Topic: **Niferbelle's RP Ideas** (F/M, M/M, F/F characters)

[Niferbelle]

After spending my time mostly in group games for awhile, I kind of have a hankering to delve a bit more into one-on-ones again. I don't have any specific ideas in mind, I really like to brainstorm ideas with a partner. That being said, there is almost no genre I won't write in. I suppose a big wish has been for awhile to write sort of a Austin/Bronte style historical romance kind of story. Beyond that I always crave modern fantasy, sci-fi, modern day adventure, Hogwart's universe though I'm more into writing adults than students at the moment and would love to do a Hogwarts in another historical era.

Also below you will find a list of characters that I have created for various games over the years and would like very much to write again but in a one-on-one context. Please PM me if anything catches your interest. Thanks for taking a look!

[Niferbelle]

F, Modern Day Fae in a Small Town

Name: Aithinne Saighneán / Aida Kim (mortal name)
Player: Niferbelle
Concept:  Sidhe / Moonlighting Deputy, Keeper of Mortals for the Winter Court

Court: Winter
Court Rank: Knight/Dame
Sex: Female
Age: @500
Orientation: Pansexual
On’s: Brains, the strong silent type, clashing equals and here.
Off’s: Gentleness, tenderness, emotional attachment and here.

Appearance:
Hair: White
Eyes: Black
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 130

Description:
In her mortal guise Aithinne appears to be a tallish woman of Asian descent. She’s slender and wiry with long, platinum blond hair which is the only unusual aspect of her appearance. She tends to dress casually, in utilitarian clothing, and doesn’t wear much make-up most days.

Her true form is similar in basic appearance as far as features go but the Mantle of Winter has caused an unusual effect in her case, perhaps due to her natural abilities. In this state she appears to be surrounded by a mini aurora borealis which plays around her, often casting her hair and skin in the pale hues of the lights of the far north. Jewels formed of ice adorn her and her dress which will frost over with cracking, cold energy.

Personality:
Taciturn -- If you’re craving small talk or are uncomfortable in silence, Aithinne is not the one you want to seek out. She generally only speaks when asked a question or she has something of consequence to say, otherwise she prefers to keep her own counsel.
Ordered -- Perhaps it was the chaos of her youth but these days Aithinne likes structure and order. This covers everything from the state of her tidy little apartment to maintaining order. As such, she’s grown into her mortal role as deputy and takes satisfaction from keeping the peace beyond her duties to her court.
Detached -- She rarely lets her emotions get the better of her and is able to look at nearly any situation objectively. This causes many people to think of her as cold or uncaring but it’s more her way of trying to keep her actions and decisions as rational as possible. Good things have not happened when she allows her emotions to get in the way.
Humble – In many ways, Aithinne still thinks of herself of the rootless little girl on the edges of society. She is not one to let whatever position she holds go to her head and she holds no grand ambitions. Sometimes her aloof demeanor can be interpreted as an air of superiority but that is far from the truth. Aithinne simply sees herself as someone who has a role to play and tries to do it well for her own sense of satisfaction.
Philosophical – She is quite comfortable in the rarified air of abstract thought and has a tendency to look for pattern and reason in most everything. This is especially true when it comes to mortals. She is fascinated with their attempts over the ages to qualify and illuminate their own existence, from religion to their brand of mysticism to their philosophers. Especially the latter. One of the few ways to hook Authinne into a conversation is the discussion of ideas and the deeper meanings of things.


Changeling Abilities:

Long lived – Outside of Arcadia changelings are mortal though love lived.  Changelings need glamor to live and use their magic.  Glamour is gained from strong emotions or dreams and can be gathered in one of three ways.  Items from the outskirts of Arcadia such as goblin fruit contain glamour, but more commonly Changelings feed on the emotions of humans.  This can be done by leeching already present emotions from humans, stepping into a mortals dreams and stealing a little bit of their dream for yourself or reaping which is inciting quick burst of emotions.  Reaping is not as nourishing as leeching and can cause severe emotional trauma of done repeatedly.

Glamour – The art of making one thing look like another.  All Changelings have this ability to some extent.  Their true selves and all things made of glamour or from the hedge appear mundane to human eyes unless the human has been glamoured in which case they can see the Changelings as they truly are.  Many Changelings learn to expand their use of glamour to spin incredibly realistic illusions. 

Oath Spinning – The Changelings take oaths and promises very seriously.  A true oath will state what is expected of the Changelings and the thing they are oathsworn too and what the repercussions are to both parties should they break this oath.

Contracts:
Contract of Elements - Lighting
-- Can control flow of electricity through an object (i.e. car battery, computer, fuse box, etc.)
-- In a fight she can encase herself in electrical charges that don’t absorb much physical damage but will absorb energy and also damages anyone who strikes her in this state
-- Can load an electrical charge into a substance that is conductive and this charge will stay until it is discharged by touch (for instance, a metal doorknob, metal walking cane, car door). Additionally she can electrify weapons to cause even more damage.
-- Can absorb an electrical charge and disperse it in her body. This has yet to be tested at higher levels – even she doesn’t know what would happen if tried to do something reckless like take a bolt of lightning to the chest.
Contract of Separation
-- Can run across impassable surfaces and slow a fall
-- If unjustly shackled, can escape any restraint
-- Can pass through locked doors and windows
-- can avoid/dodge attacks so long as she doesn’t retaliate
-- can become intangible provided she is without weapon or armor

Oaths:

The Past

Background: Aithinne grew up in the mortal world, an orphan who was  taken in by a man who was not her father, an oathless pooka who went only by the name of Pádraig or Paddy. He was part confidence trickster, part thief, a Fagan-like feature who had assembled his own little band of fae orphans to help in his endeavors. Aithinne’s earliest memories were of the Far East though the little band oved so much from place to place in the end she saw much of the world. Paddy was not unkind to the children though they were expected to pull their weight and he would keep the children entertained with tales of their true parents in the evenings although nobody’s story was ever the same upon each retelling which led them as they grew older to realize he’d probably never told them the truth at all.

Only two ‘facts’ of Aithinne’s story remained consistent – that her mother was a kitsune and her father a great fae king who was exiled from his court. The story of why she had been separated from them or how she had come to be in Paddy’s possession changed many time over the years. She has dismissed it all as a series of fanciful tales created to make a raggedly little girl feel like a princess. In time she gave up wondering about her parents and gave herself the last name of Saighneán, thereby putting all thoughts of her lineage out of her mind.

As Aithinne aged it became apparent that scheming, swindling, and thieving weren't entirely in her nature but fortunately she showed a natural talent in martial abilities, and Paddy was only happy to help hone those skills in the school of hard knocks. Eventually she became 'muscle' a protector of the others when things would get dicey and she was relieved to fill that role. She took it quite seriously despite her youth and might have stayed with Paddy and his band indefinitely but then things turned bad. The little group was scamming its way across the island of Sardinia where Paddy fell into disfavor with agents from the House of Savoy. and more importantly, the shadowy coven that pulled their strings. Paddy was taken captive and while she had been injured seriously in the abduction. she was left with her life intact and was not taken. Her own honor demanded, however, that she try to rescue him and so she set off to do just that though she thought it likely she wouldn't survive the mission.

