Second Dawn: Daniel Rutledge
From EryriWiki
This is a reference document for the LARP The Second Dawn.
Daniel Rutledge Player: Constantine H Zeppelin Pilot Age: 20
Additional Information (read first): El Dorado
Background: You’ve lived all your life in El Dorado, with the same things happening every day, and the same people to share them with. There are only about ten other people your age, and none of them really are like you. Nobody laughs at your jokes. Nobody feels the pull of adventure, the desire to do something new, to explore someplace not seen before. People are very nice to you, but no one understands you. You don’t really think it’s wonderful at all to be ruled by a ‘benevolent AI’. She is so heavy-handed, always telling people the right way to do things. Possibly more infuriatingly, everyone listens! Rarely does anyone question her. Sure, she’s smarter than any human, but that doesn’t mean that she’s always right. Take for example the rules about staying within the boundaries of town. When you were little you believed the stories your mother told you, about beast-men who would catch you and eat you if you took one step beyond the wall. But you were a daring teenager, and one night you climbed the wall to see what was on the other side. Your almost thought you wouldn’t make it over, your hands were so sweaty with fear. But you did and you found - nothing. Just desert and scrub bushes in all directions. No wild men, no dangerous creatures, no monsters of any sort. Just emptiness. That was when you really started to wonder. If the walls aren’t to keep danger out, they must be to keep us in. What else is Rutledge the White lying about? You toyed with the idea of running away, of striking out into the desert and starting a new life. After one particularly frustrating day, you decided to do it. You took some food and water and climbed the wall. You didn’t even last a full 48 hours. It was just so hot during the day, and so cold at night. You brought a water bottle, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Dejected, you headed back home. There was one positive thing which came from your failed attempt to run away. You found a book, petrified by the sun and the heat. It cracked when you opened it, and the words were not legible at all. But it was still obvious what the pictures were - they were maps. Maps of places far away in time. You tried to determine where El Dorado was, but you just couldn’t tell. So few names were readable, and you didn’t have the slightest idea where you were, except that you were certainly one of the places along the water. You hid it so no one would know the treasure you had found. When Rutledge the White announced she was going to take a trip to the North, you saw your chance. You immediately volunteered to be the one to learn how to fly the Zepplin she was having built. The months leading up to the launch were the best in your life, full of anticipation and excitement of things to come. Although you’ve only been in New Providence a single day, you’ve realized you do not wish to ever go back. El Dorado was small and stifling. This city is full of life, people, and activity. You saw more new faces than people you had ever met before. You’ve been talking to people, and New Providence isn’t even the biggest city around - it is one of many places. The world has too much in it for you to return to your old life. However, staying presents several problems. First of all, you flew Rutledge the White and Erin Clarkson here. Erin has always been sweet to you, and you just couldn’t betray her by leaving her stranded so far from home. And even though you don’t like living under Rutledge the White, you don’t mean her ill. But neither of them has the skill to pilot the ship back. So you need to find some way for Erin and Rutledge the White to get back. One possibility would be to find someone else who could pilot the ship who would be willing to fly to El Dorado. Your zeppelin was well received - no one had seen a ship like it before - so there may be several people who would be willing to visit El Dorado. The ship itself isn’t too different from boats and other such things, any good pilot should be able to manage it. Another possibility, one which may be more difficult but more appealing, is to find some other way back to El Dorado for your fellow community members. You’re rather fond of your ship, and with a zeppelin you could fly across the continent, exploring as you go. Alternately you think you could sell it, and use the money to support yourself for a long while. Perhaps if you could find a sailor who would be willing to convey them by boat, you could keep your airship. The second barrier to staying is personal. You know no one here, would have no place to live nor any way of earning money. You have no desire to repeat your desert experience. You want to not go back to El Dorado - but you also want to have a destination and a way to get there, or a purpose and a means to stay here in New Providence. You need to make contacts, and ideally, to find someone to sponsor you - give you a job, or a place to stay, or join up with some expedition which will provide you basic needs. You don’t have a lot to trade, but you mechanically skilled. Not only can you pilot this ship, you can fix it too. You also know how to fix things they don’t have here, like solar cells. Also, some of these people seem almost as awed by you as you are by them- you may be able to play off of that. Finally, you do have that book, although it is precious to you, not returning to El Dorado is more important. The last thing you have which you may be able to sell is information. The Eastern Union and Maple Kingdoms both are especially fearful of black science. They consider all AIs to be part of this “black science”. Although Rutledge the White professes to be white instead of black, you really just don’t know much about AIs - she could be lying. She stressed to you that while it was fine to talk about how you had a benign AI back in El Dorado, you shouldn’t tell anyone that SHE was the AI. Now that you’ve heard more about black science, you understand why - she would be asked a lot of questions if people knew what she really was. There may be someone here who would want to know this enough to help you out and start you on your new life. It’s something to consider. In any case, you’ll have a busy evening tonight. Rutledge the White may decide she wants to leave immediately after the ship launch, so best to have as many contingency plans for freedom in place before then.
