world of darkness non-player characters volume 04 - mages

64
VOLUME 4: MAGES AND RELATED Akashic Brotherhood..........................2 Caine, Kwai Chang (Shambhala Master).......2 Chuin (Master of Sinanju)..................5 Makin, Samuel Edward (Remo Williams).......5 Wraith Swords (Craft)......................6 Celestial Chorus.............................8 O’Meagan, Alfred (Evangelist)..............8 Scott, Doctor Eugene (Celestial Evangelist) 9 Cult of Ecstacy.............................12 Ambrose, Lillian (Deviant Artist).........12 Aphrodite (Ecstatic Oracle)...............12 Rodwell, Lucius (Drummer).................12 Hollow Ones and Others......................13 Bradford, Mona (Artist)...................13 Marauds.....................................14 Flagg, Randall (The Walking Man)..........14 Garath (Demon’s Bane).....................16 Nattick, Arlan (The Smiler)...............17 Nephandus...................................20 Nina (Nephandus Void Engineer)............20 Riddle, Tom Marvolo (Lord Voldemort)......21 Strombeck, Nathan Oswald (“Mentor”).......26 Order of Hermes.............................28 Dumbledore, Albus (Headmaster)............28 Hagrid, Rubeus (Half-Giant)...............31 Sons of Ether...............................33 Beckett, Dr. Samuel (Scientist)...........33 Sorcerers...................................35 Constantine, John (Sorcerous Investigator) 35 Marshak, Jack (Occult Researcher).........36 O'Roark, Harry (Private Dick and Wheel Man)38 Sho’nuff (Shogun of Harlem)...............38 Technocracy.................................39 Bond, James (Special Agent 007)...........39 Falcon Green (Operative)..................47 HIT Mark VI (NT-1, Mimetic Assassin)......48 Index.......................................49 1

Upload: preston-halcomb

Post on 18-Apr-2015

55 views

Category:

Documents


9 download

DESCRIPTION

This collection of NPCs was created by my gaming group over several years since the release of the Classic World of Darkness. it includes characters from personal play, adapatations from literature, movies and so much more. This particular volume concentrates on Mage and related characters in the Classic World of Darkness.

TRANSCRIPT

VOLUME 4: MAGES AND RELATED

Akashic Brotherhood.....................................................2Caine, Kwai Chang (Shambhala Master)...................2Chuin (Master of Sinanju).........................................5Makin, Samuel Edward (Remo Williams)...................5Wraith Swords (Craft)...............................................6

Celestial Chorus............................................................8O’Meagan, Alfred (Evangelist)..................................8Scott, Doctor Eugene (Celestial Evangelist)..............9

Cult of Ecstacy............................................................12Ambrose, Lillian (Deviant Artist).............................12Aphrodite (Ecstatic Oracle).....................................12Rodwell, Lucius (Drummer).....................................12

Hollow Ones and Others..............................................13Bradford, Mona (Artist)...........................................13

Marauds......................................................................14Flagg, Randall (The Walking Man)..........................14Garath (Demon’s Bane)..........................................16Nattick, Arlan (The Smiler)......................................17

Nephandus..................................................................20Nina (Nephandus Void Engineer)............................20Riddle, Tom Marvolo (Lord Voldemort)...................21Strombeck, Nathan Oswald (“Mentor”)...................26

Order of Hermes.........................................................28Dumbledore, Albus (Headmaster)..........................28Hagrid, Rubeus (Half-Giant)....................................31

Sons of Ether...............................................................33Beckett, Dr. Samuel (Scientist)...............................33

Sorcerers.....................................................................35Constantine, John (Sorcerous Investigator)............35Marshak, Jack (Occult Researcher).........................36O'Roark, Harry (Private Dick and Wheel Man)........38Sho’nuff (Shogun of Harlem)..................................38

Technocracy................................................................39Bond, James (Special Agent 007)............................39Falcon Green (Operative)........................................47HIT Mark VI (NT-1, Mimetic Assassin).....................48

Index...........................................................................49

1

AKASHIC BROTHERHOOD

Caine, Kwai Chang (Shambhala Master)Grandson of the original Kwai Chang Caine of "Kung Fu," this Kwai Chang Caine is a

Shaolin priest like his grandfather. He believes himself to carry a stain of dishonor based on the original Caine's killing of the Royal Prince who murdered Master Po. It is this stain, which he and his descendants were destined to carry, that prompted Caine to demand to be able to protect the current royal heir Sing-Ling in "Redemption."

We learn that Caine lived in the Shaolin temple in Zhangzhou in China, and fled to the United States with his father when the Communists overran the temple. It was revealed that his grandmother's name was Lilly, and his father's name Matthew. The history of Matthew Caine has been conflicting; a Shaolin priest in Zhangzhou in the early '40s, Matthew later joined up in the American Army as a medic, and served in France. He was also a scholar, specializing in antiquities, and apparently disappeared while on an expedition in the Himalayas in 1949. Later he was apparently back in China, in his monk's

robes, dispensing medicine to the sick, although he claimed to have lost his memory in the Himalayas. He also claimed to have visited Caine's temple, and was told there that both Caine and Peter were dead, and thus he returned to France to be near the Chalice. Caine spoke of his mother for the first time, a beautiful woman named Su-Lin, who was kidnapped by the Sing Wah while she was pregnant with Caine's brother Damon. She was killed by the Sing Wah.

Kwai Chang Caine does not have a social security number, and does not know how to drive. Details of his life before he appeared in the city where his son Peter lives have been sketchy at best. He kept in his possession the journals of both his grandfather and his father, and wrote a journal of his own, all of which he turned over to his son in "Redemption." In addition, he wears a gold band with red gems, once the ring of his grandfather. He gave this ring to Peter, for Peter and his descendants. When Caine returned to the city after a six-month absence, Peter returned the ring to Caine for safekeeping.

Caine's Shaolin temple was located in Northern California, across the lake from the town of Braniff. The temple was unsuccessfully attacked by townspeople led by Vance Cavanaugh, but was later destroyed by mercenaries led by the renegade Shaolin, Tan.

Between 1978, when the temple was destroyed, and 1993, when he wandered into the city where Peter worked as a detective, little is known. He worked as a busboy cum dishwasher in a cafe in Chillicothe, TX in 1981. He was charged with attempted murder and resisting arrest in 1986 in Moab, Utah, but the charges were dropped. He has a bullet lodged in his ribs. At some point he became a expert at the Chinese gambling game, Pai Gow, and learned how to fix a car.

When he decided to stay in Chinatown, he rebuilt the burned-out brownstone, which became his Kung Fu academy (kwoon), where he taught classes. His living quarters were "above the shop." We saw very little of them. He later relinquished the brownstone and the kwoon was turned into a retail clothing store. When he returned after his six months away, he moved into a loft-type apartment above a shop (possibly a grocery store). We have seen his work-room, his work-out and meditation room, and the rooftop balcony. Peter often enters Caine's apartment via the fire escape.

Caine plays the flute and has three of them, a standard silver flute, and a smaller black flute, possibly wood, though it has keys like a modern flute, and a large bamboo one. In one of the flashbacks, we see him making the large bamboo flute. He plays as an aid to meditation, and not for music. He has revealed skills in carpentry, gambling, medicine (he's an apothecary), music, as well as kung fu. He does not call himself a kung fu master, but has shown proficiency at many very difficult specialized techniques, like chi kung, and the displacement of air.

We learned that although Caine claimed to have spent the previous 15 years wandering and searching for the essence of his son, he had been in fact tracking down rumors about the heir to the Chinese Imperial throne. Both Lo Si and the criminal Tan had also been drawn to the city by the presence of the prince. Peter learned that Caine has a regular routine, which included visiting Karen one morning a week, and rounds at County General Hospital with Dr. Sabourin. Later, Caine rose to the level of Shambhala master. He aided the new mayor in dealing with the mercenary holding the city in thrall, and worked with the medical community to develop an antidote to the poison. Caine agreed to run - and won - for city council to help combat unscrupulous developers. Caine performed the wedding ceremony for Peter's snitch Donny Double D and his paramour, Lula. Although he no longer runs a kwoon, Caine continues to take on selected students, such as Ricki Nillson. Caine's education spans a wide variety of sources; in addition to quoting from the Tao Te Ching, Caine has also been known to quote from Shakespeare, John Lennon, and Frank Zappa.

Caine met his younger brother, Damon Caine, who had been raised by the Sing Wah. The opposite of everything Caine is, Damon was determined to sacrifice Kwai Chang, both a Shaolin priest and a Shambhala master, to gain control of a negative power nexus. With the help of a jade pendant that had belonged to their father, Caine managed to destroy the negative energy focus, and free himself from his brother. At the end of the episode, Damon appeared to have second thoughts about his lifestyle.

Caine discovered that he had another half- brother, Martin Bradshaw. An illegitimate child born of a love- match between Matthew Caine and Boston Brahmin Marie Bradshaw, Martin spent time undercover with the Sing Wah, learning more about Kwai Chang Caine. He discovered his paternity while going through his mother's belongings, also locating the jade pendant that Caine later used to destroy the Sing Wah bell.

2

Kwai Chang Caine once lived in San Francisco, CA, where he lived with Serena and her daughter Maia (1964). She was lured from him by the crime lord Li Sung, who was descended from the royal nephew killed by the original Caine. After Laura's death, Caine received a letter from Serena detailing Maia's development, but Caine was unable to find her. Caine met Serena and Maia again when he helped to free them from the prison of Li Sung's obsession.

He still wears a wedding band from his marriage to Laura Katherine Caine, who died in 1966. He used to make perfume for Laura from the Arabian jasmine flower. We learn that Caine's herbal medicines kept Laura alive longer than whatever disease she had should have allowed her. It is obvious that Caine still loves her deeply, and she promises him that there will be another time for the two of them. In addition, he befriended a young waitress in Chillicothe, TX in 1981, and at the closure of the incident with Kinasay, he remembers to send her the postcard she asked for when he left the area so many years earlier.

He took his son's partner, Mary Margaret Skalany, out to dinner. Although his devotion to his dead wife Laura continues, he is not above flirtation, and Skalany is a willing partner in tormenting Peter with this flirtation. Caine hints strongly to Peter that he is not celibate, but leaves his son wondering as he again escorts Skalany to dinner. The relationship developed further over future episodes, to the point where Peter became somewhat accepting of it, and Skalany was more open about her deepening feelings for Caine, and vice versa.

Other women in Caine's life include Rachel Lowrey. The widow of ex-Shaolin monk Michael Lowrey, Rachel had returned with her husband and son, Sam to Braniff, CA for Michael to die (of pancreatic cancer) near the temple he had loved. By the time Caine and Peter returned to the temple, Rachel and her son had become the victims of Vance Cavanaugh's taunting. The Caines united to protect Rachel and Sam, helping her finish the shrine she had started in Michael's memory. When Cavanaugh was finally vanquished by Caine, the townspeople banded together to help Rachel complete her project and welcome her.

During his wanderings, Caine met Teresa Keller Becker, with whom he apparently had a brief but heartfelt affair. When he discovered the portrait she'd painted of him in a gallery, along with other paintings exhibiting her fear and grief, Caine returned to her to help her and her husband overcome the prejudices of the town, and capture a murderer.

He had a strong, loving friendship with attorney Anne Carter Pendleton, for whom he worked as a law clerk. His affection for Anne clouded his judgment when she was murdered, and he blamed the wrong man for her death, until several years later, Peter forced him to face up to his own prejudices.

Lo Si, also known as the Ancient, quickly befriended Caine on his arrival in Chinatown. Although they had never met before, Lo Si assured Caine that they had known each other many times from the past. Lo Si, like Caine, appears to have mystical powers, and has likened himself to Merlin. His niece, Xiaoli, and her children keep an eye on him. He also has grandchildren in the community, and the thug who threatened Caine's student and was later killed was Lo Si's nephew, son of his brother.

Lo Si is an apothecary and a leader in the Chinese community. He is also a Shaolin as well as a Shambhala master, as Caine later became. Unlike Caine, Lo Si does not eschew modern inventions, and owns a microwave oven. He has an impish sense of humor, and frequently acts as a humanizing influence on Caine. On occasion, he has joined Caine in both investigations and battles against evil, and Peter likened the pair to the Hardy Boys.

A member of the council of Chinese patriots safeguarding the royal heir, the Ancient has also been a companion at times to Sing-Ling. Lo Si became a sort of grandfather to Peter, providing emotional support to the young detective during Caine's absence. Caine has been accepted and welcomed by the Chinese community at large. As Lo Si says, a Shaolin priest brings the community good luck.

Caine has become somewhat friendly with Peter's co-workers, and has been accepted as part of Peter's family among the Blaisdells. He is especially close to Peter's adoptive mother, Annie. Caine blessed the marriage of Carolyn Blaisdell McCall. Blaisdell asks Caine not only how Peter is taking the reunion, but how Caine is acclimating. Blaisdell has accepted Caine's return, and often respects Caine's opinion more than Peter does. Blaisdell seems anxious to get to know Caine better, and invites him to go to lunch sometime to swap stories about Peter.

Cap was in the sanitorium and was seen outside and selling ice cream. He has had six wives, all of them, unfortunately, sane. Cap had changed businesses, selling hot dogs and telling bad jokes. By "The Return of Sing-Ling," he was still selling hot dogs, and met the young Emperor when he was looking for Caine and Peter.

Ariel is a street waif, known for stealing for other street people, whom Caine befriends in "Shadow Assassin." She appeared again in "Magic Trick" and "Dragonswing II."

Cheryl Hines was a woman of the streets, possibly a hooker and drug user, whom we first saw in connection with an arms dealer in "Force of Habit" when she tried to come on to Peter. Later, in "Blind Eye," we learned that she'd been taken in by Caine, who'd given her a place to live in exchange for her helping out at the kwoon. She also appeared in the episode "Illusion", asking Caine to help a friend who was going through withdrawal. In "Redemption" we discovered that Cheryl was setting Caine up for the assassins. She was played by Calista Carradine, David Carradine's oldest daughter. She returned in "Aspects of the Soul," released from prison into Caine's custody. In "Citizen Caine," her rehabilitation seemed complete when she won a college scholarship. She was also present at the wedding of Donny Double D and Lula.

In "Dragonswing," we learned that Master Khan from the temple also lived in the same city, and worked as janitor at a local gym. He also appeared as a palace guard and trainer to the Emperor in "Redemption," and in several other episodes throughout the series, primarily in flashbacks to the temple. In "Redemption," Khan also tested Peter's abilities and courage, and found him acceptable.

In "Dragonswing," it was revealed that Caine has had contacts with spies in the past, and was involved in some sort of campaign with Rykker. Rykker had been attempting to track down the people who had killed his child. Rykker agreed to become involved in saving Jenny Quinn's life not simply because he knew Caine, but because he

3

also owed Blaisdell a favor. It was also the sort of mission he chose to become involved with - one which saved lives. In "Dragonswing II," Peter reminded Rykker that he still owed Caine a debt for saving his life, one Rykker redeemed by helping Peter find and release his father and the Dalai Lama.

In "The Innocent," Caine was befriended by Judge Reynolds, who was impressed by his honesty and his adherence to the principles of truth and justice. After saving her life from the villain Blackwell, Caine was surprised to receive a kiss on the cheek from the noted jurist. She sent her niece, Melanie Parker, to Caine in "Chinatown Murder Mystery" to enlist his aid in locating her missing husband.

Caine also counts among his friends the Dalai Lama, who, according to "Dragonswing II," first brought him to the temple in California after Laura Caine's death.

Caine's Students: Cheryl Hines, Jake Hudson, Rico, Emily and Billy Stramm, Valerie Mitchell, William Two-Feathers, Alicia Wright, Ariel, Marv, Ricki and of course, Peter Caine.

Caine's Enemies: The renegade Shaolin priest, Tan, became a crime lord in the city where Peter works. He had attempted to usurp control of the temple from Caine, to turn the priests into mercenaries; Caine banished him for his ambition and violence. He was obsessed with the destruction of Kwai Chang Caine, and destroyed the temple and killed many of the priests in retaliation. In "Tournament," we learned that Tan was the protege of Li Sung, who harbored a grudge against the Caine family because he was related to the Chinese Prince whom the original Caine killed when that Prince killed Master Po. When Caine and Peter were reunited, Tan was driven from the city, but returned with his second, Chan, and his enforcer, Jack Wong, to kill first the Ancient, then Peter, and then destroy Caine. Caine was forced to not only kill Tan, but destroy him utterly, ending his cycle of lives.

Chan is enigmatic. Born in the Bronx, he cannot speak Chinese, but he has pursued power within the Chinese community. Stalin is a "boyhood hero." Ambitious, he frequently disagreed with Tan, especially about returning to the city to vanquish Caine. Chan's relationship with Caine is one of guarded respect, possibly even affection, and on more than one occasion, Chan has unexpectedly helped Caine.

Jack Wong, on the other hand, obviously enjoys inflicting pain, and considers himself a master criminal, despite being consistently thwarted by Caine and Peter. When last seen, Wong was working for Bon Bon Hai, but after the episode with the Book of Shambhalla, he's probably looking for a more mundane boss.

Following Tan's death, his daughter, Xia (Maria Sucharetza), took up the challenge, attempting to kill both Peter and Caine. She is still at large.

In "Temple," we met Vance Cavanaugh, a redneck and bully in the town of Braniff, CA. Cavanaugh once led a force of townspeople to drive the priests from the temple, but Caine defeated him, humiliating him in front of his friends. Years later, when Caine and Peter returned to the temple, Cavanaugh attempted again to destroy Caine, first beating Peter up, then kidnapping Rachel, widow to one of Caine's priests. Again, Caine defeated him, but this time, Cavanaugh seemed to be not only beaten, but also completely vanquished. Cavanaugh was also mentioned in other episodes, including "Citizen Caine."

Greg Kinasay, a hair-trigger-tempered martial artist, was permanently crippled in a fight with Caine in Chillicothe, TX in 1981. Since then, he built a financial empire through a security business which he used to set up clients for kidnap and ransom. When they met again, Caine sought to exorcise both their pain and their ghosts.

Clarence Choi was a small-time hood intent on filling the power vacuum left by Tan's departure in "Initiation," Clarence Choi attempted to kill both Caine and Peter in "Lacquered Box." He was arrested and sent to prison. In "Aspects of the Soul," Clarence received leave to attend his uncle's funeral, and returned to the city to take his uncle's place as head of the Tong. Using Caine's chi, Peter defeated Clarence in front of the assembled Tong-members, a "westerner" defeating Choi's extraordinary chigong.

Bon Bon Hai was once a member of an altruistic Chinese secret society, but amassed great power and wealth. A leader of the Sing Wah sect, he is an avowed enemy of Kwai Chang Caine's. He was introduced in the episode "Enter the Tiger," appeared in "Sing Wah," and became the agent of the Dark Warrior in "Rite of Passage." Bon Bon Hai took over the criminal activities once led by Tan.

Essence: Dynamic; Nature: Caregiver; Demeanor: Penitent; Tradition: Akashic Brotherhood; Concept: Shambhala Master; Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics (Wudang) 5, Awareness 4, Dodge 5, Expression 2, Intimidation 3, Intuition 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Do 4, Etiquette 3, Leadership 4, Meditation 4, Melee (Martial Weapons) 4, Performance (Flute) 4, Research 2, Stealth 4, Survival 3, Technology 1; Knowledge: Cosmology 3, Cultures 3, Enigmas 3, Linguistics (Chinese, Japanese, Spanish) 3, Medicine (Traditional Chinese) 4, Occult (Oriental) 4, Science 1; Spheres: Corresponcence 3, Entropy 2, Forces 3, Life 3, Matter 2, Mind 5, Prime 3, Spirit 4, Time 2; Backgrounds: Arcane 2, Avatar 3, Contacts 3, Dream 2, Library 4, Resources 2, Sanctum 2; Arete 6, Willpower 8

Chuin (Master of Sinanju)Real Name: Nuihc; Occupation: Assassin; Affiliations: Remo Williams (apprentice); Smitty; Enemies: Nuihc, The

Dutchman, Wu Ming Shi (a.k.a. Fu Manchu, former employer turned enemy of Sinanju), Sagwa (a.k.a. Bruce, former student of Chiun turned movie star and servant of Wu Ming Shi); Known Relatives: Master Hwa (grandfather, deceased), Master Nuihc (father, deceased), Song (son, deceased), Nuihc (nephew). Lai (cousin); Aliases: Little Father, Master Chuin the Great, Chuin the Teacher, Mr.Park; Base of Operations: CURE HQ, Folcroft Sanitarium, Rye, New York formerly the village of Sinanju, Korea; First Appearance: Created: The Destroyer

A master of Sinanju, the original (Sun Source) and most deadly of all assassin's arts, Chiun can dodge bullets (by spotting subtle signs telling him when the shooter is about to fire, and then predicting the

4

trajectory), perform incredible feats of acrobatics, and has the ability to control his entire body to negate the need for sleep or food if so required. He is capable of killing or incapacitating people with the slightest touch, and can throw objects with marksmans' accuracy and missile like force. He can run on sand without leaving a trace, and even run on semi-liquid surfaces (e.g. wet cement) without sinking in.

Chiun is the current Master of Sinanju, an ancient killing art developed in the Korean village of the same name. Centuries ago, the people of the village were starving, and to survive, they began to send babies "home to the sea", a euphemism for drowning them before they slowly died of starvation. To make money which might sustain their village and allow them to end this culling of their children, the men of Sinanju hired themselves out to others as warriors and assassins. They soon became the most prized killers in the world, used by kings and emperors alike. Eventually one of the Masters, the Great Wang, had an epiphany, and learned how to use the "Sun Source" to become truly unstoppable. He taught himself what would become known as Sinanju, the first and greatest of all martial arts, from which all lesser arts are but stolen remnants. He stopped using weapons other than his own body, and killed the other assassins. From that day forth, there has always been but a single Master and his apprentice, providing for their home.

Originally known as Nuihc, the current master reversed his name as a sign of contempt for his nephew and former student of the same name, after the student betrayed his village by becoming an assassin for personal gain, not for the betterment of the village. Chiun, who had retired, had to return to work, but he believed he had failed his village, as now there would be none to replace him when he died (his son had died years before during a training accident). Reluctantly he took an assignment to train a westerner as an assassin. Chiun took what he considered an undignified and somewhat dishonorable job, consoling himself that it was necessary since the village was again on the brink of starvation and that he could simply show his charge a few simple martial arts tricks already known to the rest of the world.

However Chuin changed his mind when he realized that his student Remo was the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy concerning the first white Master of Sinanju. Despite his own misgivings, he came to like his new apprentice (not that he'd ever admit it), and set about training Remo to be his replacement as Master.

Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 5, Awareness 5, Blatancy 4, Dodge 5, Intuition 4, Leadership 4, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Blind Fighting 4, Climbing 5, Do 5, Escapology 4, Etiquette 4, Meditation 5, Melee 5, Ride 3, Stealth 5, Survival 5, Technology 1; Knowledges: Cosmology 5, Culture 4, Enigmas 4, Herbalism 4, Linguistics 4 (Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Yiddish), Medicine 4, Occult 5; Spheres: Entropy 5, Forces 4, Life 3, Matter 3, Mind 5, Prime 4, Spirit 2, Time 2; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Arcane 5, Avatar 5, Node 5, Resources 3; Special: Willpower 10, Arete 7, Quintessence 12; Internal Do Maneuvers (Diff, Dam): Claw Strike (6, 3 + Successes + Arete Roll); Deflect / Catch Missile (Variable, Special); Flying Kick (8, 5 + Successes); Punch (6,3 + Successes); Kick (7, 4 + Successes); Return Attack (+3, Normal for Attack); Throw (8, 3 + Successes)

Makin, Samuel Edward (Remo Williams)Occupation: Assassin, formerly soldier, formerly cop; Affiliations: C.U.R.E.; Chiun (sensei); Harold Smith (boss in

CURE); Conn McCleary (fellow agent, recruiter); Enemies: Nuihc; The Dutchman, Wu Ming Shi (a.k.a. Fu Manchu), Sagwa (a.k.a. Bruce, former student of Chiun turned movie star and servant of Wu Ming Shi); Known Relatives: Winston Smith-Remo, Jr (son); Aliases: The Destroyer, Master Remo the Pale, Remo Cabell, Donald McCann, Remo Pelham, Remo Barry; Base of Operations: CURE HQ, Folcroft Sanitarium, Rye, New York

When Remo Williams served in Viet Nam he gained a reputation for being the man you sent in to clean out the enemy single handedly. He was a stone killer, cold and ruthless as he needed to be when the occasion called for it. After finishing his tour of duty, he became a police officer, where he served with distinction... until he apparently murdered a drug dealer. The trial seemed wrong somehow - a good cop kills a known criminal lowlife. Maybe he should have done time, but

there was no way he should have got the death sentence, nor had his appeals squashed so swiftly. In mere months, with ridiculous haste in a system where it normally takes years before sentence is carried out, Remo was sent to the chair. Remo awoke after his execution to find himself the unwilling recruit of the U.S. government's most secretive organization, CURE. It was their job to deal with the kind of threats posed by people with influence, money and power, the types of enemies of the state who normally could wriggle out of any trouble because of their connections. CURE needed an enforcement arm, and because of his Nam record, Remo was it. Remo Williams was going to be the Eleventh Commandment: thou shall not get away with it. He had been framed, and his death faked, to provide CURE with a man without a past; and if he refused to co-operate, then he would be a man without a future either. Far from happy with this turn of affairs, Remo agreed to work for them. He was put into the capable hands of the Korean master assassin Chiun, who trained him in the ways of Sinanju, the "sun source" art from which all other fighting skills were derived, and which was far deadlier than any of them. After a while he and Chiun formed an almost familial bond, with Remo referring to his mentor as "Little Father". Chiun for his part came to believe that Remo was the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy (or else he would not have trained him in Sinanju), and that he was the living incarnation of Shiva, the Destroyer God of Hindu mythology.

Akashic Brother; Essence: Primordial; Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 5, Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Blatancy 3, Brawl 4, Dodge 5, Empathy 3, Intimidation 3, Intuition 3, Leadership 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 2; Skills: Blind Fighting 3, Do 3, Drive 3, Escape Artist 3, Firearms 4, Meditation 3, Melee 5, Ride 2, Security 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3, Technology 2; Knowledges: Bureaucracy 1, Cosmology 2, Cultures 2, Enigmas 3, Herbalism 2, Investigation 3, Linguistics 3, Law 1, Medicine 3, Occult 3; Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 4, Forces 3, Life 2, Matter 3, Mind 4,

5

Prime 3, Spirit 1, Time 1; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Arcane 3, Avatar 5, Contacts 5, Dream 5, Destiny 5, Node 3, Resources 5, Sanctum 3; Arete 4, Willpower 7; Internal Do Maneuvers (Diff, Dam): Claw Strike (6, 3 + Successes + Arete Roll); Deflect / Catch Missile (Variable, Special); Punch (6,3 + Successes); Kick (7, 4 + Successes); Throw (8, 3 + Successes)

Wraith Swords (Craft)Our tale starts in Hong Kong 1856, when a Nephandus Circle called the Sanguine Unity of Ebon Knives

attacked and destroyed a small Shaolin Monk retreat on the far eastern side of the island. The retreat was actually a cover for an Akashic Brotherhood cabal. The Akashic were killed almost to the man, with only five surviving, these were very new members of the Brotherhood, and many schooled in Do but not very advanced in their magickal studies. The noise and smoke had settled, so they gathered together and decided what to do, after a few hours of mediation they decided to pursue the Nephandi and kill them for their crime. They gathered up supplies and set fire to the remainder of the compound to speed their brothers’ return to the next life. The Nephandi had done little to cover their tracks, and though it took more than a week they caught up with the foul group and attacked, killing several and losing 2 more of their own, the Nephandi faded into the dark of the night and the Brothers huddled to wait for the morning.

Unbeknownst to the Brothers, the Nephandi Circle had also recently attacked and razed an Order of Hermes Chantry, but unlike the Brothers, the Hermetics proved to be tougher opponents magically, but not warrior in the physical sense. So they too in the end fell to the Oblivion Mages, they gather the survivors and began to seek a way off the island, the two remnants found each other and after sharing horror stories banded together to hunt the Nephandi down, it took six long years but finally the combined might of the two groups shattered the Circle, the more mystically potent members of the group performed the dreaded Gilgul ceremony, stripping the Nephandi of their Avatars, having revenged themselves on this particular group, the leaders of the two groups, Sebastian Devins of the Order of Hermes, and Shining Mountain of the Akashic Brotherhood, sat down and discussed the formation of a new group, a Craft, they would make it their new orders work, the pursuit and destruction of the Nephandi, their servants and all their plans. They named the new Craft the You Ling Jia or Wraith Swords

Organization: The Wraith Swords divide themselves up into groups called Hands, each hand consists of 6 members, they represent the fingers, thumb and palm, the Palm is usually the member with the most magickal study, while the thumb, is usually the highest practitioner of Do in the unit. A central place of retreat is chosen by the Thumb and the Palm once a new city is chosen, it’s usually defensible and sometimes remote depending on the location. The Palm usually places mental blocks on the rest of the Hand so that its harder for capture members to divulge the location of the retreat, the original name for these retreats are Chantries, but some newer members, refer to them as ‘Gloves’ a term that gain many frowns from older members.

