Saint Shaft {was: Re: [HOE] Saint T)

["Nick Zachariasen" <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu>]

> I couldah sworn I posted the stats, but I'm not completely sure. If I
didn't,
> by all means I'd like to see what you'd do with it, hell, do it even if I
> had. As for Turing, it seemed to work for me- he worked against the nazis
> (tools of the reckoners) and it could be argued that his death was
reckoner
> inspired.

Hell, you should have made one of St. Turing's powers be the ability to use
the Junker power AI.  It would be appropriate, after all!  Anyway, here's my
attempt at a much funkier St. John than the one those guys in Rome observe
:) .

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John Shaft
Saint of Freedom

In 1971, a movie came out about "the black private dick who's the sex
machine to all the chicks."  This movie that started the blaxploitation
genre was called Shaft; based on a novel by author Ernest Tidyman, few
people realized that the film was actually biographical.  Tidyman knew a
struggling Harlem detective named David Johnathan Shaft, and it was this
person on whom the novels and TV series were based, unbeknownst to the
publishing, movie and TV companies. Shaft and Tidyman found great amusement
in this.
After the success of the first film, Shaft decided to ride the popularity of
the character and started going by his middle name instead of his first
(like Eddie Murphy in "The Distinguished Gentleman").  This helped his
business out tremendously, and as the popularity of the character grew, so
did Shaft's fame.  After the end of the TV series, Shaft and Tidyman decided
to revela the private joke to all, and the public, too, found it funny at
the expense of the execs who had remained totally clueless.
Shaft ended up becoming a highly respected member of his community for the
work he did to improve living and economic conditions in poor neighborhoods,
especially his home borough of Harlem.  In the mid-80s, Shaft ran for mayor
of New York City and won, creating the largest voter turnout in New York
history mainly as a result of the underprivileged coming out to vote.  He
used his newfound power to continue his work helping the poor, which
consisted of various ways of trying to help get them out from under the
heels of the power elite.  Needless to say, this didn't go over too well
with said power elite.
Some of the rich of New York decided to seek a "solution" to having gotten
the Shaft.  However, they chose a rather bad time.  Mayor Shaft was trying
to push some rather strong environmental enforcement through, as well as a
lot of reform in the police department, shaking out many of the crooked cops
who just happened to be on the conspiracists' payrolls as well as those of
some of the richese of New York's citizenry.  Sadly, the assassination
attempt was successful, but in death, John Shaft managed to get one last
strike at the power elite.  In their arrogance, the conspirators didn't
cover their tracks well and were all caught and convicted within weeks-
money doesn't buy you smarts!  Even people who weren't in on Shaft's
assassination got caught when redoubled investigations into police
corruption performed by IA officers who had been hand-picked by Shaft
himself resulted in the discovery of connections to the mafia, including the
legendary John Gotti, and the heads of some major bankers and CEOs.

Deed: Shaft comes to the humble and to those who show true concern for
equality and justice for the underdog.  He also Blesses Templars and
Companions who regularly fight against people who seek to exploit others
(the Combine definitely qualfies as an example of "The Man"*).  Also, Shaft
doesn't tend to come to white Templars, though that doesn't mean he won't-
he did it once.  He tend to come to minorities, blacks in particular.  He
may be dead, but he still loves his Harlem home.

White: Shaft, even as Mayor, never got married.  He was just too much of a
ladies' man.  As a result, by spending a White Chip your character gains the
benefits of the Purty Edge for the next 24 hours.  This isn't so much from a
change in appearance as it is from the manner in which your character
carries him/herself and also from a newly-intensified magnetism.

Red: Shaft was, as an extra said in the hotel rescue scene of the original
_Shaft_,  "one shrewd cat".  He passes this onto those he Blesses in that
the character may spend a Red chip to either automatically make any
Scrutinize or Streetwise roll with a TN of 11 or less.  On rolls greater
than TN 11, this power simply grants a flat +7 to the roll.  Either of these
abilities may be used after the roll has been made.  Regardless of the TN,
you may use a Red Chip to instead avoid the effects of going bust and turn
it into a simple failure.

Blue: Shaft fought for equality, and in his Blessing he helps you do the
same.  You may spend a Blue Chip on any opposed roll- even one that somebody
else is making- to force a tie.

Legend: Using both his resourcefulness and desire for equality, Shaft grants
a truly unique ability.  Average the levels in all your Rewards, rounding
up.  Don't count Greater Rewards for this calculation.  For the next hour,
ALL of your Rewards ae either raised or brought down to that level.  For
Rewards at 5 in which you have the Greater Reward, you don't lose the
benefit of the Greater Reward.  Note: if the Relic power is raised, simply
assign an additional +1 to damage for the weapon in question for each level
raised.  If the power would be lowered, it should be worked out with the
Marshal ahead of time what would happen if the weapon does something other
than simply giving a level-dependant hit and/or damage bonus.

Vexation: Shaft doesn't like racists or the greedy.  He won't come to anyone
with the Greedy Hindrance or a racially-based  Intolerance.  If the Templar
acts like a bully for any reason other than smacking around a scumbag for
information or as part of his Templar cover (though for the latter he should
keep it to a minimum), Shaft leaves for 1d8 days.
If the Templar begins to try to elevate himself socially or economically at
the expense of others, Shaft leaves for 1d4 weeks.  If the Templer keeps up
the behavior, Shaft splits, baby.

*The Man is defined as any oppressive authoritative figure or body.  Make
sure you don't confuse it with "Da Man", who is a figure of greatness we all
(at least men) strive to be.  Basically, Shaft is Da Man.  He FOUGHT The
Man.
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Well?  How's this one?

Nick Zachariasen
Editor Emeritus
Trojan Times