Ashes of the Archmage - Algy

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Algernon "Algy" Kessler

General Information

• Playbook: The Sworn
• Look: White male, conforming, casual clothing
• Demeanor: Emotional

Stats

• Blood: 1
• Heart: 0
• Mind: 2
• Spirit: -1

Circles

• Mortalis: 0
• Night: 0
• Power: 1
• Wild: 1

Status

• Mortality: 0
• Night: 0
• Power: 1
• Wild: 0

Intro Questions

• Why did you swear your oath?

I didn't exactly choose this life—not in the way people pick careers or take up hobbies. One night, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, saw something I shouldn't have, and that was that. I should've run. Should've acted like I never saw the man with no shadow, never heard the words that made the air hum. But I didn't. Curiosity got the better of me, and in London, that's never a good thing. Next thing I know, I'm being offered a choice: swear myself to the Order, serve them, or be made to forget in a way that might involve a body bag. Maybe I'm just a coward who didn't want to die, or maybe I was looking for something bigger than myself. Either way, I swore. And once you swear, there's no going back.

• How long have you been in the city?

I was born here. Grew up in some nowhere part of South London, spent most of my life trying to scrape by. London's a city that eats people alive if they let it, and I spent a lot of years just trying to keep my head above water. Then I got wrapped up in this, and suddenly, the city looked different. It's got layers, you know? Old bones underneath the concrete, whispers in alleyways, places that aren't on any map. I've been with the Order for three years now, and I'm still finding new corners of this city that make my skin crawl.

• Who trained you in the ways of your order?

Dame Corvina. Real piece of work, that one. Sharp as a knife, cold as a grave, the kind of woman who looks at you like she's already decided whether you're worth keeping around. She doesn't teach so much as she strips you down, cuts out the bits of you that don't serve the Order. I remember the first lesson she ever gave me: "You serve something greater than yourself now." Over and over, until I stopped asking questions. I owe her—everything I know, everything that's kept me alive, that's all from her. But I don't trust her. Not completely. Because if I ever became a liability, she'd kill me without a second thought.

• What marks you as different from the masters you serve?

I age. I get tired. I eat shitty takeaway at two in the morning and wake up hungover. They don't. The ones I serve, they're… other. They look human, but they're not. Not really. They don't blink enough. Their voices don't change when they lie. They move like they've already seen how things will play out. I don't have that. I fuck up. I make bad calls. I still get nervous when I have to step into the dark places they send me. Maybe that's why they keep me around—I can go where they can't, do things they won't. Or maybe they just like having something fragile to dangle over the edge.

• Whose disappearance are you investigating?

Declan Moore. Fixer. Middleman. The kind of guy you go to when you need something buried—evidence, a body, a secret. He wasn't one of us, but he knew just enough to be useful. Until he wasn't. One night, he just… vanished. No sign of struggle, no mess, just a glass of whiskey left on his desk like he'd meant to come back. Only thing out of place was a note with my name on it. No message, just my name. That's what keeps me up at night.

Debts

• You owe a Debt to someone who gives you info about a Circle you don’t understand.
• Someone owes you a Debt—you secretly helped them get justice for a wrong done upon them.
• You owe a Debt to someone—your service forced you to punish or kill their ally or friend.

Your Oath

You serve: An order of secret immortals (Faction: Power, Size 3, Strength 3). You are charged with:

• Investigating threats and problems
• Destroying those who would thwart your masters

Ask the MC what you know about their structure, culture, and assets.

Your Vows

• Never reveal your faction’s secrets
• Always avoid collateral damage
• Always protect members of Power from harm
• Always thwart the enemies of your masters
• Always seize that which your masters desire

When you break a vow, mark corruption. If you take a corruption advance, cross out a vow. If all are crossed out, change playbooks.

Legendary Weapon

Name: A sword wielded by rightful kings

• Tags: 3-harm, mythic, anchored
• Effect: Advance the named move. When wielded in the service of your masters, roll with Mind instead of Spirit when you keep your cool.
• Limitation: If your oath is broken, the weapon is lost and may betray you.

Sworn Moves

• Protect and Serve – When you read a charged situation, roll with Mind. On a hit, ask questions and get +1 ongoing when you act on the answers.
  • 10+: Ask 2
  • 7-9: Ask 1
  • Miss: Recognize a weakness in your own position

Questions: ::

• Where’s my escape route / way in / way past?

• Which enemy is most vulnerable to me?

• What should I be on the lookout for?

• What’s my enemy’s true position?

• Who here can’t be trusted?

• Genuine Police – When you put a face to a name or study a sanctuary, gathering spot, or place of power, roll with Mind instead of Circle. Always ask an additional question about the subject, even on a miss.

Gear

• Luxurious house or apartment
• Fancy car
• Expensive smartphone
• Backup weapon: Hunting Knife (2-harm, hand)

Corruption

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