New members of the Craft are sent to a Hand that is currently short members, training is shoulder by the whole group as everyone has something important to impart on a new member. Angry Blades is the base title of new member these, Sheng Qi Dao Ye,(Angry Blades) are the foot soldiers of the You Ling Jia, many Sheng qi Dao ye are mages who survived Nephandi attacks or lost someone to the Nephandi, this is a recruitment requirement, the Wraith Swords feel that it properly whets the new member, however any new recruit who refuses to be tempered by discipline of the Thumb and Palm are usually ejected from that particular Hand, after a few such incidents the new recruit is usually, mind wiped and sent back to from whence they came.

After an Angry Blade has served 3 or more years in an Hand or killed a Nephandi in single combat they are promoted to the status of Wei Zao Yuan or Forged Edge, these members have seen past their personal desires and battle the Nephandi and their masters for the sake of every man, woman, and child on the planet. Wraith Swords of this caliber are often sent on scouting missions into strange cities to look not only for enemies, but also to seek out potential converts or new recruits. They are also given the task of establishing new Chantries in the cities that they investigate, to provide the place for the Hand, theirs or another, will use as their retreat in the new city.

When a Forged Edge has served, 6 years in a Hand or has been given new members to make their own hand they are promoted to the status of Li Mo, or Sharp Sword, these Wraith Swords are usually Thumbs of a Hand, seasoned warriors, powerful mages and shrewd tacticians, these men and women have led their teammates against whole circle of Nephandi, or perhaps even Labyrinths(Nephandi Chantries), The knowledge of protecting the innocent has given way to a terrible resolve to see the entire Nephandi threat eradicated. Wraith Swords of this level generally receive orders directly from the leaders of the Wraith Swords, these leaders are the most senior practitioner of Do, who will also generally be a master of Mind, and the eldest master of Forces, known as the Path and Will respectively, the Path handles the military aspects of the battle against the Nephandi, while the Will sees to the magickal knowledge and extra training of the craft.

Sometimes a Hand is nearly wiped out, a lone survivor remains, and the shock of seeing friends who count more as family wiped out, brings back the pain of the first time they lost people or things to the Nephandi, sometimes they end up going lone gunman, these members although still given support and help should they ask for it are called Po Dao Ye or Broken Blades, they are allowed to continue their singular quests until they either come back and formally ask the Path and the Will to put them in a new Hand or they die from carelessness.

Philosophy: Sleepers will Awaken, each in their own time, this tenet is largely a hold over to the Akashic underpinnings of the craft, but the Nephandi will have to be exterminated for those Sleepers to have the time and freedom to Awaken. Recruiting is done usually after a Circle of Nephandi has been killed and the survivors rescued, those who are seen with the potential are taken aside by the palm and studied, the initial induction into the Craft is done by the Path and Will, the supplicant is then turned over to a Palm who is currently without a Hand, or who is recovering from battle wounds, and a mentor/student relationship begins, this is a direct hold over from the Order of Hermes, if the new recruit can bear the teaching, Do practice and other training that is heaped on them, after a

6

year, they are sent to join a hand, gaining the title of Angry Blade, those who do not make the cut are sometimes given duties inside Chantries as help or sometimes become personal attendants of the Path and Will, those found to be spies are usually destroyed on the spot as warnings.

Failings: The biggest failing of the Wraith Swords is one sided goal they have, the quest to destroy all Nephandi and the Lords of Oblivion don’t leave a lot or room open for family and friends, many members fall to bouts of depression and sometimes develop anti-social tendencies, these problems have led the Path and the Will to begin to loosen the tight reigns of control on members of the Hands, they are now often given down time periods between crusades, asked, or even ordered to relax, and pursue no inkling of Nephandic activity, while it has helped some Hands, other chafe at the cooling of their quest and quiet murmurs about the ‘Old men not having the stomach for this fight’ have begun to surface.

Tools and Style: Wraith Swords follow and odd blending of Western formula and Eastern mediation in using their magic. Ornate finger poses that signify mathematical symbols, Do and the recitation of formulae and many others including weapons katas and strange powders and potions. Many members also wear medallions and other ornamentation focus their powers.

Specialty Sphere: ForcesCommon Foci: Weapons, Chemicals, Herbs, Do, Finger poses, Medallions, Mathematical formulaeConcepts: Haunted Survivor, Shadow Warrior, Bounty Hunter, Private Detective, Orphan

7

CELESTIAL CHORUS

O’Meagan, Alfred (Evangelist)Watch "Leap of Faith." Think carefully about Steve Martin's character there. Now read this: Acquired

Intruder in Rural-Class Community 00101010100101 (Freeland, Iowa). Attached fax 00000001 is a single page of paper, which had been distributed widely throughout the city, in newspapers, on telephone poles and in churches, places of business and other widely visited locations: WEDNESDAY ONLY! Are you LOST? Are you SICK? Are you LONELY? Do you have a NEED? MONEY? LOVE? HOPE? Then: COME TO THE REVIVAL! REVEREND O'MEAGAN'S REDEMPTION REVIVAL. Featuring Sister Ruby and the Salvation Choir. FREE! If you are LOST, Jesus is the ONE who will FIND you. If you are SICK, Jesus is the ONE who will HEAL you. If you are LONELY, Jesus is the ONE who will COMFORT you. If you are in NEED, Jesus is the ONE who will FILL THAT NEED. Only through FAITH IN GOD will you RECEIVE WHAT YOU NEED. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! COME TO THE REVIVAL! (End Attachment)

The attention level of the community was significantly higher than average: on the order of 15.892 times higher than would normally be expected under such circumstances (according to NWO Standard Reaction Analysis Document 0032718, on file.) I believe this is due to advance work by Intruder's employees, who spread several rumors about the organization well before it's arrival.

A precis of several rumors I heard in my stay in Freeland follows: Reverend O'Meagan is a healer. He has made the lame walk and the blind see. The Revival Show is running out of money, but Reverend O'Meagan refuses to charge any admission. Reverend O'Meagan is a fake and a charlatan. Reverend O'Meagan can perform miracles. Reverend O'Meagan knows things nobody else could possibly know.

These are contradictory and varied enough that the heightened interest can be accounted for according to the Rumor System Paradigm.

When Wednesday arrived, I proceeded to the Revival Show to surveil. There was a large tent set up outside the town. Parking was $2. Neon lights in the shape of a cross were at each corner of the tent. Garish paintings of various Biblical scenes were done on each square of canvas (This unit is cleared for Biblical investigation under General Investigation Order 0010100110101011-01010-010-1). I entered the tent to find that folding chairs were set up facing a large low wooden stage with low ramps leading up to it on all sides.

I immediately performed a scan for Anomalous Paradigmal Perturbations using a 992-717 unit and discovered nothing usual. Soon the tent was filled with inhabitants of the community: families, individuals, many of whom, disturbingly, were not regular churchgoers. After a wait of 16.7721 minutes, the stage lights came on and the lights over the audience went down.

The choir, which a scan revealed only to be ordinary musicians, began singing a loud, boisterous hymn. After three such songs, the one identified as "Sister Ruby" (an obvious pseudonym) introduced Reverend O'Meagan. The Masses were extremely excited by the music, and were applauding in a rousing manner when "Reverend O'Meagan" took the stage.

Intruder's physical description is that of average height (within .001 standard deviations), average weight (within .001 standard deviations), blue eyes, dark brown hair, moderate complexion and average-class build. Intruder wore a sequined blue jacket emblazoned with glow-in-the-dark crosses, a grey flannel work shirt and black slacks. He carried a Bible and gesticulated with it as he spoke.

A transcript of Intruder's words follows in Attachment 000000100: "Those lawyers back in New York City don't want you to trust Jesus. Those bankers over in Los Angeles, California don't want you to trust God. They want you to work for them so that they don't have to. They want you to bring them food so they don't have to go. They want you to FAIL...so that THEY can SUCCEED. BUT! God takes care of his own. God knows who has faith and who doesn't. The Holy Book promises that God will take care of his children and Ladies and Gentlemen of Freeland, Iowa, I stand before you tonight and I say to you that although the lawyers may break their contracts and the bankers may break their word of honor that GOD DOES NOT BREAK HIS PROMISES!"

Intruder's speech was punctuated with shouts from the choir and from the audience. In many situations, he would elicit responses from the audience: "Amen" (6 times), "Hallelujah" (6 times), "Praise God" (4 times), "Praise Jesus" (4 times). The excitement level of the crowd was exceptionally high. It should be noted that at no time did the Reality Stress Perturbation Apparatus register anything above background levels.

After 56.7271 minutes, Intruder stated the following: "I feel God moving in Freeland! I feel the power of the Holy Spirit moving towards your needs!" He then began indicating members of the audience and several of their unfulfilled resource needs: Mortgage (7 times), Family Matters (6 times), Illness (6 times) Crop Illness (4 times), Miscellaneous Money Matters (8 times, each one enumerated in full.) The audience's excitement level skyrocketed: each indication was apparently totally accurate. Note that there was no, repeat, zero Reality Stress Perturbations during this period.

24.17823 minutes passed, during which the choir and Intruder kept the crowd at a fever pitch. Then he made the claim that the problems he named could only be solved through the power of God. 2.71 minutes passed, in which he built up to a major climax, and then shouted that he felt the healing power of Jesus in his fingertips, and leapt into the audience. Finally, there was some indication on the Reality Stress Perturbation unit. I also used the Life Sign Indicator Unit 09091-82 to determine exactly what was happening.

Disease Result StressMajor Arthritis Walker discarded, total cure .0018

8

Chicken Pox Lessening of swelling, cure .00014Common Cold Immediate cure negligibleFlu Immediate cure .002Lymphatic Cancer Immediate cure .00012Cardiac Convulsions Immediate cure .00123Crop Blight Immediate cure .00021 (several cases)

As you can see, this is a terribly low reading, but all diagnostics indicated that the Perturbation unit was operating to within .00001 units of accuracy. It was then that I realized the full danger of this offshoot paradigm: it fosters such powerful belief that it reduces Perturbation temporarily.

What's more, at the end of the meeting, after the donation cans were passed (they collected $9,721.72), the Mental Aberration Quotient of the crowd measured at 6927173.72 times higher than it had when they went in. The DEI unit started to report malfunctions and I was forced to leave the area immediately.

The Reverend Alfred O'Meagan is a thorn in the side of the Technocracy and the Celestial Chorus. The Technocracy despises him because he goes about restoring the faith and belief in God on which the Chorus was founded in the Dark Ages. The Chorus despises him because he fights dirty, often using no magic at all to do his work, ignoring Chorus cant about "The One" and "all religions being the same" and "the need to take care of the Sleepers." He considers it a fair trade to take a town's money and leave it hope instead. In the most extreme cases, Technocratic influence over a community can be lost temporarily due to the re-emergence of Faith. O'Meagan has single-handedly given True Faith to 18 people since he began his organization 5 years ago, and he himself doesn't have one single bit. He is very difficult for the Technocracy to fight: if any arrive to countermagic him, he simply "goes Sleeper" for a night, and darned if the result isn't the same...

Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma 5, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 1, Awareness 3, Expression 1, Intuition 3, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 1, Leadership 5, Survival 1, Technology 1; Knowledges: Culture 1 (Reverend O'Meagan has an exhaustive knowledge of rural American cultures), Investigation 2, Law 2, Mimicry 2 (Reverend O'Meagan has an exhaustive repertoire of American accents: wherever he happens to be, he's always a local boy.); Backgrounds: Avatar 2, Allies/Resources 6 (Reverend O'Meagan is the head of a large operation: it makes money, but everything not used to pay workers or maintain and improve the show is used in the community where they got it: usually unmarked envelopes containing anonymous donations. "Cast your bread upon the waters..."), Fame 1; Spheres: Life 4, Mind 1, Prime 1; Flaw: Notoriety (Celestial Chorus); Willpower: 5, Arete: 4

Scott, Doctor Eugene (Celestial Evangelist)William Eugene Scott, also known as Dr. Gene Scott, 14 August 1929 – 21 February 2005, was a United

States-based and world-renowned pastor/teacher/televangelist and author of thirteen booklets on various topics ranging from Christianity to the stamps of the Colombian States. During his long career Dr. Scott served as a traveling evangelist for the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, served as the president of the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International for nine years and served for a combined total of 35 years as the pastor for the non-denominational Protestant Wescott Christian Center and Faith Center. For the last fifteen years of his career Dr. Scott held weekly Sunday gospel services at the Los Angeles University Cathedral in Los Angeles, California.

William Eugene Scott was born in Buhl, Idaho, to William Theodore Scott, a traveling Pentecostal preacher, and Inez Leona Graves Scott. In 1934, when Scott was five, his mother gave birth prematurely to twins, one of whom died shortly after birth. His mother told an interviewer in 1980 that she was visited by angels at this time, stating that she "saw a stairway begin to roll down from heaven and come right down to the side of my bed" and that "two angels walked down, and they stopped in front of Gene." At this point, his mother claims to have said, "Oh no, Lord, you take Gene!" and that the angels "just went around him and picked the baby up".

He excelled in primary and secondary school both academically and athletically. According to a story told by Scott's mother in Werner Herzog's 1980 documentary entitled God's Angry Man, an unnamed seventh grade teacher once attached a note to Gene's report card informing his parents that their son was a genius. In another story often recited by Gene Scott on the air, he says he was a good basketball player and that his father's ultra-conservative congregation disapproved of young Eugene Scott wearing shorts as required by the team because they exposed his bare legs. He played throughout his junior high and high school years regardless of the congregation's objection. Gene Scott also began playing alto saxophone during his elementary school years and continued playing his phrases through his high school years.

Gene Scott graduated from Chico State in 1952 with a degree in history and stayed on for a master’s degree in social science. In 1953, Scott enrolled in Stanford’s School of Education, where he wrote a

Proof of the Resurrection for Professor Alexander "Lex" Miller the famous ethical theologian from New Zealand. Scott earned his Ph.D. in Philosophies of Education in 1957. The subject of his 394-page doctoral

dissertation was Neo-Orthodox theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. His major Prof. was Dr. Larry Thomas, the major proponent for Dewey's Progressive Education on the West Coast. After receiving his Ph.D., he taught at Evangel College (now Evangel University), and assisted Oral Roberts in establishing Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For many years he was an evangelist in the Assemblies of God denomination before establishing his independent Protestant ministry. In 1992 he was featured in the cover story for the Stanford Alumni Magazine and his obituary was published in the May/June 2005 issue of the same publication.

9

Dr. Gene Scott's first of three marriages was to high school sweetheart Betty Ann Frazer. This marriage lasted twenty-three years. On his program, Scott has portrayed her as the "devil's sister. I hate her. If I go to heaven and she's there, I'm going to another planet." His second marriage was to Christine E. Shaw, 20 years his junior, which ended in divorce in 1996. She now lives in Canada, serving as an elder in the Presbytery of Pickering, Ontario. His third and final marriage was in 2000 to Melissa Pastore who was 39 years younger than Scott. Dr. Scott ordained his wife Pastor Melissa Scott as the sole leader of the ministry he left behind. Dr. Scott and Pastor Melissa Scott have no children.

Assemblies of God: Although declaring himself an avowed agnostic while attending Stanford University, after receiving his Ph.D. he briefly taught at Evangel College (now Evangel University), then assisted Oral Roberts in establishing Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Scott eventually joined the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination and for several years served in a variety of countries as an evangelist.

Wescott Christian Center: In 1970, Scott resigned his Assemblies of God credentials in good standing and formed Wescott Christian Center with his father, a pastor in Oroville, California. Later, Dr. Gene Scott assumed control of "Faith Center" in Glendale, California, and brought his father, affectionately known as "Pop Scott" and his mother, known as "Mom Scott" to assist him. Wescott Christian Center is the titleholder to the Los Angeles University Cathedral, other church properties and bank accounts, according to County records. Full Gospel Fellowship: Scott was voted vice president of the fledgling "Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International", of which his father was a member, and later served as its president from October 1975 to July 1984. Full Gospel Fellowship president, Don Arnold visited and spoke at Scott's church on more than one occasion in recent years.

Faith Center: In 1975, while serving his Oroville ministry, Dr. Scott was approached to serve as a financial consultant for the forty-five-year-old "Faith Center" church in Glendale, California, by its then pastor and founder, religious broadcast pioneer Ray Schoch. Faith Center owned four broadcast stations, which included KHOF-TV channel 30 in San Bernardino, California, KHOF-FM 99.5 in Los Angeles, California, KVOF-TV channel 38 in San Francisco, California, and WHCT channel 18 in Hartford, Connecticut. Faith Center was in crisis, both financial and in regards to its leadership, because Schoch had suffered severe cardiac problems. Dr. Scott often stated that the congregation of Faith Center unanimously voted him in as its new pastor with sixteen conditions that he required that gave him complete control over the finances, which included his $1.00 annual salary and an unlimited expense account. Dr. Scott returned the church from the red while at the same time he acquired valuable collections, treasured bibles, real estate, and dissolved the polity, membership status of the congregation, and the governance policies then in effect. Ultimately, all four broadcast licenses were revoked by the FCC.

Church of the Open Door: In 1985, Dr. Scott tried to purchase the former Church of the Open Door but was declined by its then owners who were in the process of selling the church for development. The development deal fell through and the owners contacted Scott, who quickly agreed and pursued his move to save the historic structure. Los Angeles Superior Court records show that after many millions had been paid by Scott to acquire the Church of the Open Door, a cloud on the title was alleged by his associate, Lehua Garcia, in attempt to release Scott from his purchaser obligations. The deal fell through and after many hands, it ended up being purchased by another developer. The building was slated for demolition many times. In attempt to save the historic structure, Dr. Scott worked with the Council of the City of Los Angeles to have the building designated a Historic Monument. The historical monument designation had already existed at the state level. The Church of the Open Door building was ultimately demolished by wrecking ball. The buildings' historic red neon rooftop "Jesus Saves" signs had become a very familiar sight to Los Angeles area residents over the years. They are now mounted on a second level building of the Los Angeles University Cathedral.

Los Angeles University Cathedral: In 1989, Dr. Scott was approached by the Bruce Corwin, then president of Miracle on Broadway and Chairman of the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation to restore the United Artists flagship theater (which was built by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Douglas Fairbanks in 1927) in downtown Los Angeles. In 1990, Dr. Scott and his congregation moved their Sunday service to the building now called the "Los Angeles University Cathedral". Dr. Gene Scott, Inc. acquired full ownership of the cathedral in December 2002. Scott's restoration of the theater signaled the beginning of an attempted revitalization of the former theatre district along Broadway. The Spanish Gothic style (patterned after a cathedral in Segovia, Spain) University Cathedral became the largest non-denominational Protestant church in downtown Los Angeles. Both the Cathedral and the world-famous "Jesus Saves" signs are designated historic monuments. Many thousands of visitors have viewed Scott's shrinking exhibition of the "Dr. Gene Scott Bible Collection" with its many historic Bibles, books, and manuscripts which is housed at the Los Angeles University Cathedral. Gene Scott's widow, Melissa Scott, pastor, has had to sell some of the precious bibles to meet her expenses.

University Network: In 1975, Scott began a series of broadcasts, which resulted in the creation of the University Network. By 1983, the University Network was broadcasting his sermons twenty-four hours a day via satellite to the United States and Canada, as well as to much of Mexico and the Caribbean. By 1990, his network was available to 180 countries, and by 1992 his sermons were being broadcast in several languages on AM, FM, and short-wave radio. His programming consisted of his trademark informal style of "Bible" teaching mixed with provocative commentary, music, and personal interests in such diverse subjects as his philately, his paintings, scientific interpretations of the great wonders of the world, and his American saddle-bred horses. Drawing from nearly thirty years of recorded programming, Scott's radio, satellite and television ministry continues to be broadcast although on different stations and at different times. His Web site remains operational.

Stage and Broadcasting Presentation: Since his death, reruns of Scott's broadcasts still are aired continuously via satellite and Internet streams, as well as being played at various times on short-wave radio, and terrestrial television. Scott's broadcasts fall into two distinct categories. The first category is the broadcast of the

10

traditional Sunday service in a format familiar to Protestant Christianity. The second category is a broadcast of what Scott named the Festival of Faith. The Festival of Faith was a very informal, non-traditional broadcast which featured Scott sitting alone in a chair, often smoking a cigar or a pipe, telling jokes, interacting with the crew and "Voices of Faith" (volunteer phone operators), berating his staff and/or his congregation, and making remarks that were often considered to be quite off-color by many listeners. He often spiced up his speech with what many would consider profanity, although all his remarks were within FCC guidelines if not always within the guidelines of good taste. He also was well known for constantly engaging in the nervous habit of cleaning out his nose with a handkerchief while on camera (both during Sunday services and during the Festival of Faith). These Festival of Faith broadcasts also featured Scott reading from books on UFOs, Demonology, The Great Pyramid of Giza, and similar viewer-grabbing topics. He quite often called out, "Am I boring you?" to which his staff and the volunteers responded, "No sir!" These scenes of Scott would be interspersed with long, seemingly bizarre, shots of "Gene and the girls" walking around or riding bikes, where "the girls" were several scantily-clad young women. He also frequently exhorted his viewers to "Get on the phone!" to make a monetary pledge or to encourage him to keep reading.

Celestial Chorus; Nature: Hedonist; Demeanor: Penitent; Essence: Dynamic; Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Brawl 1, Dodge 3, Instruction 3, Intuition 4, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 5; Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 4, Leadership 3, Meditation 2, Research 3, Stealth 3; Knowledges: Cosmology 3, Culture 2, Enigmas 3, Investigation 2, Linguistics 5, Medicine 1, Occult 4, Science 1; Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 2, Forces 2, Life 3, Matter 1, Mind 2, Prime 4, Spirit 3, Time 1; Backgrounds: Allies 1, Arcane 1, Avatar 3, Contacts 5, Destiny 1, Library 4, Resources 5, Sanctum 4; Other: Arete 4, Willpower 7, Paradox 3

11

CULT OF ECSTACY

Ambrose, Lillian (Deviant Artist)Player: Preston Halcomb; Cult of Ecstasy; Str 1, Dex 3, Sta 2, Cha 4, Man 2, App 4, Per

2, Int 3, Wits 4 Talents: Awareness 3, Expression 4, Instruction 2, Intuition 1; Skills: Etiquette 1, Meditation 1, Melee 2, Research 1; Knowledges: Cosmology 3, Culture 1, Enigmas 1, Lore (Verbena) 3, Medicine 1, Occult 2 Spheres: Life 2, Matter 3, Prime 1 Backgrounds: Arcane 1, Avatar 5, Node 5, Resources 5, Sanctum 5 Flaws: Age, Hunted, Strangeness, Throwback Virtues: Arete 3, Willpower 7

Aphrodite (Ecstatic Oracle)Str 2, Dex 5, Sta 4, Cha 5, Man 5, App 5, Per 5, Int 3, Wits 6; Talents:

Alertness 5, Awareness 4, Dodge 5, Expression 5, Intuition 4, Subterfuge 5; Skills: Etiquette 3, Leadership 3, Meditation 4; Knowledges: Cosmology 4, Enigmas 2, Linguistics 3, Lore (Various) 5, Medicine 2, Occult 5, Science 2; Spheres: Correspondence 3, Entropy 2, Forces 4, Life 5, Mind 5, Matter 3, Prime 4, Spirit 5, Time 6; Backgrounds: Age 1, Arcane 5, Avatar 5, Destiny 5, Dream 5, Node 5; Virtues: Arete 9, Willpower 8

Time Arch-Sphere: Level 6 in Time allows the mage to send objects or even Quintessence back in time. When an archmage changes the past, the alteration is greatest at the moment of interference. Thus, Paradox may backlash on the mage not only when she send the objects back, but also at the receiving end. Naturally, Time Sense picks up all sorts of weird vibes from this interference. Prime, Matter or Life are generally required to send items back through time. Successes must be spent on both the size of the object and the degree of alteration to the present. The object sent into the past literally shunts the mage into a new time stream, the more divergent the timeline, the more successes required for the Effect to take hold.

Rodwell, Lucius (Drummer)Lucius is the band's drummer. He's recently had a rather traumatic time and is just now starting to come

back into the music scene and back to himself in general. He's got brown hair and currently dresses in khakis and golf shirts, but we're working on that (he never used to be such a dork). He's really glad to be back with the band and in less than mundane company, that's for sure. Lucius is another Ecstatic Mage, in fact he was Sarah's apprentice years ago. He's a bit more into the Spheres of Life, Spirit, and Entropy than many of his Tradition, but then, he's had a rough life. He tends to have a lot of Paradox happen around him, probably due to his recent adventures in Mundania.

Player: Kristopher Wix Davis; Cult of Ecstasy; Nature: Director; Demeanor: Conformist; Essence: Primordial; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Dodge (Projectiles) 2, Intuition 1, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge (BS) 3; Skills: Drive 1, Firearms 1, Melee 1, Stealth (Sneaking) 3, Technology (Fixing) 4; Knowledges: Cosmology 3, Enigmas 1, Occult 2; Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 2, Life 2, Mind 1, Prime 1, Spirit 2, Time 2; Backgrounds: Allies 1, Arcane 1, Destiny 3, Resources 3; Other: Arete 3, Willpower 6, Paradox 3, Experience Unspent: 18; Investment – Life Leech: Lucius can steal health levels from any living creature to gain quintessence (1 HL / 2 Quintessence). This can be used for any effect or stored.

12

HOLLOW ONES AND OTHERS

Bradford, Mona (Artist)Player: Mari Adkins; Hollow One; Nature: Survivor; Demeanor: Deviant; Essence:

Pattern; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics (Graceful) 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Expression 3, Intimidation 1, Intuition 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Leadership 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2, Technology 2; Knowledges: Computer 3, Cultures 3, Investigation 3, Linguistics (French, German) 2, Lore 3, Occult 3, Science 1; Spheres: Forces 2, Life 1, Matter 1, Mind 2, Prime 1, Spirit 1, Time 2; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Arcane 2, Contacts 2, Dream 2, Node 2; Arete 3; Willpower 6

13

MARAUDS

Flagg, Randall (The Walking Man)Randall Flagg is a fictional character created by writer Stephen King that appears in a number of King's

novels under different names, many of which have the initials R.F. The name that he associates himself with the most and uses for the majority of his appearances in The Dark Tower series is Walter o'Dim. Flagg is described as "an accomplished sorcerer and a devoted servant of the Outer Dark" with general supernatural abilities such as necromancy, prophecy and influence over people's behavior. He makes his first appearance in the 1978 novel The Stand as the main antagonist, followed by significant roles in The Eyes of the Dragon and The Dark Tower.

His goals typically center on spreading destruction and causing conflict, usually through bringing down entire civilizations. In The Eyes of the Dragon, he hoped to bring an entire kingdom to ruin by manipulating various characters; in The Stand, where he is also referred to as the "Walkin' Dude," he organizes what is left of the "dregs of society" after America is nearly wiped out by the superflu. In The Dark Tower series, Flagg is influential in weakening and destroying the "Affiliation", the feudal system of government in Mid-World, under the name Marten Broadcloak.

Flagg goes by many names, ranging from the mythical such as Nyarlathotep (a Lovecraft character that he may have been based upon) to the common. Many of the names he goes by make use of the initials "R.F." Examples include Richard Fannin, who is involved in the storyline of The Waste Lands, and Rudin Filaro, who appears via flashbacks in The Dark Tower. He also draws on the archetype of the "plague-bearer", particularly in The Stand, and of Ahasuerus, the legendary Wandering Jew. He carries pamphlets for the Ku Klux Klan and other such radical groups, presumably to stir up trouble where none exists.Flagg's appearance is not described in the novels as threatening; he is said to be an

average-looking man, taking on the physical appearance of whatever the local people tend to look like. His attire frequently fits into the Americana style: blue jeans, a hooded jacket or a faded denim jacket, and cowboy boots with worn-down heels. He collects and attaches

buttons to his clothing over the course of his appearances. Amongst these are a peace symbol, a smiley face with a bullet hole in the head , and a "CK" button, the last of which most likely stands for Crimson King, though it is also similar to the logo for Calvin Klein. In The Stand series he wears a button with a yellow smile-face, one with a dead pig wearing a police cap asking "How's your pork?", and a button with an eye on it. In that series, he is sometimes referred to as "The Walking Dude", "The Dark Man", or simply as Flagg.

Throughout most of King's novels, Flagg's origins and true nature are left to the reader's imagination. In The Stand, it is suggested that Flagg cannot remember his life before each "era" of his history, possibly because his current form never really had a childhood, and just at some point "became", and that he has vague memories of having been a Marine, a Klansman, and of being involved in the kidnapping of Patty Hearst. He is shown to be able to detect and find extremists as well as rally them together for malevolent causes. In 'The Stand', a hypnotized Tom Cullen, who claims to be "God's Tom", tells that Flagg was once cast into a herd of pigs by Jesus, referring to Legion, a demon of many personalities. In Eyes of the Dragon, he is described as an aged wizard that eventually reveals itself to be demonic in nature, and in The Gunslinger, he describes himself, under his true name of Walter o'Dim, as an "Ageless Stranger".

