1001 interesting character ideas

[Muad'Dib]

137)

Sometimes a passionate romance between lovers leads to a quick marriage ; and sometimes a passionate romance leads to a young Technocrat ending up doing more assignments for other Conventions, than he does for his own Convention. This young member of the Iteration-X, due to insistence from his paramour ( she is from the Syndicate ) has volunteered for field assignments and directed his progress as an Enlightened Scientist towards practice and theory pertinent to the field work he has been part of. This way, the two lovers will be able to spend more time together. For this it was certainly worth going off the previously planned track - in order to learn Prime and Correspondence Enlightened Sciences, and to specialize his expertise in Forces in regard to electricity. The young Technocrat's current priority in regard to Enlightened Science is to reach Prime 2.

The assignments are almost entirely about sabotaging - and much less often, repairing - electrical systems and technology. Sometimes the Iteration-Xer is also asked to also perform observation and reconnaissance of a location and it's technology. The sabotaging is done through Forces Procedures, and his basic knowledge of Matter and Correspondence Procedures greatly helps him in this. The sabotages have so far been requested by members of two Conventions - the New World Order and the Syndicate. They find them very useful as an event to happen at a location, in order to aid in accomplishing specific goal(s) . The Iteration-Xer either does the sabotages ( and repairs ) while under a cover identity, or he enters or breaks in into a location in secrecy while it is closed.

Sometimes the point of an arranged technology malfunction or failure is so that a repair crew consisting partly or entirely of Technocracy's agents, or Technocrats, will be called. Once they are at a location, they can perform a number of actions - installing and placing technology for future use, performing preparations for carrying out Procedures later, industrial espionage, establishing contacts, sabotage, data retrieval, data removal, observation. There is a variant in this option, in which the technology malfunction is caused in such a way so that a regular repair crew will be at a loss what to do ; thus an opening is created for a repair crew sent or influenced by the Technocracy to arrive, deal with the issue, and right at start have an established positive opinion. Sometimes the point of a malfunction is to cause ( or contribute towards ) a removal or a demotion of a specific person ( or persons ) in a company ; this is sometimes done so that a person working for the Technocracy will be put in a particular position. Sometimes a malfunction is needed so a person or a company will need money, or some service done or materials delivered, that will lead them to contacting and meeting Technocrats from the Syndicate ( or their agents ) who will "just happen to have" an offer or a suggestion. Sometimes it is very simple - a malfunction is requested so that a location will be closed for a time ; or so that the time or attention of specific persons will be taken away from other matters. The methods and means of the Technocracy are intricate and varied ; the expertise of this young Technocrat is excellent in regard to creating openings through which other Technocrats can then act.

[ This Technocrat Mage has Arete 3, and Forces 3 ( Speciality: Electricity ) , Prime 1, Matter 1, Correspondence 1. ]

[Muad'Dib]

138) A Verbenae Mage who has decided to spent equal amount of times in the city, and in forests and the countryside. Sometimes she changes it day to day, and sometimes it is patterns of for example three days, four days, four days, three days. She reasons that this will teach her a lot about appriaciating the nature; and also in regard to persons who live in the cities, and about how to convince persons from the cities to spend more time being closer to nature.

[Bluecho]

139) In his childhood, he nearly drowned when his family's boat was caught in a storm. The experience gave him a long-abiding fear of water, persisting into adulthood. To the point where his sleep was often plagued by nightmares, bringing him back to those moments of violent, crashing waves and suffocating submersion. But there always seemed like a malign, Primordial will behind the water that haunted his dreams, and that he felt inhabited the waters of the waking world. A force alive and aware of him, hidden in the crushing depths.

Until one day, when he was an adult, that someone he loved was cast into the water, in danger of drowning. Despite his terror, he cast himself into the drink, to save them. In those moments, completely immersed in the water, he felt strangely one with it. It spoke to him. Not in words, but in a profound awareness that registered in his core. For indeed, was his body not mostly water? He sensed the currents around him, and felt the vibrations of his loved one thrashing in the deep. When they emerged to land again, he was changed. Awakened. That night, he dreamed of the ocean again, but this time a calm one. The still sea spoke to him, and he was at last ready to listen.

