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Overview of Dash
In the other world...
xxxxx Dashiell Bertsch was one of “New Guard” of power players on the Dunlin’s Reach social and political scene. This young politician was a scion of the 3rd generation of the Bertsch family in Aleswich, but is more commonly affiliated with the Landace family. From the trendy clubs through the halls of power to the retreats of the social elite, Dash was frequently found brushing elbows with other New Guard notables such as Sandor Bailey , Kelvin King and Dawson Bryce. Married to local heroine, philanthropist and media favorite, Lucille McShaw, this Stanford educated wunderkind had all the ear-markings of future Senator, Governor, or even more. During the summer crisis, Dashiell Bertsch was found on the front lines; coordinating evacuation plans and disaster relief; leading the efforts to keep the power on and lines of communication open; and insuring State, Federal and Private resources were available to mitigate the damage and loss of life in the community. Once the chaos of those events settled he participated in efforts to get the University up to speed in time for the fall term, to recover the remains of the citizens lost to sinkholes and then fill same, and worked with local entrepreneurs to bring investment capital and industry to the county and the city to help offset the catastrophic economic fallout from the disastrous summer.
xxxxxTo the Wise of Aleswich, the Magus Defilade was a bit more complicated. This transplant to Aleswich from the Golden Bay Consilium of San Francisco and Oakland arrived as a Factotum of the Silver Ladder and had been making an impact on the local Awakened Nation ever since. In the course of Two Consilii locally he has been a Herald and the Hierarch's Provost in the first, and a member of the Hearth Master's College, a Factotum and the elected Acanthus Councilor in the second before the Adamantine Arrow Junta over the Summer of 2013. With the restoration of civilian government and the departure of Martial Law he was elected unanimously by the councilors of the Pentacle to serve as the Hierarch, which he did for his entire term of a year and a Day. At the end of his term he declined the nomination to serve in that capacity again, and after the change of power he indicated he was leaving public service to seek the Threshold of Arch mastery, being at that time a 5th Degree Master and due to the abnormal alacrity which supernatural accrued in Aleswich one of the most puissant Mages in North America, and for that matter the world.
xxxxx In his order he served as a Consilium Factotum and was seconded to an Arrow Cabal for two years in San Francisco where he served as a legal advisor to the Arrow troubleshooter cabal of The Effulgent Parable. In Aleswich he served as Claviger to Deacon Silence and then became the Deacon of the Caucus after exposing the Seer of the Throne Infiltration of the Ladder, the Mysterium, the Adamantine Arrow and the Free Council. He served as the Deacon for two years without challenge to his position, but declined seeking the rank of Magister feeling he was too young . He surrendered his seat as the Deacon of the Aleswich Caucus when he announced he would be seeking to join the Hidden Masters.
xxxxx Among the Landace family, Dash was valued as a hard-working achiever, willing to share accolades of success and shoulder the burden of taking personal responsibility. He was known for giving thoughtful counsel, but also for an impish streak of pranks. Forthright, diligent, successful and respectably married -- Dash represented a role-model the elder generation approved of; an agent of the family interests that the mature generation could depend on; a source of friendly support his own generation could turn to; and a patron of mischief and non-permitted sugar for the youngest Landace generation. When the other Great or Founding families of the area wanted to deal with the Landaces – the did so through Dash and he was considered by them to be the “family head”. In reality Dash remained respectful and deferential to the elders of his family and while he may have lead, he did so in a family of leaders; and while he may have planned, he did so relying on the consent and efforts of those he planned with.
xxxxx Dashiell was mostly unknown in the mortal occult community, as an occultist that is, but in reality he was a member of the Secret and Elite Order of the Black crow – becoming the president of the local chapter or “Querant” shortly after it reformed and in this capacity working with powerful and influential members of occult society and the other Shadow Nations. With fellows in his order he bent the society away from its founding principal of enlightened self-interest toward community service and protecting the common man from the supernatural risks they were unaware of.
xxxxx Dash had strong ties, official and informal with other Shadow Nations. From formal alliances with members of the Ferals to mutual assistance arrangements with Sin Eaters, directly or indirectly High Weaver of Greater Metropolitan Aleswich brought his influence into the Shadow, the Underworld, theHedge and stranger terrain. One of his last acts before leaving Aleswich was creating the Order of the Silver Thorn – and Changeling Cryptopoly that provided an alternative to, but not exclusion from, the Freehold of the Dragon’s Knell and the local lodges for the purpose of combining resources to combat The Gentry and working toward ending the taking of mortal into the lands of Faerie.
