Rose "It's the beautiful ones who tend to disappear." [character sheet]
Concept: dual-kith Dancer/Flowering Fairest with ties to multiple Courts
I think I'm down to a Winter-leaning Courtless Dancer/Flowering Fairest potentially working as a private investigator in the mortal world. Probably makes fake IDs for the freehold, and definitely would be a fetch assassin for the right price. I am feeling more of a connection with a local freehold once she got established than with any seasonal court, mostly because she's a mix of Summer, Autumn, and Winter, but enough of the others to irritate or outright frighten each.
Cap pointed out the Dual Kith merit, so I think that might suit me rather than trying to pick apart the motivations behind either Dancer or Flowering. I am thinking Smoke and Mirror Contracts, Socialize and Subterfuge both as strong skills. Beyond that, my CtL mechanics are shaky, so I'll have to dig up a character sheet somewhere and go through the creation mechanics for more than that.
Durance story: Tabloid fifteen minutes of fame when a rising young singer was kidnapped [by Fae], missing for eighteen months [or eight years], then spotted and rekidnapped almost immediately after, only for her to kill him [privateer]. Lots of fuss, lots of broken, plenty of time and ties to a still mortal family to get plenty of help, to get "fixed". I'd aim for her being "back" more than a few months, enough for her to work through everything from victimization to PTSD and end up as functional as any changeling has any right to be.
Open to reworking anything here to work better with the pitch or to tie in other characters. I feel like she'd have a strong thing about victim support groups, maybe runs one herself, and self-defense for women. If the rest of you are guys, the self-defense stuff may not be as relevant, but the freehold fetch assassin is probably well known even if she isn't officially in any of the courts.
Might as well note that while my picture of her is a heterosexual attractive female, I can also fudge that to suit other character tie-ins and relationships if it helps. Heterosexual probably doesn't mean **** to the Fae, anyway, so it may mean less to her now than it did once. O
Last edited by Aethera; Sep 28th, 2019 at 07:23 PM.
Fausta (F.) Iulia Prisca, Vestal Virgin until convicted of unchastity
Teenaged Iulia was promised a marriage by her slightly older lover, but when Iulia became pregnant, his family stepped in and refused to accept Iulia as his wife. They married him off to a woman who turned out to be barren, almost as though the gods themselves disapproved of broken promises. As such, Iulia's son, Aelius Julius, ultimately ended up with his father as the man was unlikely to have other heirs without taking other mistresses, something his wife was strongly against. Aelius Julius (now Manius Aquillius) Florus became his sole heir, and eighteen-year-old Iulia was left without her then-three-year-old child. To cope with the emptiness she increased how much of her time she spent as the assistant of a Greek physician, nearly to the exclusion of all else.
It was aiding that physician that brought her to the Vestal Virgins, her gender a necessary barrier between the physician and his virginal patient. Unfortunately that did not end so well, the physician brought in too late to really do more than ease the priestess' passing. Since it he had warned of it, none of the stigma that might have been afforded Iulia for failing to heal a priestess was present when the priestess died, and when the nearby priestesses began talk of calling on candidates, Iulia offered herself in the woman's place, citing her desire to please Vesta after being involved with the earlier priestess' last days. She was one of three candidates, and whether her reasons for volunteering were part of her acceptance or not, ultimately she joined the Virgins. She had to learn quickly to gain the dead priestess' knowledge and retake the empty spot in the ceremonial duties of the order, but she excelled at her studies and was only a year or so behind the priestess whose position she had filled when she met Quintus.
Quintus was some ten years older than the young priestess Iulia, and the lictor assigned to her first ceremonial appearance outside Vesta's temple. It was something she was excited about and yet terrified, afraid she would have some kind of lapse, anything that might suggest the goddess' displeasure. When the lictor escorted her through the city, however, he would remain close enough that he could offer her a few kind words, and something about the way he looked at her made it seem he was immediately taken with her in as much as he could be without offering insult to a woman bound by chastity vows. He seemed far wiser than his thirty-some years, and it helped to have his confident assurances that she would be fine.
