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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Quazar on December 15, 2010, 08:39:01 AM
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It being the season, and Jim having mentioned Santa at DragonCon, I've been thinking about what would make for a good character based around EDIT:a servant/representative of Old St. Nick, using his themes. He'd need Marked by Power of course, and perhaps Unseelie Magic, but what else would make for a great themed character? I have a few ideas, but I'm mostly interested in what you guys cook up. What do you think?
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Well, there are lots of threads about erlking/oberon/santa claus and the various faerie courts. :)
Personally, I run Santa as the king of the Autumn Court, and the Erlking (aka Oberon, IMO) as king of the Spring Courts. And run those courts more as heralds for the other seasons than their own full courts.
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This was my take on an Emissary of Santa character, with some of my inspiration (and names for some abilities) from the other threads on this subject:
Nicholas Santos (Knight of a Faerie Court) – Submerged
High Aspect: Knight of the Yuletide King
Trouble: Too Naïve For His Own Good
Other Aspects: Raised in Santa’s Workshop; Master Craftsman; Subtle Strength of Yuletide Magic; Gregarious to a Fault; Joyous Warrior
Stress:
Physical: OOO(OO)
Social: OOOO
Mental: OOOO
Skills:
• Superb (+5): Craftsmanship, Lore
• Great (+4): Conviction, Discipline
• Good (+3): Presence, Rapport
• Fair (+2): Contacts, Empathy, Resources
• Average (+1): Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Fists, Weapons
Supernatural Powers:
• Marked by Power [-1]
• Inhuman Strength [-2]
• Inhuman Toughness [-2]
• Inhuman Recovery [-2]
• The Catch [+3] is cold iron and the trappings of Summer
• Item of Power: St. Nicholas’ Staff [+2]
• Yuletide Magic [-4]
• Refinement [-2]
Focus Items:
• St. Nicholas’ Staff: Complexity: +2 Yuletide; Frequency: +2 Yuletide
Enchanted Items:
• Santa’s Bangle: Yuletide Weapon: 6 Attack; 4/uses per session
• Handmade Gloves: Yuletide Weapon: 5 Attack vs. Zone; 3/uses per session
• Ruby Cap: Yuletide Counterspell: 6; 4/uses per session
• Maroon Scarf: Yuletide Block: 4 or Armor: 2; 6/uses per session
• Crimson Coat: Yuletide Block: 6 or Armor 3; 4/uses per session
• Hiding Boots: Yuletide Block: 5 vs. Perception, Duration 3 rounds; 3/uses per session
• Two Potion Slots
Rotes:
• Frostbite: Yuletide; Weapon: 4 Attack
• Cold Front: Yuletide; Weapon: 2 Attack vs. Zone
• Shield of Warmth: Yuletide; Block: 4
• Ho! Ho! Ho!: Yuletide; Applies Goodwill Toward Men Aspect to an opponent; sticky
• Veiled Steps: Yuletide; Block: 4 vs. Perception
Adjusted Refresh: 2
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Well, there are lots of threads about erlking/oberon/santa claus and the various faerie courts. :)
Personally, I run Santa as the king of the Autumn Court, and the Erlking (aka Oberon, IMO) as king of the Spring Courts. And run those courts more as heralds for the other seasons than their own full courts.
Which is canonically wrong, because Santa is a Winter king and the Erlking is a Summer king.
But it's your game, so do as you wish. :P
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Given the amount of belief Santa Claus receives, even now, I'd make him essentially like the Mothers; stats don't matter, he acts as he must because of who and what he is.
Now his agents (emissaries of power) could be a different matter.
Besides, who in their right mind would attack Santa Claus?
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Besides, who in their right ming would attack Santa Claus?
The Martians, obviously. ;D
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The Martians, obviously. ;D
Luckily we have Droppo on our side.
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There are other ways to look at Santa Claus. One of his knights could be Zwarte Piet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet), a character who can bring treats for good children, but nasty children are either stolen away forever (perhaps to become elves at the North Pole) or he gives them Christmas beatings. He's part of the Dutch and French Christmas tradition.
Then there's Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand Rupert or Servant Rupert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht) in Germany - who basically does the same thing.
And I just stumbled across a list of beings believed to help out Santa Claus at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas) - and most of them are people you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. All of them can be inspiration for an Emissary of Santa that isn't always jolly.
Richard
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Given the amount of belief Santa Claus receives, even now, I'd make him essentially like the Mothers; stats don't matter, he acts as he must because of who and what he is.
This is how I'd run him. Especially since his mention in Storm Front is coupled with the statement "Not that I'd be stupid enough to summon him."
I'd call him a plot device level Sidhe lord. I would also personally stat him as a summer lord. Yule (and infact most winter solstice festivals) is actually a Sun festival. It celebrates the coming thaw, winters end and the return of the sun god (of whichever pantheon is present). The giftgiving was a metaphor for Summers bounty and Santa Claus is just an anthropomorphism of those concepts.
So basically, I'd call Santa a summer lord of such power that he can make himself known, even at the height of Winters power. Now sadly, I can't think of an opposite to this concept (winter being manifest during summers time), and since the courts are all about balance, there really should be one.
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Santa Claus:
- Sees you when you're sleeping, and knows if you're awake. That could be Ritual (Scrying), or it could just be legend inspired by his exceptional Burglary skills
- Knows if you've been bad or good. This is either an Empathy stunt/power, or an Item of Power ("The List")
- Believes you'd better be good, for Goodness' sake. This is clearly an Aspect.
- Can enter any family home via the chimney (and arguably homes without a chimney). That sounds like a Burglary-themed power that allows Santa to bypass physical barriers as well as Thresholds.
- Receives letters from all over the world. That would provide a Superb Contacts skill and/or Contacts stunts.
- Can travel the entire world in one night. That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.
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- Can travel the entire world in one night. That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.
He's not a mortal caster though, so the laws don't apply to him.
I'd call him a plot device level Sidhe lord. I would also personally stat him as a summer lord. Yule (and infact most winter solstice festivals) is actually a Sun festival. It celebrates the coming thaw, winters end and the return of the sun god (of whichever pantheon is present). The giftgiving was a metaphor for Summers bounty and Santa Claus is just an anthropomorphism of those concepts.
So basically, I'd call Santa a summer lord of such power that he can make himself known, even at the height of Winters power. Now sadly, I can't think of an opposite to this concept (winter being manifest during summers time), and since the courts are all about balance, there really should be one.
WoJ is that he's a winter lord, acting as the balance against winter's cold. Just as the Erlking represents the darkness of summer.
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- Can travel the entire world in one night. That suggests that Santa is either breaking the Sixth law or has Mythical Speed, possibly both.
Or he just know every single way through the Nevernever... Which in and of itself would probably make him more powerful than the fearie queens.
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Ok, to be clear, I'm not trying to stat Santa. I didn't make that clear in the OP, sorry. He's definitely a plot device level character, at least on par with the Erlking and probably more powerful. I mean, knows if you've been bad or good? That's intellectus my friends.
I'm interested in guys like Buscadera's character. Which emphasis did you place on Yuletide Magic? Obviously air, perhaps something to do with cold? Not an element per se, but i guess it could be run as the reverse of fire.
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He's not a mortal caster though, so the laws don't apply to him.
Well, if I were going to portray him in DFRPG, he'd be a mortal spell-casting, jolly old, sixth-law-breaking vigilante Wizard with some highly specialized powers. The Wardens would all want him neutralized for messing with the flow of time, but he can't seem to be killed, and no spell or prison can hold him. Plus it's tough to fight a guy who's just so darn nice!
That's probably not what the OP is looking for in this case...
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Well, if I were going to portray him in DFRPG, he'd be a mortal spell-casting, jolly old, sixth-law-breaking vigilante Wizard with some highly specialized powers. The Wardens would all want him neutralized for messing with the flow of time, but he can't seem to be killed, and no spell or prison can hold him. Plus it's tough to fight a guy who's just so darn nice!
That's probably not what the OP is looking for in this case...
Played by Tim Allen, perhaps?
Or perhaps go the "Fred Claus" route with Vince Vaughn? Sure, your sidhe half-brother may be THE Santa Claus, but when he needs something done "off the Naughty List," you're just the sixth-law-breaking bastard that he needs to deck some other bastard's halls.
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WoJ is that he's a winter lord, acting as the balance against winter's cold. Just as the Erlking represents the darkness of summer.
I haven't seen the dragoncon stuff, so all I had to go on is the mention in Storm Front. In any case that makes sense.