Thus she ended up in the lair of the Shadow Cabal, an assembly of dark fae with the stink of arcadia still thick upon them. She was terrified as she entered their domain but kept her composure and much to her surprise she was allowed in unmolested. While the dark and twisted creatures within weren't exactly welcoming, they were civil, and er uneasiness increased when she began to realize they were somewhat curious about her. Having never been to Arcadia, she could hardly believe she had anything in common with these creatures at all but she tried to remain diplomatic in hopes that a solution that would allow them both to live could be reached. She was surprised again when Paddy was produced, in terrible condition from abuses she couldn't even imagine, and the Cabal agreed that for a small price they would release him to her provided he leave Sardinia immediately. The price was 'simple' -- a favor to be returned at some future date, payable not by Paddy but by her.

F, Grumpy Tech Girl, Modern Day

Writer: Niferbelle
Character's Name: Andromeda 'Andi' McCandless
Age: 22
Relationship status: Hermit
Sexual preferences: created as Lesbian, willing to write her M/F as well
Profession: IT girl

Appearance: Andi is very alternative in her appearance -- sometimes goth, sometimes nerdy-steampunk-geek, sometimes leather -- and gets away with it because she's good at what she does though she does have a 'uniform' she wears when she's on duty of baggy overalls and boots figuring that's as  normal as she's going to get. Her hair is rarely the same color two days in a row. She's on the petite side, 5'3", her left leg and arm covered with tattoos with smaller ink on her right side. Who knows what she has under her clothes.

Personality and history: Andi grew up in a painfully normal household in a painfully normal small town, the only thing unusual about her childhood was her name. Right from the start though she just never thought she fit in and the older she got, the worse that feeling grew. She wasn't even a teenager before she started losing herself in the wild and wooly world wide web and she essentially found her home. She went to MIT but college wasn't really her thing -- too limiting -- so she dropped out after 3 years to hop into the workplace. She quickly proved herself to be a hotshot with several different corporations trying to recruit her but she took a job in a local company where she could just cruise along. Ambition never really was her thing. 

Things aren't exactly perfect of course. Andi is not exactly a people person. She feels awkward around people and mostly finds dealing with them a pain in the ass. Her surliness is legendary around the office -- some find it humorous, others not so much, but no one doubts that she's good at her job. It's just best to leave dealing with the customers to others.

Ons and offs: She's embarrassed to admit but she has a real thing for beauty queens (super jocks), the kinds who were prom queens and kings and wouldn't give her the time of day in high school. Despite her avant garde appearance she is actually sweet and a little whole lot shy when it comes to romance. She's too introverted for casual sex but despite her frequent declarations that people suck she really doesn't want to be alone. (On/Offs Will basically follow my own).
Extra info: Andi tries very hard to be invisible to people and likes to pretend like they don't exist >.> She is loyal to her employer and feels the office is her domain, however, so of course anything wrong that happens is human error and you'll have a hard time convincing her otherwise. She's always up for using new cool tech stuff in the office.

Face Claim: Amanda Pemberton (Apnea)

M, Modern Day Fae Detective

~BASICS~

Name: Kennet Ahlgren
Age: 114
Species: Raven (shapeshifter)
Occupation: Private Detective/occasional corporate espionage
Role Within the Fae Community: none in particular
Education: Given how important computers are in the current information age, Kennet frequently takes classes to keep his computer skills honed, has no completed degrees but has been none to take a class or two when he needs to know how to do something or needs more knowledge about a subject
Hobbies: jewelry making (it calms him and he likes making the pretties though he tends to keep his best pieces for himself),

How Do They View Humans?: Often entertaining opportunities

~Appearance~

Hair: Red
Eyes: Black (they pass for really dark brown when in human form)
Height: 6'3"
Physical Description: Kennet is tall at 6'2" and rangy, with broad shoulders but otherwise a fairly light build. His most distinguishing feature is his long, bright golden-red hair which he generally wears loose followed by his dark eyes which always have a bit of a bird-like quality even in his human form. He is fairly relaxed in his appearance, some days he may be sporting stubble and other days not, and he tends to dress in black most of the time though he may occasionally show up in white just because. There is a quickness to the way he moves, as if his reflexes are always on the verge of fight or flight, even when he's relaxed.
Distinguishing Features: Tattoo of a raven with outstretched wings on his back when in human form
Character Model: Danila Polyakov

~In depth~

What Do They Feed Off Of?: Secrets and information, whether gathering or revealing it, the greater the impact of the information, the more sustenance he receives from it. For instance, discovering that someone's favorite color is blue would be relatively little nourishment -- discovering someone has snuck dirty nukes into the city would keep him full for quite some time.

Power(s): Can take the form of a large raven, can travel to other planes (or transport others there) via black smoke they generate, has exceptional eyesight and reflexes even in human form
Note: The black smoke that allows travel between planes is not innate but as a result of some spell or substance known only to the Ravens.

Strengths:
-- Combat: Is skilled at hand-to-hand combat though he is most likely to try to avoid physical conflict than pursue it. Proficient with dual axes and has weapons that are charmed to stay with him through changes of form.
-- Personable: Though no extrovert, he's learned how to talk to people and get a good response, the simplest and quickest way to get information. When he puts his mind to it, he's fairly good at manipulating your average person into spilling his/her guts.

Weaknesses:
-- Distractible: He can be caused to lose focus momentarily at times with this lure of other information or secrets to be discovered. In addition he is so keenly aware of his environment that sometimes his attention can get pulled to something small that most people would find easy to ignore.
-- Flockless: Ravens in general are much more efficient working in a flock but he has declined to join another flock after leaving his family and so has no back-up and no assistance when pursuing his secrets.


Personality:
Secretive: As information is his stock, trade, and sustenance, he is never forthcoming, even frequently about simple matters that most people wouldn't think twice about sharing. This can make conversation with Kennet a lesson in patience sometimes. He generally reveals information only at a time of his choosing or when there is direct profit to him.

Possessive: When it comes to things or even other people, once he feels something belongs to him he becomes very defensive about holding onto it. It's why though he makes a pretty good living, he doesn't flaunt how much he has but prefers to horde it away which is why few will ever be invited into his home.

Impassive: It's hard to get a rise out of Kennet as he tends to keep his cards close to his vest. He's seen all manner of things in his life and so is hard to shock. It takes a lot to prod him into a display of emotion.

Solitary: Ever since he decided to forego the flock, Kennet has mostly kept to himself beyond the occasional hook-up. He's been burned by some ties in the past so for now is going it alone. He also has been moving from city to city every few years and so hasn't had a chance to make many new friends anyway.

