Characters from Brotherhood of the Wolf

[Susano]

WARNING: Contains Spoilers!!!

 

For those who haven't seen (or heard of) the French film Brotherhood of the Wolf, all I can say is "find it!" I will admit it its of a genre that one doesn't often see in cinema, the scarcely exploited "period costume drama/action-adventure/kung fu/conspiracy/occult/supernatural/werewolf" genre, but if you're looking for equal parts of suspense, action, and martial arts, "Brotherhood" is a pretty good choice. Just keep in mind this is a fantasy film and such questions as "why does the 18th century American Indian known kung fu" won't really be a problem.

 

Thus, I present Sir Gregorie de Fronsac and his "valet" Mani, the heroes of Brotherhood of the Wolf. As for the Bete de Gevaudan... see an upcoming Digital Hero for that write-up.

[Susano]

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

 

SIR GREGORIE DE FRONSAC

 

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
15	STR	5	12-	Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage
17	DEX	21	12-	OCV: 6 / DCV: 6
14	CON	8	12-
11	BODY	2	11-
18	INT	8	13-	PER Roll 15-
17	EGO	14	12-	ECV: 6
15	PRE	5	12-	PRE Attack: 3d6
14	COM	2	12-
6	PD	3		Total: 6 PD (0 rPD)
6	ED	3		Total: 6 ED (0 rED)
4	SPD	13		Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
6	REC	0
30	END	1
26	STUN	0
Total Characteristics Cost: 85

Movement:	Running: 6" / 12"
	Swimming: 2" / 4"

Cost	Powers & Skills
Martial Arts: Blade Fighting
Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
5	Block		+1	+3	Block, Abort
4	Bind		+1	+0	25 STR Bind
5	Evade		+0	+4	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort; Full Move
5	Slash		+1	-2	Weapon Strike +4 DCs
4	Thrust		+2	+0	Weapon Strike +2 DCs
Use Art With Blades

Martial Arts: "Savate"
Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
4	Block		+2	+2	Block, Abort
4	Cross		+0	+2	5d6 Strike
4	Dodge		+0	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
5	Joint Break	-1	-2	Grab One Limb; HKA 1/2d6 (2 DC), Disable
5	Side Kick	-2	+1	7d6 Strike
3	Throw		+0	+1	3d6 +v/5; Target Falls

6	Keeps His Eyes And Ears Open: +2 PER with all Sense Groups

Perks:
30	Follower: Mani (150-point base)
2	Fringe Benefit: Knight/Member Of Lower Nobility

Skills:
16	Combat Skill Levels: +2 with Combat
5	Combat Skill Levels: +1 with HTH
10	Skill Levels: +2 with Agility Skills

3	Acrobatics 12-
0	AK: France 8-
3	AK: New France 13-
3	Breakfall 12-
3	Climbing 12-
2	Concealment 13-; Self Only (-1/2)
0	Conversation 8-
0	Deduction 8-
8	Defense Maneuver III
3	Fast Draw (Blades) 12-
3	Fast Draw (Early Firearms) 12-
3	Forensic Medicine 13-
5	High Society 13-
1	Language: French (native, literate)
2	Language: Iroquois (fluent)
3	Paramedic 13-
3	Riding 12-
0	Shadowing 8-
3	Stealth 13-
2	Survival (Temperate/Subtropical)
3	Tracking 13-
0	TF: Equines
10	Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
10	Two-Weapon Fighting (Ranged)
8	WF: Early Firearms, Blades, Bows, Off-Hand, Spears, Thrown Knife, Thrown Spear
3	Jack-Of-All-Trades
4	PS: Artist 14-
1	PS: Soldier 11-
2	PS: Naturalist 13-
5	PS: Taxidermist 16-
3	Scholar
2	KS: Indian Customs 13-
2	KS: Indians Of North America 13-
2	KS: The Natural World 13-
1	KS: Mythology 11-
2	KS: New France 13-
2	KS: Philosophy/Theology 13-
3	Scientist
2	SS: Anatomy 13-
2	SS: Biology 13-
2	SS: Medicine 13-
2	SS: Zoology 13-
268	Total Powers & Skills Cost
326	Total Character Cost