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Dashiell "Defilade" Bertsch
"No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it."
-Theodore Roosevelt
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"I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law."
-Aristotle
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Public Face
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Arcane Face
| Path:
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Acanthus
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| Order:
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Silver Ladder
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| Order Position
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Deacon : Status 4
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| Order Rank:
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Famulus Superior: Rank 3
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| Legacy:
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House of Ariadne
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| Legacy Attainment:
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High Weaver: Status 3
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Consilium Office
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Acanthus Councilor
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Previous
Consilium Offices
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Hierarch, Acanthus Councilor,Hierarch's Provost, Herald, Consilium Factotum, Liegeperson
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Cabal:xxxxxEffulgent Parable
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Edge Tender (when Hierarch)
Hearth Master in Aleswich
Lore Keeper in San Francisco
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"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.
I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will,
and always so when it violates the rights of the individual."
-Thomas Jefferson
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Overview in this world...
xxxxx In the world where Safe Haven has arisen, Dashiell Bertsch was murdered on live Television by local celebrity and B-list movie star and television personality Barnabas Dunlin during a press conference a few weeks before the End of the World. The backlash was to some degree catastrophic, public opinion turned sharply against the Dunlins, who in turn started losing family members to accidents until something akin to an actual shooting fued was ongoing when the Apocalypse hit. There was a huge funeral and the murder went straight to National Coverage and then International Coverage when Dash’s membership of the Von Bayern family of the House of Wittelsbach was brought to the fore by angry condemnation from the Chancellor of the EU and Prince Max of Bavaria. His body was sent to Germany where he was interred at the family crypt in Munich.
xxxxx Before his murder, to the locals of what was once Aleswich Dash Bertsch was a face seen commonly enough on the local news and regional talk shows representing for City Hall. – and was perhaps most known for being married to the celebrity Lucille McShaw. To those more connected he was credited with spear-heading numerous civic improvements – from pushing through the Construction of the Bailey-Brenner sport complex that provided shelter for so many during the EotW; personally funding armor and weapons upgrades for the APD – and being behind the merging of the Dunlin’s Reach Sheriff’s department and APD which made coordinated response during the EotW possible. His fingers were on two new fire trucks arriving for the AFD and two tactical vehicles for the APD including a repurposed tracked Soviet APC. The power station was refit, the sewers upgraded and a modular wifi system for the EMS and first response all before his murder – more than one person has commented on the timely installation or arrival of those things and wondered if somehow he saw the end coming. The ship that arrived full of skilled labor and supplies was in fact The Antoinette – a Lurson Class Super Yacht that belong to Dashiell Bertsch.
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RP Hooks
- Mage: In another world he was a leader among the Wise, powerful and influential with few enemies and the respect of most, even if begrudging. In this world he was a local leader with a reputation on the West Coast and New England only, his murder set off a civil conflict within the local community despite the Martial Law enforced by Adamant Sage Kairos.
- Connected: Defilade knew far more than he let on, and knew far more about people than one would guess. Not only have times changed, but worlds too -- still, he may know where to find treasures unexpected even here.
- Hierarch: Defilade was a Hierarch in a version of this world -- he is certainly weakened, but that probably won't shake his sense of authority.
- Acanthus: Defilade is an Acanthus -- he works with Fate and Time every day and has a special relationship with the region itself. Perhaps you are looking for a hook up, or a way out?
- Silver Ladder: Vox Draconis – do you need advice? Moral Support? Guidance on how to help a sleeper overcome The Lie without the Guardians of the veil black bagging you out of your bedroom? Perhaps he can help you. Are you a Thearch? Want to confer on a matter of Cryptopoly, conspire or even machinate? Do you need someone to tell you what do in general? The Silver Ladder can help you! Dash is a Famulus Superior in the Silver Ladder and so a senior member of the local caucus when it is rebuilt. Perhaps he can help you, or you can help him help others.
- Politics: Will he get involved with mortal politics again or eschew such matters? Do you want him to get back involved? Stay out of it? Help you with a political scenario?.
- San Francisco: Dash lived there until mid-2012, and worked in local and Nor Cal politics, perhaps you met? Are you a mage from the Bay area? If so you may know Dash as Defilade – did his cabal help you? Thwart you? Did you hear about the “incident”?
- Kappa Sigma: Dash is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, are you? Did you hate those guys where you went to school? Did you date some? Dash usually wears his Stanford ring with the Greek letters on it so you can identify him as such.
- Awesome: Are you awesome? Do you stand out for some reason that would attract his attention? Let me know. I don’t mean famous, or just rich or powerful, or hot; I mean something of substance that makes you *awesome*. Do you think Dash is awesome? Feel free to start a fan club and stalk him.
