William Ethrac is a Nordic sorcerer and member of the Hagalaz within the Cult of Ecstasy.
Biography[]
The dapper gentleman known as William Ethrac hails from turn-of-the-century England. As a dashing Londoner with a soft accent and a compelling voice, slick black hair with distinguished gray at the temples, a sharp nose and brilliant ice-blue eyes, he exudes charisma. He writes biting poetry and satire, debates politics with amusing acumen, plays a good game of chess and smiles when bested. He's also a thoroughly violent man, given to fits of rage in private, and a secretive follower of the Hagalaz.
William traces his heritage to the Scandinavian settles of England who became part of the feudal system at the end of the Viking era. Considering himself a true son of pain, he embraces wholeheartedly the ethic of personal sacrifice and enlightenment through pain. Worse still, he believes that mundane people can be opened to such sensations only through the auspices of the enlightened. To William, Sleepers aren't potential mages, they're people trapped in perceptions that can only be shattered through the intervention of the "magically superior." Working with the underground Hellfire Clubs, William takes great pleasure in that work - all from the belief that only in liberating Sleepers through pain can the Cult return a vision of ecstasy to the mind-numbed, bleating masses.
What is perhaps most frustratingly to Cultists who hunt this flouter of the Code of Ananda is the fact that William seems to delight in reshaping victims into pale images of himself. Conditioned with his magic as he sends them through torturous sessions of branding and flaying, he even overwrites their personalities, so any given "William Ethrac" might well be nothing but an imposter with a few simple magical tricks layered on. Since people who are twisted in this fashion bear William's Resonance and some measure of his surface thoughts, it's not easy to immediately tell a fake from the real issue - and William is too clever to be easily caught in person.
Runic scars and brands line the inside of William's arms. Through mortification, he induces ecstatic trances that allow him to connect to the power of the runes and manifest magic. Naturally, he gives a bad name both to the Cult and to Scandinavian magical heritage, and many Cultists who have heard his name would show him no quarter. Of course, few would dare face him, either. His legendary skill in torture and endurance to pain place him as, perhaps, one of the most frightening opponents of Lakashim that a Cultist could face. Some Disciples theorize that he will only be bested if a Cultist that he tortures manages to reach Lakashim through the haze of pain, touch the center of William's magic and overtake it.
Appearance[]
With pale blue eyes, fair skin, firm and sharp features, distinguished middle age and a fit body, William's an outstanding specimen of handsome form. With his political connections and money, he can also afford the best in tailored wear, and he tends to favor very classical suits with splashes of color in the form of lapel flowers or kerchiefs. He carries himself with absolute confidence, and he has the refined politeness of well-mannered high society, though he's capable of slumming with the best drinkers in town. His voice is soothingly resonant, and it sets people at ease. In short, he seems like an utterly respectable, pleasant fellow.
Stats[]
Faction: Hagalaz
Essence: Pattern
Nature: Masochist
Demeanor: Gallant
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4 (Pain-Resistant), Charisma 4 (Winning Smile), Manipulation 4 (Persuasive), Appearance 4 (Respectable), Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 2
Abilities: Academics 1, Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Cosmology 1, Crafts (Rune-Carving) 3, Dodge 3, Drive 1, Enigmas 2, Etiquette 3, Expression 3, Firearms 1, Intimidation 4 (Fearlessness), Law 1, Linguistics 1 (Old Norse), Medicine 4 (Torture), Meditation 1, Melee 4 (Axes), Occult 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3, Survival 3
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Arcane 1, Avatar 1, Contracts 5, Destiny 1, Influence 4, Library 1, Resources 4
Arete: 5
Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 4, Forces 2, Life 3, Mind 2, Time 4
Willpower: 9
Quintessence: 1
Paradox: 0
Resonance: (Static) Runic 2
References[]
- MTAs: Tradition Book: Cult of Ecstasy, p. 78-79