Finishing my idea, but I believe I might make a decent party face. I decided to also go with an emissary, albeit of a very different sort of power than Eva's Brigid experience.
Eh, what the hell, I'll post what I've got. It might be a tad disjointed, I was kinda tired when I wrote it.
Jonathan Earthwalker, 20
Template: Emissary of Power
High Concept: All paths can lead to the Trickster
Trouble: What do you want now, Coyote?
Background:
Jonathan Earthwalker was born a mix, and with a different last name; his fatherÆs side unknown, his mother Asian. His appearance could be one of several different races, and while this had no negative effect on him, it left him feeling ambiguous about himself and his background. What could he call home, and where could he go that might offer him a real sanctuary? His intellect and mindset also set him apart somewhat; with an above-average intelligence, and raised on stories of old and the Bible, he developed a personal belief set integrating many different points from religions and philosophies, yet still centered around Christianity. Much like himself, he liked to say, it was something of a mix, with a strong core.
Over his teenage years, he explored an affinity for connection with others; his skill, it seemed, was empathy towards other people.
He first encountered touches of the other sides when he went to college, and it didnÆt end so well. A mere glimpse, a touch of the Sight, and something he could never unsee was burned into his mind. Worse yet, it saw him. He never learned just what it was, only that it came over to where he was standing on the college green, and looked at him. That was all it did before laughing and bounding away, but those terrible moments drove his mind temporarily into the refuge of its own depths.
His grades shattered, and he took to hiding in his room, praying for help and yet unable to do anything to help himself. Though his parents truly believed in God and the supernatural (or at least, they thought they did for the latter), they did not comprehend what he told them. Taking his slightly deranged talk for something else, they sent him to a wilderness rehab in Arizona to æsort things outÆ.
Background Aspect: Stronger light makes a deeper shadow
Rising Conflict: Though it wasnÆt what he needed, in the wilderness of the desert, Jon found something better than rehabilitation from a nonexistent drug habit. He found peace in the complete silence, the glorious sunrises, and the sheer visceral thrill of being active for himself, chopping wood for the fire and cooking for the others. Most days, he could almost forget about what he had seen. Some, it still left him near insensate. One evening after he thought he caught the edge of something similar in the corner of his eyes, the Sight-burned memory flared again, and he desperately tried to escape into sleep.
Then, something found him. He dreamed, and a coyote came to him, grinning. ôI know what you saw, boy.ö It said, the grin never shrinking. ôYou follow a different God, but we donÆt conflict too much. Most of the time. And he wonÆt give you any sort of ease like IÆm offering, heÆs into all that free will and self-improvement stuff. Nice enough, but itÆs not helping you so far, is it?ö
Jon nodded mutely. The animal was right, even if it was only a dream. God could only help him so far, and up till now, Jon wasnÆt up to the task of overcoming the memory.
The coyote grinned even wider. ôAh, youÆre reasonable enough. I like you, kid, most followers of your God are too stuffy. I see a lot of potential for interesting things in that messy thing you call a mind, but not with that nasty stuff gumming up the works.ö
ôWill you...take it away?ö Jon asked.
Coyote barked a laugh. ôNope. Sorry, even the great me canÆt do that. What I can do, though, is give you a bit of my strength so you can deal with it yourself. Your God wonÆt be too mad about that, even though itÆs taking a shortcut, and all I ask in return isàa few favors, now and then. I might have jobs for you, who knows. IÆll even promise they wonÆt be anything against those morals of yours!ö
Jon frowned. This was seeming less and less like a dream. ôIàdonÆt know. This isnÆt really a dream, is it?ö
The animalÆs only answer was to burst out into loud, crude, barking laughter, rolling on the ground.
ôàfine, haha, jokeÆs on me. IÆm in, but whatÆs involved in this?ö
Coyote flashed upward, so fast it was like heÆd never been on the ground. He appeared behind Jon, leaning over the young manÆs shoulder with his muzzle in JonÆs face. ôWell now, look whoÆs perked up a bit! ItÆs simple, really. All IÆve gotta do isàthis!ö
With a crack, Coyote somehow managed to pull one of his claws out, slapping it onto JonÆs chest. A flare of power rose, engulfing a surprised but otherwise unharmed Jon in it. The claw sank painlessly into his chest, leaving what appeared to be a tattoo in its shape behind. CoyoteÆs laughs faded as Jon seemed to wake; the TricksterÆs parting words ringing in his mind.
