Porter Rockwell, U.S. Marshall

[Sociotard]

One old west lawman who doesn't get much recognition nowadays is Utah's Orrin Porter Rockwell. Porter Rockwell has basically the same status in Utah as Wyatt Earp has in Arizona. Of course, his good guy/bad guy status depends greatly on who you talk to (Mormons love him, basically nobody else does.) He was an excellent rider (helped found and run one of the carrier lines that served as precurser to the poney express), a good shot, an unequaled tracker. His most distinctive feature was a prophesy made by Joseph Smith, December 25, 1843: “I prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that you Orrin Porter Rockwell – so long as ye shall remain loyal and true to thy faith, need fear no enemy. Cut not thy hair and no bullet or blade can harm thee!†As a result, porter never cut his hair. It hung clear down his back, giving him a sampson-like mythography.

A few other notes about Rockwell:

*More kills than Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Bat Matterson and Tom Horn Combined. Estimates range from 40 to over 100.

*In 1847 he led a team of 70 scouts on a mission of guerilla wasrfare against the United States Army, and was successful for the most part

*His Ranch / Bar / stagecoach waystation / hotel / brewerey, the "Hot Springs Brewery Hotel", located between Lehi and Salt Lake was considered a delight to travelers (Porter was actually very personable) and was known to produce the best horses in Utah.

*He was known to carry a small watchdog with him. The dog was trained to awaken porter to danger, not by barking, but by licking his face (no noise to alert the outlaws!)

*He earned the nickname "Destroying Angel" after he purportedly shot the former governor of missouri, Lilburn Boggs. His guilt is still debated today.

*He helped found the Brigham Young Express and Carrying Company, an important forerunner to the pony express. He also was one of the couriers.

*many historians assert he had more gunfights than any other marshall in U.S. history.

Really, the legends about this gunslinger are to numerous to list. I built him on 100 base points and 86 disadvantage points (a powerful hero). In a Western Campaign, Remember that most non-mormons dislike him. until they get to know him.

 

Porter Rockwell

Quote: (responding to the question as to whether or not he shot at governor Lilburn Boggs of Missouri) "If I had shot him, he'd be dead"

 

Characteristics

STR 13 (3 pts, +2= 9 pts)

DEX 14 (12 pts.)

CON 13 (6 pts.)

BOD 15 (10 pts.)

INT 8 (-2 pts.)

EGO 13 (6 pts.)

PRE 18 (8 pts.)

COM 8 (-1 pts.)

-Total: 48 pts.

 

Skills

Animal Handler (Equines, Canines) 12- 5 pts.

Skill Level (Conversation, Interrogation, Persuasion) 12- 9pts .

Riding 14- 5pts;.

Tracking16- 11pts.

Combat Skill Level (+2 with Firearms) 10 pts.

City Knowledge (Lehi & Salt Lake City) 4 pts.

Area Knowledge (Utah Territory) 2 pts.

Area Knowledge (Mountains, Deserts, Temperate/Subtropical) 6 pts.

Profession (Barkeep) (Horse Ranch Operator) 12- each 6 pts.

Group Knowledge (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) 2 pts.

People Knowledge (Outlaws) 2 pts.

Fast Draw (Early Firearms) 2 pts.

Survival (Mountains, Deserts, Temperate/Subtropical) 6 pts.

Transport Familiarity (Equines, Carts & Carriages) 2 pts.

Weapon Familiarity (Early Firearms, Common Melee Weapons) 4 pts.

Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH, Firearms) 3 pts.

-Total 79 pts.

 

Perks

Contact: Prophet (a.k.a. President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) 11- Contact, Extremely useful recourses, Access to major institutions, Many contacts of his own: 7 pts.

Fringe Benefits: United States Deputy Marshal 3 pts.

“Best in the Westâ€:10 pts. (Best Tracker)

Well Off 1pts.

Reputation: Lawman 14- everyone in the Utah Territory +5/+5d6 10 pts.

-Total 31 pts.

 

Powers

The Prophets Blessing: Desolidification 40 ₧. (-¾ only to protect against bullets and blades) (-¼ Contingent upon loyalty to the Church, cannot “tempt Godâ€) (-½ OIF Hair, and this is well known) 16 pts.

 

Superior Tracking: Precognition 40 ₧. (-¼ Normal Sight only) (-1 Precognition only) (-½ RSR Tracking) (-½ Time Modifiers) 12 pts.

-Total 28 pts.

 

Disadvantages

Distinctive Features: Steel Blue Eyes and Extremely Long Hair -10

Hunted: Outlaws, those seeking a name for themselves, many of them -10

Psychological Limitation: Alcoholic (likes Whiskey) Common Strong -15

Reputation: Avenging angel (anyone who isn’t a Mormon will think him a murderer) -20

Rivalry with Lot Smith, Bill Hickman, Robert T. Burton, George W. Bean, John D. Lee (all were scouts and ‘tough guys’, the rivalry was mostly with Lot Smith) -5

Social Limitation: Employed by Wells-Fargo (to retrieve stolen shipments) Occasionally, Risk of Death (they are armed outlaws) -10

DNPC 3 wives and 15 children -16

[Kevin Scrivner]

Interesting!

 

A unique cross-genre character and good write-up. Thanks!

[starblaze]

INT=8

Why is he so dumb?

[Sociotard]

Originally posted by starblaze

INT=8

Why is he so dumb?

 

Well, I know for a fact he couldn't read or write, but that was typical of the era. The main reason was because most descriptions paint him as being of a very ordinary intellect, and normal npc's have an 8 intellect. Here are a few:

 

" . . . he was that most terrible insturment which can be handled by fanaticism; a powerful physical nature welded to a mind of very narrow perceptions, intense convictions, and a changeless tenacity. In his build he was a gladiator; in his humor, a Yankee luberman; in his memory, a Bourbon; in his vengence, an Indian. A strange Mixture, only to be found on the American Continent"

--Ludlow, "Among the Mormons" the Atlantic Monthly Vol. XIII

 

And Here is a balad sung by other travelers and cowboys that they really did sing:

Old Port Rockwell looks like man,

Witha beard on his face and his hair in a braid,

But there's none in the West but Brigham who can

Look in his eyes and not be afraid.

 

For Port is a devil in a human shape,

Though he calls himself "Angel," say vengence is sweet;

But he's black, bitter death, and there's no escape,

When he wails through the night his dread war cry, "Wheat!" "Wheat!"

Somewhere a wife with her babes kneels to pray,

For she knows she's a widow and orphans are they.

 

Incidently, "Wheat" was an expression he used all the time, as in "That's wheat", meaning, thats good. I believe it was a reference to the parable of sorting wheat (good) from tares (bad). Which brings out his destroying angel image even more

[CorpCommander]

Originally posted by starblaze

INT=8

Why is he so dumb?

 

An INT of 8 is actually Normal. 10 is competant.