Name: Wilhelmina Annette Bravin
Nickname: Billi or BilliAnn (as she was known at university); Wil or Wila (so far here)
Age: 29
Birthdate: 12 July, 1990
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Hazel
Complexion: Healthy
Height: 5'11"
Appearance: Tall and willowy, though curvy in the right places; pretty girl next door look; wears rectangular glasses; frequent smiles; distinct British accent; usually dresses conservatively; often tends to "blend in' with the background so that she isn't noticed; still wears an engagement ring on her left hand
Personality: Typical British reserve, slightly shy at first, but once she gets to know you, very friendly and outgoing; quick-witted and often humorous (quirky even for a Brit); fiercely loyal to her friends and her country; curious but not to a fault; sharp and intelligent; respectful and open-minded; always tries to be helpful; honorable; kindhearted and compassionate; usually focused; loves animals (especially cats)
Race: Human
Nationality: United Kingdom
Birthplace: Woking, England
Last Residence: Vauxhall, London
Education: London University (English/Journalism/History major)
Profession: Writer/Editor/Journalist/Researcher; former feature writer, Outer Events magazine, now a freelancer; runs the editorial services office on Main Street
Interests: Fortean phenomena, the paranormal & the occult; classic rock music; science fiction; Kaiju movies; Victoriana (especially the life of her ancestor and namesake, Lady Wilhelmina Annette Bravin-Daffyd); superhero comics; history
Hobbies: Reading, writing, music, performing
Alignment: Good
Talents: Vocal mimicry; singing; musical proficiency; creative writing; swift reflexes
Skills: Observation; Urban Tracking; Survival; Gun Combat; Unarmed Combat; Knife Combat (throwing); Stealth; Languages (French, German, Spanish, Russian; Greek; Latin); History; Literature; Occult; Music (guitar/bass, keyboards, vocals); Writing; Journalism; Criminology; Lock Picking; Computer (Security & Hacking)
Background
Wilhelmina Annette Bravin (known to her friends and fellow musicians at university as Billi or BilliAnn) was born to an upper middle class English family and grew up in the town of Woking, southwest of London. She attended London University, studying to be a writer and journalist. She had three other passions, however: interest in Fortean/occult phenomena; playing in local bands (mostly guitar, bass and vocals, with occasional keyboard work); and in the life of her ancestor and namesake, Lady Wilhelmina Annette Bravin-Daffyd, a lady and occult adventuress in Victorian times. She studied the two and participated in the one as she could, fronting up her own band at university, along with her school work, and eventually secured some freelance writing assignments with Outre Events magazine, a British publication devoted to investigating and chronicling unusual occurrences for its readers.
It was during her time at university that Wilhelmina met the love of her life, her future fiance, Nick. The older man, an editor at Outre Events, was teaching a course on Fortean phenomena at the school, and Wilhelmina excitedly signed up. She excelled in the class, and her final paper--"On the Origins of the Kraken in Myth, Legend, and Fact"--especially caught the eye of her instructor. They became very close, and upon her graduation, Nick recruited her for the magazine. She started out as a researcher there but quickly rose in the ranks to feature writer and investigative reporter. Teamed with her beloved Nick, now her fiance, she traveled the world in search of cryptids, reported alien encounters, and various paranormal events.
Wilhelmina had gained a knowledge of ancient horrors lurking beneath the surface of our world from first reading the diary of her ancestor, Lady Wilhelmina, who with a London detective had battled against such forces to protect her beloved country just before and after the turn of the 20th century. From reading her ancestor's diary, Wilhelmina gained a knowledge of ancient lore that lead her to study many rare and almost forgotten tomes of occult revelation. Many of these books were held in the Forbidden Books room at the British Museum's Reading Room, even after most of the museum's collection moved to the British Library. Wilhelmina was pleasantly surprised to learn that Outre Events also had an extensive library of such volumes, even some she'd been unable to obtain at the Reading Room. She became a valued resource for the magazine, not only for her writing ability but for her growing knowledge of such fabled entities as the Great Old Ones and the Elder Gods.
Wilhelmina's assignments with Nick took her across the globe--from the Amazon rainforests to the wilds of the Canadian northwoods, and from Ponape and Easter Island to the Congo and the Gobi Desert. Her story on the Mongolian Deathworm won her a coveted Nessie Award for Excellent in Fortean Investigative Journalism. It also nearly got her killed, as she was the target of a massive electrical discharge from one of the deathworms. Instead of being fatally electrocuted, however, Wilhelmina survived the encounter, seemingly none the worse for the wear after a swift recovery. It's rumored in some circles that her expose on the creatures would have been even more revealing had not the British government invoked the Secrets Act to ensure the magazine's discretion.