An Elementalist who specializes in water, he traveled around as an Orphan for a time, learning what he could from communing with water, until he met and joined the Verbana. They, too, had a long history with the elements, and counted him as another of their kind. A person who retreated from the world, to learn from nature. He learned how to shape and control water. How to heal with it...and how to destroy. He even learned how to use it to focus his mind, making it as still as a pond or as mighty as a torrent. And he learned that all water is connected, and that these connections can be exploited across distance. His implements are simple and primal. Bodily fluids. Cups and containers. A staff, hollowed out like long straw. Meditation fully immersed in water. And all manner of uses for water, from sprinkling and washing to drinking and splashing.

He has taken to the task of combating the Consensus. Not merely to smash it, but to erode it. A pragmatic man, he does not limit himself to any one method of undermining Technocratic control, but flows in where opportunities present themselves. Even a small crack can let the water in, which can widen the hole over time. Some of his preferred tactics are to enter facilities dressed as a worker there to restock drink machines or water coolers. Or to trip fire alarms, so automatic sprinkler systems go off and cause both havoc and distraction. Why blow up buildings, when breaking a pipe and letting water damage do the work in a more subtle way? If pressed into a fight, he prefers to emulate the waves; employing hit and fade tactics, he will crash and recede, minimizing harm to himself while wearing down his opponents. Obscuring mists help greatly for this task, and "fog machines" are a known quantity, that make the trick Coincidental.

[Bluecho]

[How about one for The Sorcerer's Crusade?]


140) A strange mix of Explorator and Grand Financier - or rather a renegade member thereof - this pirate uses the Art of Desire, along with a couple of trinkets bought, borrowed, salvaged, or stolen from various native tribes (because heck, it worked for them, so there's probably something to it). Adept with a cutlass and fleet of foot, he's a more or less typical example of a swashbuckling mage. Charming his way through life and around the law, with a pleasant smile, a witty retort, and a stylish set of clothing (long coat, wide-brimmed hat, knee-high boots).

What sets him apart is his particular fixation on money. Treasure is not merely a means to an end, with him, but an end unto itself. Not merely because of greed - though he'd say he had a "healthy" appreciation for coin - but because he measures his mystical might by the size of his hoard. Like an exploration age dragon gone sailing, he ties his material wealth to some greater, immaterial quality like magic. He doesn't need to keep all his treasure on him, though he keeps no few coins on hand at all times. But they must be claimed and stashed by him. For the sake of protecting the wealth (and the power that follows with it), he avoids putting all his eggs in one basket. Spreading his hoard out in chests buried throughout the Caribbean, so it cannot all be claimed by happenstance or mutinous crew.

When he needs to perform a big rite, he guides his ship to one of these sites, hauling the chests up and incorporating the treasure in the ritual somehow. Whatever strikes his fancy, or from wisps of occult practice he witnesses from other mages. Sometimes, a "Ritual" for him might take the form of that classic High Guild staple: meticulously counting coin. If he's so inclined, he can spend the coin, which can serve its own magickal function. A coin slipped into the pocket of a crew member can embolden them to work harder. A coin under the table can sway a guard or colonial governor. A coin may even carry a potent hex, that sticks to the target so long as he hangs on to it. He's loath to part with treasure unnecessarily, though he's more attached to his skin than to any loot. After all, he can just steal it back later if he must.

[11twiggins]

141) Agent Charlotte Miles, Psionic Union Operative

Sect: Technocratic Union

Convention: New World Order

Paradigm:

Consciousness is the only true reality, so we must transcend our limits.

