Mutants Down Under: Revised Backgrounds

One of the members of the AtB Forum at Palladium, Panzerfaust, asked for updated backgrounds from the older After the Bomb® supplements. Here are my updated versions of the backgrounds that appear in Mutants Down Under™.

IMHO, it would be better to redo the Backgrounds and Create some Apprenticeships for the setting, but that will take some time...

ABORIGINE HUNTER
Character has been brought up in the traditional culture of the Australian Aborigine, otherwise known as Dreamtime. This gives the character the ability to easily live off the land, gathering food, weapons, and tools from nature. Because the Aboriginal culture has no need to commerce or technology, the character starts out with no money and no equipment other than aboriginal weapons and tools, like the boomerang, knife, and walking staff or spear.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Dreamtime Lore, Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker, Climbing (+15%), Prowl (+15%), Swimming (+15%)
Secondary Skills: Athletics, Running, Hand-to-Hand: Basic, and any two (2) Aboriginal W.P. or Ancient W.P., plus the character can select any four (4) additional skills from among Aborigine Skills, Secondary Skills, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles, or Pilot Mutant Insect (No skill bonuses).
Special Bonuses: +15 BIO-E, +20 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +5 Spd, +1 Initiative. This is the only character that can become Mabarn – Sorcerers of the Aborigine [Mutants Down Under, Pg. 12]
Money: None
Equipment: Two Aborigine weapons, gunny-sack, knife, and other hand tools.
Relatives & Connections: Dozens of friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


TASSIELAND AIRSHIP CAPTAIN/PILOT
Merchant airship captains of Tasmania keep their ships in the family and pass down the captaincy to family members through the generations. This character has $22,000 to construct their family airship (do not use the money for any other purpose).
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles (+15%), Basic Mechanics
Secondary Skills: Astronomy, Basic Math, Rope Works, Navigation, Carpentry, Radio: Basic Communications, Vehicle Weapon Systems, any seven (7) secondary skills. Character also receives a low level version of Australian Nature Lore Base Skill: 34%/+4% per level of experience.
Special Bonuses: +5 SDC, +1 PP, and +2 PE
Money: 100 to 600 Bickies (1D6 times 100)
Equipment: One airship (see above), plus $1200 of personal equipment and supplies, including weapons and ammunition.
Relatives & Connections: The character has inherited several contacts in the 2D4 port towns. The characters family name will gain them some help as long as the character lives up it. The character is also familiar with a dozen-or-so other airship families.


ABORIGINE AIRSHIP CAPTAIN/PILOT
Unlike the Tassieland pilot, this is a character was not able to purchase or inherit an airship, so the character stole one from the Jakartans. It must be a Six-Man Transport or a Twenty-Man Frigate (player's choice), and $4,000 is available to the character to customize the airship. Like the aboriginal character, the character starts with no money and no possessions (other than the ship).
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker, Songlines, Aerial Navigation, and Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles.
Secondary Skills: Any two (2) Aborigine or Ancient W.P., and any three (3) Aborigine or Secondary skills
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP
Money: None
Equipment: One customized Jakartan Airship (see above).
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


JACKAROO/JILLEROO
These "cowpokes" herd giant insects for a living and choose to ride mutant insects like the giant grasshoppers. Character can select any one personal mount from the list of mutant riding insects. Note that the Communicate with Mutant Insects psionic ability is particularly valuable to the Jackaroos.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Mutant Insects (+20%), Australian Nature Lore, and one modern W.P.
Secondary Skills: Prowl, Tracking, Select any six (6) Domestic skills and any three (4) Physical Skills.
Special Bonuses: +5 BIO-E, +10 SDC, +2 PS, +2 PE
Money: $20 in Bickies
Equipment: One riding insect (see above), two personal weapons: a Tassie .38 Revolver, and either a Tassie 7.62mm rifle or a Tassie 12 Gauge shotgun, along with 50 rounds of ammunition for each. Also has up to $800 (1D8 times $100) worth of equipment.
Relatives & Connections: The character will have several relatives and friends in their hometown or at the station (ranch) that they worked. The character also has a 5% chance of running into an old buddy working at another station or town.


ABORIGINAL INSECT HERDER
Some Aboriginal groups have added herding mutant insects to their traditional customs. They prefer to ride giant grasshoppers and other mutant riding insects.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Mutant Insects (+20%), Dreamtime Lore, Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker
Secondary Skills: Hand-to-Hand: Basic, two (2) Physical Skills, any two (2) Aboriginal or Ancient W.P., and any two (2) Aboriginal or Secondary skills.
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +5 Spd, +1 Initiative, automatically receives Communicate with Mutant Insect regardless of the character's ME.
Money: None
Equipment: Riding Gear (made from natural vines & gut), two (2) aboriginal weapons, and tools.
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


SWAGMAN
These vagabonds wander the land and are seen as shiftless drifters. They tend to be tougher than other mutant animals, and tend to pick up skills along the way, working as jack-of-all-trades, whenever work presents itself.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select any three (3) skills from Military, Physical, Pilot, Rouge, or Technical categories, and has a low level version of Find & Prepare Bush Tucker (Food) with Base Skill: 24% +4% per level of experience (with a 2% chance of selecting poisoned Bush Tucker). Also can take one of either Pilot Mutant Insect, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle, or Songlines. Note: If Pilot Mutant Insect is selected, the character is allowed a personal mount (choose either grasshopper or ant).
Secondary Skills: Select any 10 Secondary skills
Special Bonuses: +20 SDC, +4 PE, +1 PS, +1 PP
Money: $10 to $60 Bickies (1D6 times 10)
Equipment: $300 in equipment and supplies. Also has a Tassie .38 Revolver or a Tassie 7.62 Rifle, with 40 rounds of ammunition.
Relatives & Connections: This character has a 10% chance of bumping into someone they know or that knows them (for better or worse) wherever they go.


