sample file · leadership depending on the situation – aslan for combat and tactical situations,...

2 3

Personae is a relatively new motley, formed just over a year ago. The Hunchback, who had been dwelling mostly in or near the Hedge surrounding the freehold, ran into a threat larger than he was able to handle himself and suffered grievous injury. He survived, but decided that if he were going to continue to spend large amounts of time within the Thorns, it would be a good idea to have some backup. With an eye towards the safest and most advantageous manner in which to end his lonely vigil, he decided against joining other established motleys in the area, and instead recruited several other functional but undirected loners – Aslan, Romeo and Keridwen – to join him. Nicola, the newest member of the motley, was added to the group a short time later when it became clear to The Hunchback that her political manipulations could be useful to the motley.

Personae takes its name from several sourc-es, most of which were mined by Keridwen when she proposed the name for the group. Dramatis Personae is a term used to refer to a casting list of the characters in a book or play, and since every member of the motley uses a name which relates to some sort of fic-tional character, she felt it appropriate. And, as Romeo is proud to point out, everyone in the group is (or at least was) “persona non grata” – unwelcome people or those with little value – within the freehold, at least until they joined forces.

The motley as a whole is closely tied to the city. They rent a large older home in one of the

not-so-great areas of town from a disreputable landlord who doesn’t care that they don’t have much in the way of ID or references, so long as they pay regularly and in cash. Between Keridwen’s witchery and Aslan’s physique, thugs, vagrants or would-be thieves rarely bother their home, even though the crime rate is rampant in the area. The house is in poor condition, however, and is often in threat of foreclosure as the owner pockets their cash rent payments and skips out on paying the mortgage. An occasional visit by Aslan is sometimes necessary to ensure that the money reaches its proper destination and the fore-closure announcements are put off for a few more months. It may not be much to look at, but the house serves as a central spot for the motley to protect each other and pool their limited resources to eek out an existence. It also can be used as a site from which to enter the Hedge in relative privacy (a particular boon for The Hunchback).

In general, Personae’s current primary goal is to protect the motley-members’ safety while keeping an eye out for opportunities to increase their standing within the free-hold. Under Nicola and The Hunchback’s cautions, they’ve stayed mostly out of the political circle thus far, watching and learn-ing all they can about the area and popula-tion before making any grabs for power. Each member has personal goals as well, but each would also like for the group as a whole to be recognized as a useful and important part of the freehold.

Sam

ple

file

2 3

Some tension exists between the more intro-verted members of the motley (predominantly Nicola, Keridwen and the Hunchback) and their outspoken and flamboyant Spring and Summer cousins. Romeo tends to defuse this situation with humor, flirting with the Hunchback as well as his female motley-mates. He hasn’t carried through with his seductions, however – perhaps he realizes that such an act might eventually drive a wedge between the motley members and harm the safety they’ve built with each other. Aslan’s boisterous (and egotistical) attitude, on the other hand, may well put the motley into situations that they’d prefer not to be in. They’ve got his back, even when he’s wrong – at least in public. In private, however, they’re likely to dress him down if his attitude gets them into trouble.

Within the motley, Aslan tends to take the public role of “leader.” His size and powerful presence attract a great deal of attention, and most of those who meet the group assume he leads them with an iron fist. In truth, how-ever, the group works in a fairly egalitarian manner, with each individual taking a role of leadership depending on the situation – Aslan for combat and tactical situations, Romeo for social matters, Keridwen for medical or occult situations, The Hunchback for Hedge and defense issues and Nicola for all things political. While they tend to keep this ar-rangement fairly quiet (at The Hunchback’s suggestion – the less potential rivals know about you, the better), it has served them well over the last year.

Sam

ple

file

4 5

Quotes: “Nice dress. I bet it would look great on the floor by my bed. Shall we check?”

“Once you’ve had darkling, you’ll never go back.”“There’s something to love in everyone, and I’m ready to brave the depths to find it.”

Virtue: Charity. Romeo believes that every individual has some-thing within them that is capable of inspiring Desire – it’s just a matter of being able to look deeply enough to find it.

Vice: Lust. While Romeo recognizes that not all desire is carnal, it’s the flavor he prefers to focus on.