Perceptive: Whether physically or mentally, not much escapes this raven's notice. Whether it's spotting something in his environment or reading people, he gathers a lot of information just by keeping his eyes open.

Clever: Kennet is a smart guy but more specifically, he's good at thinking on his feet and coming up with ingenious solutions to things.

History: Kennet was born in rural Sweden in 1900 into a large family of dark fae ravens so his course was pretty much set from birth. Kennet was brought early into the 'family business' so by World War I, he was already out in the field with the rest of the flock albeit in a tertiary role. He was generally seen as a promising raven, there were many expectations upon him, and WW I was definitely a terrible time for humanity but an excellent time for raves who made a fortune and kept themselves well fed playing both sides of the military secrets game. During the brief interlude between wars when the flock was primarily just enjoying the spoils of war, Kennet fell in love with another young raven, a lovely young woman by the way of Annika and the two became engaged in a passionate affair.

War called again. With the advent of WW II the flock went into action again. Competition from other flocks, light and dark, was high and quickly created a raven-eat-raven environment. Kennet became increasingly discontent and eventually left the flock, an action that caused a rift between the two young lovers as Annika was still very much devoted to the flock. Alone and aimless for the moment, Kennet came across an attractive woman by the name of Serafina Rinaldi with whom he became briefly infatuated, not realizing she was a seniatta and was using her wiles on him. She eventually influenced him to make an information exchange that happened to interfere with an operation that his former flock was carrying out  and as a result they found themselves ambushed and ion the operation, Annika was killed. Serafina made sure it would trace back to Kennet so the flock came after him and he spent the next several weeks on the run during which he figured out just what Serafina was and what she had  made him do. In time the flock learned about her role in it as well and they shifted their focus to finding her but she was long gone. The flock gave up its vendetta against Kennet but he wasn't exactly welcomed back so with the end of the war, Kennet moved on to the United States to start over there.

He has since worked as a singular agent. The cold war proved a prosperous time as well, and it allowed Kennet to build up his bank account but of course, it was never just about the money. He's been a bit of a ghost among most fae communities he was a part of, largely just concerning himself with his own affairs and trying to stay away from court politics. Throughout this time Kennet continued to attempt to find Serafina but before he succeeded, he got word that she was dead so it remained unresolved for him. He still has a distaste for seniattas to this day.

Recent history has seen him moving from city to city every few years just to keep things fresh. He primarily just takes human contracts from simple PI cases like cheating husbands to more serious corporate espionage. He only very rarely accepts contracts from other fae though he can occasionally be swayed to do so if the price is right. He has just moved to New York and is in the process of setting up an office so he has yet to make any connections here.

Connections: to be determined locally, various family m embers still in Europe

Likes: a good tail wind, indiscretion in others, shiny things, listening to people recount memories, his hair.
Dislikes: People interfering in his business, those dumb Thor movies, loud music, formal court matters
Fears & Phobias: Betrayal, being magically influenced or controlled
O/Os: My On/Offs, Kennet in general likes variety in the bedroom, anything to keep him from getting bored (while following the guidelines of my offs).

M, Modern Day Budding Superhero

Character:

Name: Cameron Casey
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 21
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Mechanic -- restores classic cars, taking some college courses

Appearance:

Hair: Long blonde hair, close cropped beard
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Light but fairly well tanned in the summers
Weight: 195
Height: 6'2"
Other: Just a few small scars from the usual childhood mishaps, no tattoos yet but he's thinking about it

Information:

Personality: Cameron is a solid guy, down to earth and affable with most people he meets. He' got a pretty good life right now as far as he's concerned and it shows in his confidence and general level of optimism. He has a bit of the alpha male syndrome but that's generally kept in check -- he's not the sort to go looking for a fight but he's the sort to end one that comes to him. He's protective of his family, especially his little sister, and has a bit of white knight syndrome when it comes to women. He has a long string of girlfriends who had issues of one sort or another, many of which he is still friendly with though they've broken up and everybody who knows him knows that he often gets calls from his exes still needing help out of some kind of trouble or another and generally he'll help them out. He doesn't do rubber band relationships though, once he's broken up with somebody there's no going back as far as romance goes. He's the kind of guy who can't be hurried, who likes to take his time and enjoy life and most find him generally more mature than other men his age.

Background: Cameron grew up in a typical middle class household. His father is a bus driver for the city and his mother a nurse, and both worked hard and long hours so he found himself early on taking on a lot of responsibility for his little sister, Camilla. He was very much the big brother protector who annoyingly always thought he knew what was best (and still does) but they grew up fairly close. From a young age Cameron was very active and also a tinkerer, the kind of kid who was going to inevitably take apart any toy he got and try to put it back together.

In high school Cameron was a popular kid, never at a loss for friends or interest from girls. He played football in the falls and ran track in the spring but rather than hanging out with the jocks he was often found with the gearheads. His best friend's older brother started a business restoring classic cars and Cameron started working for him part time as he was a natural mechanic and picked things up really quickly. Everyone assumed Cameron would go to college, a likely candidate to pick up a sports scholarship, but when graduation came he had other plans.

There was enough work at the shop that he could go full time and he decided he was through with school for awhile and just wanted to get a head start on his life. This has really been the only source of serious tension between him and his parents who had expectations for him to continue his education and blame him a little for Camilla dragging her heels now about college. He hasn't been dating much as the last break-up was harder on him than he'll admit but he has plenty in his life to keep him busy. Recently he decided he'd like to go back to school and become a mechanical engineer but true to form, he's going to take his time about it and just started taking a couple classes in the evenings.

Nascent Powers:
Elemental Control - Air: At this stage Cameron can manipulate existing air currents and wind. He can direct, concentrate, and disperse though to more modest effect to begin with. He couldn't quell a hurricane or turn a gentle breeze into a gale but he can affect winds to a lesser extent currently.

Hobbies and Interests: Cars, bikes, sports of all kinds, still runs in the mornings even if he has a hangover.

OOC Ons and Offs: See On/Offs for basics.