Taking that into account, I absolutely agree that a "Yuletide Knight", would require his own version of sponsored magic, as unseelie magic doesn't fit the yuletide feel. Seelie magic would be closer, but a Winter Lord giving full on summer magic seems a little weird.
The yuletide magic could have themes of feasting, protective warmth, rewarding the good and punishing the bad, health, community... probably even travel (though I might just tack that on as a separate power yo the Knight).
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If it's sponsored magic then he'll have to repay his sponsor...
Might I suggest working on the lists?
Something along the lines of every couple of times he uses magic he has to do what appears to be a random act of kindness - but it's really rewarding someone on the nice list. Or a random looking act of something not-so-nice to someone on the naughty list.
Hmm, just thinking he might be armed with a item of power - glaces that reveal if someone is on the nice or naughty list. Maybe revealing how many nice points and how many naughty points they have. Nothing that gives out any details (he'd have to ask for access to a list for that) but maybe that Jack has 324 Nice points and 32 Naughty points. Something like that would be an instant plot device, especially when you nice an average looking guy (or maybe a kid) with a ridiculous amount of naughty points and can't helping WTF he's been doing.
Richard
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Which is canonically wrong, because Santa is a Winter king and the Erlking is a Summer king.
how so? nowhere does it actually say either way. And not to mention that Erlking is supposed translate to "elf king", yet we see him surrounded by/with goblins, which feel like winter fae in personality (cruel, to the extreme). And I'm more tan willing to dg up WoJ. :)
not to mention, i choose the erlking for spring as he would assist summer into coming into fruition/power as Claus would assist winter. Especially as Jim is very quiet about who is on whose side. :)
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how so? nowhere does it actually say either way. And not to mention that Erlking is supposed translate to "elf king", yet we see him surrounded by/with goblins, which feel like winter fae in personality (cruel, to the extreme). And I'm more tan willing to dg up WoJ. :)
not to mention, i choose the erlking for spring as he would assist summer into coming into fruition/power as Claus would assist winter. Especially as Jim is very quiet about who is on whose side. :)
It was something Jim said at Dragoncon. The Erlking is the harshness of summer and Santa Clause is the warmth of winter.
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yet we see him surrounded by/with goblins, which feel like winter fae in personality (cruel, to the extreme).
The books (changes I believe) state flat out that Goblins aren't Winter. They're Wild fae (as are most trolls and ogres), they don't belong to either court. It also implies that the Erlking is sort of a king of the Wild fae.
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If you read the quote carefully you'll see that the Erlking and Santa "are independent of their Queen’s courts. "
- to me that's basically going wylde fae again. You don't have to come when the queen calls. You do, however, have to do the jobs that define so if Mab calls for the Wild Hunt (because someone brought Summer Magic into her stronghold) and you're one of the leaders of the hunt then you have to show up and hunt the poor, scared little wizard.
Richard
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I don't see Santa as being Fae at all (although certainly an inhabitant of the Never-Never).
He is what he is; a very powerful being working to spread joy, charity, and good will throughout the world. And probably the Never-Never as well; he's visited Oz on one occasion.
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Actually, Jim has stated that Santa Claus is a unique brownie. So definitely fae.
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Even wyldfae belong to (or at least lean to) one court or the other. It was demonstrated in summer knight, when even toot was called to pick a side.
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Actually, Jim has stated that Santa Claus is a unique brownie. So definitely fae.
Santa => Brownies
Erlking => Goblins
Except Santa probably has the upper hand. How many Neo-pagans worship the Horned God, versus how many little children believe with all their hearts in Santa?
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He is what he is; a very powerful being working to spread joy, charity, and good will throughout the world. And probably the Never-Never as well; he's visited Oz on one occasion.
Actually, the modern myth of Santa is just a reinterpretation of a character known in many Germanic traditions (Someone else mentioned one of them Zwarte Piet "Black Peter"), who around midwinter would travel the world giving gifts to good children and savagely punishing (usually beating or kidnapping) naughty children.
So the "real" Santa would probably be more like this (as infact the real life santa was, until he was Disneyfide into the Santa we know).
Even wyldfae belong to (or at least lean to) one court or the other. It was demonstrated in summer knight, when even toot was called to pick a side.
What it said in Summer Knight was that in times of great imbalance, the Wyld fae could be "called", basically drafted for the war, but even in those circumstances, they got to choose which side they fought for (also choosing a side would be necessary since no fae would be safe from the war). Now yes, the nasty Fae usually chose Winter, and the nicer Fae Summer, but that was just a rule of thumb, not a compulsion.
In the end, each wyldfae chose for itself whether to fight and who to fight for. This is proven by the dewdrop fairies choosing to side with the Pizzalord.
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how so? nowhere does it actually say either way...
here (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,21772.msg947679.html#msg947679)
Where are the Farie kings?
Yes they do. The Erlking as sort of the Hunter king, and Santa Clause, the Winter king who is not the commercial Santa Clause. The kings are sort of the opposite of the queens in their given season. They are independent of their Queen’s courts. The Erlking is not a particularly friendly guy, whereas Santa Clause is kinder, the spirit of generosity in a time of bleakness. Yah I’ve gota have Harry ask Mab about him so she can roll her eyes.
Actually, the modern myth of Santa is just a reinterpretation of a character known in many Germanic traditions (Someone else mentioned one of them Zwarte Piet "Black Peter"), who around midwinter would travel the world giving gifts to good children and savagely punishing (usually beating or kidnapping) naughty children.
Actually, Zwart Piet is one of a number of companions of Saint Nicholas/Sinterklaas. See also Belsnickel, Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, Le Père Fouettard, Grýla (and her husband, big black Yule Cat, and 13 Yule lads). Some slightly less (overtly) terrifying companions include Mrs. Clause and Snegurochka.
As for overt Santa analogues you've got Joulupukki, Père Noël, and Ded Moroz among others, while the giant Olentzero, and old woman Befana are slightly more interesting anologues for being noticably different.
So the "real" Santa would probably be more like this (as infact the real life santa was, until he was Disneyfide into the Santa we know).
What it said in Summer Knight was that in times of great imbalance, the Wyld fae could be "called", basically drafted for the war, but even in those circumstances, they got to choose which side they fought for (also choosing a side would be necessary since no fae would be safe from the war). Now yes, the nasty Fae usually chose Winter, and the nicer Fae Summer, but that was just a rule of thumb, not a compulsion.
In the end, each wyldfae chose for itself whether to fight and who to fight for. This is proven by the dewdrop fairies choosing to side with the Pizzalord.
Actually, some of the Wyldfae chose and some were overtly abducted- it varied.
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The Krampus has gotta be super scary for the little ones. He looks a lot like the Buffy version of a werewolf.
You know what's funny? Modern Santa was designed by Coca-Cola more than anymore else. But then, who has more pull than Coke?
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Getting back to the original topic, should we give him a high burglary or would you deal with that any other way?
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Getting back to the original topic, should we give him a high burglary or would you deal with that any other way?
Possibly for flavor, but magic would overcome most all need for such skills.
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Getting back to the original topic, should we give him a high burglary or would you deal with that any other way?
I'd go with Stunts/Powers instead.
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@RyanR: Actually, it *only* mentions Santa. It never mentions the Erlking's side. Ever. :) Which is why I counted him as part of the autumn court. Specifically, because I few the autumn and spring courts more as sub-courts as winter and summer, respectively.
Either way, Santa is definitely a Fae, and a powerful one. And yes, he should be associated with Winter.
@devon: absolutely. It's used to case a place for entry, is it not? To figure out the easiest way in, if not break in necessarily. And probably high investigation too.
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Getting back to the original topic, should we give him a high burglary or would you deal with that any other way?
You mean the Knight of Claus? Because that's the OP. It's not phrased very well, maybe I should edit it, but this is meant to be about how to stat an Emissary of Power/Knight of Faerie associated with Father Christmas.
I think would make sense, thematically, to give an Emissary of Santa a high burglary skill. That way he can scope out good routes for Santa's trip.
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would there be a specific weakness tied to cookies and milk?
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I'm interested in guys like Buscadera's character. Which emphasis did you place on Yuletide Magic? Obviously air, perhaps something to do with cold? Not an element per se, but i guess it could be run as the reverse of fire.
When I think of Yuletide magic, I imagine that it includes the domains of cold, warmth, charity and joy. Santa's emissary would be able to attack with cold like Unseelie magic, but would also be able to inspire feelings of goodwill in his opponents and veil himself well. I also view the character as relying more on his items in combat than anything else, pulling another trick from his bag of toys. I could see the 'potions' of Santa's warrior taking on the form of toy soldiers that fired magical bullets, mystic jump ropes that would bind opponents and things like that. Slightly quirky, but thematically appropriate.
