Knight/Emissary of Santa Claus

[Quazar]

It being the season, and Jim having mentioned Santa at DragonCon, I've been thinking about what would make for a good character based around EDIT:a servant/representative of Old St. Nick, using his themes.  He'd need Marked by Power of course, and perhaps Unseelie Magic, but what else would make for a great themed character?  I have a few ideas, but I'm mostly interested in what you guys cook up.  What do you think?

[Drashna]

Well, there are lots of threads about erlking/oberon/santa claus and the various faerie courts.  

Personally, I run Santa as the king of the Autumn Court, and the Erlking (aka Oberon, IMO) as king of the Spring Courts. And run those courts more as heralds for the other seasons than their own full courts.

[Buscadera]

This was my take on an Emissary of Santa character, with some of my inspiration (and names for some abilities) from the other threads on this subject:

Nicholas Santos (Knight of a Faerie Court) – Submerged
High Aspect: Knight of the Yuletide King
Trouble: Too Naïve For His Own Good
Other Aspects: Raised in Santa’s Workshop; Master Craftsman; Subtle Strength of Yuletide Magic; Gregarious to a Fault; Joyous Warrior

Stress:
Physical: OOO(OO)
Social: OOOO
Mental: OOOO

Skills:
• Superb (+5): Craftsmanship, Lore
• Great (+4): Conviction, Discipline
• Good (+3): Presence, Rapport
• Fair (+2): Contacts, Empathy, Resources
• Average (+1): Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Fists, Weapons

Supernatural Powers:
   • Marked by Power [-1]
   • Inhuman Strength [-2]
   • Inhuman Toughness [-2]
   • Inhuman Recovery [-2]
      • The Catch [+3] is cold iron and the trappings of Summer
   • Item of Power: St. Nicholas’ Staff [+2]
      • Yuletide Magic [-4]
      • Refinement [-2]
      Focus Items:
         • St. Nicholas’ Staff: Complexity: +2 Yuletide; Frequency: +2 Yuletide
      Enchanted Items:
         • Santa’s Bangle: Yuletide Weapon: 6 Attack; 4/uses per session
         • Handmade Gloves: Yuletide Weapon: 5 Attack vs. Zone; 3/uses per session
         • Ruby Cap: Yuletide Counterspell: 6; 4/uses per session
         • Maroon Scarf: Yuletide Block: 4 or Armor: 2; 6/uses per session
         • Crimson Coat: Yuletide Block: 6 or Armor 3; 4/uses per session
         • Hiding Boots: Yuletide Block: 5 vs. Perception, Duration 3 rounds; 3/uses per session
         • Two Potion Slots
      Rotes:
         • Frostbite: Yuletide; Weapon: 4 Attack
         • Cold Front: Yuletide; Weapon: 2 Attack vs. Zone
         • Shield of Warmth: Yuletide; Block: 4
         • Ho! Ho! Ho!: Yuletide; Applies Goodwill Toward Men Aspect to an opponent; sticky
         • Veiled Steps: Yuletide; Block: 4 vs. Perception

Adjusted Refresh: 2

[Ala Alba]

Well, there are lots of threads about erlking/oberon/santa claus and the various faerie courts.  

Personally, I run Santa as the king of the Autumn Court, and the Erlking (aka Oberon, IMO) as king of the Spring Courts. And run those courts more as heralds for the other seasons than their own full courts.

Which is canonically wrong, because Santa is a Winter king and the Erlking is a Summer king.

But it's your game, so do as you wish. 

[Bruce Coulson]

Given the amount of belief Santa Claus receives, even now, I'd make him essentially like the Mothers; stats don't matter, he acts as he must because of who and what he is.

Now his agents (emissaries of power) could be a different matter.

Besides, who in their right mind would attack Santa Claus?

[sinker]

Besides, who in their right ming would attack Santa Claus?

The Martians, obviously.  

[devonapple]

The Martians, obviously.  

Luckily we have Droppo on our side.

[Richard_Chilton]

There are other ways to look at Santa Claus.  One of his knights could be Zwarte Piet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet, a character who can bring treats for good children, but nasty children are either stolen away forever (perhaps to become elves at the North Pole) or he gives them Christmas beatings.  He's part of the Dutch and French Christmas tradition.

Then there's Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand Rupert or Servant Rupert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht in Germany - who basically does the same thing.