In his final appearance (The Dark Tower VII), it is revealed that Flagg is in fact a human being, born around 1500 years earlier as Walter Padick in a land called Delain (the setting of Eyes of the Dragon). He ran away from home at the age of 13 and set out for a life on the road — where he was raped by a fellow wanderer a year later. He resisted the temptation to slink back home and instead went on further to find his destiny and devote his life to darkness. He became determined to exact revenge on Delain, the place of his suffering. Becoming a powerful wizard, Flagg began to sow discord and strife through Delain and neighboring lands. He seldom acted directly, preferring to act behind the scenes and patiently set events into motion over years, decades, or even centuries. At some point after fleeing Delain, he attracts the attention of the Crimson King and becomes his emissary.

In the 1969 issue of Ubris published a poem by Stephen King called The Dark Man. The poem tells of a man who wanders the country, riding the rails and observing everything around him. The poem turns sinister when the narrator confesses to rape and murder. "I forced a girl in a field of wheat/and left her sprawled with the virgin bread/a savage sacrifice/and a sign to those who creep in/fixed ways:/I am a dark man." Says King, "(T)hat idea of the guy never left my mind. The thing about him that really attracted me was the idea of the villain as somebody who was always on the outside looking in and hated people who had good fellowship and good conversation and friends". This "Dark Man" would later become Randall Flagg.

Flagg made his first (named) appearance in the 1978 apocalyptic novel The Stand. In it, he was an antichrist-like being who was trying to rebuild civilization in the United States in his image after a devastating plague. Flagg is portrayed as the personification of evil set against Mother Abagail, the personification of good, and attracts many drawn to law and order and fascist culture around him in Las Vegas, Nevada. Flagg is described in the book by the character Tom Cullen:

"He looks like anybody you see on the street. But when he grins, birds fall dead off telephone lines. When he looks at you a certain way, your prostate goes bad and your urine burns. The grass yellows up and dies where he spits. He's always outside. He came out of time. He doesn't know himself. He has the name of a thousand demons. Jesus knocked him into a herd of pigs once. His name is Legion. He's afraid of us. We're inside. He knows magic. He can call the wolves and live in the crows. He's the king of nowhere. But he's afraid of us. He's afraid of... inside."

14

Flagg planned to attack and destroy the other emerging civilization in Boulder, Colorado, leaving his civilization as the only survivors. His plans were foiled when the hand of God is turned upon him causing a nuclear bomb to detonate in front of his assembled followers. Flagg himself was not killed in the explosion. In the original version King implies that Flagg may have had an out-of-body experience in the instant of the explosion that allowed him to spiritually (possibly magically, as later books suggest) escape unharmed. While the original version of the novel does not tell of Flagg's fate afterwards, the 1990 expanded re-release of the novel, The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition, explains that Flagg reappeared somewhere on a beach with complete amnesia, where it is suggested that he continued to wreak havoc upon the human race in his new form.

In the 1984 novel The Eyes of the Dragon, the villain is a wizard called Flagg. While it is not explicitly stated that this is Randall Flagg, hints are made when a connection between this novel and The Dark Tower series indirectly connects The Eyes of the Dragon to The Stand. The two characters are even further connected by an event in Hearts in Atlantis (see below) and the use of the alias "the Dark Man".

Flagg acts and looks slightly different in The Eyes of the Dragon than from how he did in The Stand. This is most likely because The Eyes of the Dragon features a medieval setting while The Stand took place in modern times. Some have argued that the two are different versions of him from two different dimensions, given the presence of parallel dimensions in the Dark Tower series. However, King strongly implies that the two are indeed one and the same in the final Dark Tower novel, in which we find out Flagg was born in Delain, the setting of The Eyes of the Dragon.

We are told that in the medieval country of Delain, he has a white corpse's face, and is described in an uneasy way as "well preserved", a "thin and stern faced man of about 50": "He had, in fact, come to Delain often. He came under a different name each time, but always with the same load of woe and misery and death. This time he was Flagg. The time before he had been known as Bill Hinch, and he had been the King's Lord High Executioner (and) had made an end to hundreds — thousands, some said — of prisoners with his heavy axe. The time before that ... he came as a singer named Browson, who became a close adviser to the King and a Queen. Browson disappeared like smoke after drumming up a great and bloody war between Delain and Andua.

"Flagg always showed up with a different face and a different bag of tricks, but two things about him were always the same. He always came hooded, a man who seemed almost to have no face, and he never came as a King himself, but always as the whisperer in the shadows, the man who poured poison into the porches of Kings' ears.

"He wanted what evil men always want: to have power and use that power to make mischief. Being a King did not interest him because the heads of Kings all too often found their way to spikes on castle walls when things went wrong. But the advisers to Kings... the spinners in the shadows... such people usually melted away like evening shadows at dawning as soon as the headsman's axe started to fall. Flagg was a sickness, a fever looking for a cool brow to heat up. He hooded his actions just as he hooded his face. And when the great trouble came – as it always did after a span of years – Flagg always disappeared like shadows at dawn. Later, when the carnage was over and the fever had passed, when the rebuilding was complete and there was again something worth destroying, Flagg would appear once more."

Though Flagg is never killed in the course of the novel, he is wounded badly by an arrow to his eye, and vanishes, perhaps to escape mortal death. The book ends with the cryptic comment that "Thomas and Dennis... did see Flagg again, and confronted him," but no details are given. Many fans expected the continuation of the story to be in The Dark Tower (King has even said that Eyes is a Tower story when asked if there would be a sequel) but they did not appear. Due to the fact that the story takes place in the same world as The Dark Tower, it could be assumed that, if he did in fact die, then he had reincarnated once again in this same world, much like in the case of the extended version of The Stand. This may also explain the Stand-like variation of him that appears in the Dark Tower series.

In the 1999 book Hearts in Atlantis, Randall Flagg makes a brief appearance towards the end of the book. While little is said to show that it is him, the disturbing nature of his presence along with the use of the name "Raymond Fiegler" (which follows Flagg's "RF" theme in his aliases) clue readers into the character's true identity. Also worthy of note is the connections made to previous books with Flagg as a character. For instance, Carol Gerber mentions that she was taught by someone how to turn "dim" (a reference to Flagg's ability in Eyes of the Dragon). She also says that she and Fiegler were the only survivors of an act of arson on a small house in Los Angeles. This is quite similar to an event in Flagg's life that he brings to mind in The Stand.

Flagg has made the majority of his appearances in The Dark Tower series. He is hinted at early on in the series, but his role in the story does not become evident until near the end of the third book, The Waste Lands. Though he is referred to as a wizard in this series, he appears to be the Flagg of The Stand. Flagg appears in the first line of The Gunslinger as "The Man in Black", going by his true name Walter O'Dim (though the character is not identified as Flagg at this time) and practicing the art of necromancy. After leading Roland Deschain, the series' main hero, on a lengthy pursuit across the Mohaine Desert, he gives Roland a tarot reading which predicts events to occur in several of the following novels. He also, oddly enough, warns Roland about himself, telling him that he must be defeated before Roland can enter the Tower and, paraphrasing the Bible, identifies himself as Legion (Mark 5:9: "And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.") He then gives Roland a vision of the Tower that sends him into a deep delirium. When Roland awakes, Flagg is gone, having left behind a skeleton that convinces Roland, for only a moment, that Walter is dead. There is a brief reference to him in The Drawing of the Three, in which, near the fall of Gilead, Roland witnesses Dennis and Thomas, the two boys from Eyes of the Dragon, pursuing the wizard.

He next appears near the end of the third novel, The Waste Lands, in the city of Lud to save the Tick-Tock Man, who becomes Flagg's devoted servant afterwards (similar in the way that the Trashcan Man became Flagg's

15

servant in The Stand). He appears for just a short time in this book, so there is little else of him until the fourth book, Wizard and Glass. In this, Roland reveals Flagg to be Marten Broadcloak, the wizard who had corrupted Roland's homeland, betrayed his father Steven, seduced his mother Gabrielle, killed Roland's best friend Cuthbert, and conspired along with the Crimson King to cause the fall of the Dark Tower. Flagg manages to escape from Roland in this book before Roland gets a chance to kill him.

Flagg also appears in the lengthy flashback that comprises the middle part of Wizard and Glass. Once again in the role of Walter O'Dim, he acts as an emissary for the rebel leader John Farson. (There has been contradictory accounts concerning Farson's identity; the Revised makes reference to him being another alias of Walter, yet later in the series Walter himself refers to the revolutionary as a separate entity.) Walter entrusts the Pink Grapefruit of the Wizard's Rainbow to Eldred Jonas, Farson's agent in Mejis. Jonas in turn entrusts the crystal to the witch Rhea of the Cöos. Walter O'Dim has cameos in Wolves of the Calla and Song of Susannah. In Wolves, after committing suicide, Father Callahan runs into Walter at the Way Station (where Jake and Roland were only moments before). Walter gives Callahan Black 13 in hopes of it killing Roland later in his journey. Later, Walter taunts Callahan to which the priest responds that he is cruel. Surprisingly, Walter looks hurt.

"Walter's eyes widen, and for a moment he looks deeply hurt. This may be absurd, but Callahan is looking into the man's deep eyes and feels sure that the emotion is nonetheless genuine. And the surety robs him of any last hope that all this might be a dream, or a final brilliant interval before true death. In dreams — his, at least — the bad guys, the scary guys, never have complex emotions." Walter later shows up in Song in a flashback. He appears to the succubus Mia and makes a deal with her that culminates in her giving birth to the son of Roland and the Crimson King. This later leads to his tragic downfall.

In 2007, Marvel released The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, the first of several miniseries that serve as a prequel to the Dark Tower series. The first miniseries uses the flashbacks from The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass, and the rest will follow different exploits. The characters of both Marten Broadcloak and Walter o'Dim are to feature in the series. Marten's role in the first issue has him using his affair with Gabrielle to spurn Roland into his manhood test early so he would be exiled, but fails when Roland succeeds.

Flagg finally died in the final book of the Dark Tower series. Before this, it is revealed that his goal all along has been the same as Roland's, to climb The Dark Tower and see the room at its top. To unlock the tower, Flagg believes he needs the red-marked foot of Mordred Deschain, the son of Roland and the Crimson King. Flagg meets up with the infant, pledging allegiance to his cause, but Mordred senses Flagg's ulterior motives telepathically and seizes control of his mind, completely immobilizing him. Mordred transforms into his true form, that of a giant spider, and devours Flagg. Before dying, Flagg realizes that the sigul he would have needed is not Mordred's red heel, but the red hour-glass shape on the bottom of Mordred's spider form. Flagg's death was met with much controversy by the fans. Supporters claimed that it was fitting that Flagg would be ultimately undone by his arrogance and that it suited King's general opinion that all evil people are ultimately 'bumhugs'. It also shows that he is not invincible, that he is only a man who has been overcome with his own quest for The Dark Tower. They believed that Flagg's quest could be related to Roland's.

On the other side of the argument, fans were disappointed that one of King's greatest villains only appeared briefly in the final book and was summarily dispatched by a new character. Fans were also disappointed that Flagg never battled Roland. Flagg's death was also criticized as a ploy on King's part to give Mordred extra credibility, especially as the mind control powers were not used again to any great extent in the book. In my Universe, Walter O’Dim is a marauder, serving the power of the Random or Chaos.

Aliases: Dark Man, Flagg, Man in Black, Marten Broadcloak, Ramsey Forrest, Randall Flagg, Raymond Fiegler, Richard Fannin, Richard Fry, Robert Franq, Rudin Filaro, Russell Faraday, Walkin' Dude, Walter o'Dim, Walter Padick; Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 5, Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 1, Awareness 5, Brawl 2, Dodge 4, Expression 2, Instruction 3, Intuition 4, Intimidation 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Etiquette 3, Firearms 1, Leadership 4, Meditation 5, Melee 2, Research 3, Stealth 5, Survival 5, Technology 2; Knowledges: Cosmology 4, Culture 3, Enigmas 3, Investigation 3, Law 1, Linguistics 10, Lore (The Red) 5, Medicine 2, Occult 5, Science 3; Spheres: Correspondence 4, Entropy 5, Forces 4, Life 5, Mind 4, Matter 4, Prime 3, Spirit 4, Time 3; Backgrounds: Arcane 4, Avatar 5, Destiny 2, Dream 4, Fame 2, Resources 5; Virtues: Essence Primordial, Quiet 6, Arete 6, Willpower 8, Quintessence 20

Garath (Demon’s Bane)Garath was once a minor demon of Hades, toiling to corrupt the Earth and bring about Satan's final victory

on Judgment Day (not really). But one day, Garath stopped a mortal's suffering prematurely, and was cast out of Hell. Arriving in the mortal plane, his spirit took on a man's shape (again, not really). With his falling from daemonic favor, the realization came to Garath that he might rise back into angelic favor, and become the way he was when Eden was new and Adam and Eve still uncorrupted. (No, he wasn't really around then) So Garath took up a crusade to protect the innocents of the Earth from his former brethren and to insure the eventual Ascension of mankind on the day of Judgment. And on that Judgment Day, if he has done well enough, he will be returned to his original place at the side of Christ.

In reality, Garath was just a poor young man who was to be sacrificed by a Satanic cult. The trauma of being tied to a black altar, surrounded by crazed cultists was enough to awaken his powerful sleeping Avatar. A blast of pure Forces took care of the Satanists. But his mind had snapped in the process of Awakening, and he was born a Marauder. Since then, he has gone on a crusade against everything with the slightest taint of demons or the Wyrm. He was gained a massive amount of knowledge concerning the denizens of the World of Darkness, and has a mastery of Forces approaching that of an Oracle. In fact, the Oracles of Forces are considering

16

asking him to join them. A medium-height, medium-build man in his early 20's. short black hair and black clothing. He has a deep, quiet voice, and almost never yells.

Protect the innocent mortals all around you from harm and corruption. Any demon-spawn you meet will feel the full fury of your might. So what if bystanders are killed? They are better off dying by your hands then being corrupted by the devils and dragged screaming to hell. Gaze around implacably at everyone you meet. When you get angry, St. Elmo's fire starts to glow around your eyes and hands.

Essence: Dynamic; Nature: Cavalier; Demeanor: Fanatic; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Dodge 3, Intuition 2, Intimidation 3, Subterfuge 2; Skills: Drive 2, Firearms 1, Meditation 3, Melee 3, Stealth 5; Knowledges: Cosmology 4, Demon Lore 4, Faerie Lore 4, Garou Lore 4, Kindred Lore 4, Camarilla Lore 4, Sabbat Lore 4, Spirit Names 5, Spirit Lore 4, Wraith Lore 4, Tradition Lore 4, Technocracy Lore 4, Nephandi Lore 4, Wyrm Lore 4, Weaver Lore 4, Occult 5; Backgrounds: Arcane 3, Avatar 4, Destiny 4; Spheres: Correspondence 3, Forces 6, Life 5, Matter 4, Prime 3, Spirit 5; Arete: 7; Willpower: 10; Quintessence: 19; Flaws: Hatred: Demons

Base Quiet: 2 Guess what? Garath thinks he is a former demon who can get back into heaven. That's his basic level of Quiet. At higher levels, he begins to see demons and/or angels where there is really nothing or he begins to see normal people as evil beings. A few times, his perception of reality became so warped he began to think he was back in Hell or Heaven.

Nattick, Arlan (The Smiler)Arlan Nattick is a complete enigma to Traditions and Technocracy alike. He has displayed exhaustive

knowledge of all Traditions, Conventions, and many Mad Ones and Nephandi. Nattick has killed 16 Tradition mages (resurrecting several later), and he single-handedly destroyed a minor Iteration X Central Processing Unit in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has occasionally fought for certain causes, such as environmentalism in Malaysia and human rights in rural China. In each case, he eventually switched sides, apparently out of boredom, then caused chaos for both.

At times Nattick has demonstrated powerful Magick. He derives intense physical pleasure from using it, and he shows wild confidence, as well as mordant wit (thus his nickname). However, Nattick's power at other times hardly exceeds Disciple rank, and in these cases he is nervous and fitful. Nattick has willingly explained the origins of his astonishing Magick to Tradition mages. However, "origins" (plural) is the word, because he always offers a different story.

His first encounter with the Traditions came in April 1989, on a coca plantation in Potosi, Bolivia. A Cult of Ecstasy cabal foiled Nattick's attempt to turn the plants into people and vice versa. In Portuguese-accented Spanish, Nattick told the Cultists that he came from a Progenitor breeding program, and had developed his great powers during ten years of torture by the Euthanatos. Then he killed two mages with lightning from a clear sky, chose one of the two by flipping a coin, and resurrected the chosen mage to full life (shivering with pleasure all the while). He flew away on a giant eagle.

Two months later, a group of young Hermetic students on a field excursion from Moscow stumbled on Nattick outside Krakow, Poland, where he was turning a mile-long stretch of the hopelessly polluted Wisla river into lime gelatin -- apparently just to see if he could. In fluent Russian, Nattick claimed he was a self-taught Orphan who had learned great Magick from a cult of Sleeper diabolists. The Hermetic initiates had little power, but they bravely (and foolishly) tried to capture Nattick. He suddenly grew frightened, his gelatin river returned to normal, and he fled at a dead run.

Nattick has also claimed to be a living Paradox spirit, an Outsider Thing, and so on. None of his claims has any credibility, and he offers them all in a tone of terminal boredom. Attempts to reconcile the inconsistencies enrage him (at least, he pretends rage), and in most cases he attacks. No one has yet discovered the secret of Nattick's power. To maintain the air of mystery, the Storyteller should let the mages discover the truth only a piece at a time, or not at all.

Arlan Nattick is the latest incarnation of an Avatar that Awakened in 1466, during the Grand Convocation that formed the Council of Nine Traditions. A servant of the Solificati, a Kazakh named Ivan Fyodorovich Arkalyk, grew fascinated with the powers of the mages he attended. Over the years of the Convocation, he learned what he could of their beliefs, undertook a practice of meditation and discipline, and eventually Awakened. His masters initiated him into the Solificati, and he participated directly in the Great Betrayal that destroyed the First Cabal.

Four Solificati, aided by the new disciple Ivan, were charged with destroying a single Master of Spirit. They succeeded, but with her dying will the Dreamspeaker took humane revenge on them. She cursed (or perhaps blessed) their Avatars, forcing them to reincarnate perpetually as members of the Traditions they betrayed. "Linger until you understand the tragedy of your actions," she said, and died. By her will, so was it done.

Note: The curse is a conjunctional Effect of Spirit 6, Mind 4, Entropy 2, and Prime 2. The Spirit Sphere affects a target Avatar's path of reincarnation. Mind and Entropy guide the reincarnated mage, once he Awakens, toward a particular Tradition. The Prime Sphere maintains the Effect through repeated incarnations after the caster's death. This powerful Magick is intended as a narrative device for Storytellers, not for players.

In each subsequent reincarnation, through the Dreamspeaker's curse, the betrayers recalled much of their past lives. Over the centuries, one by one, the betrayers came to understand the Traditions deeply. Three became Oracles of different Spheres and threw off the curse. A fourth grew so remorseful that he proved an easy target for the Nephandi; he became corrupt, and his current identity and whereabouts are unknown. The fifth is Arlan Nattick.

Quiet: Less able than his fellows to handle the curse through his many lives, Nattick's Avatar blew like a leaf from one Tradition to another. He acquired a broad knowledge of each Tradition and many Conventions, represented by his Library background.

17

In his last incarnation, he became Pere Pierre Millot, an Adept of the Celestial Chorus who fought in the French Underground during World War II. In the closing hours of the European war, Millot fought to the death with a Nazi Nephandus in Berlin. Millot won, but in the battle he suffered a drastic Paradox backlash. His mind came "unstuck in time," and for the rest of his life he had episodes of Quiet wherein he returned to one of his past lives -- frequently at a stage of considerably reduced power.

This blight resumed when his current incarnation, Arlan Nattick, Awakened. But the teen-aged Nattick (seventh son of an impoverished "white trash" slum family in Montgomery, Alabama) could not handle the combination of Awakening and Quiet, and on the instant he became a Marauder. Both exalted and panicked, he transformed his family into crayfish, then fled to travel the world.

Now Nattick lives a bizarre parody of his Avatar's earlier quest for understanding. He tries on new belief systems like socks, and finds them all entertaining but arbitrary. Insofar as Nattick articulates his philosophy (not much), he would say that the more belief systems the world has, the more entertaining it is. Everyone should create ten or twenty of them for personal use. Conceivably Nattick's next incarnation will recover from his Quiet. However, his power is so great that his next incarnation does not appear imminent.

Nattick stands six feet tall, weighs 150 pounds, is 25 years old (in this incarnation), and is slimly built. He usually has a white crewcut, black eyebrows, deep-set black eyes, pale skin, and a large mouth with bright red lips. Nattick speaks with a smooth, oily voice in any of a dozen languages and accents, in a manner alternately coy, jovial, hysterical, furious, and frenzied. He dresses unpredictably (of course), but favors black.

Nattick won his signature ornament, a German war medal called the Iron Cross, as Pere Millot in the battle described above. Millot carried the trophy all his life and, in 1957, to his grave. When Nattick Awakened in this incarnation, he dug up the skeleton he previously inhabited and reclaimed his Cross. It is a Talisman that stores 10 points of Quintessence.

Laugh a lot. Take pains to demonstrate the superiority of your Magick to that of rivals; gloat at length, but leaves your defeated rival alive. Though you bore easily and suffer wild mood swings, you are never gullible nor easily manipulated. Life is a party one moment, a wake the next, and sometimes a panic attack right after that. Whatever it is, you're absolutely in charge of your own part in it.

Nature: Unknown; Demeanor: Varies drastically; Essence: Dynamic; Tradition: All; Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 1, Expression 2, Intuition 2, Intimidation 2, Subterfuge 2, Computer 2, Cosmology 4, Culture 4, Linguistics 3, Occult 5, Science 3; Backgrounds: Avatar 4, Library 4; Spheres: Life 5, Matter 5, all others 4 (usually); sometimes Mind 0 and all others 2; Arete 5, Willpower 10 (usually), sometimes 3, Quintessence 8

Temple Gongs (**** Forces, **** Matter, **** Mind, **** Life, ** Prime): July 27, 1992: At the Kamakura beach resort south of Yokohama, Japan, Arlan Nattick walked through a medieval Zen Buddhist temple, a popular tourist site. As he passed the temple gongs, they rang loudly. Tourists who heard the ringing threw away their video cameras, fell to their knees, and began droning a Buddhist chant, the Vatthupama-sutta or "Parable of the Piece of Cloth." While they chanted, their clothing changed to the bright orange robes of Buddhist monks, and their hair fell out. The new monks walked in a line through Kamakura, with Nattick following at a distance. The monks begged from passersby, who freely handed over their money, watches, jewelry, and clothing. At this point a cabal of Akashic Brothers showed up and demanded an explanation of Nattick. He said idly, "I just wondered if Buddhism really worked." Before the mages could determine what Nattick meant, or whether his Effect had satisfied his curiosity, a host of Paradox spirits showed up. In the resulting confusion, Nattick casually departed. (The Forces Sphere creates the gong sounds, Matter and Life physically transform the people, and Mind brainwashes them. Each success changes two people; extended rolls convert a crowd. Prime 2 is needed to make the transformation real.)

Chatterboxes (*** Matter, ** Spirit, ** Prime): September 1, 1993: In a market in Paramaribo, capital of Suriname (Dutch Guiana), a five-inch tall Nattick climbed out of a bag of imported Gold Medal flour. He leaped around the shelves of cans and boxes, and wherever he passed, the cans and boxes began to talk. Spewing beets or baking soda with every word, they preached the evil of excessive dependence on American and European imports. The shoppers ran screaming from the market. Disappointed, Nattick grew to gigantic size and ate all imported food in the market. (Matter 3 alters the containers to permit spirits to animate them. Spirit 2 brings the spirits. The number of successes determines the Effect's duration. Shrinking and growth are conjunctional Effects of Correspondence 5 and Life 3. Each success allows the mage to shrink or grow by 15 percent. Becoming five inches tall requires six successes, as does growing to 11 feet tall.)

Temple Pillars (**** Forces, *** Matter, ** Prime): Early July, 1994: Mercenary forces fighting in the disputed Aozou Strip between Libya and Chad were shocked when the desert shook and pillars of stone rose slowly from the sand. Four lines of sandstone columns, as big as the ruined pillars of Luxor in Egypt, marked off the battlefield. Gunfire could not damage them. When the columns had grown to 30 feet tall, a grinning Arlan Nattick appeared atop each one; gunfire could not damage him either. Lightning crackled around Nattick as he shouted to the mercenaries, "What a barbaric waste! Is this any kind of occupation for civilized people? Throw down your weapons, and walk with me into a better life!" The mercenaries, who were not stupid, reluctantly threw down their weapons and followed Nattick. Using Correspondence Magick, he led them across a hundred yards of desert into Ethiopia's desolate coastal province of Eritrea, 1100 miles to the southeast. In a village emptied by famine some years before, Nattick halted the men and gestured broadly at the empty huts. "Rebuild these humble shacks. Let a new city of peace spring up in this war-torn province." The men asked, reasonably enough, where they would get supplies, food, and citizens. With an air of annoyance, Nattick said, "Right, right, I'll take care of that, just a moment." He vanished, but something evidently distracted him, for he never returned. Many of the mercenaries died of thirst before they reached an inhabited town, and the Ethiopian government imprisoned the rest as illegal aliens. (The

18

Effect raises a structure, creating it from ground material as it rises. Matter reshapes the ambient material, Prime fixes the new Pattern, and Forces raises the reshaped structure telekinetically. Three successes are required on an extended roll. Each success adds 500 square feet to the size of the resulting structure. Ordinarily the Effect requires one day, but the mage can spend one additional success to reduce the time to one scene, or two extra successes to reduce it to one turn. The Correspondence 4 effect Polyappearance produces the duplicates of the mage.)

Do Ya Wanna Dance? (**** Mind, *** Forces, ** Prime): April 15, 1995: Late in the evening, at the main branch of the Post Office in Kansas City, Missouri, drivers had lined up to mail last-minute income tax returns. From every car radio, including those that were turned off, came Nattick's voice. He sang "Shout," "Sugar Sugar," "Yummy Yummy Yummy I Got Love in My Tummy," and other old pop tunes. Everyone got out of the car and began to dance. Police and postal officials joined in. When Nattick began singing John Lennon's Revolution," people opened their car trunks and removed gallon cans of gasolines, which were, coincidentally, full. Postal workers let the drivers in to the post office. As Nattick began singing "Light My Fire," people splashed gas around the building. At this point a cabal of Tradition mages arrived, stopped the music, and prevented disaster. The Syndicate and New World Order worked overtime to suppress rumors of the event. (The Effect requires two successes on an extended roll. These successes let the mage control four minds. For each additional success beyond the second, the number of minds the mage may control doubles, up to a maximum of the mage's Arete in extra successes. Forces 3 is necessary to broadcast to dormant receivers. Forces 2 lets the mage broadcast to radios that are already on.)

19

NEPHANDUS

Nina (Nephandus Void Engineer)Nina has corrupted over two dozen Tradition and Convention mages, including several of great power,

across North America, Europe, and Japan. Born Amelia Nina Linwood in Topeka, Kansas, she grew up a homely, unsocialized, and repressed young woman. After her Awakening in 1969, she served the Technocracy without distinction for three years (1969-72) at a Void Engineers Exploration and Development Station in low Earth orbit. Then, during a routine survey of the Deep Umbra, she encountered an Outsider Thing, an entity called Aadschlaggha (see The Book of Madness). She left the Technocracy shortly thereafter, and by the time she came to the Order's attention a year later, she looked and acted much different.

Nina displays comprehensive knowledge of every human vice and debauchery. In her preferred "young lady" strategy, she seeks protection by lonely men (and occasionally women) from perils that she engineers herself. From this beginning, she develops a relationship with the victim, playing on his inner fears and guilty desires, gradually convincing him that no one else understands him. Nina manipulates the victim into betrayal of his companions, whereupon she finds it easy to convince him he has no future except with the Demon Mages. Then she either turns him to Aadschlaggha's service, or sacrifices him to the Thing to bring its manifestation on Earth that much closer.

To further her schemes, Nina occasionally uses a fellow Void Engineer, a driveling nebbish named Seymour Glass. Glass got snared by Aadschlaggha just as Nina did (see The Book of Madness). Now he serves Nina as pawn, henchman, decoy, and aide de camp. She seduced Glass so easily that she now treats him with contempt, which makes Glass love her still more desperately. In his most secret, most confused and turbid fantasies, Seymour dreams of sacrificing Nina to the Outsider Thing, following her into that undying Void, and living in blissful union with her forever.

Nina is five feet four inches tall, weighs 130 pounds, and is 43 years old, but likes to look 15. She has long blond hair, black eyebrows, and (usually) green eyes; she's slender, tanned, buxom, and dresses in filmy and provocative clothing. Nina changes her appearance at will. The only useful way to identify her is that her eyes change color according to her mood (a Paradox Flaw).

Be charming in a mock-innocent, seductive way, and stay just this side of annoying excess. You'll try anything to corrupt your chosen target. You don't care what happens to him after that, but you never lose sight of your goal -- unless someone happens to bring up your humdrum Kansas history, or calls you "Amelia." You desperately want to put that life behind you.

