Character:Mark Clemens

A character for Deadlands: The Weird West, revised edition.

Campaign

While the character's background is written for a play-by-post taking place in the Disputed Lands, there is nothing in the background that necessarily prevents him from being used in any Weird West campaign -- though one taking place in the Confederacy could present some difficulties.

Character Stats

Name: Mark Clemens Grit: 0 Pace: 10 Size: 6 Wind: 16

Edges & Hindrances

Edges

• Seen the Elephant (2)
• Keen

Hindrances

• One-Armed Bandit
• Ailin' (3)
• Death Wish

Abilities & Skills

Cognition: 4d8

• Artillery 1
• Search: 1

Deftness: 3d12

• Shootin': Pistol 4
• Shootin': Rifle 1
• Speed Load: Pistol 4

Knowledge: 3d6

• Area Knowledge (Chippewa County, Michigan) 2
• Trade: Gunsmith 2

Mein: 4d6

• Leadership 1

Nimbleness: 2d10

• Fightin': Brawlin' 2
• Fightin': Sword 1
• Climbin' 1
• Sneak 1

Quickness: 4d10

• Quick Draw: Pistol 4

Smarts: 3d6

• Bluff 2
• Scroungin' 1

Spirit: 3d8

• Guts 2

Gear

• $5.25
• 2 S&W Russians (w/Cylinder Stop)
• 2 Quick-draw holsters
• 2 Shotgun thongs
• 2 Gunbelts
• Boots
• Trousers (El Cheapo)
• Shirt (El Cheapo)
• Duster (El Cheapo)
• Stetson (El Cheapo)
• Watch
• Shoulder holster
• S&W Baby Russian (w/Cylinder Stop)
• Speed-load cylinder (x6)
• Box .36 ammo
• Box .44R ammo (x4)
• Gunsmith tools (small crucible, bullet mold)

Wooden travel chest containing:

• Sabre
• Dress uniform
• Army boots
• Mess kit
• Canteen
• Bed roll
• Backpack
• Winchester '66
• Box .44 rifle ammo

Background

Born into a poor, north-eastern family. At the age of 18, recently married and newly a father, Mark Clemens found himself conscripted into the Union army.

For the next 5 years, he took part in a number of campaigns, fighting as a foot-soldier up and down the Union/Confederacy border.

His luck held, and he went by unwounded, writing letters to Emily back home and waiting to see his son Sam. Then, during an otherwise unremarkable battle in Missouri, he was wounded in the right arm. Though the ball was removed soon afterward, the wound became gangrenous and the sawbones amputated at the shoulder.

As if his luck wasn't already bad enough, while recuperating in the army hospital camp, he developed a cough. Returning home to his family in Michigan, the cold weather aggravated it and it soon became apparent that it was consumption.

Shunned and unemployed, he packed up a few of his belongings and hopped a train. Eventually his wanderings found him in the Disputed Lands, where he heard rumours of the work of one Thomas Melquist. Figuring that a noble death would be better than dieing in a ditch somewhere, he signed on with his agency -- the better to prove that there's still some use in him.

Comments

The above gear and hindrances uses the books Back East: The South (Seen the Elephant) and Law Dogs (the various guns & holsters). Other than that, I love the quirkiness of the Deadlands system. It's just so fun.