F, Unusual Zombie Apocalypse Survivor

Full Name : Katrina Mack
Nicknames / Aliases : Mack
Age : 25
Sex : Female
Marital Status : Single

Former Occupation/Position : Musician
Strengths :
- Well Traveled: Mack has spent most of her life on the road and therefore has a good chance of being familiar with a variety of geographical areas. She has a good memory for every place she's ever been and often has esoteric information about whatever region she's in.
- Musician: Mack is an exceptional violin player and also has a decent vice and plays several other instruments though none as well as she does the violin.
- Scrappy: Mack came from a hard knock background and played a lot of shady clubs so she learned to defend herself. She's hardly a martial artist but she can handle herself though she is never too proud to retreat rather than try to stand toe-to-toe.
-Sleight-of-Hand: Call it a family business but Mack can pull a coin from your ear or nick your wallet with ease. Those nimble fingers are good for more than just the violin.
-The Art of the Con: Mack grew up in a family of con men who made a living scamming people and moving on. She was pulling cons with her family before she lost her baby teeth and though she gave up that life, the skills have stuck with her.
Weaknesses :
- Poorly educated: Mack might be a whiz at music and maps but in general her education was lacking. The way her family moved around, she was rarely in school and what her family taught her had little to do with academics.
- Waifish: Mack can walk for days but she's otherwise not very strong or athletically inclined.
- Compulsion: Mack of course doesn't whip out her violin and start playing at the drop of a hat but music is still something of a compulsion for her. She's drawn unwanted attention in the past because she's started whistling or humming or singing or even just tapping out a beat without realizing it when she needs to be quiet.
-Wanderlust: She's so accustomed to living on the road, not just because of the zombie plague, that even if the opportunity arises it would be very hard for her to stay in one place for long, even if it meant relative safety.
Special Gear : Violin, crowbar, .38 in dodgy shape but no ammo, crowbar, .38 in dodgy shape but no ammo, switchblade, collection of maps, a couple decks of playing cards, deck of Tarot cards, extra shirt
Height : 5'7"
Weight / Body type : 120 / slender build, figure in proportion
Hair : Brown
Skin : Tanned
Eyes : Blue
Distinguishing Features : A few small, unremarkable scars scattered across her body but otherwise nothing but an impish smile.

Personality : Mack is a spritely little thing, optimistic and cheerful, even in the face of the zombie apocalypse. She loves music and good conversation and never seems to run out of things to talk about no matter how inconsequential. Despite her downright blithe exterior she is of course as troubled by the catastrophe as anyone else she's just learned to play her emotions very close to her vest. She is much shrewder than most people would realize but that's just fine with her, no reason for anybody to know she's not a spazzy airhead. She's the sort who's great in a small group but is really only happy in a crowd if she's performing.

Likes : Being underestimated, music in all its forms, clothes (yes, even now, if she passes a house or store that seems 'clear' she always has to look for a couple things), cats (though she hasn't been able to keep one), people with a sense of humor
Dislikes : cold, boring people, crowds (unless she's on a stage or the equivalent), cruelty to animals, men who try to be the boss of her
Fears : Losing her violin, being eaten alive, gangs

History : Katrina Mack was born in North Carolina to a family of travelers and those first few months of her life were the longest she ever stayed in one place. She was the youngest child of four siblings and the only girl and it was very much like growing up in a wolf pack. Her family was on the move constantly, moving from community to community, scamming what they could and moving on before the law caught up with them. It was anything but a normal childhood.

Katrina was always musically inclined but by the time she was fifteen she knew it was what she wanted to do so she set out on her own, leaving the cons of her family behind...more or less. Armed with a fake ID, she began a different kind of transitory existence, traveling from place to place but this time to play clubs and pick up any work she could. She struggled through some lean years but slowly her reputation grew, and by the time of the outbreak, she had become the most elusive of creatures, a steadily employed rock-n-roll violinist. She was quite the hit with the independent music crowd, her calendar booked full with festivals and special appearances, the pinnacle of which was an appearance on Austin City Limits, and she had just procured a sweet record contract when everything went to hell.

She was in a big city when the outbreak occurred and barely made it out so she's subsequently tried to keep to less populated areas. She had nearly as many problems with other human survivors as she has the zombies so after some harrowing experiences, she really wants nothing more than to find her own little band to travel with and to steer clear of everybody else.

Sexuality : Heterosexual
Sexual On's and Offs : Will basically mirror mine.

F, Steampunk Thief/Assassin?

NAME: Jasmine Catfoot, known as 'Black Jasmine'
AGE: 18
APPEARANCE: Jasmine was only eight when her city was invaded and she learned the hard way what it meant to  be an easy mark. Her appearance now reflects this. She stands about 5'7" with a lithe, willowy figure that is always clad in black, well covered when she is on the street. Her face is a study in contrast, her pale skin almost ghostly as it contrasts with her dark eyes and gleaming hair, both of which seemed to be cut from the same vein of onyx. Her large, wide eyes are heavily lined with kohl and her small, pouting lips rouged, both of which with the intent to make her look older than her tender years and generally she succeeds at that. She has an easy smile with a hint of mischief in it but her gaze is always sharp and perceptive as if she doesn't miss a thing. She moves gracefully, almost like a lady rather than a young woman of her low class.
BACKGROUND" Jasmine is the illegitimate daughter of the legendary leader of the shadowy organization once known in the city as 'The Guild' who was known as Larraby Catfoot. Jasmine's mother was a merchant's daughter whom Larraby seduced away from her family but never married and she died of the fever before the city was even invaded. Larraby had many bastards running around the street, but he took a shine to Jasmine and kept her close, sensing a certain amount of innate talent in her and honing it.
     When the invasion came, The Guild put up resistance in the streets long after the military failed but eventually the invaders broke the back of the group, claiming they had caught and executed their leader, and those who survived scattered to the four winds, most finding a way to leave town. Jasmine isn't sure if her father is really dead or not but he hasn't been seen in years, and if he's alive, has communicated with none of his old cronies or shown his face anywhere familiar. Too young to strike out for elsewhere, Jasmine had to learn how to survive under the new regime with only a handful of her father's contacts remaining to rely on. She currently works in an opium den, a place frequented by some of the seedier occupiers, where she also provides odds and ends through what is left of a once thriving black market. It has its benefits. She has a little more money than most citizens of the city these days and her customers have a vested interest in her being able to continue conducting business however it would only take the wrong person finding out about it to get her into hot water. It would also be problematic if it became known to them who her father is/was. She has over the years taken lovers among the enemy willingly when it suited her needs, that combined with her 'business' has led some to call her a collaborator but in truth she is as eager to rid her city of its yoke as anyone in the city.

SKILLS: Larraby Catfoot was a thief and assassin of the highest skill and some even whispered that his abilities were supernatural. Jasmine is following in his footsteps. She's stealthy and silent in her movement, with  nimble fingers that can pick a lock or a pocket with equal ease. She's skilled with the knives she has hidden on her person and could use a pepperbox to good effect if need be. She has a good eye for merchandise and can scrounge almost anything up given enough time. Little happens on the street that she isn't aware of. She's fleet of foot and a good climber.
(Some of her abilities are beyond the norm be it magic or things like vanishing potions and/or gadgets)

F, Young Daughter of Hunters (modern day supernatural)

Name: Theodora 'Theo' Fox
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Grade/Occupation: Senior in High School
Orientation: Still figuring it out

Ethnicity: Native American
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5'10"
Distinguishing Marks: Several scars scattered all over from a lifetime of training and a few scrapes; recent gunshot injury to the back, just healing.
Appearance: Theo is tall and lean and walks with a bit of a limp at the moment. She often wears her thick, dark hair in braids and wears little if any make-up. Her clothing is mostly military surplus brightened up by the occasional piece of Native American jewelry. Her face is compromised of angular features that are more striking than pretty and she has a pretty good thousand-yard-stare when she's lost in thought.