150+	Disadvantages
5	Distinctive Features: Scars; Indian arrow and bear's claws (EC)
20	Normal Characteristic Maxima
15	Psychological Limitation: Dislike For Excessive And Unneeded Killing (C, S)
15	Psychological Limitation: In Love With Marianne de Morangias (C, S)
15	Psychological Limitation: Loves Mani As His Brother (C, T)
10	Reputation: As a libertine and a sharp wit, 11-
96	Experience
326	Total Disadvantage Points

 

Background/History:

Sir Gregorie de Fronsac is a naturalist, interested in the science of the natural world. In the 1750s he journeyed to New France (i.e. Canada), to study the native flora and fauna, but instead found himself caught up in the French and Indian War. Fighting against the British, he ended up with several scars, an Indian companion named Mani, and the rank of Captain in the Royal Army.

 

In 1765, he is sent from Paris (where he worked as a naturalist and taxidermist to the king and the Royal gardens) to the province of Gevaudan, to find a beast responsible for killing dozens of locals. His attempt to find and destroy the Beast of Gevaudan form the basis of the film Brotherhood of the Wolf.

 

Personality/Motivation:

Fronsac is an interesting man. In many ways he's "advanced" (in a moral sense) for his time. He doesn't look down in the Indians of America as savages, but respects them as equals. He doesn't believe in superstitious nonsense either, and is convinced from the start that the Beast of Gevaudan is a living creature. A good idea of his personality is found in the story of how he and Mani ended up as companions:

 

Mani was captured by French forces and turned over to Fronsac to learn French and act as an interpreter. Everyone else in Mani's village was slaughtered. Several weeks later, Fronsac caught Mani cutting the throat of the captain who had ordered his capture. Fronsac, instead of turning him in, helped his escape. His reasoning was simple -- the captain's idea of warfare was to sell the Indians infected sheets from a hospital in Quebec, only attacking after most everyone has fallen ill and died from disease -- thus the captain got what he deserved. Later, after Mani helped Fronsac escape from the English at the Battle of Three Rivers, the two, now pretty much alone in new France became virtual brothers. Now, having returned to France, he tries not to think about New France, as it brings back too many bad memories.

 

This attitude helps explain why Fronsac doesn't go around killing wantonly either. He's seen enough death, and doesn't feel the need to cause anymore than is required. As Marianne de Morangias says, he has little taste for the hunt. However, this shouldn't be taken to mean Fronsac is a pacifist. If properly motivated, he can be a one-man army. Just look at what he does after he finds the corpse of Mani. He gathers his weapons, goes out to where the murderers are hiding out, and promptly starts killing anyone and everyone he can get his hands on.

 

Quote: "Lies may often appear as truths when they are dressed in Latin."

 

Powers/Tactics:

A true "Renaissance Man," Fronsac can be best described as a 18th century mixture of Batman and Doc Savage. Aside from his extensive skills in the natural sciences (such as zoology), he is a master taxidermist (just look at the "beast" he made to be exhibited in Paris), an excellent artist (even if his style is 100 years too early), knows a scatting of philosophy, theology, and even medicine. On top of all that, he is a very skilled combatant, aptly demonstrating his ability with hand-to-hand fighting in the aforementioned scene of revenge for Mani's death. He's seen using a bow, pistols, rifle, knives, and short swords with equal proficiency. Don't let his gentle and almost playful (at times) demeanor throw you. Underestimating Fronsac's skill at arms can be fatal.

 

When fighting, Fronsac doesn't mess around. He goes for the direct kill if at all possible, although if outnumbered he'll fight defensively, Blocking a lot and then throwing fast and hard strikes to take his foes down. He will use whatever is at hand, and can fight quite well with paired short swords, a single knife, or nothing at all in his hands.

