Sample Character: Witch Preacher

Reading Chronicles of Darkness and Demon: the Descent has made me want to create some new characters, both to explore the rules and how those rules might be exploited.

This week I present someone cursed (or blessed) supernatural abilities who has turned his back on the darkness and dedicated himself to serving the light.

Witch Preacher

Father Michael

Former Sinner, Not Quite a Saint

The concept for this character was a monster hunter, specifically a member of the Malleus Maleficarum (from Hunter: the Vigil). I wanted him to have a dark past which worked well with my desire to play around with the Supernatural Merits.

Father Michael is a former "witch" (or at least a psychic who dressed up his powers in superstition) who after an encounter with true darkness, dedicated himself to God and destroying monsters.

He is an experienced hunter so I gave him 10 Experience to work with.

Father Michael smiles easily, his dark eyes lively and enchanting The grey creeping into his dark beard reveals his age, despite his youthful dark complexion.

Concept: Outspoken Convert
Conspiracy: Malleus Maleficarum
Virtue: Insightful Vice: Blunt

Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 1, Composure 2

Mental Skills: Academics 2 (9 agains), Crafts (traps) 3, Investigation 2, Occult (witchcraft) 4 (9 agains)
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Stealth 1, Weaponry 1
Social Skills: Expression 2, Intimidation 1, Persuasion 2, Streetwise (gangs) 2, Subterfuge 1

Merits: Aura Reading 3, Benedictions 2, Contacts (local priests, church laity), Professional Training (Priest: Academics, Occult) 2, Psychokinesis (Shadows) 3, Safe Place (Church) 2, Status (Malleus Maleficarum) 3, Status (Catholic Church) 2

I use Status (Malleus Maleficarum) to get 2 free dots of Status (Catholic Church) (following the rules in Mortal Remains).

I also use abuse Professional Training to gain 9 agains on Occult (which I use for reading auras and Psychokinesis).

Benedictions: Armor of St. Martin, Blessed Protection of St. Aggrippa

Willpower 6  Integrity 7 Health 8
Defense 3      Initiative 4 Speed 9

One big downside I've seen from this build is both his Benedictions and magical powers rely on Willpower. He likely will need to risk Willpower a lot to avoid being cut off from his abilities. Without his shadow manipulation, he's not much of a combatant.

Background

Once Father Michael went by the name of Miguel Santos. As a teenager, he discovered he possessed unnatural powers, powers to sense people's emotional states, to animate shadows, to move objects with something that seemed like congealed darkness. For years he studied various forms of magic, attempting to broaden and expand his magical talents.

When he turned 30 and his attempts to push his powers became more extreme, he discovered others like him. They too possessed alien powers but on a grander and more terrifying scale. They also lacked even his relaxed morals. To them he was just another toy.

He managed to slip away from this twisted coven after several months. Shaken, he turned to the solace he had neglected since his childhood: the Church. There he came across others who had also experienced supernatural evil. They took him in, taught him to fight the darkness, to use his knowledge to uncover monsters, and use his abilities for the forces of light.

Now a Catholic priest, Father Michael has returned home. His mission is to prepare the way for group of specialists. Together they will cleanse this city of evil.

Aspirations:

• Ready the local church as a forward base for his Conspiracy’s initiative to clear the city of monsters.
• Test his cover as a mundane priest.
• Recruit the Reds (a street gang) as cannon fodder.

My first take on his second Aspiration was "to maintain his cover as a mundane priest." I adjusted it to be more active and to signal (to a hypothetical game master) that I want him to be challenge and (hopefully) succeed.

Breaking Points:

Now time to answer questions to define what the limits of Father Michael's Integrity are:

• What is the worst thing your character has ever done? Michael crippled a man with his powers before he was a priest.
• What is the worst thing your character can imagine himself doing? Michael can easily imagine killing someone, perhaps accidentally, with his powers or while on the hunt.
• What is the worst thing your character can imagine someone else doing? Killing a child is the worst thing Michael can imagine.
• What has your character forgotten? Michael has seen much: vampires, shapeshifters, the possessed. Individually and in packs. But always as individuals and as things he could rationalize.
• What is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to your character? Michael was once captured by vampires and tortured for three days before his brothers saved him.

I sort of altered the fourth question, since as a hunter, Father Michael has seen a lot of craziness and isn't easily traumatized by the supernatural.