Portrayed by: Tara Gill

Talents: Raised by a hunter clan, Theo was raised to be prepared for the worst. She is well versed in the use of guns, bows and even hand to hand fighting and knowledgeable about the lore. Has a decent level of skill with first aid.
Flaws: Theo is recovering from a serious spinal injury that is currently affecting her mobility and strength. Healing completely from it will be a long, drawn out process. The death of her family is traumatic and she worries that if she finds herself facing trouble again, she may have lost her nerve.
Extracurricular Activities: Theo is something of a naturalist and enjoys learning about and observing plants, animals, the local ecosystem, etc. She is an avid hiker, camper, and rock climber though with her recent injury she's been a bit more housebound. She's proud of her heritage and tries to learn all she can of her people's culture and traditions.
Personality: Theo is your typical smart-ass tough girl who hides behind the mask of not giving a shit about much of anything. She's still the new girl in school and so keeps mostly to herself. She doesn't take guff from anybody but neither does she go looking for trouble or seek out confrontation as her experiences have given her a sense of perspective about things that most teens lack. You'll never see her going into histrionics about not finding the right dress for prom or because Billy Bob Jock looked at her funny in home room. What happened to her fa,ily has left her with a lot of anger -- part of her would just like to wipe out every 'wolf she can find, no mercy -- but it has also left with her some doubts about how her family's lifestyle may have contributed to their demise which leaves her at something of a crossroads at this time.
History: Theo grew up on a ranch out west that by appearances looked pretty typical but it was anything but. It was more a compound than a ranch, the home of an extended family most hunters referred to as the Fox Clan. She was raised in the culture of the hunters and she never had a doubt she would grow up to take her place among her family, and her childhood was as happy as it could be in those circumstances. Her family was becoming increasingly militant about their purpose however, and under the leadership of her uncle, sometimes operated outside of the strictures of that all important code. This eventually led to their downfall. A few bad kills and a conspiracy began to take out the Foxes once and for all that culminated with a full blown assault on the compound. Theo was fighting with the rest of them when she was taken down by friendly fire, a stray bullet that caught her in the back, which might be what saved her life. She was severely injured and a minor, and her parents' will stipulated that if there was no family, her guardianship should go to an old family friend. Though she has turned 18 now she is staying with him until she graduates high school. She has some money from the family and the ranch is hers now though she can't take possession of it until she's twenty-one. She's not really sure she wants it or what to do with it and doesn't relish the idea of going back. She bought an old beat-up Jeep with her inheritance but otherwise the money is tucked away and she only touches it to pay for her medical care.
Future Plans: Theo is fascinated by the Native American shamanic tradition and though it's nearly impossible to find a true shaman these, she has a dream that someday she'll find a teacher and take her place among them. Her near death experience has her feeling like the potential is within her.

M, Supernaturally Gifted Modern Day Human

Player Name: Niferbelle

Character Name: Blake Revere

Race/Lineage: Extraordinary Human

Concealment: N/A

Sex: Male

Physical Description: Blake is undeniably a handsome man though he puts no effort into how he looks -- shaggy hair, a few days old growth of not-quite-beard, and clothing that can only be generously described as Goodwill chic. When he cleans up he's stunning but if you see him that way, better take a picture because you won't be seeing it again soon. Despite his lack of care, he has the undeniable air of an alpha male about -- standing 6'3" with sea blue eyes that seem to look through whatever they're fixed on. He's in excellent physical condition and it shows in his leanly muscular body. His hair is light brown, tending toward blond in the summer and darkening in the winter.

Age: 27

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Ons & Offs: Similar to mine (Blake in the role of what I like in a partner).

Place of Birth: small community in upstate New York called Birch Glen

Living Arrangements: Has his own small house, a fixer-upper and the state of the 'fixing up' is always a source of speculation and amusement to others.

Occupation: Construction/handyman, a sort of a jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none type.

Personality: You could say Blake is taciturn but that's a pretty big word and he probably wouldn't be caught dead using it, not when a non-committal grunt will do. He's not a hermit exactly -- so he's the sort to escort old ladies across the street, schlep a grocery bag or ten for the harried, change a tire...a regular boy scout. Just don't expect him to talk about it. The cockiness he was known for in his youth has become a quiet confidence, though it comes down with a certain moodiness that settles over him from time to time -- which he is also not going to talk about. For the most part he leads a solitary life, preferring to be able to walk away at the end of the day for his shabby little home and despite there being no end of opportunities thrown at him, since moving to Birch Glen he hasn't been known to keep any female company...or male for that matter. One place he doesn't skimp on words is in his role as mentor with various youths in the community though even then he will use as few as possible to get his point across.

History: Blake was born into a family with a long and decorated history, each generation with its own tales of heroism and service because of their supernatural gifts. He was raised from day one to take his place among them, his stature growing as the extent of abilities became evident until he was treated as something of a golden child with the attitude to match. Growing up in his shadow was his identical twin brother Byron who was as humble and sweet-matured as Blake was cocky and brash. Some might grow to resent the attention lavished upon Blake but not Byron, who looked up to his brother, content to let him be alpha, and was unflagging with support and affection. Despite their differences in temperament, or perhaps because of them, the two boys were extraordinarily close, often claiming a kind of psychic bond through their years growing up. Byron was also different from his brother in skill and as a young boy, was discovered to have a talent for magic and so began training with the witches while Blake was thrown into physical conditioning and learning to channel his power.

When grown, the two took their places as watchers in their home community, an invasion from the Infernal dimension changed everything. Blake and Byron were both sent out in a team that as it turned out was outmatched and only Blake survived, and then just barely. During the course of the battle he'd had to discharge a large amount of energy and Byron was killed in the resulting blast as collateral damage (their other team mates had already fallen). Blake's physical recovery was slow, his emotional one even more so, most would say it is still ongoing. He crawled into a bottle in the aftermath and stayed in there a couple years, losing anything he hadn't lost yet, including his reputation, in the process. His parents hung in there as long as they could, but already grieving the death of one son, they ultimately couldn't stand to watch the decline of the other and took an assignment in Argentina. Alone and teetering on the edge of being kicked out of the order, Blake eventually managed to get his act together enough to stop drinking and slowly start putting his life back together, moving to Birch Glen to put his past behind him. 

Deciding it would be best to start over elsewhere, he recently moved out to New frontier City and has been settling in. It was decided that with his experience and abilities he would be utilized as a mentor though he's well aware that he's being monitored carefully in that role and his status could perhaps be described as probationary -- at the first sign of instability or drinking again he would probably be out of there.


Family: Hector and Jessica Revere, parents, currently living in Argentina
Byron Revere - twin brother - deceased

Special Abilities: Blake has the ability to absorb energy with which he comes in contact and express yet, usually through physical enhancement of himself (strength, speed). The more energy he absorbs, the greater his abilities become. being 'charged' also allows him some healing abilities when it comes to soft tissue healing though it's not instantaneous but generally enough to keep him alive until he can get to medical attention.

