Reginald Hunter, AKA Gregory Sage

I suspect you share some of the trappist beliefes of your father and his lover and the rest of their friends and compatriots. To wit, you wish to radically reorganize British society as to eliminate the class structure and substantially re-deistibute wealth and power in a more equitable way. I assume that you have, in addition to making plans to bring about these changes, considered the likely negative side effects of making these sorts of radical changes at a rapid pace. I would like to present evidence in favor of more gradual change and recruiting the nobility into the plans.

Due to my unusual position, I am in posession of relevant information that you should include in your calculations. I urge you not to take any percipitous actions until have my input.

Thank you, and I look forward to speaking with you. I also look forward to getting to know my cousin-in-law-to-be.

Please let me know if there are any assurances you need from me to arrange that meeting.

Aspects

• Changed: The World’s Greatest Mimic
• Working Class: Raised to be my brother's keeper
• Conviction: We must all rely on one another
• Conviction: Observe, Imitate, Exploit
• Complication (minor): A most immodest tallent
• Free: In love with a brazen lass
• Complication (major): The Heir of Pensington
• Conviction: "I can please all of the people, all of the time."

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.

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.

Aspect: A most immodest tallent

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.”

Aspect: A few know my true nature

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.

Aspect: The Heir of Pensington

Great Failing:

Reginald holds great affection for most of his "family", both the Hunters and the Sages, 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.

Aspect: "I can please all of the people, all of the time."

Skills

Great (+4): Actually the Heir (E), Shapechange (A)

Good (+3): Apex Predator (S), Uncanny Mimic (S)

Fair (+2): Art, Occultism

Average (+1): Fisticuffs, Science

Total Cost: 85 (20 ratings + 65 trappings)

Possible Skills Rebuild

Gifts/Power Tiers

Skilled (Free Gift): +5 skill points

Skilled x2 (-2 Refresh): +10 skill points

Extraordinary Tier (-1 Refresh): Really the Heir

Superhuman Tier (-2 Refresh): Apex Predator

Superhuman Tier (-2 Refresh): Uncanny Mimic

Ascendant Tier (-4 Refresh): Shapechange

Unique and Strange Skills

Actually The Heir (12)

Power Tier: Extraordinary (-1 refresh)

Esteem, Influence, Information, Initiative [Social], Neworking, Stress Capacity [Reputation], Treatment [Social]

Complication [Major] (-2): "The Heir of Pensington"

Tier Benefits (up to 4): Social Weapon 1, Social Armor 1

[1 + 3 + 0 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 14] [14 - 2 = 12]

Apex Predator (15)

Power Tier: Superhuman (-2 refresh)

Notice + Unusual 2, Examine + Unusual 2, Shoot 4, Skulk 4, Stress Capacity [Composure] 2, Willpower 3

Conviction (-2): "Observe, Imitate, Exploit"

[(1+1) + (1+1) + 4 + 4 + 2 + 3 = 17] [17 - 2 = 15]

Tier Benefits (up to 3): Defend normally when surprised, Mental Armor 2 and Extra Trifling Mental Consequence,

Uncanny Mimic (14)

Power Tier: Superhuman (-2 refresh)

Conversation, Convince, Guile, Information, Initiative [Mental], Insight, Inspire, Languages, Menace, Networking

Conviction (-2): "I can please all of the people all of the time"

[1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 16] [16 - 2 = 14]

Tier Benefits (up to 3): Weapon 2 Composure, Speaks 8 additional languages and 3 "exotic" languages, Weapon 2 [Reputation]

Shapechange (23)

Power Tier: Ascendant (-3 refresh)

Disguise + Unusual, Dodge, Initiative [Physical], Move + Unusualx2, Physical Force, Stress Capacity [Health], Variable [Scene]x3

Transform [Minor] (-1): Changing form requires Full Action/A Few Moments. Replace "The Heir of Pensington" with an aspect appropriate to the form chosen.

Complication [Minor] (-1): "A most immodest talent" (can't transform clothes.)

Snag [Minor] (-1): Variable trappings limited to form taken, some constant trappings unavailable depending on form (e.g. Boa Constrictors cannot Leap)

Snag [Minor] (-1): Skills that rely on the subtitles of human interaction or tool use are severely limited or unavailable in animal form

[(1+1) + 2 + 1 + 2 + (1+2) + 3 + 4 + 3x4 = 29] [29 - 6 = 23]

Tier benefits (up to 4): 3 zones as free action; Physical Armor 3; Physical Weapon 3; One variable trapping confers a tier benefit on the trapping assigned to it (frequently Skulk or Treatment [physical])

Refresh

Total Refresh = 15

Gifts = -2

Power Tiers = -9

Adjusted Refresh = 4

Experience

Base Refresh: 6

Stories: 7

Volumes: 1

Cleared Grievous Consequences: 1

Total Refresh = 6 + 7 + 1 + 1 = 15

11 points worth of "Gosh it's a lovely day."

You see a platypus wearing a deerstalker crawl past you on the roof.

"Reginald, is that you?"

He gives you a funny look.

"So sorry."

He tips his hat at you and disappears down a chute.