Deep Dive Sneak Peek: Virgil Medina

Today I'm sharing the sample Devoted for Tavayana, a Standing 1 conspiracy.

The usual caveat applies: This is a first draft, so there will be changes.

Virgil Medina

Quote: “We all dream, but with Tavayana’s guidance you can learn how to dream deeper and to unlock your full spiritual potential.”

Background: When Virgil’s wife divorced him and won custody of their two children because of his drinking problem, it was a wake-up call for him. He wanted nothing more than to prove himself to his family and win them back, but the rehabilitation programs (12-step and otherwise) just weren’t working, although one of them recommended Tavayana as an alternative.

Initially, Virgil was skeptical, but Heidi’s guided meditation gave him a sense of peace and oneness with the universe he hadn’t felt since college. He quickly became a regular, and the dream exploration sessions were the highlight of his week. On the day of his Divergence, he was travelling deep in the dreams of others, moving from friends to friends-of-friends to friends-of-friends-of-friends and onward until all dreams were his dream, and he was a part of every dream. When he woke, he found himself on a grassy, dew-soaked mountainside overlooking a small town as the sun was just beginning to rise.

He came into the valley and found every stranger he met welcoming and friendly. What was more, he understood them on a deep level – their hopes, fears, and secret needs. He assumed it was something remarkable about this place, but when he visited a nearby city to shop for supplies, he discovered that the powers Heidi had granted him in his dreams now manifested in the waking world. His desire for alcohol felt far away, although he still felt a desperate desire for another of Heidi’s meditation sessions.

After a year of work, Virgil has put his life back together. He is allowed to spend time with his children regularly and has rekindled a relationship with his ex-wife. He’s quick to step in to lend Heidi a hand with whatever trouble Tavayana might have, and he is the conspiracy’s biggest fan.

Appearance: Virgil is in his mid-30s and is of average height with short, black hair. Although once slim, he has begun to put on some weight. At home, he prefers comfortable clothes like sweats and t-shirts, but elsewhere he usually dresses in at least business casual attire – slacks and a polo shirt or a shirt and tie.

Roleplaying Hints: Virgil is friendly and gentle, and he genuinely wants to be a good father and to help his neighbors and friends, especially Heidi. However, he needs Tavayana’s meditation sessions with great intensity, and he will use his telepathic powers ruthlessly to ensure his continued access to them. He talks about his dreams more than most people do and makes no secret of the potential benefits of Heidi’s meditation sessions even to complete strangers.

Origin: Epimorph

Clade: Cephalist

Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 3; Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2; Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 3

Mental Skills: Academics 1, Crafts (Woodworking) 1, Occult 2 (Dreams)

Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Firearms 2, Larceny 1, Stealth 1, Survival 2 (Camping), Weaponry 1

Social Skills: Empathy 2, Persuasion 2, Socialize 3

Merits: Living Progenitor 3, Mastered Technique 1, Resources 2, Shared Suffering 2, Stabilizer 2

Willpower: 6

Stability: 5

Conviction: 1

Loyalty: 4

Aspiration: Tell a stranger about the benefits of Tavayana

Initiative: 5

Defense: 4

Speed: 10

Health: 7

Size: 5

Acclimation: 0

Adaptations: Focused, Iron Will, Stubborn Resolve

Forms: Devoted

Involuntary Scars: Asset (Social; Balanced) 3

Variations: Body Snatcher 1, Pheromones 1, Telepathy (Attune) 1

Techniques: Cold Reading (Telepathy; add higher of Variation Magnitude or Scar Power as an equipment bonus to Empathy and Socialize actions)

Acquainted: +1 Wits, +1 Presence; +1 Academics, +1 Occult, +1 Empathy, +1 Persuasion, +1 Socialize; Pheromones (Aura) 2, Telepathy 2; Asset (Social; Balanced, Enduring) 4

Personal: +1 Composure; +1 Occult, +1 Empathy, Athletics +1; Body Snatcher 3; Hubris (Toy) 2

Obsessive: +1 Presence; Firearms+1, Subterfuge +1, Socialize +1; Pheromones (Aura) 4; Hubris (Gloat) 3