Even shortly after their introduction it was hard for Iulia to put a name on what she had with Quintus. He was supporting her, even guiding her when she raised conversation points pertaining to her choices, options, or near future. Something changed, however, when she told him that she had a son. He drew the story out of her over a few conversations, starting with the fact that her son was being raised by his father's wife, a role Iulia had thought she was bound for. Despite the intervening tale of healer's assistant and priestess, there was definitely something that had changed in his eyes when he looked at her, now that he knew she was not a virgin. He never spoke of the emotions she could see, and she couldn't have accepted such advances if he did, but within the first year of their meeting both had already decided there was a relationship there which, while not permissible until she was no longer bound by her vows, drew them closer together. He even introduced her to his training master, a retired military commander who seemed to hold more riches and power than his age would normally suggest, though Quintus never referred to it.
By the time Iulia was 27, she and Quintus had lived a romantic journey that among most people would have resulted in marriage and several children already. Unfortunately, a few months before her thirtieth birthday she was accused of unchastity by the Vestalium Maxima on the word of a man who had witnessed her kiss Quintus goodbye. Iulia had not expected to be close friends with the woman who was sister and sometimes mother to her among the priestesses, but this she didn't know how to deal with. She was restricted from leaving the temple itself, while Quintus was forbidden to see her, and only his teacher came to visit her the night before her trial, bearing special permission just to see her, but seemingly his position of influence aided him in achieving it. He brought to her a flask of wine and told her that he had had it blessed by not only Vesta, but also Juno and Jupiter, and only she and Quintus would drink of it as they faced this trial together. Whether due to the blessings of the gods or some virtue of the man bearing it, Iulia found herself buoyed throughout her night of vigil and even through the trial. There was a point at which she saw the eyes of the Vestalium Maxima and could almost read the woman's mind; Iulia was taking the blame for an act she had not committed, but there was a reason for it to happen beyond just malice or some unpleasantness. As such she may have disagreed with the verdict but she accepted her punishment, to be buried alive, and suffered through the preparations and administration of it without comment, keeping herself as pristine as her vows required.
Though this may have been her death, she awoke in an opulent room that befit her former status, and only after meeting her host and being allowed to see Quintus and his training master at a distance did she understand she was not yet dead. Not in the normal way of it, certainly. Her host was an older Greek physician called Ampelius she thought she had met through Quintus' centurion, and he slowly explained what had happened to her, starting with her burial. Apparently the holy wine she had drunk the night before her trial had carried a few drops of the centurion's blood, which allowed her to survive until Ampelius could rescue her and bring her to his home. The healer offered her a choice between a mortal life free outside Rome (since F. Iulia Prisca was dead) or a new life as one such as he, who required blood to survive, but who had a much more extensive ability to heal. It was hard to rationalize blood for one who seemed to have the gods' own gift with healing (especially since only demons drank blood in her religion), but in the few months she stayed with Ampelius she saw such miracles that she chose Embrace as his childe. Iulia Valeriana, as she chose to be called, moved with Ampelius to another city just outside Rome where she took part in the valetudinarium he ran there for the same legion Quintus had been part of.
Iulia had a crisis of conscience when she saw Ampelius' third eye for the first time. It didn't fit within her mythology, and that tended to mean it was demonic or evil, something insidious that the gods did not favor. In conjunction with the blood-drinking associated with demons, the third eye made a very distinct impression upon the woman. There were a number of long and involved discussions between herself and her sire which, while they did reassure her she was not doing something evil, ultimately led to the full explanation of Caine, Saulot childe of Enoch, and the clan that were now as kin to her, the Salubri. For a Roman priestess to hear stories from the Hebrew scripture presented as fact it became no longer just about her conscience, she had reached a crisis of faith. This started a very studious time for the fledgling, learning all she could about the Jewish faith, scholars' attempts at reconciling the Roman pantheon with the one god Yahweh, and a new occupation meditating and praying for guidance. This was also her cover story at the field hospital, that she spent her days in prayer and meditation, and that was why she only was seen at night.