How it works

-- Is able to absorb any kind of energy (electrical, eldritch, magnetic, etc.) which his body converts to a bioelectric energy. This energy in turn temporarily bolsters his strength and reflexes. The increase in these abilities is directly proportional to the amount of energy absorbed. When he successfully absorbs energy he is immune to any damage from it.
-- Can discharge the converted energy as energy when necessary but this process is somewhat taxing and difficult to control so he does it rarely (see limitations). When he does discharge energy, it is always discharged as the bioelectric energy -- he couldn't, for example, absorb radiation then release it as radiation as his body instantly converts all forms of energy to a form it can use.
-- While he is holding absorbed energy, he is resistant to mental influence/psionic attack as the bioelectric energy he generates interferes with these abilities. When he is not 'charged' he has no special resistance, just his training and orneriness.
-- Can absorb elemental energies (firebolt, icebolt, etc) but does so less efficiently and will still take some damage from it if it's significant enough. He could, for instance, absorb a match with no ill effect but if forced to absorb a fireball, he would sustain damage from it, just less than a normal person would. He also wouldn't be able to make full use of the energy of a firebolt.

Limitations

-- No Off Switch: If his body comes in contact with energy, it's going to try to absorb and convert it, he has yet to be able to stop the process from happening.
-- Burn out: It is possible for him to be overloaded. The amount of energy he can absorb has been increasing over the years but it is still possible for him to take in too much which results in first vast amounts of pain then damage to his body and if not stopped, death. Any time he is 'charged' and unable to express the energy either through physical activity or discharging it, it causes discomfort which grows over time. As he absorbs sunlight and other ambient energies, this means he the only time he can truly be at rest is in complete darkness. He is active most of the time to compensate.
-- Control: He can discharge his energy as am area 'blast' or a more focused beam or bolt but there are difficulties with this. To do so taxes him greatly and could possibly leave him incapacitated for a length of time if the amount of energy is great enough. He could not, for instances, discharge in the middle of a fight and simply continue fighting as he would need some recovery time. Additionally, he has yet to be able to control the amount of energy he discharges and so when he does so, he discharges everything he has stored, likely causing greater damage than he needs to or wants to, in the case of his brother, to tragic end.
-- Interference: The more highly charged Blake gets, the more it's prone to interfere with electronics in his area such as computers, cell phones, etc.
-- Limited Healing: While Blake can heal enough to say stop excessive bleeding or partially close gaping wounds, he is still prone to medical issues deriving from things like infection, poison, disease, etc. Broken bones will heal faster for him but still require days vs. weeks and as his abilities seem to be centered through his nervous system, he cannot accelerate the healing of neural damage, including brain injury.

Special artifact/item: Nothing magical, just a variety of good quality weapons.

Martial Skills: Formidable in hand to hand combat, a mish mash of styles he's learned over the years. Proficient in a wide array of hand-to-hand weapons, he especially excels in 'improvised' weaponry and can make use of pretty much anything he finds. More likely to use a gun as a club than shoot it.

Will-o'-the-Wisps

Will-o'-the-wisps  are creatures of pure energy from the heart of Gaia. As their own name for their race is not pronounceable by corporeal beings, the name Will-o'-the-Wisp  has been adapted throughout most of the realms to describe them.  Inscrutable even to the their inhabitants of their realm, they are ancient creatures that are most often looked to as guides and advisors and treated with great respect, far different creatures than the spectral lights are thought to be on Terra. It is said there is nothing that the will-o'-the-wisps cannot heal and with their power they could save or destroy worlds if it were concerted yet they have proven to be reluctant to intervene in the affairs of corporeals. Though physically they appear to be small they are actually complex creatures that require great energy to exist, able to be found  in the ambience of the deepest wilds of Gaia but caught in another realm, they can only hope to subsist.

Seeing the power to be tapped there, occasionally a powerful wielder of magic from another realm will summon a Will-o'-the-Wisp, and despite these beings' great wisdom, once separated from home they have no means to return to their home realm. The witch, wizard, or other being is usually  not able to tap the power once they have the creature nor even contain it and so the Will-o'-the-Wisp is frequently left to wander the environs. With no physical form and no ability to sustain itself in the other realms, the unfortunate Will-o'-the-Wisp is faced with two terrible choices -- slowly starve to death or survive by consuming the lifeforce of others, something which is anathema to its very being. Either choice most often  leads to  madness for the creature, giving it the unjust reputation of being the trickster that leads those who follow it to their deaths. Sometimes the Will-o'-the-Wisp will be lucky and another being from Gaia will find it and return it to its home. Rarest of all is the rumor that sometimes a Will-o'-the-Wisp might possess a corporeal form and be able to survive outside of Gaia but at the cost of losing the qualities that make it unique. It was just such a possessed human, a blend of flesh and energy, that is said to infuse the Revere line with its extraordinary abilities.

It was said the first offspring between a hosted Will-o'-the-Wisp and a human took place in 6th century Britain. In the case of most halfbreeds, the natural abilities of the empowered parent were diluted in the offspring, but here something more interesting happened. The children born to this arrangement were human in appearance and sustained themselves as any human would, their vitality was fed by the energies that naturally occur in the realm. While a Will-o'-the-Wisp requires the ambient lifeforce of Gaia to survive, or the closest substitute, the lifeforce of other living things in other realms, the human physiology of these halfbreeds allow them to absorb the energies most common in Terra. The humans that would become the Reveres exhibited various gifts. Some simply developed the gift of magic and the ability to channel magic through arcane means. Others could use the energy for healing, for increased strength or speed, some even it was claimed could temporarily turn themselves into a form of light like their ancestors or throw lightning from their fingertips. Then every few generations a human of great power would be born, one who combined several of the singular gifts enjoyed by the others, whose potential was vast.

It is claimed, though it is of course difficult to verify, that there is some kind of link between the Reveres and their Will-o'-the-Wisp ancestors and that periodically a Will-o'-the-Wisp will seek a host and breed once more with the bloodline. The last time this was said to happen was about 150 years. Why the Will-o'-the-Wisps would do this or why they don't more often seek out corporeal hosts is unknown.

F,  Modern Day Suspense, Possibly Supernatural

Name: Lake Criswell (originally born Micaela Ray, publishes under the pseudonym C.C. Alexander)
Age: 24
Job: Novelist

Physical Description: Lake is around 5'9" and 110 pounds, her pale blond hair cut in layers around her face and her bright blue eyes combined with her build giving her a decidedly Scandinavian appearance. Long-legged and curvy, she looks great in a snug pair of jeans which is fortunate as it's about all she wears. Her face is pretty but she has strong features -- an angular jaw, high cheekbones, a long, straight nose. There is usually something guarded or wary in her expression as if she can't ever be quite at ease and at other times a sense of weariness about her that makes her seem older than her years. She takes care of herself but always looks a little unkempt from her tousled hair to her ultra casual wardrobe of jeans, boots, and T-shirts.

