In 1998, when she was a college freshman Claudia Kinsela wrote a novel. It wasn’t a bestseller, won no critical acclaim, it wasn’t even very good. Fall Where They May was a book about a repressed young woman lashing out against social norms by permitting herself small trespasses, surrendering her decision-making to literal rolls of the dice. Over the course of the novel her behaviour becomes steadily more extreme and destructive as she seeks higher and higher stakes. Safe in the knowledge that it's not really her doing it, it's all the little plastic cube's decision. The book culminates in a double homicide, her fiance and the housemate he was indecent with, and an ambiguous final passage that implies some kind of ultimate escape which could be anything from suicide to a poorly veiled ascension. Written during the dull periods of a year long internship at a medical supply company, only 500 copies were ever printed. You can occasionally find one on eBay or Amazon.
Although it faded quickly from its author's consideration as a piece of embarassing juvenalia, Fall Where They May developed a cult following. People using it as an excuse to cut loose on their self-control, surrendering themselves to the will of the dice. For a lot of them it means casual drug use and group sex. For one small cabal it means something almost religious, a group of low-rent entropomancers calling themselves “Gamblers Synonymous” have made it their bible.
Using the book’s methods to gather charges and explore their magick they are utterly convinced Claudia is some kind of genius prophet, enough so that they decided to pay her a visit and see what other secrets she had. Until she encountered the Gamblers, Claudia had no idea about anything magickal, she'd gone on to live a normal, boring life and reacted appropriately. After a roll of the dice they shot her husband and pinned it on her to show just how serious they are.
The last six months have been a nightmare. Between being dogged across 4 states by the cabal, pursued by law enforcement and living like a fugitive, Claudia has done things she never thought she could or would. The only thing that keeps her going is the thought of her children, now living with her in-laws back home. The cabal think they can force an awakening in Claudia and that when she comes into her own that she will lead them to greater highs out of gratitude. The more likely outcome is a complete breakdown - she's on the verge - or that she uses the skills survival has taught her to end them all.
STATS
Personality: A bookish Sarah Connor, if you waffle between Terminators 1 & 2. The gritty reality of living on the lam is far from movie glamourous, Claudia is almost always exhausted, broke and justifiably afraid.
Rage: People who take their loved ones for granted.
Noble: Preventing collateral harm.
Fear: Being caught unprepared (Helplessness).
Obsession: Find a way to finally be free of these monsters.
Wound Threshold: 50.
One-Hit Writer 40% (Substitutes for Knowledge, Evaluates Helplessness, Evaluates Self.)
Clerical Worker 50% (Substitutes for Notice, Protects Isolation, Protects Helplessness.)
On The Run 30%* (Substitutes for Secrecy, Provides Firearm Attacks, Provides Initiative.)
Shock Gauges
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