Something unusual, however, had happened to Wilhelmina after being zapped by the deathworm. While initially unconscious, she felt as though her ancestor, Lady Wilhelmina, was speaking to her, promising to help her in "what was to come"--whatever that was. From then on, she began to feel as though she could "channel" the Victorian lady and know and do things her ancestor did and could, even though she couldn't herself do them before. This included the ability to perform various occult rituals and even cast certain spells, though she had to concentrate first to tap into Lady Wilhelmina's own knowledge and abilities. This new ability confused and alarmed Wilhelmina at first. She didn't know what was happening to her, but she wanted to find out. She decided to keep her new "enhancement" secret, as she'd seen what had happened to those who'd been brought in claiming to have--and especially exhibiting--"psychic" or "magical" or other extraordinary abilities. She had no desire to be confined by the government and studied like a lab rat, possibly even locked away for life for the good of the nation, patriot though she was.
Through all their adventures, Nick was Wilhelmina's best friend, companion, and fellow adventurer. And they planned to be wed following one upcoming assignment. A man had contacted the magazine and agreed to come in for an interview and to allow the publication's scientific staff advisers to conduct a series of tests on him. He was rumored to be a pyrokinetic . . . a "firestarter" . . . and it would be a star in the magazine's cap to get a story out about him if his skills proved to be authentic. Nick and Wilhelmina were sent to bring the man in, which they did. They remained with him as the researchers began to question him. But he soon began to appear irritated at the questions. It seemed that he didn't appreciate the Fortean approach not to credulously accept everything at face value but to test it to see whether it was genuine. Suddenly, he showed everyone just how genuine his ability was--by setting one of the researchers on fire!
Nick. who'd served in the British SAS and was combat trained, acted at once, and drew his firearm on the man, ordering him to stand down and putting himself in the line of fire--literally--between the firestarter and another of those who'd been questioning him, who was now frantically trying to back away from their subject.. Instead, the man turned, arms raised as if surrendering--and suddenly, Nick was consumed by flames before Wilhelmina's eyes . . .
Wilhelmina had watched in horror as the man casually set her fiance on fire, seemingly with nothing more than a thought! Though at least, a small part of her mind that was still functioning reflected that the man Nick had shielded was spared from the maniac's fiery onslaught. Time seemed at that moment to freeze for Wilhelmina. Her heart ceased to beat and everything took on an eerie silence. The firestarter, seemingly moving in slow motion, turned to stare at her. He grinned and wagged his finger at her. She was next, she knew, and seeing her beloved consumed by fire, a burning heap on the floor, she was ready to join him. But surprisingly, the man just turned away from her. He hadn't deemed her a threat. That was his last mistake.
All those who worked as investigative field reporters for the magazine had been put through extensive survival training before going out on the field, considering the rugged and often dangerous nature of some of the assignments. That included firearms training. And as was protocol, even when on what seemed a relatively safe mission in country, Wilhelmina was armed. As the firestarter reached out toward the remaining researchers, ready to set them ablaze as well, Wilhelmina's training kicked in and she coldly drew her own firearm, took aim, and put a bullet through the man's brain. And then all went black for her. In her direst time of need, however, Wilhelmina felt the comforting hand of her ancestor pulling her back from the abyss, telling her that her time was not yet--she would be needed yet to stand against the darkness that had begun to gather . . . as the stars realigned and the Old Ones prepared to return to our world in force.
It had taken her months to recover. Wilhelmina had been hailed as a hero. She'd saved the lives of the last researchers with her action, and who knew how many more-- though in so many ways, she'd paid the supreme price. And she knew she needed a change. Much as her dedication to her work and her country remained, she couldn't return to to her regular assignments, not with all the memories of her fiance it would evoke. Her superiors, reluctant to lose her and knowing she needed to heal, proposed an alternative: A field assignment in a location overseas where rumors and tantalizing, yet elusive evidence of supernatural activity were rife. She would go there not in her previous capacity, but still acting as a writer for Outer Events even as she recovered from her loss and investigated the goings on in the small town of Wailing Rock, Washington, in the United States. Perhaps, it was reasoned, nothing would come of it and the time would simply be a quiet one for Wilhelmina to struggle back from her loss. But if not . . .
(Most of the above can be learned from internet and other background checks, other than her belief of being in contact with her ancestor and exactly how Nick died, plus skills, talents and most personality traits--these need to be learned in RP. However, there will be tantalizing hints that there may be something deeper about Wilhelmina than is easily available to find. But whatever it is--if it even exists--appears to be well hidden.)
About Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina has come to Wailing Rock in part to recover from the loss of her fiance, a traumatic occurrence for her, and she is still troubled by it, having frequent nightmares in which she sees her beloved consumed by flames. As a result, she's taken to the frequent consumption of absinthe, a habit she developed from reading in Lady Wilhelmina's diary of her ancestor's similar indulgence. Her inner pain will sometimes shine through as she speaks of her beloved Nick. She's quick to recover, though, and put on a stoic facade--part of her past training and nature.
When she inherited Lady Wilhelmina's diary--along with other keepsakes, such as a Victorian "hunter's kit" and an odd ring that the Lady had used as an occult focus--she learned to her dismay that it was her own great-great-great-grandfather who'd cheated the Lady of her inheritance and put her out on the mean streets of East End London in 1888. After reading of the trials and heroism of her great-great-great-grand-aunt, Wilhelmina dedicated her life to acting similarly as a protector of those in need. (Note: She is not by nature a hunter--she would act that way only to protect others.) This vow was enhanced by her love of American superhero comics.
