Seth Geddes

Image:  Seth looks older than he is, thee result of the last 5 years of a life without a home.  Most of his clothes are what he can find in homeless shelters or charities.  He favors earth tones when he can, browns and dark greens.  When he does want color he might add a little yellow.  The only items of quality he owns are the boots he wears, stolen from an army surplus store, and his canvas bag which he took from some college kids who left it unattended (along with their wallets).

Personality:  Seth tends to be reserved and stoic.  He tends to not show much emotion or react to things, good news or bad.  This sometimes creates misunderstandings because people mistake this for not caring.  So when he does become animated, it can catch people by surprise.  

With his life on the road, Seth has very few friends, and he is at his most authentic when interacting with his familiar Hope.  

History:

Possessions: Expensive work boots, leather coat, canvas bag, flashlight, travel rations, paracord, knife, gun

Backgrounds

Artifact 4 - Lucky coin - a half dollar (silver) which always lands on the side Seth wants.  If lost will return to his pocket.

Familiar

In 1911 Devil Anse was baptized and became Christian, forsaking the ways of magic.  He attempted to destroy the Misfortune named after him which had borne witness to the crimes of his family in their feud with the rival McCoys.  The flock fell under the influence of a Deep Thing in 1915, She Whose Name Sounds Like Ripping Teeth But Is Not.  They became messengers of death and omens of evil until, in 2003, Granny Bone wrested control (freed them?) from the Deep Thing's service.  

Today the Misfortune has been sent to Seth Geddes as payment for a past favor involving the witch's great-great granddaughter.  The current members of the flock are aware of the history and honor of their Misfortune, and work to live up to its heritage.  They like their new patron, who seems to respect them and what they do, even if he can be a little off.

Notes:

Name: Devil's Misfortune

Members: Smoke, Mist, Shadow, Nightmare (Mare), Quick, Bob

Status (Corvids) 2

Paradigm, Practice, & Instruments

Paradigm - A World of Gods and Monsters - Seth has known, not believed but known, great and terrible things walk among humanity.  He grew up in coal country under the shadow of the Appalacians in a land where She Whose Name Sounds Like Ripping Teeth But Is Not roamed freely to terrorize the innocent and the sinner as it pleased.  Sitting at the feet of Granny Bone, he heard stories of the Green and the Dark and creatures that were born of neither.  There is Sam the Fearless and Good and the Blank Eyed Man, the Crossroads Dealer, sometimes called Lucifer, and the Gray Ladies.  These are gods and monsters who move through our world, influencing the lives of everything they touch.  A world that Seth not only lives in, but he is a part of too.  Wherever he travels, he sees evidence that the world is more, and leaves his own mark on the mundane, mysteries for others to solve.

Practice

Witchcraft - For Seth, Witchcraft represents a low magic that depends upon the world around him, whether that world is the forests of Appalachia, the mines beneath it, or the dirty alleys of the towns scattered around it.  It is taking the small gifts of the world and using them as intended to bring forth changes that are already present.  There is an underlying order to the world, one people don’t recognize.  Witchcraft is simply a way to interact with the world in a way few people do.  

Shamanism - While Witchcraft taps into the natural world, through Shamanism Seth reaches beyond it, seeking aid from the spirits of the Green and the Divine, Devils and Demons and even the Deep Things trapped within the Dark beneath the Mountain.  Beseeching their aid, he asks for power and influence to change the world and twist reality, melding it to his needs, breaking rules and changing the world to align with what he needs.

Instruments

Household tools (Shamanism) - tools of the every day are invested with a power people are unaware of.  A bucket for cleaning supplies, a tool box with a hammer, screwdriver, and nails, or a mop and some cleaning chemicals.  People change their home or business the way spirits change the world.

Ordeals (Shamanism) - Sometimes beseeching the spirits requires a change in outlook.  An effort exerted to create the right frame of mind.  This could be meditating, playing a game of chess without any rooks, or completing a monster exercise circuit.

Weapons (Shamanism) - A weapon is the ultimate tool for forcing change on the world.  Whether through violence or threat of violence, it can force ones will on another to either create changes or preserve an existing reality.

-- Unique Instrument - Spirit - A black steel survival knife, Seth stole the blade from his teacher when he fled his apprenticeship.  The blade is strong and durable, with a good grip that doesn’t get slippery, holding its edge well.  The blade is often used for self defense, starting a fire, and cutting food and is perhaps his most important instrument not only for magic but for survival in general.

Language (Witchcraft) - Language is as natural as breathing.  The hillbillies and mountain men often developed their own speech, as did miners working deep beneath the Earth.  A combination of shared experiences are reflected through the words people use.

Knots & Rope (Witchcraft) - A simple skill, but knot work is something that people can find surprising uses for when there is a need.  Examples of bindings can be found throughout culture and nature, whether its a tapestry or a spider’s web.  Knots is a skill which must be practiced and can be used to bind, willingly or not, two things together.

Symbols (Witchcraft) - Symbols are everywhere, from the refuse on the street to the morning dew on a leaf.  Symbols are the worlds way of communicating.  Something as obvious as a sign to as esoteric as the color red in a movie theater, a symbol speaks of the world as it is. 

Writing & Inscription (Witchcraft) - Warnings for those who follow.  Memories for future generations.  Writing is the transmission of knowledge across space and time.  It can allow one to collect pieces of information from far off places, and burn within the world a purpose and meaning that will remain long after the echoes of one’s voice is gone.