Practice:

Psionics, Martial Arts

Instruments:

Eye Contact (mind control, emotional control, sensory rolls directed at other people, projecting psychic interference and attacks, emphasis on Mind)

Meditation (mental self-improvement, access to mind palace, emphasis on Mind)

Social Domination (standard NWO fare; intimidation, showing off licenses and warrants, "the office I work for doesn't even exists as far as you're concerned, just give me what I need officer")

Thought-Forms (the core of her practice; used for everything from Forces attacks to altering outcomes of dice rolls)

Weapons (used as part of her psychic focus when attacking someone; everything from tasers to guns)

(Dances) and Movements (martial art techniques; her understanding of the nervous system and psychic reality is holistic. We're not "just our minds", at least not in a way that discounts our bodies. Our bodies, our senses, and our movements are a very important part of our mental reality. Therefore martial art techniques play a key role in her practice, allowing her to focus her mind. Emphasis on Forces)

Drugs and Poisons (empowering herself with Union-approved psychostimulants; when she develops Prime 2 these will be how she makes Charms/Gadgets; emphasis on Mind and Life)

Spheres:

Mind (Affinity, will always be higher than her other spheres, and forms the justification for many of her effects in and of itself, from psychokinesis to pyrokinesis and mind-reading)

Forces (emphasis on movement and temperature because of 'psionic hypernarratives' in the public consciousness (mythic threads), but she is only limited here by her own understanding; as she improves she'll realize that she could just as easily turn sound into light as she can make particles vibrate)

Prime (never higher than 2; emphasis on making Gadgets which are mental stimulants and awaken her full psionic potential. Also the source of pyrokinesis, naturally, along with other aggravated forms of attack. Prime 1 senses allow her to "see" deviant effects with her powers)

Spirit... maybe (this is where things start getting slightly deviant; what do you do when your agent starts seeing "Ghosts" that don't fit into Union practice? Fear of being unmutual because of what your powers let you sense can always lead to good conflict)

Correspondence (psionic 'scrying', eventually even understanding that a person's position in the universe is a matter of subjective thought that is open to mental editing)

Merits, Backgrounds and Stuff:

Set Willpower high, maybe even up to 10, since it's so important in psionic practice.

Clear-Sighted merit; simply melt through all illusions. Very fitting for the concept.

Enchanting Feature merit; eyes. -2 difficulty to all effects using Eyes as the focus since they're a Unique/Specialized instrument.

Acute Senses merit, the 3 point version. Hyper-alertness is a good talent for a psychic.

Mental merits can always be purchased later as required; Concentration and Iron Will might be especially useful.

Avatar 3+, Demesne 1+, Node 1+.

Attributes, Abilities:

Mental Primary, invest abilities into Alertness, Awareness, Empathy, Intimidation, Martial Arts, Meditation, Esoterica or Science (Psionics), Technology, Computer, Drive, Enigmas, Investigation, Law, Politics, Medicine, Firearms... There are a lot of dots to go around. Priority should be 1 dot in each, with 3 in things like Esoterica/Science and Martial Arts and Meditation if possible.

Roleplay:

Things got weird when you started having the strange dreams. You'd wake up only to find half the objects in your room in a pile, or thrown up into every corner. You saw a therapist over your "sleepwalking habit" and it didn't get better; one night you turned the stove on, and it was only found in the morning. This persisted even after the use of sleeping restraints; the only conclusion your parents could reach is that you were putting them back on before going back to sleep. Eventually your claims that you could make things move if you concentrated hard enough drew the attention of a consultant psychiatrist specializing in children with abnormal delusions... officially. From this moment on you were a Union interest, and a good deal of work was put into justifying, quantifying and rationalizing your power. No, no, not a Deviant. Simply a type of Science which is poorly understood. Psionic powers in a latent state, expressing themselves randomly since they lack a proper channel of use. Your powers were trained until you reached adulthood and became an agent.

In terms of personality, you're a very optimistic and friendly servant of the Union. Your experience with the Union has been very positive, and you believe everything you've been told (both true and untrue). You're discreet with your powers since you fear being labeled as "unmutual" by more closed-minded colleagues. You are rarely still or totally silent, and invest a lot of time in solving puzzles and playing with fidget toys (a crutch you were taught as a child, to minimize the risk of psionic activity by keeping your mind occupied).

To you, a gunshot is a warning, not an attack. A threat of arrest or legal trouble is a tool to get compliance. There are ways of applying your own psychic manifestations (SURRENDER, NOW) without scaring or confusing the masses. You'd be completely devastated if you were forced to kill someone, and when it comes to lethal violence you're still relatively untested... essentially you're a slightly naive idealist who has only seen the good side of the Union. Now, enter whatever plot the ST has in mind and allow that idea to slowly decay and perhaps even shatter.