 

Appearance:

Fronsac looks to be of average height, or a little taller, for a man of his time. He has a strong build, a fairly handsome face, and long blond hair worn in a ponytail. His dress is typical for 1760s France and usually includes a sword. At one point, he dressed more like an American Indian, complete with face paint, leather clothing, and moccasin boots. Under his clothes, he has the scar of an arrow wound on one side of his chest, and of a bear's claws on the other side.

 

Designer's Notes:

Readers who question Fronsac's point total should keep in mind that he, in one way or another, demonstrates just about every skill listed here at one point or another. My biggest "questionable" skill was giving him the Ranged Two Weapon Fighting. He only pulls this stunt once (while he and the Marquis are shooting at pumpkins), but since he turns, grabs the pistols, and fires both *at once,* without really taking the time to aim, I felt it was justified. I should also point out that the opening fight scene with the soldiers was originally much longer, with Fronsac himself getting into the act, demonstrating his fighting skill early on (one reason why it was cut). So yes, he does have justification for his "Savate."

 

Game Masters who wish to tone down Fronsac should remove his "Savate" skills, his Ranged Two Weapon Fighting skill, and his Fast Draw (Early Firearms) skill. This will drop him to just under 300 points, making him more of a master swordsman, as opposed to a master of all weapons.

 

(Gregorie de Fronsac created by Stéphane Cabel and Christophe Gans, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

[Susano]

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

 

MANI

 

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
15	STR	5	12-	Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage
20	DEX	30	13-	OCV: 7 / DCV: 7
18	CON	16	13-
13	BODY	6	12-
15	INT	5	12-	PER Roll 14-
18	EGO	16	13-	ECV: 6
18	PRE	8	13-	PRE Attack: 3 1/2 2d6
16	COM	3	12-
8	PD	5		Total: 8 PD (0 rPD)
7	ED	3		Total: 7 ED (0 rED)
4	SPD	10		Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
7	REC	0
40	END	0
30	STUN	0
Total Characteristics Cost: 107

Movement:	Running: 8" / 16"
	Leaping: 5" / 10"
	Swimming: 2" / 4"

Cost	Powers & Skills
Martial Arts: Iroquois "Kickboxing"
Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
4	Backhand/Elbow	+0	+2	7d6 Strike
4	Block		+2	+2	Block, Abort
4	Disarm		-1	+1	35 STR Disarm
4	Dodge		+0	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
4	Front Kick	+2	+0	7d6 Strike
5	Side/Spinning Kick	+1	-2	9d6 Strike
3	Takedown	+1	+1	5d6 Strike; Target Falls
3	Throw		+0	+1	5 1/2d6 +v/5; Target Falls
8	+2 Damage Classes with Iroquois Kickboxing
2	Use Art With Hand Axe, Staff

10	Friend Of The Wolf: +20 PRE; Only When Interacting With Canines (-1)
1	Acrobatic: Leaping +2" (total 5"); Requires An Acrobatics Roll (-1/2), END
4	Swift Of Foot: Running +2" (total 8"), END 2
9	Find Totem: Detect Personal Totem, Discriminatory, 14-
5	Sensitive: Detect Spirits 13-
6	Wolf-Like Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups
15	Call Forth Spirits Of The Forest: Summon 8 90-point Wolves, Loyal (+1/2), Reduced
Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Animal Must Inhabit Local (-1/2), Animal Arrives Under Its
Own Power (-1/2), Extra Time (minimum of 5 Minutes; -2), Incantations (call of the
wolf; -1/2)

Skills:
16	Combat Skill Levels: +2 with Combat
10	Combat Skill Levels: +2 with HTH
5	Skill Levels: +1 with Agility Skills

