Random Encounter: Fritz the Book Merchant

This should be a random encounter requiring extremely high luck. Player characters encounter a man with a backpack holding a book walking the wastelands. Should they accost him (or he accost them; he will only, voluntarily talk to people if they have money sufficient to buy some of his books), he will greet them friendly-like and offer his wares. He sells books of all types. If people show interest, he takes out a small toy table and makes it grow to a good-sized portable picnic table with some Saltines™ and some water.

Fritz does not exaggerate; he sells book teaching EVERYTHING. Yes, this could include Bio-Wizardy, tattoo generation and rune weapons! Note that he knows most of these sciences himself, but he only sells premium books, nothing else. He has had enough powermongering and has decided to sell off his amazing collection of books culled from around the Megaverse or written by himself with knowledge he has stolen or gained. Here are the books Fritz can sell (note that all books are beautifully constructed, indestructible, and the knowledge in them is comprehended in seconds/super speed reading plus total recall):

• OCCs! 10 million to grant it, then an additional 10 million per level (plus perhaps extra surchages numbering into additional 10 millions). People can also get books to up their current OCC. Keep in mind that the cost gets up to about 200-250 million, or about 1/2 the cost of a rune weapon!
• The equivalent of the following psynetics: Advanced Sixth Sense, Amplified Telemechanics, Ectoplasmic Disguise and TK Forcefield Auto Defense.
• Almost any spell imaginable. Use the guidelines in Rifts RPG for selling; add about 1/10 the cost (but can also offer necromantic, Indian shaman, and so on).
• Almost any psychic ability imaginable.
• Almost any superhero ability; yes, learned through books. 50 million for major superpowers, 20 million for minor powers.
• Almost any skill. Skills can be purchased at base or up to 98% (regardless of whether you use my Percentiles over 98% rule).
• Schematics for almost any robots imaginable.
• Invididual parts of most O.C.C.s; i.e. the Forger's special Forging skill, the Cyber-Knight's psi-sword, and so on.
• The knowledge to produce magic tattooes, bio-wizardry, rune weapons, Vallax weapons, gene-splicing and other trade secrets! Remember that knowing how to do such a thing could get one killed; the Splugorth WILL notice if new rune weapons are coming in too quickly to have been ancient. Thus, if one wishes to use the knowledge, one must either be discreet or miserly (i.e. only use the data for one's friends and family, and even then only if a pressing need comes up.) Also note that many things require raw materials. No matter how good one is at bio-wizardry, they cannot make a Solara symbiote out of thin air. However, they COULD learn how to magically mutate animals and plants of their home territories the same as the Splugorth do to alien animals and plants, but this could rarely, if ever, make symbiotes and such identical to regular Splugorth products, although it would make new and radical products. A person might be able to repair Vallax weapons, but to produce them with Earth's inferior technology would require some work. Gene-splicing would again require technology and equipment possessed by at least Lone Star. Rune weapons requires suitable weapons (usually not a problem) and the killing or capturing of a fairly powerful being, even for lesser rune weapons.
•  

And here are some specific pieces of information that can be bought:

• An I.Q. boosting book! The maximum boost to the I.Q. is 6, 4 if the character already is over 17.
• An M.E. boosting book! The maximum boost is 7, 5 if the character is already over 17.
• An M.A. boosting book! The maximum boost is 7, 5 if the character is already over 17.
• The power for the Hidden Witch to control her inner demon. The witch must still release the inner demon 2D6 times per month, but she can choose the target, the place, the damage to be done, and so on.
• Production of Scarecrows (should be a fairly titanic magical undertaking).
• Production of Yema (should be a fairly titanic magical undertaking).
• Control of blue-bottle bristle flies (see Mutants in Orbit).
•  

Those who Fritz deems worthy of being future customers can get a calling card with 10 "charges". These "charges" will summon Fritz, similar to Summon Ally. However, the card identifies to Fritz who the person is, where they are, and the direness of their situation through mind transfer and magical location. Fritz is rarely busy, and he can do Multiple Beings to handle multiple problems simultaneously. If customers are extremely good, Fritz will help out sometimes. Getting Fritz on your side in a war is a GOOD thing.

Fritz the Book Merchant: This enigmatic person appears to hold untold levels of power. Although his M.D.C. appears to be low by god standards, his capacities and unknown spells make him a formidable adversary. He can dish out more damage per turn than even regular gods. He apparently is just interested in selling his books to those he deems worthy. Why he needs the money is anyones guess.

True Name: Unknown; probably Fritz.

Alignment: Unprincipled; used to be aberrant evil, in his golden youth when he was collecting power through any means possible. In his "twilight years", he has slowed down.