ôAnd hey, if you do enough for me, you might put together enough power to take a shot at the thing you saw! How does that sound, huh?ö
Jon thought that sounded just fine.
Rising Conflict Aspect: Choice for chaos
First Story:
Over the next three years, Jon meandered around north-eastern Arizona; his time at the rehab finished, he stayed in the area to work. Changing jobs every so often and never really feeling happy in one place, a year after the rehab he ended up in a town that was mostly Navajo. Though he looked Native American (because his hair had grown out over the last year), and he never said anything to the contrary, somehow the local medicine man knew. He spoke to Jon one day, asking what he was looking for, and why he had that mark.
Jon hadnÆt thought about the mark too often for the last year, though it had done what Coyote promised; the medicine man just smiled and invited Jon to work with him for a while, at least during his stay in the area.
Over the next year, Jon discovered that the medicine man knew what the thing that he had Seen; a naagloshii, or a skinwalker. Terrible beings that held a burning hatred of mankind, and who could only be truly slain by a shaman of the Blessing Way. Earthwalker, the only name the shaman had given, told Jon that while he could not teach him the Blessing Way since he was not a Navajo, the mark he carried might in time give him access to something that could destroy even the skinwalker. It would come at a price, however, the old medicine man warned. Coyote never gave things for free. Unless it suited his whims. But that was the rub of it, mere humans never knew whether Coyote was being whimsical or not.
Earthwalker taught Jon the rest of what he knew about the Art, warning him about the White CouncilÆs Laws and the Wardens. He said Jon would likely have to find a better teacher to control his power, Earthwalker couldnÆt teach him more than how to use his Sight, and his powers would grow over time. It was also likely that CoyoteÆs gift would interfere later on, though the shaman had no inkling of just how.
That very night, as if called by their discussion, Coyote appeared in JonÆs dreams once more.
ôSo, you feeling all better now? The old man teach you some things, huh? Well, I gave you a break to make sure you fixed yourself up, and it looks like you have. Time to go. Head east and south, things will provide themselves.ö
Taking the techniques he learned from Earthwalker, Jon left the small town, following CoyoteÆs call.
Story Aspect: Learning the Way
Skills
Great: Empathy
Good: Rapport, Conviction
Fair: Discipline, Endurance, Deceit
Average: Alertness, Stealth, Guns, Lore
Supernatural Powers
Marked by Power (Coyote, the Trickster)[û1]
Description: YouÆve been marked by something powerful, in a way recognizable to those with a magical affinity. Such people and creatures will think twice about acting against you, but theyÆll also see you as a representative of the thing thatÆs marked you.
Musts: Your high concept must reflect the creature or person who has marked you.
Skills Affected: Deceit, Alertness, Stealth.
ChosenÆs Constitution (CoyoteÆs Gift)[û0]
Description: You are a wizard, or are like a wizardùincredibly long lived for a human, able to recover from injuries just a little better than the next guy. CoyoteÆs gift also grants the ability to deal with mental damage better.
Note: This ability is replaced by any Inhuman or better Recovery or Toughness ability, if any such abilities are taken. In terms of game effects, the uses of this ability are so minor that theyÆre really almost cosmetic; hence the zero cost.
Skills Affected: Endurance, Conviction.
Effects:
Total Recovery. YouÆre able to recover from physical or mental harm that would leave a normal person permanently damaged. You can recover totally from any consequenceùexcluding extreme physical onesùwith no other excuse besides time; simply waiting long enough will eventually heal you completely. (Many wizards use this ability to avoid hospitals, where their tendency to disrupt technology can put others in serious danger.)
Long Life. As a side-effect of your improved ability to recover from injury, your lifespan is significantly extended. In game terms this will rarely have relevance, but itÆs why the Senior Council of the White Council of wizards can talk at length about the events of the American Civil War (many of them were there) and several can go back even further than that.
