Nightshade has been working in the Garden of Simple Pleasures for years, and recently inherited leadership of it after the mysterious disappearance of her maker. She has a certain magic touch that can give someone a feeling of pure ecstasy, as well as an empathic sensitivity to those around her, which makes her really good at her job - both parts of it, the customer service part and the leadership part. Nightshade is caring to those in her care, and vengeful to those that wrong them.
Full Name: Nightshade. Born Siobhan Black, but hasn't used that name in a long time.
Race: Vampire
Age: 26
Height: 5'6''
Weight: 130lbs
Sexuality: Pan
True Name: (you can decide later)
Languages: English. As a highschool dropout, Nightshade didn't study much Irish. Her accent is consistent with Northern Ireland.
Where are you from and what are you doing on the Isle of Luachmhar?
Nightshade was born right here in Tullach Port. She works at the Garden of Simple Pleasures, running the business in the absence of its matron, and as a sex worker.
Backstory Connections
List the characters you are connected to, the story between you, and who gets what Leverage. Everyone must do at least three connections.
Other Info
She was born out of wedlock to an impoverished bartender and a foreign, dark-skinned sailor who didn't stick around. Her mother, wrapped up in her pursuit of a decent man to support her and her desire to party, raised her daughter in mild neglect and little supervision. Nightshade picked up her mothers habits of partying and finding validation in men, and her studies suffered because of it. On her seventeenth birthday, when she was coming home alone from a party in the dark, she was nearly overtaken by a vile stranger on the streets, until the attempt was intercepted by lovely lady named Lily. Lily brought Nightshade to her home above the Garden, cleaned her up, and cared for her in a way that her mother never had. Nightshade, who was still a little drunk at the time, ended up pouring her heart out to this savior of hers, as drunk seventeen-year-olds tend to do, and it pulled on Lily's heartstrings. Lily saw potential in her and offered her a job working at the Garden, busing tables, and then Nightshade only worked her way up from there. A few years later, Lily offered to turn Nightshade and she accepted.
A month ago, Lily went missing. She had been on her way to Glaisinkyl but never made it there and was never found. It's been over a month and there's been no sign of her. Is she alive and in trouble? Is she dead? Has she run away? Tasked with running the Garden in Lily's absence, Nightshade now answers to the entity who actually owns the garden: the Slingers. She's been inducted into their ranks as a Neophyte, and she's rather taken with her new Superior.
You have a supernatural ability to sense the emotions of other people. You get +3 to Empathy skill, and can ask other players what your character might be sensing at any time. You can use the Empathy skill to roll to read someone's emotions beyond what you can deduce from normal human senses.
Once per scene, you can give someone Leverage on you to get +2 to your next roll to perceive or read them. Gain a character point whenever you fail a roll in the Perception tree. Whenever someone surprises you with their actions, give them Leverage.
You gain power from items of personal significance you take from others. Each token you acquire can be used as if applying Leverage, and is destroyed once it's used. You also get +1 to Sleight of Hand.
To use this ability, she must prepare by having willing and enjoyable physical contact with the person for at least ten minutes. Nightshade rolls her Psionic Mind Control skill opposed by their Resist Influence. A person can allow the effect, in which case no roll is made, but assume Nightshade succeeded and won the roll-off by 3.
When you have 3 or more Leverage on someone, they get +1 to do your bidding. Whenever someone expresses eagerness to serve you, make you happy, help you, or support you, gain Leverage on them. When you apply Leverage to tempt someone to do what you want, both you and they gain an additional character XP if they accept. When you ask something of someone and they refuse, you must make a Self-Control roll to avoid insisting or trying to convince them a second time (does not stack with itself unless you want it to). You also get +1 to Leadership.
When you are in a scene with someone with higher Perception than you, give them Leverage. If you finish a scene in which no person had higher Perception than you, take leverage on someone who noticed how your Perception sets you apart, makes you unique, or makes you exemplary. Once per scene, when you roll against anything in the Perception tree, gain 1xp. You can only take at most one Exemplar template.
You feel a strong sense of commitment toward a handful of people. You will never betray them, abandon them when they’re in trouble, or let them suffer or go hungry if you can help.
Nightshade feels a Sense of Duty toward fellow flowers and to those who are poor and downtrodden like she once was.
You tend to drive yourself past your limits, and find it hard to relax and turn away from your work. You work extra hours, don't sleep much, and neglect other obligations. You may need a Self Control roll to take your attention away from your work.
You are acutely aware of others’ emotions, and feel compelled to help those around you – even legitimate enemies. Make a self-control roll in any situation where you could render aid or are specifically asked for help, but should resist the urge. If you fail, you must offer assistance, even if that means violating orders or walking into a potential trap.
You hate being alone and do everything you can to surround yourself with companions. When you are alone, your mental attributes suffer a -2 penalty.
There are behaviors or qualities in certain people that you are inexplicably drawn to. When someone pushes the right button, they take +1 to skills in the Charisma tree. Flavor Requirement: What's your fetish?
Primal, Bondage
You have a secret, and it would be very bad for you if this information fell into the wrong hands. Flavor Requirement: What's your secret, and how can we make it matter in RP?
Prostitution is illegal in Northern Ireland, so Nightshade would be in a lot of trouble if the law found out what really goes on in the Garden.
You have a secret, and it would be very bad for you if this information fell into the wrong hands. Flavor Requirement: What's your secret, and how can we make it matter in RP?
You believe that you are far more powerful, intelligent, or competent than you really are. You may be proud and boastful or just quietly determined, but you must roleplay this trait. You must make a self-control roll any time you or the GM feels you show an unreasonable degree of caution. If you fail, you must go ahead as though you were able to handle the situation! Caution is not an option.
You have a habit – often a vice – that wastes a good deal of your time or money. You must indulge at least once per day, if at all possible, and do so any time you have the opportunity unless you can make a self-control roll. You seek to avoid any situation where you know you will be unable to indulge for more than a day. You must make a self-control roll to enter into such a situation; if you succeed (or are forced into the situation), you suffer from Bad Temper the whole time. It’s bad roleplaying to try to avoid your compulsion regularly! Flavor Requirement: Describe how and why you came to have this compulsion, what it does for you, and what happens if you don't get it.
Nightshade is a nympho.
You have a duty to respect and listen to anyone who outranks you. You report directly to one Sage; this person and those up the chain of command from them can order you.
Nightshade answers to Bradan.
You only gain sustenance from the blood of sapient creatures. The blood of animals can sustain you for a short amount of time, but it isn't quite the same. You need a pint of blood per day, and at least one per week needs to be a sapient creature. You can also drink ANY red beverage, but only blood gives you any sustenance.
You can see perfectly well in complete darkness, just not in color.
Part of the code of conduct that your Maker instilled on you is to never enter a dwelling uninvited. Whenever someone invites you in, gain Leverage on them. You must roll against Will to be able to disobey this command.
No body heat, no reflection in mirrors made from silver, pale skin
Your teeth are sharp and can easily hurt someone. Your teeth are retractable but may pop out when you're angry or excited.
When you feed on someone, you both gain 1xp. Whenever someone willingly lets you feed on them, you both gain Leverage on each other.
Whenever you have an opportunity to feed, you must make a Self Control roll. If you fail, you must pursue it.
You can feed off of people and drain their life force, healing yourself in the process. The first time within a week that you feed on someone, it takes 1hp from them and gives it to you. If you feed on them again before a week has passed, it takes 2hp from them, but only gives you 1hp.
If you are in direct sunlight, or have contact with Silver, you must immediately make a Pain Tolerance roll. On a failure, your attributes all have a -5 penalty. Silver weapons hurt you much much more.