TASSIELAND TECHNICIAN
Raised in Tassieland, the character is one of the few who has received an education in science and technology. They are also trained in recognizing and analyzing Pre-Prang artifacts. As a high-tech urban dweller, tends to see most other mutant animals as ignorant hicks (especially the Aborigines).
Apprenticeship: Any, though they tend towards scientific fields.
Primary Skills: Select any five (5) Scientific & Scholastic skills, five (5) Technical Skills, and another eight (8) skills from Domestic, Medical, Military, Pilot, or Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any six.
Special Bonuses: +2 IQ, +1 PP
Money: $100 to $600 (1D6 times 100) in Bickies
Equipment: $400 to $2400 (4D6 times 100) in equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: Has plenty of family and friends in the character's hometown. Has a 5% chance of running into an acquaintance/classmate while visiting other Tassieland mutant animal communities.


TASSIELAND MILITIA
Trained and equipped by Tassieland, these characters have been assigned to help defend against the Jakartan menace. The character was raised in a technologically sophisticated agricultural community defending it against Aboriginal mutants.
Apprenticeship: Armorer, Mechanic, or Weaponsmith
Primary Skills: Hand-to-Hand Expert, three (3) Weapon Proficiencies, four (4) Physical Skills, five (5) Military Skills, and may choose to take two (2) Pilot Skills, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle, or Pilot Mutant Insect. Note: If Pilot Mutant Insect is selected, the character is allowed a personal mount (choose either grasshopper or ant).
Secondary Skills: Select any five.
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +1 ME, +1 PP, +4 Spd and +2 to disarm and pull punch.
Money: $40 to $240 (4D6 times 10) in Bickies
Equipment: One military-quality weapon (assault rifle, sub-machine gun, or sniper rifle), 60 rounds of ammunition, and $300 to $1800 (3D6 times 100) in other equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: In addition to coming from a close knit community, this character is also part of a militia charged with the protection of the land it it's people from the Jakartan menace and can call on any other members for aid, and is obligated to respond to any calls for aid from other militia members.


FERAL
This character grew up alone in the wilderness, and has a hard time trying to fit in with the general mutant animal society. These characters will also be uncomfortable around humans.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Character has a very low level version of Find & Prepare Bush Tucker and Australian Nature Lore, both with Base Skill: 15% +5% per level of experience, and a steady 3% chance of selecting poisoned Bush Tucker, Prowl, Wilderness Survival, Climbing, Swimming, Tracking, Hunting, Hand-to-Hand Basic, and two (2) Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any three.
Special Bonuses: +15 BIO-E, +20 SDC, +4 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +1 Initiative
Money: None
Equipment: $10 to $60 (1D6 times 10) worth of equipment.
Relatives & Connections: The character is most comfortable in the wilderness, and has a 10% chance of running into an acquaintance while wandering/exploring the wilderness. No known family.


CAR NUT/MECHANIC
This character grew up in a family that made it's living restoring Pre-Prang machines for the community. This isn’t easy due to the lack or remaining parts and shortage of metal. Keeping these machines running takes a little creative "magic" and a lot of skill.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select six (6) Pilot Skills, four (4) Physical Skills, Basic Electronics, Basic Mechanics, and Basic Math.
Secondary Skills: Select any six.
Special Bonuses: +5 SDC, +2 PP
Money: $20 to $120 (2D6 times 10) in Bickies.
Equipment: One vehicle ($12,000 is available for the character to construct the vehicle - not for any other purpose), and basic mechanics tools.
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the area where the character grew up will always recognize the character, and most likely have something for them to repair. There is also a good chance that there will be some need of their service wherever the character goes.


NINJA/MARTIAL ARTIST
The character was adopted into a ninja or martial arts school, or by a wandering master.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts or Assassin, Select three (3) Military Skills, three (3) Rouge & Thief Skills, three (3) Physical Skills, and three (4) Ancient Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any six Secondary Skills.
Special Bonuses: +15 SDC, +3 PE, +2 PS, +4 PP, +5 Spd.
Money: None
Equipment: $250 worth of weapons, equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: The character is part of a secret brotherhood of ninja or martial artist that operate from the shadows. The character is expected to maintain that secrecy. There is a 15% chance of the character recognizing another member of their brotherhood, and a 7% chance of recognizing a member of another/rival order.


FREE SLAVES
Born a Jakartan slave (or other human dominated territory), this character eventually escaped. They will have a burning hatred of Jakarta and general distrust for all humans.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select two (2) Military Skills, four (4) Physical Skills, and one Technical Skill.
Secondary Skills: Wilderness Survival, plus six (6) other Secondary Skills.
Special Bonuses: +5 BIO-E, +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 ME
Money: $10 Bickies in cash.
Equipment: $40 to $240 (4D6 times 10) worth of equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: The character will be familiar with a half-dozen slave camps, mines and factories in Jakarta or other human dominated territory, and will know dozens of other slaves at each location.