Not long after, Quintus found her there, making himself useful as a hauler for the healers. Iulia still loved him, but they had a disagreement about her chastity vows. While she hadn't vowed quite the same thirty years as most Virgins, taking the place of a woman already more than ten years into her service, Quintus felt that their punishment ended any obligations she had. Iulia considered a vow to the goddess binding, no matter what had happened. It wasn't easy to combine her new status as a Salubri fledgling with that of the Vestal Virgin she had been, but she did her best. Ultimately Quintus left her, a heartbreaking parting for both of them. (Later she learned he had returned to Rome and maneuvered himself into a position as training master for her son, becoming a mentor to the now fifteen-year-old boy.)
Last edited by Aethera; Feb 20th, 2020 at 03:38 PM.
**Aliases Not IC Knowledge!**(Not even positive other PCs will meet Taika first.)
Planar Origin: Taika is from Eberron, and has arrived in Sigil by way of the Ethereal, the Feywild, Arborea, and Ysgard.
Concept: A changeling rogue/assassin with a penchant for magical secrets and knowledge, almost more than 'shinies'. Usually takes human form out of habit.
What does it mean?
Privately? A talented sorceress had a magical accident. Me. So, uh, if life has meaning, I haven’t found it yet. I’m still stuck on both why and how. So far nothing, and I’ve been searching for... I stopped counting awhile back, but I’d say two and a half centuries, at least? Something like that.
Publicly? Who says it has to mean anything, clueless? It’d be nice, sure, but I don’t expect life to offer up puppies and rainbows just because it might be nice. I’d expect pure chaos to rain puppies before reality would.
Description: Good grief. Which one? It's worth noting that these are almost moods and situations more than just new faces. These are all aspects of Taika, she simply can put new faces to each to go with the sides of her personality.
Dushana - early 20s blonde human woman, pleasant enough NG traveler, lots of questions, very little about herself
Euthymia/Thea - middle-aged (mid 60s?) curly-haired brunette half-elf NG scholar, gentle, polite, gets fixated on a magical quandary easily
Jin - early 20s human geisha-inspired TN Sigil native, more/less morality depending, sweet but can be vicious
Manoja - cute mid 20s NG human Prime trying to “document Sigil”, bubbly, eager, wide-eyed/childlike enjoyment
Ruq'yyah/Ruke - late 20s/early 30s dark-skinned frizzy-haired human TN arcane trickster, pranks have their place, wants to make a name for herself, prefers stealing from the rich
Charlotte Rennell WWII nurse, "casualty" of the Battle of Britain
Twenty-six-year-old Charlotte Rennell was a married mother of two (three?) when World War II broke out, bereft of both her husband (drafted then killed in action) and her children (Operation Pied Piper). She was a nurse until her hospital was hit by a bomb in 1940. The nickname "St. Lottie" was given her by her patients, as she was happy to be both mother figure to younger wounded soldiers and pretty woman who flirted lightly with the men. She focused on their psyche as much as their bodies, and took it upon herself to bring what cheer she could, including baking cookies to distribute when things were looking grim. Records have her death date on [DATE], 1940.
- guilt embrace after bomb exploded? how close could a vampire get to a burning building? (Nos?)
- Salubri night doctor at her hospital liked her, perhaps she caught him playing angel of death?
- Malk analyst, precursor to psychologist blundering about with caring for her patients?
Blurb from My Site Shtuffs page:
Selene Murdoch has commendations from her years as a homicide detective prior to her recruitment into the FBI, making her not quite the average rookie agent, but not an experienced one either. Selene has her own reasons for being a bit nervous about starting work with a partner, and it has nothing to do with who she's been assigned to... unless you count her concern that he's more competent than her most recent partner in homicide and that she expects to get caught eyeing things that aren't visible to everyone else. It didn't matter while she was in training, because there weren't homicide victims demanding her attention (not that there aren't ghosts at Quantico, but that's another story entirely), but once she's out in the field? It's almost inevitable that something will happen, and she won't be able to explain it away easily.
joined FBI at age 30, plus ??30-plus-year-old Selene Murdoch has commendations from her years as a homicide detective prior to her recruitment into the FBI, making her not quite the average rookie agent, but not an experienced one either. Yet. She hopes to improve that quickly, especially since she's been assigned to Andrew Dickey, one of the FBI's top serial killer specialists.
