Notorious NPC: Merry Eddie, Mutant Human

Hello again Mutant Neighbors. Welcome to the fourth day of our series highlighting some of the survivors living in my Mutant Future neighborhood. I'm sorry I haven't been around for a few weeks. The spidergoat invasion that swept through the area kept me preoccupied, and I missed our little visits. Today, we meet a walking, talking skeleton, only he's not dead. Can you say "transparent flesh?" Very good.

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Merry Eddie
5th Level Mutant Human

STR: 15 --- INT: 14
DEX: 18 --- WIL: 14
CON: 10 --- CHA: 10
HPs: 35 --- AC: 2 (0 if nude)
Mutations: chameleon epidermis (limited), reflective epidermis (radiation), intellectual affinity (martial), frailty

Merry Eddie is a rarity in the Mutant Future as he's the only one of his kind associating with society. Eddie is one of a race of mutant humans called "vitossein" which literally means "living bones." The vitossein have developed transparent skin, muscles, and organs, so only their skeletal systems are visible. Because of this (and due to Eddie's high DEX), he has an incredible AC of 2 (and an AC of 0 if he strips off all of his clothes).

Eddie's life in the Mutant Future has not been a happy one despite his jovial jester's costume. Vitossein are very private, withdrawn creatures, refusing to associate with society. However Eddie was captured away from his village by a gang of roving bandits who forced him into slavery. They placed the jester's outfit on him and forced him to be their entertainment - usually for target practice. However, over the years, Eddie learned how to juggle and perform basic feats of acrobatic skill, earning him a reputation as a first-class entertainer. When he later escaped his captors (by slaying them all in their sleep), Eddie realized he had had changed too much and cannot return home. So he now travels the wastelands, entertaining for coins and money, and looking for a place he can one day call home.

As a vitossein, Merry Eddie has their latent martial intellectual affinity. In combat, he receives a +5 bonus to hit as well as a 1d6 bonus to damage. That along with his +2 initiative bonus and his high AC makes Eddie a strong opponent in combat. Ironically, Eddie will avoid combat if possible due to his fraility mutation. Eddie is hypersusceptible to damage. If Eddie takes damage, he receives an extra 2 hit points of damage as well. (This is how his captors we able to keep him in check for so long.)

Eddie has a surprisingly bright and sunny manner in spite of everything he's been through. He doesn't blame society for what his captors did to him, but he is cautious of anyone who is overly friendly (as that's how they were able to capture him). But if Eddie's trust is gained, he will be a stanch ally and valuable travelling companion.

Stop by Thursday and we'll visit another resident of...