Roleplaying Notes: You’ve been lied to your whole life by a supposedly benign AI, so you’re fairly cynical in some ways. In others, you’re still quite naïve – the hustle and bustle of Eastern Union daily life is incredibly new to you. You’re thrilled to be here, and even more excited about the possibilities before you. You’re a bit reckless by nature and prone to rash action if you feel that things are going badly for you.
Goals: 1) Find a sponsor to assist you in staying in one of these northern nations. 2) Find someone, or another way, to take Erin Clarkson back to El Dorado. 3) Find other people who seek adventure like you. 4) Figure out what makes your “snowy seerstone” special.
Opinions: The Second Dawn: An amazing ship. You wish you could be on it when it launches - that would be the experience of a lifetime. You’d also like to take a closer look at it to see how it works. Tinkers: These are the technically skilled people of the north, so you have something in common there. May be a place to start to find either a sponsor or a way back for Erin. The Watch: They say this group protects the Union from black science. You bet they’d want to know that Rutledge the White is actually an AI, not some priestess. You’ve been told she’s white science, but even if that’s true, will northerners know the difference?
Key Information: •Rutledge the White asked for you not to tell any of these foreigners that she is your benevolent AI. The cover story is that she is the leader and the AI’s high priestess, while the AI is still back in El Dorado. •Someone must have a Pilot rating of at least 2 in order to fly the zeppelin confidently. Someone with a rating of 1 would be able to try, but you wouldn’t feel entirely secure of their chances over such a long journey in an unfamiliar vehicle. •Lots of people in El Dorado have your last name, Rutledge. •The zeppelins were made possible by an underground floating gas called “helium” discovered by the AI.
People you know: Rutledge the White (Michelle B): You are very conflicted about her - your entire community depends on her, and you’ve never seen her do anything evil, but her rule has been stifling and she has lied to all of you. Maybe you can earn citizenship somewhere by turning her in. Erin Clarkson (Lauren A): A bit of a dreamer, she spends a lot of time staring at the sea. She’s a bit older than you, but there aren’t many people near your age; of the lot, she’s the closest to being a friend. Ivy Pearce (Rachel O): A spaceship pilot! Going into space would be a grand adventure - you’re more than a little envious. You definitely would like to meet her and share flying stories. Jackie Drake (Sheyna G): They say she’s some kind of famous adventurer. You want to meet her, but you may have to exaggerate your own adventures so far in order to earn her respect; your life of excitement has been more dream than reality so far. Luther Gaines, Minister of the Watch (Kyle R): He leads the Watch, so if you decide to tell someone about Rutledge the White, he may be the person to go to. There might be options in other governments, but you know less about them.
Ratings: Pilot: 2 R: 0 D: 2 G: 1
Nametag Symbols: I, T
Attributes: Physical: Defense 3 Pool Rating 3 [] [] [] Mental: Defense 3 Pool Rating 3 [] [] [] Social: Defense 3 Pool Rating 3 [] [] []
Recoveries: -Slowly, over the course of a conversation, shift between enthusiastic and unenthusiastic tones about El Dorado (+2 points, 2/hour) -Impress someone with your skills, zeal or accomplishments (+1 point, 2/hour) -React to something at this party with awe and wonder (+1 point, 2/hour)
Abilities: Fisticuffs, attack, stick and wheel, diversion, suspect, sneak, convince, evasive (x1)
Items: Gyroscope, knife, snowy seerstone
Character Change: What you Found
You didn’t find a book when you snuck out beyond El Dorado; you found something more interesting. Just the very edge of some ruins, buried beneath the desert sands. You pried up an old piece of metal and dug for a bit, finding scraps of wire and plastic. You kept one thing; attractive enough to catch your eye, small enough to hide, and seemingly undamaged. A bead of glass, with snowy patterns of black-and-white flowing endlessly within its depths. Since you arrived in New Providence yesterday, you’ve glimpsed similar beads of glass in use; people call them “seerstones” here, and use them from time to time in their lives. Yet, the ones you’ve seen here all had either a clear image in its depths, or no image at all. Even here, the stone you found in the desert seems special. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to find someone who knows what it really is, and what makes it so special.
Note your changed goal: 4) Figure out what makes your “snowy seerstone” special.
