- Name: Charity Swift
- Codename: Shade
- Archetype: Godlike Talent
- Former Occupation: Cat Burglar
- Cover Occupation: Reporter for The Chicago Inquisitor newspaper.
Talent Description[]
Charity "Shade" Swift can manipulate shadows. This manifests as both the ability to teleport between two shadows and the ability to cloak herself within shadows/engulf a target with dark shadows.
Dossier[]
Character Description[]
Charity "Shade" Swift is the kind of girl good moms tell their daughters not to be. She thinks for her self, is highly opinionated, doesn't like to cook, and can't sew.
Former cat burglar. Or so everyone seems to think. Charity stands 5ft 6in and is considered tall for the time. Her hair is a deep black as well as her eyes. Closer inspection seems to reveal that her irises are swirling depths of inky shadows, but surely that is a trick of the light. Her skin is pale, ranging to porcelain and it seems she never burns or tans. She is very slender and graceful. Moving with an innate sense of self and space. It is said she floats when she walks. Her hair is kept down and curls seductively around her face and she refuses to be a good girl and pull it back. When she walks down a street, men stare and woman huff. Just the way she likes it.
Character Background[]
Charity's mother died along with her father in a car accident when she was 17. Though it wasn't as if her mother and father paid much attention to her or her kid sister Faith. They were always busy going off on shopping holidays or attending the next big premier and Charity was often stealing things or hiding things to get any scrap of attention she could from her oblivious parents. To them, she might as well have been a shadow.
Fabulously wealthy from an inheritance from her fathers father, they squandered every dime they had, and with their deaths left their two daughters penniless. Being the older of the two, Charity took steps to assure that her 7 year old sister was not taken away from her and she worked in the house of an acquaintance as a maid to get by.
An ivory comb went missing in the house and it was blamed on Charity and to assure that they wouldn't call the police, they informed her she would be working it off without pay. Other things went missing from time to time and it became that Charity would take home her lunch simply so her sister could eat. She grew thin and weak, even as she worked tirelessly to keep them in food and shelter.
One night while working extra she over heard the mistress of the house bragging to a friend about how she was getting her maids to work for free by hiding her jewels in a box over the coat closet and then blaming them for theft. The mistress also spoke of how she was going to convince Charity to bring her sister Faith along and then sell the her to another household as labor. How the other woman laughed and called it a wondrous idea.
All the while Charity was seething.
That night, she stole the box of jewels, of which many were hidden, and with her sister in tow, ran away to the Big Apple. A promise in her heart to always keep her sister safe.
They took up residence in a modest home and Charity sent her sister to school. The hope being that her sister would never have to rely on another for her meals ever again. Charity herself turned to stealing from houses she was sent to clean. Little things at first and soon she grew more and more bold. As well as more accomplished. It took a few years but soon enough she was a master thief. Her sister, through much hard work, was one of the first woman accepted into a collage, though it was kept very quiet and she was expected to learn with private instructions. The costs of course were to be exhortation. Charity worked very hard at keeping her sister in school. Which meant many priceless artifacts went missing to the cause.
Charity herself remembers the days of squallier and absolutely hates to relive those moments. When she dines out she dines out in the best restaurants. When she goes to shows, it's on Broadway. She oddly enough can't stand the rich and famous or wealthy of society, always remembering back to the days of her lowly maid status. Give that, she is very generous to her own maids and never cheats them.
Her Current life consists of perfect heists and figuring out ways to explain how she's getting all this money to her sister. Her previous excuse was a wealthy "benefactor" who showered her with jewels which she promptly sold. (It's not a lie if it's mostly true, right?) Her sister protested, but not all that much. With the current move to Chicago, Shade's been telling her sister that she was given a bonus since the paper was having trouble filling desks, and that her "benefactor" and her "grew apart" (there go all the good New York families.) Shade see's her sister infrequently but try to come together on major holidays, however, with the move to Chicago, this year might be a little difficult. They do telegraph each other at least once a week however.
Motivations[]
Loyalties:
- Little sister 3
- Gain: Keeping her "nightlife" and "Talents" from the knowledge of her sister
- Lose: Disappointing her sister. She's the only one who's opinions matter or finds out she's a thief
- Catastrophic: Her sister is killed
Passions:
- Wealth "Living the Good Life" 1
- Gain: Having a very good night. The best nightclub, the best wine, the best car!
- Lose: Not being able to afford even a simple meal
- Catastrophic: Losing everything she's gained
Stats and Skills[]
Body 2
Coordination 3 (4/2/0 with Hyperstats)
- Ranged Weapon: Pistol 1 (5/2/0)
- Dodge 0
- Hyperdodge 2 (6/2/0 with Hyperskill)
- Stealth 0
- Hyperstealth 2 (6/2/0 with Hyperskill)
Sense 2
- Perception 3 (5/0/0)
- Scrutiny 4 (6/0/0)
- Talent ID 2 (3/0/0)
Mind 2
- Language
- German 1 (3/0/0)
- Marine Life 1 (3/0/0)
Charm 2 (2/1/0 with Hyperstats)
- Persuasion 0
- Hyperpersuasion 0/1/0 (2/2/0 with Hyperskill)
Command 2
- Stability 1 (3/0/0)
Base Will 4 of 5
- Willpower 14
Other
- Occupation: Cat Burglar 2 (apply to appropriate stat for any skill tests relating to Breaking and Entry)
- Occupation: Journalism 1 (Covers all skill related to Journalism, is based on Charm)
- Contact: Richard Price 1
- Wealth: 1
XP[]
- XP
- Current: 4
- Total: 42
Miracles[]
Shadow Jumping 1/2/1
Shadow Jumping is a teleportation power that allows Shade to jump from one shadow to another. She must be standing in a shadow, and the target must be another shadow within line of sight (up to 80 yards away). She can teleport a limited amount of mass that she can touch, as well as other objects within her line of sight (again, to a limit of 80 yards). She can use Shadow Jumping in place of a defense roll, blinking either a distance away or teleporting in and out in the same shadow.
