Author Topic: Some Sample Characters  (Read 15075 times)

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #15 on: April 28, 2010, 09:07:25 PM »
Name: Matthew Holland

Background:

Matthew was born in a slum. Not ‘the bad part of town’ or anything so prosaic, but a slum, to a single mother who spent a lot of her time drunk. He was forced to grow up fast, hard, and mean. He’s done things he’s not proud of, and things that would turn people’s stomachs that he doesn’t even care about any more. He had a hard life and it’s left him someone who‘s not only capable of violence, but quite enjoys it.

Aspect: Grew Up Hard

Rising Conflict:

Matthew grew up to be huge, and an extraordinarily dangerous human being. When he was 19, a local Red Court vampire who looked like a beautiful woman decided to make him her pet, tool, and snack food of choice. She kept him as an addict and day-time enforcer for over a year before receiving permission to turn him…and left him to eat a 6 year old child as his first meal. Big mistake. Matthew ripped down the door, carried the child away and slew his former mistress personally. His last words to her were “You don’t hurt kids.” He was on the run from then on until he was found by an operative of the Order of St. Giles, tattooed, given some basic training, and pressed into service.

Aspect: Dangerous Man

First Novel: Turf Wars

When the Red Court get ready to move into this own, the Fellowship send Matthew there to put a stop to it. He rapidly makes common cause with a businessman named Anthony Desouza, who agrees to help as soon as he sees some of the things the Red Court have done, and shortly thereafter with the local White Council representative, one Liz Winthrop. The three use a combination of manipulation, dirty tricks, and sheer violence to defeat and destroy the incursion. Throughout this, Matthew uses his powers extensively and is tempted by human blood at a few inconvenient times, but he resists all temptation with an iron will.

Aspect: I Am Who I Am, and Nothing’s Gonna Change That

Guest Star: Dragon Slayer

When Matthew hears of a child going missing in his neighborhood, he decides to go out, find those responsible, and get the child back. His investigation doesn’t go very far until he runs into Erin Carter and Sam Coleman, a werewolf and a changeling, who appear to be looking for the same kid, and say she’s been stolen into the Nevernever by a dragon of all things. Well, never one to turn down a challenge or leave a kid in trouble, Matthew agrees to work together with them. Then they run into a cop of all things, but Det. Sgt. Vance agrees to work with them, too (she seems to know Sam) and the four of them manage to rescue the kid and take care of the dragon. A good day’s work all things considered.

Aspect: Soft Spot For Kids

Guest Star: Blood Debts

Called for help by his one time ally Anthony Desouza to help him deal with a criminal and business rival who’s brought in a group of ghouls to kill him, Matthew feels he owes him one and agrees. The two of them kill everyone. Not just the ghouls but everyone involved. Mr. Desouza feels the need to send a message. Matthew has no objections and, indeed, quite enjoys his part in this plan.

Aspect: Vicious Sonuvabitch


Aspects:
High Concept: Order of St. Giles Heavy Hitter
Trouble: Hunger for Violence
Other:
Grew Up Hard
Dangerous Man
I Am Who I Am, and Nothing’s Gonna Change That
Soft Spot For Kids
Vicious Sonuvabitch

Skills:

Superb: Fists
Great: Discipline, Might,
Good: Athletics, Endurance,
Fair: Alertness, Intimidation, Investigation,
Average: Contacts, Conviction, Lore, Presence, Scholarship,

Powers:
Addictive Saliva [-1]
Blood Drinker [-1]
Tattoos of St. Giles [-2]

Feeding Dependency [+1]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
The Catch is holy stuff [+2]

Total Refresh: 1

Stress:

Mental: OOO
Physical: OOOO(OO)
Social: OOO
Hunger: OOOOOO
Armor: 1

Note: Most characters languages are at their discretion, but Matthew speaks Spanish.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2010, 04:51:30 PM by Deadmanwalking »

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #16 on: April 28, 2010, 09:41:07 PM »
Note: Dragon Slayer has been edited under every character involved in it to include Det. Sgt. Delilah Vance. Remember how I mentioned it being hard to keep 8 characters straight? Yeah, well, I'm just getting to her and she only had one Guest Star. So I fixed it.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2010, 09:50:13 PM by Deadmanwalking »

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2010, 03:11:20 AM »
I think I'm done with these for tonight. I'll get at least one (and maybe both) of the remaining two up tomorrow. And the other the next day at the latest.

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #18 on: April 29, 2010, 04:52:21 PM »
Matthew Holland's Catch has been modified slightly to reflect the new official ruling on how those work, and my impression from the books.

Offline Biff Dyskolos

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #19 on: April 29, 2010, 11:12:04 PM »
Matthew Holland's Catch has been modified slightly to reflect the new official ruling on how those work, and my impression from the books.

New official ruling?

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #20 on: April 29, 2010, 11:25:24 PM »
New official ruling?

Yeah, check the last page of the Typos thread, and iago's comments therein, it's not quite as clear-cut as I have it here, but the Template section is definitely somewhat in error about what constitutes a Red Court Infected's Catch.