Name
Selene Murdoch
Virtue
Just
Profession
Detective (Cop+FBI)
Player
me
Vice
Curious
Compact
none
Chronicle
FTL's Slasher
Concept
psychic FBI rookie
WIP Background Points:
Father was FBI, as far as she's aware (actually VASCU or other conspiracy?).
Lightly leaning Wiccan/magical/etc family history, but not something she's aware of yet. Probably female line inherited traits or something like that. Combination of dad+mom's line = Selene's significant gifts. Grandmother dropped hints.
Puberty was interesting when it awoke lots of stuff she still can't explain. (Understatement of a lifetime award!) Her grandmother became her best friend with insights that Selene still seeks out.
Selene had to be homeschooled her sophomore year of high school due to ridiculous insomnia that made it almost impossible to sleep when the sun was down. She's trained herself since then, but also spends a good deal of her nights awake and investigating things these days.
B.S. in Criminal Justice, minoring in Psychology. (age 22)
Joined police to follow her father but not too closely, wanted to be more local-focused. Usefulness/"intuition" as beat cop aided a number of investigations, she was promoted quickly to detective (tagged along at 3y in, promoted at 4y, age 26). Similar success with investigation. (3y investigating homicide, age 29)
Recruited by FBI from police work, perhaps after a shared case (serial killer in her jurisdiction, FBI got called in but continued to use the original detectives too) or just because she made some kind of list of top detectives when they were looking for recruits.
VASCU tested her when she was recruited, recognized her father, quickly snatched her up for the non-standard cases. (age 30)
"Rookie" agent status questionable after law enforcement, but still new to this.
...?
Assigned to Andy as his new partner for [reasons, TBD].
Answers to: Milford, Frankie, Doc, and "Medic!" Potential Bonds: parents (Norfolk, VA), siblings (Norfolk, VA area), her I see her trying to be attached to SpecOps units that are fully male (SEALs), and being left at the Fleet level where she's the one they're bringing the wounded to after exfil from whatever target zone. That might make her more tied to a particular carrier's MD/corpsman group than a specific unit? I'm not sure she has a specific "unit", per se, though if she were assigned to a Marine platoon that would suit the more active image I have of her.unit and/or CO?
Profession: "tweaked" Paramedic (boost Doctor skills? add some Marine?) – not quite an MD, but plenty of Navy/Marine training to be useful in field, and many corpsmen are at least as knowledgeable as newly-minted MDs.
Reason to be in Maryland: Her brother, Corporal Christopher Milford, was injured in a training exercise when a faulty actual event, night training mission near Jacksonville, North Carolinaplane crashed a couple months prior, and would be receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for saving other lives threatened by the crash in a small ceremony at Walter Reed. She would have had to take leave (or get a special 3- or 4-day pass) to attend, as she's alternate idea was assigned to a Marine platoon, and if the Marines were rotated home she might be in a sort of limbo on the aircraft carrier?currently stationed on a fleet aircraft carrier.
Brainstorming
Quote:
Originally Posted by USUHS
Military Readiness
All USU medical students are taught tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). The concept of tactical combat casualty care was started by USU faculty and the Naval Special Warfare Command in the early 1990s, with the U.S. Special Operations Command later joining the research effort. Tactical combat casualty care focuses on saving the patient’s life, preventing additional casualties, and completing the mission, and is geared to small units on the battlefield. The aim was to improve battlefield trauma care and to establish guidelines for the front lines.
This is timed perfectly. She could be involved, or at least her courses for her B.S. Health Sciences might start discussing it as the idea gains traction.
