Character Creation Example

• Governor Kincaid
• Dirk Gently
• Mother Superior Mary Anna
• Inspector O'Connor

Governor Kincaid

High Concept - Grieving Governor

Kincaid is a Governor who has been plagued by tragedy, and lost those important to them.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Gain a bonus in social situations where the weight of his rank can be leveraged
• Gain access to political connections

Can Be Compelled To:

• Tie him up with the responsibilities of his position
• Take advantage of his emotional state to make reckless decisions

Trouble - One thing left in this world

His daughter, Cassandra, is what he lives for. He wants to use his power and influence to make the world a better place for her to live in. May be guilty of spoiling her.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Gain a bonus when doing something For Cassandra

Can Be Compelled To:

• Take a risk to help Cassandra
• Place Cassandra in Danger

First Adventure - Driven in the face of Tragedy

His wife wife killed by a drunk driver. Used his resources to bring her killer before the law, and to champion prohibition.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Gain a bonus to stop something terrible from happening
• Recover from a tragedy

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have something tragic happen to a loved one

Note: This one feels like it overlaps a fair bit with the first to. Can we come up with something that gives another dimension to him?

Crossing Paths - Money Talks

When his friend's daughter went missing, Kincaid provided finical aid. Hired a good detective and greased some palms to get her back.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Use his wealth to convince others to help him

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have others demand a lot of money to help
• Have somebody try to extort him for his wealth

Crossing Paths - Wrong Place, Right Time

Kincaid wasn't supposed to be in charge of logistics at the camp when shit hit the fan, but he was there and knew how to organize things. He helped get the supplies needed to save many lives.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Show up somewhere just at things go sideways
• Organize others to get them where they need to be

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have trouble strike at the worst opportunity

Note: I feel like this one is also overlapping. Most of the downsides are "Something bad happens", which is perfectly fine for an NPC, but not quite so good for a PC.

Dirk Gently

High Concept - Disgraced Detective

Dirk is a skilled private eye, but lost his reputation when he got caught sleeping with his client's wife.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Look for clues
• Investigate criminals

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have people distrust him due to his reputation
• Have criminals be uncooperative

Trouble - Prone to Vices

Dirk likes the finer things in life; Sex, Drugs and Smooth Jazz. He has connections and knows where to find these vices, but often fall to temptation.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Find those finer things
• Socialize with those who also share these vices

Can Be Compelled To:

• Get distract by his vices
• Be strapped for cash because he spent it on vices

First Adventure - A Long History in the Town

Dirk has been around a long time. His first big case, back in the late 1800s, was looking for a kidnapped girl. He found her, barely. Since then he's helped a lot of people, and made even more enemies.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Know a guy in town who knows what he's looking for
• Know a shortcut in the streets where he can gain time or lose a pursuer

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have an somebody out to get him for an old slight
• Have somebody come to him for help

Crossing Paths - Everybody gets paid somehow

With his reputation shot, Dirk had to take some unsavory jobs. He was hired to dig up some dirt on a cop who was investigating corruption in the teamsters union.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Know who to bribe
• Find somebody that needs something done

Can Be Compelled To:

• Asked to do something unsavory

Crossing Paths - It's never too late

Despite his reputation, Kincaid remembered working with him back in the day and came to him to track down his wife's killer. Dirk was able to track him down right before the slayer skipped town.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Show up in the nick of time
• Refocus and prepare to take another shot at a problem

Can Be Compelled To:

• Delay him so he shows up late

Mother Superior Mary Anna

High Concept - Pious Matron

Mary Anna's devotion to the church has gained the respect of her peers, and allowed her to gain the rank of Mother Superior.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Gain respect from religious folk
• Know Theology

Can Be Compelled To:

Trouble - I Must Save Them All

Mary Anna truly loves all. She will do what it takes to save you body and soul.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Help another in grave danger
• Provide spiritual support to those that are burdened

Can Be Compelled To:

• Take risks to help those in need
• Lose track of secular issues

First Adventure - Great War Nurse

She traveled overseas to save as many as she could. She still has nightmares from what she saw.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Provide medical aid
• Deal with horrors - She's seen worse

Can Be Compelled To:

• Be troubled by nightmares

Crossing Paths - 4th Street Mission

Mary Anna has lived most her life in the mission. One night, shortly after earning her habit, a man with a wounded girl took shelter in her mission. She provided what care she could until the authorities arrived. She cares greatly for all in the mission.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Perform any action inside the Mission
• Gain favor with those who attend her church

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have trouble happen to the church

Crossing Paths - Do The Right Thing

Mary Anna often provides guidance to those who seek it. Recently a police officer with a dilemma came to her, and she helped him gain the resolve to do what needed to be done.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Perform the "Right" action in the face of adversity
• Seeking the proper path

Can Be Compelled To:

• Do the right thing, even when it means personal suffering

Inspector O'Connor

High Concept - Irish Inspector

A more competent officer than his rank would leave one to believe.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Investigate Crime
• Find welcome in the Irish Community

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have criminals oppose him
• Be discriminated against for his race

Trouble - The Only Clean Cop On The Force

O'Connor wants to make the city safer, and isn't willing to play nice with the criminal elements.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Gain the trust of honest citizens
• See through corruption

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have dirty cops impede him
• Have mobsters cause him problems

First Adventure - Trouble with the Union

O'Connor got everything he needed to put a corrupt union boss behind bars, and a lot of people weren't happy about this.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Know the inner workings of the Unions

Can Be Compelled To:

• Have Union workers refuse to help

Crossing Paths - Student of Major Hesketh Prichard

When O'Connor went overseas to fight in France, he was picked out as a natural shot and got special training from Major Hesketh Prichard at the First Army School of Sniping, Observation and Scouting.

Can Be Invoked To:

• Shoot people when prepare
• Assess the battlefield

Can Be Compelled To:

Crossing Paths - Let Me Do My Damned Job

O'Connor got put in charge of tracking down killer of Lady Kincaid. This was a great career opportunity, and many people didn't want that. His work was so impeded that Governor Kincaid opted to hire a private eye.

Can Be Invoked To:

Can Be Compelled To:

Note: This is another I feel is a bit too overlapping. He's already got the cops, mob and unions all opposing him. When would this come into play that one of the others wouldn't?