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Mrs. Werther. Oh I was a right looker in my day, and no mistake. 'O course, that were years ago and I was never famous for it mind. Nah, what got me in papers were my cooking. It was just after the war ended and we were still on rations. We made do with 1 fish, 2 apples and 3 pieces of cardboard Mr. Churchill said was bread. In those days, I would hunt down rabbits for stew, pigeons for pies and trout for Friday’s. I used to feed for a family of 14; we certainly had to make things stretch, but I always tried to put that bit extra in my cooking. “Every meal, a gift from heaven” my Father would say. I could do some wonderful things with some herbs and spices you know. The judges at my first Church bake sale agreed. I was fourteen when they put the blue ribbon in my hand and I was so proud. That was the start, you see. A blue ribbon here and there, top prizes in a few regional, columns in magazines and papers, and the rest was history. I was 21 when I left for Belgium to apprentice under a small Chef, looking for a protégé. I spent a few years in almost every country in Europe, learning to cook and bake and such forth. At 26, I left Europe for new heights and I found Japan. I ran a little stall selling Sweets I cooked up in my apartment while learning under Mr Chen Kenichi. I loved it there; learning to make traditional food from a Master when I could barely string a few sentences along was the most exhilarating time of my life. I have always said, the most powerful force in the world is want. I wanted to learn, so even though I couldn't barely speak the language, I made it through 3 years as a Gaijin in Japan in the 60's and 70's, learning from some of the best Japanese Chefs. Then I went and ruined all their work by opening a pie shop. Well not really; “Mrs. Werther's Bakery and Pie Parlour” was the name of my first 'restaurant' and it didn't have a speck of Japanese cuisine. No sir, in my shop, it was sweeties, pastries and cakes from all over Europe and a special pie of the day for afternoons. My god, I've been running this place for a long time; had about 10 employees at one point, all thanks to my ability to put cavities in teeth! O' Course, I hit bad times a few months back, which I suspect is why you’re here. Anyway, I hit bad times a few months ago. Some hoity-toity real estate developer and his big banker friends wanted my humble parlour so badly, they did everything they could to put me out of business; fake mortgage payments, phony bills and weeks of harassment. I had to let my employees go, stop my cake commissioning and nearly sell my little place in order to pay them off. And still that kept coming. That was when I met with the man with the red briefcase in person. Bold as brass in my Bakery, an hour before I had even opened. He told me that he knew the source of my woes and would be happy to help me deal with them, all I had to do was sign some contract. I was at the end of my rope, and so I did. The very next day, I got some news. The developer and a couple who worked at the bank had all disappeared and as quick as that, my money problems were over. No more fake bills, no more harassment or any other problems. I even got all the money I had paid them with back the day after, plus a very large bonus. Unfortunately, the Police have been snooping about, blaming me for their disappearances. There are also a few funny looks about my suddenly very good finances. The nerve of some people, I tell you! I only ever hurt anyone by being the number 1 cause of diabetes in Tokyo. Actually, I'm not getting many looks at all, really. I stopped getting the foot traffic I usually do when I got into that mess, so only my regulars still came in. It's like they don't recognise me! It passes eventually, but it always takes a minute or to for them to notice. With strangers in fact, unless I actually touch them or shout at them, it's like they don't even know I'm there at all. That man must have something to do with it, I tell you right now. Still, there is a thing that makes me glad. Even though I'm not getting many looks now, people are still coming for the sweets. It may take a while to know I'm there, or make the connection with the name on my store to myself, but when one of those kiddies sees me handing over one of my baked delights, a huge grin splits their faces in two. Without those little kids popping in all sneaky like for a handful of sweets, I don't know what I would do. Who have you put at risk (knowingly or unknowingly) by entering into this bargain? The kids who frequent the bakery to and from school. Anyone who hangs around for a long period. What is the most powerful force on Earth? Human desire. When you gave up your soul, you lost something important and/or fundamental about yourself. What was it? Looks. Now Mrs. Werther is so plain, only those who she interacts with on a daily basis remember what she looks like, if they remember her at all. If she's not assertive enough when talking to someone, they may not even know she's there. Where did the man in the suit approach you, and how is that place important to you? The Bakery Why do you desire power so strongly that you were willing to sign the contract? To save said Bakery from a corrupt land developer. How did the man with the red briefcase resolve the tragedy? And, more importantly, how did it manage to make things even worse? He dealt with the land developer and everyone involved in his scheme, but now the police are poking around looking into their disappearances. Mrs. Werther's finances are also under a bit of scrutiny OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 19:59 on Mar 31, 2014 |
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Mar 30, 2014 00:45
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The Leper Colon V posted:Mrs. Werther: What do you think will happen to your bakery when you pass away? Hmm, now I don't rightly know dear. It's a big place you know; I've hit some pretty good strides here and there over the years, so it's not like I've been struggling. I've added extensions, bought a few of the shops on either side, and I even bought that Barbers when that sweet Mr Todd couldn't handle the strain no more; turned it into a little flat so I don't have far to walk. It's only in recent years, last 5 or so what with the downturn, and that bastard developer having his crook friends sending me fake bills and charges, that I got into dire straights. Heck, I used to have 10 employees before that uncaring leech burned my dream for his. I'm a pretty good chef, dearie, you know? I make the best sweets outside of actual sweet shops, I can butcher an animal with the best of them, I do wedding cakes on commission on Sundays and the old regulars I made years ago always come to me and my pies if they're having a few friends over for tea and they can't be bothered to cook; It's a well known place. Maybe someone will come along with the same passion for food I do, make good use of the place and carry on the name. I've got the space and equipment to switch into most any culinary career I wanted, if I had half the care. More then likely though, no one will come. Mrs. Werther and her Pies will fade into obscurity as time marches on. This place will be bulldozed over, and all the friendships I've made and customers I've earned will move on. The absolute worst thing that could happen though, is that that weird fella's deal carries on after I'm gone. I couldn't bare the thought of this place, empty and lifeless, just continuing on as the world moves on without it. I get a shudder thinking of that. I guess I don't really care what happens to this place when I'm gone; I'll be dead so It's not like anyone need ask my permission. I just want it to do something and mean something to someone. Maybe another fresh faced chef with a dream will come along and I'll leave it to them. Maybe during my last, I turn it into a shelter for the poor sods I feed with the days left overs. Maybe some of those kids will want the place for the memories, and want to turn it into one of them clubbing places. Hell, maybe it will be bulldozed and houses will get built, where people can start their dreams and families, making new memories from the old. As long as it's not nothing, as long as it's good and helps people, even in a small way. I'll be happy then.