- Barfly: Four years as a Fraternity Man, two years as a hotshot politico in NorCal, two years with a Work Hard = Play Hard Adamantine Arrow Cabal -- Dash *can* party. Should he? Some interested parties do not approve. That said there was no underground rave; no velvet rope, no V.I.P. only spot that would not let him pass through. He was just lucky that way. Having a party, maybe he will attend.
- Landace: Are you a Landace? If so, not only does Dash wants to meet you, he wants become invested in your success. From someone to bounce ideas off of to joining you on trips to cursed islands to confront lobster gods, Dash is personally committed to the success of the family and its members. Except evil ones, if you are evil, better to *not* let him know about it. Dash was the "family head" for the Landace family, but ICly he took his notes from family consent and the NPC elders of the family just like anybody else of his generation -- in this case Family Head is more like "trouble shooter" or "point man" if you had a problem, or a idea you wanted to foster, he was a good point of contact to get that done. Now, his status with the local versions of the Landaces is very much up in the air.
- Fame: Despite efforts to avoid this, too much exposure to the local media, even in the periphery had ushered Dash into the realm of the famous. Do you recognize him? Do you wish to curry his favor? Offer him yours? It isn't movie star / media icon fame its more Handsome Young Politician fame. Also famously murdered by a celebrity fame...
- Lucy McShaw: Were you a fan of local heroine Lucy McShaw? If you had a business or media deal to offer her, Dash might have been an avenue to reach her. If you are a stalker or a creeper, you might think Dash was in your way. I'm open to either hook, but in the later case remember its not me you have to worry about...
- APD: Were you a member of the Aleswich Police Department? Dash isn't BUT he was the liaison between the Mayor's office and Law Enforcement. Dash was very interested in helping the solve rates high and the injury incident reports low, if you had ideas you could take a chance. Common sentiment had been that he is very supportive of the department and its personnel and was a friend to the blue line.
- Antoinette: The Luurson Super Yacht with the two helicopter pads and the boat tender rig the size of a shopping center and capable of holding the population of a small town in Maine? Yes, Dash was known to fly back and forth to it, and he didn't bring it up. Yes, it did first arrive bearing a French Princess who spent some time in Aleswich in 2012-2013. She left, it stayed. Yes, it was diplomatically registered with the State Department and protected by the Federal Republic of Germany Diplomatically on behalf of the Von Bayerns. Certainly, it did play host from time to time with visiting titled dignitaries from Europe, typically off from the Aleswich area in international waters. And yes, its true a certain Prince of Liechtenstein was once in residence there if the flag being flown in addition to the Von Bayern crest was an indication. No, Dash *really, really* doesn't seem to want to talk about it.
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- Nemeses -
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A different world, but until I *know* you're dead, we aren't through.
For all I know you sent me here.
xxxxxIf I have to claw my way
xxxxxthrough Arcadia itself,
xxxxxxxxxxIf I have to shred all barriers of time or space,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAt the end of your life,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx you will find me laughing.
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xxxxxI asked for coffee,
xxxxxyou brought me a stapler.
xxxxx I asked you to make copies,
you took a nap in the supply room.
xxxxxI told you to answer the phone,
xxxxx you took out your cell,
xxxxxand said no one was there.
God bless you, Pete the Douchey Intern, because nobody else will.
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Friends:
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Deeds speak more truthfully than words
xxxxxIf secrets were to be told, then people would know you are my better half. Time and time again you have been the one to pull me back from decisions that would have been fatal for those who have vexxed me. You are the hand that stays my finger off the red button, off the trigger. When I am lost in the input of myriads of concurrent timelines, past occurrences and branching possible futures, you are the lighthouse that shines me back to shore. When my burdens get to heavy, you pull me back up and dust me off. It is for you most of all that I strive to be a better man, to be a sage amongst Lions, to not just have power but to be worthy of that power. Now, its your turn to walk the path of Sages -- may I be but half as supportive to you as you have been to me, and you will write your legacy in the heavens themselves.
 xxxxxThis City, That City, This World, That World even Ananke weave our paths together. When I am too serious, you remind me to laugh. When I just want to study magic, you remind me of my duty to the outside world. When others disrespect me, you beat the shit out of them. You tell everyone I'm a Prince, then mock me for being one. Being friends with a Monkey King is a complicated thing, but worth the effort.