The Sight [û1]
Description: Wizards and others have learned to open their third eye, perceiving the magical world in great detail. The downside here is that the often phantasmagorical images are burned into their brainsùnever forgotten, always vivid.
Musts: You must have a high concept that shows either that you are a spellcaster or that you have received training of some kind to open your third eye.
Skills Affected: Lore, Discipline.
Effects:
Arcane Senses. Even with your third eye closed you have heightened arcane senses. You may use Lore as if it were an arcane Investigation skill as well as an arcane Alertness skill. You also gain +1 to Lore when using it in this fashion.
WizardÆs Touch. As another aspect of your arcane senses, when you touch another being who has some magic potential, the GM may ask you to roll Lore to catch just a hint of a ôsparköùindicating their nature as something other than mundanely mortal. Even on a failed roll, you might experience some sort of sense that something is ôoff,ö without being able to pin it down.
Opening the Third Eye. You may use the Sight to fully open your third eye, with all of the risks and rewards that come with it. See page 223 for details on how the Sight works.
Soulgaze [û0]
Description: Wizards (and a rare few others) have the ability to gaze upon anotherÆs soul directlyùbut only the first time they make more than a moment of eye contact, and only if the one they gaze upon actually has a mortal soul. When it doesnÆt happen, that in and of itself is an interesting piece of information!
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline.
Effects:
Soulgaze. You are subject to the uses and effects of Soulgaze as described on page 226.
Application of the Sight [+1]. If you have the Sight, above, you may take Soulgaze for free if you so choose. ItÆs not mandatory
Stunts
The Social Graces: Keen awareness of the ebb and flow of social situations makes you the master of your circumstances. When determining initiative in a social conflict, gain +2 to Empathy.
Person of Conviction Your social presence is tightly rooted in your identity as a person of deep faith. You may use Conviction instead of Presence to determine your social stress capacity (page 137).
Stress
Mental 0000
Physical 000
Social: 0000
Essentially, I'm hoping to go for Wizard later on, if the game lasts long enough. Either way, Coyote's going to fuck things up. Story 2 will come up with how he got to New Orleans...
Eh, what the hell, I'll post what I've got. It might be a tad disjointed, I was kinda tired when I wrote it.
Jonathan Earthwalker, 20
Template: Emissary of Power
High Concept: All paths can lead to the Trickster
Trouble: What do you want now, Coyote?
Background:
Jonathan Earthwalker was born a mix, and with a different last name; his fatherÆs side unknown, his mother Asian. His appearance could be one of several different races, and while this had no negative effect on him, it left him feeling ambiguous about himself and his background. What could he call home, and where could he go that might offer him a real sanctuary? His intellect and mindset also set him apart somewhat; with an above-average intelligence, and raised on stories of old and the Bible, he developed a personal belief set integrating many different points from religions and philosophies, yet still centered around Christianity. Much like himself, he liked to say, it was something of a mix, with a strong core.
Over his teenage years, he explored an affinity for connection with others; his skill, it seemed, was empathy towards other people.
He first encountered touches of the other sides when he went to college, and it didnÆt end so well. A mere glimpse, a touch of the Sight, and something he could never unsee was burned into his mind. Worse yet, it saw him. He never learned just what it was, only that it came over to where he was standing on the college green, and looked at him. That was all it did before laughing and bounding away, but those terrible moments drove his mind temporarily into the refuge of its own depths.
His grades shattered, and he took to hiding in his room, praying for help and yet unable to do anything to help himself. Though his parents truly believed in God and the supernatural (or at least, they thought they did for the latter), they did not comprehend what he told them. Taking his slightly deranged talk for something else, they sent him to a wilderness rehab in Arizona to æsort things outÆ.
Background Aspect: Stronger light makes a deeper shadow
Rising Conflict: Though it wasnÆt what he needed, in the wilderness of the desert, Jon found something better than rehabilitation from a nonexistent drug habit. He found peace in the complete silence, the glorious sunrises, and the sheer visceral thrill of being active for himself, chopping wood for the fire and cooking for the others. Most days, he could almost forget about what he had seen. Some, it still left him near insensate. One evening after he thought he caught the edge of something similar in the corner of his eyes, the Sight-burned memory flared again, and he desperately tried to escape into sleep.
