Page 87 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER THREE: GHOSTWALKERS

didn’t have much, they stuck together as best they could, until Storytelling Hints: Naomi Red Bird spends most of her time
a great tragedy struck each family member down. Her mother, trying to help ghosts find peace. She is fearless and doesn’t shy away
Connie Red Bird, was a budding artist until she was diagnosed from rundown or poorer areas. To her, Naomi feels she’s gotten a
with terminal stomach cancer. By the time she lost her second second chance, and has seized that opportunity as best she can.
child, Connie lost the will to live. Her father, Eddie Red Bird, To resist her call to start fires, Naomi usually smokes.
taught tribal history at the local community college until he Unfortunately, this trick doesn’t always work, for ghosts with
eventually succumbed to alcoholism, unable to deal with his violent urges often persuade her to start fires, and will only
wife’s slow and heartbreaking decline. move on if that blaze claims a victim. To date, Naomi
In 2001, Connie Red Bird passed away, her body riddled has killed several people on behalf of ghosts to help
with tumors. Beloved by all who knew her, the mother’s them move on.
untimely death tore the family apart. Eddie threw what Hunters may encounter Naomi as a ghost-
little valuables he had into his backpack, and left the walker who wants to help them deal with danger-
reservation behind. In her grief, Naomi decided she ous ghosts, or they may run afoul of her arson at-
needed a distraction, and asked her friends to go with tempts. Naomi frequently uses fire as a weapon
her to a party held at an abandoned house in town. or incorporates it into her conflict resolutions;
By the time Naomi arrived to the party, any battle she’s involved in, will likely end in a
however, the events of the past few days caught great fire — one that’s sure to be dangerous,
up with her. Instead of drinking and dancing, even for her allies.
the young student wound up falling asleep
while her friends got drunk, and she spent Story
the night in the condemned building. When
they woke up the next morning, Naomi’s
friends were screaming at her to get up. The Hooks
house was filled with smoke, and flames were
spreading fast. Though her friends barely To deepen the presentation of a
managed to escape, Naomi did not. ghostwalker, think about what role that
Now, Naomi Red Bird is known by character plays and what he represents.
another name: the Smoking Woman. Is he the character who represents the
Her body burned beyond recognition, living in a scenario? Or does he keep
Naomi Red Bird returned from the dead the dead in check? More than any
as a scarred, angry, and vengeance-filled other sort of supernatural creature,
woman. Why was she brought back from a Hunter Storyteller may look at
the dead? Who set fire to the building? a ghostwalker, and may often see
Where was her father? Though these changed hunters looking back at
questions burn inside of her, the her. Indeed, a ghostwalker’s goals,
Smoking Woman is compelled to action motivations, and lifestyles may seem
by fire. Either she starts a fire, or she’s positively mundane and all too
forced to burn at the very heart of one. human compared to the Lucifuge
Again, and again, and again. Maybe or Aegis Kai Doru. This provides unique
one day, she’ll learn the truth about opportunities for any Storyteller. Hunters
what happened to her. Until then, the may just be one bullet to the head away from
Smoking Woman will find no peace. turning into a ghostwalker themselves. Both
Appearance: Naomi Red Bird is walk the same roads, care and protect their
a descendant from the Oglala Sioux loved ones, and view the supernatural with
tribe. She appears to be woman trepidation. In many ways, ghostwalkers are not
in her early twenties with long, so different from what hunters already are.
black hair. Though she doesn’t When hunters encounter a gang of
need to, she usually walks with ghostwalkers, Storytellers should play up the
a cane. Her brown eyes carry an supernatural aspects of these new arrivals by focusing
intensity people notice even on and the group’s bizarre occult powers. These
on casual inspection. To all abilities can lead to surreal and evocative scenes, and
who see her, it’s clear that horrific strengths can add tension and atmosphere.
Naomi Red Bird grieves for Dread Powers are what make them monsters, after all.
a deep loss, one she can The supernatural does not just walk amongst humans;
never fully heal from. it hunts amongst hunters, too.
Representing the vengeful dead,
ghostwalkers bring with them a host of

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