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Mar 30, 2014 08:16
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The Leper Colon V posted:I was a bit vague about it, but yeah. Officially ruling it now, the game will be set in an alternate reality version of Tokyo without all the rampant misogyny and xenophobia quote:Just letting everyone know that with the setting being confirmed as Japan, Johnny Riker is now known as Kenichi Sakamoto. In a similar vein, Mrs. Werther is now Mrs. Nakano. Unless it remains more amusing to have a crazy old English lady open up a bakery in Tokyo. Once I find a suitable anime picture, I'll change that as well. OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Mar 30, 2014 |
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Mar 30, 2014 16:49
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I'm committed. Mrs. Werther has returned from exile. She also has a brand-spanking new and expanded background for your perusal.
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Mar 31, 2014 20:00
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Mrs Werther XP: 0 Aspects [High Concept]: Famed proprietor of the best bakery in Tokyo. Mrs. Werther has operated her Bakery for over several decades. Although she has been hit by a bit of trouble, the Bakery is famous among the locals for the quality of its sweets and baked goods, and the classic “Old European Café” atmosphere. [Trouble]: The suspicious arm of the law. Ever since the “disappearance” of the crooked real estate developer, the police have held Mrs. Werther as the number one suspect, somehow believing she was directly (as opposed to indirectly) responsible. Perhaps even worse, the police aren't the only ones interested in how she “pulled it off”. [Background]: Long travelled Chef and Confectioner. Mrs Werther has been in the cooking business for a long time; from cooking rabbit stew and pigeon pie, to learning under Belgian Chocolatiers, to running a Bakery in Japan. She's learned a lot over the years (not just about cooking) and it's taught her the value of a strong will, and never giving in at a few problems. [Connection]: All the little kiddies While Mrs Werther has a strong base of regulars, the children that regularly come into her parlour for a sweet treat are the customers Mrs Werther has really made a connection with. Only they stayed during the troubles and they seem to be slightly immune to the recent... memory problems affecting other people. [Sacrifice]: Who could forget this face? Most near everyone it seems. Strangers blank her as if she isn't there, acquaintances greet her as someone they've never met before and old friends barely acknowledge her. Still, they remember her sweets well enough, and within the confines of her shop most people find it pretty easy to connect the dots Qualities Years of Experience, +4: Mrs Werther has been around for a long time and has experienced quite a few things in her life. Mrs Werther knows how to survive and has a large variety of skills she keeps well sharpened for when the need arrives. Pie Parlour Proprietor, +2: Mrs Werther’s Bakery and Pie Parlour is the foremost western style Bakery in Tokyo. It has built up a very strong base of clients in the local community, thanks to her vast skill. Mrs Werther also keeps the Parlour well equipped with all manner of useful gadgets she has picked up over the years. You’ve Got To Want It!, +2: Mrs Werther has an ironclad will that bows to no one but her own desires. It's how she clawed herself all the way from England to learning under master Chefs in Japan. She clawed her way to the top based on her own ability and desire to achieve her dreams against every force arrayed against her. Mrs Werther does not surrender and she's always willing to go one step further across the line. The Pie Shop Owners Burden, -2: Running a Bakery on your own is no joke, and while Mrs Werther is wealthy enough to spend the rest of her days free of the drudgery of work, the Bakery is her life and passion. She can't leave her responsibilities behind for long without her customers leaving her shop behind. With her shop seemingly the only place people recognise and remember her, the consequences of people leaving it could be disastrous. The extra income from the place would also be missed in the long run. Howdy Guvnah'. Ow's 'bout a pie?, -2 Mrs Werther never truly assimilated as other Gaijin might. Her entire shop screams “European” to customers and her strange mannerisms always mark her as an outsider. While this won't matter to most (and for some others, her reputation and skill supersedes that) Mrs Werther is still seen as “The Other” by some of her contemporaries. Demonality Quality: Summoner +0 Stunts First Stunt: The fog of the mind Because of the supernatural compunction making people ignore and forget about her, Mrs Werther is practically invisible to all humans which aren't actively looking for her, or supernaturally attuned. Second Stunt: My Bakery, my Fortress Mrs Werther has the home-field advantage when in her Bakery. She gains an advantage when defending against attacks on her home turf. Stress: [ ]1 [ ]2 [ ]3 Consequence: [ ]6 Notes Well, I've left behind the original “slightly senile gaijin” concept, nut I've bought the whole thing a lot closer to who the character was originally based on, which I call a win. Still a bit of work here and there, though. OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 12:36 on Apr 27, 2014 |
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Apr 3, 2014 12:01
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 07:15 |
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Checking in too, just a bit busy at the moment.
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Jun 9, 2014 04:59
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