Then, something found him. He dreamed, and a coyote came to him, grinning. ôI know what you saw, boy.ö It said, the grin never shrinking. ôYou follow a different God, but we donÆt conflict too much. Most of the time. And he wonÆt give you any sort of ease like IÆm offering, heÆs into all that free will and self-improvement stuff. Nice enough, but itÆs not helping you so far, is it?ö
Jon nodded mutely. The animal was right, even if it was only a dream. God could only help him so far, and up till now, Jon wasnÆt up to the task of overcoming the memory.
The coyote grinned even wider. ôAh, youÆre reasonable enough. I like you, kid, most followers of your God are too stuffy. I see a lot of potential for interesting things in that messy thing you call a mind, but not with that nasty stuff gumming up the works.ö
ôWill you...take it away?ö Jon asked.
Coyote barked a laugh. ôNope. Sorry, even the great me canÆt do that. What I can do, though, is give you a bit of my strength so you can deal with it yourself. Your God wonÆt be too mad about that, even though itÆs taking a shortcut, and all I ask in return isàa few favors, now and then. I might have jobs for you, who knows. IÆll even promise they wonÆt be anything against those morals of yours!ö
Jon frowned. This was seeming less and less like a dream. ôIàdonÆt know. This isnÆt really a dream, is it?ö
The animalÆs only answer was to burst out into loud, crude, barking laughter, rolling on the ground.
ôàfine, haha, jokeÆs on me. IÆm in, but whatÆs involved in this?ö
Coyote flashed upward, so fast it was like heÆd never been on the ground. He appeared behind Jon, leaning over the young manÆs shoulder with his muzzle in JonÆs face. ôWell now, look whoÆs perked up a bit! ItÆs simple, really. All IÆve gotta do isàthis!ö
With a crack, Coyote somehow managed to pull one of his claws out, slapping it onto JonÆs chest. A flare of power rose, engulfing a surprised but otherwise unharmed Jon in it. The claw sank painlessly into his chest, leaving what appeared to be a tattoo in its shape behind. CoyoteÆs laughs faded as Jon seemed to wake; the TricksterÆs parting words ringing in his mind.
ôAnd hey, if you do enough for me, you might put together enough power to take a shot at the thing you saw! How does that sound, huh?ö
Jon thought that sounded just fine.
Rising Conflict Aspect: Choice for chaos
First Story:
Over the next three years, Jon meandered around north-eastern Arizona; his time at the rehab finished, he stayed in the area to work. Changing jobs every so often and never really feeling happy in one place, a year after the rehab he ended up in a town that was mostly Navajo. Though he looked Native American (because his hair had grown out over the last year), and he never said anything to the contrary, somehow the local medicine man knew. He spoke to Jon one day, asking what he was looking for, and why he had that mark.
Jon hadnÆt thought about the mark too often for the last year, though it had done what Coyote promised; the medicine man just smiled and invited Jon to work with him for a while, at least during his stay in the area.
Over the next year, Jon discovered that the medicine man knew what the thing that he had Seen; a naagloshii, or a skinwalker. Terrible beings that held a burning hatred of mankind, and who could only be truly slain by a shaman of the Blessing Way. Earthwalker, the only name the shaman had given, told Jon that while he could not teach him the Blessing Way since he was not a Navajo, the mark he carried might in time give him access to something that could destroy even the skinwalker. It would come at a price, however, the old medicine man warned. Coyote never gave things for free. Unless it suited his whims. But that was the rub of it, mere humans never knew whether Coyote was being whimsical or not.
Earthwalker taught Jon the rest of what he knew about the Art, warning him about the White CouncilÆs Laws and the Wardens. He said Jon would likely have to find a better teacher to control his power, Earthwalker couldnÆt teach him more than how to use his Sight, and his powers would grow over time. It was also likely that CoyoteÆs gift would interfere later on, though the shaman had no inkling of just how.
That very night, as if called by their discussion, Coyote appeared in JonÆs dreams once more.
ôSo, you feeling all better now? The old man teach you some things, huh? Well, I gave you a break to make sure you fixed yourself up, and it looks like you have. Time to go. Head east and south, things will provide themselves.ö
Taking the techniques he learned from Earthwalker, Jon left the small town, following CoyoteÆs call.