Nature: Deviant; Demeanor: Bon Vivant; Essence: Dynamic; Tradition: Void Engineer barabbi; Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Abilities: Alertness 2, Awareness 3, Expression 3, Intuition 4, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 4, Meditation 1, Stealth 3, Technology 3, Investigation 3; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Arcane 3, Avatar 2, Mentor 4; Spheres: Correspondence 2, Entropy 2, Forces 2, Life 3, Matter 1, Mind 3, Prime 2; Arete 4, Willpower 6, Quintessence 10, Paradox 3

Pretend Sleep (*** Mind): When she first meets a new target, Nina uses this Effect to impersonate a Sleeper. The mental illusion masks her Awakened thoughts from prying Mind Effects. However, Nina must first use or expel all her stored Quintessence. Otherwise, a mage with a glancing knowledge of the Sphere of Prime could sense her Magickal nature instantly. (The number of successes rolled is subtracted from the successes of any Mind Effect used on the Nephandus. If the Pretend Sleep Effect gains more successes than the opposing Effect, the Fallen One can convincingly simulate any desired thought processes: Awakened, diabolist, or Sleeper.)

Buzz (** Prime, * Life): Having persuaded her target that she is a Sleeper, Nina enchants him (figuratively speaking) with charming conversation, subtle praise, soulful looks, and other signals of attraction. She also covertly increases the flow of Quintessence through the target's life Pattern, giving him a mild, barely noticeable pleasure. "Around her things just seem more real," a victim may say early in their acquaintance. Mages of different Traditions have different reactions to this Effect. A Cultist of Ecstacy recognizes it at once and dismisses it as small potatoes, whereas a naive Akashic Brother might mistake it for a sign on the Way to enlightenment. (This Effect works as the Prime 2 Magick Rubbing the Bones, but it stimulates instead of stunning. Only one success is needed. The target's small injuries may heal more quickly, or the Storyteller may reduce the difficulty of some Magick rolls. The target is not usually aware of the Effect unless the roll is botched. The Storyteller may grant the target a Perception + Awareness roll to detect the Quintessence increase, although this does not identify the Effect's source. A target aware of the Effect may spend a point of stored Quintessence to smooth the flow and cancel the Effect.)

Second Childishness (** Mind, ** Prime): Nina tries to involve herself in the target's doings, often as an "innocent" in need of rescue. At this stage, she tries to be genuinely useful to her victim, and especially tries to arrange matters so that she can save his life. In some cases she pretends to Awaken and becomes the victim's student. Early on, Nina seduces the target. She covertly videotapes this encounter for later use with the Video Frame Effect (see below). In this period, she uses subtle Magick to gradually alienate the target from his allies (for examples, see the Nephandi Effects in Mage Second Edition). On the pretext of encouraging the victim to "rediscover his childhood sense of wonder," Nina induces in him a state of childish playfulness. The couple might play in a playground at midnight, visit a zoo, or roam in a park. Nina first "dares" the target to commit mischievous but fairly harmless pranks, such as spraying graffiti, then gradually moves to more serious vandalism. Under the growing influence of her spell, the victim's will to resist progressively weakens. At last she pulls the surprised target into serious crime, such as arson or assault. The victim, alarmed and confused, may break with her and retreat, only to find that Nina has timed the deed to coincide with a frame-up that makes the victim a wanted fugitive (see the next Effect). (For each success on the Magick roll, the difficulty of resisting a suggested childish behavior

20

increases by 1. The Prime Sphere sustains the Mind Effect of induced immaturity, making successes cumulative on an extended roll over a period of days or weeks. After the difficulty reaches 10, the Storyteller may instead reduce the target's Willpower rating by 1 for each additional success, but this reduction applies only when resisting childish impulses.)

Video Frame (** Forces, * Matter): Of the various ways to Magickally alter a videotape, this is the most tedious, but requires the least Magickal skill. Nina begins by covertly videotaping a romantic encounter with her target. Playing back the tape frame-by-frame on a good videocassette recorder, Nina senses the magnetic patterns on the tape and painstakingly revises each image. This usually takes her a minute per frame. By comparison, changing sounds goes much more quickly. In this way she produces a convincing taped record that shows the target brutally raping a young girl. Then she duplicates the tape by mundane means and distributes it anonymously to local TV stations, newspapers, and the police. (This rote requires Technology skill. In addition to the Magick roll, the rote requires one success on an extended Perception + Technology roll (difficulty 8) for each ten seconds of altered video.)

Savior Scope (Arete 4, Quintessence 15): Not a rote but a Talisman, this tiny golden telescope is Nina's final weapon. She locates and observes the fugitive target with Correspondence Magick, then comes to him when his Willpower is weakest and his Quintessence is low. She persuades or tricks him into looking into the telescope. (This may require a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll, unless Nina can win the target's trust.) The telescope, given to Nina by Aadschlaggha, shows the target the vast gulfs of the Deep Umbra, and the entity that waits invitingly beyond (Mind 3 Effect). Aadschlaggha promises refuge from all the victim's troubles, and offers him great power to take revenge on his enemies, including Nina. If the victim agrees, he is drawn through the telescope into the Deep Umbra, and is never seen again -- except, possibly, as a Nephandi. Nina casually pockets the telescope and moves to another city, seeking a new target.

Riddle, Tom Marvolo (Lord Voldemort)Gender: Male; Eye color: Red (formerly brown); Hair color: Bald (formerly black); Born:

December 31, 1926; Died: May 23 1998 (aged 71); Family: Tom Riddle Sr (father), Merope Gaunt (mother), Morfin Gaunt (uncle), Marvolo Gaunt (grandfather), Thomas Riddle (grandfather), Mary Riddle (grandmother), Salazar Slytherin (ancestor), Cadmus Peverell (ancestor), Harry Potter (distant cousin); Blood Status: Half-blood; Title(s): Prefect, Head Boy, The Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who, Chief Death Eater, Minister for Magic(de facto); Alias: Lord Voldemort; Wand: 13½", Yew, phoenix feather core, Elder Wand; Boggart: His own dead body; Patronus: None, incapable of happy thought; Occupation: Assistant at Borgin and Burkes when young; Affiliation: Hogwarts, Death Eaters, Ministry of Magic (de facto)

Tom Marvolo Riddle (rechristened Lord Voldemort) (December 31, 1926 - May 23 1998) was considered by many the most powerful dark wizard of all time, and the primary foe of Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. His ultimate quest was "to conquer Death". Tom Marvolo Riddle was born on New Year's Eve, 1926 in an orphanage in London. His pure-blood mother, Merope Gaunt, a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin, died shortly after his birth. Before she died, she named him Tom after his father, Tom Riddle Sr., and Marvolo Gaunt, her father. Tom Riddle Sr. was a wealthy Muggle living in the village of Little Hangleton. Merope tricked Tom Sr. into marrying her by giving him a love potion or controlling him by the Imperius Curse. She kept this mind control up for some time, but finally let him go, hoping he would have fallen in love with her on his own after all that time together. To Merope's great dismay, he abandoned her and her unborn child.

As he had no parents to rear him, Tom Riddle grew up in a dingy orphanage, completely unaware of his Wizarding heritage, though he did have some grasp on his abilities beyond that of normal magical children. Tom could move things with his mind, command animals to do his bidding, speak Parseltongue, and, in his own words, "make people hurt." After getting into a fight with one boy, he used his powers to hang the boy's bunny on the rafters. On occasion, he took two orphans, Dennis Bishop and Amy Benson, into a cave, where he performed an act so horrifying that the two orphans were traumatized into silence. Another of his amusements was stealing from his fellow orphans, and then hiding their possessions inside a container which he kept safely in his cupboard, as trophies. This cupboard was the same upon which Dumbledore used a Flame-Freezing Charm to demonstrate his magic.

When Tom was 11, Dumbledore visited the orphanage and invited Tom to attend Hogwarts. Not much else is known of his childhood. Tom Riddle was educated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1938 to 1945, and was placed in Slytherin, an obvious choice considering he was a Parselmouth, was manipulative and power-hungry, and was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself. During summer breaks, he would return to the Muggle orphanage, which he despised and dreaded more than any other place on earth.

Tom described himself as "poor, but brilliant, parentless, but so brave, a school prefect, a model student." This opinion was also shared by the Professors, including Horace Slughorn who taught him about Horcruxes. The sole exception to this was Albus Dumbledore, who was the Transfiguration professor at the time.

Tom became obsessed with his past and began researching it with an insatiable hunger. During his research, he realized his shared heritage with Salazar Slytherin, discovered the Chamber of Secrets under Hogwarts, and tamed the beast within. He figured out how Slytherin managed to hide the Chamber from the other school founders, so that only Salazar's true heir could open it and "purge the school of all those who are unworthy to study magic."

21

During this time, Tom began going by the name "Voldemort," so he did not have to be called by the name of his "filthy Muggle father." His new name was an anagram of his given name: "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" once rearranged, became: "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT".

The name Voldemort has a further special meaning. Voldemort separated in to three French words, vol de mort, means "flight of death". (In correct French pronunciation, the T at the end is silent; however, it is generally pronounced by English-speaking wizards.) It was a name he hoped every wizard would some day fear to speak when he became the greatest sorcerer in the world.

In his fifth year, Tom located the secret entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and was able to control the Basilisk (the snake-like monster inside) because he was a Parselmouth. Tom turned the beast loose on the school, injuring many. The last victim was a student named Myrtle, who was killed in the girls' bathroom when the Basilisk looked her in the eye. (Any who see its glowing yellow eyes will die instantly.) Hogwarts was to be closed, but Tom did not want to return home. To keep the school from shutting down, he framed fellow student Rubeus Hagrid. Armando Dippet, the current headmaster, was convinced that Aragog was the monster that had terrorized the school. Hagrid was expelled, and Tom received an engraved trophy for Special Services to the School.

Dumbledore, distrusting Riddle, kept a close watch on him after that. Because it was no longer safe to open the Chamber of Secrets, Tom created a diary to preserve a part of his soul, hoping it would one day lead someone to finish Salazar Slytherin's "noble" work. This diary was one of his seven Horcruxes.

At Tom's last year at Hogwarts, he was prefect, Head Boy, and he had received a medal for magical merit. He was one of the most brilliant students to attend Hogwarts. During the summer of 1943, Tom Riddle fulfilled his vow of revenge against his Muggle father. Tom went to the small hut where his mother once lived. There he stunned his uncle Morfin Gaunt (the last remaining inhabitant) and implanted a false memory of him killing the Riddle family inside his head. Later that morning, all three Riddles were found dead in the drawing room of their home. Investigating wizards learned Morfin's wand was used to commit the murders. Because of the alterations to his memory, Morfin confessed to the Ministry that he had committed the crimes.

Shortly before graduating, Tom charmed the spirit of Helena Ravenclaw (more commonly known as the Grey Lady, the ghost of Ravenclaw House) into revealing the location of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. Then when he finished his education, he asked Armando Dippet for a chance to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, but was deemed too young. After leaving Hogwarts, he presumably traveled to the far-flung forest in Albania about which Helena had told him and retrieved the Diadem. He murdered an Albanian and turned the Diadem into a Horcrux. Upon his return to Britain, he was offered several positions in the Ministry of Magic, but ended up working at Borgin and Burkes for Caractacus Burke, which disappointed and surprised many. His job was to "persuade" people to part with their valuable magical items—a job at which he was very good.

During his time with Borgin and Burkes, Tom befriended a wealthy, elderly lady named Hephzibah Smith. After several visits, Mrs. Smith showed Tom her two most valuable treasures: Salazar Slytherin's Locket and Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Tom killed her and stole the objects, vanishing without a trace. He covered his tracks well by implanting another false memory into an innocent person—or in this case, Hokey, Hepzibah's house elf. Hokey admitted to accidentally putting poison into Hepzibah's cocoa. Meanwhile, Tom ran away with the cup and locket and turned them into two more Horcruxes.

Tom disappeared for many years. It was during this time that he slipped deeper into the Dark Arts. He traveled extensively, consorted with disreputable people, and underwent many dangerous magical transformations. During this time, Lord Voldemort, as he was now exclusively called, gathered objects for his Horcruxes and implanted his soul fragments into them. Tom appealed once more to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, who by now was Albus Dumbledore, for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, in an attempt to learn Hogwarts' secrets and recruit followers. Dumbledore denied him, knowing of his plan. The position has since been cursed; teachers only held the position for a year until Riddle's defeat ended the spell.

Riddle's visit to request the position was not fruitless, however; he hid Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem in the Room of Requirement, where he believed it would never be found. It is curious to note that Voldemort did not hide his Horcruxes immediately after creating them, as it was decades later when he used Kreacher to help him hide the locket and an equally long time before Bellatrix joined the Death Eaters and he gave her Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. He even held onto the Diadem until he got the chance to hide it inside of Hogwarts a decade after finding it, as well as the Diary until Lucius Malfoy joined up. It begs the question of what he did with his Horcruxes for all that time until the time came for them to be hidden.

In the 1970s, Lord Voldemort had gathered a following of witches and wizards. Some were supportive of his cause to rid the world of Muggles, others were greedy for power, and yet others joined the Dark Lord out of fear. His followers named themselves the Death Eaters. Voldemort considered them more like servants than friends or family. They freely used the Unforgivable Curses and killed mercilessly, often for fun.

Lord Voldemort began taking advantage of the Wizarding World's greatest weakness: the beings and creatures that they had outcast. The Dark Lord recruited Giants, who left the mountains, and Werewolves, who were persecuted by most witches and wizards. Many feared the Goblins would also join him, seeing as they were restricted from wand use, but it never happened. Aurors were authorized to use Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters without warning, and suspects were sometimes handed over to the Dementors without trial. Many innocents were locked away. Eventually, even the Dementors joined Voldemort, meaning no more security at Azkaban. At the height of Voldemort's reign (and for many years after), people were even afraid to speak his name, and he was referred to as "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

One of the Wizarding World's few remaining safe places was Hogwarts, which was under the staunch protection of Albus Dumbledore, the only person Lord Voldemort feared. Dumbledore created the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Voldemort, but they were outnumbered and suffered many casualties. At the height of his

22

power in 1979, word came from an informant, Severus Snape, of a Prophecy that predicted Voldemort's downfall: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…". The Prophecy was made by Sybill Trelawney in the Hog's Head, during a job interview with Albus Dumbledore for the position of Divination.

According to Dumbledore, Snape only heard half of the Prophecy, the part about Voldemort's downfall and to whom it may relate. After that, however, he was thrown out by the barman, (Aberforth Dumbledore). He hurried to tell Lord Voldemort what he had heard, not realizing that he missed the most important part of the message. Trelawney's description of the night's events was a bit different however, as she stated that after feeling "ill" (her "illness" actually being the Prophecy), Aberforth burst into the room with Severus Snape. This is in contrast with Dumbledore's description of events and casts doubt upon his account. In any case, Voldemort was frightened, so he sprang into action to prevent the fulfillment of the Prophecy.

Lord Voldemort realized he must kill the child the Prophecy mentioned, though there were two babies to whom it could refer—Harry Potter, a Half-Blood, and Neville Longbottom, a Pure-Blood family. Both children's parents (Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom) had defied him three times, and both children were born at the end of July. For reasons known only to Voldemort himself, he chose to kill Harry instead of Neville. (Dumbledore suspected this was because Harry shared his Half-Blood heritage with Voldemort.) Thanks to Peter Pettigrew, James's-best-friend-turned-Death-Eater, Lord Voldemort learned the Potter family's secret location. Voldemort murdered James and Lily Potter, but when he used the Killing Curse on Harry, it rebounded upon himself, ripping his soul from his body and destroying his powers. Lord Voldemort had been defeated by the one-year-old boy because Lily's love for her son created an invisible powerful defense in Harry's skin when she died for him.

The Death Eaters were lost. Many claimed they had been under the Imperius Curse, while others stayed true to their master and continued his work, most notably the Lestranges; Bellatrix and her husband, Rodolphus. Eventually, they were all captured and locked away in Azkaban.

Lord Voldemort was not dead, however. He had lost his physical form, but he was alive, although weak and powerless. His Horcruxes helped him escape death. He retreated to the forests of Albania (the same Albanian forest he had traveled to so many years previously to find Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem), expecting one of his faithful Death Eaters to find him and help him. But those still faithful to him were either dead or in Azkaban. He gained a form by inhabiting snakes, which never lived long.

Fortunately for Lord Voldemort, Professor Quirrell wandered into the forest while on a vacation. Quirrell was young, foolish and gullible, and Voldemort was able to enter Quirrell's weak mind. In 1991 - 1992, Voldemort hatched a plan to regain his body. Quirrell would steal Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone from a vault in Gringotts Bank so he could make the Elixir of Life. However, it had been removed by Hagrid right before Quirrell could steal it. Lord Voldemort took form on the back of Quirell's head, which was concealed by a turban. Quirrell drank Unicorn blood to sustain his master.

Quirrell tricked Hagrid into telling him about Fluffy, the three headed Hound-Dog that was the first guard of the Philosopher's stone at Hogwarts, and that playing music would put it to sleep. Now all they needed was a way to get into the Forbidden corridor. Severus Snape was suspicious, however, and when Quirrell let loose a Troll in the dungeons as a distraction, Snape blocked him off. Voldemort had Quirrell send a fake letter to Dumbledore, asking him to go to the Ministry of Magic, then moved on with their plan. They beat their way through the security enchantments and reached the Mirror of Erised. Quirrell saw himself presenting the stone to his master, but could not get it. It was only when Harry arrived that they could retrieve the stone. "Only those who wanted the stone, but not use it, could get it from the mirror." Voldemort figured this out, and Quirrell attacked Harry, but when he touched Harry his hands blistered. Harry placed his hands on Quirrell’s face, severely injuring him. Lord Voldemort's soul fled, once more without a body.

Lord Voldemort returned to the Albanian forest, weaker than ever. He had to wait for another to help him. In 1992, Lucius Malfoy placed a diary containing the soul fragments Voldemort embedded in it into Ginny Weasley's cauldron who brought it to Hogwarts. She had been writing in it, and a 16 year-old Tom Riddle was answering. She found comfort in him, not knowing she was being manipulated. Riddle's memory learned all he could about his future self's defeat and Harry Potter. He slowly drained the life away from Ginny Weasley, and put it in himself. He was able to possess her. Under his control, she opened the Chamber of Secrets and released the Basilisk, killed Hagrid's roosters, and wrote threatening messages on the wall in rooster blood. Gradually, Ginny became suspicious. She knew the Diary was doing something to her, so she threw it away in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. Harry and Ron accidentally stumble upon it, and Harry begins communicating with Tom.

Tom mislead Harry about who opened the Chamber of Secrets, convincing him it was Hagrid, although Harry eventually learned this is untrue. When Ginny saw that Harry had the Diary, she stole it back for she did not want Harry to find out all the things she had written in the diary and done while under its influence. When Tom was ready to take his physical form from Ginny's life, he lured her into the Chamber of Secrets. The switch was almost complete when Harry found them. Tom summoned the Basilisk to kill Harry, but Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes arrived and blinded the monster. Fawkes also brought the Sorting Hat, from which Harry withdrew Godric Gryffindor's sword. He killed the Basilisk, then used the Basilisk's fang to stab the Diary, unknowingly destroying one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Peter Pettigrew, who had been supposedly blown to pieces along with 12 Muggles by Sirius Black, had in fact killed the 12 Muggles himself, cut off his finger to fake his death, and fled into the sewers. He had been in his Animagi form of Scabbers, Ron's rat, ever since his Master's defeat. When he was revealed, he returned to his Master, now helping him regain a body and his power.

23

In 1994, Peter Pettigrew milked venom from Nagini the snake to sustain his master. Together, they built a rudimentary body that he could travel and perform magic with. When Pettigrew returned to his master, he did not arrive alone. He brought Bertha Jorkins, a Ministry Official. Peter overheard her talking about a Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts, and Voldemort used a Memory charm to retrieve the information from her. He was surprised to find that someone else had put a memory charm on her. He overpowered it to find out about the whereabouts of a loyal Death Eater, Bartemius Crouch Jr., who Crouch Sr. was forcefully hiding in his home, after freeing him from Azkaban. Bertha had stumbled upon Crouch Jr. while at his home, and Crouch Sr. placed the memory charm on her so that she would not report this.

Voldemort had Wormtail carry him to the old Riddle manor house, where they killed the groundskeeper Frank Bryce for overhearing their plan, and then to the Crouch home where they placed Crouch Sr. under the Imperius Curse, and freed Crouch Jr. They returned to the Riddle home, where Voldemort instructed Wormtail and Crouch Jr. to capture Alastor Moody, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts. Crouch Jr. drank Polyjuice potion with a few hairs of Alastor Moody, and went to Hogwarts to help Harry with the Triwizard Challenge. The fake Moody helped Harry through all the challenges, and when Cedric and Harry grabbed the Triwizard Cup (which, unbeknownst to them, was a Portkey), they were transported to outside the Riddle mansion, where Peter and Voldemort were waiting. Pettigrew killed Cedric, and used Harry's blood in a ritual for his master's rebirth. They made a very powerful potion: "Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son. Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe." - Peter Pettigrew. Voldemort regained his body, and called his Death Eaters. Those who were perhaps most loyal to him, save for those who willingly went to Azkaban in his name, appeared.

He then tried to kill Harry, but Priori Incantatem took place. The core wands connected, and those who were killed by Voldemort's wand came out as spectral beings. First Cedric Diggory, then Frank Bryce, followed by Bertha Jorkins, then Harry's parents Lily and James Potter, and many others. They encouraged Harry, while distracting Voldemort. Harry pulled away, and the beings gave him enough time to grab Cedric's body and the Triwizard Cup to return to the Hogwarts grounds. Voldemort now had some of his followers, but Barty Crouch Jr. had been discovered, and was given the Dementors' kiss before he could stand trial, thus leaving the only knowledge of Voldemort's return as Harry's word, which was not taken seriously by most. Due to this, Voldemort was able to operate in secret.

Lord Voldemort kept quiet about his return, and only few believed he was back. Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix again, this time with a head start. In 1995, Voldemort was now after the Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, to hear the whole of it. Voldemort's first attempt at securing the Prophecy was to use the Imperius curse on an Unspeakable--Broderick Bode--and send him in to get it. Bode was seriously injured, and put into a permanent ward at St. Mungo's, where he was eventually murdered by a Devil's Snare plant delivered to his bedside. Voldemort then learned that only the people the Prophecy is about are able to touch it, although understandably he could not risk going into the Ministry for fear of exposure. During this period of time, many of Voldemort's most loyal followers, such as Bellatrix Lestrange, escaped from Azkaban and returned to his side. Eventually he became aware of Harry seeing through his eyes, so he set up a false vision, one of Sirius at

the Ministry, being tortured. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna Lovegood, Ginny and Neville went to rescue him, as Voldemort predicted, and that is where they had Harry take the Prophecy off the shelf. Now all they needed was to get it from him, but they put up a fight; during the course of this, the prophecy was smashed before Voldemort was able to hear it. In the end, Voldemort appeared and duelled Dumbledore. Then, Voldemort possessed Harry, telling Dumbledore to kill him now, but he fled when Cornelius Fudge and other Ministry officials arrived, who were now convinced of his return. Many of Voldemort's Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy, were incarcerated and sent to Azkaban, though by this time the Dementors had left.

The Second Wizarding War had begun now, and Voldemort no longer needed to keep his actions silent. The Dementors left Azkaban to side with the Dark Lord, who could offer them more scope for their powers; as a result, there were many attacks by the monsters. Mass Muggle killings, as well as the destruction of bridges, were rampant; what was claimed to be a hurricane to the Muggle world was in fact a rampage by the giants, whom Voldemort had sent envoys to earlier.

In 1996, he made Draco Malfoy a Death Eater, requiring a loyal follower within the school. He instructed Draco to kill Dumbledore, for he wished to punish Lucius Malfoy by giving his son a task he could not do. If he failed, he would meet terrible consequences. In the end, Malfoy was able to sneak a group of Death Eaters into the Castle through a pair of Vanishing Cabinets (the second of which was located in Borgin and Burke's), and the Battle of Hogwarts ensued. Voldemort's plans were carried out, as Severus Snape killed Dumbledore (to save Malfoy, for he had made an Unbreakable Vow with Draco's mother, Narcissa). Although the Death Eaters fled Hogwarts, the intrusion of the Castle signified the fact that no longer was there a single place safe from the Dark Lord.

Voldemort makes Malfoy Manor his headquarters. During the summer of 1997, he captures the Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts, Charity Burbage, and kills her before he feeds her to Nagini. He also questions the kidnapped wandmaker, Ollivander, about why his wand reacted so with Harry Potter's wand. Olivander tells him that it was Priori Incantatem and that Voldemort merely needed another's wand and so he takes Lucius Malfoy's wand. When Harry is removed for the last time from Number Four, Privet Drive; Voldemort flies to the scene where his Death Eaters are fighting with Order of the Phoenix airborne. He kills Mad-Eye Moody and then heads straight toward Harry. There Voldemort attempts to duel with Harry, when Harry's wand reacts in a surprising way towards Voldemort, releasing a spurt of golden fire at him and destroying Lucius' wand. Before Voldemort could react, Potter reached the protection of Nymphadora Tonks' parents' home and Voldemort was forced to retreat.

24

Angrily, he returned to Malfoy Manor and demands Ollivander to answer why Harry's wand yet again reacted towards him, even with a completely different wand. Ollivander tells him truthfully that never in Wandlore has he ever heard of such thing happening. Infuriated, Voldemort tortures him and demands him to tell him everything that he knows about the legendary wand known as the Deathstick, The Wand of Destiny, or the Elder Wand (he has no idea that it is a Deathly Hallow). Realizing that he needs this wand to defeat Harry Potter, he sets out to assume mastery of the Elder Wand, knowing that it is more powerful than any other wand.

During the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, Kingsley Shacklebolt announced through his Patronus that the Minister for Magic was dead and that the Ministry of Magic had fallen to Voldemort, giving him control over the entire Wizarding World. He establishes a totalitarian police state in its place and has all Muggle-borns persecuted and imprisoned in Azkaban.

Voldemort travels to Germany, where at the valley of surrounding mountains, lies a small town and goes in search of the wandmaker, Gregorovich. Eventually, after murdering people who got in his way, Voldemort finally finds Gregorovich, who informs Voldemort that the Wand was stolen from him. Voldemort then performs Legilimency on him and sees a blond young man perched on the windowsill of Gregorovich's workshop who steals the wand and disappears in the darkness. Voldemort demands Gregorovich to reveal the identity of the thief and when he can't, Voldemort kills him.

When Harry Potter and Hermione Granger go to Godric's Hollow, Nagini manages to capture Harry, and calls Voldemort. Harry escapes shortly before Voldemort arrives however, and Voldemort finds not Harry, but a picture of the thief at the scene. Voldemort realizes that the thief is none other than the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald, the wizard whom Albus Dumbledore defeated. He breaks into the prison where Grindelwald was being held, where Grindelwald proceeds to tell him to kill him, for he welcomed death, but that it would not bring about what Voldemort sought, and that there was so much Voldemort did not understand. Voldemort kills Grindelwald and steals the Elder Wand from the tomb of Albus Dumbledore.

Following this, Voldemort becomes aware that Harry Potter and his friends are seeking his Horcruxes. With fury, he realizes that three of his Horcruxes have been stolen, with another destroyed. Voldemort returned to Hogwarts following these revelations, to quell a revolution sparked by the arrival of Harry Potter. He rounds up his entire army of Death Eaters, giants, Dementors and Acromantulas and an hour later, after not receiving Potter, commands them to fight the Aurors, teachers, and students who were of age. Voldemort himself is not present at the Battle; he is investigating why the Elder Wand does not work any differently than his old wand. He comes to the conclusion that Severus Snape is the true master of the Elder Wand and orders Nagini to murder him.

Voldemort then calls a one-hour armistice, requesting Harry Potter in exchange for peace and no further deaths. Unbeknownst to Voldemort, Harry carried within him a seventh Horcrux, formed when Voldemort failed to kill him. When Harry meets Voldemort, Voldemort hits him with a Killing Curse almost immediately, but only destroys the Horcrux within, for when Voldemort used Harry's blood in the potion, it kept his mother's protection alive. Harry was knocked to the ground and feigns death.

Voldemort then marched to Hogwarts, proclaiming the death of Harry Potter and his victory. Neville Longbottom, instead of surrendering, charged at Voldemort, and the Battle recommenced. Neville pulled the sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and decapitated Nagini with it, destroying the last of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Enraged, Voldemort attempted to kill Neville, but Harry interfered and cast a shield charm between them before the former could raise a wand. Voldemort entered the battle and tried to strike down everyone within his reach. He, with his now weakened army, forced his way into Hogwarts and began to duel against Minerva McGonagall, Horace Slughorn, and Kingsley Shacklebolt all at once. When he saw Bellatrix Lestrange killed at the hands of Molly Weasley, he turned his wand on her, intending to kill her, but Harry revealed himself then to be alive, forcing the battle to stop, and the pair faced each other in the Great Hall.

When the two men are facing one another, Harry proceeds to tell Voldemort that he has magic that Voldemort knows not and a weapon more powerful than his, in addition to giving Voldemort warning of the fate that lay in store for him if he was unwilling to feel remorse for his actions. Goading him by using his real name, Riddle, Harry tells him that Snape's loyalty was with Dumbledore all along, that Dumbledore's death was planned and that Snape was not the master of the Elder Wand; Draco Malfoy was.

