Appearance
Feher is a stooped, elderly man with wild white hair. He wears a pair of rather ugly spectacles to compensate for his poor eyesight. His clothes went out of style sixty years ago at least, but have been well cared for. He is a rather craggy individual, and is not given to polite interaction.
Veidt is a tall, thin young man, with very pale skin and rather sunken eyes.
History/Background
No one is quite sure where Feher is from, and he has never given a straight answer to the question. He travels a great deal, driving a rickety old wagon from destination to destination. He carries very few personal belongings, most of which fit into a single large bag. The sole exception is a large, heavy crate that stays in the back of the wagon, usually sealed tightly shut, and big enough to hold a full grown man.
It holds Feher’s source of income, and what he says is his pride and joy: a young man he calls Veidt. Veidt, he says, is afflicted with a peculiar condition, causing him to sleep without ever waking. He exhibits Veidt, allowing curious villagers to poke and prod the young man, who does not respond in the slightest. To all appearances, he is unquestionably in a deep sleep.
Once the spectators have satisfied themselves, the second portion of his so-called “act” begins. Upon Feher’s orders, Veidt will stiffly get out of his crate, standing there slackly until given another order. He mumbles simple responses to direct questions from his master, without ever once waking. This somewhat gruesome spectacle nets Feher a fairly comfortable living from curious villagers.
Special Equipment
Other than a few possessions, Feher owns nothing of interest besides the crate in which Veidt sleeps. He discourages people from investigating the crate too closely, to the point of threatening people he catches around it.
Possibilities
Feher is nothing more than a showman, exploting people’s attraction to the bizzare. Veidt is an actor he employs to pretend to be asleep. When supposedly in his crate between shows, he doubles as Feher’s servant, stagehand, and teamster. Skillful use of makeup hides his identity during performances.
Veidt is Feher’s son, and is truly a narcoleptic. The old man has gone rather funny from the strain of caring for his helpless son. Rather than trying to put effort into finding a cure, he ghoulishly makes a spectacle of Veidt. At this point, he is actually likely to violently resist anyone curing Veidt.
Feher is a magician who specializes in various forms of mind control. Veidt crossed him once, and was put into a deep sleep. Now he slavishly obeys Feher’s every order. He finds Veidt very useful for punishing other people who get in his way; despite his confinement and condition, he is a remarkably strong young man, and he’s killed more than once.
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2007-01-15 11:02 AM
2007-01-16 12:56 AM
2007-01-16 01:17 AM
The first explanation was kind of... vanilla. Now, if the two of them had some scheme going, or some sort of agenda... perhaps they travel the land in such guise to find something or someone. Perhaps they use the act as a cover, and they are actually spies or smugglers.
I like the second explanation. Perhaps the PCs could have the dilemma of discovering what's going on, but being unable to permanently cure the condition or find anyone else to care for the young man.
The third of the possible explanations is also very promising for the GM. I could see Feher drugging Veidt to keep him sedated when he doesn't need him awake, so that his magic can be saved for showtimes...
2007-01-16 02:18 AM
What seems to be missing is his secondary motivations, what will entangle him with the lives of others.
See, with his "powers", most mundane issues resolve: "But I paid my fees", "Yes, I have those permits", "No, I gave my taxes... see you wrote it down"
So why does he get upset at people? What are his motivating issues?
Does he use his mind control abilities for other purposes: like his own perverse admusement or playing with people just to see what happens? His hobby of playing with people gives him a reason to keep on travelling.
Example: Such a man would begin to mess with a pretty girl, the hero's girlfriend or his best friend's girlfriend... usually brining the PCs into play
Someone's personality radically changes because they got in his face and he is toying with them.
Perhaps he likes setting up drama to watch it unfold.
What is going on with him?
2007-01-16 12:42 PM
2007-01-16 02:41 PM
An okay little encounter with some plot potential.
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