Attributes: I.Q. 35, M.E. 35, M.A. 24, P.S. 60, P.P. 20, P.E. 30, P.B. 14, Spd. 200. Strength and endurance are supernatural.

M.D.C.: Unknown; probably around 30,000-40,000.

P.P.E.: 6,000

O.C.C.: 23rd level Merchant. Due to his reading his specialized books, he has O.C.C. knowledge on everything from Cyber-Knights to Mystic Knights to Gene-Splicers!

Natural Abilities: Interest in books, very high intelligence, superb knowledge of most everything. Bio-regen 4D6x10 M.D. per minute or 1D6x10 M.D. per melee round, see the invisible, instantly bio-regenerate 3D6x100 M.D. four times a day, and so on.

Spells: All spells levels 1-15, all warlock spells, all diabolist and summoner spells, all mystic ninja arts, all Conjurer skills, all Mystic Knight abilities, all necromancer spells, all Indian Shaman style spells of every type, all African priest-style spells, all African Witch spells, all Pygmy Shaman amulets, all Voodoo Priest abilities, all Biomancer spells, creation of all Automatons, all Cloudwaver spells, all Russian Fire Sorceror spells!

Psionic Powers: 4500 I.S.P. and all psionic powers, even those ordinarily available only through psynetics (such as Advanced Telemechanics).

Skills of Note: Creation of rune weapons, bio-wizardry, tattoo magic, all typical skills outlined in most Rifts books and other series (Robotech, Outer Space, etc), in addition to the technology necessary to make knock-offs of all the major producers in Rifts, even the Vallax and Gene Splicers!. In addition, he has most O.C.C.s with unique abilities under his belt (all at level 23), including: Headhunter, Cyber-Knight, Glitter Boy, Mystic, Techno-wizard, Ley Line Walker, Shifter, Warlock (all types), Grey Seer, Battle Magus, Controller, High Magus, Lord Magus, Mystic Knight, Mystic Ninja, Samurai, Bishamon Fighting Monk, Sohei Fighting Monk, Yamabushi Mountain Priest, Earth's Child, Star Child, Demon Queller, Cossack, Huntsman-Trapper, Ectohunter, Wingrider, Filidh Bard, Dryad, Scathach, Millenium Druid, Forger, Safecracker, EOD Specialist, RCSG Scientist, RPA "Fly Boy" Ace, Paradox Shaman, Plant Shaman, Animal Shaman, Mask Shaman, Kachina Shaman, Mystic Warrior, Totem Warrior, Spirit Warrior, Gambler, Gunslinger, Gunfighter, Psi-Slinger, Professional Gambler, Lyn-Srial Cloudweaver, Lyn-Srial Sky Knight, Voodoo Priest, Biomancer, Totem Warrior, Tribal Shaman, Priest, Necromancer, African Rain Maker, African Medicine Man, African Priest, African Witch, Mind Bleeder, Mind Melter, Burster, Zapper,Pygmy Shaman, Mystic Kuznya, Hidden Witch (although he has full control over the Hidden Witch aspect), Cosmo-Knight, Night Witch, Gypsy Seer, Russian Gypsy Fortune Teller, Russian Fire Sorceror, Born Mystic,

Note: Although Fritz theoretically can make symbiotes, tattoos, rune weapons and so on, he won't. In addition, even though he is willing to sell some of his books with the data, he does so at a monumental price (typically in the hundreds of billions!) Note that being able to generate ones own rune weapons and symbiotes could be worth hundreds of times the books cost itself!

Combat Abilities: Teng-Jutsu, Assassin, Expert, Commando, and all other notable forms of combat in all Rifts books at 23rd level proficiency. 20 melee attacks.

Bonuses: +13 to strike, +15 to parry and dodge, +20 to roll with punch, fall or impact and pull punch, critical strike on unmodified 18-20, death blow on unmodified 19-20, K.O. on 18-20, +10 to save vs. Horror Factor, +15 to save vs. psionics and magic, never fatigues, +100% to save vs. coma and death, immune to poisons and drugs, resistant to cold, energy and fire, 82% to trust and intimidate.

Appearance: A youthful looking man with slightly green-tinted hair and a disarming smile.

Equipment of Note: Most anything he needs, he can pull up.

Weapons: Again, most anything he needs, he can get. He typically uses a Vallax Force Rifle and two Vallax Pistols (variety).

Body Armor: Usually wears none, although his clothes are mega-damage (40 M.D.).

Cybernetics: None.

Money: Untold billions.

Alliances: None; he is just sort of there.