3	Acrobatics 13-
0	AK: Home Area 8-
4	Animal Handler (Canines) 14-
3	Breakfall 13-
3	Climbing 13-
2	Concealment 12-; Self Only (-1/2)
0	Conversation 8-
0	Deduction 8-
10	Defense Maneuver IV
4	KS: Indian Medicine 13-
3	Language: French (Completely Fluent)
0	Language: Iroquois (native)
3	Paramedic 12-
3	PS: Medicine Man/Shaman/Priest 13-
0	Shadowing 8-
3	Stealth 13-
0	TF: Equines
7	Tracking 14-
6	WF: Early Firearms, Hand Axe, Knife, Staff, Thrown Axe
176	Total Powers & Skills Cost
283	Total Character Cost

150+	Disadvantages
10	Distinctive Features: Tattoos (EC, M)
10	Psychological Limitation: Brother To Wolves (U, S)
5	Psychological Limitation: Dislike For Guns (U, M)
20	Psychological Limitation: Loyal To Fronsac (VC, S)
15	Social Limitation: Minority (VF, M)
73	Experience
283	Total Disadvantage Points

 

Background/History:

An Iroquois Indian of the Mohawk people, Mani is the last of his tribe, the rest having been killed by the French during the fighting with the British. Saved from execution by Gregorie de Fronsac, Mani repaid the Frenchman by saving him from the British at the Battle of Three Rivers. With no home to return to, Mani then joined Fronsac as his "valet," returning with him to France, and eventually, the province of Gevaudan to search for the beast to be found there.

 

Mani proves he can take care of himself several times in the film, fighting quite well against some rather belligerent French soldiers as well as a group of unpleasant wolf-hunters. Unfortunately, his skill at hand-to-hand combat proves to be no match for guns and he is killed as part of the cover-up of the true nature of the Beast of Gevaudan. Other the other hand, this does prove to be disastrous for Mani's killers, as Fronsac then goes on a one-man rampage, killing (by the time the film is over) something like 20 or so of the people responsible for the whole affair.

 

Personality/Motivation:

Mani is quiet and reserved, a marked difference to his "brother" Fronsac. He doesn't say much, and tends to remain in the background (he is a "savage" amidst the "cultured" French after all). He is loyal to Fronsac, and follows his lead in most things (although Fronsac is wise enough to allow Mani to lead when the situation calls for it -- the fight with the Beast for example).

 

Mani's personal totem is the wolf, and thus, Mani doesn't kill wolves or like to see them killed. He is sickened by the slaughter of wolves seen early in the film, and thanks Fronsac for knocking Marianne's rifle out of the way when she took aim at a wolf. His "wolf-like" nature is also expressed in his dislike for guns (too much smoke and smell he explains). Mani prefers to use his own weapons, his hands, his feet, his knife, and his tomahawk in battle instead.

 

Quote:

"All women have same color when candle is out."

"Tonight we dance the dance of blood... and the beast will come to us with the sun."

 

Powers/Tactics:

This being a fantasy film, Mani is naturally a master of Iroquois kung fu. Okay, all kidding aside, he is quiet adept at hand-to-hand combat, and can fight both unarmed, with a staff, tomahawk, or knife with equal proficiency. Several times he takes on groups of two, three, or more opponents, at once, and comes out virtually unscathed.

 

Mani's fighting style is simple: block and then strike. He does this in several fights, slapping strikes aside with his hands (or simply dodging them) and then kicking his foes into the ground. He also likes to move around while fighting, and pulls such stunts as rolling over one foe to duck another's blow. If you have Ninja Hero, check out page 60, "Sucker Attacks" as well. Mani pulls that stunt more than once.

 

Aside from his martial prowess, Mani is also very much in "tune" with the natural world. Fronsac describes him as a "priest" of his tribe. He seems connected to the world around him on a spiritual level, commenting to Marianne that he can hear the dead screaming in a burned-out Templar fortress, while wolves and dogs greet him as one of their own (in a sense, he is, as his totem is the wolf). This also allows him certain powers of an almost supernatural nature -- such as his ability to "detect" a person's totem (and thus their personality) by taking their hand in his, or his summon of wolves to bring the Beast of Gevaudan to Fronsac's hunting party.