Thus Wilhelmina is determined to help and protect those in need wherever she can. Her interest in the occult and Fortean phenomena had been spurred by what she read in her ancestor's diary. She did her best to combine the two when she joined the staff of Outre Events . . . to investigate and learn about--and expose, where necessary--those creatures and beings in the world who might pose a threat to her fellow countrymen and others, as well as expose the all-too-many hoaxes in the field. The self-defense, combat, and survivalist training she received from the magazine before it sent her on the field helps her with her noble impulses. She is loathe to use lethal force, however, and the only life she's ever taken was that of the pyrokinetic who killed her fiance. That was done mainly to save the lives of the remaining researchers who'd certainly otherwise have died. Doing that affected her as well, however, and she'll do all she can to avoid taking a life or even seriously injuring anyone unless she has no other recourse to protect others or herself. She harbors a reverence for all life, within reason.
Though she seems open and friendly, Wilhelmina is reserved and even shy in larger groups. She usually eschews crowds and parties, not only because of her recent loss, but in that she feels uncomfortable and out of place in such situations. Unless, of course, she's performing. She fronted her own band at university, singing and playing guitar in the lead role. Her vocal mimicry talent enabled her to imitate a wide range of female vocalists, and her band, Billi & the Brighters was quite popular on the local scene in London. She gave that up when she left school and joined the magazine. She still plays when she can, and brought her acoustic guitar with her to Wailing Rock. She also picked up a Les Paul electric and a practice amp since her arrival, on a recent trip to Seattle. She's thought perhaps to try to get some playing gigs to supplement the meager income from her editorial business, but that's not yet materialized.
Wilhelmina has a deep love of animals--especially cats. She had a beloved calico cat as her constant companion for 15 years, until her pet passed away shortly before Wilhelmina's graduation from university. Nick presented her with a Siamese kitten soon afterward. But as their assignments took them across the globe, Wilhelmina often had to leave the beloved animal with friends from the magazine. The cat greatly helped Wilhelmina through her recovery following Nick's death, and she was heartbroken to learn that she couldn't bring her along to America when she came to Wailing Rock due to customs and quarantine issues. She still misses the kitty, and will be especially friendly to any cats she encounters while away from her own beloved pet.
Those who get to know Wilhelmina will get the impression that there's much more to her than she lets on. Deep waters, as some might characterize it. Though she seems very open, some might sense that there are also secrets she harbors beyond what she tells people. She takes frequent trips to the British consulate in Seattle, attributing it to visa and similar problems. She seems able to obtain rare books and other artifacts that most don't have easy access to. The building she lives and works in seems unusually . . . resilient. During the earthquake, it appeared not to have been damaged at all beyond minor disarray. She also seems somehow to be able to access outside information even during power outages and other disruptions of communications. An odd sigil bolted to the floor inside the front door of the office serves as a ward to any beings with Mythos connections (especially vampires and water-born), and other supernaturals will at least sense it if they cross it. Those with senses that can detect things about others--whether through magic or enhanced natural senses--will be able to tell that she's human . . . but that there is something else indefinable there as well . . . something tantalizingly extraordinary. Anyone with such senses and knowledge of the Mythos may detect a touch of the cosmic to her. But it likely won't be easily discernible otherwise. Those with an enhanced sense of smell might pick up a whiff of something resembling the fragrance of fresh air in the aftermath of a strong thunderstorm . . .
Those who befriend Wilhelmina will find that she is fiercely loyal and a stalwart companion through almost anything. Though she's not easily taken in other than by those who are extremely skilled at deception. As a Fortean, she's neither a "true believer" nor a "true skeptic" but somewhere in between--willing to tentatively accept the existence of something but testing it until it's proven true or false. Her reaction to lycans will be generally positive, given that her ancestor had a lycan suitor. She will also be accepting of nature spirits as long as they're of a benign or neutral nature and not harmful. The same will be true for witches and other magic users. Much less so for vampires, demons, and the water-born, due to her past experiences with them (as well as those of Lady Wilhelmina) and their connection to the Great Old Ones. They would have to prove themselves to her if they aren't totally evil. Because of what happened with Nick, her reaction to anyone wielding fire--whether magically, psychically, or otherwise--will not be positive.
Wilhelmina arrived in Wailing rock on 5 July, during one of the fireworks shows. She has slowly been learning the lay of the town and the land, making contacts and seeking out the mysteries of Wailing Rock . . .
Weaknesses
Still suffering from the trauma of watching her fiance die and having to kill his murderer
Frequent nightmares from that
A predilection for absinthe that is bordering on a psychological addiction
Sometimes too tender-hearted for her own good
Difficulty in making hard decisions (until her training kicks in)
Curiosity about Things Man Was Not Meant to Know
Mild arachnophobia
Strengths
Strong willed
Tenacious
Open-minded and willing to learn (especially from mistakes)
Loyal
Kind, generous, and loving (though currently no outlet for the last)
Observant (usually)
Patient
Well-read and knowledgeable in general (and in the occult/paranormal/ancient lore specifically)
Mind is a storehouse of odd information
(More may be revealed here as it comes out in RP.)