Background: Before your durance, you were a shy and un-popular young man, barely able to stutter out a full sentence in the presence of the opposite sex. In your mind, however,

you played out intricate fantasies of wooing those around you with suave mannerisms and cunning words. Your Keeper sensed that intense imagination and gave you the opportunity to serve as Her ultimate fantasy lover – a different face and persona for each whim that struck Her. However, in time She grew bored and began sending you out of the Hedge to seduce humans and bring them back to Her. During one such foray, you

broke free of Her influence and never went back. For years you traveled the globe, certain your Keeper was at your heels. She’s

never shown back up, however, and while you’re still wary, you’ve slowed down long enough to form ties with the rest of Personae, hoping to trade in the speed and flexibility of a lonely life on the road for the strength and support of your motley-mates, should She come looking for you.

Description: Slim and nimble, you have an effete, almost an-drogynous frame, and favor clothing that further blurs the line between historic-feminine and romantic-masculine. In your Mask and “natural” mien, you have the swarthy skin and dark hair and eyes that are mistaken for everything from Greek to Spanish to Black Irish. As a Mirrorskin, however, you’re capable of wearing an almost infinite variety of faces, and tend to change your own fea-

tures to coincide with whatever are preferred by your current object of affection.

Romeo

Sam

ple

file

4 5

Roleplaying Hints: First and foremost, you want to avoid any chance of your Keeper returning to reclaim you. This desire is followed in almost equal intensity by the desire to keep your former job (as a procurer for your Keeper) quiet, as you fear even your motley will not forgive you if they find out.

These fears are masked by a very cavalier playboy attitude and a blatantly flirtatious approach towards everyone and everything you come across. Since joining the motley, you have seduced everything from clowns to queens and hobs to hedgebeasts. It’s not that you’re “easy” per se – you just believe that there’s something desirable to be found in every individual, and if you can’t discover it, it’s just because you haven’t searched deeply enough. Besides, when confronted with such a blatant façade, few search deeper to discover your real secrets – which suits you just fine.

Weapons/Attacks:Type Damage Range Dice PoolPistol, Lt. 2 20/40/80 6

Sam

ple

file

Clarity10 O

9 O

8 O

7 O

6 O

5 O

4 O

3 O

2 O

1 O

Skills

Name:Player:Chronicle:

Concept:Virtue:Vice:

Seeming:Kith:Court:

Power

Finesse

Resistance

AttributesIntelligence: OOOOO

Wits: OOOOO

Resolve: OOOOO

Strength: OOOOO

Dexterity: OOOOO

Stamina: OOOOO

Presence: OOOOO

Manipulation: OOOOO

Composure: OOOOO

Other TraitsMerits

OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO

Flaws

Contracts OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO

Pledges

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Health

Attributes: 5/4/3•Skills 11/7/4 (+3 Specialties) • Seeming: Choose 1 free Skill Specialty in Athletics, Brawl or Stealth; Record Blessing and Curse • Contracts 5 dots • Merits 7 • (Buying the fifth dot in Attributes, Skills or Merits costs two points) • Health = Stamina + Size • Willpower = Resolve + Composure • Size = 5 for adult human-sized • Defense = Lowest of Dexterity or Wits • Initiative Mod = Dexterity + Composure • Speed = Strength + Dexterity + 5 • Starting Clarity = 7 • Wyrd starts at 1 dot • Glamour starts at 1/2 maximum (determined by Wyrd).

O O O O O O O O O OWillpower

Glamour

O O O O O O O O O OWyrd

Mental(-3 Unskilled)

Academics OOOOO

Computer OOOOO

Crafts OOOOO

Investigation OOOOO

Medicine OOOOO

Occult OOOOO

Politics OOOOO

Science OOOOO

Physical(-1 Unskilled)

Athletics OOOOO

Brawl OOOOO

Drive OOOOO

Firearms OOOOO

Larceny OOOOO

Stealth OOOOO

Survival OOOOO

Weaponry OOOOO

Social(-1 Unskilled)

Animal Ken OOOOO

Empathy OOOOO

Expression OOOOO

Intimidation OOOOO

Persuasion OOOOO

Socialize OOOOO

Streetwise OOOOO

Subterfuge OOOOO

Seeming Blessing: Seeming Curse: Size: Defense: Initiative Mod.: Speed: Armor: Experience:

Clarity10 O

9 O

8 O

7 O

6 O

5 O

4 O

3 O

2 O

1 O

Skills



Seeming:Kith:Court:

Power

Finesse

Resistance


Wits: OOOOO

Resolve: OOOOO

Strength: OOOOO

Dexterity: OOOOO

Stamina: OOOOO

Presence: OOOOO

Manipulation: OOOOO

Composure: OOOOO

Other TraitsMerits


Flaws


Pledges


Health



Glamour



Academics OOOOO

Computer OOOOO

Crafts OOOOO

Investigation OOOOO

Medicine OOOOO

Occult OOOOO

Politics OOOOO

Science OOOOO


Athletics OOOOO

Brawl OOOOO

Drive OOOOO

Firearms OOOOO

Larceny OOOOO

Stealth OOOOO

Survival OOOOO

Weaponry OOOOO


Animal Ken OOOOO

Empathy OOOOO

Expression OOOOO

Intimidation OOOOO

Persuasion OOOOO

Socialize OOOOO

Streetwise OOOOO

Subterfuge OOOOO


Romeo Desperate Casanova Darkling Charity Mirrorskin Lust Spring

Lost Court Structure

Harvest (Emotion) Mantle (Spring)Striking Looks

5 3 4 9

Shadows

Seduction

Half-truths

The Motley Oath (Personae)

Darkness (Creeping Dread) (Night’s Distractions) Eternal Spring (Gift of Warm Breath) Fleeting Spring (Cupid’s Eye)

Sam

ple

file

Clarity10 O

9 O

8 O

7 O

6 O

5 O

4 O

3 O

2 O

1 O

Skills



Seeming:Kith:Court:

Power

Finesse

Resistance


Wits: OOOOO

Resolve: OOOOO

Strength: OOOOO

Dexterity: OOOOO

Stamina: OOOOO

Presence: OOOOO

Manipulation: OOOOO

Composure: OOOOO

Other TraitsMerits


Flaws


Pledges


Health



Glamour



Academics OOOOO

Computer OOOOO

Crafts OOOOO

Investigation OOOOO

Medicine OOOOO

Occult OOOOO

Politics OOOOO

Science OOOOO


Athletics OOOOO

Brawl OOOOO

Drive OOOOO

Firearms OOOOO

Larceny OOOOO

Stealth OOOOO

Survival OOOOO

Weaponry OOOOO


Animal Ken OOOOO

Empathy OOOOO

Expression OOOOO

Intimidation OOOOO

Persuasion OOOOO

Socialize OOOOO

Streetwise OOOOO

Subterfuge OOOOO


Clarity10 O

9 O

8 O

7 O

6 O

5 O

4 O

3 O

2 O

1 O

Skills



Seeming:Kith:Court:

Power

Finesse

Resistance


Wits: OOOOO

Resolve: OOOOO

Strength: OOOOO

Dexterity: OOOOO

Stamina: OOOOO

Presence: OOOOO

Manipulation: OOOOO

Composure: OOOOO

Other TraitsMerits


Flaws


Pledges


Health



Glamour



Academics OOOOO

Computer OOOOO

Crafts OOOOO

Investigation OOOOO

Medicine OOOOO

Occult OOOOO

Politics OOOOO

Science OOOOO


Athletics OOOOO

Brawl OOOOO

Drive OOOOO

Firearms OOOOO

Larceny OOOOO

Stealth OOOOO

Survival OOOOO

Weaponry OOOOO


Animal Ken OOOOO

Empathy OOOOO

Expression OOOOO

Intimidation OOOOO

Persuasion OOOOO

Socialize OOOOO

Streetwise OOOOO

Subterfuge OOOOO


Seasoned Character Romeo Desperate Casanova Darkling Charity Mirrorskin Lust Spring

Lost Court Structure

Harvest (Emotion) Mantle (Spring)Striking LooksBarflyResources

5 3 4 9

35

Shadows

Seduction

Half-truths

The Motley Oath (Personae)

Darkness (Creeping Dread) (Night’s Distractions) Eternal Spring (Gift of Warm Breath) Fleeting Spring (Cupid’s Eye)

Sam

ple

file

sample file · leadership depending on the situation – aslan for combat and tactical situations,...

Documents