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Quinn Brantley - Rift of the Little Match Girl (WIP)


Roane

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Quinn Brantley

The Little Match Girl

Name: Quinn Brantley
Nicknames: Q, Brandy
Age: Late twenties.
Gender: Female.


Occupation: Bartender/Mixologist.
Height: 5'6".
Build: Athletic and lean.
Demeanor: Confident and approachable, with a warm smile that puts patrons at ease and invites conversation.


Logos concept: A savvy bartender and manager at "The Crossroads" bar, "Brandy" as she is known to her regulars, is renowned for her empathetic ear and knack for mixing the perfect drink and advice that seem to resonate with her patrons' innermost needs.

Mythos concept: A flicker in the shadow, the bearer of the last flame that warms the lost and the hopeless, igniting hope with a whisper.

Logos

Logos

Quinn Brantley thrives behind the bar of "The Crossroads," a place where city tales intertwine with the clink of glasses. Her days are a blend of mixology and silent observations, her nights a canvas for whispered confessions and fleeting connections. To the outside world, Quinn is the epitome of urban chic—confident, with an athletic build, and a style that marries practicality with a touch of mystery. Her demeanor is an inviting cocktail of warmth and reserved charisma, making her both approachable and enigmatic.

Why did this Mythos manifest through your character? The Little Match Girl mythos found its way to Quinn during a bleak winter of the soul, a time when the harshness of the city seemed insurmountable to those around her. It was her inherent capacity for empathy, her silent wish to be a beacon of hope in the unforgiving night, that stirred the mythos awake. Like the match girl's final flickers of light and warmth in the cold, Quinn's presence became a sanctuary, a place of solace amidst the chaos of urban life.

What is your character's Secret Pain? Quinn harbors a deep-seated guilt over a night she couldn't save someone—a young soul lost to the city's shadows, a reminder of the limits of her reach. This event is the ember that fuels her drive but also the shadow that haunts her steps. It's this secret pain that binds her to the Little Match Girl, a shared narrative of warmth in the cold, light in the darkness, and the agony of flames that eventually extinguish. Despite her role as a giver of hope, Quinn is perpetually chased by the question: "Could I have done more?" This doubt is her silent companion, tucked away beneath the bottles and smiles, a pain that fuels both her compassion and her isolation.

Mythos

Mythos

The Little Match Girl: The Last Ember's Guardian

Within Quinn Brantley stirs the mythos of The Little Match Girl, a legend of fleeting warmth in the biting cold, of ephemeral light in engulfing darkness. This ancient tale reborn grants Quinn the ethereal power to kindle hope where despair reigns, to illuminate paths for those lost in their own shadows. As the Last Ember's Guardian, Quinn wields the ability to ignite a spark of joy and comfort in the hearts of the city's weary souls, offering brief respite from their struggles with her words, her presence, and her concoctions. Yet, this gift comes with the poignant reminder of the match girl's own fate—transient flames in the night, a warmth that can stave off the chill but not defeat it. Quinn embodies the duality of light and shadow, her every action a testament to the enduring human spirit and the inevitable, encroaching darkness that follows.


Theme Cards

Expression
EMBER'S WHISPER

Mystery:Every Mythos theme has a question, called a Mystery, which defines what your character wishes to discover about their Mythos. Can true hope be kindled in the heart of despair?


Ember's Whisper is the manifestation of Quinn's deepest desire to bring light to the darkest corners of the human heart, to challenge the encroaching despair of the city with moments of genuine connection and understanding.


Attention: {_} {_} {_}
Fade:When your character's Mystery calls to them, but they ignore it, mark one Fade.

If your character continues to ignore their Mythos and marks the third Fade box, you replace the theme with a new Logos theme.
{_} {_} {_}


POWER TAGSWhen you take action using one of the Core Moves, each power tag you have (and that is relevant to your action) adds one point of Power to your move.