Originally shocked, Voldemort proceeded to tell Harry that it makes no difference, and that after he has killed Harry, Draco could be disposed of. Harry then states that if the Elder Wand is aware that Harry overpowered Draco in Malfoy Manor, then Harry himself is the true master. Refusing to believe this, Voldemort cast the Killing Curse at Harry, but Harry was indeed the master. The Elder Wand refused to kill its master and the spell rebounds, killing Tom Marvolo Riddle once and for all.

As was described earlier, a young Voldemort before acquiring a wand, or even knowing the very existence of magic itself, could use his magical power to achieve something similar to telekinesis, manipulate animals, and "make bad things happen to people who annoy him", in a much more controlled display of magic than wizards exhibit at that age.

Voldemort is the only wizard explicitly mentioned as having created a Horcrux (though others are known to have done so) and is the only wizard known to have created more than one. Hence, Voldemort has come the closest to being truly immortal (Nicolas Flamel was not truly immortal, for after he stopped drinking his Elixir of Life, he died).

Voldemort is also one of the most powerful Legilimency practitioners in the world, being able to tell whenever a person is lying and can delve into their deepest thoughts without resistance. One of the few people who are skilled enough to shield their mind from him is Severus Snape, who is extremely skilled at occlumency. Snape does, in fact, successfully shield his inner thoughts from Voldemort for many years and proves to be a powerful asset to the Order of the Phoenix as a spy.

25

Voldemort is also said to be very skilled at Occlumency, however no explicit description of him using the talent is shown. When dueling, Voldemort is able to cast spells, counter-spells, and Apparate/Disapparate with great speed and presision and is able to: Create a shield out of thin air, transfigure Dumbledore's fire-rope into a black snake, cast powerful and complex spells in mid air with enough accuracy to strike a moving target and control, to some extent, a person's mind or body (forces Harry bow before their duel. This sensation is described as "an invisible hand bending his spine").

He also bosts an array of other special magical skills, such as: Creating artifical limbs such as Peter Pettigrew's silver hand. Summon his fellow Death Eaters to him by touching his Dark Mark. The spell Morsmordre is of Voldermort's own creation, which summons an image of the Dark Mark in midair. Physically flies through the air without support or magical aid, at speeds comparing to thestrals, broomsticks, and Hagrid's bike. Suspending people such as Charity Burbage and Gregorovitch, tied up in midair with no sign of ropes or bounds. The ability (or willingness) to create a Horcrux. Voldermort is the only known wizard to have done this more than once. Creating and controlling Inferi. Turning the cropse of Bathilda Bagshot's into a disguise for his snake, Nagini. Lord Voldemort is highly intelligent, and capable of thinking of almost perfect plans to protect some of his Horcruxes, as well as being one of the brightest students Hogwarts has ever seen.

As a child, Tom Riddle was a handsome boy. He was described as having jet black hair, and dark eyes. He was pale, tall, and had a voice always filled with interest and curiosity – which was a farce to gain Hogwarts' respect. As he grew, and became more involved in the Dark Arts, he was deathly pale, his face waxy and oddly distorted, and the white of his eyes now had a permanently bloody look. He continued to go through many transformations, until he became what he is. He is tall, and skeletally thin. His face is an almost opaque texture, with deep, dark scarlet eyes set in slits, like a cat's gleaming in the dark. His nose is as flat as a snake's, leaving small incisions for nostrils, and his fingers are unnaturally long, like a spider's legs. He can usually be seen wearing his black hooded cloak that always covers his face.

Essence: Primordial; Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance -1, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Awareness 5, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, instruction 4, Intimidation 4, Intuition 5, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Etiquette 3, Leadership 4, Meditation 4, Melee 4, Research 4, Stealth 4, Survival 2, Technology 1; Knowledges: Alchemy 4, Astrology 3, Cosmology 4, Cultures 3, Enigmas 4, Investigation 3, Linguistics 4, Medicine 1, Occult 5, Poisons 4, Science 2, Secret Code (Parseltongue) 1; Lore Knowledges: Faeries 2, Forbidden Secrets 3, Garou 3, Ghosts 2, Kindred 4, Nephandus 3, Technocracy 2, Traditions 3, Wyrm 4; Spheres: Correspondence 3, Entropy (and Qlippothic) 5, Force 4, Life 5, Matter 4, Mind 5, Prime 3, Spirit 4, Time 3; Investments: Devil’s Eyes, Invulnerability (4 Dice), Serpent Skin; Backgrounds: Allies 5, Arcane 4, Avatar 5, Destiny 4, Dream 3, Influence 4, Library 5, Node 4, Sanctum 5; Merits: Nine Lives, Poison Resistance, Unholy Aura, Unshakable; Flaws: Hatred (Muggles), Horrific, Notoriety, Primal Marks; Virtues: Arete 7, Willpower 8, Paradox 3

Strombeck, Nathan Oswald (“Mentor”)Just after World War II, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Strombeck visited Tibet, and became one

of the first modern Westerners to seek instruction with the Akashic Brotherhood. He Awakened at Shencha Dzong monastery, but his studies of Do progressed slowly. After one disappointing weeks-long retreat, he returned from a remote cave to find that Iteration X, in the guise of the Chinese Communist government, had sacked and destroyed the monastery.

Burning with a need for revenge, Strombeck traveled the Himalayas, hoping to enlist other Brothers to help him. By bad luck he found one who seemed very cooperative -- but who proved to be a Nephandus. Strombeck learned much from this teacher, but never achieved his desired revenge. Instead, he became an Adsinistratus (Tempter) for the Demon Lord Grostolis, Archduke of the Inferno (see The Book of Madness).

Combining his training in military disinformation and at Shencha Dzong, Strombeck has taken a novel and successful approach to corruption. He impersonates a wise mentor (thus his nickname) and takes a victim as his pupil. After inspiring absolute trust in the target, the Mentor lures the trusting student into some fictitious "exercise," such as a trip into the Umbra or an attack on a (supposedly unguarded) gathering of diabolists. The unwary student follows trustingly into a deathtrap, where she becomes a sacrifice or a convert to the deepest evils of the Nephandi.

5' 8", 155 lbs., apparent age 45, actually 83. Black eyes, thinning crew cut black hair, salt-and-pepper beard. Strombeck wears a line of braided dangles around his head, a focus for his Mind Magick that originates in his esoteric Tibetan training. Harsh, gravelly voice; Stern, supremely confident manner. Wears enveloping robes, pendants, and other trappings that suggest arcane wisdom.

Always pretend superiority and ultimate knowledge. Never show surprise. Inspire trust, but don't be obvious about it. You care nothing for the people you corrupt, only for their Quintessence, Tass, and Talismans. These aid you in further corruptions, and thus in spreading the Black Words of your masters.

Nature: Deviant; Demeanor: Caregiver; Essence: Questing; Tradition: Akashic Brotherhood barabbi; Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Abilities: Alertness 2, Awareness 3, Do 2, Dodge 2, Intuition 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 4, Etiquette 3, Meditation 2, Stealth 3, Culture 3, Occult 3; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Avatar 3, Influence 3, Node 2; Spheres: Correspondence 3, Life 3, Mind 3, Prime 2, Spirit 2; Arete 3, Willpower 7, Quintessence 10, Paradox 6

Characteristic Rotes: The Mentor specializes in mental illusions, especially those with cumulative effect. Each casting of a rote may give only a success or two, but in the long term his deceptions can exert powerful control over a target's will.

Pretend Depth (*** Mind): With this tricky rote, the Mentor protects the illusion of competence that is vital to his plans. If a mage uses Mind Effects to scan Strombeck's thoughts, this Effect alerts him, and he creates a

26

pretense of restrained power, of vast depths barely concealed. The illusion cannot last long, so he makes patronizing comments or gives stern warnings to discourage the mind-reader. (Usually, no Magick roll is needed. Instead, the mage who pretends depth receives a Wits + Subterfuge roll to create the desired appearance of depth. The number of successes rolled is subtracted from the mind-reader's successes. If all these are canceled, the pretender may dictate the impression the mind-reader receives. A new Wits + Subterfuge roll is required for each turn that the pretender's mind is scanned.)

Pretend Mastery (*** Mind, ** Prime): This illusion gradually persuades the target that the Mentor is capable of amazing feats. Typically, the Mentor begins by hiring a few thugs, then staging a mock mugging or other crisis in sight of the target mage. The mage, thinking to rescue this innocent man, watches in astonishment as the man leaps nimbly around, shouts with supernatural loudness, and carves up his attackers with amazing Magick. This is all illusion, created by cumulative successes with this Mind Effect. (This rote works as the Mind 3 Effect Graphic Transmission, but the Prime Sphere gives the mage an extended roll and cumulative successes. The number of successes rolled determines the vividness of the illusion. The target may receive a Perception + Awareness roll to resist, but if the illusion is plausible, the Storyteller need not allow such a roll unless the player requests it.)

Pretend Training (*** Mind, ** Prime, * Life): Having demonstrated "mastery," the Mentor takes his target as a pupil and begins instruction. Strombeck plays this role faultlessly. He usually picks Do or the Mind Sphere, but he can fake competence in almost anything the target wants to learn. Some of the training is genuine, drawn from Strombeck's long experience, but much of it consists of gradually convincing the target that she has increased her competence. To this end, Strombeck senses the target's physical shortcomings and gradually creates a false sense that they have disappeared. The student may think she has grown stronger, faster, or more skilled in Magick. Of course, the improvement is illusory, but the Effect also revises the target's memories. She doesn't remember ever lifting quite this much weight before, or casting this Effect quite so well. Her fellow mages may tell her otherwise, and so the Mentor gradually induces distrust of others, or requires the student to "go on retreat" for intensive study. From here the path to corruption requires no further Magick. (The number of successes on an extended roll determines both the illusion's power and how long it lasts. Each success seems to reduce appropriate difficulties by 1, and it also extends the illusion one day.)

27

ORDER OF HERMES

Dumbledore, Albus (Headmaster)Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (born ca. 1840s) is is the headmaster of

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and is a leading character in the fight against Voldemort. He appears as a classic wizard, thin build with long white hair and beard. It is strongly suggested that Dumbledore was inspired by the classic wizard Merlin.

The name "Dumbledore" is an old Devonshire word for "bumblebee" and was picked by the author because she imagines him wandering around the castle humming to himself. Like "Hagrid", this word of West Country dialect appears in the works of Thomas Hardy. Additionally, Dumbledore is the common name for Geotrupes stercorarius, also known as the Dor Beetle, Clock or Lousy Watchman, an insect which visits the Shire each year, as mentioned in the poem "Errantry" by J. R. R. Tolkien (published in The Tolkien Reader). The name Albus is the Latin word for 'white', a frequently used symbol for good, which marks the character out as an

enemy of the 'Dark Lord'.The name Wulfric means "wolf-power" and is reminiscent of the legendary hero Beowulf (powerful bear-

wolf), who, in his early years, slew the monster Grendel (a name oddly reminiscent of Grindelwald, a Dark Wizard whom Dumbledore defeated). The meaning of Brian is not known for certain but it is possibly related to the Old Celtic element "bre" meaning "hill", or by extension "high, noble". The name is more likely used just as a comical contrast to his other, more unusual names. However, Brian is also the name of one of the Druids traveling with the Tuatha De Danann.

Percival is a name from old French, meaning "pierce the veil". It was the name of one of King Arthur's knights. While Galahad was the only knight pure enough to be permitted to hold the Grail, Percival was permitted to see it. The oldest recorded version of Percival's story is Chrétien de Troyes' Conte du Graal, from the 12th century. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "The Holy Grail", one of the Idylls of the King, Percival is both hero and narrator of the tale, as is the case for Dumbledore in parts of the Harry Potter books.

It has also been noted that the name 'Albus' bears a resemblance to the name of a 19th-20th century stage magician, 'The Great Albini', who was a friend and rival of the less proficient magician Horace Goldin (who is described as similar in appearance and nature to Horace Slughorn).

Dumbledore is benevolent, wise, and always yearning for knowledge. Many believe his greatest weakness is his willingness to trust those who may otherwise be considered untrustworthy. This trust is oftentimes criticized by his those around him, but due to his wisdom, is rarely questioned. He has also been shown to have a great sense of humour, and often has a whimsical sense about him especially during conflict, which can often infuriate those who are at odds with him.

Dumbledore is also known to love sweets, magical and non-magical. When Dumbledore is first introduced in the novel, he is seen eating sherbet lemons (lemon drops in the US version). Dumbledore's sweet-tooth is such that he usually sets the password for the gargoyle guarding his office door to be the name of various sweets. He dislikes Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans after coming across a vomit flavoured bean 'in his youth' and eating an ear wax flavor in the first book of the series. He is a fan of knitting patterns and Muggle magazines, and once told Harry that one could never have enough woollen socks. His favourite flavour of jam is raspberry. Dumbledore has a particular fascination with the muggle world and is known to like mechanical objects, chamber music, and ten-pin bowling.

Dumbledore encourages students of Hogwarts to think for themselves, and on occassion, supports those who recognize when a rule needs to be broken. As he tells Harry and Ron in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, "I seem to remember telling you that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules." Before Harry can protest, the headmaster continues: "--which only goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words."

J.K. Rowling explained the inspiration for Hogwarts by describing her time teaching in Scotland, "What amused me in a way, though probably only me, was the idea that you would have this very traditional school in which you had almost controlled anarchy. I mean, if those students wanted to band together, they could have the staff, no problem. I’ve had that experience myself as a teacher looking out at the class and thinking “you could have me - what is holding you back”. In Harry Potter, Dumbledore's Army was formed in violation of rules and was named to mock the Ministry of Magic's fear that Dumbledore is training students to overthrow the government.

Dumbledore is described as tall and thin, with long silver hair that looked long enough to tuck into his belt and a long beard. He has twinkling, blue eyes, a very long and crooked nose (looking as if it had been broken at least twice) and long fingers. He wears half-moon spectacles. He once claimed to have a scar above his left knee, the cause of which is unknown, in the shape of a map of the London Underground.

Readers know little of Dumbledore's early history or family. According to Rowling, during an interview in 2000 after publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he "is a hundred and fifty", meaning he was born in the 1840s, and most probably 1845. His only known sibling, a brother named Aberforth, was also a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and was prosecuted in the Wizengamot for "practising inappropriate charms on a goat". Aberforth is currently the bartender at the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.

His extraordinary magical talents were apparent from an early age, as later described by the elderly Griselda Marchbanks, Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, who personally examined the school-age Dumbledore for his N.E.W.T.s in Charms and Transfiguration. Marchbanks recalls that the young, talented Dumbledore had "done things with a wand I'd never seen before." His house affiliation is probably that of Gryffindor as in the film version of one of the books he tells Harry that he set a curtain on fire in the Gryffindor dormitory.

28

Many of the decorations in his office also point to him having been in Gryffindor. An unknown time after his graduation, Dumbledore returned to the school as Professor of Transfiguration. He later also became Deputy Headmaster, in which capacity he also served in recruiting students for the school.

In 1945 Dumbledore defeated the Dark Wizard Grindelwald. This is one of the facts known about Dumbledore based on his Chocolate Frog Card. His card also states that he, along with Nicholas Flamel, discovered the 12 uses of dragon blood. In addition to this, it is known that he has held the posts of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. He was removed from these posts during his conflict with the British Ministry of Magic under Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, but was reinstated when the Ministry was forced to concede that he had correctly warned that Voldemort had returned. In the course of his life, Dumbledore refused the position of Minister for Magic at least four times (it is mentioned in the first book that he was requested for the office before Fudge came to power). He held the Order of Merlin, First Class, for Grand Sorcery.

Dumbledore is famous as an alchemist who has worked with Nicolas Flamel, the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone US), and is credited with discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood. He is known to be able to conjure Gubraithian Fire (magical everlasting fire). He is also capable of conjuring a Patronus, one that takes the form of a phoenix, a recurring symbol in the books.

His weapon of choice seems to be fire. In his duel against Voldemort he used a fiery rope; when he displayed his Wizarding powers to young Tom Riddle, he did so by setting Riddle's wardrobe on fire; in the Cave he also used fire to hold off the Inferi. Dumbledore has devised a method of sending messages using a Patronus Charm, a skill he has taught only to members of the Order of the Phoenix. He has claimed to be able to become invisible without using an Invisibility Cloak. (Though some fans believe that he simply used a Disillusionment Charm.) Dumbledore is also skilled in Occlumency and Legilimency.

Dumbledore places great emphasis on memories; he uses them both as a weapon and as a means of research. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince he uses his Pensieve to show Harry many people's memories that he has collected about the history of Tom Riddle and how he became Lord Voldemort, as well as the events leading up to the creation of the Horcruxes. Also, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry stumbles across the Pensieve for the first time. This is where Dumbledore first explains it to Harry and how it works.

Dumbledore can speak Mermish, the language of the Merpeople, as well as a number of other languages. He can recognise Parseltongue, the language of snakes, as he demonstrates in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince while he and Harry are inside Bob Ogden's memory; he is able to quote verbatim a Parseltongue phrase uttered by Morfin Gaunt in a later memory.

In an interview Rowling commented: “Immense brainpower does not protect you from emotional mistakes and I think Dumbledore really exemplifies that. In fact, I would tend to think that being very, very intelligent might create some problems and it has done for Dumbledore, because his wisdom has isolated him, and I think you can see that in the books, because where is his equal, where is his confidante, where is his partner? He has none of those things. He’s always the one who gives, he’s always the one who has the insight and has the knowledge. ”

However, Dumbledore sometimes seems the opposite of reckless. He often hesitates to act until he is certain: for example, allowing Snape to return unchallenged and teach at Hogwarts. Rowling has said that Dumbledore is primarily self-taught, although he "had access to superb teachers at Hogwarts." Rowling also said that as far as his education is concerned, "Dumbledore's family would be a profitable line of inquiry".

While he is by no means vain, Dumbledore also exhibits no false modesty, readily acknowledging that he is unusually intelligent and an exceptionally powerful wizard. He admits a number of times to Harry Potter in their occasional meetings in the sixth Harry Potter book of the series that he makes mistakes, and since he is rather more clever than most men his mistakes tend to be "correspondingly huger".

One of Dumbledore's tasks as a teacher at Hogwarts was to find the young wizard Tom Marvolo Riddle and offer him a place at Hogwarts. Riddle was living in a Muggle orphanage, and while he had discovered some magical abilities, he did not know that his mother had been a witch. At that time, Dumbledore was much younger and had auburn hair and beard; for his trip to the Muggle world, he wore a plum-coloured velvet suit. While visiting the orphanage, Dumbledore told Riddle about Hogwarts, and how he is different. While Dumbledore was impressed by Riddle's abilities, he was troubled by the boy's admitted fondness for inflicting pain, and never trusted him fully. Riddle attempted to get a teaching post at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore first persuaded the current Headmaster, Armando Dippet, to refuse Riddle's request, and himself refused a second request several years later. By this time, Riddle had declared war on his former mentors, and adopted the name that would strike fear into the hearts of the wizarding world for years to come: Lord Voldemort.

It was to Dumbledore that Sybill Trelawney, subsequently appointed as Divination teacher, revealed the prophecy regarding Voldemort's fall. The prophecy was partly overheard by Severus Snape, who reported what he had heard to Voldemort. Snape was discovered eavesdropping by Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother and the barman of the Hog's Head Inn, who removed him from the building. Voldemort interpreted the prophecy as referring to Harry, and as a result killed his parents, James and Lily Potter, while trying to kill Harry. By acting upon the prophecy, Voldemort marked Harry as his equal. The two tellings of the story however - by Dumbledore and Trelawney - make it clear that, in fact, Dumbledore was partially lying in his version.

Dumbledore has been instrumental in the struggle against his former student, working tirelessly against him with the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry's parents were killed, it was Dumbledore's decision to place the now-orphaned Harry in the home of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, knowing that Harry would be protected by the special magic caused by his mother's sacrifice, after he evoked the magic of the bond of blood and Petunia Dursley sealed it by accepting Harry into her home. This old magic of binding love made touching Harry unbearable for Voldemort.

29

Dumbledore makes the important discovery that Voldemort is on the path to achieving immortality by making Horcruxes, one of which was Tom Riddle's diary, destroyed by Harry in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Later, Dumbledore destroys a second Horcrux, a ring which was an heirloom of Voldemort's family.

Throughout the series, Dumbledore is portrayed as a wizard with modern/reformist ideas about blood purity and the rights of Muggles, as well as those of part-humans and non-humans. Dumbledore does not give importance to the so-called "purity of blood" and believes that an individual's choices reflect one's character, rather than one's birth, blood or family, saying "it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be". Voldemort angrily refers to Dumbledore as "that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles". Unlike most wizards, Dumbledore is not afraid to refer to Voldemort by name, in the third person, (and attempted to persuade others to call him by his 'proper' name, Voldemort, during the First War), and instead addresses him as "Tom" when confronting him.

Dumbledore is at least twice temporarily dismissed as Headmaster. The first time is during Harry's second year at Hogwarts, when Lucius Malfoy persuades (through threats) the school's other eleven governors to suspend Dumbledore as Headmaster in the wake of attacks by a Basilisk in the school, when the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Dumbledore is reinstated when the governors discover that Ginny Weasley was taken into the Chamber of Secrets and Lucius is found to have coerced the other governors into suspending him. Lucius Malfoy was removed from post of Hogwarts' governor when Dumbledore returned.

In Harry's fifth year, Dumbledore and Harry fail to convince the Wizarding world that Voldemort has returned, and that Voldemort killed Cedric Diggory. Dolores Umbridge is installed as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor and Hogwarts' High Inquisitor, dictating new rules as she sees fit. Harry and a group of other students secretly organise a club they call "Dumbledore's Army" in order to learn and practice defensive magic. When "Dumbledore's Army" is discovered, Dumbledore, choosing to accept responsibility, lies by claiming that the organisation was his own subversive creation, and allows himself to be removed as headmaster rather than allow Harry to be expelled. Dumbledore is reinstated after Death Eaters attack Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna Lovegood and Neville at the Ministry of Magic while attempting to steal a record of the Trelawney prophecy, and he himself duels with Voldemort at the Ministry.

Dumbledore was killed by Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, his death being continuously confirmed by J.K. Rowling, but the reasons behind Dumbledore's murder remain unclear. Dumbledore's death is foreshadowed at the start of The Half-Blood Prince, where he first appears with a burnt and blackened hand, a result of his recovery and destruction of a ring that was an heirloom of Voldemort's grandfather Marvolo Gaunt and was serving as one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. On that occasion, Dumbledore is saved from death thanks to his own "prodigious skill" and the intervention of the school Potions master, Severus Snape, though the injury shows no sign of improvement throughout the year that passes in the sixth book. No explanation for this fact was ever given, except when Hermione says: "But there are some injuries you can't cure...old curses...and there are poisons without antidotes."

This injury was particularly troublesome as it reduced Dumbledore's physical skills. After picking up Harry from his aunt's house, Dumbledore seems unable to complete simple everyday tasks. Such tasks included opening the front door to leave the Dursley's house: instead of using the door handle he opted to use magic to open the door. Later in book six he was unable to point at a street sign without obvious discomfort, exclaiming "ouch". Finally he was unable to uncork a bottle of memories, for his first lesson with Harry, by removing the cork with his hand, instead he was forced to use his wand. That said, it did not at any important point cause him trouble in spell-casting.

Harry Potter repeatedly warns Dumbledore that another student, Draco Malfoy, is working for Voldemort. Dumbledore refuses to take any action against Draco, and instead tells Harry that he already knows more about what is happening than Harry does. Draco makes two ill-conceived attempts to kill Dumbledore during the year, but on each occasion a student is injured instead. The first attempt involves a cursed necklace, the second a bottle of poisoned mead. Both times Harry attempts to warn Dumbledore that Malfoy is responsible. Dumbledore also refuses to share Harry's distrust of Snape, by now the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, even after being forced to admit that Snape had been in part responsible for the death of Harry's parents, having been the one who passed information of the prophecy to Voldemort.

Harry suspects that Malfoy is working on something in the Room of Requirement but he cannot get in. When he tries to warn Dumbledore again his concerns are seemingly ignored. Malfoy's main plan is to use a magical cabinet already inside Hogwarts to transport Death Eaters into the castle. The attackers enter the castle while Dumbledore and Harry are away attempting to find and destroy another Horcrux. Dumbledore is weakened by drinking a potion left by Voldemort while obtaining a locket. Upon their return to Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Harry find the Dark Mark floating over one of the school's high towers. Dumbledore and Harry fly to the tower but find it empty. Hearing footsteps approaching from inside the tower, Dumbledore uses the split second of time before he is disarmed by Malfoy to immobilise Harry, who becomes a silent and invisible witness to the events. While talking to Malfoy, Dumbledore reveals that he knew it was him behind the two earlier attempts, but recognises Malfoy's precarious situation. Malfoy finally realises that he cannot kill Dumbledore, so instead Snape is obligated to perform the task, killing Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse following the plea "Severus... Please..." from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's funeral is attended by students, teachers, members of the Ministry of Magic, giants, ghosts, centaurs, merpeople, and others. Shrouded in purple velvet, he is entombed in a white marble sarcophagus beside the lake at Hogwarts, and is said to be the only Hogwarts Headmaster to be buried on the school grounds. Upon his burial, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, who has been singing his sorrowful song since Dumbledore's death, takes flight and departs from the school grounds.

30

Dumbledore's portrait appears in the current Headmistress's office alongside those of the other former Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts. Whether or not Dumbledore's portrait will be able to speak to Harry or provide him with meaningful advice as would Dumbledore himself is a matter of debate among the fanbase. At the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Harry tells Dumbledore that he saw his parents in the duel with Voldemort, Dumbledore responds, "No spell can reawaken the dead," and interestingly enough, the portrait of Dumbledore shows him sitting in a chair sleeping peacefully. It is also interesting to note that while Harry struggled with Sirius's death in the end of Book 5, wondering if he would ever be able to speak to Sirius's possible ghost form, he makes no attempt at trying to reestablish contact with the deceased Dumbledore despite there being a portrait of him in the Headmaster's office. This is perhaps because Dumbledore's death may serve to show that Harry has now a firm acceptance of reality and is willing to let go of the past, in turn completing his transition to adulthood as was Rowling's intent in Book 6.

Dumbledore's views on death in general begin to appear as early as the first book, where he states that "death is but the next great adventure." Furthermore, in the fifth book, there is the following exchange with Voldemort: "You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. "Above such brutality, are you?"

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk toward Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit—"

"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" snarled Voldemort."You are quite wrong," Dumbledore said, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though

they were discussing the matter over drinks. Harry felt scared to see him walking along, undefended, shieldless. He wanted to cry out a warning, but his headless guard kept shunting him backward toward the wall, blocking his every attempt to get out from behind it. "Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness—"

Dumbledore's family history has never been properly explained throughout the novels. Rowling has stated that in book seven more will be revealed about Dumbledore's heritage. Dumbledore also has a brother who is mentioned throughout the series. The first mention is by Dumbledore himself stating that his illiterate brother was arrested for performing illegal charms on a goat. He is later pointed out by Moody in a picture of the original Order. Rowling has confirmed that the bartender of the Hog's Head is Aberforth Dumbledore.

Tradition Order of Hermes, Essence Dynamic, Group Hogwarts Staff; Gender: Male, Hair color: Silver (formerly auburn); Eye color: Light blue; House: Gryffindor; Patronus: Phoenix; Allegiance: Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts; Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 3, Athletics 1, Awareness 5, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Empathy 4, Flight 2, Instruction 5, Intuition 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Animal Ken 2, Disguise 3, Etiquette 2, Herbalism 4, Leadership 4, Meditation 2, Melee 3, Research 4, Ride 3, Security 2, Stealth 2; Knowledges: Academics 3, Area Knowledge: Hogwarts 5, Bureaucracy 3, Cosmology 4, Cultures 4, Enigmas 4, Hearth Wisdom 5, History 4, Investigation 4, Law (Wizarding) 4, Linguistics 5, Lore: Mage 5, Medicine 3, Occult 5, Science 1; Backgrounds: Allies 5, Arcane 4, Avatar 5, Contacts 5, Dream 1, Influence 5, Library 5, Node 5, Resources 5, Sanctum 4; Spheres: Correspondence 4, Entropy 4, Forces 5, Life 4, Mind 5, Matter 5, Prime 4, Spirit 3, Time 4; Virtues: Quintessence 5, Paradox 1, Arete 7, Willpower 8

Hagrid, Rubeus (Half-Giant)Rubeus Hagrid (born December 6, c. 1928) is the groundskeeper for Hogwarts and also Care for the Magical

Creatures teacher. Hagrid is as much as twice as tall as the average man. He loves magical creatures, particularly unusual or even dangerous ones, although he usually insists most of them are only dangerous due to a handler's disrespect or ignorance. J. K. Rowling has said that Hagrid has little interest in tame magical creatures because of the lack of a challenge, although he has a cowardly boarhound called Fang. He befriends Harry Potter and his friends and looks out for them. His friends do the same for him. He is one of the first characters to imply that the idea of thinking of wizards as "pure-bloods" and "half-bloods" is a dated concept. Hagrid is known for his friendliness, and thick accent.

Hagrid was a student at Hogwarts but was expelled during his third year after an incident involving the Chamber of Secrets. Following his expulsion, the Ministry of Magic forbade Hagrid to practice magic and destroyed his wand. Albus Dumbledore nonetheless gave Hagrid the job of looking after the grounds (especially the magical animals). Hagrid subsequently reconstructed and continued to use his wand by incorporating it into an inconspicuous umbrella.