[Bluecho]

"Curious, is the trap-maker's art. His efficacy unwitnessed by his own eyes."
- The Ancestor, The Darkest Dungeon

142) This Artificer comes to be known as the Trapmaster, for his expertise in setting ingenious traps and installing them in creative ways. He's not only learned in mechanisms, but in poisons and other chemical arts. If there's a clever (or ridiculous) trap installed in an Order of Reason building, it's either his handiwork or someone emulating/copying his work.

Chests that open up to reveal spring-loaded crossbows or knock-out gas canisters. Doorknobs or latches that jut out envenomed needles when not correctly opened. Letters coated in fine, toxic powders that come off on fingers or get inhaled to foil interception. Pressure plates that activate all sorts of mechanisms embedded in the walls/floors/ceilings. Valuable objects coated in a dye that is clear on its own, but which takes on a hue when it contact with skin oils; thieves often get caught literally red handed. And countless, countless death traps, primed and waiting to catch the Order's enemies unaware.

The Trapmaster travels from city to city, across Europe and some parts of Africa and the Holy Land, at the request of Daedaleans looking to beef up their security. The Craftmasons, in particular, are always happy to see him appear. Asking him to teach their architects how to build and hide such traps in their structures.

Moreover, the Trapmaster is a consummate professional, with a high personal standard of quality. He considers a trap that cannot stand the test of time a failure. His mastery of Matter allows him to create mechanisms that can wait, primed and ready, for years without degrading. Indeed, even in modern times - long after his death - certain lost and forgotten Order of Reason objects and locations harbor deadly hazards.

[Bluecho]

143) A certain Master Mage, coming upon a point in his life where (presumably) he would either Ascend, become an Oracle, or die, bid a hasty farewell to his apprentice and his Cult. The cult - a group of adherents to Winter, called the Silent Circle - were informed that their leader's apprentice would come to shepherd them in the master's absence. A man who knew their ways and could lead them farther along the path to knowledge and enlightenment.

This character is not that apprentice. Rather, he's an accidental impostor who stumbled into the role.

The character in question was an Orphan, whose primary experience was in metal and fire, both literal and figurative. As such, his current arts, while fairly Elemental in practice (and Practice), lent themselves more to Craftwork and practical Effects, rather than the contemplative esoterics of the Silent Circle. Merely their elemental affinities were at odds - fire and metal versus cold, darkness, and silence - leading him and them with little in common.

How, then, did he become their leader? Well, the craft-mage was an old friend and correspondent to the master's apprentice. The craft-mage knew the winter arts existed, but not much else. When he visited the apprentice's home, he found his friend murdered, his cold hands still clutched around a letter from the master and a pendent by which the Silent Circle would identify their new leader. Realizing that he could do nothing for his friend, the craft-mage left, not wishing to become embroiled in a forthcoming police investigation. Making his way to the lair of the Silent Circle - intending to brief them on the tragedy - his brandishing the pendant instead gave the cultists the impression that he was the man they waited for. The "emissary and voice of he who became as one with the silence". Not the most adept at using his tongue, the craft-mage could not clear the misunderstanding, and it would soon be too awkward to correct (not to mention dangerous, if he was seen as a murderer and charlatan). So, an Emissary-And-Voice he would have to become.

Naturally, he knows barely anything about the rites and ethos of the cult. He is a stranger to their ways. As such, his current preoccupation is in tracking down as much as he could about winter magic, to sell his role as expert. His old friend's collected notes might have helped, if the man's property hadn't been taken by the bank and sold off piece-meal. Even just tracking down where all the books went will be difficult enough, let alone keeping one step ahead of his cultists in studying them. He must, also, become very adept at faking his expertise, lest the cultists revolt or, worse, give and scatter to the four winds.

Perhaps he feels partly responsible for his friend's death. Or perhaps he just doesn't want to see harm come to these poor people. Whatever the case, he wants to live up to their expectations and keep the Silent Circle together. That, and to find out who killed his friend and why.