This improves your chances of succeeding and increases the effectiveness of your action.

Each theme starts with 3 power tags.
You must answer the first power tag question in your Themebook. Then answer two more of your choice.

For each theme, you can only have one broad power tag. A broad power tag is one that would be useful in many different situations.

Power Tag Questions
Answer the first question (A) from your chosen Themebook, and then choose two more questions from the following list to answer. Your answer should be a short description no more than a few words long. Each answer becomes a power tag.

A) Igniting hopeful visions
F) Revealing hidden truths
G) Empathic bond

WEAKNESS TAGSWeakness Tags depower your moves but earn you Attention. They always describe something limiting (ask yourself: what actions would this weakness tag impede?).

Each theme starts with 1 weakness tag. You can answer any weakness tag question in your Themebook.

Extra tags! In one theme of your choice, you may add one additional power tag and one additional weakness tag.

D) Emotional burnout.

Turf
HEART OF THE CROSSROADS

Identity:Every Logos theme has a statement, called an Identity, which describes some aspect of your character that they believe about themselves. At the Crossroads, everyone finds their way


Creating a theme starts with a concept. Describe that concept, how it relates to your Rift, and what it allows your Rift to do.


Attention: {_} {_} {_}
Crack:You mark Crack when your character's Identity demands something of them, but they fail to deliver.

If your character continues to ignore their Identity and marks the third Crack box, you replace the theme with a new Mythos theme instead.
{_} {_} {_}


POWER TAGSWhen you take action using one of the Core Moves, each power tag you have (and that is relevant to your action) adds one point of Power to your move.

This improves your chances of succeeding and increases the effectiveness of your action.

Each theme starts with 3 power tags.
You must answer the first power tag question in your Themebook. Then answer two more of your choice.

For each theme, you can only have one broad power tag. A broad power tag is one that would be useful in many different situations.

Power Tag Questions
Answer the first question (A) from your chosen Themebook, and then choose two more questions from the following list to answer. Your answer should be a short description no more than a few words long. Each answer becomes a power tag.

A) The Crossroads Bar
C) Familiar Faces
E) Nightly communal gatherings

WEAKNESS TAGSWeakness Tags depower your moves but earn you Attention. They always describe something limiting (ask yourself: what actions would this weakness tag impede?).

Each theme starts with 1 weakness tag. You can answer any weakness tag question in your Themebook.

Extra tags! In one theme of your choice, you may add one additional power tag and one additional weakness tag.

A) Unwanted criminal attention

Personality
URBAN EMPATH

Identity:Every Logos theme has a statement, called an Identity, which describes some aspect of your character that they believe about themselves. A nod, a smile, and the world feels lighter.


Creating a theme starts with a concept. Describe that concept, how it relates to your Rift, and what it allows your Rift to do.


Attention: {_} {_} {_}
Crack:You mark Crack when your character's Identity demands something of them, but they fail to deliver.

If your character continues to ignore their Identity and marks the third Crack box, you replace the theme with a new Mythos theme instead.
{_} {_} {_}


POWER TAGSWhen you take action using one of the Core Moves, each power tag you have (and that is relevant to your action) adds one point of Power to your move.

This improves your chances of succeeding and increases the effectiveness of your action.

Each theme starts with 3 power tags.
You must answer the first power tag question in your Themebook. Then answer two more of your choice.

For each theme, you can only have one broad power tag. A broad power tag is one that would be useful in many different situations.

Power Tag Questions
Answer the first question (A) from your chosen Themebook, and then choose two more questions from the following list to answer. Your answer should be a short description no more than a few words long. Each answer becomes a power tag.

A) Truly wants to help
B) Warm, welcoming demeanor
F) Intuitive reader

WEAKNESS TAGSWeakness Tags depower your moves but earn you Attention. They always describe something limiting (ask yourself: what actions would this weakness tag impede?).

Each theme starts with 1 weakness tag. You can answer any weakness tag question in your Themebook.

