarmed combat or martial arts rules, or even if it does, use the following:

• Knockout: Handlers do non-lethal damage. If their target goes to zero HP, the target isn’t dead, merely unconscious.

• Throw: Instead of doing damage on a successful attack, the handler merely throws the target to the ground. The target must take at least one round to stand up.

Appendix A: Handler Serial Number Generator

Throw two six-sided dice of different colors and read the symbol at the intersection. Repeat ten times.

Note that earlier serial numbers avoid the letters I, J, and O as they can be confused for 1 or 0.

Appendix B: Handlers in Other Systems

Shadowdark

Excerpted from Faction of Balance for Shadowdark:

A nondescript human(?) whose face you forget as soon as they leave.

AC 13 (evade 18), HP 45, ATK 3 bare-handed +3 (1d6 or throw) or 1 evade; MV near, S +3, D +3, C +3, I +3, W +3, Ch +3, AL N, LV 10

Convince. DC 15 Charisma check or believe whatever the handler says for 1d6 days or until contrary evidence turns up. Ineffective in combat.

Evade. Instead of any attacks, the Handler may Evade. The handler gains AC 18, but may not double move.

Flee. Once per day, the handler can simply escape into a crowd, down an alley, etc. DC 18 Wisdom check to figure out where they went.

Forgettable. Witnesses cannot describe the handler. Those familiar with a specific Handler recognize them on sight, but cannot describe them.

Knockout. Does non-lethal damage. At 0 HP target simply goes unconscious.

Throw. Instead of doing damage, the handler can make their opponent fall prone.