Reginald Hunter, AKA Gregory Sage

Reginald Hunter

[My annotations in square brackets --LP] [Thanks for the feedback. A lot of this is still in "open beta" so aspects might be re-written or moved around, and some need to do double duty as phase aspects and skill related Convictions or Complications --AS]

• Changed: The World’s Greatest Mimic
• Working Class: Know the Master’s needs before he does
• Conviction: Observe, Imitate, Exploit
• Complication: Hiding behind my master’s face
• Free: “If it moves, I can track it; If it bleeds, I can kill it” or “Apex Predator”
• Free/Complication?: A spirit freed from bondage, but not from duty
• Free/Complication/Conviction?: "I can please everyone, all of the time."
• Free:

5 Questions

Humble Beginnings:

Once upon a time there were two boys who were like brothers, though one’s father was a great lord, and the other’s was a humble huntsman. One was raised to be heir, the other to be his loyal valet, but side by side they learned the secrets of hunting game in the woods, and the deadlier games of predator and prey played out in the board room, the parlor, and the dance floor. The unofficial family motto proves an effective strategy in all situations: Observe, imitate, exploit.

[Actually, the primary conviction isn't tied to the five questions. You've got 8 aspects, and the first three come before the backstory.]

[I wonder if "If it moves" / "Apex Predator" might fit here.] [Might make Observe, imitate, exploit a conviction associated with the Perfect Mimic Skill --AS]

Follies of Youth:

Given the longevity of the Pensington family, and the proclivities of rural nobility, it is not uncommon to find among the local population a certain... ahem... regional resemblance to that great family. Reginald Hunter and the young Lord Gregory are no exception, and their childhood games of flummoxing the governess and their parents develop into elaborate games of deception, in which they often assume each other’s identities while traveling, especially to visit other noble families.

[Hiding Behind My Master's Face as the aspect?]

First Awakenings:

While on a hunting trip south of St. Louis, MO, Reginald falls too deeply into the trance-like “hunter’s mind” that he and Gregory learned from Reginald’s father. Gregory cannot rouse Reginald from this waking dream, nor take him back to safely. Fortunately Abraham Lincoln, on his way back to Illinois, comes upon the pair, and helps Gregory take Reginald to a local shaman of his acquaintance. The Shaman, Gregory, and Abe take part in a vision quest to recover Reginald’s spirit, and it is Abraham who conveys to them the message from the spirit world. “Your spirits are old, and your current forms hold their full potential in bondage. Return to you last home, among the Bambenga, and there you will free your spirits.”

Mysterious Origins:

Gregory and Reginald cut short their trip to America, and book passage immediately to the Congo. Taking only a minimum of equipment, they travel deep into the tribal lands of their local guide. There, they learn the traditional hunting practices of the Bambenga, in which the hunter attempts to become one with their prey. The tribe’s shaman arranges for them to embark on a particularly challenging spirit quest. The hunters succeed beyond the shaman’s expectations, realizing their ability to physically become the animals they have so carefully studied, and leaving them with a new-found sense of their place in the web of life.

After much difficult deliberation, Gregory chooses to be adopted into the tribe, and marry the Shaman’s daughter, with whom he has fallen deeply in love. Reginald uses his new shape-shifting ability to assume Gregory’s identity, and assume his responsibilities as the heir of Pensington.

Returning to England, Gregory Pensington seems a somewhat changed man, possibly due to the tragic loss of his loyal valet on safari in the Congo.

Invited to one of the many well attended hunting retreats on the Pensington’s northern estates, Alice Beauchamp sees “Gregory” dart away from the rest of the party to pursue a particularly handsome and elusive buck. Only Alice is quick enough of mind and body to follow him into the deepest woods, where she sees him exhibit his uncanny shape-shifting abilities to approach the buck closely enough to rest a hand on its shoulder.

“I do belive the club would be interested in hearing about this” she thought.

[A Spirit Freed from Bondage But Not from Duty for this? Either that or move this aspect to the previous section and do a tie to Alice in here -- but I'm good with either, honestly.]

Great Failing:

"I can please everyone, all of the time." Reginald holds great affection for most of his "family", both the Hunters and the Pensingtons, and indeed the rest of the servants on the Pensington estate. The pain that Reginald's "death" is causing is nearly unbearable, but revealing his charade to his loved ones risks ruining the Pensington reputation, and the truth of Gregory's "betrayal" of his family would be nearly as painful. When not in predator mode, Reginald tends to use his mimicry to present people with whatever face they would find most pleasing, invariably creating a precarious balancing act as he tries to avoid revealing unpleasant truths.

[This is exactly where that aspect fits, yes.]

Skills

Unique Skill: Perfect Predator

Extraordinary

Shoot, Stress Capacity [Mental], Stress Capacity [Physical], Willpower, Inspire, Networking, Examine, Initiative [Physical], Initiative [Mental], Insight, Notice, Information, Treatment [Physical], Hide, Skulk.

[34 points as a Unique skill (which can't go above Extraordinary, and that's before Skill Level is added or Drawbacks subtracted. At Extraordinary, cost is 1 Refresh.]

[Needs to be tied to a Complication or Conviction, which will net you -1 or -2 to the cost.]

Unique Skill: Social Chameleon

Extraordinary?

Conversation 1, Networking 2, Disguise (unusual) 3, Guile 2

Transform (minor)Full Action/A Few Moments (-1)

[I don't know what those number next to the trappings are, but if this is a Unique skill, total cost is 6 plus the Skill Level -1 for the Minor Transform. We may want to see if it's truly minor, but that's another question. At Extraordinary, cost is 1 Refresh.]

[Needs to be tied to a Complication or Conviction, which will net you -1 or -2 to the cost.]

Strange Skill: Shapechange

Extraordinary?

Resist Damage 2, Physical Force 4, Leap 2, Move 2, Climb 2, Dodge 2, Strike 5, Parry 1, Menace 1

Flaw: Snag (Minor) Can only transform into someone or something whom he has studied carefully (-1)

Flaw: Snag (Minor) A most immodest ability. Clothing does not transform with him. (-1)

Transform (Minor)Full Action/A Few Moments (-1)

[Again, I don't know what the trappings numbers are, but this adds up to 21 plus the Skill Level -3 for the assorted drawbacks.]