Gentleman John

Gentleman John, also known as the Thistle Thief, is a changeling thief who targets the irreplaceable, leaving behind a thistle.

Biography
"I steal because it earns me a thrill. It’s the only thing that really seems to get my blood hot these days. It’s a shame, but what a rush, you know? I’m a bad man, truly. But I’m a nice bad man. Would you care to come with me? Have a drink, perhaps?" Once a petty pickpocket, John was taken away to Arcadia when he chose his mark poorly. The beautiful Other whispered to him that he could escape should he manage to steal her heart, hidden behind a locked door in her chest. His continuous failures were met with harsh, endless punishment, until he learned to play the gentleman, making her swoon with “the vapors”. He gained his key, stole the heart, and escaped, though in so doing he lost his own heart along the way.

Once more in the mortal world, he is a thief (only during winter) and a heartbreaker. In both cases, he tends ply his trade among the human populace, using his great skill with words to find his way to information — or a woman’s bed. Should someone see through his deceptions, he will avoid that target.

Appearance
A rather androgynous individual, Gentleman John is tall and lanky. His hair, though disheveled, has the appearance of once being slicked back, and under the Mask, his fingers possess a few more joints than might be considered normal. Though his mannerisms ever have a great deal of flair and gesture, his dress is rather conservative, with black suits, white shirts, and black ties.

Character Sheet
Seeming: Fairest Kith: Larcenist Court: Winter Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 4 Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2 Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 4, Composure 2 Mental Skills: Crafts 2, Investigation 4, Occult 1, Politics 2 Physical Skills: Athletics (Flee) 3, Brawl 1, Larceny (Planned Jobs) 5, Stealth 4, Survival 1, Weaponry 2 Social Skills: Empathy 1, Expression 3, Intimidation 1,  Persuasion (Seduction) 4, Socialize 4, Subterfuge (Seduction) 4 Merits: Direction Sense, Fighting Style: Social Maneuvers 4, Fleet of Foot 3, Mantle (Winter) 3, Resources 3, Striking Looks 2, Token (15 Thistlegift Trifles; see below) 5 Willpower: 6 Clarity: 5 Virtue: Fortitude Vice: Lust Initiative: 6 Defense: 4 Speed: 14 (with Fleet of Foot) Health: 7 Wyrd: 6 Contracts: Dream ••; Goblin (Trading Luck for Fate, Fair Entrance, Fool’s Gold, Good and Bad Luck); Hearth •••; Mirror •; Vainglory •• Glamour/per Turn: 15/6 Frailties: X Weapons/Attacks: Type Damage Range  Dice Pool Special Saber 2(L) — 6 —

Trifle: Thistlegift
To use this trifle, the changeling must plant a delicate kiss upon the living thistle (painful, though it causes no damage); when this is done, it withers and dies. For the remainder of the scene, the changeling leaves behind no physical evidence of his passing: no fingerprints, no footprints, no fluids, nothing.

Fighting Style: Social Maneuvers (• to ••••)
Prerequisites: Presence •••, Manipulation •••, one Social Skill at ••••

Effect: Your character is trained in the art of social manipulations and able to twist a victim around his thumb for purposes of getting what he wants. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. The positive effects of each may end upon one dramatic failure by the character or several consecutive Social failures.

Sugar Lips, Honey Tongue (●): Your character’s first interaction with a target is a mind-blowing yet convincing compliment — the goal being to knock them off balance a bit before going in for the “kill.” Using this “move” necessitates first keeping a close eye on the target for at least 20 minutes, reading body language, determining vulnerabilities. Upon delivering the compliment, roll your character’s Manipulation + Socialize versus the target’s Presence + Composure. Your roll gains a bonus equal to half of your Empathy score, however, rounded up. Success on the roll means the target suffers –3 dice to any further Social Resistance traits or rolls.

Stick and Move (●●):This forces the victim to be the aggressor (though, admittedly, the false aggressor) in a conversation, thus investing the victim in your character’s well-being. Roll Presence + Subterfuge versus target’s Wits + Empathy. Success indicates that you can use the victim’s own interests and desires against her: for the remainder of the scene, you gain a bonus to all Social rolls equal to half the victim’s Presence score (round up). Drawback: this necessitates the expenditure of a single point of Willpower.

New Approach (●●●): Any time it looks like your character has lost a Social contest, you may spend a Willpower point to force that contest to be re-rolled, gaining a “second chance,” of sorts.

Chip Away (●●●●): Once per turn, your character may make any Social roll and spend a Willpower point. In doing so, you do not gain +3 to that roll, but instead force a –1 Social penalty upon the target by continuing to unbalance the conversation. This penalty is cumulative, and can build to a maximum of –3 dice. Drawback: if you fail a Social roll after successfully engaging this tactic, the target gains the upper hand again and the Social penalty disappears. You may not try this move again on that target during this game session.