Blurb from My Site Shtuffs page:
Barbara Dobson ("Mrs. Dobson" and/or "call me Babs"), in Begon Ugo's Delta Green (Delta Green)
Once her three children were out of the nest, so to speak, Babs Dobson needed others to care for and support, and not just with cooking and cleaning—though she still brings muffins to her husband's former trainees at the Maryland State Police, now onto bigger and better things. Her elementary education degree helped her get a school librarian position, but she quickly found she felt stifled by the limits of the school system and switched to the public library. A familiar face from the homicide unit came to her library for further research on a case, and the two objectives intersected, leading Mrs. Dobson down a slippery slope that is looking more like "consulting detective" the longer it goes on unchecked. Someone mentioned she ought to get her PI license, and shortly thereafter, she got directed to a Domestic Abuse Intervention seminar that she was apparently required to attend. Little did she know she'd gotten noticed by others beyond the Staties...
Original Brainstorming:
59yo Wife of 67yo Semi-Retired (ie. hasn't really slowed down but isn't doing full-time) Police Training Sgt (law enforcement stories for procedures and reference, likely knows at least as much as a police trainee, plus years of anecdotes)
born 1941 means she was a toddler in WWII, might play this up if I have more ideas, but thinking she may have a recurring nightmare she never fully remembers but for the fear response about something eldritch that she can't explain but assumes/hopes it is just bad memories blown out of proportion by a toddler's imagination/fears... originally British, relocated to US with Operation Pied Piper as an infant (adoption rather than relocation)
met police officer Jonah Dobson while she was at Coppin State U, dated her first year, then got married March 1961 (age 19.7) and had James (born Aug '61)
mother of three (grown and out of the nest, 36-39yo, would be hilarious if any of the other party members were actually one of her kids... will work on that once you've made decisions)
not sure if she'd need to be employed (husband's police pension, and he might be doing some part-time work as well) except to keep herself busy, but I'm picturing either library/journalism, hospitality (could own a B&B?), or VA ladies auxiliary sort of activities, maybe all three
determined, curious to the point of endangering herself, can talk her way out of pretty much anything
sweet little old lady on the outside
drill sergeant on the inside
amateur consulting detective (Baltimore suburbs? not true urban area where procedure would be tighter), sharp mind, problem solver extraordinaire, occasionally used as a sounding board when she visits the police station to dote on the officers (bringing muffins, making better coffee, little things that play up the "mothering" nature)... they know she won't say a word, so no one really minds if she knows things she shouldn't. could have the police chief be someone her husband mentored, so he lets things slide.
can switch from mothering others to ripping them a new one in seconds... tries not to let on that she can be as crass as any police sergeant
likely "face" for the sweet little old lady points when dealing with other humans, probably mothering the group to get them to play together nicely, the "party glue" for a group of strangers with mixed skillsets
stylish in a librarian sort of way, older style but always put together (likely means when she's not put together, crap has hit the fan)
definitely has seen some things that don't make sense, but she's smart enough not to mention them to anyone (doesn't want to become the crazy old lady stereotype)
Playbook: The Maintenance Gal Name: Katherine "Kitty" Ingraham Looks: Adult wearing t-shirt and jeans and a crazy toolbelt (definition of Wrench Wench) Pronouns: she/her Ratings: Charm: +0; Cool: +0; Sharp: +1; Tough: +0; Weird: +2 Starting and Playbook Move(s):
I work here: When wearing your regular uniform, you can blend in as “maintenance” just about anywhere. People won’t pay much attention to you as you move around a building alone. But stay cautious — linger too long or talk to the wrong person and you might get caught.
Engineering: When you need to quickly fix (or break) a complicated gadget, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, it’s fixed (or broken) just like you wanted. On a 7-9 you need more time to study it: choose to fix (or break) it now with unknown side-effects, or take more time. On a miss, you do the worst thing possible to the gadget, which usually involves an explosion.
Blue-Collar Charm: You know how to talk to your fellow industrymen. Take +1 ongoing while dealing with another blue-collar worker. If you offer to help them with a job or task, they’ll help you in return, as if you’d roll a 10+ to Manipulate them. If you’re helpful enough, they may become your ally for the remainder of the mystery.
Weird Science: (+Weird)
When you want to create or adapt a device to analyze or deal with a strange phenomenon, say what it will do and roll +Weird. On a 10 or more, you pick one requirement. On a 7-9, you pick one requirement and the Keeper picks another. On a 6 or less, something goes horribly wrong.
