Lukas (aka Lukas Grimm, aka Lukas Skallagrimmsson) (Submerged)
Lukas is a middleweight Minnesota rock musician with the ability to manipulate reality with his magic; he also possesses the berzerker spirit of a lion, which he can let loose at will. Born to a long line of skalds (the storytellers of the old Scandinavian ways), his mystical music talents are eagerly sought by several supernatural groups, for a variety of purposes from the selfish to the insane. As he struggles to become famous in the mortal world he loves, Lukas fights the pull of his heritage, but despite himself, his involvement in the supernatural world has increased greatly of late, and he resents it very much.
High Concept: Leothrope Rocker
Trouble: Forsaken Skaldic Heritage
Other Aspects:
Bearer of the Guitar of Ages;
Sure, What the Hell...;
Easily Underestimated Man-Child;
The New Ways - Just Like the Old Ways;
You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry
Skills:
Superb: Presence, Performance
Great: Intimidation, Fists
Good: Athletics, Conviction
Fair: Rapport, Endurance, Might
Average: Alertness, Contacts, Discipline, Empathy, Lore
Stunts:
[-1] Bardic Spirit: Presence is used instead of Conviction to determine spellcasting power.
[-1] Bardic Finesse: Performance is used instead of Discipline to determine spellcasting control.
Powers:
Leothrope
[-1] Echoes of the Beast:+1 to physical Intimidation checks (not social threats), talk to felines
[+1] Human Form: affecting Inhuman Strength, Inhuman Toughness and Inhuman Recovery
[-2] Inhuman Strength
[-2] Inhuman Toughness
[-2] Inhuman Recovery
[+2] Catch: Monkshood
Skald
[-2] Channeling: Music
[-1] Item of Power (Guitar of the Ages) [+2]: providing Refinement 3 [-3] spent on +3 to Offensive Discipline and Conviction (Channeling: Music)
Focus Items (Channeling: Music):
Silver-Gold Torc Necklace (2 slots): +1 to Defensive Power (Presence) and Control (Performance) (Channeling: Music)
Guitar of the Ages (IoP, 3 slots): +3 to Offensive Power (Presence) and Control (Performance) (Channeling: Music)
Casting Scores:
Offensive Channeling (Music): Great (+4) Presence and Performance/ Epic (+7) Presence and Performance with Guitar of Ages
Defensive Channeling (Music): Great (+4) Presence and Performance/ Superb (+5) Presence and Performance with Torc Necklace
Channeling (Music): Great (+4) Presence and Performance
Physical: 000 (as Leothrope: 000(00) Armor:1)
Mental: 0000
Social: 0000, plus one additional Mild Social Consequence
Adjusted Refresh: 1
Background:
High Concept: Leothrope Rocker
Lukas is a talented musician, despite his relative obscurity. His occasional fits of temper, as well as the unexplainable weirdness which seems to follow him around, have managed to limit his career. Thankfully, he has managed to achieve relative control over the leonine rage spirit within him, and can call it forth at his will.
Invoke: Leveraging his reputation as a musician; invoking his leothropic nature.
Compel: Unwanted attention; lifestyle complications; berzerk triggers.
Trouble Concept: Forsaken Skaldic Heritage
Lukas is part of a line of skalds, and possesses hereditary music-based magical talents, in addition to his rage spirit. Though he wants to focus on achieving success in the mundane world, he is fated to be a player in the supernatural world, and despite his best efforts, he is continually pulled into a variety of weird plots which depend on his musical talents.
Invoke: Leverage his ancient heritage; resist attempts to draw him into supernatural situations; deflect obligation/responsibility.
Compel: Inescapable supernatural situations; inconvenient cultural expectations; in demand.
Background Aspect: The New Ways - Just Like the Old Ways
Description: Lukas was born into a line of gifted musicians dating back to the days of the Vikings. Although his parents, Feydr and Hilde Skallagrimmsson, initiated him into the mysteries of his skaldic forebears, Lukas was far more interested in rock n' roll music and indulging his more carnal tastes. It would be many years before the other half of his heritage - the berzerker Viking side - would manifest. In retrospect, it was easy to see why he could not be easily raised to his parents' ideals, and had they known of the rage spirit which had chosen him to be its vessel, they might have done something about it long ago. Lukas occupies an awkward middle ground between rage and creativity, and it pulls at him to this day. Despite his somewhat dysfunctional and narcissistic self-image, this dichotomy between violence and inspiration is as old as mankind. As much as he fools himself into thinking he is modern and separate from his heritage, he is as subject to the old ways as to the new.
Invoke: Lore declarations and skaldic knowledge; ease of navigating old world customs; finding common ground with those holding old world sentiments; appearing windswept and interesting.