Hagrid rescued Harry from his parents' house, which was destroyed by Lord Voldemort, and in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone he is given the task of locating Harry, as Vernon Dursley continually attempts to escape Harry's school letters. He helps Harry to find his bearings in the magical world, as well as helping him to buy his school things.

Although not a schoolmaster in Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid does have a measure of authority. When Draco Malfoy balked at completing a detention, Hagrid threatened him with immediate expulsion: "Yeh'll do summat useful, or yeh'll get out ... go pack your bags." This could, of course, be that Hagrid knows that he will be expelled by others, because he knows the rules.

Hagrid's love of dangerous magical creatures is central to the plot of Philosopher's Stone: a hooded person (Professor Quirrell in disguise) gets him drunk, then gives him a dragon egg to elicit details about Fluffy, the three-headed dog Hagrid has lent to Dumbledore to help guard the Philosopher's Stone. Hagrid again lets slip, to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, about how to get past Fluffy (by playing music), which allows them to pursue the potential

31

thief. The three also assist Hagrid after the dragon egg hatches, by helping to remove the baby dragon Norbert, who is taken to live with other dragons by friends of Charlie Weasley.

In Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid is sent to the wizard prison, Azkaban, when the Chamber of Secrets is opened because of his prior expulsion. He is later exonerated when the real culprit is found, and released. He helps Harry and Ron in their quest to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets by telling them to follow the spiders — leading them to Aragog, the giant spider blamed for the original attacks, which Hagrid had kept as a pet while a student at Hogwarts. Then after Harry killed the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets he came back at the midnight in celebration of the closure of the Chamber, arrived back at Hogwarts at 3 o'clock in the morning.

In Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid takes over the Care of Magical Creatures class. Draco Malfoy causes trouble in Hagrid's class by insulting Buckbeak the Hippogriff (who then attacks him for the slight), and the Ministry of Magic issues an order for the beast's destruction, much to Hagrid's dismay. Harry and Hermione save the hippogriff by going back in time by means of Hermione's Time-Turner.

It is also revealed in Goblet of Fire that Hagrid is of mixed human and giant parentage, his mother having been the giantess Fridwulfa, who left his father who was a tiny wizard-whom Hagrid could pick up and carry by the age of 6-when Hagrid was a baby. Since giants have a reputation for being horribly brutal, and were once allies of Lord Voldemort, Hagrid keeps his parentage secret and allows people to imagine other reasons for his great size. The book ends with Hagrid setting out with Madame Maxime — a half-giantess with whom he has become romantically involved — as an envoy to the giants.

In Order of the Phoenix we find out that his mission, despite early promise, was unsuccessful — though he does return with his half-brother, Grawp. Harry and Hermione agree to take care of Grawp in Hagrid's absence — Hagrid fears (correctly) that he is to be driven out by Dolores Umbridge. Grawp later helps Harry and Hermione, when they are under attack by centaurs.

In Chamber of Secrets, the date of that particular school year is firmly established as being 1992-93. It also says that Hagrid was expelled 50 years prior to this (1942), during his third year at Hogwarts. A third year student is 13 years old making Hagrid's year of birth approximately 1928 and so making him about 70 years old by Book Seven, although he appears younger because of his Giant lineage. This lineage also gives him the equivalent of the Faerie Birthright Titan’s Power.

Essence: Questing; Tradition: Order of Hermes; Strength 6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 1, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 3, Instruction 3, Intimidation 1, Kenning (Fey Sight) 1; Skills: Animal Training 4, Hunting 3, Melee 3, Survival 4, Tracking 5; Knowledges: Chantry Politics 3, Cosmology 1, Enigmas 2, Greymare (Faerie Magic Lore) 1, Medicine 1, Lore: Mythical Bygones 5, Occult 3; Spheres: Correspondence 1, Forces 2, Life 3, Mind 1, Prime 1, Spirit 1; Backgrounds: Familiar 4, Sanctum 2; Merits: Huge Size, Mythic Origin (Troll), Reputation; Flaws: Magical Prohibition (No Magick Use); Virtues: Arete 3, Willpower 6; Health Levels OKx3, -1x3, -2x2, -5, Incapacitated

32

SONS OF ETHER

Beckett, Dr. Samuel (Scientist)Sam Beckett is a quantum physicist. He works at a secret government base about 30

miles outside of Destiny County, New Mexico. Born and raised on a dairy farm in Elk Ridge, Indiana, Sam was accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the age of 15. He has doctorates in Music, Medicine, Physics, Archeology, Ancient Languages, Chemistry and Astronomy and is well versed in several kinds of martial arts (but he's been afraid of heights since he was 9 years old). A winner of the Noble Prize, Time magazine called Sam “the next Einstein.” Sam's many accomplishments and abilities are reminiscent of the classic hero Doc Savage. Some of the few things Sam *cannot* do, he also shares with Savage, such as drawing/painting and cooking (Sam's attempts at which usually met with disaster).

Sam manages a classified time travel project known as “Quantum Leap.” It cost $43 billion to develop with an additional $2.4 billion in operating funds yearly. Unfortunately, the government grew impatient and wanted to see results for their investment. Forced to prove his theories of time travel or lose his funding, Dr. Beckett entered a not yet fully operational time machine and vanished. He found himself transported some thirty years in the past occupying the bodies of strangers. The time travel experiment beamed his essence rather than his full body and forced him to assume the identities and problems of others. If Sam looked into a mirror he could only see the image of the body he occupied. Homing in on Dr. Beckett's brain-wave transmissions, the Quantum Leap parallel hybrid (Trinary) project computer known as Ziggy monitored Sam's activities.

To keep in touch with Sam, Ziggy transmitted a hologram image from the project's Imaging Chamber that only Sam, small children and animals could see. The hologram took the image of a lecherous but likable cigar-smoking Admiral Al Calavicci who observed Sam's progress. To communicate with Ziggy, Al (the Observer) used a portable hand held calculator-like device. It delivered pertinent biographical information about the person's body that Dr. Beckett currently occupied. During his travels Sam had occupied the bodies of a Mafia hit man, Lee Harvey Oswald, a young and upcoming Elvis Presley and himself (Sam) as a child.

When Sam had set things right in one person's life, he involuntarily leaped through time to another body. Who or what was controlling his leaping was never fully identified. The only side effect to the transference was Sam's partial loss of memory (the ‘Swiss cheese’ effect). Sam’s first "leap" took him to September 13, 1956 where he occupied body of Tom Stratton, an Air Force Pilot who happened to be flying the X-2 plane. In his travels in time Sam was able to save his Navy Seal older brother Tom from dying in Vietnam on April 8, 1970. Sam's other family members included his sister Katherine (“Katie”) (born during a flood in 1957) who left her abusive alcoholic first husband Chuck and now lives happily in Hawaii with Navy Lt. Jim Bonnick and his mother Thelma Louise Beckett. Unfortunately Sam's father died of a heart attack in 1974 and all the leaping in the world couldn't save him. Sam's wife was Dr. Donna Alissi.

While at MIT, Sam and his mentor, Professor LoNigro, developed a string theory on time travel. Sam went through four years of MIT in two years and continued through various colleges to eventually obtain seven doctoral degrees. During his college years, Sam's father suffered a fatal heart attack. The guilt of his absence during his family's time of need would stay with Sam for years.

As a young adult, Sam was a key member of the Starbright Project. It was on Starbright where he would meet some of his closest and most trusted friends: Albert Calavicci, a decorated naval officer; a brilliant computer programmer known simply as Gushie; and Dr. Donna Alissi, the love of Sam's life. In the years after the Starbright Project, Sam and Donna were engaged, but Sam was jilted at the altar and never saw Donna again.

A few years later, Sam and Al spearheaded Project Quantum Leap, a time-travel experiment based on the string theory Sam had developed while at MIT. The PQL facility was located in Stallion's Gate, New Mexico in a primarily underground complex. In 1995, after constructing the necessary machinery, including a holographic imaging chamber and a supercomputer with access to vast historical databases, the project's funds were running thin. Eager to prove his theories, Sam stepped into the nuclear accelerator chamber and propelled himself back in time.

Sam awoke in 1956 having exchanged places in time with an Air Force test pilot. Having exchanged places with another person, everyone sees Sam as the person he displaced. As Sam would soon discover, quantum leaping had an unforeseen side-effect. He was struck with partial amnesia, describing his own situation with the analogy of his brain being like a hunk of Swiss cheese: full of holes.

Fortunately, contact with his own time period was maintained through Al, who would appear to Sam as a hologram tuned into his brain wave, thus allowing only Sam to see and hear him. It was Al who conveyed to Sam the theory to return Sam to the present: that an unknown influence (God, Fate or Time) was using Sam to correct a mistake in the past -- in this case, saving the life of the pilot Sam had displaced, who was killed in an experimental aircraft in the original history.

When Sam corrected the timeline, he leaped, but not all the way home; this time, he found himself assuming the identity of a minor-league pro baseball player. For the next four years, Sam would continue to travel back and forth through time, swapping identities with various people, and, as a tagline for the show often said, "setting right what once went wrong."

Sam's theory of time travel, developed with Professor LoNigro, is based on an expanding, but finite universe. A person's life is like a length of string. One end represents birth, the other represents death. If one were to tie the ends of the string together, their life becomes a loop. Next, by balling the loop together, the days on one's

33

life would touch one another out of sequence, thus allowing one to travel back and forth within their own lifetime or quantum leap. Al explains this theory in the pilot episode, and Sam, recovering his memory of the theory, turns around and explains it to Donna in the second episode, Star-Crossed. Sam also gives the theory to actor and would-be time traveler Moe Stein in Future Boy, who explains it on his television show in response to a viewer question - from Sam Beckett of Elk Ridge, Indiana.

Though explicitly forbidden by his own guidelines to alter the past for his own benefit, Sam did alter his own history and those of his loved ones on a number of occasions:

In Star-Crossed, Sam reunited his future fiancée, Donna, who was nineteen at the time, with her estranged father. As a result, Donna did not leave Sam at the altar and the couple were. This union would bring Donna onto Project Quantum Leap and, through her father's military connections, assure government funding, thus replacing the Project's private funding oversight committee with a government oversight committee.

In Honeymoon Express, the government oversight committee tried to shut down PQL by rejecting its multi-billion dollar annual budget. In an attempt to prove that Sam had leaped, Al tried to get Sam to prevent the downing of the U-2. Sam was unable to prevent the U-2 mission, but by saving the life of a young woman, he saved the Project when history changed and the same woman now led the oversight committee and approved the Project's budget.

In M.I.A., Al tried to get Sam to save his first marriage, which nearly cost the life of the man Sam was really there to save. In the end, Sam leaped, but was unable to save Al's marriage.

In The Leap Home, Sam leaped into himself as a teenager to win a basketball game his team originally lost. While there, he tried without success to save the lives of his father and brother. When Sam leaped, he found himself in his brother's SEAL unit in Vietnam. While there, Sam saved his brother's life, but missed a chance to free a young Al and two other POWs from their Viet-Cong captors.

In The Leap Back, Sam and Al exchanged places, leaving Al in 1945 and finally returning Sam home. When Al was incapacitated in the past, Sam once again entered his time machine to exchange places with Al again.

In Trilogy, Part II, Sam fathered a child, Samantha Josephine "Sammy Jo" Fuller. Like her father, Sammy Jo was a prodigy with a photographic memory. She would grow up to join the staff of Project Quantum Leap.

In Mirror Image, Sam learned the truth that he was, and had always been, the one in control of his journey through time (albeit only via his subconscious mind up to this point). Though initially unable to accept that fact, Sam returned to a single point in time, and assured that Al's marriage to his first wife, Beth, would survive his years as a POW in Vietnam.

Sam leaped into nine women: a glamorous secretary, a divorced mother of three, a beauty pageant contestant, a pregnant teenager, a rape victim, a singer in a girl group, a housewife during the women's movement, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and an inmate in a women's prison. Sam leaped into people in the military (or veterans) ten times. Sam leaped into two non-humans: a chimpanzee and, apparently, a vampire. Sam leaped into nine people in law enforcement (including a PI and a bounty hunter). Sam leaped into people in jail or prison four times. Sam leaped into children or teenagers six times. Sam leaped into college students (including military cadets) six times. Sam leaped out of the United States seven times: Vietnam, Egypt, in a plane over the Bermuda Triangle, Japan, the Soviet Union, a raft in the Aegean Sea (and later a deserted island) and England. The 1970s was not Sam's favorite decade; for instance, he dislikes disco (Disco Inferno).

Sam was unable to remember his marriage to Donna throughout his leaping. He thus had several romances that Donna knew of and accepted as a consequence of the good he was doing (The Leap Back). As well as fathering Sammy Jo with Abigail Fuller (Trilogy, Part II - see above), Sam became seriously involved with psychic Tamlyn Matsuda (Temptation Eyes), who could see him as he really was, and his former piano teacher Nicole (Catch a Falling Star), who couldn't. He also had several other trysts during his time as leaper, some of which appear in the show's opening credits for each season.

Real Name: Sam Beckett; Occupation: Scientist, righter of wrongs; Driver's License No: 5738457; SS# 563-86-9801; DOD Umbra #004-002-02-016; DOB: 8/8/53; Affiliations: Rear Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci (friend and ally); Enemies: (former) Alia (the "evil" leaper); (current) Zoe; Known Relatives: Donna Alissi (wife); Captain John Beckett (ancestor); Sammy Jo Fuller (daughter); Aliases: innumerable people he has replaced; Base of Operations: Mobile between the years 1953 and 1999

Son of Ether; Essence: Questing; Group: Project Quantum Leap; Avatar: ‘Ziggy’; Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 6, Wits 3; Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Dodge 3, Empathy 4, Instruction 3, Intuition 4, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Animal Ken 3, Archery 2, Disguise 4, Drive 3, Etiquette 4, Firearms 3, Leadership 3, Martial Arts 5, Meditation 2, Melee 4, Music 5, Repair 5, Research 4, Ride 3, Security 3, Stealth 3, Survival 4; Knowledges: Academics 5, Bureaucracy 3, Computer 5, Cosmology 3, Covert Culture 2, Culture 4, Enigmas 3, Finance 2, Hearth Wisdom 2, History 4, Investigation 3, Law 2, Linguistics 5, Medicine 5, Metaphysics 1, Occult 2, Politics 3, Rituals 2, Science 5; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Arcane 3, Avatar 5, Contacts 5, Destiny 5, Dream 5, Influence 4, Library 3, Node 3, Resources 6; Spheres: Correspondence 5, Entropy 3, Forces 4, Life 4, Mind 5, Matter 4, Prime 4, Spirit 3, Time 6; Merits: Circumspect Avatar, Legendary Intelligence (Eidetic Memory), Lightning Calculator, True Love (Donna); Flaws: Phobia (Heights); Virtues: Quintessence 5, Paradox 2, Arete 7, Willpower 9

34

SORCERERS

Constantine, John (Sorcerous Investigator)Team Affiliations: The Trenchcoat Brigade, The Newcastle Crew, The Order of St Oran, Mucous Membrane

(John's punk band); Notable aliases: John Collier, Leo Sumner, Conjob (nickname), John McMahon, Adrian Brown (cited on issue #194 cover only)

John Constantine (born May 10, 1953 in Liverpool, England) first appeared in 1985 as a recurring character in the horror series Swamp Thing, in which he acted as a "supernatural advisor" to the main character. In these early appearances, Constantine was depicted as a sorcerer of questionable morality, whose appearance was based on that of the musician Sting. Alan Moore created the character after artists Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben, who were fans of The Police, expressed a desire to draw a character who looked like Sting. They had already drawn at least one such background character in his likeness, in Swamp Thing #25 (1984); although issue #37 of Swamp Thing was John Constantine's official debut, some fans consider this background face in issue #25 to be Constantine's actual first appearance. Moore has stated, "It struck me that it might be interesting for once to do an almost blue-collar warlock. Somebody who was streetwise, working class, and from a different background than the standard run of comic book mystics. Constantine started to grow out of that."

Although a compassionate humanist and occasionally even heroic, Constantine pursues a life of magic and danger. His motivation has been attributed to an adrenaline addiction that only the strange and mysterious can sate. Constantine is bisexual and sometimes sexually ambivalent; it was established in Hellblazer #51 ("Counting to Ten") that he has had boyfriends, and during the "Ashes and Dust in the City of Angels" story arc (Hellblazer issues #170-174) he seduced a male character as part of an elaborate con. Constantine is typically portrayed wearing a trench coat, white shirt and black tie (though his wardrobe was more varied in early appearances) and chain-smoking Silk Cut cigarettes.

In Constantine's early appearances in Swamp Thing, his past was a mystery; his life as a child and young adult was not developed until Jamie Delano's Hellblazer stories. There, we found out that he was born in Liverpool, England, on May 10, 1953. His mother, Mary Anne died giving birth to John and his stillborn twin brother because an earlier abortion — forced on her by John's father, Thomas — had weakened her womb. Because he was unable to accept responsibility for his wife's death, Thomas blamed John and the pair grew up with a deep dislike for one another. Whilst in the womb, John strangled his twin brother with his own umbilical cord; in an alternate reality glimpsed in Hellblazer #40, the twin survived to become the well-loved and well-adjusted magician that John never was. He and his older sister Cheryl lived briefly with their aunt and uncle in Northampton to escape from their father's alcoholism and imprisonment (for stealing a female neighbor’s underwear), then moved back to Liverpool. In the 1960s, a teenage John ran away from home, but not before a botched curse on his father caused him to become withered and frail. John eventually made his permanent home in London in 1969, rooming with Francis "Chas" Chandler, a young man who went on to become John's closest — and longest surviving — friend.

During the 1970s, John became involved in occult circles in London, and visited San Francisco, where he met, and subsequently began a relationship with Zatanna the magician. He also became enamored of punk rock; after seeing the Sex Pistols at the Roxy Club in London in 1977, John cut his long hair and formed his own band, Mucous Membrane, whose members included Chandler (as a roadie), a drummer named Beano and fellow Liverpudlian Gary Lester.

John's first venture into occult "heroism", as depicted in a flashback in Hellblazer #11, was a disaster. On tour with Mucous Membrane at the Casa Nova Club in Newcastle, he found the aftermath of a magical orgy gone horribly wrong: an abused child, Astra, had conjured a hideous monster that took revenge on the adults who were tormenting her, and the monster refused to leave.

With typical recklessness, John convinced some members of the band, along with several occultist friends, to try destroying the creature by summoning a demon of their own. Unfortunately, this demon was not under their control and after it had destroyed the child's monster, it tormented Constantine's friends and took the child to Hell. John suffered a nervous breakdown after this incident, and was committed to a mental institution. He was severely abused by the staff during the time he spent there, as they believed that he was the one who had molested and murdered Astra. The guilt of causing this hung over him for many years until, in his mid-forties, he managed to free her and the souls of every other child trapped in Hell. As for the rest of the 'Newcastle Crew', the incident left the group both physically and psychologically scarred.

Years later, John was able to persuade the same group to help with his investigation of the Brujería cult in Swamp Thing #37-49, but the cult murdered most of them, including John's lover, Emma. These people, and others who have died due to John's carelessness, have continued to appear to him as silent, reproachful ghosts. Chas is the only human friend who has survived a long-term association with John.

In his late thirties, John contracted terminal lung cancer. During this time, he came to the aid of a dying friend who had sold his soul to the First of the Fallen, the most powerful lord of Hell. When the First came to collect the soul, John tricked him into drinking holy water, which rendered him helpless and prevented him from collecting the friend's soul at the appointed time.

For this, the First promised to make John suffer unprecedented torment in Hell when he died. Slowly dying from cancer, John hatched a plan to save himself from eternal torment. He secretly sold his soul to the other two lords of Hell. When they discovered Constantine's actions they realized that they could not allow him to die, or else they would be forced to go to all-out war over his soul. Due to a recent civil war in Hell, the three couldn't dare

35

wage war as the only winner of a war in Hell would be "the Lord of the Hosts" (i.e God) and his angels. However, they were also far too stubborn and proud to enter anything resembling an alliance. As a result, they were forced to cure John of his cancer.

John Constantine appears in an early issue of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. In the issue, he helps Dream recover a pouch of sand which had served as one of Dream's totems of power. John had purchased the pouch during Dream's imprisonment and it had then been stolen from him by an ex-girlfriend. John and Dream find the woman using the sand as a drug and driven mad by it, and Dream recovers the pouch, granting the woman a peaceful death at John's request and promising to end the nightmares John had been having "ever since Newcastle". John's ancestor Lady Johanna Constantine also plays a significant role in storylines of The Sandman and an Elizabethan-era "Jack Constantine" is mentioned. In another of Gaiman's comics, The Books of Magic, John is at hand to show the hero Timothy Hunter around the then-present day DC Comics Universe, along with Mister E, Doctor Occult and the Phantom Stranger.

Constantine is one of the few people aware of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and one of the few to have foreseen it. Although longtime allies Zatanna, the Phantom Stranger and Swamp Thing are still either active or frequently referred to in the DCU's world of super heroics, the world of Hellblazer has become more realistic and no mention is made of John's interactions with superheroes, which include attending the funeral of Hal Jordan uninvited, drinking with Doom Patrol member Mento, meeting Batman, attending the opening of Guy Gardner's Green Lantern theme bar, and, in his own comic, playing host to (a stoned) Zatanna at his fortieth birthday party. Constantine was slated to be the main character of the aborted company-wide crossover Twilight of the Superheroes, however the project was ultimately shelved.

Unlike many comic book magicians, Constantine is rarely seen using magical spells, and almost never in combat. Constantine faces most of his challenges relying primarily on his cunning, his knowledge of the occult, manipulation and an extensive list of contacts. Constantine's blood is demonically tainted, initially by a blood transfusion from the demon Nergal, and later by sex with a succubus. His blood has been shown to have healing properties. John has generally been shown to be a poor fighter and generally avoids physical battles. However, he has on occasion managed to win a fight, either by using a magical weapon (Hellblazer #217) or by fighting dirty (Hellblazer #57 and the graphic novel All His Engines).

Some examples of Constantine's magic: Used a pendulum and map to divine the location of a magical disturbance. (Hellblazer #4 and #182). Summoned the demon Nergal to destroy a monster for him, but lost control. (Hellblazer #11). Placed a curse on his father that caused him to waste away. (Hellblazer #31). Placed a magical sigil on a succubus that prevented the forces of Heaven and Hell from tracking her. (Hellblazer #60). Raised a golem. (Hellblazer #167). Erased a man's traumatic memories. (Hellblazer #217). Raised a group of murder victims as zombies (Hellblazer #230).

Constantine is unusual among comic book characters in that he has aged in real time since his creation. During the first year of his solo series, Constantine celebrated his 35th birthday. Five years later in 1993, he turned 40. There have been no mentioned birthday celebrations since then, but nothing in the comics has stated a retcon of Constantine's age or the real time development of his comic. In fact, DC Vertigo published a timeline in their Rare Cuts TPB, which establishes birthdates of many characters. This is further supported by the use of dating in the comics themselves. For instance, "All His Engines" takes place at a specific date in 2004, and shows both Geraldine and Tricia Chandler as having aged roughly ten years since their first appearances in issue #84.

Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, Diplomacy 2, Dodge 4, Empathy 2, Intimidation 1, Intuition 3, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 1, Herbalism 3, Meditation 4, Melee 3, Music 3, Research 3, Security 4; Knowledges: Academics 2, Bureaucracy 2, Cosmology 4, Enigmas 3, Hearth Wisdom 5, History 3, Investigation 4, Law 1, Linguistics 5, Lore (Demons 4, Ghosts 2, Mage 3, Vampires 3, Werewolves 2), Medicine 1, Occult 5, Politics 1, Science 1; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Fame 3, Mana 4, Resources 3; Paths: Alchemy 2, Conjuration 2, Divination 3, Enchantment 3, Fortune 3, Hellfire 4, Mana Manipulation 2, Summoning (Binding & Warding) 5; Virtues: Willpower 8, Mana Pool 4

Marshak, Jack (Occult Researcher)Jack Marshak is a former stage magician and conversely, an expert in the occult. He

used to supply antiques for Lewis’s store and met Micki and Ryan when he came to collect on an old debt. He discovered that Lewis was dead and began helping collect the cursed antiques, becoming a close friend of Micki and Ryan.

Jack had been married once and had a clairvoyant son, Peter, who died in a young girl’s dream plane (“Bottle of Dreams”). When Jack was younger, his father disappeared, only to return ten years later. However, we learn that the man who came back was a spirit (“Midnight Riders”). Jack served in World War II and nearly died in a Nazi war camp (“The Butcher”). He was engaged to a scientist, who left him to do field research. She shows up in his life years later, but dies shortly after they plan to marry (“Brain Drain”).

An expert in the occult, the intelligent and articulate Jack Marshak provides Micki and Ryan (and later, Johnny) with the theoretical background necessary to retrieve objects that have been cursed by the the devil. Formerly, Jack acted as supplier of goods for Vendredi's Antiques store, but proprietor Lewis made a pact with the devil and then reneged on the deal. This cost him his life. When Jack learned of Lewis' death, he felt a moral obligation to help the cousins locate the cursed items to prevent further harm to innocent people. However, in their dangerous pursuits, Jack has lost many friends and relatives who somehow fell victim to these objects. Two episodes stand out prominently. First, in "The Butcher", Jack's war buddies were each strangled by a Nazi amulet.

36

Second, in "Brain Drain", Jack met up with an old flame, Dr. Viola Rhoades. Their plans to marry fell through when Dr. Rhoades became a victim of the Trephinator. Jack, himself, has also encountered close brushes with death. In two episodes ("Dr. Jack" and "The Prophecies I") he fell into a coma. But throughout their quest, Jack's wisdom and experience have proven invaluable as the trio encounter and battle many supernatural forces in their attempts to do right what their late uncle did wrong.

Jack Marshak is an old friend of Lewis'. He is an illusionist and expert in occultism, practicing magic as well. He used to supply antiques for Lewis' store and first encounters Ryan and Micki when he sneaks around Vendredi's Antiques in order to find out what had happened to Lewis - who owed him the money for his latest deliveries. He realizes that Lewis is dead and that he dealt with Satan (finding vague suspicions confirmed), and informs Micki and Ryan of the real meaning of their inheritance. His father was captain and died aboard his ship, coming back as a spirit to pay his debts to a murdered biker. Jack was soldier in World War 2, was married once and had a son, Peter, who possessed great spiritual powers but not enough control of them - dying in the dreams of a young girl he tried to free from possession. Jack brings in knowledge of darker, stranger things. In several episodes, he has to use his occult knowledge, for instance when he enters the "world in between" through a mirror and seals the gates of hell, defeating Vendredi in doing so. One can't help but think that Jack is the real important character in this hunt for cursed antiques.

Jack is a close friend of Micki and Ryan and lives with them as they fight the forces of evil antiques. Jack is a former magician, and an expert in the occult. He used to supply antiques for Lewis' store, and met Micki and Ryan when he came to collect on an old debt. He found out Lewis was dead, and began helping collect the cursed antiques.

Jack had been married once, and had a clairvoyant son, Peter, who died in a young girls dream plane ("Bottle of Dreams"). Jacks father disappeared when Jack was a young man, only to return a few years later. We then learn that the man who came back was a spirit ("Midnight Riders").

Jack, who has served in World War II and nearly died in a Nazi war camp ("The Butcher"), was engaged to a scientist, who left him to do field research. She shows up in his life years later, but we know she was condemned to death when they plan to marry ("Brain Drain").

Rashid, long-time friend of Jack, only appears twice, but is mentioned many more times. His knowledge of the occult may be greater than even Jack's, and he seems to be Jack's most trusted outside resource in the fight against evil - Jack even borrows his car ("The Sweetest Sting")

Jack Marshak is the stabilizing force among out heroes. He is a traveler of the world, a man who has done just about everything at one time or another. He's been a soldier, a magician, a stock procurer for Uncle Lewis and a renowned expert on the occult. Now he is spending his days in pursuit of antiques cursed by his old friend Lewis Vendredi.

Jack and Lewis were childhood friends, and Jack taught Lewis about the power of magic. Later on, when Lewis married a woman named Grace, Jack was saddened that he was not able to know her better. Grace eventually died because of Lewis' involvement with magic, an event Jack mourned very much. Jack himself was married for a time and had a son named Peter. This child was endowed with great psychic powers, and he died while using them to help a young girl with mental problems.

Jack's father was a sailor named Cawley, who died with the sin of a murder marking him. He came back a decade later and, with Jack's help, found his place in the afterlife. No other relations are mentioned, but several friends and even his first fiancee have appeared on the show... and nearly all have died. He was even planning on marrying her again when she was killed by someone using a cursed object.

Jack knows something about everything, it seems. He has vast knowledge of the occult, religion, sleight-of-hand (on many occasions he had to use his trusty lockpicks to gain access to an object), astronomy, and many other things. His travels have taken him across the world, and he has connections that any reporter would kill for. He can find information about most everything much of the time, which makes him invaluable to Ryan and Micki (and later, Johnny).

Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Talents: Acting 3, Alertness 4, Athletics 1, Awareness 1, Brawl 3, Dodge 3, Empathy 2, Instruction 2, Legerdemain 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 2, Body Reading 3, Disguise 1, Drive 2, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Herbalism 1, Meditation 2, Melee 3, Music 1, Repair 2, Research 5, Ride 1, Security 4, Stealth 3, Survival 3; Knowledges: Academics 4, Bureaucracy 1, Cosmology 4, Covert Culture 1, Culture 3, Demon Lore 4, Enigmas 4, Faerie Lore 1, Finance 1, Ghost Lore 3, Hearth Wisdom 5, History 3, Investigation 4, Law 1, Linguistics 4, Mage Lore 3, Medicine 1, Nova Lore 1, Occult 5, Politics 2, Science 4, Sewer Lore 1, Vampire Lore 2, Werewolf Lore 1, Wyrm Lore 3; Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Fame 1, Mana 2, Resources 4; Paths: Alchemy 2, Conjuration 5, Divination 3, Enchantment 2, Fortune 2, Healing 3, Hellfire 2, Summoning (Binding & Warding) 4, Weather Magic 1; Psionics: Telepathy; Virtues: Willpower 7, Mana Pool 2

O'Roark, Harry (Private Dick and Wheel Man)Consor; Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5,

Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Dodge 1, Intuition 5, Streetwise 3; Skills: Do 1, Drive 4, Firearms 2, Meditation 5, Melee 4, Pilot 4, Research 5, Survival 3; Knowledges: Computer 1, Culture 3, Enigmas 3, Investigation 5, Medicine 5, Occult 3, Science 1; Numina: Conjuration 4, Cursing 3, Enchantment 4, Ephemera 2, Healing 5, Herbalism 3; Advantages: Immunity (Death), Mystick Shield (5 CM Dice), Nightsight, Shadow Walking, Speed (3 Actions); Backgrounds: Allies 3, Arcane 5, Node 5; Special: Willpower 8; Team Shiva Driver

37

Team Shiva Ground Assault Vehicle: Type 10-Wheel Truck; Maximum Speed 195 MPH; Armor Windows 8/7, Body 8/12; Weaponry Rockets (4 Each Direction, Difficulty 8, Damage 15), Hellblossom Flamer Defense System fires a series of twelve flame throwers mounted around the vehicle. Damage is taken to everything in an eight foot radius of the vehicle. Roll 1d10 for % of body covered. Roll that number of dice damage per turn for ten turns. Damage is aggravated; Equipment and Options: Camper Compartment, Engine Readout Package, Radar Display, Stereo System, Super Fuel Efficiency, Vehicle Active Suspension

Team Shiva Light Helicopter: Type Combat Fighter, Maximum Speed 390 MPH, Armor (Crew Compartment 8 / 15, Drive Engine 8 / 10, Main Body 8 / 15); Weaponry: .50 Caliber MG (Two, Forward Mounted, Difficulty 7, Damage 8), 30mm Automatic Gun (Forward Mounted, Difficulty 7, Damage 10), Unguided Rockets (Five Forward, in underbelly retractable pod, Difficulty 8, Damage 15), Stinger AA Missiles (Four Forward, Side Mounted, Difficulty 7, Damage 14)

Sho’nuff (Shogun of Harlem)    Sho’Nuff is the self-proclaimed “Shogun of Harlem” and the baddest mofo low-down around the town in Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon.  He basically dresses up in his outrageous costume and goes around with his posse of eighties street thugs doing all sorts of crazy shit like trashing mom-and-pop pizza joints, destroying people in underground cage-matches and stuffing ten year-olds into garbage cans.  At one point he even makes kung-fu master/Bruce Lee wannabe Leroy “kiss his converse” in front of his entire karate school.  Sho’Nuff is a badass because while Leroy spends the whole movie bitching about attaining Zen or whatever and avoiding physical contact with his rock star girlfriend like the plague, Sho spends his time trying to start shit with random people, growing his afro and being total wank to everyone he encounters.  When he gets super-pissed he starts glowing red and kicking ass.  A lot of people can't do that.His breakdancing kung-fu experts help him out in these endeavors by constantly stroking his Amazing Ben-sized ego, kicking in windows and participating in Sho’s signature monologue, which goes as follows: Sho’Nuff: Am I the meanest? Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: Am I the prettiest? Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: Am I the baddest mo-fo, low-down, around this town? Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: Well, who am I? Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: Who am I? Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: I can’t hear you! Gang: Sho’Nuff! Sho’Nuff: The Shogun of Harlem!

Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamain 5, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 1, Brawl (Kung Fu) 5, Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Leadership 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 1; Skills: Firearms 1, Melee 3, Stealth 2, Survival 1, Technology 1; Knowledges: Academics 1, Cosmology 1, Linguistics 1, Occult 2; Paths: Hellfire (The Glow, requires touch) 3; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 4, Fame 2, Influence 2, Mana 3, Resources 3, Retainers 4; Resonance: Dynamic 2, Entropic 3, Static 1; Advantages: Mana 3, Willpower 7

38

TECHNOCRACY

Bond, James (Special Agent 007)Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is an agent of the international arm of the

British Secret Service headquartered in London, originally in a tall, grey building overlooking Regent's Park. In 1995 for both the novels and the films, the headquarters was moved to the SIS building at Vauxhall Cross and officially acknowledged as MI6. Bond holds code number "007," except for in You Only Live Twice, where he temporarily becomes "7777". The "double-0" prefix indicates his discretionary license to kill in the performance of his duties. In the films, he is famous for introducing himself as "Bond, James Bond" whenever the opportunity arises and for ordering his vodka martinis "shaken, not stirred"; his usual and characteristic clothing is a tuxedo, usually also wearing a Rolex watch or, in later films, an Omega.

With the exception of the Young Bond series of novels by Charlie Higson launched in 2005, Bond for the most part is an ageless character in both films and literature. He is roughly in his late thirties. Many Ian Fleming biographers agree that he never really intended to write as many James Bond adventures as he did and to keep writing the novels he had to "tinker with Bond's early life" and change dates to ensure Bond was the appropriate age for the service, particularly due to a statement in Moonraker that 007 faced mandatory retirement from the 00 Section at age 45. In the same novel Bond notes that he has only eight years to go, and is, therefore, 37 years old. This approximate age carries on in continuation novels written by Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, and Raymond Benson.

Due to Fleming's changes of dates and times in which events occurred, Bond's specific birth year is unknown. Most researchers or biographers have concluded that Bond was born in 1920, 1921 or 1924. It is also debated where James Bond was born. According to John Pearson and his book James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007, Bond was born in Wattenscheid, a small town near Essen, Germany. Charlie Higson, in his novel SilverFin states that Bond was born in Switzerland.

James Bond is the son of a Scottish father, Andrew Bond of Glencoe, and a Swiss mother, Monique Delacroix of the Canton de Vaud. Bond spent many of his early years abroad and became proficient in German and French due to his father's work as a foreign representative of the Vickers armaments firm. When Bond was 11, both of his parents died in a mountain climbing accident in the Aiguilles Rouges near Chamonix.

While Bond's family did not have a motto initially, he was invited to adopt one during "Operation Corona" in the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The motto, Orbis non sufficit is Latin for "The world is not enough." The coat of arms and motto belong to Sir Thomas Bond, who was never proven to be of any relation to James Bond. He never requested research to confirm his potential genealogical relationship to Sir Thomas Bond and his family. Bond, in fact, showed no true interest or enthusiasm about the matter, as can be demonstrated by his abrupt response to Griffin Or after being told about the motto:

“Griffon Or broke in excitedly, 'And this charming motto of the line, "The World is not Enough". You do not wish to have the right to it?' 'It is an excellent motto which I shall certainly adopt,' said Bond curtly. He looked pointedly at his watch. 'Now I'm afraid we really must get down to business. I have to report back to my Ministry.' ” - On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Chapter 6: Bond of Bond Street?

After the death of his parents, he subsequently went to live with his aunt, Miss Charmian Bond, who completed his early education. He later briefly attended Eton College starting at the age of "12 or thereabouts" (13 in Young Bond), but left after two halves when some "alleged" troubles with one of his maids came to light. In the short story "From a View to a Kill", however, Bond recounts losing his virginity on his first visit to Paris at the age of 16.

Bond was removed from Eton at his aunt's request and sent to continue his education at Fettes College in Edinburgh, Scotland, his father's old school. Per John Pearson's Authorized Biography and an allusion by Fleming in From Russia with Love, Bond also briefly attended the University of Geneva. With the exception of Fettes, Bond's attendance at these schools parallels Fleming's own life. The film version of You Only Live Twice asserts he is a graduate with a degree in Oriental languages from Cambridge University. He also attends (presumably at some point) Oxford to study Danish in Tomorrow Never Dies, although in the film he's not there to study at all. Bond can speak a variety of different languages, most notably German, French, Russian and Japanese. The languages Bond claims to know are contradicted many times between the film series, Fleming's novel series, and even later films and continuation novels.

In 1941, Bond lied about his age in order to enter the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II, from which he emerged with the rank of Commander. Bond maintains this rank while in the employ of the British Secret Service and through further continuation novels and in the films. Gardner promoted Bond to Captain in Win, Lose or Die. Since Benson's Bond was rebooted, Bond became a Commander again. Bond also became a member of the RNVSR (Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve) which was an association of officers with considerable wartime experience (Moonraker, chapter 4: The 'Shiner').

It is never stated when James Bond became a 00 agent. According to Fleming, after joining the RNVR, Bond is mentioned as traveling to America, Hong Kong, and Jamaica. It is believed that during this time that Bond perhaps joined another organization such as the SOE, the 00 Section of the British Secret Service, or perhaps as a commando in Fleming's own "Red Indians" 30th Assault Unit (30 AU). One supporting reason is that Fleming describes Bond in the Ardennes firing a bazooka in 1944. 30 AU were the only British unit attached in small groups

39

to US units all over Europe. In Bond's obituary from You Only Live Twice, his commanding officer, M, alludes to Bond's rank as being cover:

"To serve the confidential nature of his duties, he was accorded the rank of lieutenant in the Special Branch of the R.N.V.R., and it is a measure of the satisfaction his services gave to his superiors that he ended the war with the rank of Commander." — You Only Live Twice, chapter 21: "Obit"

Bond earns his stripes in the 00 Section by completing two tasks, which Fleming outlines in Casino Royale. The first is the assassination of a Japanese cipher expert on the 36th floor of the RCA Building at Rockefeller Centre in New York City. The second was the assassination of a Norwegian who became a double agent and betrayed two British agents. Bond travels to Stockholm where he kills the man in his sleep with a knife.

According to Bond, obtaining a 00 number is not hard so long as you're prepared to kill, which Pearson suggests Bond first did as a teenager. Throughout Fleming's novels, further continuation novels, and even the films, Bond's attitude toward his job is similar; he dislikes taking life — resorting to flippant jokes and off-hand remarks as after-the-fact relief, often misinterpreted as cold-bloodedness.

"It was part of his profession to kill people. He had never liked doing it and when he had to kill he did it as well as he knew how and forgot about it. As a secret agent who held the rare Double-O prefix – the license to kill in the Secret Service – it was his duty to be as cool about death as a surgeon. If it happened, it happened. Regret was unprofessional — worse, it was a death-watch beetle in the soul." — Goldfinger, chapter 1: "Reflections in a Double Bourbon"

In Goldfinger Bond is haunted by memories of a small-time Mexican gunman he had killed with his bare hands days earlier. The cinematic Bond did not begin to show unease about killing until Brosnan's tenure; it is suggested in GoldenEye that he is troubled by the brutality of his job, while in The World Is Not Enough, he admits that cold-blooded killing is a filthy business. Nonetheless, Bond does kill when needed, and on film commits acts that might be considered murder in other circumstances (killing the unarmed Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough) or political assassination (killing Mr. Big, who is the leader of a small fictional nation in Live and Let Die). The literary James Bond was reserved in his licensed killing, sometimes disobeying his orders to kill if the mission could be accomplished by other means. Such is the case in "The Living Daylights" where Bond makes a last-second decision to disobey his orders and not kill an assassin. Instead Bond intentionally shoots the assassin's gun and still manages to accomplish the mission. He later feels so strongly about his decision that he actually expresses the hope that M will fire him for it. There are Fleming works in which Bond does not kill anyone. Bond also feels an intense hatred towards those who kill helpless non-combatants (such as Oddjob, Max Zorin and Franz Sanchez), in particular if the victim is a woman. He has been known to forsake even his vows to his country to avenge the deaths of innocent victims, as he did for Felix Leiter and his murdered wife in the film License to Kill.

In both the literary and cinematic adaptations of the character, Bond has a cavalier attitude toward his own death; he accepts that he will most likely die if captured, and expects MI-6 to disavow his existence in such a situation. He withstands brutal torture in more than one adventure (most notably Casino Royale, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day) without divulging the information his persecutors seek.

The cinematic James Bond (introduced in 1962) already had a history with the Secret Service. In Dr. No, when reluctantly re-equipped with a 7.65 mm Walther PPK pistol replacing his Beretta automatic pistol, agent 007 protests, telling M that he had used the weapon for 10 years, suggesting he has been a secret agent for at least that long. In the novels preceding Dr. No, Bond used a .25 Beretta automatic with a light chamois leather holster, however, in From Russia with Love, the gun snagged in Bond's jacket when drawn and because of this incident M and Major Boothroyd forced Bond to switch to the Walther PPK and a Berns-martin triple-draw holster made of stiff saddle leather. Bond continues to use this handgun up until John Gardner's License Renewed where he uses a number of different weapons until settling on the ASP 9mm in later books. According to Gardner in the novelisation for Licence to Kill, the Walther PPK is not Bond's favorite weapon. With Raymond Benson, Bond began using the PPK again until being updated in both the film and novel Tomorrow Never Dies with the Walther P99. In James Bond: The Secret World of 007, it is revealed that Bond has a practical knowledge of judo and other martial arts.

In the novels (notably From Russia with Love), Bond's physical description has generally been consistent: slim build; a three-inch, vertical scar on his right cheek (absent from the film version); blue-grey eyes; a "cruel" mouth; short, black hair, a comma of which falls on his forehead (graying at the temples in Gardner's novels); and (after Casino Royale) the faint scar of the Russian Cyrillic letter "Ш" (SH) (for Shpion: "Spy") on the back of one of his hands (carved by a SMERSH agent). In From Russia with Love he is also described as 183 centimeters (6 feet) in height and 76 kilograms (167 lbs.) in weight.

In all media, Bond is portrayed as highly intelligent, and in the films is something of a "know-it-all." In Goldfinger, he calculates in his head how many trucks it takes to transport all the gold in Fort Knox, and how long the gold would be radioactive after Auric Goldfinger's bomb had exploded. Also, in Casino Royale, he is shown to have skill at calculating probabilities of draws from a deck in a Texas hold'em tournament in Montenegro. Bond's "genius" became a running joke during Moore's era. It was virtually eliminated during Dalton's tenure as 007.

When not on assignment or at headquarters Bond spends his time at his flat off the Kings Road in Chelsea. His flat, as well as himself, is looked after by an elderly Scottish housekeeper named May, who is very loyal and often motherly to him. According to Higson's Young Bond series, May previously worked for Bond's aunt, Charmian. Bond hardly ever brings women back to his home, happening only once between the novels Diamonds Are Forever and From Russia with Love when he briefly lived with Tiffany Case. According to Pearson's book and hinted at in From Russia with Love, Tiffany often got into arguments with May and eventually left. At his home, Bond has two telephones. One for personal use and a second red phone that is a direct line between his home and headquarters; the latter is said to always be ringing at inopportune moments.

40

In both the literary and cinematic versions of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, James Bond marries, but his bride, Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo, is killed on their wedding day by his archenemy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld; the loss resonates in both versions of the character for many years thereafter. In the novels, Bond gets revenge in the following novel, You Only Live Twice when, by chance, he comes across Blofeld in Japan, while the cinematic Bond takes on Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever with an ambiguous result. Later, in the pre-title sequence of For Your Eyes Only, Bond dispatches a bald, wheelchair-bound man who bears a startling resemblance to Blofeld, shortly after viewing his wife's grave (the character was not named for legal reasons connected with EON Productions' ongoing dispute with Kevin McClory over the film rights to the novel Thunderball).

Bond had one child by Kissy Suzuki in You Only Live Twice, although he never learns of the boy's existence in Fleming's novels. In Pearson's book, the son is named James Suzuki. Bond is obviously aware of his son's existence by the time of Raymond Benson's short story "Blast From the Past" in which his son asks him to come to New York City as a matter of urgency before being killed by Irma Bunt. The story's canonical status is often disputed since it appears to exist outside the timeline of all continuation novels, including Benson's own.

Bond is a creature of sensual appetites, a consummate gourmand, womanizer, drinker and heavy cigarette smoker. Bond seems to have very Epicurean tastes in meals, often giving meticulous instructions on the preparation of his food and drink as well as the ambiance of the room. His favorite meal of the day is breakfast and his favourite meal is brown hard-boiled eggs which are prepared for him by his Scottish housekeeper May Maxwell. A recipe for this meal, dubbed "Scrambled eggs 'James Bond'," can be located in the short story "007 in New York."

He also has an amazing knowledge of wines and spirits. Bond is famous for ordering his vodka martinis "shaken, not stirred." In the novel Moonraker, he drinks a shot of vodka straight, served with a pinch of black pepper; a habit he picked up working in the Baltic region. This was not for the flavor, he explains, but because it caused the impurities in cheap vodka to sink to the bottom. He also drinks and enjoys gin martinis, champagne, and bourbon. According to www.atomicmartinis.com Bond consumes 317 drinks of which 101 are whisky, 35 sakes, 30 glasses of champagne and a mere 19 vodka martinis. This is an average of one drink every seven pages.

In Ian Fleming's novels Bond is a heavy smoker, at one point reaching 70 cigarettes a day. On average, Bond smokes 60 a day, although in certain novels Bond does attempt to cut back so that he can accomplish certain feats such as swimming underwater. He is also forced to cut back after being sent to a health farm per his superior's order in Thunderball. Bond specifically smokes a blend of Balkan and Turkish tobacco with a higher than average tar content from Morlands of Grosvenor Street called "Morland Specials." The cigarette itself has three gold bands on the filter signifying Bond's (and Fleming's) commander rank in the secret service. Additionally Bond carries his cigarettes in a trademarked monogrammed gunmetal cigarette case. In continuation novels by John Gardner, Bond cuts back by smoking low-tar cigarettes from Morlands and later H. Simmons of Burlington Arcade. Later works by Raymond Benson has Bond continuing to use this brand. Cinematically, Bond has been off and on usually going with changes in society. During the films starring Connery, Lazenby and Dalton, Bond was a smoker, while during Moore's and Brosnan's tenure he doesn't smoke cigarettes, although he does occasionally smoke cigars. Indeed, Brosnan's second portrayal of Bond, in Tomorrow Never Dies, remarks upon a Russian who is smoking by saying "Filthy habit". The last time Bond smoked a cigarette on film was in 1989. In Daniel Craig's tenure, he is never seen smoking at all.

Bond has mostly meaningless affairs or one night stands with virtually every woman he encounters, and discards them the minute they become an inconvenience. His suave, chauvinistic charm even seduces women who initially find him repellent, such as Holly Goodhead in Moonraker or Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies. His "ladies man" persona belies a darker side, however; in both novels and film, he is extremely sexually aggressive. While the women he sleeps with do willingly give in to him, he does not take the initial 'no' for an answer. In more recent incarnations, his attitudes toward women have softened somewhat; he respects the new, female M, and a few female characters, such as Elektra King and Paris Carver, have gotten under his skin. Despite Bond's proclivity for expensive living, in Goldfinger, which was written in 1959, his income is stated at $4200 USD per year, which comes out to $28,719.18 in January 2007 money.

According to John Pearson's James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007, Bond was born on November 11, 1920; no Fleming novel supports this date, in fact, the novel You Only Live Twice makes a couple of references to Bond's birth year being 1924. In the novel, M writes an obituary for James Bond after believing him to be dead. M writes that Bond left school when he was 17 years old and joined the Ministry of Defense in 1941. If Bond was 17 in 1941, then he was born in 1924. Prior to this, Tiger Tanaka, the head of the Japanese Secret Service, states Bond was born in the year of the rat, which supports 1924.

A more complex date of birth, according to John Griswold and his authorized book Ian Fleming's James Bond: Annotations and Chronologies is November 11, 1921 (November 11, being Pearson's date and Armistice Day). Griswold notes that Bond's joining of the Ministry of Defense was originally written in Fleming's manuscript as 1939 and later changed to 1941. Briefly, Griswold contends that Bond joined the Admiralty in 1939 (the same year Fleming joined) and 1941 is a year marker that places his recruitment into an organization that was later attached to the Ministry of Defense by Fleming. Griswold believes that a lot of details in Bond's timeline make better sense with the original 1939 date. For instance, if one computes Bond's age for when he was admitted into the Admiralty to when his parents died, then Bond would have been 11 in 1933 from January 1 through to November 10 if he was born in 1921. 1933 is the year mentioned in Casino Royale for when Bond "bought" his first Bentley. Since all of the years claimed for when Bond was born would have made him too young to purchase this Bentley, a more likely scenario is that he "inherited" it from his late father. Griswold presented this idea to Ian Fleming Publications in February 2003. The company recognised this issue for its Young Bond series of novels featuring Bond as a teenager in the 1930s and along with its author, Charlie Higson, defined Bond being born in the year 1920. In Higson's series, the Bentley in question was purchased and used in December 1933 in Double or Die by Bond with money he had

41

received for helping someone win a lot of money at a roulette table. Previously Bond had inherited a Bamford & Martin Sidevalve Short Chassis Tourer around Easter 1933 from his Uncle Max.

Modern Bond Biography: The 2006 film Casino Royale is a reboot of the 007 franchise that depicts Bond's first mission. The website gives a lengthy biography of the Bond that parallels the back story of Fleming's literary character, but it is updated to reflect Bond's new birth date of April 13, 1968; April 13 being the day in which Casino Royale was published in 1953 and 1968 being the year in which Daniel Craig was born. This version of the character is born in West Berlin. His parents, Andrew and Monique Bond, died in a climbing accident, so he was raised in Kent, England, by his aunt Charmain. Like the original character, Bond is kicked out of Eton College and attends his father's alma mater, Fettes College. Bond attends the University of Geneva while at Fettes through an exchange program. After Fettes, Bond joins the Royal Navy and attends Britannia Royal Navy College at the age of 17. The modern biography clarifies Bond's military service by stating he joins the Special Boat Service while in the Royal Navy, where he obtains the rank of Commander, and then is placed in the 030 Special Forces Unit (a reference to Fleming's 30th Assault Unit during World War II, a unit he nicknamed his 'Red Indians'; see Casino Royale). Bond serves covertly in Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Libya and actively in Bosnia. He is then recruited by the RNR Defense Intelligence Group. Bond attends specialized courses at Cambridge and Oxford universities during this period, earning a degree in Oriental Languages from Cambridge. Bond is noted to be fluent in English, French, German, and Italian, and writing passable Greek, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese at the time he joins MI6. In training, he receives exceptionally high marks for physical endurance, logic, and Psychological Ops exercises. He serves in the Royal Navy from age 17 to 31, joins MI6 at age 32, and is promoted to 00 agent at age 38 in 2006.

Alternative biographies and theories: A wholly non-canonical conjecture about the Bond lineage can be found in Alan Moore's comic book series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, set in Victorian England. In it, the portly, sinister, and secretive MI6 agent placed in charge of the League is named Campion Bond. His superior, the overall director of the top-secret team, is code-named M, an obvious reference to the James Bond series. Later in "League," it is revealed that this "M" is none other than Professor James Moriarty, the arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. The second miniseries would continue the Holmes link, as MI6 would be taken over by Mycroft Holmes as the new "M." Although Moore makes no overt connection between Bond and Campion, the saturation of literary reference in the comics, along with the code Double-O Seven being engraved in Morse code on Campion's walking stick, has led fans to propose that Campion is meant to be an ancestor of the modern secret agent. Another character in the comic notes of Campion that, "Family's got a reputation. A bad 'un." Auric Goldfinger is briefly mentioned in the universe's background, implying a link between the James Bond universe and that of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

In his fictional biographies, author Philip José Farmer suggests that Bond belongs in the Wold Newton family tree along with Tarzan, Doc Savage, and many other fictional heroes. Followers of Farmer's speculations have greatly elaborated on Bond's family.

Controversially, Die Another Day director Lee Tamahori believed that the name "James Bond" is a codename (like 007) which is given to the best and most accomplished secret agents. The theory is meant to explain the changes in actors (e.g., Roger Moore vs. Timothy Dalton) and Bond's apparent agelessness. The idea was created so that Tamahori could get Connery to make a cameo appearance in the film, and thus explain how it was possible that Connery and Brosnan as Bond could both be on film at the same time.

Tamahori explained the theory: "My idea was basically that there have been several Bonds. It's just a prefix and a code name. Even James Bond is not the guy's name. That's the way I've always been able to view these things from when Connery left and Lazenby and Moore took over, right up to Brosnan. How could this guy be so young still? Of course to me, it is just a prefix and a code name. That means that Connery either died or retired, Moore died or retired and so on. Following that, that allows you to have possibly two James Bonds in a movie. What happened to the others? Were they retired from active service or were they killed? That's where I came from."

The theory, as well as the intent to have Connery cameo in Die Another Day, was rejected by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson (although a televised news report during production reported erroneously that Connery had filmed a cameo as Bond's father). One and probably the only evidence to support this theory is Lazenby's final line in the pre-title sequence of On Her Majesty's Secret Service where the Bond girl runs away after Bond is ambushed on a beach: "This never happened to the other fella." The theory is denounced by most fans due to continuity in subsequent films when Bond's wife, Tracy (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service) is mentioned — most notably in The Spy Who Loved Me, where Moore's Bond reacts emotionally when the death of his wife is mentioned. In the later For Your Eyes Only Bond is seen attending Tracy's grave, and Felix Leiter refers to Bond's marriage in License To Kill. In addition to this, once in a while, Bond is scene with gadgets and weapons, such as Honey Rider's knife, from previous films that he obviously kept as souvenirs. The idea that the James Bond name – in addition to the 007 number – has been given to subsequent agents was also featured in the 1967 film of Casino Royale, where the original James Bond is an elderly gentleman who won a VC at the Siege of Mafeking, who berates M for having given his number and name to a brash young agent whose description appears to match Sean Connery's Bond. Later in the film, six further MI6 agents are assigned the name "James Bond 007", including Vesper Lynd, baccarat expert Evelyn Tremble, and a seal.

Psychological Profile: MS Bond is a unique individual. He appears to be of sound mind and strong spirit. At the age of 11, Bond suffered the loss of both parents in a climbing accident. This event had a profound impact. In his later teens, Bond lost his one surviving close relative, his aunt Charmain Bond. Like most who lose parents in their youth, Bond has abandonment issues. He rarely makes long-lasting relationships with men or women. He professes to have never fallen in love. He maintains no friendships from before his parents' death and only the most irregular contact with friends from his late teens.

42

Bond's one strong relationship with an adult from his teens and early twenties ' one Hannes Oberhauser of Kitzbühel, Austria ' ended when Oberhauser disappeared mysteriously. Bond has referred to Oberhauser as a second father. Bond professes limited memories of his youth in Europe. He is not nostalgic, but lives firmly in the present. He has only vague notions or thoughts about old age and retirement, which he does not seem to think he will live to see. Bond does not fear death. Although he convincingly claims never to have contemplated suicide, Bond has a remarkable willingness to take near fatal risks.

Bond is solitary. He does not console himself by surrounding himself with others. His athletic pursuits tend to be solitary: running, skiing, hiking, swimming, diving, and most remarkably, climbing. During a stint at the University of Geneva under an exchange program with Fettes, Bond led an expedition to the very mountain where his parents had died. Bond climbed it with friends and apparently never told them of his personal and tragic link to the location. Bond enjoys pushing himself to he limit, both mentally and physically. Like a few other cases that have come to my attention, Bond's stress levels actually drop when the stakes are higher. He is prone to boredom and mild depression when not challenged. Bond enjoys drinking and gambling, although the former seems to be a way for him to test his personal limits at times rather than a vice. Bond has been known to gamble more than he can afford to lose, although he always gambles with a plan and a clear understanding of the odds.

Bond has strong interpersonal skills. He can act comfortably in many situations, but does not seek out companionship except, most notably, for sexual recreation. Bond's lone wolf personality-type tends to attract others. Bond is goal-oriented, but he often seeks these goals in an indirect and secretive way. He has kept many areas of his life meticulously compartmentalized, never allowing the emotional issues from the loss of his family or from relationships to intrude on his professional life. Bond seems to have an emotional and mental need for multiple layers of reality. He thrives when not revealing all of himself, carefully organizing the aspects of his personality he reveals to others. Thus Bond is excellent as burying information he does not wish to reveal, making him a very good security risk if questioned under almost any circumstance.

Bond seeks structure in his life. He is a man of pattern and habit. He has acquired strong tastes. This is a potential security risk. Bond both thrives under structure yet finds subtle ways of rebelling against it. He is not self-destructive, but he can be a challenge to his superiors. Bond uses humor as a shield and a weapon. He is skilled at making cutting remarks that reveal insecurities of others or mock death, danger and risk. Most importantly, Bond is deeply loyal to institutions. After his parents' death, Bond embraced his British and Scottish roots. His concept of his nationality is a large part of his identity. This is reflected in some of his social attitudes, which seem to embrace a British identity of the not too distant past. When pressed, Bond seems to identify with the notion of helping to 'protect the realm', of 'serving the monarch' and the ideals embodied in the mythic notion of St. George.