And I just stumbled across a list of beings believed to help out Santa Claus at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas - and most of them are people you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.  All of them can be inspiration for an Emissary of Santa that isn't always jolly.

Richard

[Nyarlathotep5150]

Given the amount of belief Santa Claus receives, even now, I'd make him essentially like the Mothers; stats don't matter, he acts as he must because of who and what he is.

   This is how I'd run him. Especially since his mention in Storm Front is coupled with the statement "Not that I'd be stupid enough to summon him."
   I'd call him a plot device level Sidhe lord. I would also personally stat him as a summer lord. Yule (and infact most winter solstice festivals) is actually a Sun festival. It celebrates the coming thaw, winters end and the return of the sun god (of whichever pantheon is present). The giftgiving was a metaphor for Summers bounty and Santa Claus is just an anthropomorphism of those concepts.
   So basically, I'd call Santa a summer lord of such power that he can make himself known, even at the height of Winters power. Now sadly, I can't think of an opposite to this concept (winter being manifest during summers time), and since the courts are all about balance, there really should be one.   

[ironpoet]

Santa Claus:
- Sees you when you're sleeping, and knows if you're awake.  That could be Ritual (Scrying), or it could just be legend inspired by his exceptional Burglary skills
- Knows if you've been bad or good.  This is either an Empathy stunt/power, or an Item of Power ("The List")
- Believes you'd better be good, for Goodness' sake.  This is clearly an Aspect.
- Can enter any family home via the chimney (and arguably homes without a chimney).  That sounds like a Burglary-themed power that allows Santa to bypass physical barriers as well as Thresholds.
- Receives letters from all over the world.  That would provide a Superb Contacts skill and/or Contacts stunts.
- Can travel the entire world in one night.  That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.

[sinker]

- Can travel the entire world in one night.  That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.

He's not a mortal caster though, so the laws don't apply to him.

   I'd call him a plot device level Sidhe lord. I would also personally stat him as a summer lord. Yule (and infact most winter solstice festivals) is actually a Sun festival. It celebrates the coming thaw, winters end and the return of the sun god (of whichever pantheon is present). The giftgiving was a metaphor for Summers bounty and Santa Claus is just an anthropomorphism of those concepts.
   So basically, I'd call Santa a summer lord of such power that he can make himself known, even at the height of Winters power. Now sadly, I can't think of an opposite to this concept (winter being manifest during summers time), and since the courts are all about balance, there really should be one.   

WoJ is that he's a winter lord, acting as the balance against winter's cold. Just as the Erlking represents the darkness of summer.

[Nyarlathotep5150]

- Can travel the entire world in one night.  That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.

   Or he just know every single way through the Nevernever... Which in and of itself would probably make him more powerful than the fearie queens.

[Quazar]

Ok, to be clear, I'm not trying to stat Santa.  I didn't make that clear in the OP, sorry.  He's definitely a plot device level character, at least on par with the Erlking and probably more powerful.  I mean, knows if you've been bad or good?  That's intellectus my friends.

I'm interested in guys like Buscadera's character.  Which emphasis did you place on Yuletide Magic?  Obviously air, perhaps something to do with cold?  Not an element per se, but i guess it could be run as the reverse of fire.

[ironpoet]

He's not a mortal caster though, so the laws don't apply to him.

Well, if I were going to portray him in DFRPG, he'd be a mortal spell-casting, jolly old, sixth-law-breaking vigilante Wizard with some highly specialized powers.  The Wardens would all want him neutralized for messing with the flow of time, but he can't seem to be killed, and no spell or prison can hold him.  Plus it's tough to fight a guy who's just so darn nice!

That's probably not what the OP is looking for in this case...

[devonapple]

Well, if I were going to portray him in DFRPG, he'd be a mortal spell-casting, jolly old, sixth-law-breaking vigilante Wizard with some highly specialized powers.  The Wardens would all want him neutralized for messing with the flow of time, but he can't seem to be killed, and no spell or prison can hold him.  Plus it's tough to fight a guy who's just so darn nice!
That's probably not what the OP is looking for in this case...

Played by Tim Allen, perhaps?

Or perhaps go the "Fred Claus" route with Vince Vaughn? Sure, your sidhe half-brother may be THE Santa Claus, but when he needs something done "off the Naughty List," you're just the sixth-law-breaking bastard that he needs to deck some other bastard's halls.