Wednesday 10 September 2014

Doppelgangers

"You does not understand the concept of an individual, but this is not to say You is not one - You simply does not empathise enough with others to understand how they are also individuals with their own helping of thoughts, fears and dreams. You does taste them however. An essential element of You's mimicry, the ability to deform and shape You's mind into an effective emulation of the target. A wolf in sheep's clothing, You will then assimilate into the life of the target, replacing them entirely to remove any suspicion before the task is carried out. You would then stay hidden until You could disappear without risking capture."

Every doppelgänger is a unique creature, more of a broad family than a member of a species. It is not known where they come from. Many struggle with issues of identity, with the most common response being to not have one - they became perfect blank slates upon which they pin their deception. Others  instead fail to understand that anything else is really alive and sentient, seeing those it slips between as a great herd. Beyond these two broad archetypes, there is an infinite variety of possible outlooks and attitudes.

The 'blank slate' archetypes are owned by a handler who they are suicidally loyal to, or else aimlessly wander, replacing random individuals seemingly erratically. They often pass entirely undetected, until some unknown trigger causes a brutal slaughter, commonly met with death by the authorities.

They are known to gather in groups, most commonly when operating as mercenaries. It is not known what they do with their pay. Those who do group together are usually of the more eccentric kind, sporting more outlandish habits and preferences. They are considerably more talented, motivated and intelligent than the others of their kind, despite having no real goal. This makes them a formidable force and a great boon to those who can afford their hefty fees. Incredibly unusual is the tendency for these groups to take on names, something which exists entirely within these groups.

All members of this species have what is known as the 'rest form' - their appearance when not impersonating another. There is a great deal of variation between these, with the features approaching common usually being present on those of the 'blank slate' type ;

- Overall body is standard human configuration
- Translucent skin, not quite transparent enough for organs/bones without bright light behind them.
- No sensory organs
- No sexual organs
- Emaciated appearance
- Average height 5'5

D6
Specialisation
1
Theft of items with great sentimental value – this one delights in stealing such items, and will store them in its personal stash. This stash will be defended to the death.
2
Murder of the dependent – this one savours the killing of the elderly, the children and the sickly.
3
Savage Brutality – it revels in pure carnage, brutally slaughtering targets and those near – usually to have it blamed on the one being impersonated.
4
Being caught – this one allows itself to be caught in the act, before slipping away once blame is solidly levelled at the one being impersonated.
5
Destroying relationships – this dynamic individual will rapidly shift to destroy all friendships and relationships the target has, leaving them utterly alone.
6
Specific Impersonations – this one has a knack for impersonating a specific variety of target, feeling incredibly comfortable in that form – to the point that their rest form reflects this preference. Roll on table below for the specific variety.

D6
Preferred Impersonation
1
The holy, the pious, members of clergy or of known upstanding character.
2
A specific gender.
3
Children of a certain age – (D12 +4)
4
Nobility, those possessed of great wealth or titles, guild leaders.
5
A specific race, often from somewhere distant than their current locale.
6
Those known for a specific strong temperament.









1 comment:

  1. Also some doppelganger names

    1. Dancing-in-Skin
    2. Thought-Taster
    3. Already-Inside
    4. Cruel-Trick
    5. Crack-of-Bones
    6. Fragile-Relationship
    7. Tragic-Mistake
    8. Count-The-Fingers
    9. Honest
    10. Takes-Roles
    11. Better-Friend-Now
    12. Tongue-in-Your-Ear
    13. You

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