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Deadmanwalking made a character who was a Knight of Santa, and was kind enough to share with me. Here was his take on the magic...
Yuletide Magic [-4 Refresh]
Drawing on the power of the Saint Nicholas, you’re able to cast spells that fit his essential nature: warmth and coldness, charity, protection, travel, and power over secrets. These magics are under the sway and watch of Saint Nicholas himself; making use of it will inevitably catch his notice.
Cost: As normal Sponsored Magic
Effects: Standard Sponsored Magic benefits, including counting as an Evocation element, allowing evocation spell effects that encourage or make use of warmth or coldness, charity, protection, travel, and a power over secrets. In addition, Yuletide Magic may be used to duplicate Conjuration or Warding effects at Evocation speeds and methods, and receives a +1 bonus to Control and Complexity on Conjuration. Yuletide Magic’s Evocations always includes either warmth or cold in some way, depending on the element being use.
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Or perhaps go the "Fred Claus" route with Vince Vaughn? Sure, your sidhe half-brother may be THE Santa Claus, but when he needs something done "off the Naughty List," you're just the sixth-law-breaking bastard that he needs to deck some other bastard's halls.
I've never seen Fred Clause but "deck some other bastard's halls" made me laugh...8)
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You mean the Knight of Claus? Because that's the OP. It's not phrased very well, maybe I should edit it, but this is meant to be about how to stat an Emissary of Power/Knight of Faerie associated with Father Christmas.
I think would make sense, thematically, to give an Emissary of Santa a high burglary skill. That way he can scope out good routes for Santa's trip.
That actually raises an interesting question: Why does Santa Claus need knights? What jobs would a Knight of Claus be tasked with? That might give a better idea of what powers and skills they need.
Are they scoping out routes for Santa Claus? Are they destroying malls to halt the commercialization of Christmas? (Or vice-versa?) Are they trying to convert White Council Elder Ebeneezer Scrooge to renounce his evil ways? (I think describing the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future as Knights of Father Christmas would be cool...)
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I'd like to think that one of their jobs might be protecting/punishing children, depending on whether they are nice/naughty.
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I think one of the jobs would be to remind people about naughty and nice. Punish the naughty, reward the nice - that sort of thing. If you look at the old legends about him that's more or less what he does.
Like maybe one would show up and help a nice person change a flat tire because that's what the nice person deserved, then later flatten the tire of a naughty person because that's what he has coming to him.
I could also see one trying to fight the "me centric" approach to Christmas, reminding others that it's better to give than to receive, but anything to do with Christmas is a limiting factor. If the knight/emissary is all about Christmas then what's he going to the rest of the year?
Suddenly I have a vision of the emissary running "The Naughty and Nice strip club", getting tanked off a never ending flask of "Christmas spirit", and every few days wandering out to reward the nice while smacking down someone naughty - all in the name of "the Fat Man". All the while muttering about keeping Christmas in your heart all the year long.
Richard
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Suddenly I have a vision of the emissary running "The Naughty and Nice strip club", getting tanked off a never ending flask of "Christmas spirit", and every few days wandering out to reward the nice while smacking down someone naughty - all in the name of "the Fat Man". All the while muttering about keeping Christmas in your heart all the year long.
Love it! :)
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I'd like to think that one of their jobs might be protecting/punishing children, depending on whether they are nice/naughty.
That's getting near a line that's hard to play around - and would need a group of players who were comfortable with it. It's true to the source material, but some people would have a problem with a character who only protects "nice" children. "I save the nice kid from the burning building, but the other kids were naughty so I left them to fry" isn't quite what most people accept as heroic. As for punishing kids, a character doing that could wind up in real problem with the law. Someone going around and handing out small presents to nice kids while spanking naughty ones (which is something that the companions of Santa supposedly did) would attract serious police attention. Heck, a stranger handing out presents to random kids would probably get a lot of police attention.
Now if he's using powers - say sponsored magic to make it so that the nice kid skates across the finish line first while the naughty one slips on the ice and falls flat on his butt (maybe splitting his pants while he does it) - then I could see people not noticing the list of coincidences. Then again, he should leave a little signs to show people that they've been rewarded for being nice or smacked down for being naughty because if there's no link then people won't associate their behaviour with the consequences. Them not knowing kind of defeats the purpose of a rewards/punishments system.
The more I think of it, the more this concept would have problems with the law - at least if he told people who he was. Dresden calls himself a wizard and all the cops who hear that assume that he's some sort of con man - because why else would anyone call himself a wizard? That's because cops generally assume the worst about people (because they see it all too often). So if they hear about someone going around claiming to a special friend of Santa Claus they'll assume he's lying because he wants to trick children into trusting him and that just raises all sorts of red flags. And if he talks about punishing 'naughty children' then he might "trip and fall" a couple of times on his way to the holding cell.
On the flip side of it being a PC, an emissary of Santa Claus might be an interesting thing to have in the background of a city. If it's a major city with a million plus people then he's not going to have a huge impact. Say he interacts with 1 - 2 kids a day, call it 700 kids a year out a city of a million. If he stays in the poor neighbours then the authorities probably wouldn't be too involved (but various people might want to crack a cap into his ass). While not really important in the big picture he is the sort of thing that PCs would hear about. So they track the rumours of a man (or woman) who visits children and either gives them minor treats (candy, cheap toys - probably nothing over $5) or spanks them and discover someone with "Marked by Power" claiming to be an emissary of Saint Claus, someone who honestly believes that he/she is making a difference, then what do they do?
Do they take action to end the seemingly random beatings while trying to keep the heart lifting presents going?
Do they say "who cares about Aegis of Respect" and take the emissary out (opening themselves up to vengeance from the fairies)?
Do they try to work some sort of deal?
Do they report the madman to the police (taking the conflict nuclear)?
Do they let the gangs know about who is behind everything and stand back while they deal with "the freak going around spanking other people's kids" and then watch winter's revenge over the deed?
Do they shrug, decide that everyone is just getting what they deserve, and walk away?
Whatever they decide, I could see them getting something special at Christmas. Maybe a simple little magic item (if they helped the emissary) or a cursed item (if they hurt the emissary) or even a special visit from Santa.
I could see this going another way (especially this time of year) where there are stories spreading about "something special" in town and the PCs finding an overworked emissary rewarding nice kids, having a conversation with it, maybe even helping do it's job. Then they later discover that part two of the emissary's plan is to kidnap naughty kids and take them to the Nevernever as a punishment, or otherwise handout bad stuff. Bad stuff like the kid's house burning down, or giving them cancer, or handing out beatings. Bad stuff that they helped make possible when they helped the emissary dish out good stuff to nice kids.
This concept opens a huge number of doors and can be played countless ways. You could take it comic christmas movie style of the hapless emissary trying to make Christmas right. You could take it Dark Knight Returns style and have a vigilante handing out rewards and punishments according to a code that made sense in the dark ages (but not so much sense now). You could take it Average Joe living life his way, unless he uses his fae given powers then the sponsored magic demands he act as a servant of Santa. A "Touch by Angel" type going around rewarding the good.
It's always intriguing when something can be used in so many different ways.
Richard
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That's getting near a line that's hard to play around - and would need a group of players who were comfortable with it. It's true to the source material, but some people would have a problem with a character who only protects "nice" children. "I save the nice kid from the burning building, but the other kids were naughty so I left them to fry" isn't quite what most people accept as heroic. As for punishing kids, a character doing that could wind up in real problem with the law. Someone going around and handing out small presents to nice kids while spanking naughty ones (which is something that the companions of Santa supposedly did) would attract serious police attention. Heck, a stranger handing out presents to random kids would probably get a lot of police attention.
Actually I could see this being a great trouble. A character wants to help the children of the world so he makes a deal with clause but he doesn't realize the other side of his job. So does he do as he's told and let the naughty kids fry or does he save them all, santa's orders be damned!
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You're right - that would make a great trouble.
Richard
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And yeah, the character would have to use magic to stay ahead of the law regardless of whether he was targeting kids or adults. The police tend to frown on random beatings (not nearly as much as they frown on child abuse I suppose but still).
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Getting back to the original topic, should we give him a high burglary or would you deal with that any other way?
