Tales from Jackson, IL: Witchy (Wednesday) Woman, Sylvia Velasco

No game for me this past weekend. My wife was sick, so I had dinner prep all on my own (we usually work together on the big game-day meals), but even then, I think it came out looking good.

Ham, homemade Mac & Cheese, caramelized sweet corn.

It also gave me some time to work on adventures, monsters, and an NPC. 

"Hey, maybe if we get lucky, someone will drop a house on her." - Valerie Beaumont on Sylvia.

Getting ready for this coming weekend's game, and I thought I'd introduce the campaign's resident evil witch. She is not going to be a big bad or anything like that, and I might have to go after the theosophist. If there had been a witch PC in the group, that theat character would have been the target. But this character is a background threat. Like a yard with a loud dog. Sure, they look dangerous and are noisy, but as long as you don't try to get into their yard, you can ignore them.

While deciding on my witch of choice, and I have so many to choose from, one became obvious to me right away. Sylvia Velasco. Though you all know her better as Skylla. 

Sylvia Velasco

Sylvia Velasco is one of the few adults the cast of characters will interact with who are not teachers or parents. She runs an occult bookstore, El Espejo Oscuro ("The Dark Mirror"), and claims to be from Spain. While her shop never seems to have customers (and most people are afraid of the place), she dresses immaculately and drives a brand-new (1985) Ferrari 308 GTS (red, of course).

Everything about Sylvia screams style, class, elegance, and danger.

Her accent is exotic without being off-putting. She is attractive without being threatening. She is older than the characters without coming off like a stereotypical evil witch.

Trouble is, of course, she *IS* the stereotypical evil witch.

My original plan was to have her go after any witch characters in the cast to prey on their power.  But we don't have a PC witch. I might set her after the psychic and/or theosophist. I want to establish her as evil and a real witch, making her a threat (but not THE threat). Later, she is going to the target of the local mob in my "Satanic Panic" adventure. She and her shop will also serve as a resource for PCs and NPCs alike.

Sylvia Velasco
6th Level Witch, Human

*Background: Sorcerous

Base Abilities
Strength: 9 (0) 
Agility: 11 (0) 
Toughness: 14 (+1) 
Intelligence: 12 (0) N
Wits: 15 (+1) N
Persona: 17 (+2) A

Fate Points: 1d8
Defense Value: 5
Vitality: 28

**Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +4/+2/+1
Melee Bonus: +1 (base) 
Ranged Bonus: +1 (base)
Spell Attack: +3
Saves: +3 to Spells and Magical effects (Witch) +2 to Intelligence saves (Sorcerous background).

Witch Abilities
Arcana, Arcane Powers (2): Innate Magic: Arcane Dart, Beguile Person

Witch Spells
First Level: Arcane Dart, Glamour, Gout of Flame
Second Level: Beguile Person, Magic Lock, Paralyze Person
Third Level: Dark Lightning, Dispel Magic

Heroic Touchstones
2nd Level: First Level Spell: Mystic Senses

Archetype: The "Evil" Witch
Quote: "I'll never make you do anything you don't want, and I will never lie to you." All of which is technically true.
Quirks: Looks AMAZING. Never so much as one perfect silver hair is out of place.
Theme song: "Abracadabra" - Steve Miller Band

Ok, a couple of things here.

I am going to start using the Backgrounds introduced in Wasted Lands. Though the backgrounds I am going to use are "Jock," "Band Kid," "Nerd," and other high school archetypes. since Sylvia is the first I am just using the stock "Sorcerous."  Right now, my high school background will only provide a bonus of +1 in either a skill type or a save.

I am also bringing in Corruption, though it is not as dangerous as what Wasted Lands has. In my Jackson game, it is called "Soul Burn." The first sign of soul burn, literally burning away pieces of their soul, is white hair. This helps explain why Sylvia and Faye Thorne both have white hair. Sylvia has done hers on purpose; Faye was subjected to it by her evil aunts. 

As I mentioned previously, I am also experimenting with adding various Heroic Touchstones. But since want this to be a more "realistic" game, or at least on the more realistic side of cinematic, I am going to pretty judicious in adding these. 

Looks like witch-bait to me.

And it can hardly be the 1980s without a great soundtrack!

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