 xxxxxI had five older brothers, who all had different parents, but who were my brothers all the same. You are the only one to survive, and I still think about you and the others often. My master molded me into a Thearch, my Seeker attuned me into a Metropolitan, but you and our fallen brotehrs, made me into a man worthy of the Destiny laid before him. From you I understood the beauty and truth of the Arrow Phalanxes, and doing so made me a better man and a better wizard. I would not be a Sage without those lessons, I would have been a far poorer Hierarch without that inspiration. I miss you all, but I miss you most of all, big brother.
 xxxxx When you were an apostate and I was a Herald, I knew that there was greatness in you. You fought your way up, into the Mysterium, and hard work and dedication have resulted in your advancement both in your order and the Consilium. My provost, our Hearthmaster, my friend. If my parents had given me a sister, I would hope she would be like you. Kind, charitable, loyal, ferocious. We share not a path, not an order, not a legacy but all of that means very little compared to this simple truth -- I know you have my back, and you know I have yours.
 xxxxx "Jeeves" came with the Antoinette, and even before he awoke and went on to join the Arrow he was a formidable gentleman, in addition to being one of the mostly and diversely trained "body guards" one could hope for. It seemed sort of awkward keeping him on as the Gentleman's Gentleman and "Chief Butler of the Household" when he himself was an awakened mage -- but it was even more unconscionable to discharge him from his well deserved and completely qualified position because of *my* hangups about the role of the Wise. Truth be told, keeping my family safe and my person secure was a role that an Arrow could take. I respect his service and perhaps if I can capture the Chapter House of *this* world, he can take up the "role" of Chief Butler there while running security in reality, like a Banner Warden might.
 xxxxxOnce upon a time, the City lead me to find my future apprentice. But, being the prankster that she is, Fate actually lead me to where *two* of my apprentices to be were at. Foreshadowing can be fun. So many lifetimes, and let's be honest, many of them truly traumatic -- you have the wisdom of ages -- and sometimes the habit of the venerable to pick up in a conversation halfway in, forgetting that not everyone knows what you are talking about.
xxxxxFortunately for me, I usually can catch up. You were a dutiful apprentice, I am proud of your work for the Order. You have the makings of an even better Metropolitan, the House of Ariadne is blessed to have you. I left our Aleswich in your care -- and it seems other plans were had for now we are together in a
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSafe Haven and perhaps are the caretakers of the last City on Earth. No pressure.
 xxxxxWhen I needed a strong ally in City Hall to help me keep the forces of Chaos and Darkness at bay, Fate provided you. I couldn't have asked for a more talented or visionary ally, and you didn't just get what I was doing in city government -- you got what I was *doing*. You presented an ideal of mage/fae cooperation that I could sell to my entire order, and from that the entire Awakened Nation; like the realization of a hope I had been nurturing. I believe, you believe, we believe and from that shared belief, wonders will follow.
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Things of Note:
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"It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law than that he should escape."
-Thomas Jefferson
- Striking Looks •• "Commanding"
- Occult (Geomancy, Cartomancy, Scrutiny) •••••
- Politics (Local Politics) •••••
Soundtrack:
- Acanthus get psyched song – Guadalcanal Diary',
Where Angels Fear to Tread
Black clad preacher on a mountain road
Lifts his voice in tongues unknown
Barefoot dancing on burning coals
Covered by the night
With torch aloft and eyes aglow
Gaze into the fire below
Drawn by something they don't know
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
- Silver Ladder Cryptopoly” – Olivia Newton-John',
Magic
Come take my hand, you should know me
I've always been in your mind
You know that I will be kind
I'll be guiding you
Building your dream has to start now
There's no other road to take
You won't make a mistake
I'll be guiding you
You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive, destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive, for you
- Defilade vs. Lucien – Jonathan Coulton w/ John Roderick',
Nemeses
Being a brilliant man
Going to great expense
Devising a master plan
Doesn't make much sense
Unless you find the one you're destined to destroy
Now that you're here I don't seem that crazy do I?
Could it be that you need me
To keep you out, to run you faster
Promise me you'll let me be
The one, the worst of all your enemies
Pretending you're a friend to me
Say that we'll be nemeses
- Silver Ladder vs. The Lie – Garbage ',
The World is Not Enough
I know how to hurt
I know how to heal
I know what to show
And what to conceal
I know when to talk
And I know when to touch
No one ever died from wanting too much
The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart my love
- Lucy: Why there is a Kinder, Gentler, Me. - Brian Wilson',
God Only Knows
I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you
If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me
God only knows what I'd be without you
- Some mistakes are the best decisions you ever make - Ewan McGregor and Renne Zellwegger',
Here's to Love
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