Extra tags! In one theme of your choice, you may add one additional power tag and one additional weakness tag.

A) Overly emotionally invested

Routine
THE BARTENDER'S RITUAL

Identity:Every Logos theme has a statement, called an Identity, which describes some aspect of your character that they believe about themselves. For every story there's a drink; for every face, a friend.


Creating a theme starts with a concept. Describe that concept, how it relates to your Rift, and what it allows your Rift to do.


Attention: {_} {_} {_}
Crack:You mark Crack when your character's Identity demands something of them, but they fail to deliver.

If your character continues to ignore their Identity and marks the third Crack box, you replace the theme with a new Mythos theme instead.
{_} {_} {_}


POWER TAGSWhen you take action using one of the Core Moves, each power tag you have (and that is relevant to your action) adds one point of Power to your move.

This improves your chances of succeeding and increases the effectiveness of your action.

Each theme starts with 3 power tags.
You must answer the first power tag question in your Themebook. Then answer two more of your choice.

For each theme, you can only have one broad power tag. A broad power tag is one that would be useful in many different situations.

Power Tag Questions
Answer the first question (A) from your chosen Themebook, and then choose two more questions from the following list to answer. Your answer should be a short description no more than a few words long. Each answer becomes a power tag.

A) Bartender therapist
F) Crafting unique cocktails
I) Cozy, atmospheric bar

WEAKNESS TAGSWeakness Tags depower your moves but earn you Attention. They always describe something limiting (ask yourself: what actions would this weakness tag impede?).

Each theme starts with 1 weakness tag. You can answer any weakness tag question in your Themebook.

Extra tags! In one theme of your choice, you may add one additional power tag and one additional weakness tag.

B) Exhausting long nights

 

Crew

Crew

A list of your crew members, and the Hurt and Help points you have for each.

Name Help Hurt
Rift - -
Rift - -
Rift - -
Rift - -

Story Tags & Nemeses

Story Tags

A space for other permanent tags you might acquire during the game.
 

Nemeses

A list of the Nemeses you gained by replacing themes.

Character Progression

Development

A track of your overall character growth. When it's full, you reset it and choose a Moment of Evolution.

{_} {_} {_} {_} {_}

Moments of Evolution to choose from:

{_} Choose another broad power tag
{_} Gain an extra theme: Ally
{_} Gain an extra theme: Base of Operations
{_} Gain an extra theme: Ride
{_} Get closure from your Nemeses
{_} Go through a transformation
{_} Leave the City
{_} Make one Core Move permanently Dynamite!
{_} Make one Core Move permanently Dynamite!
{_} Make one Core Move permanently Dynamite!
{_} See through the Mist

Edited by Roane (see edit history)
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Logos

In the neon-lit nights of the city, Quinn Brantley stands as a beacon within the dimly lit interior of The Crossroads, a bar that has become a sanctuary for the lost and the weary. Her empathetic nature is almost palpable, an innate ability that allows her to connect with patrons not just as a bartender but as a confidante. This deep empathy, however, isn't worn on her sleeve; it's subtly woven into her every interaction, a nod here, a knowing smile there, all conveying understanding and acceptance without a single word.

Quinn's intuition is her guide in the chaotic dance of city life, helping her navigate through the complexities of human emotion with grace and discretion. She listens more than she speaks, her silence a comforting presence that invites confession and unburdening. When she does offer words, they're carefully chosen, often illuminating a path forward for those caught in their own darkness.

Despite the bleakness that often seeps into the cracks of the city, Quinn remains a steadfast optimist. She believes in the potential for change, in the light that can be kindled within anyone, no matter how deeply buried. This isn't naive hope but a conviction born from her own experiences, from the countless small victories she's witnessed over despair and loneliness at her bar.