Not needed. This is Santa Claus he get millions of invites into home by children every year in the form of letters. (No threshold problems)
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Sometimes it depends on who's getting beat. Handout beatings to the middle class and the police will be looking for you. Beat someone that the police consider lowlife scum and often it's a case of "we'll get to it when we get to it". Drug dealers, game members - violence on them is mostly ignored. Of course they present another potential complication - they might gather up some of their friends and track you down to do something very naughty to you.
But if you use magic to make things 'happen' to naughty people then the police aren't likely to investigate you. Use a sponsored form of Evocation to flatten a naughty someone's tire and the security camera will show that you were never within 20 feet of that car. Use a sponsored version of Thaumaturgy to make something happen (say have the naughty kid trip over his own skates so the nice kid wins the skating race and everything turns out like a disney movie) and there's no link that the cops can follow.
But you're right - anyone going around in a judgmental frame of mind, punishing the naughty, will attract the attention of the authorities.
Richard
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Not need. This is Santa Claus he get millions of invites into home by children every year in forms of letters. (No threshold problems)
Technically it's Santa's emissary. The invitation might allow him to use his magic in someone's home but he still has to get in.
I'd say he would either use an Item of Power or Sponsored Magic to gain entry - depending on the character's build. The idea of him standing out there with burglary tools just doesn't mesh well with the concept of Santa's emissary. Now I could see Santa's knight breaking down a door to give some naughty men what they have coming, but I also see a Knight being very different than a emissary. A Knight can undertake many roles but the term implies combat capabilities while emissary calls to mind a messenger / ambassador type. One fights but can do other things while the other specialises in other things but can (if need be) fight.
Richard
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So I decided to write up two versions of "the Emissary of Santa Claus". Each is a complete character. With one I worked off a character sheet and with the other I just did the background and then translated it to a character sheet. Both are very different, but both could be working for the same guy.
Dresden write up - emissary of Santa Claus
Part one: the clean, comical version. A.k.a. the network Christmas Special.
Name: Eric Johnson
Template: Emissary of Power (Santa Claus)
High Concept Aspect: Santa's Frantic Assistant
Trouble Aspect: The Green Meanies
Background: Where did you come from?
Eric Johnson grew up as the oldest child in a large working poor family. There was enough money to put enough food on the table, most nights, but Eric learned early that if you had extra then someone went without. Whenever Christmas rolled around he would carefully write his letter to Santa because he knew that his family didn't have the money for extras, so if he wanted the good stuff it was Santa or nothing. Because of this he believed in Santa longer than most, and a part of him never gave up on the hope that Santa was real and nicest was rewarded.
Phase Aspect: Still believes in hope
Rising Conflict: What shaped you?
When he was a teen his father's hours were cut back and the tight household budget shrank to practically nothing. Eric had to dropout of high school to find a job. Technically it was his choice, but it was to do that or watch his family disintegrate. He was able to get a job as a mail boy, with the hope of advancement. Through hard work and a good attitude he became a personal assistant to a junior manager. That, and he was the closest employee around when the previous PA was fired and uptight Ms. Ryan needed a new PA. This job meant longer hours for only a little more money, but the extra money was needed and Eric threw himself into the job. When Ms. Ryan needed something Eric was the one who got it done, whatever it took.
Phase Aspect: Does whatever it takes
The Story: What was your first adventure? (Story Title/Guest Starring)
Last Christmas, "whatever it takes" involved deserting his family (his gave them his expectantly huge bonus cheque but not his time) as Eric worked frantically to make Ms. Ryan's Christmas work. Through a series of mix ups Ms. Ryan (a single woman who was an up and comer at the company) was somehow saddled with her sister's two kids and then her brother dropped of his three as he and his wife rushed to Europe. Seeing her trailed by the five children one of the big bosses decided that Ms. Ryan was the answer to his nanny's unexpected departure and asked her to watch his daughter Jane while he was on "business trip" with his secretary. Swamped and unable to cope, Ms. Ryan dragged her PA into the mix (bribing him with a bonus big enough to give his siblings the kind of Christmas they deserved) and Eric (who had helped out with his younger brothers and sisters) rose to the challenge. He raced from store to store, battling other last minute shoppers for the kinds of toys he had never had, while soothing the rough feelings that were the natural result of two sets of cousins and the big boss' arrogant little girl all being crowed into a single woman's apartment. In between saving two Christmases (his bonus cheque saving it for his younger siblings and his dedicated saving it for Ms. Ryan and her temporary brood) he taught Ms. Ryan the True Meaning of Family, taught the cousins that sometimes you had to share a room, and taught the boss' daughter that she wasn't the centre of the universe.
While doing that last bit he had to give Jane a timeout a room by herself and while he was doing that bit Eric stumbled over an unfamiliar PDA. He tried to see whose it was and as he navigated through the menus he came across a huge file. The boss' daughter's name was in it and she was listed as 'naughty'.
Suddenly there was an elf and some reindeer and in moments he was somewhere else. Somewhere that looked suspiciously Santa's Workshop. A place where someone was throwing one hell of a tantrum. Eric didn't follow it all, but the bits he caught was that the girl (one who looked like an ice princess from a ballet) wasn't going to take it anymore. That didn't she know where the stupid PDA was and that she would rather work for someone named Maeve than deal with this Christmas rush BS one more time. With that she turned into a cloud of snowflakes which swirled out of the room.
Eric already had the PDA and he soon drafted as Santa's Chief Assistant (note: that's not his High Concept, only his title). It wasn't easy, but with the help of *Guest Star* he was able to get the workshop humming again so that all the toys were ready. After supplying the needed aid he was formally named Santa's Chief Assistant For Life, invested with his own Bag of Treats and a copy of The Big Guy's special brand of PDA.
Somehow he even made it home before Jane's timeout was up. It all seemed like a dream.
Of course things didn't end there. What followed was a comedy of errors as he met up with *Guest Star* who had thought it was all a dream about a place called Nevernever and was shocked to see him in real life. Then, tempted by the power of the PDA and the Bag of Treats, Eric and *Guest Star* had a frantic, non-stop adventure that lasted for long four hours. Eric almost put himself on the naughty list (he tried to sell treats that would fade in minutes to get money to buy real toys for his younger siblings), but he pulled back just in time. By the time all the kids were in bed for the night everyone was firmly on the nice list - and that included Jane who had learned that not only that she wasn't the centre of the universe but that the only business her dad was up to was monkey business with his secretary. Eric still doesn't know how he was able to get everything done in time.
Phase Aspect: Does it all in the nick of time
Guest Star: Whose Path Have You Crossed?(To be filled out later)
Since then Eric still works for Ms. Ryan (who got her big promotion for making Jane's Christmas a happy one), but *Guest Star* has introduced him some of his/her stranger friends. They all laugh when they hear that he is Santa's Chief Assistant, but then some of them look at him closely enough to see Santa's Mark (a reindeer tattoo on the base of his neck) and then for some reason treat him very politely
Power Level: Up to Your Waist
Skill Cap: Great
Skill Points: 25
Starting Refresh: 7
Adjusted Refresh: 2
Skills
Conviction: Good
Discipline: Good
Lore: Good (learned recently, all his knowledge comes from his PDA and talking to Santa's other assistants. He uses it mainly to conjure treats from the Bag of Treats).
Rapport: Good
Alertness: Fair
Athletics: Fair
Stealth: Fair
Empathy: Fair
Burglary: Average (learned from the other assistants)
Contacts: Average (he knows people from various walks of life)
Fists: Average (you didn't get through the elementary school he went to without learning how to fight)
Resources: Average (Ms. Ryan came through on that raise!)
Scholarship: Average (he's trying to finish his education; he already has his GED)
Stunts & Powers
Marked by Power (-1)
Item of Power: Santa's PDA
- Opens locks (-1)
- Naughty / nice list (-2)
Refund for first item of power (+2)
Net cost: (-1)
The PDA has a special "lock app" that seems to be able to open any locked. Eric is supposed to use it only when he's "on the clock" but sometimes he uses it for personal reasons.
The "naughty / nice list" is huge, and so far everyone Eric found every name he's looked for (but it might be limited to names only in his city - he hasn't checked any out-of-towners). It's basically a massive divination spell (linked to reports from fairies who work for Santa) that lists the subject's general Naughty/Nice level and includes examples of some of the Nicer and Naughtier things that the person has done. Any blackmail would love to have this list, and if Marcone knew about it, well, he would probably think it worth the wergild he'd have to pay if he destroyed it. (Note: Marcone is definitely on the Very, Very Naughty list.)
Eric uses it mostly to help him in his work, but occasionally gives into temptation and curiosity to check on whether friends and relatives are naughty or nice.