[Bluecho]

"Fire and water, earth and sky
Mysteries surround us, legends never die"
-Blackmore's Night, Locked Within The Crystal Ball

144) Attend the tale, if you please, of the Knightess Io, Saga-Born. Again. And again. And again.

"The Tragic History of Io Four-Coloured" is a saga hidden from Sleeper history, but known to the Awakened, if only in reference. The story was a poetic account of the life of the titular Io of Four Colours, a witch-knight from the time after the fall of the western Roman empire. Bards carried the story from land to land, and it was even written down a few times. Whether through simple misfortune or concerted effort by this or that Mage group, the original saga was lost to history. Elements of the tale persisted only through fragmentary retellings and references recorded by scholars in the Order of Hermes and Choir Celeste. Notably, the conclusion of the saga remains lost, hinting at a climactic battle with Io's great nemesis and occasional consort, Thomas the Black (although "Thomas of Dusk" is considered a more accurate translation).

Eventually, authors here and there took what they knew of Io's story and created their own versions, filling gaps and interpreting as fit their vision. Church writers painted Io with a Christian brush. Her traits as a passionate lover were scrubbed off, depicting her as a chaste and virtuous maiden. Io made into a holy saint rather than a elemental witch, her retinue of nature spirits that followed her into battle reinterpreted as an angelic host. This vision of the Io - now called the Brilliant - became the basis of centuries of further retellings, each time drifting her characterization in whatever way fit the purposes of the day. The story of Io was never as famous as the Arthurian Cycle, but authors and playwrights who looked to obscure sources could find inspiration in this Knightess.

Which brings us to the present day, where a modern fantasy author took her own crack at portraying Io. The trilogy of novels became popular enough to spawn a quadrilogy of films (naturally, the third book was split in half). Audiences ate up the fantasy series. Critics took note of the Feminist interpretation of a "classic story" (that barely anyone had heard of outside literature circles and theater nerds). LGBT circles praised the bold move to turn "Black Tom" into "Black Tam", while firmly emphasizing the oft-neglected romance between Io and her erstwhile foe. Traditionalist mages merely shrugged, seeing another populist fantasy that is both an effort by the Syndicate to profit off mysticism AND another gateway for new traditionalist recruits.

It took a while before Mages realized that this latest incarnation seemed to spawn a flesh-and-blood Four-Coloured Io. The Legend lives again.

Io arrived on the scene, profoundly confused about who she was and how she got there. Was she a Sleeper whose memory of her former life got washed away in the chaos of a harsh Awakening? Or did the magnitude of popular imagination about the character cause Reality to, somehow, spit her into existence ex nihilo? What IS known is that she came equipped with a Focus from the outset, one that emulates but doesn't copy the popular conception of Io Four-Coloured's magic. Her powers were both holy - that of Faith - but also pagan - Witchcraft. Combined with Martial Arts, and she was a Saint-Witch-Knight. A profoundly confusing Paradigm and Practice to be sure, especially for her.

Moreover, Io seemed bound by a strange destiny. One in line with her Legend. Scholars of the character she emulates/is an incarnation of point out that events surrounding her since her appearance hew closest, thematically, to what is known of the original saga. Her life is playing out her Legend as it was first told.

While in general she studies the many versions of herself that have existed in story, her specific goal is to find all she can about the first saga. Chasing down leads, picking up fragments, and trying to see if somewhere, out there, exists a complete transcription of the sage. If Io is truly Saga-Born, as she supposes, knowing how that story ends will help her understand where he life is headed. And whether it's possible to avert tragedy. In the meantime, she looks backward, peeling back layers of interpretation to find her "core essence".

But she's not alone in the world. Io the Brilliant - the Four-Coloured - had a supporting cast. Friends, allies, lovers, and enemies. While these roles fit into her Legend on a fluid basis, she has her own Black Tom...or, rather, Black Tam. Is this a fangirl of the modern story, looking to force herself into Io's life? Or is she a true reincarnation of Thomas of Dusk? In the world of Magick - where symbols and stories have as much or more power than anything else - is there even any difference? More troubling, some Awakened scholars posit that Thomas of Dusk (the historical figure) might have been a Nephandus. Is this true, and if so does this mean "Black Tam" cannot be redeemed? Does Io Saga-Born even want to try? Could she resist doing so, even if she wanted to? Or is Io doomed to play out their ill-fated romance and rivalry, before it comes to an unknown but tragic end?