 

Appearance:

Mani has dark sin and straight back hair. His body is lean and well-muscled with the sort of physique one would expect from a man who's lived a physically active life. His clothing is usually typical for 18th century France, although when on the hunt he strips down to moccasins, leggings, and a loin cloth. On his chest he has a series of black lines tattoos to his skin, tattoos which caused on woman to say he was covered with snakes (and accused him of being a sorcerer as well).

 

Designer's Notes:

While Fronsac is a bit far-fetched as a character, Mani is pretty much pure fantasy. But this is okay, it fits with the feel of the film, which, in my opinion, is a fantasy anyway, and a pretty good one (who says a "fantasy film" needs to have wizards and dungeons?). If you feel he's too "over the top," then remove his more "mystical" powers (Find Totem, Sensitive, Call Forth Spirits Of The Forest), and keep just his combat skills.

 

(Mani created by Stéphane Cabel and Christophe Gans, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

[RyugaWhiteWolf]

Arghhh....you beat me to it. Perhaps I should have looked at Hero System much earlier. I tried doing conversions to Palladium (did not work too well) and G.U.R.P.S. (still in development). I just wanted to say great job on the write up.

[Susano]

Originally posted by RyugaWhiteWolf

Arghhh....you beat me to it. Perhaps I should have looked at Hero System much earlier. I tried doing conversions to Palladium (did not work too well) and G.U.R.P.S. (still in development). I just wanted to say great job on the write up.

 

Thank you.

[altamaros]

impressive Mike (like always )

 

I tried to dig hard and deep to find errors but i couldn't.

 

The only thing i see is that Fronsac's first name should be spelled "Gregory" (i think it was Grégoire in the original version, unsure ...)

 

The beast itself could probably be built as a lion or a tiger with some armor OIF and HKA Damage shield OIF.

[Susano]

Originally posted by altamaros

impressive Mike (like always )

 

I tried to dig hard and deep to find errors but i couldn't.

 

The only thing i see is that Fronsac's first name should be spelled "Gregory" (i think it was Grégoire in the original version, unsure ...)

 

The beast itself could probably be built as a lion or a tiger with some armor OIF and HKA Damage shield OIF.

 

I took Gregoie from the subtitles.

 

As for the beast -- I believe you are correct in your assessment.

[Guest C_Zeree]

The movie, excellent I agree, I agree with the inclusion of savate for Gregorie. Especially witnessing the first uncut fight scene, while I may quibble with the director for snipping it, I can understand his reasoning.

 

Could you not use a giant wolf from the bestiary for the beast?

[altamaros]

Originally posted by Susano

I took Gregoie from the subtitles.

 

checked : it's Grégoire; probably a mistape in the subtitles.

 

aside that, Mike, i'm eager to see the write-up for Sylvia and her fan.

( I also GM 7th Sea and your work will probably give me some ideas)

[NuSoardGraphite]

Hey Mike. How about writing up The Beast itself.

 

Boy that thing was damn cool. Especially when they tried to capture it.

[Susano]

Originally posted by altamaros

checked : it's Grégoire; probably a mistape in the subtitles.

 

aside that, Mike, i'm eager to see the write-up for Sylvia and her fan.

( I also GM 7th Sea and your work will probably give me some ideas)

 

Or I wrote it down wrong.

 

As for Sylvia, I'm not sure. I have a lot of stuff I need to get too. Her fan is easy -- it's a simple 1/2d6 HKA. She just has levels with it. A lot of levels...

 

I was asked by someone else to write-up Jean-François de Morangias and his sword. I might -- if only because he's a great villian.

[Susano]

Originally posted by NuSoardGraphite

Hey Mike. How about writing up The Beast itself.

 

Boy that thing was damn cool. Especially when they tried to capture it.

 

Maybe. After my Digitial Article with another version of the Beast sees print.

[Thag13]

YIou are the Dark Master of Character Writeups, and I am an unworthy padwan....

 

FAntasic Writeups.....

good job.

 

I have already stolen them....

 

THANKS