Item of Power: Bag of Treats (-3)
Effectively grants Ritual (conjuration only). This would normally be a (-2) power, but the bag supplies an incredible number of shifts that be used for duration only. The bag generations 100 steps of duration a week. Items created normally last for 15 minutes, which means that for the cost of 13 steps it will last a year. Dedicate 16 steps and the item will last for an entire generation. When the last step of duration is used it will only produce items if Eric dedicates at least one step to duration (so only smaller things). This means Eric always has a choice to make: give a lot people a little happiness (about 15 minutes worth) or a few people lasting happiness.
Note: Only someone who works for (or believes in) Santa can use the bag.
With his Lore of Good, Eric can reach into the bag and come out with anything that requires three or fewer steps to conjure. To get something better Eric needs to dig deep and feel around and even that doesn't always work (i.e. he has to tap aspects for more shifts). Yes, he can dedicate a few of the shifts he generates to duration and stretch out the number of lasting (but small) treats he can hand out.
Additional Notes:
Being Santa's Chief Assistant means that all the other assistants (an odd mixture of fairies, elves, sidhe, changelings, and other creatures of the Winter or Wylde Fae) report to him.
In theory.
In practice they don't. Oh, they'll help him when he needs it (lending small amounts of aid that usually isn't worth much) but mostly they just bring problems to him. Problems that he has to solve "Or Christmas will be ruined!". Eric has accepted that when they say "Christmas" they mean "this family's Christmas" or "that little boy's Christmas" rather than Christmas as a whole, but since he grew up needing Santa to be real, Eric is all too happy to throw himself into the fray. The other assistants will work some magic or do some trick (like making one of their number look exactly like him) so Ms. Ryan doesn't notice that he is off doing other things and then Eric goes off to save the day.
He used to think that the people who opposed him were just Big Meanies, but occasionally he's noticed odd green flares around them. Sometimes plants will even grow noticeably fast when they are around, so he's taken to calling them Green Meanies. They often try to ruin happiness for no good reason.
His typical "save Christmas" adventures would make great movies of the week for the Disney channel, at least they would if the Disney channel made movies of the week and aimed them at preteens. Everything tends to be G rated. Little if any swearing happens and the violence is kept to the occasional scuffle. The weirdest thing that has ever happened on one of these "save Christmas" missions was when another assistant reached into Eric's Bag of Treats and came out with a book labeled "Child Psychology". At least it looked like a book, but when it was opened it proved to be a fake book with a large hairbrush in it. Eric tossed that book away (and it soon faded) and had a little talk with that assistant - the elf claimed to have seen something like that work on an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. Eric was fair but firm when he told that elf that things like that didn't turn naughty people nice and that was the last time anything like that happened. At least the last it happened when he was around.
When off the job, Eric's adventures are more perilous. The violence is real and the language is foul, but even when off working with the others Eric can usually tap one of Santa's Assistants to cover for him. He's accept that when he's not working for Christmas he's working amidst very dangerous people, but Eric doesn't believe in compromise. No matter what happens he won't do anything that would put himself on the naughty list.
At least that's how Eric sees his life. Outsiders in the know see things slightly differently. They see creatures from the Nevernever who, when bored, go running to Eric so he can "lead" them on "an adventure" while other Fae scry on his "must save Christmas in July" bits for amusement. It doesn't happen more than once a month or so and the Fae creatures seem to steer the adventures into safe territory, almost as if they are frightened of what might happen if Eric was harmed for their amusement.
More knowledgeable observers know that the Fae aren't just frightened of that; they are terrified of what would happen to them if they broke a Winter King's toy.
As for the "Green Meanies", most of them are Summer Court agents. Most of them don't really want to ruin Christmas but Eric works for Winter so they do what they have to do to oppose him. Some of the other "Green Meanies" are bored Winter Court Fae having a bit of fun by playing a role. The rest? Just normal people who have better things to do than to play around with useless concepts like Christmas, goodwill, or being nice to their fellow man. Ironically Eric is in the most danger when dealing with this normal people as no one from the Summer Court really wants to piss off Santa Claus by breaking his toy.
From the outside Eric is just a mortal that the Fae are playing carefully with. He's in no real danger, has some enchanted doodads, and seems to be enjoying himself so no one has bothered to tell Eric what they consider to be the truth. Instead they tend to see him as a resource to exploit but not one to endanger. Powerful Fae tend to hang around Eric and while he's harmless THEY aren't.
So what's the truth? Maybe Santa Claus sees Eric as something other than a toy. Maybe his adventures aren't entertainment for bored fae but are important acts that keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Who really knows?
Part two - Santa's enforcer. A.k.a. Gerry Conway's version.
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Sorry, I thought I had included this. And I just discovered that there's a maximum length for posting.
Part two - Santa's enforcer. A.k.a. Gerry Conway's version.
(Note: I had to make a few rules calls as I built this character. Talk to your GM before you try to use it.)
Name: Patrick MacGowan
Template: Emissary of Power (Santa Claus)
High Concept Aspect: The one who does what Santa NEEDS doing
Background:
Some people say that Christmas in an Irish household (even if it's just Irish-American) is one long drunken argument that ends with someone getting a pounding. If this is your definition of Christmas then when Patrick MacGowan was growing up every day was Christmas. It usually wasn't any of the kids getting the pounding - the adults usually save that level of exertion for each other.
But "usually" can be a cruel word. Usually being safe means that sometimes you aren't.
Patrick's childhood wasn't the unhappiest in the world, but it wasn't no Disney movie either. He grew up tough and he grew up hard. Surprisingly he didn't end up with much of a juvvie record. He stayed clear of the gangs and kept mostly out of trouble. He wasn't a Saint but he wasn't someone you had watch your back around. (Background Aspect: I can take care of myself.)
Surprisingly he made it through high school - grad week was a drunken haze as he celebrated the only graduation that he was likely to see. The good times ended the day after graduation. That was when Patrick crawled from a burning wreck, the sole survivor of a single vehicle accident. The driver (a fellow grad) had been drunk. He might have been stoned too, but since he didn't get out alive no one bothered to do more than BAL test. It was then, surrounded by joy turned to death, that Patrick decided he had had enough. An unhappy childhood, schools that were basically falling apart run by nuns who didn't seem to care about the kids, the poor neighbourhood, and death could all go fuck themselves. Patrick was finished with all that bullshit. He went to funerals of the kids who had died then packed a bag and left.
Left his house, his hometown, and his home state.
He hasn't been home since and has long ago stopped even thinking about going back. That part of him is dead, buried along with his friends.
He bounced around a bit, sometimes working as muscle for whoever would pay him. Not that he wanted to do that but he needed to eat and working as muscle was generally safer than robbing liquor stores. Seeing collecting debts and bouncing as dead end jobs Patrick tried to educate himself, tried to get something better. City College wasn't really an option and tech school didn't attract him (and he didn't think he'd be able to get into a union even if he leant a trade), but he kept his eyes open and read. He even "audited" classes (i.e. walked into class and pretended that he should be there) occasionally, but never officially and he usually didn't "audit" one for the entire term, but he picked up bits here and there.
Working as he on the fringes of things, no one really cared if he lived or died. At first Patrick didn't know this, or that some of his higher paying work came because no one wanted to risk someone they cared about in certain situations. Since he kept his eyes open it slowly dawned on Patrick that things just weren't right. That there were things in the world that no news channel ever covered (not even FOX) but sometimes showed up in horror movies.
Then came the last job. Later he would put the pieces together. Looking back, Patrick could see that the job had been delivering books from something in the Summer Court to a Black Court Vampire. Books that were promised to arrived, but that promise hadn't excluded any pranks and the Fae hated to give promises. Technically the books had arrived and if the Black Court Vampire only looked at the Doctor Seuss collection that was its problem, right?
But that knowledge came later. At the time he only knew that someone had contacted someone who had contact him about a delivery job. He'd thought it was something to do with drugs, but the pay was good and rent was due so he went with it and became one of eight toughs delivering two packages of books. The instructions were clear which package was to delivered first and those instructions. Patrick was leaving the second car, the one with the second set of books, when everything fell apart. One minute there were eight guys who knew how to handle themselves in a brawl delivering some books to a slip of a girl who might have been 98 pounds if she was soaking wet and the next Patrick was one of three people fleeing for their lives. As the car raced away from the darkness, Patrick knew that if he had been two steps slower there would be only a pair of survivors in the car.
It hadn't seemed real. The guys from the first car - the last one was dying while the first one struck was still falling. The ones in the second car had barely stepped out of their doors and only three of them had made it back inside. Tony hadn't, but he'd left his extra garlic pizza in the car and the stink had kept the creature out of the car.
