Jack o' the Lantern
Jack o’ the Lantern is a changeling who seeks a way to gain the heart his Keeper has taken from him.
Overview
| “ | Can I come in for the night? I’ll not make trouble. | ” |
A thief abducted by privateers and eventually sold at the Market, Jack escaped Arcadia by telling his greedy Keeper of a beautiful treasure that anyone would kill for — and that he needed to venture into the mortal world to find it. In exchange for seeking it for the Other, and with the caveat of not being able to return to Faerie without it, Jack would gain the ability to open locks, remove barriers and not be caught, in addition to a way to light his travels. It was only after leaving the Hedge that the changeling realized that his Keeper had kept hold of his heart.
Nowadays, Jack wanders the world without rest out of a desire to regain his heart, be it by tricking a motley into entering Arcadia to steal it, or by finding the treasure of which he spoke — for while he was lying, there is nothing to say that such a treasure does not exist.
Character Sheet
Seeming: Wizened
Kith: Chatelaine
Court: None
Entitlements: Solstice Court
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 5, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 5, Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics (History) 4, Computer 1, Crafts 3, Investigation 2, Medicine 1, Occult (Hedge, Gentry) 3, Politics (Changeling) 3
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 1, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Larceny (Locks) 4, Stealth 3, Survival (Hedge) 5, Weaponry (Staff) 3
Social Skills: Animal Ken 2, Empathy 3, Expression (Storytelling) 3, Intimidation 3, Persuasion 4, Socialize (Changelings) 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 5
Merits: Court Goodwill (All) 2, Encyclopedic Knowledge, Fleet of Foot 3, Harvest (Hedge Fruit) 4, Language (any the Storyteller desires), Resources 1, Tokens (see below)
Willpower: 7
Clarity: 4
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Pride
Initiative: 7
Defense: 4
Speed: 14 (with Fleet of Foot)
Health: 8
Wyrd: 6
Contracts: Artifice •••; Dream •••••; Goblin — The Shooter’s Bargain; Hearth ••••; Smoke •••; Vainglory ••
Pledges: Barred from Hell, but Nowhere Else — Jack cannot enter Faerie without an object fitting the description he provided to his Keeper: something so beautiful that everyone wants it. His Keeper kept his heart as collateral, so Jack can only regain Willpower from his Virtue and Vice once per week; he just can’t muster the necessary passion to do it more often. He is very difficult to catch or confine, however. Any roll to escape entrapment or bypass a barrier receives the rote action quality (see p. 134 of the World of Darkness Rulebook).
Frailties: Can only rest when invited to do so by someone of higher rank.
Glamour/per Turn: 15/6
Weapons/Attacks:
| Type | Damage | Range | Dice Pool | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | 3(B) | N/A | 9 | N/A |
| Pistol | 2(L) | 20/40/80 | 8 | N/A |
Token: Jack’s Lantern (•)
The lantern is carved from some sort of dried gourd, inside of which is an ever-burning wick. This fire cannot spread to other objects. Jack has long since attached a metal and wood handle. The light of the lantern always is enough to permit sight, regardless of inclement weather. Further, it reveals the hidden (e.g. secret hatches or compartments) to whoever holds it.
Action: N/A (always active)
Mien: The light, which shifts colors, is strange and compelling. The gourd, meanwhile, is always warm and moist.
Drawback: The lantern only works away from the light of the sun. Further, those who see its own light are compelled to follow it, though the compulsion may be resisted with a Resolve + Composure roll, boosted by one’s Supernatural Tolerance trait. The compulsion, regardless, is not particularly strong, and a reasoned argument can snap a victim out of it.
Catch: There is no catch.
References
- CTL: Night Horrors: Grim Fears, p. 77-80