While I'm informing people of this kind of thing, it should also be noted that Claws have officially been made Weapon: 2, meaning their added stress doesn't stack with anything except Inhuman (or higher) Strength bonuses, but also that they deal one more Stress than previously.

I think those are the only official rulings people might not've heard of that effect these characters.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2010, 11:39:38 PM by Deadmanwalking »

Offline Biff Dyskolos

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #21 on: April 29, 2010, 11:35:59 PM »
Thanks

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #22 on: April 29, 2010, 11:40:17 PM »

Offline mrsleep

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #23 on: April 30, 2010, 01:13:09 AM »
Have you thought about listing the names of the guest stars, next to the Guest Stars slot, to help keep the participants straight?  ;D

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #24 on: April 30, 2010, 01:18:35 AM »
Have you thought about listing the names of the guest stars, next to the Guest Stars slot, to help keep the participants straight?  ;D

It's a good idea, but a bit late now, since I've got all of them fully worked out.  :-[

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #25 on: May 01, 2010, 03:05:53 AM »
Sorry this one's both late and long, but what are you gonna do? The final one (Anthony Desouza) will be up either tonight or tomorow.

Name: Detective Sgt. Delilah Vance

Background:

Delilah Vance was born into a large family of cops. Her father, uncles, and cousins all wore a badge, or had at one time, and all her brothers planned to as well. And so did she. As the only girl in a large family of boys she grew up a bit of a tomboy, but always with becoming a Police Officer in mind. While other teenagers were dating, cheerleading, playing football, or studying for finals she studied interrogation techniques, criminology, and how to shoot a gun. She became very good at all of them, and eventually became a Police Officer, and then rapidly a Detective.

Aspect: To Protect And Serve

Rising Conflict:

After becoming a Detective, Delilah was partnered with a man named John Strauss, a gifted Detective (if a bit odd) who took her under his wing. She rapidly surpassed him in investigative brilliance, though she never quite equaled his hunches. The two worked together and were friends, their friendship even withstanding his being kicked out of the Department in disgrace over some spooky shit. She underwent a few disciplinary hearings after that, and went through a few partners, but she also closed more cases than anyone else and netted herself a promotion to Detective Sergeant, and an exile to Special Investigations…where the weird things are.

Aspect: Best Investigator In The Department

Guest Star: Winter Ghosts

When a number of people start turning up dead, Det. Sgt. Vance is forced to call in her ex-partner (now a PI) to help her look into them. He says that someone is using ghosts as a murder weapon, and he proves to her that he’s right. The two go looking into who’s doing this, and discover that it’s an honest-to-god Faerie…a Troll. And that it appears to be a mercenary, being paid to commit the murders. They go looking for help in dealing with something like that and find Sam Coleman, a young man of Faerie descent. While he and John go to deal with the Troll, Det. Sgt. Vance finds the man who hired it, and manages to get him to confess to having hired the murders without referencing anything that’d make him sound crazy. She closes the case, and now knows for a fact that John isn’t crazy.

Aspect: Always Gets Her Man

Guest Star: Dragon Slayer

When a young girl goes missing, Delilah investigates privately. She runs into Sam Coleman, as well as a woman named Erin Carter and a man named Matthew Holland (apparently a werewolf and some sort of vampire, respectively). They tell her that a Dragon, of all things, took the girl. She goes along with them to rescue the girl and helps to do both that and slay the dragon, demonstating moves right out of an action movie in doing so.

Aspect: Faster Than Lightning

First Novel: Finding Justice

When a series of what appear to be mundane serial murders stumps her for an answer, Delilah once again calls John for help, this time off the books. With his help, and that of a Priest he recommends (one Father O‘Connel) she finds out enough about the religious and mystical symbolism behind the murders that she can get a general direction to investigate. The trail leads to a business owned by one Anthony Desouza, who luckily owes Det. Sgt. Vance a favor from a while back. He helps her to find the man who’s clearly the killer (even the ghost of a victim confirms it)…and he’s untouchable. He’s a clean, all-American, young man. Respected in business, and the son of a local politician. No jury in the world will convict him. And Delilah makes the hardest decision of her life…she kills him. John helps her cover up the physical evidence and, unbeknownst to John, Mr. Desouza also helps with the cover-up after she informs him of what the man had done.

Aspect: Justice Is More Important Than The Law

Aspects:
High Concept: Clued-In Cop
Trouble: Commended or Arrested?
Other:
To Protect And Serve
Best Investigator In The Department
Always Gets Her Man
Faster Than Lightning
Justice Is More Important Than The Law

Skills:

Superb: Guns
Great: Intimidation, Investigation
Good: Alertness, Drive,
Fair: Athletics, Contacts, Fists
Average: Conviction, Endurance, Lore, Presence, Resources

Stunts:
On My Toes (Alertness)
Suppressive Fire (Allows the use of Guns as a Dodge skill as long as she has a gun in hand) (Guns)
Target Rich Environment (Guns)
Interrogator (Intimidate)
Pin the Tail (Investigation)
Scene of the Crime (Investigation)

Total Refresh: 4

Stress:

Mental: OOO
Physical: OOO
Social: OOO
Armor: 1 or 2 w/ bulletproof vest
« Last Edit: May 01, 2010, 06:09:35 AM by Deadmanwalking »

Offline KOFFEYKID

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #26 on: May 01, 2010, 03:08:04 AM »
How does he have so many Physical Stress boxes, I count 6, and he only had an endurance of 1.