While the world is far from black and white to James Bond, he does tend to see it in stark terms of chaos and order, tradition and change. Bond has chosen to identify with order and tradition. MS Bond is an excellent candidate for sensitive and demanding intelligence work.

List of James Bond GadgetsA popular element of the James Bond franchise is the exotic equipment and vehicles he is assigned on his

missions, which often prove to be critically useful. The original books and early adaptations had only relatively minimal pieces like the modified attaché case in From Russia with Love. However, the gadgets took on a more spectacular profile in the film version of Goldfinger, and its tremendous success encouraged the following films to have Bond supplied with still more equipment. For instance, it became an expected scene in each film where Q would present and demonstrate Bond's assigned tools for the mission, and it was a near guarantee that each and every piece would be invaluable to Bond in the field. In this sense, Bond gadgets became a prime example of the literary technique of Chekhov's gun.

Fans eventually complained that the use of gadgets became excessive in the Roger Moore films, particularly in Moonraker, and subsequent productions struggled to find a balance in which gadgets could have a place without giving the impression that the character unduly depended on them or using stories that arbitrarily included situations that exactly fit the use of the gadgets assigned. This article concerns the gadgets James Bond typically carried on his person, along with additional gadgets used by others. For his gadget vehicles, see List of James Bond vehicles.

Dr. No: Walther PPK - M and Major Boothroyd (Q) force Bond to trade in his Beretta for the new standard issue, the Walther PPK with a suppressor. Bond continued using the PPK in most movies until Tomorrow Never Dies, where he begins using a Walther P99. Geiger counter - Bond has to request one from Britain before using it to determine the radioactivity of Crab Key, suggesting they were an uncommon piece of equipment. Luminous watch - Bond has a watch with a luminous, slightly radioactive face that glows in the dark. This is a holdover from Fleming's novels, in which Bond is described as having a similar watch.

From Russia With Love: Briefcase - Given to Bond by Q-Branch, it contains a two-piece sniper rifle with ammunition and fifty gold sovereigns. A knife is contained in a hidden, spring-loaded compartment accessible on the outside of the case. In addition, there is a safety mechanism that detonates a gas bomb in the briefcase if opened improperly. This case is almost identical to the one described in Fleming's novel, except the book added a cyanide capsule which Bond was to use to commit suicide upon capture (Bond immediately flushes it down a toilet, a fact referenced in Die Another Day, when Bond says, "I threw it away years ago."). The briefcase made a cameo appearance in the movie "Die Another Day" but observant fans will note that in the original case, the throwing knife came out handle first. The knife in the case from "Die Another Day" came out blade first, a possible movie prop error. Pager - Bond had one to notify him if he ever needed to contact MI6. It is worth noting that Bond also had a phone installed in his car as well. Bug detector - A small device that is designed to detect the presence of a phone tap device in a regular telephone. Tape recorder camera - A small reel-to-reel tape recorder hidden within a

43

camera, used to interrogate Tatiana. Dagger shoe - A shoe with a poisoned blade concealed within worn by SPECTRE agents, including Rosa Klebb. The blade would pop out of the front of the shoe, making kicks extremely dangerous. One pair was used by Morzeny to kill Kronsteen after his plan failed. The gadget also makes a cameo scene in Die Another Day in Q's lab. Garrote watch - A wristwatch from which a wire garrote can be drawn. Used by Red Grant first to strangle a man dressed as Bond as part of a training exercise in the opening scene and later to attempt to strangle the actual Bond in the film's climax.

Goldfinger: Homing beacons - Bond is given two homing beacons from Q-branch. The first is larger and used when Bond tracks the villain, Auric Goldfinger, to his base. The second is smaller and allows MI6 to know where Bond is. Bond hides it in a secret compartment in the heel of his shoe. Later, Bond removes it from the shoe and attempts to send a message to headquarters by wrapping the note around the transmitter and slipping it into someone's pocket. The plan fails because the pocket's owner is killed and disposed of in a car crusher, which destroys the device. Attaché case - Reference is made to Bond having an attaché case that Bond is told was damaged (possibly destroyed) when examined by Goldfinger's personnel. Bowler Hat - Oddjob, Goldfinger's henchman, uses a special bowler hat with a metal disc under the brim as a throwing weapon. The hat is capable of slicing through stone and metal when thrown hard enough.

Thunderball: Homing Pill - When Bond takes this pill, it emits a signal that can be detected only by a certain receiver. Air supply - A small device that can be carried on the person without notice and when in use, is held in the mouth to provide a few minutes of air in emergencies or when the user has to go underwater. Jet pack -Used to propel Bond into the air when escaping after killing Col. Bouvier. Underwater Jet Pack - During the final undersea battle, Bond is equipped with a bulky scuba tank that not only propels him through the water faster than anyone can swim, it also shoots small missiles. It also has a light and two spear guns. Breitling 'Top Time' Diver Chronometer watch with built-in Geiger Counter. Underwater camera capable of taking eight shots in darkness using an infra-red film. A Geiger counter camera given to Bond who then gives it to Domino to find the bombs on the yacht. A miniature flare,

You Only Live Twice: Shooting Cigarette - Tiger gives Bond a cigarette capable of shooting a jet powered projectile accurately up to 30 yards. Used in Blofeld's volcano to kill a technician standing by the entrance controls to enable his allies to storm the base. Safe cracker - A small device that can easily be carried in a jacket pocket and works by attaching it to a safe the operator wants to open. With it properly positioned, the user needs only to turn the combination dial and the device would light up a series of lights as each correct number on the combination dial is found until the entire series is revealed to open the safe. Gyrojet rocket guns - Prototype guns using a small rocket-propelled projectile rather than conventional ammunition. A limited number were made in real life for trials by the US and British militaries, but the design never caught on, and the guns and ammunition are now very collectible (and therefore highly sought after and expensive). Little Nellie - A heavily-armed one-man Autogyro that has missiles, machine guns, and air-dropped mines as weapons.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Radioactive lint - In the beginning of the movie, Q is showing M a homing device made out of regular lint. "Placed in an opponent's pocket, the location fix and anti-personnel uses should be obvious." M is more concerned with locating Bond, who is nowhere to be found. Safe cracker - A small (for its time) device that consists of a flexible cable ending in a grapple that is meant to be fitted on a typical safe combination lock. The machine would then examine the lock, figure out its combination and open the safe. In addition, the device sports an Olivetti wet-type photocopier that could allow for easy copying of secret documents to minimize the chance of the owner learning of the break in by missing documents. Wet-type photocopiers are actually unsuitable for field missions because they must not be tilted lest the highly-toxic transfer liquid spills out. Unlike the safe cracker used in You Only Live Twice, this device was quite slow, taking close to an hour to open the safe (in the film, Bond uses the device while the safe's owner is on a lunch break and barely completes the job before the man returns). Minox B 8x11 Camera - Bond uses a small camera to take snap shots of a map that shows where the "Angels Of Death" are to release a biological agent. After Bond resigns from MI6, we see him cleaning out his desk, and gadgets from past films are shown, including the air supply from Thunderball and Red Grant's garrote watch from From Russia with Love.

Diamonds Are Forever: Pocket snap trap - A small gadget hidden in a pocket to give a person performing an unwanted search on the wielder a painful surprise that would provide a critical distraction for the wielder to exploit for an attack. Fake Fingerprint - Bond uses a fake fingerprint that clings to his thumb to trick Tiffany Case into believing he is Peter Franks. Slot Machine Ring - Q created a ring that, when used, ensures a jackpot at the slot machines every time. (In reality, this is the only Bond Gadget - up to A View to a Kill - which does not actually work.) Grappling suspenders - When Bond rides on top of the elevator to the suite of Willard Whyte, he uses for the last leg of this trip the grappling cord built into the suspenders, similar to the belt in GoldenEye.

Live and Let Die: Rolex Submariner - Given to Bond by M. When turned on, it could snag any lightweight metallic item. Roger Moore, as Bond, wears this specially tricked Submariner with a powerful electromagnet that in theory, as Q claims, it can even deflect a bullet. It also featured a spinning bezel which acted as a rotating saw that enabled him to cut his rope restraints and escape a pool full of man eating sharks and then go on and rescue Solitaire played by Jane Seymour. Bug Sweeper - Bond uses a handheld device that can sweep a room for electronic microphones. Clothing Brush Communicator - Hidden inside a clothing brush is a radio that also has a key allowing it to transmit messages in morse code. Shark gun - Fires special pellets that expel highly-pressurized air to make the target explode. Designed for combating sharks, but Bond is able to activate a pellet manually before forcing Kananga to swallow it. The 'Felix Lighter' - Radio transmitter/receiver disguised as a car cigarette lighter installed in a CIA vehicle, which Bond uses to contact his friend, Felix Leiter. Sideview mirror dart gun - Installed in one of Kananga's sedans, this gun is used to kill Bond's driver upon his arrival in New York City. This movie is noteworthy in that the gadgets break their own stereotype several times. Espresso machine (by la Pavoni) - M, expecting it to

44

be another agent gadget, finds it to be nothing more than a coffee maker thus triggering his surprised exclamation: "Is that all it does?!" The magnetic watch (see above) - When threatened by alligators, this is one of the rare occasions when a gadget actually fails to save Bond. He does escape the peril, but by using a non-gadget solution. Aftershave flamethrower - One of the few gadgets ever improvised by Bond in the field, and thus not manufactured by Q branch. This was created by Bond spraying an aerosol can of aftershave past the lit end of his cigar in order to kill a venomous snake. Another gadget-related exception is that Q does not make an appearance in this movie.

The Spy Who Loved Me: Micro-Film Reader - Assembled from two components: A cigarette case and a cigarette lighter. Wet Bike - Personal watercraft, this was one of the first water bikes which are known today as Jet Skis. Ski Pole/Gun - A special designed ski pole which is modified to fire .30 caliber rounds from a four shot clip in the handle. Seiko Quartz watch - Basically working like a pager, it had a built-in telex that allowed MI6 to send important messages to Bond, printing them out like a miniature teletype. (It actually looked more like label maker tape.) XXX's Cigarette - The cigarette used by Soviet agent Triple X, could unleash a knockout blow of stun gas when blown through. Sharp Tea Tray - Although never used, it is shown tested in Q's lab, cutting off a mannequin's head. Submarine Car - A converted Lotus Esprit S1 which Bond uses to drive off a dock and into the water, thus driving over to Mr. Stromburg's hideout.

Moonraker: Wrist dart gun - Can fire both cyanide-coated and armor-piercing darts. He uses these to save himself from a centrifuge and kill Sir Hugo Drax. Safe-cracking device - X-ray safe cracking device that is concealed within a normal looking cigarette case. Seiko Wristwatch - Contains a remote detonator and explosive charge and fuse contained inside the back compartment. Camera - A mini-camera imprinted with 007. Moonraker Laser - A laser gun that can be shot in space. The gun is also used in the video game GoldenEye 007. A version of this gun is shown being tested to somewhat gruesome effect on a wax dummy during Bond's visit to the MI6 monastery. CIA Agent Holly Goodhead carries a number of gadgets of her own, including a perfume bottle that doubles as a flamethrower, a pen with a poison needle, and a transmitter hidden in her purse. Exploding bolas (seen tested in the MI6 monastery) - Designed to entrap an object, such as a human, and explode when the bola balls hit each other. Mexican Machine gun (seen tested in MI6 monastery) - A cleverly disguised machine gun which is contained in a mannequin of a Mexican. The mannequin splits open, revealing the gun.

For Your Eyes Only: Seiko Wristwatch - Receives digital message read-outs and contains a 2-way radio/transmitter for voice communications. ATAC - Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator, the ATAC was lost when the British spy ship St. Georges was sunk. Later recovered by Bond, who at the end destroys it to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. Identigraph - An early computer-like device to assemble a phantom photo of a person by selecting characteristics from a variety of lists including hair color, hair style, nose form, style of eyeglasses etc. Located in MI6 headquarters and used by Bond and Q to put together an image of henchman Emile Locque. This device references the Identicast system referred to in the Ian Fleming novel Goldfinger.

Octopussy: Seiko Wristwatch - Contains a universal radio direction finder. This works in conjunction with listening device inside Bond's fountain pen. Mont Blanc fountain pen - Contains a mixture of Nitric and Hydrochloric acids. Contains an earpiece listening device that works in conjunction with Bond's wristwatch. Attaché case - Contains a false bottom which conceals a high explosive bomb. TV Watch - Receives moving color images over the air. Yo-yo saw - A rotating buzzsaw blade attached to a string so that it could be used in the same manner as a conventional yo-yo. Used by an assassin to kill MI6 agent Vijay, and later by the same assassin against Bond and Octopussy. Crocodile mini sub - miniature one seater submarine shaped as a saurian. Used to approach Octopussy's den on Udaipur Lake.

A View to a Kill: Polarizing Sunglasses - Allows the ability of seeing clearly through tinted glass. Ring - Contains a miniature camera. Checkbook/Billfold - Uses ultra-violet light to read previously written material by picking up the indentations of pen marks on paper. Electric Shaver - Contains an electronic eavesdropping detector. Credit Card - Has an electronic ability to open locks. SNOOPER - One of Q Branch's surveillance inventions. A small, animal-like remote controlled camera unit that can transmit audio/video from the head of the unit to a receptacle for the signal. It was used as demonstration near the beginning of the movie and at the end to find Bond.

The Living Daylights: Philips Keychain -Contains capsule of stun gas (effective up to 5 feet) which is activated by a whistle combination. (Bond's was the first bars of "Rule Brittania". It's unclear if this is a standard setting.) The gas disorientates any normal person for up to 30 seconds, an explosive charge which is activated by a personalized whistle combination. (Bond's was a wolf whistle, something that Q commented was "most appropriate" for 007.) Also contains a lockpick which was claimed by "Q" to be able to "open 90% of the world's locks". Miniature Binoculars - Contained on normal looking eye-glass frames. Ghetto Blaster - While never used by James Bond, we see this gadget tested in Q-Branch for the Americans. The ghetto blaster is an 1980s boom box that can fire a rocket. Revolving Sofa - Q is also testing a sofa that swallows whoever sits on it.

Licence to Kill: Dentonite Toothpaste - Plastic explosives disguised as ordinary toothpaste. The receiver that picks up the signal from Bond to blow the explosives is disguised as a packet of cigarettes. Signature Camera Gun - A camera that when put together became a sniper rifle that can be programmed to fire for only one person due to a scanner built into the grip. Laser Polaroid Camera - When the flash is used on this camera, it shoots a laser. The pictures it takes are X-rayed. Exploding Alarm Clock - Q carries it with him to Isthmus, but it is not used. Guaranteed never to wake up anyone who uses it. Radio Transceiver Broom used by Q to communicate with Bond's companion while disguised as a groundsman.

GoldenEye: Belt - A size 34 leather belt. It conceals a piton hidden behind the buckle. It can fire out up to 75 feet of high tensile wire designed to support the weight of an average person. Ballpoint Pen (Parker Jotter) - Contains a class four grenade. A 4-second fuse is armed after three clicks in succession. Another three clicks disarms it. Used by Bond to escape his captors after Boris nervously clicks it. Wristwatch - An Omega Seamaster Pro (the first of James Bond's non-Seiko/Rolex gadget watches) with built-in laser cutter and a remote detonator.

45

Piton Gun - Fires grappling hook (piton) and has a laser cutting attachment. Digital Binoculars - Auto focus/zoom, digital camera, satellite uplink to send visual data. X-Ray Document Scanner - Q has a document scanner disguised as a tea-tray. Phone Booth Trap - Q Branch is testing a BT telephone box with a large airbag inside which expands, crushing anyone inside against the wall of the box. Wheelchair and Leg Cast missile - Tested by Q Branch, this gadget was made to look like someone had broken their leg, when in fact, the leg hid a missile, which could be fired from the seated position. Door Decoder - Small Device that can be fitted onto keypad locked electronic doors that finds the combination and displays it on its screen. Used by 006 in the pre-credit sequence

Tomorrow Never Dies: Mobile Phone - The phone had a variety of features, including: a stun gun, a fingerprint scanner/analyzer/transmitter that can also be used for opening high-tech fingerprint-identification locks, "Flip-open" remote control for operating his BMW 750iL (Directional steering pad, LCD monitor for the front and rear view, controls to fire rocket launcher and operate the car's other defense mechanisms). Note: This was a concept phone designed by Ericsson. Much of the look of this phone including the "flip-open" design was eventually (a few years) incorporated into Ericsson's R380 "smartphone" which combined a fully functional mobile phone, PDA-like tools and WAP services. Omega Seamaster watch - Taken by Bond from the Chinese safehouse, the watch had a small, detachable charge that could be detonated by turning the watch's dial. It was later used to remotely destroy a glass jar that had a grenade lodged inside. Walther P99 - A gun Bond acquires from the Chinese safehouse in Saigon. It replaced Bond's Walther PPK, present for the first half of the film. Since Tomorrow Never Dies, Bond has used the P99. Cigarette lighter - A disguised timed explosive/grenade. Restraint Fan - Weapon developed by Wai Lin's counterpart division to Q Branch. Appears to be a Chinese fan, but when opened, various string-like restraints are emitted, possibly with the design of restraining an opponent. Rickshaw Defense Mechanism - This was used to knock out an enemy. A button is pressed, and an upper part of a bike-based rickshaw, which appears to be parked, ejects, knocking out the target. Dragon Flamethrower - Bond commented on the fact that this device was "very novel." Although this appears to be a sculpture of a dragon, pulling back one of the ears emits a high yield flamethrower, which makes the sculpture look like a fire-breathing dragon. Wristband Grappling Hook - A wristband that shoots a grappling hook that Wai Lin uses to escape a building in the beginning

The World Is Not Enough: Wristwatch - Contains a Grappling hook with fifty feet of high-tensile micro-filament and a high intensity lighted bezel. Multifunction Lock Pick - Concealed in a normal looking credit card with a removable strip that activates a spring-loaded multifunction lock pick. Eye-glasses (#1) - Remotely detonates an explosive "flash-bang" charge. The explosive charge is actually housed in the pistol that is confiscated from Bond in the film's opening scene. Eye-glasses (#2) - Enables X-ray vision for checking for concealed weapons. Ski Jacket - Conceals an escape pod which inflates into a sealed sphere made of aluminum-coated plastic and Kevlar reinforcement. This feature appears to be based on the Zorb. Bagpipe - Contains a flamethrower and a machine gun (was seen only in Q's testing lab). This film marks the only one occasion in the Bond film series (as of 2006) where Bond has expressed concern as to what Q will think when equipment is destroyed ("Q's not gonna like this!"). This happens when Bond's BMW Z8 is sawn in half. In a twist of unforeseeable irony, this happens after Desmond Llewelyn makes his final screen appearance as Q. Llewelyn was killed in a car accident shortly after the film premiered. Bond's BMW has sometimes been criticized for Bond hardly using it and the apparent lack of gadgets; the only special function it is shown to have is a built-in rocket launcher Bond uses once to take down a helicopter. Seconds after this, the car is sawn in half.

Die Another Day: Ring - A "standard issue" ring for the finger which, is actually an "ultra high-frequency single digit sonic agitator unit", that can shatter bullet-proof glass (or any " 'unbreakable' glass", as commented by Q in the movie). Surfboard - Contains a sliding panel with a hidden compartment containing communications equipment, explosives, detonators and a Walther P99 firearm. Wristwatch - Contains an explosive detonator and laser beam cutter. The new Q states that this watch is Bond's 20th, which is a reference to the fact that Die Another Day is the 20th James Bond film. Mini Air Supply - Similar device as used in Thunderball, which provides a few minutes of oxygen. Virtual Combat Training Simulator - This device allows the user to enter a virtual environment with the assistance of four computerized columns, a special pair of sunglasses, and a special weapon. This training simulator is tested by 007. One such program contains a scenario in which MI6 Headquarters is attacked and the user must eliminate all threats as they see fit. Miss Moneypenny makes some recreational use of another version of the program. XM29 OICW assault rifle/grenade launcher - Used by general Moon's son in the pre-credit sequence to destroy Bond's helicopter. Mobile phone/camera/PDA - Used by a villain to identify James Bond. It is a product placement of the Sony Ericsson P800. A modified Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish dubbed the "vanish", which uses micro cameras to record the image on one side of the car and project it onto the other side of the car making it almost invisible. Switchblade - Essentially a one-man glider shaped like a fighter jet. It features retractable wings that control the speed and trajectory of the craft. Fitted with the same material that makes a stealth bomber radar-invisible. Based on a workable model called "PHASST" (Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport). Because this film marks the 40th Anniversary of James Bond films in addition to the film being the 20th in the franchise, there are multiple references to each previous official film. Some examples include: Bell-Textron Jet Pack (Thunderball), Snorkel with false bird on top (Goldfinger), Piton gun (Diamonds Are Forever), Attache Case (From Russia with Love), Bede Acrostar Jet (Octopussy), One-person submarine (disguised as Crocodile) (Octopussy), SNOOPER (A View to a Kill), Little Nellie (You Only Live Twice), Dagger-Toed Shoe (From Russia with Love).

Casino Royale: Although the character of Q and Q Branch are absent from the latest Bond film, Bond is still outfitted with a number of gadgets, including: Aston Martin DBS V12 - This has a glove compartment filled with assorted tools and weaponry, including a first aid kit and portable defibrillator used to combat poisoning. (The vehicle itself, however, appears to not have any added features.) Sony Ericsson K800 - Cell phone with sophisticated GPS. Microchip implant - Bond is implanted with a microchip that helps MI6 keep track of Bond's whereabouts; it also monitors Bond's vital signs which are transmitted back to MI6 for analysis. Tracking device -

46

Similar to the implant in Bond's arm, this tracking device is placed in Le Chiffre's inhaler. Text Messages - Although not considered an exotic gadget, Bond makes extensive use of cell phone text messaging and other features to complete his mission. This could be because commonly available modern cell phones include many of the gadgets found in previous Bond adventures. Sony Cyber-Shot camera - Product placement for Sony. Sony Blu-Ray - The surveillance video from the Ocean Club that Bond reviews is recorded onto Blu-Ray format discs. VaioTX series and SZ series laptop computer - These are used on his mission and again during the post-mission vacation.

Never Say Never Again (non-canon): Pen gun - A fountain pen emblazoned with the Union Flag of the UK that can shoot an explosive charge. Wristwatch - Equipped with a small laser cutting tool. XT-7B - A top-secret US Navy vehicle that is launched from the missile tube of a submarine. When airborne, the shell and launch rocket are jettisoned, leaving a one-man flying platform propelled by thrusters. Bond knew about them "from a Russian translation of one of the device's service manuals." Motion-sensing bomb - Actually Bond's cigarette case, supposedly equipped with a gyroscope that would trigger the detonator when moved. Used to fool a henchman into letting 007 crash Largo's charity ball. This was the only time Bond improvised by inventing a fake gadget on the spot.

New World Order Grey Suit (Undercover in MI6); Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4; Talents: Acting 4, Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Dodge 3, Interrogation 4, Intimidation 3, Intuition 2, Streetwise 4, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Animal Ken 1, Disguise 4, Drive 4, Energy Weapons 3, Etiquette 5, Firearms 4, Leadership 3, Hypertech 1, Jetpack 3, Martial Arts 4, Melee 4, Pilot 3, Repair 3, Security 4, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Technology 3; Knowledges: Academics 4, Bureaucracy 3, Computer 4, Covert Culture 5, culture 3, Enigmas 4, Finance 2, History 2, Investigation 5, Law 3, Lingusitcs 4, Medicine 2, Occult 1, Politics 3, Reality Deviant Lore 2, Science 4; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Cloaking 2, Destiny 3, Genius 3, Influence 2, Resources 4, Requisitions 5; Procedures: Correspondence 1, Entropy 3, Mind 2, Time 1; Virtues: Eidolon Pattern; Enlightenment 4, Willpower 8

Falcon Green (Operative)The New World Order has many agents, working in the field to gather information, execute Its orders and

eliminate Its enemies. Although some are Awakened or otherwise augmented, many of the most efficient are in fact sleepers. One such agent is code-named Falcon Green.

Falcon is an average looking man, indeterminately aged and with un-remarkable appearance. He is in a fairly good shape, but hardly any bodybuilder. His hair is naturally black, but just like his eye- color its color varies depending on mission. He has usually no scars or other distinguishing marks.

What is special about Falcon is his mind. He has been trained by the NWO to become the perfect agent. Before each mission his old personality is erased, and replaced by a new convincing personality complete with a faked background, memories and personality quirks. Through the years he has been many things and had lots of different personalities. Someone who has met him as a mailman will hardly recognise him as a banker.

To protect him from mental scans he has been trained to submerge his real goals and thoughts deep in his subconscious. Most of the time he both thinks and acts completely according to his role, and a mental scan will only reveal his faked personality. Certain stimuli, like coded orders hidden in newspapers or the sighting of certain people bring the hidden parts of his mind into focus. Another way of executing his orders is to influence the conscious thoughts of his role from the subconscious level. The mailman "accidentally" puts certain letters in the wrong mailbox. The security guard overlooks that the credentials of certain people are fakes and that some people enter the building on very odd times.

Falcon has very little left of his own personality now. He does in fact not remember very much about himself at all, except his latest missions (and usually these memories are suppressed during duty, to prevent them from interfering). He doesn't remember his own name very well, and he has no idea about his childhood. On the other side, he has experienced a lot during his missions and is extremely skilled in many areas. He is equally able to assassinate a politician as sell cars or write for a newspaper. He feels happy when he can look back on a mission well done, something which may be the result of NWO programming.

It may seem surprising, but Falcon doesn't know very much about the Technocracy. He has no real understanding of Its goals or size, and he doesn't believe in Magick (despite that he has seen many strange things in Its service). After his missions he is returned to a local NWO HQ, debriefed and reprogrammed, and then his memory of the whole event is blanked. Most of his "spare time" is spent living quiet, unassuming lives in the anonymity of big cities.

Nature: Perfectionist; Demeanor: Varies depending on mission; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Brawl 4, Dodge 2, Expression 1, Intuition 3, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Drive 3, Etiquette 4, Firearms 4, Leadership 1, Melee 4, Research 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Technology 3; Knowledges: Computer 3, Culture 2, Investigation 4, Law 2, Linguistics 3, Medicine 1, Occult 2, Science 2; Willpower 7

Falcon has no specializations, since his main advantage is to be as general as possible. He has no fixed backgrounds, but can depending on mission have influence, allies, contacts or resources.

Falcon has a constant Mind effect which either hides his real thoughts under innocuous thoughts, or encrypt them completely. If a mage doesn't realise this, and uses Mind on him, it will just affect his fake surface personality, and can be overridden by the real Falcon at will. He has also a secret subconscious order which will kill him if he is ever captured and unable to resist interrogation.

HIT Mark VI (NT-1, Mimetic Assassin) The HIT Mark VI is the first in a new sixth generation of Hyper-Intelligence Technologies Cyborg. Unlike the

Mark V, this model does not include any organic parts. It is instead composed of nanotech computers, making up

47

an organism of sorts. Since each cell is its own computer, the Mark VI can transform into anything of approximately the same mass. Currently there are only about five of these prototypes. The system is still under development and glitches are prone to develop. One of the Mark VI's has already been in for major repair work after an unfortunate accident with some liquid nitrogen.

Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance (Var), Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 2; Talents: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Mimicry 5; Skills: All skills except Meditation at 3; Knowledges: All skills except Cosmology and Occult at 3

Attacks: The Mark VI can create melee weapons out of its body. These do from 6-8 points of damage, depending on the weapon created.

Infrared Vision: The Mark VI can see into the infrared spectrum. Countermagick: The Mark VI has four dice of Countermagick due to the Primium alloys used in its

construction. Mimicry: Roll Wits + Mimicry (6) to imitate anything of the same general mass or change parts of the body

into various weapons. It can also imitate specific people and voices. Regeneration: The Mark VI regenerates one health level per turn until destroyed. If taken to below 0 health

levels, the system will remain dormant until they return to Incapacitated. Only extreme measures can truly destroy a Mark VI.

Vulnerabilities: The Mark VI can only transform into objects that it samples by touch. Also, the only things that can truly harm the VI are extreme heat, which can melt the alloy or extreme cold which freezes it. If completely frozen, the VI can regenerate when thawed, but for every 5 health levels of damage taken in this way, it permanently loses one health level. This will cause minor system glitches at first and more major malfunctions as more damage is taken.

48

INDEX

Ambrose, Lillian........................................................12Aphrodite..................................................................12Beckett, Dr. Samuel..................................................33Bond, James..............................................................39Bradford, Mona.........................................................13Caine, Kwai Chang......................................................2Chuin..........................................................................5Constantine, John.....................................................35Dumbledore, Albus...................................................28Falcon Green............................................................47Flagg, Randall...........................................................14Garath......................................................................16Hagrid, Rubeus.........................................................31

HIT Mark VI...............................................................48Makin, Samuel Edward...............................................5Marshak, Jack...........................................................36Nattick, Arlan............................................................17Nina..........................................................................20O’Meagan, Alfred........................................................8O'Roark, Harry..........................................................38Riddle, Tom Marvolo.................................................21Rodwell, Lucius.........................................................12Scott, Doctor Eugene..................................................9Sho’nuff....................................................................38Strombeck, Nathan Oswald......................................26Wraith Swords............................................................6

49