What is clear is that Io Saga-Born has complex feelings. About her life. About her story. About (and FOR) Black Tam. Even about the force of Destiny itself.

[Bluecho]

[Haven't done a quick-fire list of career Sorcerers in a while. Let's rectify that.]


145) A high class escort, this user of Fascination uses her magic to leave a lasting impression on clients. That way, they leave generous tips (and not the sexual kind; she's strictly Escort only), and hire her again. Not because she's money-grubbing, but to support her child as a single mother. The father - a mysterious stranger from what seems like a lifetime ago - taught her magic, before disappearing as suddenly as he came. Before taking a job, she uses Divination, reading an antique deck of Tarot cards for signs of danger. It's perilous out there, for a person in her line of work. It pays to know the score.


146) A wandering mask salesman, who carries a bulging backpack full of his wares from location to location. Few have ever seen his face, behind the masks he wears; fewer still advertise what they know. These days, he gets much of his business during festivals, masquerade parties, and holidays (like Mardi Gras and Halloween). Using Enchantment, he endows the ornate masks with a little magic, usually related to the mask's design. A gazelle, for nimble-footedness. A craggy stone, for endurance. A grinning clown, for comedic ability. A nondescript face, to blend into the crowd. Believing every mask has a destined wearer, he rolls dice for Divination, to track down those people who need his most special wares. When situations go south - many folk fail to appreciate the roles their new masks let them play - he uses Shapeshifting to assume the forms more fully. To others, his lion mask might make hunting easier; on his face, he becomes the lion.


147) A professional, itinerant gambler, using Fortune to push his luck in the right direction. He heavily varies his choice of gamble, to avoid notice. Anyone can tell when a poker player seems to win too much for just skill to explain. When he works horse races one day, football the next, and some dice after that, it's hard to get a handle on a pattern. He uses both sides of Fortune, depending on the situation. Boosting luck or laying a curse, either works. If there's one bet he loves to make, though, it's about whether it will rain. His preferred tactic is to sidle up behind someone at a public place (bar, diner, etc) where the weather forecast is displayed on a TV, or else someone is checking on their phone. Whatever the forecast says will happen, he bets the opposite will happen. Not many take the bait these days, but some are so sure of the forecast that they think they can make easy money. They don't realize the stranger making the bet is learned in Weathercrafting, and so makes his bet come true. He just pockets the money, and everyone else assumes the strange man was just lucky.


148) Grandmother to a rich extended family, this old lady is a wizard with knitting needles. Literally. Drawing upon many folk spells gathered over years, she weaves Enchantments into the articles of yarnwork she produces, muttering a chant under her breath to tie up the bonds of fate and Fortune. Members of her family all regularly receive the products of her labors, which they have slowly learned to cherish. A sweater that seems really good at keeping away even the most bitter cold (yet doesn't seem too warm, either). Scarves that give good luck, or that aid in memory retention (great for students about to take tests). Oven mitts that, when worn, seem to make food taste all the better. Socks decorated with tree patterns, that seem to root the wearer in place and keep them from falling over (her football-playing grandson never plays a game without them). A set of baby's clothes, that the baby always seems less prone to accidental harm when wearing. Even a tiny dog's sweater, that is so precious, people seem compelled to dote on and feed the canine when they're wearing it. Speaking of food, the grandma loves to send baked goods along to her family. Goods that carry with them a subtle magic of their own. When asked, she always says that she knows a great many recipes, that call for a variety of herbs and other special ingredients. They are always delicious, and always coveted.