Quinn's mannerisms reflect her calm and collected nature; her movements are deliberate, never rushed, whether she's mixing a drink or simply leaning in closer to lend an ear. There's a rhythm to her routine, a sense of stability that she provides in a world that's constantly shifting. Her eyes, sharp and observant, miss nothing, yet they're also windows to her soul, revealing a depth of feeling and a hint of the sorrow she carries from her own past.

Backstory

Quinn Brantley's story begins not with grandeur but in the quiet margins of society, where the glow of neon lights doesn't reach and the digital hum of the city fades into silence. Born to a family struggling to make ends meet in the outskirts of a bustling, unforgiving metropolis, Quinn learned early the value of community and the strength found in collective resilience.

Despite the hardships, or perhaps because of them, Quinn developed an unwavering optimism and a belief in the potential for change. Her natural empathy drew people to her, and she became an informal mediator in her community, known for her ability to listen deeply and speak truths that others shied away from. This role of confidante and counselor was one she embraced wholeheartedly, finding fulfillment in the genuine connections she forged.

The turning point in Quinn's life came with the unexpected inheritance of a rundown bar from a distant relative she had only met once. The Crossroads, as it was aptly named, sat at the edge of two very different worlds: the glossy, neon-lit center of the city, and the shadowed, forgotten neighborhoods Quinn called home. Seeing an opportunity to create something meaningful, she poured her heart and soul into the bar, transforming it into a nexus of warmth and light in the city's night.

The Crossroads quickly became more than just a bar. It was a sanctuary where the disparate souls of the city could find solace and connection. Quinn's innate ability to understand and empathize with her patrons turned their stories into the fabric of the establishment, each tale another thread woven into the rich tapestry of the community she was building.

Yet, it was in the quiet moments alone, after the last patron had left and the neon sign flickered softly in the window, that Quinn felt the stirrings of something deeper. A legacy, perhaps, passed down through the bloodline of a family she barely knew, or a destiny calling her to play a larger role in the tapestry of the city's fate. The awakening of her mythos, The Little Match Girl, was not a moment of revelation but a gradual acceptance of the light she was meant to bring into the darkness.

Mythos

In the heart of a city that thrives in the perpetual twilight of neon and shadow, Quinn Brantley carries within her the reawakened spirit of The Little Match Girl. This ancient legend, reborn through Quinn, is not merely a tale of sorrow and loss but a testament to the enduring power of hope amidst despair.

This mythos speaks of a young girl who, in the coldest embrace of winter, sought to sell matches on the street. Finding no buyers, she lit the matches one by one to warm herself, each flame conjuring visions of warmth, love, and belonging, before she succumbed to the cold. In Quinn, this legend reawakens not as a tale of sorrow but as a beacon of hope—a reminder that even the smallest light can pierce the darkness, that warmth can be found and shared even in the most desolate of circumstances.

As the legend unfolds within her, Quinn becomes a living beacon of hope, a source of warmth in a world that often feels engulfed by a chilling indifference. The mythos seeks to transform Quinn, urging her to ignite sparks of connection and compassion, to illuminate paths toward a better tomorrow for the souls that find their way to The Crossroads.

Yet, with this awakening come questions that flicker like the match girl's flames in Quinn's mind. She wonders about the lasting impact of her light in the vast darkness of the city and how to ensure that this warmth does not flicker out as it did for the match girl herself. There's a fear, too, a concern about the cost of carrying this flame, of the price to be paid for kindling hope in others.

Among those who frequent The Crossroads, there are a few who sense the depth of Quinn's transformation. An elderly regular, a woman whose eyes are seasoned with the passage of time, seems to recognize the nature of Quinn's gift. She speaks in riddles and half-whispered stories, suggesting a greater destiny awaiting Quinn. Then there's a figure from the city's underbelly, a shadowy presence intrigued by the unusual occurrences around The Crossroads and the change it seems to inspire in people. This individual, dealing in information and secrets, has taken a quiet interest in Quinn, perhaps seeing in her a piece of the city's evolving puzzle.

