Ralph Blake, Sorcerer (GURPS In Nomine) (August 1)

[Moe Lane]

http://moeticae.typepad.com/weblog_l...blake-sor.html

Ralph Blake (Sorcerer)
100pt

ST: 10 (0pt)
DX: 11 (10pt)
IQ: 14 (45pt)
HT: 10 (0pt)
Basic Speed: 5.25

Advantages: Awareness (Symphony) (15pt), Essence Control 6 (19pt), Language Talent/1 (2pt), Power Investiture (Sorcery) (10pt), Power Investiture/2 (Corporeal) (20pt)

Disadvantages: Curious (-10pt), Impulsive (-10pt), Overconfident (-10pt), Secret (Sorcerer) (-10pt)

Quirks: Keeps head shaved (-1pt), Wears a suit whenever possible (-1pt), Peppers speech with Spanish/French words (-1pt), Likes seafood, especially catfish (-1pt), Delusion "Demons are not particularly dangerous" (-1pt)

*Currently at quirk level, due to Ralph's lack of contact with actual demons; will be upgraded to Major once Secret is revealed.

Skills: Alchemy/TL7 (M/VH) 12- (2pt), Driving/TL7 (Car) 10- (1pt), Exorcism (M/H) 8-*, Guns/TL7 (revolver) (P/E) 14-** (2pt), Knife (P/E) 12- (2pt), Linguistics (M/VH) 12-*** (1pt), Occultism (M/A) 12- (1/2pt), Research (M/A) 12- (1/2pt), Savoir-Faire (M/E) 13- (1/2pt), Theology (M/H) 12- (1pt), Writing (M/A) 14- (2pt)

*Includes -4 for lack of Clerical Investment
**Includes +2 for IQ
***Includes +1 for Language Talent

Languages: French (M/A) 14-* (1/2pt), Latin (M/A) 14-* (1/2pt), Spanish (M/A) 14-* (1/2pt)

*Includes +1 for Language Talent & +1 for Linguistics

Sorcerous Rituals: Astral Block (M/H) 13-* (1pt), Banish (M/H) 13-* (1pt), Planar Summons (M/H) 13-* (1pt)

*Includes +1 for Power Investiture (Sorcery)

Songs: Dreams (Corporeal) (M/VH) 8-* (1pt), Entropy (Corporeal) (M/VH) 8-* (1pt), Healing (Corporeal) (M/VH) 9-* (2pt)

*Includes -5 for typical location (the corporeal plane) & +2 for Power Investiture (Corporeal)



Ralph Blake knows just enough to be dangerous to both himself, and everybody around him; unfortunately for him, he isn't really aware of this. From his point of view, everything's fine, and it's going to stay that way.

Ralph's problem - which is better than the usual Sorcerous one of "eternally damned from the start;" not that he knows that, either - is that he was more or less recruited out of college by human agents of a minor ethereal pantheon. Said pantheon has no intention of explaining to their Sorcerer how the world actually works; they're much more interested in developing his skills to the point where he can be useful to them as an alchemist and exorcist. Therefore, Ralph is under the impression that he works for a powerful group of godlike spirits that can do many favors for him, once he proves himself worthy of their patronage - and, oh, yes, there are angels and demons, but they are but weak reflections of humanity's own dreams and nightmares.

Indeed, he works for a pantheon with a rudimentary, if cruel, sense of humor.

Ralph, being an intelligent young man, has seen through the "powerful group of godlike spirits" part of this. Being an intelligent, arrogant young man, Ralph has assumed that this means that all supernatural entities routinely exaggerate their abilities and powers. While he has heard of angels, demons, and even Superiors, he thinks that the first two can be thwarted easily enough with a little planning, and that even the third can be successfully opposed by, or even bound to, a Sorcerer's Will. Mere ethereals? Easily fooled and easily led; in the meantime, they have knowledge that he desires, so no harm in indulging their petty desires.

As the above suggests, Ralph is possessed of the peculiar type of stupidity only found among people who are both very smart, and very aware of being smart: coupled with his almost complete lack of social graces (he has learned to mimic polite behavior through sheer determination), he will be easy meat for the first demon serving Hatiphas that comes across him. This is a pity, in its way. Ralph is not an evil person, merely young, dangerously ignorant about a great many things, unheeding, thoughtless, and careless about consequences. Should he ever discover the true nature of the universe - particularly the War - his basic impulse would not be to serve Hell; in fact, he will have to be coerced into doing it, and will undoubtedly be a most unwilling servant. Under the right circumstances he even might make a perfectly acceptable Pagan (or Divine) Soldier, instead of an eventually-replaced ethereal dupe.

Ralph Blake is a 100 point character suitable for a beginning campaign.