“What's past is prologue.”
Eleanor McKenzie had a hard life. Born to two Mages of the Conclave of Boston, it was clear she not only had the Gift of magic at a young age, but she was a prodigy as well. Unfortunately for her, her father was the Black Staff (ie Enforcer/Assassin) of the Conclave while her mother was infamous for her dabbling in dark and, often forbidden, magic of the Mind. Often she would see her father return home with his hands, literally, drenched in blood which contrasted with his kind and playful attitude with her.
Eleanor’s mother, however, ruled the household and her “lessons” with Eleanor consisted of horrific abuse (including terrifying illusions and paralyzation of Eleanor’s limbs). Her parents dark ways would catch up to them, however, and at fifteen years of age, Eleanor found herself witnessing the vicious murder of her parents by the other mages of the Conclave when word broke out about them planning a coup.
Eleanor fled and was eventually found and assisted by two men: one a Catholic former alcoholic monster hunter named Jude Solomon and a “half-ghost” Iraq war veteran named Gavin O’Leary. Jude adopted Eleanor and the unlikely trio spent several years fighting numerous dark entities that hounded the Boston area.
Like her parents, though, the Conclave found her and, after a complex series of manipulations, betrayal, and brutal fighting, Eleanor was caught in yet another traumatizing and bloody conflict. Afterwards, Eleanor decided that, despite her great power, a normal existence was what she needed. With Jude’s blessing, she fled to Shetucket County in nearby Connecticut, using money and spells to hide her presence from the Conclave and other enemies she had made along the way.
Although still in touch with her adopted father Jude, her old partner Gavin, and her best friend (a Changeling her age by the name of Miranda), “Hannah Booth” maintains a quiet existence as a waitress in a blue collar suburb in Shetucket and has so for the past year. Just long enough to think her old life is behind for good. But then she meets her new single neighbor and their family. Eleanor may be a mage but she's still human and feelings of love and family touch the lonely woman as much as anybody else. She continues to remain neighborly and friendly with the new people in her life until she finds out about their problem and how desperate they are to solve it before the loving family ends up dead...
Eleanor is one of my favorite creations, natural since she’s a bad ass, sarcastic, pretty, and with a bit of a (understandable) chip on her shoulder. She has a very long and detailed backstory but, since I’ll be playing her, it’s not necessary to know all the details. Like
Shetucket County and
Regina, Eleanor lives in my “To Byzantium” universe, primarily a mix of the Dresdenverse and new World of Darkness.
This story was very much inspired by the movie Drive but with a mage in place of The Driver. The details of the neighbors are entirely left to you. It can be a man or a woman, strongly preference that they have young kids, and their problem can be magical or mundane (perhaps similar to the characters in
Storm Front). This is so you can fill it with whatever you think might fit well.
Additionally, Eleanor might be dragged back into the world of magic by something else besides a desperate neighbor if you like. Possible ideas:
- A great threat is consuming Boston and everyone needs to help stop it so it does not threaten the country or even the world. YC is a representation of the Conclave (or some other supernatural group) that is sent to find her and bring her back.
- Her family, Jude, Gavin, or Miranda, is in desperate trouble and needs help. YC is one of these characters (or another character that has a history with Eleanor).
- Eleanor’s “hosts” (the mage Cabal of Shetucket County) calls in Eleanor’s debt for a dangerous but essential mission. YC is the person they partner her up with.
- Eleanor falls in love with YC who can either be supernatural (Mage, Werewolf, Changeling etc) or YC is a mortal that falls in love with Eleanor…only to find out what she really is.
Like I said, this is an old favorite of mine so I’m very excited to brainstorm any ideas you might have!