Compel: Obligated to observe/respect old traditions; giving in to Viking impulses and excesses; inner conflict.
Rising Conflict: Bearer of the Guitar of Ages
Description: Little did he know that his parents had been trying to groom him for a particular purpose: to bear the sacred relic of his ancestors and use it to preserve knowledge and honor. Without their son, the Skallagrimmssons did their best to confront some of the primal supernatural threats which had been trying to settle in Minnesota, but soon they were overcome, slain by forces unknown. Lukas - deep in a life of hedonism and self-oblivion - first learned of their fate when he was visited by their ghosts. Eager to dismiss the visions as drug-induced hallucinations, he ignored them as best he could. But their ghosts persevered, and eventually he looked up Corbin Freyrson, an old family friend, for advice. Corbin didn't know much, but shared his belief that the Skallagrimmssons were living a double life, and that they were taking some serious risks on a regular basis. Eventually Lukas discovered that his parents had been guarding something, and had arranged that he could find it. When he beheld the relic - an ancient stringed instrument of intricate design - it called to him, and being of low impulse control, he held it. The relic shimmered and warped in his hands, conforming to his ideal of a modern rock guitar. It taught him its magic, and he learned to use it to weave music that had never been heard before. Eventually he learned to summon the magic of his skaldic ancestors on his own, but to this day, he is far more powerful with the Guitar of Ages than he is without it.
Invoke: Improving the results of his magic; impressing certain people or supernatural elements; occasionally used to beat people and things in true rock n' roll style.
Compel: The Guitar will occasionally push him into some situations; the ancient supernatural foes of his ancestors occasionally want to complicate life for the bearer of the ancient relic.
Story Aspect 1: Easily Underestimated Man-Child
First Story: Ballroom Blitz
Description: A rogue Black Court Vampire, Eva-Marie Kaltenbach, has set her sights on an obscure indie music festival in Duluth. Zaphiel Lorenzo and DeMarcus Kane (having been clued in anonymously by a rival Red Court Vampire who would prefer not to attract attention) integrate themselves into the security team. When the vampire makes her move against an obscure musician named Lukas, Zaphiel and DeMarcus find the target anything but helpless as he summons musical magic before entering the fray with a roar and a berzerker rage. Together with Raphiel "Ray" Rojas, a previous acquaintance of Lukas', they drive the vampiress away, but fail to destroy her. The duo learn that Lukas is in demand by numerous supernatural elements for his musical abilities, and despite his aversion to getting involved, easily recognize that he has that rare blend of confidence and deathwish which makes him a fellow spirit.
Invoke: Underestimated by opponents; sympathetic people tend to cut him slack or try to take care of him.
Compel: Fits of self-indulgence or petulance; others discount his viewpoint; dismissed/not take seriously.
Story Aspect 2: Sure, What the Hell...
Guest Star: Liquid Courage. (Raphiel)
Description: Concerned about rumors of a Black Court presence in an abandoned house somewhere in Minnesota, Raphiel Rojas hits a local bar to sort out his thoughts. He fell in with bored rock singer Lukas, and recognizing that the seemingly shallow singer concealed significant supernatural power, confided his misgivings about the upcoming raid: Black Court Vampires always had Renfields, and killing them caused Raphiel great sorrow. Lukas, in a move later attributed alternately to drunkenness or boredom, agreed to help this kindred tortured spirit. Although they did not find the rumored vampire, they found evidence of its recent occupancy: a mind-shattered Renfield on the verge of complete breakdown. Raphiel and Lukas did the only humane thing possible and put the wrecked human being out of its misery.
Invoke: Impulsive behavior; recklessness; grace under fire; steeled resolve in the face of danger; talking others into taking risks.
Compel: Impulsive behavior; recklessness; easily enticed into dangerous, unwise, and risky situations.]
Story Aspect 3: You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry
Guest Star: The Club Scene (Van)
Description: When trouble comes looking for Van "the Man," the owner of the Ever After, Lukas' regular Thursday night gig, Lukas gets caught in the crossfire. Some of Van's best customers start turning up dead, so Van - pulled in several directions over money - hurries to figure out why. When Van hears of Lukas' rage spirit, the hedonistic rocker seems the likely culprit. Van and his new bodyguard, the intense Raphiel Rojas, confront Lukas, but realize in the ensuing struggle that Lukas the wrong guy. Together they discovered the real culprit, a rival club owner - and White Court Vampire - who had been trying to get Van's club shut down.
Invoke: Intimidation; bonuses to damage/combat; berzerker rage.
Compel: Lose temper; social brusqueness; berzerker rage.
