Campaign Journal 2013: Cut Characters

Originally published September 13, 2013

This week there is no recap as the group took an extended break due to GenCon, vacations and family trips. Instead we will look at some material cut from the game.

As I was building the Price, my Changeling: the Lost game, I am constantly creating new characters for my players to interact with. Most of these are simple three or four line characters easily tossed together or ignored as needed. But some I create with very specific purpose to become possible focal points of the game. Sometimes that doesn't work out and I scrap entire characters.

That was the case with two characters who were suppose to represent the player characters' problems and allies. They were dropped from the session they were supposed to appear in since it wasn't fitting the flow of the game. Then on further reflection I found I just didn't like them at all. So they were scrapped.

But here they are for your own perusal.

Sir Christian Aurora

A knight in silvery armor, his blond hair glows with an inner light. He carries a bejeweled cross made of permanently frozen ice about his neck.

Sir Aurora was supposed to represent the problems with Chris, the bully at the character's school. In the end he came off as to comical in my head and pompous in way that didn't fit my vision. He also is perhaps too much of a challenge.

A new character filling the role of Chris's reflection will show up in the next Recap: the Ogre of Mo-Hedge.

Concept: Entitled Jerk
Seeming: Fairest (Bright One)

Entitlement: Knighthood of the Dragonslayer
Guild: The Court
Virtue: Order, Sir Aurora seeks to keep the things stable and safe. He opposes radical change and stifles creativity.
Vice: Tyranny, Sir Aurora is harsh with those who disobey them, often challenging them to duels and exacting disproportionate revenge.
Role Playing Notes: All though he comes off as haughty, he is not as cultured as he supposes, a fact that comes out when he gets too hot-headed.
Aspirations: Get others to defer to him, gain a squire, and catch the elusive White Stag.

Notable Traits:

Attributes: Mental 5, Physical 6, Social 6 (can boost with glamour)
Skills: Weaponry [pool 5, specialty: swords], Intimidate [pool 6]
Wyrd: 2
Contracts: Eternal Winter 2, Hearth 2, Vainglory 2
Initiative: 5 Willpower: 1
Defense: 2 [Armor 3/1] (+2 if glowing)
Weapons: Sword (-3 initiative, 2 Lethal)

Charlie Tegenaria

Charlie’s pitch black eyes are the first thing most people notice. Her wild dark hair frames a pale narrow face. Her tattered Victorian dress has faded to a dark gray and is patched with spider web.

Charlie is sort of a mirror vision mash-up of Eric, the violent Goth friend of Mir, and Jennifer, the Goth girl who might have been impressed by him. While I still think the character has potential, she probably need to be pared back so she fits into the evolving story line. This version makes the most sense as a counter to Sir Aurora, which I've eliminated.

Concept: Toxic Friend
Seeming: Beast (Venombite)

Guild: None
Virtue: Loyalty, Charlotte stands by her friends assuming they continue to agree with her.
Vice: Trouble Seeking, she seems to attract problems and drags her allies into it.
Role Playing Notes: Charlie is a bit more balanced than most changelings in Detroit and maintains a cover identity at Goodwill. Her story is one of falling into the wrong rabbit hole and never escaping. She is at the bottom of the heap and doesn't feel like joining in will get her anywhere.
Aspirations: Gain some social status without compromising her principles, buy some dead man’s boots, improve her Hollow.

Notable Traits:

Attributes: Mental 6, Physical 6, Social 6
Skills: Athletics [Pool 6], Brawl [pool 5, specialty: touch, use poison touch], Weaponry [pool 5, specialty: Knife]
Wyrd: 2
Contracts: Darkness 2, Dream 1, Fang and Talon (spiders) 1, Fleeting Autumn 2, Smoke 2
Initiative: 6 Willpower: 1
Defense: 6
Weapons: Knife (-1 initiative, 1 Lethal)