[Gryphon's Feather]

146) A wandering mask salesman, who carries a bulging backpack full of his wares from location to location. Few have ever seen his face, behind the masks he wears; fewer still advertise what they know. These days, he gets much of his business during festivals, masquerade parties, and holidays (like Mardi Gras and Halloween). Using Enchantment, he endows the ornate masks with a little magic, usually related to the mask's design. A gazelle, for nimble-footedness. A craggy stone, for endurance. A grinning clown, for comedic ability. A nondescript face, to blend into the crowd. Believing every mask has a destined wearer, he rolls dice for Divination, to track down those people who need his most special wares. When situations go south - many folk fail to appreciate the roles their new masks let them play - he uses Shapeshifting to assume the forms more fully. To others, his lion mask might make hunting easier; on his face, he becomes the lion.

This sounds uncomfortably similar to the Happy Mask Salesman.

[Bluecho]

This sounds uncomfortably similar to the Happy Mask Salesman.

This person gets it.

[Bluecho]

149) Victorian Children of Knowledge mage, a neurotic woman trying to balance her pursuit of the Great Work with the duties of being a good, middle class wife and mother.

Born to a family with a noble history (now gone stagnant and fallen on relatively hard times), she grew up a sickly child. Unable to go out and play like normal children, she spent much of her youth reading from her family's extensive library. These included alchemical texts, and by the time she came of age, she had Awoken. Her understanding of Life allowed her to finally improve her chronic health - if not her nervous disposition - and her parents used her miraculous improvement to put her "on the market" for a husband. Knowledgeable in deeper mysteries though she was, decorum demanded she be married.

To her relief, she eventually found a suitor she connected with. A young man who shared the young lady's interest in history and plants, and alone among his fellow suitors knew how to sooth her anxiety. The two fell in love, and were soon married. He's one of the only people who know her secrets.

Moving to the city of London, she tries her best to blend in and adjust to the busy city life. She fell in with a circle of women her age, for it was seen as proper to have friends. Truthfully, while social situations made her uncomfortable, she found it stimulating, if not entirely interesting. She'd much rather be discussing esoteric formulas, rather than Victorian fashion. She's got her ears to the ground for other Mages.

As a new mother, she has her hands full. Not that she begrudges the little miracle. She'll make sure the child grows up big and strong. Even if she has to concoct all manner of alchemical solutions.

What gives her great concern, these days, is just how dangerous Victorian life is becoming. Inventions and products are churned out on assembly lines and marketed to the middle class, far faster than such things could ever be tested. Her magickal senses - particularly of Life and Matter - make her acutely aware of these hazards. Arsenic in the wallpaper, lead in the paint. Corroding natural gas pipes, poorly ventilated smoke, and infected baby bottles. Her friends think she's silly for refusing to feed with a bottle or stay too long in a poisoned room. They couldn't possibly understand the deathtraps surrounding them, even if she revealed her enhanced senses (which she dare not). Instead, she needs to navigate a minefield situated in the homes of herself and her social circle.

She's slowly coming to realize that unregulated industry is to blame, and will probably need to be stopped. But that would bring her in direct conflict with the Technocratic Union, who have considerable to gain from their businesses and innovations being allowed to run unmolested (even when it directly harms the public the Union swore to protect). It's almost enough to drive a poor woman to nervous breakdown.

[Bluecho]

150) Chaos Magician with Impostor Syndrome.

Started as a bit of deception. He learned about the existence of Mages, and started walking in their circles. To fit in, he started dressing as a wizard, taking on eccentric mannerisms, learned new age lingo, and started practicing stage magic. Maybe some of the Awakened knew he was fraud, maybe they didn't. He was tolerated, especially since his mundane skills and sleight of hand were useful. He himself always knew he was putting on a front. It was all a trick.

Until one day he Awakened, and started doing Magick for real.

Evidently, his disguise was good enough to fool the universe. Or at least that's his conclusion for how his Magick works. Indeed, he often has trouble believing it. As he grows in power and confidence, his ability to affect the world around him will expand. For now, his Effects tend to be Coincidental, if for no other reason than because he doesn't have the confidence to push into the Vulgar. In the pit of his stomach, he's convinced that he's only able to do what he does because he's kept the illusion going. That he has everyone fooled, including Reality itself.

He thinks he's a fraud. But it seems he'll fake it until he makes it.