From: IN%"ralphc@bwc.org" 3-JUL-1994 01:44:27.96 To: IN%"gm-l@netcom.com" CC: Subj: Kyle Stevenson - Architect of Truth Name: "Gareth" Kyle Stevenson Nature: Visionary/Architect Clan: Malkavian Demeanor: Survivor/Fanatic Chronicle: GreatMinds Sire: Joshua Barry Generation: 7th Character Background: Kyle was a graduate student in philosophy at UNC Chapel Hill whose thesis focused on some of the implications behind quantum theory. Kyle was very perceptive and very creative and was breaking new ground in both philosophy and theoretical physics. He would have doubtless come to the attention of the Technomancy or the Traditions had it not been for the retainers of Joshua Barry, one of whom was his thesis advisor. These gentlemen brought the free thinking student to the attention of their master, a Malkavian with a great interest in breaking consensual reality down into islands of subjective truth. Joshua embraced Kyle in due course, after using his limited Dementation to break down his subject's mental resistance and Dominate to clear up his sudden absence. Kyle developed a flash of Malkavian "insight" that divided his personality into two parts. One part was opened to a realtiy that was beautiful, mutable and infinitely suprising. The other part of his mind saw the same magical effects and was terrified by them. Kyle developed two divergent goals. His first is to convince others of the relative nature of reality. His secondary purpose is to create the mathematical and theoretical basis for reality to exist with magic in it. Strangely, his two personalities are not at odds, but they tend to view events in radically differant ways. Kyle's normal identity is that of the happy visionary. If he is witness to a truly daunting magical event, however, he must make a courage check or shift to his defensive, analytical mindset and become obsessed with explaining the occurance away as a one time fluke or singular breach in the fabric of the gauntlet. This attitude will overwhelm any other motivations except self- preservation until he is satisfied that reality remains stable. The secondary personality will remain in control until _any_ event (including magical ones) that requires a courage check manages to break his nerve. Then his more competent and pragmatic side will reassert control. Kyle learned many things while in his sire's tutelage. The most important was a unique power and vulnerability created by his radically altered ideas about nature. A magus ally of Joshua's discovered quite by accident that Kyle does not generate paradox when beholding vulger magic, and he can in fact deflect paradox backlash away from the offending mage and into the environment. This talent would have been greeted with great enthusiasm had it not been discovered during an attack of the Men in Black on Joshua Barry's haven. All Kyle knows of this occurance is that black clad hunters who gave him a very ominous feeling managed to defeat and stake his sire. The mage in question might have survived, but Kyle was too busy running to check. He changed his name and has not stopped running yet. If anyone asks, he is Caitiff and goes by the name of Gareth. He is looking for both mages and (rational) kindred. Kyle also has the word "PAWN" written all over him for the factions of the Ascension War, and may quickly become too dangerous of an ally for most players to handle. Both Joshua Barry and his mage associate survived their battle and hence word of Kyle is probably already spreading among one of the Traditions. Joshua still wants to observe his prize pupil close up, but he may have other problems now with the Technocracy. Kyle is normally very friendly, cheerful and carefree. He usually wants people to take great joy in life as a way of waking them up to more of the mundane possibilities available to them. From there he opens up their horizons further. His other mindset will typically be fixated on a notebook or{~ laptop full of equations and will give minimal notice to those around him until the problem he is facing has been solved. At this point, he may become very cheerful indeed and may try to show others his calculations (a mind boggling set of equations). Kyle will hence swing back and forth between an enthusiastic adventurer and a self-absorbed scholar. Str: 2 Chr: 4 (likable) Int: 5 (Creative) Dex: 2 Man: 3 Per: 3 Sta: 2 App: 2 Wit: 2 Acting: 4 (Convincing) Drive: 1 Occult: 3 Alertness: 3 Melee: 1 Magus Lore: 1 Dodge: 1 Stealth: 3 Malkavian Time: 1 Empathy: 3 Intimidation: 3 Philosophy: 5 (Metaphysics) Subterfuge: 3 Science: 4 (Quantum Physics) Enigmas: 3 Disciplines Virtues Auspex: 3 Conscience: 3 Obfuscate: 1 Self-Control: 2 Presence: 1 Courage: 5 Backgrounds Humanity: 8 Generation: 7th Willpower: 9 Resources: 3 Merits Deflect Paradox (6pts): Magical ability that enables Kyle to deflect paradox backlash away from a friendly mage and into the environment. Kyle must make a successful willpower test at a difficulty equal to the number of paradox points involved +5. A failure or botch causes the backlash to strike him instead. Kyle can, however, neutralize or "soak" paradox by accepting it directly into himself and taking two levels of damage or losing one point of willpower per point of paradox. Kyle can absorb paradox generated by any vulger magic event to which he is a witness. Generally he will draw away the audience's disbelief by saying, "Wait, I see strings!", "I've seen this trick before, its all done with mirrors!"; or "Don't worry, its just a holographic illusion. Really." Somehow, this influences the nature of their consensual perceptions and shifts paradox to a more durable target. If the backlash is driven into an inanimate target it generally causes an accident or mechanical failure of some kind in the area. The Storyteller should keep track how many points of paradox Kyle has absorbed because he can, thanks to strange connection between himself and the mages he helps, suffer from both Epiphanies and Quiet. His primary nature will emerge to glory in the ever changing realities of Quiet, while his secondary identity will be gifted during Epiphany with a look at the primal equations governing interaction between magick and the paradigm (unfortunately these are too complex for him to remember afterwards =) ). Higher Purpose: Kyle has the goal of creating a higher, nobler scientific paradigm that although reasonably stable and predictable allows theoretically for the existance of magic and subjective realms. One might say that although the sleepers will still be allowed their "rational" world, not everyone living on Earth will be forced to be a part of it. Kyle's magickphile side wants this paradigm to convince people that magick exists and is not something frightening. His other half wants to accept magick into the Paradigm to fix the remaining holes in the Gauntlet and thereby ultimately limit its full power and disruptive potential, essentially reducing it to a kind of glorified hedge wizardry.{~ Flaws: Vulnerable to Magic: -2 to difficulties to effect Kyle with magic. He also does not count as a sleeper against vulger magic, especially if it is directed against him. Overconfidant: As normal, but lacking combat abilities he has been known to flee contingents of Men in Black who casually stake down his sire. Feeding Restriction: Kyle will not feed on the elderly or small children, just because he is a nice guy. Enemy: Technomancy. This group could rated as a mere 3 pt foe because they have not quite figured out who Kyle is. One may rest assured, however, that they will begin looking out for him if they discover the extent of his ability to enhance vulger magic.