THE PRINCESS BRIDE
THE MAN IN BLACK
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH Damage [4] 21 DEX 36 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 20 CON 20 13- 18 BODY 16 13- 20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 20 COM 5 13- 8 PD 4 Total: 8 PD (0 rPD) 7 ED 3 Total: 7 ED (0 rED) 4 SPD 9 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8 REC 0 40 END 0 40 STUN 2 Total Characteristic Cost: 141 Movement: Running: 8"/16" Leaping: 4"/8" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers & Skills Martial Arts: Fencing Maneuver OCV DCV Damage 4 Froissement -1 +1 Disarm; 30 STR to Disarm roll 5 Lunge +1 -2 Weapon +4 DC Strike 4 Parry +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Prise de Fer +1 +0 Bind, 30 STR 5 Slash -2 +1 Weapon +4 DC Strike 5 Thrust +1 +3 Weapon Strike 0 Weapon Element: Blades Martial Arts: Wrestling Maneuver OCV DCV Damage 4 Choke Hold -2 +0 Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 4 Dodge -- +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 Escape +0 +0 35 STR vs. Grabs 4 "You're Quick": Running +2" (8" total) 1 3 "I Spent The Last Few Years Building Up An Immunity Io Iocane Powder": LS (Immunity: Iocane Powder) Perks 4 Fringe Benefit: Captain of the Revenge 9 "No One Would Surrender To The Dread Pirate Westley": Reputation: the Dread Pirate Roberts, who never leaves captives alive (world-wide) 14-, +3/+3d6 0 The Pirate Ship Revenge: Vehicle Talents 6 "I'm Not Left-Handed Either": Ambidexterity (-1 Off Hand penalty) 5 "I Can Cope With Torture": Resistance (5 points) Skills 40 "This Is True Love—You Think This Happens Every Day?": +4 Overall 3 Acrobatics 13- 3 Acting 13- 2 "I've Known Too Many Spaniards": AK: The Spanish Main 11- 3 "I Find That Thibault Cancels Out Capa Ferro": Analyze: Style 13- 5 "This Is Not As Easy As It Looks": Climbing 14- 3 "People In Masks Cannot Be Trusted": Disguise 13- 3 KS: Fencing 13- 0 Language: English (idiomatic; literate) 3 Navigation (Land, Marine) 13- 3 "DROP... YOUR... SWORD!": Persuasion 13- 3 PS: Knot-Tying 13- 3 PS: Dread Pirate Roberts 13- 2 PS: Sailor 11- 3 Riding 13- 3 "I Wonder If He Is Using The Same Wind We Are Using?": Sailing 13- 3 "I Mean, If We Only Had A Wheelbarrow, That Would Be Something": Tactics 13- 2 TF: Equines, Large Wind-Powered Boats, Small Rowed Boats, Small Wind-Powered Boats 2 WF: Common Melee Weapons Total Powers & Skill Cost: 159 Total Cost: 300 100+ Disadvantages 15 DNPC: Princess Buttercup 11- (Normal) 10 Distinctive Features: Style (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group) 0 Normal Characteristic Maxima 15 Psychological Limitation: "Please Understand I Hold You In The Highest Respect." (Honorable) (Common, Strong) 25 Psychological Limitation: 'Hear This Now: I Will Always Come For You [Princess Buttercup]." (Very Common, Total) 20 Reputation: Dread Pirate Roberts, 14- (Extreme) 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Westley) (Frequently, Major) 100 True Love Bonus 267 Total Disadvantage Points
Background/History: The Man in Black is the hero of William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride. Originally he was known as Westley, a simple farmboy employed by the parents of Buttercup (our story's heroine). After a short courtship Westley and Buttercup came to understand that they were in love, true love (that rarest of happenings). Realizing he could not support Buttercup in the required manner, Westley went to America to seek his fortune. As luck would have it, his ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts (who never takes prisoners) and Westley wasn't heard from again. Buttercup, when she heard the news, was devastated and swore to "never love again". At about this time she was found by Prince Humperdink who took her to be his wife (hence the title of the story).
Meanwhile, Westley was in fact, not dead. His ship had been captured by Roberts, but Westley's plea to live moved Roberts and he took Westley as a valet. (As the line goes: "Good night Westley... I'll probably kill you in the morning.") Westley, no fool, spent his time learning to fight, run a ship, do anything anyone would teach him, and eventually succeeded Roberts as the new Dread Pirate Roberts (it's a long story.. read the book). Returning to Florin, he finds his true love readying to marry Prince Humperdink....
Personality/Motivation: Westley is driven by true love and will come to Buttercup's aid regardless of what barriers may separate the two (even death didn't stop him). He is also an honorable man, fighting Inigo (initially) left-handed since Inigo was fighting him left-handed, leaving Fezzik unconscious and not dead, and so on. However, for those who are dishonorable themselves (such as Vezzini), he has far less respect for.
Quote: "We are men of action, lies do not become us."
Powers/Tactics: Westley, as the Man In Black (and, thus the hero) can do just about anything. He out-fences Inigo, out-wrestles Fezzik, out-thinks Vezzini, and even manages to return from the dead to rescue Buttercup from an unwanted marriage. His skills reflect his time at sea, both as a sailor and a pirate captain. Game Masters should feel free to fill these out if or as needed.
Appearance: The Man In Black is tall and broad with short blond hair and clear blue eyes. He is well muscled and in excellent physical shape. When dressed as the "Dread Pirate Roberts" he wears a loose black shirt, black trousers, black boots and gloves, and wears a black mask that covers the top half of his head. Fezzik questions his need to wear a mask with such lines as: "Were you burned by acid or something?" and tells Inigo that "Men in masks are not to be trusted."
The Man in Black's Hero Designer File
(The Man in Black created by William Goldman, character sheet written by Michael Surbrook.)