Weird Science requirements:
It needs a rare and/or weird material.
It won’t be very reliable.
It requires huge amounts of power or fuel.
It will take a long time to get it working.
It won’t work exactly as intended.
You’ll need help (beyond the hunters on your team) to finish it.
Advanced Weird Science: When you advance your Weird Science move, add this:
On a 12 or more, you gain + 1 ongoing when operating this device.
Basic Moves:
Act Under Pressure, used for any difficult or dangerous action that isn’t covered by another move. 2d6+Cool.
Help Out, used to help another hunter do something. If you succeed, you’ll give them a bonus on their task. 2d6+Cool
Investigate a Mystery, used to work out what kind of monster you are dealing with, what it can do, and what it’s planning. 2d6+Sharp
Kick Some Ass, used for fighting. Fighting monsters, mainly. 2d6+Tough.
Manipulate Someone, used to try and get someone to do something for you, after you give them some kind of reason. 2d6+Charm.
Protect Someone, used to save someone from danger. 2d6+Tough.
Read a Bad Situation, used to work out what dangers are immediately threatening you. For instance, if you think you are walking into a trap, or want to do some tactical analysis. 2d6+Sharp.
Use Magic (Weird Move), used to cast magic spells or use enchanted items. 2d6+Weird.
Use Big Magic, used to perform much more complex, powerful, and dangerous rituals that cover what Use Magic (and other Weird Moves) cannot do—but with higher costs and higher potential consequences. No roll is necessary after the GM-listed requirements are met.
Gear: Regular Uniform, consisting of a mechanic's jumpsuit and a pair of +1 harm when fighting without a weaponsteel-toed boots.
Maintenance Weapon, 1-harm hand magic innocuous quick usefulThe Wrench. Backup Weapon, 2-harm close loud9mm. Luck: Okay □□□□□□□ Doomed
Luck Special: Your Weird Science weapon or a tool you’ve created through Weird Science gives itself an unexpected upgrade. Pick two tags and replace them with two new ones. You pick one, the Keeper picks the other. Harm: Okay □□□|□□□□ Dying
Unstable Status: [No] Experience: □□□□□
I tried to slay Artie, but he proved he was on the side of good. What convinced me?
I might be a mechanic, but I know there's no reason for someone to leap as though he had a fright and start reacting to spilled liquid mercury from a broken thermometer. When I saw that, I tried to kill the young man, because something was clearly amiss, and I feared for my life. (The Agency may have spun up the importance of killing all Monsters in our occasional encounters.) Fortunately, I'm a mechanic, not an assassin, and Artie was able to explain himself and assist me with [...?], convincing me he was at least a Monster doing Good. Trust somewhat followed.
An old rivalry with Tony has turned into a tight friendship.
Kitty and Tony met when she had just finished road repairs to a high end Ford. She packed up her tools and returned to her car, only to find some dumb Greaser trying to start the car without properly using the clutch. Not only was the kid trying to steal her car, but he didn't know how to drive it in the first place. I reported him, he got away with it somehow. Took a few years of occasionally running into one another before we got past that stumbling block.
I pulled Charles and maybe his team out of a terrible FUBARed mission.
I'd had sporadic contact with a group only calling themselves "The Agency" when I'd had some more unusual mechanical results from my tinkering, but they didn't usually call on me to do anything, it was more their oversight of what I was working on. That changed one late night when I got a phone call from someone who didn't give his name over the phone but said the Agency had given him my phone number because he was in a bit of a bind, his getaway car had broken down. I was his next getaway option.
Susie is my cousin, but since she left home and came to stay with me, she's been keeping me at a distance emotionally.
Team Playbook: Always on the Road Team Style and Improvement: Vocation Team Enemy: Dr. Crepuscule Team Move(s): Home Away From Home Team Asset(s): Hunter Roadhouses, Slush Fund (old mob money via Artie, Kitty's patents, etc.)
Apr 5th, 2020, 10:59 AM
2001... enter the Nokia!
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