The others had run as soon as they reached safety, but Patrick stayed long enough to get the second package of books out of the trunk. He had shipped on the same bus he rode when he left that city (the second one he'd left with bridges burning behind him). He checked the news and within weeks came across the disappearances of the other two survivors. Patrick swallowed hard and took more bus trips, breaking up his trail as much as he could.
It was a month later, when he was safe, that Patrick actually checked the books. When he did he wished that the nuns had done a better job of teaching him Latin. Latin to English dictionaries aren't cheap, nor were the other books he needed to make sense of the ones he had, but liquor stores stay open late and most times the clerk was willing to give up the safe. Slowly, Patrick MacGowan learned of things that they would not teach him off in college.
(Rising Conflict Aspect: Brutal Seeker of Secrets.)
Slowly Patrick learnt of the Hidden World. Of the creatures that walked the night (and sometimes the day). Of magic. Along the way he learnt another thing - he didn't really have a talent for magic. Oh, if he pushed himself he could be a one trick pony but he would never be more than just a minor player at the fringes of things.
Then he stumbled over a Book of Lore. At first he thought it had to be a trick. That there was no way that Santa Claus could really exist. The world was a dark place with no room for childhood fantasies, wasn't it?
Steeling himself for another letdown he did the rites that would allow him to contact the big guy. To see if the Jolly Man was really jolly. He decided that December 25th would be the wrong time to do it (Patrick knew that he'd be pissed off if someone interrupted him on his busiest night) and that was a long time off, so Patrick did the rite on June 25th. He figured it would be Santa's laziest day, but as he stood in that cornfield reading from his book Patrick never suspected that it was be the day that Santa Claus would be at his weakest.
That was how, by pure chance (or was it?), Patrick interfered with another group. He finished his rite first, mostly by accident. He had gotten some of the Latin mangled, but he had pronounced the Names clearly, and skipping over some of the mangled words meant his rite ended before the Cabal's who wanted to kidnap Santa Claus.
Patrick could barely believe that his rite had worked, that Santa Claus really existed, that Christmas magic wasn't just some bullshit dreamed up on Madison Avenue. Alas, he didn't have long to adjust before the Cabal arrived looking for their missing victim. Things got bad then, really bad. Worse than the night when he had fled the Black Court Vampire. Death seemed certain. The only reason he survived was the Cabal was focusing its might on Santa Claus. That, and *Guest Star* arrived. *Guest Star* attacked the Cabal from the rear, breaking their concentration and scattering their circle of iron. That was the chance that Patrick needed.
Some of the Cabal fled that night, but none left that farmer's field if Patrick could kill them. Once they were dealt with, Patrick started to get used to the idea that he wouldn't die that night. Giddy at living, that was went Patrick made a deal to be Santa Claus' mortal emissary. Thinking back, sometimes Patrick wishes that he had been clearheaded when he hammered out the details, but only sometimes. He knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch and the price he pays is better than the prices that other pay. Sometimes he still wakes up amazed that he survived the horrors of that night and joined with a symbol of childhood joy.
(The Story Aspect: Hope Exist in the Darkest Night)
After that, he knew that he had to pay *Guest Star* back. Not that he wanted to or had developed a new code of honour, no, it was because he'd tied himself to the Winter Fae. Patrick now knew that he couldn't turn his back on a debt like that. At the very least he had to pay it off as much he could. That led to <Guest Star> and <Guest Star Redux>. (One of these aspects might touch on his drinking.)
As he aided others, the price that Patrick had to pay became clear. He had act as if he was in a morality play. He had to reward those who were nice and punish those who weren't. Even if he didn't punish the naughty he couldn't help them, not without a great effort of will. Sometimes he couldn't muster that will and every time he could Patrick could feel the Fat Man's disapproval of him rewarding the naughty, but damn it! Just because a ten year old boy made his little sister cry was no reason that you should stand back and watch the 'naughty boy' drown in a river.
Worse, his powers came with strings attached. The more he uses them the more he has to follow the Fat Man's agenda. Using then to help the naughty or hurt the nice seemed to rack up the debts twice as fast and Patrick knows too much about the Fae to think that he can go too deeply in debt. (See powers for more,) Santa might be jolly, but even the Fat Man has his limits.
And there are things that the Fat Man doesn't do. The unpleasant tasks that he needs "helpers" for. Patrick doesn't usually enjoy doing those jobs, but he doesn't dare to get too deeply in debt. He suspects that Krampus ([url[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus[/url] and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas#Krampus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas#Krampus)) was once a human emissary who fell too deeply into debt and was transformed into creature, and Patrick (who now thinks of himself as only mostly sane) doesn't want to meet that fate.
(Trouble: Knows who's Naughty and Nice)
Name: Patrick MacGowan
Template: Emissary of Power (Santa Claus)
High Concept Aspect: The one who does what Santa NEEDS doing
Trouble: Knows who's Naughty and Nice
Background Aspect: I can take care of myself
Rising Conflict Aspect: Brutal Seeker of Secrets
The Story Aspect: Hope Exist in the Darkest Night
One of the Guest Star Aspects should touch on his drinking.
Power Level: Chest-Deep
Skill Cap: Superb
Skill Points: 30
Starting Refresh: 8
Adjusted Refresh: 1
Skills:
Conviction: Good (he knows he's doing the right thing, but sometimes wishes he didn't)
Endurance: Good (he's survived countless beatings and can handle a drink)
Discipline: Good (without this he wouldn't have crawled out of the gutter he was born in)
Fist: Good
Lore: Good (heavily slanted to the Winter Fae)
Burglary: Fair
Might: Fair
Scholarship: Fair
Resources: Fair (owns a club, but needs to pay the management team)
Weapons: Fair (usually a club or night-stick)
Athletics: Average
Contacts: Average
Guns: Average (didn't use them much when he was muscle, but now likes to have a good distant weapon)
Investigation: Average
Rapport: Average
(Note: at one time he had intimidation the other skills that a bruiser should, but since then he's switched things around. Call it a series of minor milestones to transform from "Hired Muscle" to "The one who does what Santa NEEDS doing". If bump up to the Submerged power level, more "Hired Muscle" skills could be added.)
Stunts & Powers
Tough Stuff (-1)
Marked by Power (-1)
There is a physical mark that goes with Santa's favour: Santa's Mark is a reindeer tattoo on the base of his neck.
Newish Hands Minor gift (0)
When Patrick was negotiating he mentioned that he had a juvvie record. Of course Santa Claus knew this, but thought it was it Nice that Patrick mentioned it. As a reward he reshaped Patrick's fingerprints. They no longer match any of his old arrest records. Patrick knows this, and sometimes this knowledge keeps him up at night: if the Fat Man could transform his fingerprints then what else could the Fat Man transform? (Note: A flavour add that I couldn't see charging for.)
Silver Flask (minor item, not worth charging for) (0)
The Silver Flask has an "unlimited" supply of "Christmas Cheer", a.k.a. Brandy. Unlimited is in quotes because it will only produce about forty ounces of liquor a day (a day running noon to noon, not midnight to midnight). Then again, if you need more than forty ounces of brandy you can always get a bottle at the liquor store. Patrick (and some others) claim that it puts them in a generous, christmassy mood, but that might be because he's a jovial drunk.
Sponsored Magic: Unseelie Magic Variant - Yule Magic [–4]
Note: The Sponsor of Yule Magic (Santa Claus) has a simple agenda, one that acts as aspect on this magic: Reward the Nice, Punish the Naughty. Due to its sponsor's nature there is a slight variation on this form of sponsored magic. Santa Claus will allow his emissary to actively act against his interests (reward the naughty, punish the nice) but at a higher than normal cost. Each such use counts as two "use it, owe the sponsor" acts, not one. On the flip sidem spells cast solely to reward the Nice or punish the Naughty (i.e. ones that otherwise don't aid the emissary) don't count "use it, owe the sponsor" acts. If the character has racked up a large debt then it perfectly fair to compel the "Reward the Nice, Punish the Naughty" aspect of the magic and not allow it to be used to help the naughty or hinder the nice.
Why? Because sometimes life's a bitch.
Item of Power: The Ring of Kringle's Servant
- Summons the Red Bag, the Brown Bag, or the Stick. Only one of these items can exist at one time. (Yes, I'm rolling three items into one, but that's because they are mutually exclusive. If you have the Red Bag then (for all effective purposes) neither the Brown Bag or the Stick exists.)