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #27 on: May 01, 2010, 03:11:05 AM »
How does he have so many Physical Stress boxes, I count 6, and he only had an endurance of 1.

Typo. I copied and pasted from the previous character and neglected to fix it. My bad, and it's fixed now.

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #28 on: May 02, 2010, 01:52:05 AM »
And the final one:

Name: Anthony Desouza

Background:

Anthony Desouza grew up poor. Not didn’t have enough to eat poor, but poor enough that his clothes were old hand-me-downs and the other kids made fun of him. He decided at a very early age that someday he was going to be rich, and powerful, and nobody would dare to trifle with him. He devoted himself to that cause completely, with all his intelligence, drive, and ruthlessness. To gain what he has, he did a number of shady, illegal, or horribly immoral things, and he’d do them again if he had to.

Aspect: You Do What You Need To To Get Ahead

Rising Conflict:

As he began to rise in power, a few people seemed to think Anthony was dangerous to them, and some of them even told him so. He put them all at their ease, charming and personable to a fault…occasionally right before he slid the knife in. His rise to power and privilege was greatly enabled  by his ability to schmooze and lie, as well as by his more vicious skills. Always one for self-improvement he also studied the martial arts, and became quite accomplished in a variety of harder styles…ones suitable for killing a man with your bare hands. During this time he also found out about the supernatural, and began to take it into account in his business dealings.

Aspect: Charming and Plausible

First Novel: Turf Wars

When the Red Court get ready to move into town, Anthony Desouza finds out about it and considers his options. He’s still considering when he meets a man named Matthew Holland, a Red Court Infected who shows him an atrocity committed by the Red Court. That decides him. As ruthless as he is, there are some things Anthony Desouza simply will not allow to stand. They rapidly ally with Liz Winthrop, a member of the White Council, and the three use a combination of manipulation, dirty tricks, and sheer violence to defeat and destroy the incursion.

Aspect: Some Things Cannot Be Allowed

Guest Star: Finding Justice

When a thoroughly mundane serial killer case brings Det. Sgt. Delilah Vance and her ex-partner John Strauss (a rumored Ectomancer and Private Investigator) to him for help, Det. Sgt. Vance calls in an old favor he owes her, and he helps them to track down the man they are looking for. Unfortunately, he’s untouchable by the law, and Det. Sgt. Vance decides to kill him. She calls Anthony to help her cover it up, and considering what the bastard had been doing, he helps out free of charge.

Aspect: I Pay My Debts

Guest Star: Blood Debts

When Mr. Desouza is jumped by a ghoul and barely manages to defeat the thing in hand-to-hand combat (with a whole lot of luck), he does a bit of research and finds out that a well known criminal and rival of his has called in a small pack of ghouls to help him dispose of his enemies. Deciding to fight fire with fire, he calls Matthew Holland, who feels he owes Anthony one and agrees to help. The two of them kill everyone. Not just the ghouls but everyone involved in the plan, and most particularly the man behind it. Mr. Desouza feels the need to send a message about what happens when you mess wth him, and does so very clearly.

Aspect: Blood On My Hands

Aspects:
High Concept: Slightly Shady Black Belt Businessman
Trouble: Knows Too Much
Other:
You Do What You Need To To Get Ahead
Charming and Plausible
Some Things Cannot Be Allowed
I Pay My Debts
Blood On My Hands

Skills:

Superb: Resources
Great: Deceit, Fists
Good: Presence, Rapport,
Fair: Contacts, Discipline, Scholarship
Average: Alertness, Conviction, Empathy, Endurance, Lore,

Stunts:
Takes One To Know One (Deceit)
Footwork (Fists)
Martial Artist (Fists)
Lethal Weapon (Fists)
The Weight of Reputation (Presence)
Lush Lifestyle (Resources)

Total Refresh: 4

Stress:

Mental: OOO
Physical: OOO
Social: OOOO
Armor: 1, with stylish bulletproof vest.

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Some Sample Characters
« Reply #29 on: May 02, 2010, 02:00:57 AM »
And there we go.  :)

Wow, that was a lot of work. I really hope someone uses these, as my odds of doing so are a bit low. For reference, i avoided mention of a city intentionally. These folks can be in any decently large American city except Chicago (because Erin left there, remember?).

I also intentionally created these characters so that if someone wanted to play a character like one of the ones in the Dresden Files they could, without having any of them be less than unique characters. The trick is to ask what aspect of the character they want to play. For example, if someone asks to play someone like Harry they could play either John or Liz depending on whether they care more about the Wizard or PI element. The same applies to most of the other characters (though, admittedly, Marcone and Murphy are both pretty straightforward).