Background: Lake was born Micaela Eloise Ray in a small town in Iowa. Believing her mother ran off when she was just six, Micaela was raised by her father and appeared to have a normal life. There was, of course, always a good explanation for the bruises that would show up on her from time to time. But in time the facade would be shattered. During her childhood, the Midwest was being preyed upon by a serial killer known who abducted young women and left their bodies in corn fields throughout Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri. Though the victims kept piling up and FBI was heavily involved, it took several years to finally discover the culprit, something that happened only because his thirteen year old daughter turned him in. One of the most prolific serial killers ever turned out to be John David Ray, and it was Micaela who found his stash of trophies from the murders and ran to the local police. Her father was shot and killed as police tried to apprehend him and that should have been the end of it.

Micaela didn't have any relatives suitable for her to live with so she ended up in the foster care system. She was in a couple homes with basically good people who were trying but she was troubled and never really able to make any lasting connections with people after all she'd been through. the only exception was Bree Lewis, another foster kid she met at one of her homes, and the two became like sisters. Bree is the one person Micaela kept in touch with over the years. Often wherever Micaela lived it came to be believed that the house was haunted but it truth the only poltergeist was Micaela who has, like her father did, telekinesis and during her adolescence Micaela found it hard to control. In fact, she still struggles with it sometimes now whenever she feels strong emotion.

Once she turned 18, Micaela was happy to be on her own. She got a full time job and took some college classes but she didn't conform well to the structure and never got a degree. More and more she found herself disturbed by reporters and creepy serial murderer groupies who would contact her and dredge things up again when all she wanted was to forget about it, so after a year or so she changed her name to Lake Criswell and moved to Chicago to disappear into the city. It worked for awhile. There Micaela, now Lake, was able to commit to her writing, something she'd wanted to do since childhood, and much to her surprise found success. Lake has published two horror novels under the pseudonym C.C. Alexander, another layer of identity she's constructed to protect herself, that sold well and were critically well received. But Lake has spent the better part of this year struggling to write her next book and has run into an epic case of writer's block. To make matters worse, she received a padded envelope in the mail one day addressed with her new name, and when she opened it, she found a clump of woman's hair and a tooth (the same items her father used to take from his victims for souvenirs) with a typewritten note that said 'Daddy's coming for you.' She freaked, as anyone would, and called Bree (who was by now living in Seacoma) in a panic. Bree insisted that Lake come out and stay with her and Lake agreed but by the time she packed up a few things and drove out to the west coast, something happened. In that time Bree has disappeared and Lake has no idea what has happened to her. She does know, however, that Bree frequented a club called Pandemonium and would start there looking for her.

M, Made for Firefly can be altered to work with general sci-fi

Name:  Seth Laramie Kittredge III (not even the crew is aware of this name, he doesn't give it freely)
Nickname (if any): He has a number of aliases and nicknames, the handle he prefers his friends to use is Jupiter or 'Jupe'.
Loyalty: himself, his crew, his fellow information liberators
Shipboard Role and/or Rank: Cortex Wizard/Electronics techie
Former Military Rank: None
Creed (if any): Your lies will always catch up with you and if I can help that along I will.
Strength: Cortex Ghost -- Jupiter no longer exists on the net. He has managed to wipe out his identity and even an Alliance patrol wouldn't get an ID on him if stopped. He has many aliases and false IDs, any one of which may be active at any given time as he tends to cycle through them. These IDs are very carefully constructed and hard to pinpoint as forged so he takes great care not to 'contaminate' them so they can continue to be used.
Weakness (name 1): Is lacking in any real combat skill. He carries a taser in hopes he can catch somebody by surprise if he gets in a bind but he's not the first guy you'd want beside you in a fight.

Character Skills:
Hacking: The cortex is his playground and he plays anywhere he wants.
Electronics:[/] Don't ask him to fix an engine but he's a whiz with electronic systems like cortex terminals, coms, etc).
Forgery: Any kind of 'papers' you  need he can make it look good.
Influence/Manipulation: Not just skilled with a keyboard, he's good at talking his way in and out of things.
Security Systems: How to beat 'em, how to set up good ones.
Customs and Cultures: Wherever he ends up he has a good grasp of what makes each world unique and what to look out for.

Legal Status: A couple of his past aliases are wanted by the law but he's retired them.  Seth Laramie Kittredge III is wanted by the law, and worse, Blue Sun, but he does a pretty good job of scrubbing the notices on himself.

Character Background: Jupiter was something of a golden boy in his youth. The only son of a high ranking Blue Sun executive, he was doted on by his mother and two younger sisters and pretty much had the world on a silver platter.  A citizen of Ariel, he went to the  best schools and from a very young age exhibited a technical aptitude that was well beyond the norm. His father encouraged developing this trait, not once considering that his son might not follow in his footsteps. In fact

[Niferbelle]

Characters continued!

F, Fantasy, Tailor and Reluctant Agent

Character Name: Zandalee Ambersky

Career: Zan is a tailor extraordinaire, her gowns all the rage among the more adventurous of the upper class.

Race: Half-elf

Age: 72

Appearance: Zandalee is tall for a half elf, something the elves found somewhat vulgar, standing at 5’8”, slender but voluptuous of figure. Her face shows some sign of her elven heritage, but she lacks any sense of her kin’s haughtiness or ethereal nature. Her most elven features are the large, pointed ears that peek out through her thick dark hair which seem to be a never ending source of exasperation for her. Her skin is caramel colored and unmarred, her lips full, her eyes green and almost always lit with a spark of merriment. Despite the exotic gowns she creates for others, she is nearly always dressed practically in a long, form-fitting tunic over smooth breeches tucked into very expensive boots. She wears her hair in a variety of styles depending on her mood.

History: Zan was the product of a mysterious birth, both in that the identity of her human father was never revealed to her and that she was the only child of the infamous, enigmatic Zara the Shade. An elf of great age and great renown, Zara was something of an outcast even among her own kind as rumors swirled around her for most of her life. Some said she was a cold-hearted assassin who killed for no other motive than money. Others said she could come and go like smoke due to dark arts or some pact with an evil entity. Some even proposed that Zara was a changeling of some kind who was only pretending to be an elf for her own aims. None of the rumors or any of the others were true, so far as Zan knew, but in truth her mother was nearly as mysterious to her as she was to everyone else.

Zara sometimes returned to the elven communities where she and her half-breed daughter were tolerated if not welcomed, though the people of any community felt relief when they left. Zan traveled at the side of her mother, a bright and nimble girl, absorbing everything her mother could teach her about her craft. The two traveled extensively, mixing with countries and cultures around the known world, even those that were not known to be friendly to elves. They would have happily gone on so for many more decades if not for Abbadon.