The Red Bag: This appears to be the classic "red Santa bag". An aid for Yule Magic/Thaumaturgy/Conjuring, the Red Bag is meant to reward the Nice. When used by an emissary of Santa Claus it supplies an incredible number of shifts that be used for duration only. The bag generations 100 steps of duration a week. Items created normally last for 15 minutes, which means that for the cost of 13 steps it will last a year. Dedicate 16 steps and the item will last for an entire generation. When the last step of duration is used it will only produce items if Patrick dedicates at least one step to duration (so only smaller things). This implies a choice: give a lot people a little happiness (about 15 minutes worth) or a few people lasting happiness.
(-1; it's not that useful)
The Brown Bag: This appears to be a brown, dirty burlap bag. When some is put into the bag he/she is transported to the Nevernever. The Brown Bag must fully enclose the victim, which will probably involve some grappling. The bag is meant to punish the Very Naughty by taking them away forever. In theory Patrick should inform certain powerful Winter Fae before he uses it so they can be waiting on the other side, but in practice that has never happened. For one thing those creatures scare Patrick (even though they claim they would never harm another servant of the Fat Man) and for another he has no idea what they would do to the victim. He might be an SOB at times, but Patrick can't get behind making a child disappear forever.
(-1; a limited variant of Worldwalker)
The Stick: This appears to be a rattan cane. Basically it is an enchanted item (usable by another) with a 13 complexity thaumaturgy spell stored in it. Designed for use on those with Good or lower Endurance: 7 to match the best Endurance roll possible, 4 for the target’s stress track, and 2 more for a mild physical consequence (Sore Bottom). It is usable once per day (but can be activated again by taking mental stress). The Stick is meant for those who are Naughty enough to be punished but not naughty enough to disappear forever.
(-1; it's not that useful)
Total: (-3)
Refund for first item of power (+2)
Net cost: (-1)
Note: Patrick knows that he's not the first mortal to wear the ring and wonders about the fates the other wearers. He suspects that the last one was British (mainly because the Stick looks like a cane). Normally none of the items are in existence; Patrick summons them as needed.
Spells:
See Naughty/Nice (thaumaturgy, complexity 3): Allows Patrick to temporarily see who's naughty and nice - at least most of the time. It only lasts for one exchange (giving him time to get a good look around) but that's long enough to pick out a Naughty or Nice person from a crowd. He can see varying degrees of Naughty and Nice and sometimes even why they are Naughty / Nice (last major Naughty / Nice act committed that day).
[Mechanics: This is basically a mix between an assessment and a maneuver with the result being a temporary tag of "Naughty", "Nice", or "Neither/Couldn't Say". Treat it as an average social attack (+1) against everyone in the zone (+2). If Patrick gets barely a success against a person then he gets the basic information, with more details becoming available at higher grades of success.
Note: Nice and Naughty are detected as defined by Santa Claus and only by Santa Claus. See below for more details.]
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Other notes:
As you can see from the items of power, "The one who does what Santa NEEDS doing" is the one who punishes the naughty. Patrick prefers rewarding the Nice but if there's no nice people in sight and he needs to pay down his debt he'll punish the Naughty. Sometimes it means he's puts a kid (or teen) over his knee but he prefers to use his magic to arrange something bad to happen to a Naughty person. The problem with that is he has to inform the person rewarded / punished that the action was a result of them being naughty or nice, or the act doesn't count towards his debt.
Telling a junior leaguer "You hit the ball out of the park because you're such a nice person" is one thing (the kid will probably nod and grin), but telling the kid's father "Your tire went flat because you're a naughty man" is looking for a fight. Even if the man doesn't blame you for slashing his tire (not that anyone saw you in the parking lot; your spell flattened the tire from the edge of the field) then he's going to be pissed off about you judging him. People just don't like being judged and found wanting - even (or especially) if it's the truth.
Even the people who find Patrick useful find the "Naughty/Nice" attitude a bit much to deal with. The worse case came a few years ago when the group unexpectedly found itself in a firefight that left a gang member dying. Most of the group doesn't like playing for keeps so were deeply offended when Patrick told the dying teen "You were shot because you're Naughty". Patrick didn't like doing that but he has debts to pay and saying that paid off one. (Note: this could have happened during the Guest Star phrase of another PC.)
Patrick finds himself doing a lot of things that he doesn't like, which is one of the reasons he drinks the way he does. And he does drink - to the point where he's lost most of the intimidating mannerisms he had when he worked as muscle.
Being judgmental and doing things for the Fat Man doesn't pay the bills but a few years ago someone decided that an emissary of Santa shouldn't be homeless. Patrick isn't sure that someone was Santa, one of Santa's allies, or just a random member of the Winter Court who felt that something had to be done. What Patrick does know is he was drunk when he was talked to and when he sobered up he was the owner of record for a brand new strip club - the Naughty And Nice. The name makes it stand out a bit; when it comes to strip clubs Nice and Naughty is almost as common as Grin and Bare It, but Naughty And Nice is rarely used. It also serves to remind Patrick of his focus; since Santa Claus already rewards the Nice Patrick should focus on the Naughty before dealing with the Nice.
Of course the terms naughty and nice need to be defined, and Santa is the one who defines them.
First, what they aren't. They aren't legal and illegal. You can be a nice criminal or a naughty law-abiding citizen. Think about Robin Hood (a criminal) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (who had legal authority) and decide which was nice and which was naughty. A drug dealer who does nice things with his profits might register as nice where an investment banker who stretches his ethics to legally maximise his profits might register as naughty.
Second, it isn't about religion. Well, not exactly. Something isn't nice or naughty because of what a religion says but most religions encourage nice actions while discouraging naughty ones.
It's not even being Good verses being Bad. More on that later.
When you boil it down, naughty can be defined as selfish, lazy, cruel, and surly. Nice can be defined as selfless, kind, and good tempered. Doing what you're told is also a big part of being nice.
Here's an example - keeping a tidy bedroom. If you clean your room without being told then you've done a Nice act. If you do after being told then you've done something Nice, but not as Nice as if you did it before being told. If you clean your room after being nagged to do it, then it's neither Nice or Naughty, just something you had to do. If you don't clean your room when you're told to then you're being Naughty. If your room is a mess but no one told you to clean it then that's more or less neutral but leaning to Naughty (because it's a bit lazy not to keep your room clean).
And it's the action, not the intent, that matters. So a little girl who cleans her room (without being asked), brushes her teeth, chews with her mouth closed, brushes her hair every night like she should, etc would register as Very Nice, even if she was only doing it to make someone else look bad by comparison. She could be smugly pointing out all the Nice things she does and trying to get the other kid in trouble for not doing Nice things, but she would have to doing that in an extremely naughty way before it would cancel out her Nice deeds. You could say that the girl is being bad in a nice way.
Why doesn't intent matter? Because Santa doesn't care why you do nice things. If you are doing nice things
a) because you want to,
b) because you're hoping for a reward, or
c) because you're afraid of being punished if you don't
then you are doing Nice things and that's all that matters.
Patrick's Assets:
Patrick's assets aren't just money the money from his club or the powers granted to him. As Santa's Enforcer (or one of them - Patrick isn't sure about that) he can call on some of the Fat Man's lesser resources. Patrick usually uses them to gain information because the other uses come with a price.
Given enough time Patrick could probably find a small Troll to act as backup muscle (letting the Troll pound someone would be payment enough) but he won't tap the nasty things that he has at his service. Those nasty things scare him and he knows their price: should he ask one of them to aid him he would have to use the Brown Bag on a Naughty Child; the thing would be waiting on the other side and the child would never be seen again. Patrick feels he has been living on stolen time since the night the Black Court Vampire almost killed him and can't imagine ever needing aid to the point where he would doom a child to that fate. He doesn't really know what would happen to the child - he imagines the fate being anything from sending the kid to a mystic reform school to having the kid turn into an elf to the creature having a snack - and he never wants to find out for sure.
When if comes to information, Patrick's sources give the best information when it involves someone being Naughty or Nice. For example, say Patrick needs to know where a businessman goes at lunch.
a) Nice: he goes to volunteer at a soup kitchen: "Oh, he does the nicest thing! He goes to St. Mark's Shelter on 8th St. to feed those who would otherwise go hungry."
b) Neither: if he goes to lunch: "I don't know. Eat lunch maybe?"
c) Slightly Naughty: if he (a single man) meets his single secretary a hotel: "He meets up with his secretary and they do something naughty at hotel."
d) Naughty: if he (a married man) meets his secretary a hotel: "He does something naughty with his secretary at the Redmond Hotel."
e) Very Naughty: "He meets with his secretary, a goat, and two terriers to do unbelievably naughty stuff at a motel on 5th. The last time he arrived at 12:03 and <goes into great detail>."
