PLAYER: Dave HersheySOCIETY: none
MOTIVATION: Power
NATURE: Loner
DEMEANOR: Traditionalist
CONCEPT: Evil Warlock Bound to Good Deeds
PHYSICAL: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
SOCIAL: Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2
MENTAL: Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
TALENTS: Alertness 3, Awareness 3, Intuition 3, Subterfuge 2 [14fp]
SKILLS: Melee 2, Research 3 [2fp]
KNOWLEDGES: Linguistics 4 (Reading Ancient Texts), Occult 4 (Supernatural Creatures)
2nd KNOWLEDGES: Herbalism 3, Metaphysics (Gematria) 3 [6fp]
LANGUAGES: English (native), Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, French, German, Egyptian, Cantonese
BACKGROUNDS: Library 4, Resources 4, Sancuary 4 [7fp]
PATHS: Enchantment 2, Healing 3, Herbalism/Brewing 4 [28fp]
RITUALS: Normal Counterspell, Unweaving Counterspell, Warding Counterspell
WILLPOWER: 8 [3fp]
MERITS: Clear-Sighted 3, "Immortal" 7
FLAWS: Bound 5, Echoes 5
SYSTEMS
Enchantment: 1 Willpower spent; Int + Occult vs. 4 + spell level
Healing: 1 Willpower spent; Man + Intuition vs. 4 + spell level
Herbalism/Brewing: Int + Herbalism vs. 4 + spell level
Normal Counterspell: Wits + Occult vs. 8
Unweaving Counterspell: Int + Occult vs. 8
Warding Counterspell: Wits + Occult vs. 8
Clear Sighted: Per + Alertness vs. 3 + opposing power level
HISTORY
1801 — Joshua is born in a small village in England, the son of a land owner who wishes for a royal title. His mother, a woman of true faith, dies in childbirth. His father takes it hard. Joshua is not baptized.
1812 — Joshua's father dies while away at war against Napolean. Joshua inheirits everything and becomes Master of estate at age 11. His humility and conscience become developementally stunted.
1819 — In the same year that electromagnetism is being discovered by Hans Christian Oersted, Joshua discovers an odd leatherbound book in the cellar. Apparently it belonged to his great-great-grandfather, and it contained the what would become the first glimmer of arcane knowledge Joshua would learn on his newly discovered path to power. He could not put the book down until he had reach the last page. When there were no more pages, he suddenly lusted for more.
1820 — He goes to London for the first time in search of occult lore, but finds little in the way of good material. Still, he is undaunted and returns often over the succeeding years.
1823 — Joshua finally discovers the key to immediate power. And all it will cost him is his soul. What a silly thing. It was only taking up mental space anyway. The demon is summoned and the bargain struck. For the first time, Joshua knew the true powers of Magick, and became Immortal. That same year, the number of children disappearing from the village, never to be heard from again, raises dramatically.
1824 — Hungry for more land and money, Joshua provokes a neighbor into a dual for stakes. The winner lives and takes ownership of the loser's estate. Using magick, he ensures that he would not lose. This was only a small sample of the horrors he would inflict in years to come, having become truly an evil man.
1833 — At thirty-two years of age, Joshua had not aged a day in the last ten years. Britain abolishes slavery, and so a change sweeps the land and spirit world, and Joshua is far from un-affected by this. Just as the demon had come to claim his due from Joshua, an angel appearred before them. The angel smote the demon into nothingless. So did it come to pass that Joshua kept his soul and his power and his immortality. He smiled, knowing well that the fun he would have now without the demon to worry about. Then the angel stopped him and Bound him to do only good deeds for the rest of his days, and so sealed away the powers the demon had taught him. Being immortal, the rest of his days would be quite a while indeed! Finally, the angel marked him with Echoes so that the righteous would know of his crimes and his punishment.
1834 — Joshua forgives all debts of back rent the farmers and former slaves owe him. This he does against his will, but cannot control the friendly smile on his face as they bless him for his sudden generousity. Inside his mind, he itches to burn their houses and torture them for their screams, but outwards that only manifests as a facial tick of his cheek twitching. This marks the beginning of Joshua's new path of good deeds.
1837 — Victoria becomes Queen at the age of eighteen. Joshua gives the land the farmers tend into their ownership and sells the rest for gold. He uses that gold to move to London and renew his quest for knowledge and power. The demon had taught him much of Hellfire and Shapeshifting, but the angel saw fit to direct him towards Herbalism, Healing, and even Enchantment. Slowly, through years of neglect, he forgot how to sommon and make dark bargains with beings from beyond.
1898 — Joshua has not aged a day in seventy-five years. Even in England, people eventually take notice of such things. Joshua soon found himself no longer being invited to dinners and functions. Above and beyond the fact that many of his peers were now dead, those that were left were uncomfortable in his presense. His youthful appearance made former compatriots into jealous rivals as they got up each morning to count more and more wrinkles on their faces. Something would have to happen, and soon.
1901 — Queen Victoria dies. Joshua comes to America to start anew, settling in a village called Brentford. There he continued his work, rebuilding his sanctum and library, turning it eventually into his home and place of business. Wary of repeating the past, he put wards up to prevent the casual peasant from discovering his secrets.