This power does not work in broad daylight or in total darkness. She must be able to see a target shadow to teleport to it.
- Quality: Defends Useful
- Cost per die: 2/4/8
- Defends Capacity: Self
- Defends Extras: None
- Defends Flaws: If/Then:Shadows only (-1), Willpower Bid (-1)
- Useful (teleport) Capacity: Range Up to 80 yards, Mass Up to 400lbs
- Useful (teleport) Extras: Power Capacity:Mass (+2)
- Useful (teleport) Flaws: If/Then:Shadows only (-1), Willpower Bid (-1)
Cloak of Shadows 1/2/1
Cloak of Shadows allows Shade to meld into a shadow (effectively turning invisible) or engulf a single target in a shadow. This confers a bonus to defense by removing Gobble dice from a single attacker's roll (as a duration power, multiple attackers can be engulfed in shadow sequentially in subsequent rounds). To detect the Talent, one must make a Sense+Perception test higher than the widest and highest set on the activation roll. As a Duration power, it lasts a number of minutes equal to the Width of the activation roll and can be continued after the duration elapses by reactivating the power.
This power does not work in broad daylight or in total darkness. With No Physical Effect, the power does not work on cameras or things that do not have Base Will. A target who suspects the illusion can resist the power's effect by declaring a Resistance Roll and spending a point of Willpower.
- Quality: Defends Useful
- Cost per die: 3/6/12
- Defends Capacity: Self
- Defends Extras: Duration (+2)
- Defends Flaws: If/Then:Shadows only (-1), Willpower Bid (-1)
- Useful (invisibility) Capacity: Mass Up to 400lbs
- Useful (invisibility) Extras: Duration (+2)
- Useful (invisibility) Flaws: If/Then:Shadows only (-1), No Physical Change (-1), Willpower Bid (-1)
Shadow Puppets 1/0/0
Shade seizes control of the target's shadow, bending that person to her will.
- Qualities: U (2 points)
- Cost per Die: 1/2/4
- Useful (mind control) Capacities: Touch quality
- Useful (mind control) Extras: Duration +2, No Physics +2
- Useful (mind control) Flaws: If/Then -1, Touch Only -2 (must be touching the person's shadow), Willpower Bid -1, Attached -2 (Shadows on the Wall)
Shadows on the Wall 1/2/1
This is a spell that allows Shade to literally melt into shadows and become one. She may move freely across buildings and floors without hindrance and can even slip under doorways because she has become 2 dimensional. This spell is also used in connection with Shadow Puppets, as she melds into the person’s shadow she is controlling. It is probably easy to spot a shadow without a form casting it should she not stick to the shadows but this spell does not require a shadow to cast. When using this power by itself, she can not directly influence the physical world.
- Cost per Die: 2/4/8
- Qualities: U U (4 points)
- Useful (2D movement) Capacities: Speed Capacity
- Useful (2D movement) Extras: Duration +2, Subtle +1
- Useful (2D movement) Flaws: If/Then -1, Willpower Bid -1
- Useful (meld into shadow) Capacities: Touch
- Useful (meld into shadow) Extras: Duration +2, No Physics +2
- Useful (meld into shadow) Flaws: Self Only -2, , Automatic -1, If/Then -1, Touch Only -2, Willpower Bid -1
Shadow Ball 1/0/0
Shade can pull shadows from the surrounding area and form it into a dark sphere then directing it with her hands, slam them into a target within her line of vision.
- Qualities: Attacks (2)
- Cost per die: 2/4/8
- Capacities: Range
- Extras: No Physics (+1), Non-Physical (+2)
- Flaw: Limited Damage (-1 stun only), Willpower Bid (-1), If/Then (-1 must have her hands free to gesture),
Unknown Miracles[]
Shadow Assassin 0/0/0
The Shadowy assassin is constructed from Shades own shadow which, while this spell is active, she does not have. She may only have 1 assassin going at any one time. The Assassin works by attacking the target’s shadow, be it on the ground or on a building. The assassin attacks using the knife, which is its focus, as its weapon. It stabs the target's shadow while the same markings appear on the victim’s physical self.
- Qualities: Attacks (2)
- Cost per die: 3/6/12
- Capacities: Range
- Extras: No Physics (+1), Non-Physical (+2), On Sight (+1), Duration (+2), Subtle (+1), Booster (+1)
- Flaw: Delayed Effect (-2), Exhausted (-3, used only once per Sunrise/Sunset), Limited Damage (-1, Killing only), Focus (-1, evil mad juju voodoo knife thingy), Willpower Bid (-1)
Shadow Volley 0/0/0
Shade can pull shadows from the surrounding area and form them into dark spheres then directing them with her hands,slam them into a target within her line of vision. This hits multiple targets
- Qualities: Attacks (2)
- Cost per die: 9/18/27
- Capacities: Range
- Extras: No Physics (+1), Non-Physical (+2),On Sight (+1), Spray +1
- Flaw: Limited Damage (-1 stun only), Willpower Bid (-1), If/Then (-1 must have her hands free to gesture)
Jump Trace
Using her unique knowledge of teleporting, she can figure out the location that another teleporter has jumped too.
Black out
Shade can black out all sources of light, except the sun, in a given room or from things such as candles and flashlights. They continue to glow, but the light falls off in foot candles cubed instead of just a foot candle. Meaning light doesn't travel farther then it's source making it useless.
Dark Vision
Shade can see in the dark. Even complete pitch black as if it were lit by candles.