Secret Pain

Quinn harbors a deep, unresolved guilt over failing to protect someone vulnerable who disappeared despite their best efforts. This loss serves as a constant reminder of their limitations and fuels their dedication to their cause or sanctuary. It's a secret pain, shaping their resolve to be a beacon of hope in a world that once claimed a life they sought to save

 

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  1. The Luminous Labyrinth - A sprawling, underground network of tunnels illuminated by bioluminescent fungi and neon art installations. Known only to a few, it serves as a sanctuary for those seeking solace from the city's relentless pace. Here, artists and outcasts create a vibrant subculture, far removed from the surveillance and corporate oversight above.
     
  2. "Old Man" Eli - A former mentor and friend of Quinn's, Eli runs a cozy bookshop café that doubles as a safe haven for those in need. With a past shrouded in mystery and a vast knowledge of the city's secrets, Eli is someone Quinn trusts implicitly, often turning to him for advice or a quiet place to think.
     
  3. The Echo Chamber - An underground music venue known for its strict no-digital policy, allowing no recordings or electronic devices inside. It's a place where people escape the digital saturation of the city above, losing themselves in the raw, unfiltered sound of live music. Here, amidst the analog ambiance and the shared experience of the crowd, people find a rare kind of connection and release.
     
  4. Neon Dreams - The city thrives on its image of perpetual progress and opulence, manifesting in its abundance of neon lights and holographic displays. This facade of brilliance and innovation masks the deeper issues lurking beneath, offering an endless stream of distractions to the populace.
     
  5. Genuine Connections - Amidst the technological marvels and digital interfaces, the city suffers from a profound lack of real human interaction and community.
     
  6. Losing Humanity - Quinn fears the city's relentless march toward a future where technology supersedes human connection, eroding the very essence of what it means to be human.
     
  7. The Midnight Market - There's buzz around a mysterious market that appears only on the last Friday of every month, at precisely midnight. This market, hidden in plain sight within the maze of the city, is said to offer items and knowledge not found anywhere else, from arcane relics to coded secrets of the city's elite. Rumors suggest that access is granted only to those who know the ever-changing passphrase, and Quinn has become increasingly curious about what truths—or lies—this market might hold.
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  • 2 weeks later...

@Roane This concept looks good!

How did Quinn meet Old Man Eli?

Hope is a dangerous thing. Is there someone who Quinn regrets lighting a match of hope for? Did hope burn too brightly for them? Did that spark of hope turn into a promise that Quinn couldn't keep?

What's the name of one other person who works at the Crossroads? What's their relationship with Quinn?

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Thank you!

 

  • Quinn met "Old Man" Eli while exploring the city's hidden nooks, drawn to the inviting warmth of his bookshop café. Their connection was immediate, bonded over shared stories and a mutual understanding of the city's depths. Eli, recognizing Quinn's keen spirit, quickly became her mentor and confidant, guiding her through her early days in the metropolis. Quinn sometimes sends people Eli's way when they need a place to get back on their feet.
  • Quinn once nurtured the fragile spark of ambition in a musician named Leo, whose talent burned as brightly as the hope she kindled within him. Encouraged by Quinn, Leo pursued his dreams with a fervor that bordered on obsession. However, the city's unforgiving nature beat him down and twisted his aspirations into a dangerous obsession, leading him down a path marked by darkness and peril. Although Leo remains a part of the city's chaotic tapestry, the ash of what was once his hope has become a haunting beacon of warning for Quinn.
  • At The Crossroads, Mia Rivera manages the business side of things, a role that Quinn, with her focus on people and atmosphere, finds challenging. Mia's pragmatism and knack for numbers provide a much-needed anchor for Quinn's expansive dreams, creating a harmonious balance. Together, they navigate the complexities of their venture, their platonic bond a steady beacon amidst the hustle of bar life.
Edited by Roane (see edit history)
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