When word of Abaddon’s aggression against the elves reached Zara, she rushed back to the Ermine Forest in defense of the very people who had so long shunned her. Zara proved to be invaluable in the war, many of the tactics used by the elves so successfully in the early part of the campaign were by her design. The loss of human officers at her hands was so prolific, in fact, that Abaddon’s generals assigned a special team to bring her down, eventually involving mages to finally thwart her. It was the night the Great Conflagrations began that Zara found herself cornered, outnumbered, and subject to arcane forces even she could not counteract. Zan lost track of how many men it took to bring her mother down, but Zara the Shade fought a long, bloody battle to the death to give her daughter the time she needed to escape. And flee is exactly what Zandalee did.

After the defeat of the elves, Zan resolved to set aside and put all thoughts of following in her mother’s footsteps aside. She gathered what remained of her mother’s possessions and buried them in a remote, secret place and hit the road, just trying to stay one step ahead of the slavers and eke out some kind of normal existence. She and her mother had always sewn their own clothing and Zan knew she had a knack for it so she took it up as a trade, traveling from town to town and never staying long enough to get into any trouble. She learned to bury all the rage and outrage over her mother’s death and the enslavement of the elves, but every day she seemed to bear witness to increasing outrages perpetrated by this self-proclaimed emperor which conflicted with her resolve not to get involved in such matters any more. Not to mention, her skill with a needle was starting to get her a following and it eventually caught the attention of Master Tailor Vesimus, who saw some of her work sought out this upstart to invite her to an apprenticeship in Madrigal. He nearly changed his mind when she showed up, impudent and clearly of elven heritage, but his business acumen told him she could make him a lot of money and so she stayed.

A few months after arriving in the city, Zan received the first of many visits from a strange bird, a raven of considerable size, who flew through her window and made himself quite at home. He bore a note, written in a code her mother once used, that gave Zan instructions for a parcel to be picked up at the household of a soldier of the emperor’s army and taken to a small apothecary shop near the market. Zan answered this request with a note of her own that simply said ‘Sod off’ but the bird returned with a note repeating the request but this time scented with a very particular scent that her mother had been fond of. Zandalee performed the task due only to what she saw as an implied threat or blackmail if you will. Being identified to anyone in power would only result in a very nasty end.

Since that time she has regularly received requests in this manner – simple errands or requests for seemingly innocuous information like the favorite food or flower of one of her clients, or simply to repeat some of the women’s gossip she’d heard around the shop. Over time she’s thinking less and less that this is some kind of blackmail as she’s begun to piece some things together. It occurs to her now that her mysterious taskmaster is someone who very much has the concerns of the rebellion in mind. She pretends to be unhappy with this realization, but somewhere deep inside all that pain and anger and outrage she’s buried is starting to twitch.

Skills: Her mother’s tutelage, as far as it got, gave Zan the skills of a competent thief and assassin in her own right should she choose to employ them. She has no use for long blades, but usually carries a couple of concealed daggers or dirks for self defense. Her mother also taught her the art of unarmed combat and Zan could use just about anything she picked up as a weapon. Due to her travels, Zan can speak a smattering of most of the known languages and is fluent in some of them.

Faction: Neutral leading toward pro-revolution

How Your Character Fits In: Zan is a rare breed, a half-elf who has managed to eke out a fairly comfortable existence in the city on her skill alone. She is known to most of the nobility in the city as her popularity as seamstress is nearly unmatched. This has allowed her to become acquainted with those far above her station and has even granted her access to some of their homes. While none of them would acknowledge her publicly due to her race and social stature, of course, some of the younger nobility are actually well acquainted with her and might seek her out from time to time for a drink, a game of cards, and a friendly ear in private settings. Master Vesimus pays her a much smaller cut of her business than he would to a human journeyman, but she accepts this as she’s still making enough money to live comfortably and in high spirits. To all she seems a talented designer, a bon vivant without a care in the world and certainly no interest in politics. She has more friends than she can count, lovers when she chooses to have them, and all in all she couldn’t have a better life.

There’s just that matter of this pesky bird that keeps showing up…

What do you want out of this game: I’d like to see Zan getting drawn more and more into the struggle, perhaps having to reawaken that part of herself that died with her mother. More of an agent than a soldier on the battlefield, but it might be entertaining to see her end up there as well. The main thing is developing the idea of this raven. I have no preconceived ideas of who is sending it. I was thinking that some of the possibilities are that the raven is a familiar of a mage; that the raven is actually a changeling; that it could even be an agent of one of the gods who have decided to involve him/herself in the affairs of man; or maybe it’s just a well trained bird! The bottom line is, the person behind it be someone who is highly involved in the resistance and probably someone who knows who her mother is and is hoping Zara the Shade’s daughter learned a thing or two growing up.

So far the requests brought by the raven have been fairly easy tasks or requests for information, nothing that struck her as too dangerous. But as the game progresses I expect this to change as she is asked to do things that are much riskier. She will, of course, express her displeasure with this.

F, Western Setting

Name: Delia Atherton
Age: 19

Physical Description: Delia is 5'2" and just over a hundred pounds, pleasantly attractive though not exactly a showstopper. Her face is round and delicate of feature which combined with her hazel eyes gives her a girlish appearance still though her gaze is straightforward and her eyes are expressive and hint at an intelligent mind. She has thick, wavy brown hair that misbehaves whatever style she attempts, stray tendrils of hair always framing her face when she puts it up, so often she just wears it down and loose though that might be against convention. She dresses mainly in simple skirts and blouses and a pair of sturdy boots and always wears a cameo locket with a picture of her mother inside.

Biography: : Delia's father was Theodore Atherton, the youngest son of a wealthy Bostonian family who committed the unpardonable sin of falling in love with the daughter of a maid, Kathleen Sullivan, and was disowned when he refused to stop seeing her. The two ran away together and headed out west where he found work where he could as a telegraph operator and later as a journalist whose stories were published in newspapers back east where folks were hungry for news of the west. Kathleen died of a fever when Delia was just three and father and daughter led a semi-nomadic life, drifting from town to town, chasing the frontier to fuel Theodore's writing. Delia had little formal education but her father was well-educated and looked after her intellectual development so well she was somewhat precocious as a child. In addition to his more serious pieces, Theodore made extra money as a writer of dime novels under the pseudonym of Hank Quick. Together he and Delia would scheme up the adventures and have a good laugh.

About six months ago, Delia and her father arrived in El Paso but he was seriously ill and died just days later. Alone in the world and uncertain what the future would bring, she decided to settle there for the time being and is still in residence at the east boarding house. She covers her room and board in part by helping out there but she also has some money that was left to her. Additionally, her father left a half-finished novel when he died which she later finished and sent off to the publisher who has agreed to continue publishing stories under the pseudonym her father used if she can continue to write them well enough to uphold their popularity. She's happy to do so but she hopes one day to write a serious novel and become a writer of note.

Delia has a horse of her own and still has her father's revolver though it's hidden away in her room and she never carries it. She knows how to load it, care for it, and could probably fire it without hurting herself but that's about the extent of her skill. She's a skilled cook and a competent equestrienne.