GURPS - Compendium 1..

Frequency of Assistance
Frequency refers to the chance that the Contact can be found
when needed. When creating the character, the player must
define the way the Contact is normally contacted! Regardless of
the chosen frequency, a Contact cannot be reached if the PCs
could not reasonably speak to him.
Available almost all of the time (roll of 15 or less): triple cost.
Available quite often (roll of 12 or less): double cost.
Available fairly often (roll of 9 or less): listed cost.
Available rarely (roll of 6 or less): half cost (round up; minimum
cost is always 1).
During the adventure, if a PC wants to talk with his Contact,
the GM rolls against the availability number for that Contact. A
failed roll means the Contact is busy or cannot be located that
day. If the Contact is available, then the GM must roll against
the Contact's effective skill for each general piece of information
the PC requests.
No Contact may be reached more than once per day, even if
several PCs share the same Contact. If the PC has several questions
to ask, he should have them all in mind when he first
reaches his Contact. The Contact will answer the first question at
his full effective skill, and each subsequent question at a
cumulative -2. Don't overuse your Contacts!
A Contact can never supply information outside his particular
area of knowledge. Use common sense. Likewise, the GM must
not allow a Contact to give information that short-circuits the
adventure or part of it!
If a PC gets a critical failure when trying to reach his Contact,
that Contact can't be reached during that entire adventure.
Reliability of Information
Contacts are not guaranteed to know anything useful, and are
not guaranteed to be truthful. Use the following modifiers
(cumulative with frequency modifiers).
Completely reliable: Even on a critical failure, the worst
response will be "I don't know." On an ordinary failure he can
find information in 1d days. Triple cost.
Usually reliable: On a critical failure, the Contact will lie; on
any other failure he doesn't know now, "but check back in (1d)
days." Roll again at that time; a failure then means he can't find
out at all. Double cost.
Somewhat reliable: On a failure, the Contact doesn't know
and can't find out; on a critical failure he will lie; on a natural
18 he will let the opposition or authorities (whichever is appropriate)
know who is asking questions. Listed cost.
Unreliable: Reduce effective skill by 2. On any failure he
will lie; on a critical failure he will notify the enemy. Half cost
(round up; minimum cost is always 1).
Money Talks
Bribery, whether cash or favors, motivates the Contact and
increases his reliability level. Once reliability reaches "usually
reliable," further levels of increase go to effective skill; bribery
cannot make anyone totally reliable!
A cash bribe should be about equivalent to one day's
income for a +1 bonus, one week's income for +2, one
month's for +3 and one year's for +4. Favors should be of
equivalent worth. The favor should always be something that
the character actually performs in the game. The GM must
maintain proper roleplaying - a diplomat might be insulted by a
cash bribe, but welcome an introduction into the right social
circle. A criminal may ask for cash, but settle for favors that
will get the PCs in trouble. A police detective or wealthy executive
might simply want the party to "owe him one" for later . .
. which could set off a whole new adventure, somewhere down
the road.
Cool
1 point
You hate histrionics and keep calm under pressure. Roleplay
it! You also have a +1 bonus on Fright Checks.
Courtesy Rank
1 point/level
Characters who have formerly held Military Rank may retain
their Rank as a "courtesy rank," for a point cost of 1 per level of
Rank. Courtesy rank is for social situations only - it entitles the
character to a fancier title. Some military men have the quirk of
insisting on being addressed by their courtesy rank, regardless of
their active Rank.
Cultural Adaptability
Daredevil
25 points
You have an instinctive knack for getting along
with everybody, no matter how culturally, physically
or psychologically alien. This advantage includes one
level of Charisma, two levels of Language Talent
and a +1 skill bonus with all Social Skills. When
confronted with a completely alien concept or
custom, you get an IQ roll to understand what's
going on and respond correctly. Finally, you get an
IQ roll when confronted with a Odious Racial Habit. If
successful, you avoid the reaction penalty. Note that
this does not apply to Odious Personal Habits, only
Odious Racial Habits.
15 points
This is a specialized and very potent variation on Luck.
Fortune seems to smile on you when you take risks. Any time
you take an unnecessary risk (GM's option) you get a +1 to all
skill rolls. Furthermore, you may reroll any critical failure that
occurs while you are engaged in high-risk behavior.
Example: If you're attacked by gang members with Uzis, you
don't get this bonus if you crouch down behind a wall and return
fire from cover, but you do get it if you vault over the wall and
charge the gang members, screaming. (Of course, the +1 bonus
will only go so far to offset the loss of range and concealment
modifiers.)
Deep Sleeper
5 points
You can quickly fall asleep in all but the worst conditions,
and continue sleeping through most disturbances. You always
wake up in the morning feeling great. Deep sleepers never suffer
any ill effects due to the quality of their sleep.
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