New Salem Character #30: Randolph 'Duke' Heather Winthrop IV

Randolph 'Duke' Heather Winthrop IV

Experience level: 3

Affect/Gimmick: He's the stern hyper-moralist capitalist patrician who in an earlier era would have had all his workers in company provided housing with pay enough to care for a family and immediate termination if you violated any of his moral "rules". He rails constantly about the sin and corruption felling the city, but places the blame on moral failings and a falling from grace of the puritan ideal. And he'll still fire your ass for moral infractions. 

Gang?: Yes, for a guy who runs a toy and game company he has a surprisingly effective security force, bodyguards, and a former intelligence officer as his chief of security.  

Status: He's considered untouchable by the Syndicate, in part because he makes such an excellent foil for them: his money and influence is why this state doesn't have a lottery (allowing the Numbers Game to really flourish), why the track is the only allowed gambling in the city (even roller derby betting is handled by the Syndicate), and his constant loud claims of corruption as a failure to follow good puritan ways makes a lot of noise to cover up the real issues. No one other than Paper Doll yet knows that Duke is his dad, but if that's revealed to Duke, or the world, things could get weird. 

Powers: 1

1. Willpower: His has an iron hard grip on reality, and gains a willpower defense type against any magical or psionic attacks. His powerful affect gives him double normal reaction when first meeting someone, but his suspicious nature means he ignores other peoples reaction modifiers - he can't be charmed or wheedled. His business acumen is such that he has a photographic recall of financials, deals, and partners (and also the Bible), but he only has regular recall of other things or people he encounters outside of the business environment. 

Weight: 160               Basic Hits: 4    Agi Mod: +0

S: 9         E: 11          HP: 9            

A: 12        I: 15          Pow: 47          

C: 18                         Move: 32"        

Accuracy: +1

Damage Mod: +2

Reactions Mod: +3 or +6 on first meeting l

Carrying Cap: 152    HTH: 1d4

Inventions: He was, as a child, the inventor of the Crosses word game, which is essentially a junior version of Scrabble and sells very well to kids. As an adult he developed a similar game with Bible quotes called Verses, which sells OK but is provided free to church-based day care centers across the US. 

Background/Origin:  Randolph 'Duke' Heather Winthrop IV is the current head of the Happy Witch Toy Company, which is the major employer in the Bowery. His second son, Randolph 'Duke' Heather Winthrop V, is in line to run the company while his eldest son, John David Heather Winthrop took his inheritance and has no doubt squandered it by now. Duke hopes he be home any day and keeps a fatted calf on standby. 

Happy Witch Toy Company's bread and butter is the long standing line of Happy Witch dolls, developed during the 1920's, the games Duke invented, and a line of Beanie Baby-Esque dolls called Aren't You Familiars of cute black cats, green frogs, yellow toads, white mice, red snakes and navy blue ravens. If this seems at odds with Duke's personality, he sees it as using the weapons of the enemy against them. The Happy Witch comics (think Sabrina the Lil Witch) and Aren't You Familiars cartoons all ultimately teach the principles of brotherhood and charity and fighting against evils. 

Duke is not, at heart, a bad person. He's clever and generous and cares for his people. He's just also unyielding and believes that there are fundamental rules... that happen to be the things he believes. He won't attack people for their gender expression as you are supposed to love your neighbor; he will fire them for smoking pot at all or drinking on Sundays because Blue Laws matter. If the PCs can handle that he might make a great ally.