Story Aspect: Learning the Way
Skills
Great: Empathy
Good: Rapport, Conviction
Fair: Discipline, Endurance, Deceit
Average: Alertness, Stealth, Guns, Lore
Supernatural Powers
Marked by Power (Coyote, the Trickster)[û1]
Description: YouÆve been marked by something powerful, in a way recognizable to those with a magical affinity. Such people and creatures will think twice about acting against you, but theyÆll also see you as a representative of the thing thatÆs marked you.
Musts: Your high concept must reflect the creature or person who has marked you.
Skills Affected: Deceit, Alertness, Stealth.
ChosenÆs Constitution (CoyoteÆs Gift)[û0]
Description: You are a wizard, or are like a wizardùincredibly long lived for a human, able to recover from injuries just a little better than the next guy. CoyoteÆs gift also grants the ability to deal with mental damage better.
Note: This ability is replaced by any Inhuman or better Recovery or Toughness ability, if any such abilities are taken. In terms of game effects, the uses of this ability are so minor that theyÆre really almost cosmetic; hence the zero cost.
Skills Affected: Endurance, Conviction.
Effects:
Total Recovery. YouÆre able to recover from physical or mental harm that would leave a normal person permanently damaged. You can recover totally from any consequenceùexcluding extreme physical onesùwith no other excuse besides time; simply waiting long enough will eventually heal you completely. (Many wizards use this ability to avoid hospitals, where their tendency to disrupt technology can put others in serious danger.)
Long Life. As a side-effect of your improved ability to recover from injury, your lifespan is significantly extended. In game terms this will rarely have relevance, but itÆs why the Senior Council of the White Council of wizards can talk at length about the events of the American Civil War (many of them were there) and several can go back even further than that.
The Sight [û1]
Description: Wizards and others have learned to open their third eye, perceiving the magical world in great detail. The downside here is that the often phantasmagorical images are burned into their brainsùnever forgotten, always vivid.
Musts: You must have a high concept that shows either that you are a spellcaster or that you have received training of some kind to open your third eye.
Skills Affected: Lore, Discipline.
Effects:
Arcane Senses. Even with your third eye closed you have heightened arcane senses. You may use Lore as if it were an arcane Investigation skill as well as an arcane Alertness skill. You also gain +1 to Lore when using it in this fashion.
WizardÆs Touch. As another aspect of your arcane senses, when you touch another being who has some magic potential, the GM may ask you to roll Lore to catch just a hint of a ôsparköùindicating their nature as something other than mundanely mortal. Even on a failed roll, you might experience some sort of sense that something is ôoff,ö without being able to pin it down.
Opening the Third Eye. You may use the Sight to fully open your third eye, with all of the risks and rewards that come with it. See page 223 for details on how the Sight works.
Soulgaze [û0]
Description: Wizards (and a rare few others) have the ability to gaze upon anotherÆs soul directlyùbut only the first time they make more than a moment of eye contact, and only if the one they gaze upon actually has a mortal soul. When it doesnÆt happen, that in and of itself is an interesting piece of information!
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline.
Effects:
Soulgaze. You are subject to the uses and effects of Soulgaze as described on page 226.
Application of the Sight [+1]. If you have the Sight, above, you may take Soulgaze for free if you so choose. ItÆs not mandatory
Stunts
The Social Graces: Keen awareness of the ebb and flow of social situations makes you the master of your circumstances. When determining initiative in a social conflict, gain +2 to Empathy.
Person of Conviction Your social presence is tightly rooted in your identity as a person of deep faith. You may use Conviction instead of Presence to determine your social stress capacity (page 137).
Stress
Mental 0000
Physical 000
Social: 0000
Essentially, I'm hoping to go for Wizard later on, if the game lasts long enough. Either way, Coyote's going to fuck things up. Story 2 will come up with how he got to New Orleans...
erek has been wounded many times by conventional weaponry, as well as seeing it happen to many other unfortunates who got in his way over the years. As such, Derek has become quite proficient at fixing up people wounded by weapons. Derek uses Weapons instead of Scholarship for first aid, but only if the wound was caused by a normal weapon.