It's not just Santa's servants who will help him. Patrick carries the mark of a Fairy Monarch (Aegis of Respect) so most creatures of fairy are willing to give him small amounts of aid. So if Patrick saw Toot-Toot and asked: "Are there any naughty kids on this block?" Toot-Toot would probably answer him. Even if he didn't know the answer Toot-Toot would be respectful as he answered.
On the Job:
It's hard to accept, but if Patrick didn't use his magic he wouldn't have to do anything he doesn't want to. Well, not unless his aspects were compelled. He could even use his power to reward Nice people without racking up debt. The main problem is that Patrick was powerless for so much of his life that he can't help but use the powers he has now. That means tapping into his sponsored magic and that means that he has to pay off his debts to the Fat Man. He tries to do the job when he has spare time so that the debt doesn't get too deep. When it does gets deep someone (or something) shows up with a list of naughty people (often kids) "just as a suggestion" and Patrick knows it's time that he gets off his ass and does his job. That if he doesn't choose to start making payments now then he might not be able to choose who to target later.
Patrick doesn't like punishing the Naughty, but he does it. When the debt has grown large enough that Patrick doesn't have the time to find a nice person to reward he'll sometimes take the easiest route and spank a naughty child. Yes, he could just get the Stick out and do it that way, but someone hurting a person by pointing a magic stick at them tends to attract attention. That and it's delivers the equivalent of at least two physical stress, making it a much harder punishment than the average spanking.
Now going out and grabbing a kid at random is the kind of stupid that gets you locked up and Patrick isn't stupid. A big guy like him, grabbing a kid (who probably doesn't look like him) and spanking while the kid screams that you aren't his dad - that's a one way ticket to jail. That's why Patrick plans ahead. He will generally put a lesser glamour on himself (so he looks like a random senior citizen) and conjures invisible gloves (so he won't leave fingerprints). Now an old guy spanking kid, most people will see it as just an overworked grandfather, maybe one having a senior moment, and might be a bit slower on dialling 911. Looking like an old woman is even safer; people are (for some reason) more accepting of granny teaching a brat a little respect while lecturing about him being naughty.
Delivering a spanking always pays down the debt, and how he does usually depends on how deep in debt Patrick is. It's general not a conscious choice on his part; Patrick just finds himself acting differently when he spanks. [But the player, as always, is the one making the decision.] When Patrick is in control he spanks on the seat of the pants. When he owe more he spanks over underwear. When he's really in debt it's bare bottom time. Mostly he uses his hand but sometimes when he owes big he finds himself conjuring a hairbrush, strap, paddle, or switch and using that without thinking about it. [Again it's the player's decision, but the worse the spanking the more that is paid off in one go.]
As he spanks, Patrick lectures on not being naughty and ends most of the spankings with the phrase "Now you be nice now and we won't have to do this again".
The theory is that the punishment (and fear of future punishments) will reform the kid, which is one of the reasons why Patrick gets nudged towards naughty children. Most of the spankings he dishes out are to elementary school age children with some going to middle school students - but even at that age they are getting a bit old to beat towards niceness. Spanking is rarely done if the target has reached the late teens or older - as long as they have an appropriate maturity level for their age.
How are adults punished? If Patrick doesn't have an easy opportunity to hex them he beats the crap out of them. [Inflicts physical stress, at least enough to take them out if they don't accept a mild consequence.] When he's done he tells them that they shouldn't be so naughty. Of course just because he's decided that they've had enough doesn't mean that the fight's over: often he has to beat his target into unconsciousness to end the fight. Occasionally he conjures a lead pipe to make the fight go faster, but even then Patrick can wind up with bruises after the fight.
It's hard life, punishing naughty people, but even when it's at its worse Patrick reminds himself that he could have it real bad. He might have to wear blackface like Zwarte Piet (who Patrick suspects is real).
The Naughty And Nice club, Expanded - possible city location:
While Patrick owns the bar he has very little to do with its upkeep. There's a management team that runs things (and takes the bulk of the profits). Patrick's main contribution is on the naughty/nice side. Some girls are labelled "Nice" and start their dances in white or white-trimmed costumes while the "Naughty" ones begin their dances in red or red-trimmed costumes. Not the costumes stay on long enough to matter, but it's the little details that make a club special. He doesn't anything except label (and sometimes relabel) the girls - Patrick respects the old saw about not shitting where you eat.
To most of the club, Patrick is the jovial drunk who owns the place and has enough sense to have someone else manage it. He's always got time if one of the employees needs to unload some problems and he often offers good advice (advice designed to set them on the nice path). Sometimes strange people drop by and Patrick takes them to the office he keeps in back. Then there are his other friends, some who are truly weird, who sometimes rent out the VIP room. The oddest bit about these ones (at least in the minds of the employees) is that they always act like perfect gentlemen (or gentlewomen) when they are there - as if they weren't having a party at a strip club.
Of course the strange people are those in the know who need Patrick's help and the weird "people" are from the Nevernever.
Patrick isn't aware that there have been a few 'incidents' at the club. Attempted break-ins and other threats to the club. The human manager (a former Changeling) and the Fae who hangout around it have handled these incidents, usually in a permanent manner.
And there you have it. Santa's enforcer who tanked off a never ending flask of "Christmas spirit", and every few days wandering out to reward the nice while smacking down someone naughty - all in the name of "the Fat Man". All the while muttering about keeping Christmas in your heart all the year long.
He's be a hard PC to work into a game - many people would see him as a brute who brutalises children and beats people more or less at random while rewarding others. He's judgmental, using a code of conduct that only a Fae can fully grasp, and he doesn't hold back from letting people know if they are naughty or nice. And he drinks. Drinks hard.
On the plus side he's a magical powerhouse who doesn't have any ties to the White Council (and its wardens) who knows how to handle himself in a fight. He's got great sources of information and he knows how things work on the streets. Half the time he's rewarding people for being nice and the ones he beats probably deserve it. Last, but not least, he's got an air about him. Winter Court Fae defer to him, Summer Court Fae don't want to fight him (in case his sponsor shows up), and even most warlocks think twice about messing with Santa's main man. If you can put up the cons he's well worth having in the group.
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Yes, both of them have the same symbol. If they both exist the GM would have to decide if they worked for the same version of Santa. Eric would be appalled by Patrick's existence while Patrick would envy the hell out of Eric.
Anyway, I hope people enjoyed this treatment of them. And to quote a classic:
"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night"
Richard
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WoJ is that he's a winter lord, acting as the balance against winter's cold. Just as the Erlking represents the darkness of summer.
really can i get a link for that
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Head to the spoiler forum and you'll find one of the sticky threads there lists all the Word of Jim posts. And the poster has mined all of Jim's talks at cons that are on Youtube (there are links to them). And all the podcasts that Jim has been on. And all the interviews. And... Well, if Jim said something about Dresden on the net then it's recorded there and there's a link to it.
Once you're at the thread, search for Santa (or anything else you want to know about).
There's a lot of good stuff there.
Richard
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Head to the spoiler forum and you'll find one of the sticky threads there lists all the Word of Jim posts. And the poster has mined all of Jim's talks at cons that are on Youtube (there are links to them). And all the podcasts that Jim has been on. And all the interviews. And... Well, if Jim said something about Dresden on the net then it's recorded there and there's a link to it.
Once you're at the thread, search for Santa (or anything else you want to know about).
There's a lot of good stuff there.
Richard
Thanks :)
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If you go back to page 2 Ryan R has a link to the actual page that it's on, as well as the quote itself.
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That actually raises an interesting question: Why does Santa Claus need knights? What jobs would a Knight of Claus be tasked with? That might give a better idea of what powers and skills they need
I was thinking about doing a tie-in with the old story of the Pied Piper. Just as the Earlking (Jareth the Goblin King?) might kidnap children to turn into goblins, it could be the Yule Knight's job to "recruit" workshop elves.
Haven't really thought it through much, but it seems like it could be good.
On another note, David Sedaris tells us that St Nicholas travels with "Six to Eight Black Men" (youtube it if you don't know). Sounds like Santa might have an entourage of knights.
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On another note, David Sedaris tells us that St Nicholas travels with "Six to Eight Black Men" (youtube it if you don't know). Sounds like Santa might have an entourage of knights.
Ah, yes, the Former Bishop of Turkey!