as promised: The Orphan

[Jared A. Sorensen]

The orphan

attributes: raised on the streets of the city, the orphan is destined to
face life without a reassuring hand on his shoulder. he is the rat scurrying
in the shadows, he is the feral dog searching the trash for food. without a
mother or father to look after him, one would think that his life would be
tragic and short. not so.

the orphan is optimistic about the future and never gives up hope that
someone will come along and become the father that he never had. this
archetype's fate is inextricably entwined with that of the gunslinger, the
heroic warrior who has made it his life to protect those unable to fend for
themselves. although either may fight his destiny, they will soon find that
they need each other; each complimenting the other in many ways. the
orphan's youth and lust for life inspiring the once cynical and brooding
warrior -- and in turn being inspired by the elder's experience, wisdom and
sense of purpose.

taboo: the orphan must never give up hope. he must face his hardships head
on and survive. the orphan must also never lose sight of his past, for his
feral soul carries with it a flame that mustn't ever go out.

symbols: ragged clothes, unkept hair and smudged skin don't quite mask the
glimmer of life that shines in the eyes of the orphan. his animals are the
stray dog and the rat, symbols of survival among the savage streets of the
city.

suspected avatars in history: the orphan archetype first appears in greek
myths concerning the shield boys of the great heroes. young and naive, they
are neverthless indispensible allies to the men they serve. because they
exist in the shadow of greatness, the orphan in history has remained an
elusive figure.

channels: 

1%-50%: the orphan has tapped into the pattern of The City, the archetypal
pattern that flows through all urban centers. he knows what streets are safe
and what streets are not. he can find a warm place to sleep and where to get
food. this knowledge is instinctive. more specific information ("where does
the local gang captain hang out?") can be gleaned through a successful
avatar: orphan skill check.

51%-70: at this level, the orphan has attuned himself to the creatures of
the city (stray cats and dogs, rats, bird and even raccoons). they will
protect him from harm and carry our simple requests. the orphan cannot speak
with them, per se...this is more like a strong rapport with the animals than
any kind of "beast speak" ability.

71%-90%: the orphan is know capable of filling people with pity for his
plight. anyone who interacts with the orphan will feel a strong
maternal/paternal urge toward him and try to help him out in any way that
they can. those attempting to interfere with the orphan's life (from violent
street people to uncaring social workers) may only do so if they roll a soul
check and fail.

91%+: the avatar has now established a psychic link with the gunslinger and
knows how locate him. from then on, the orphan will follow the gunslinger
and become schooled in the fighting arts so that one day the orphan will
take his place. the orphan will instinctively know the approximate
whereabouts of his mentor, as well as his state (sleeping, wounded, etc).
the orphan also gains the ability to flip-flop any roll that he makes when
escaping danger.

when the gunslinger ascends or dies, the orphan is handed the mantle of the
gunslinger and is expected to follow in his mentor's footsteps.  a new
avatar of the orphan will eventually serve the newly made warrior.