Tallyman
From Changeling Venue
| Seeming | Elemental Airtouched |
|---|---|
| Court | Autumn Court •• |
| Freehold | The Freehold of River and Sun |
| Player | Player NameMike Walton |
Contents |
Overview
Alias(es): none
Real Name: unknown
Age:(actual) about 17 (apparent) 30-ish
Concept: Urban Loremaster
Entitlement: none known
Physical description: a Black man approaching middle age, tall and lean with a bald head. In his fae mien he is several inches taller, his head is wreathed in bluish-grey smoke and smoke pours out of his eyes.
Relevant Mechanics: Tallyman's Mantle manifests as gusts of brisk wind that carry barely-heard snatches of ominous music.
Character Livejournal:
Character Information
Known History
Tallyman doesn't remember his birth name. He doesn't remember much about his old life, in fact -- those memories were burned out of him by his Keeper. All he knows is that he used to live in New Orleans, before the Storm. His family may or may not be San Antonio, but there are enough refugees in the River City that it's worth his time to look.
In the time before the Match Tallyman was a hacker of some local renown. It was probably this skill that brought him to his Keeper's attention. The boy was put to work "coding" on the arcane constructs that passed for computers in Faerie. When the work wasn't up to snuff, punishment consisted of being wrapped in papers, lit afire and smoked. The boy's ashes would eventually reform into a body and the cycle would start again.
Over 15 years passed, with Tallyman working endlessly to create programs that made no earthly sense and counting out code line by line. In time his Keeper's demesne came to resemble some hybrid vision of cyberspace and the realm of the Loa. But the Keeper became bored with this project after the manner of his kind, and began to pay less and less attention to his slave (of whom there was by now little left but smoke). Tallyman feared that his Keeper would destroy him out of boredom, so he made a plan. One day when the Keeper was in a particularly bad mood, Tallyman rolled in a pile of ganja and stuffed his pockets with it. Then he provoked his Keeper into punishing him. While the Keeper was still intoxicated Tallyman fled into the Hedge and back to the world of his birth. He arrived home in New Orleans just as the floodwaters were receding.
Unfortunately, regaining his old life was no longer an option. The time that had been almost two decades for him had been only a few years on Earth. Even worse, he found that most of his family had died in Hurricane Katrina. The survivors, if any, were no longer in the city of his birth. Tallyman learned that many of the refugees had relocated to San Antonio, so he went there to look for any members of his family that might still be alive.
Upon making contact with the fae of the Freehold of River and Sun Tallyman quickly found common cause with the Autumn Court. He has made it his quest to spread urban legends -- both old and new -- to keep mortals away from sites where the Fae are known to hunt. If mortals knew what waited for them in the shadows, Tallyman reasons, they would be afraid. Therefore he will tell them enough to make them afraid, and thus keep them out of the shadows. Tallyman knows that he can't save them all, but it is enough for him to save some.
When the Freehold of River and Sun finally established a seasonal Court Tallyman became the Autumn King by virtue of no one else stepping up to claim the job. But now that he wears the crown he takes the job seriously. His first priority as king is the safety of his subjects. If keeping them scared achieves that, that's fine with him.
Motley
Allies
Tallyman has engaged Ash and Max of the Tolltaker Knights as the King's Enforcers. Whether or not they remain in this position when the seasons turn remains to be seen.
Enemies
None yet...
Character Inspirations
Count Zero by William Gibson; Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die
Soundtrack
"The Banana Boat Song" -- Harry Belafonte
"Freedom" -- Nicole C. Mullen
"Live and Let Die" -- Paul McCartny & Wings
"Silence" -- Delirium
Quotes
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing... if you use it right."
