Concept: The Big Lug/Camera-man
AKA: Got his slightly racist nickname in grade school.
Desc: Built like a sasquatch. Long black hair. He can pull off a top-knot. Everything on him is broad. Doesn’t talk much. Doesn’t laugh much either. Can be intimidating if he simply says nothing and scowls. His voice, however, is weirdly thin and reedy. Wears sandals unless it is actively snowing. Standard uniform is t-shirts and cargo shorts. Looks like he just came off a Samoan beach.
History: The big thing you need to know about Jax is that he started out this whole thing because he was in it in for the money. He’s a fairly talented photographer already and went to school to get into cinematography. There isn’t a ton of film business in this town, and while he’s not above filming weddings to make the rent, He’s looking primarily to create a series of his own. There’s YouTube money to be made.
Well, the beer is not going to buy itself, right?
He’d been casting around for a while, trying to find a decent property that he could work with. Student directed films and plays can only get you so much traction, Also Indy film industry is pretty much predicated on the premise of paying the crew as little as possible and paying the actors and writers even less. Also, any money you DO see is usually on the back end.
And then, he got a call from Professor Bickford. Turned out the Prof was looking for a cameraman for a little situation he had going on, mostly on the weekends. Totally not dangerous. He was taking a group of P-Psyche students up to Whispering Hills for a little De-bunk 101 and was willing to front him for his time that weekend. Hey, considering that Whitey had always thought that ghosts were a bit of a shuck and jive, and his money spent just fine. He was totally on board.
The footage was particularly horrifying. While it was happening, it was very easy to try to think it was a dream or some kind of massive hallucination, but the film doesn’t lie. They saw SOMETHING there that was not the usual run of affairs. In fact, Whitey was one of the few people who had not lost his head completely, had bodily lifted a fellow student, and carried him out, along with his camera rig. No. Generally, Whitey doesn’t get scared while it’s happening. It’s later when he’s looking at the footage, that he thinks about how close it came. THAT’s when the fear creeps in.
And that was the reason that when Professor Bickford came back around again, He told him in no uncertain terms that he should perform a physically impossible sex act on himself. And that’s probably where it would have ended. Had Collette not been along for the ride.
How to put this. Meeting Collette Reeves was to Jax Savaliga, the equivalent of being a tree struck by lightning. And if she was going into some haunted house with some weird old biddy and the prof who, let’s face it, he could huck like a lawn dart. Well... someone was going to have to go with her and make sure she stayed safe.
Yeah. He’s got it bad. He’s not creepy about it. And Collette, for her part likes him just fine, But he hasn’t exactly put himself out there. She tries to be gentle with him for the most part, because frankly, she’s more interested in the prof herself. Whitey suffers, but he suffers silently. He doesn’t talk about “Nice Guys” or “Friend-Zoning”. He doesn’t really talk much about it at all.
He wishes he had the courage to simply ask her out. But he’s also afraid he knows what the answer would be. So he doesn’t push the question. He’s just there for her. Silently. Without expecting anything in return. He’s too young to know that road leads nowhere.
Virgie worries, that some night when Collette is feeling low, or drunk, that she’ll take Whitey to bed like a Teddy bear...Because he, likely, won’t ever be the same afterward.
In any event, Whitey still hopes to make some money off the Youtube Series that he’s started, chronicling the (mis)adventures of the PRS. Whitey thinks that maybe being a camera guy for a war correspondent might actually be relaxing in comparison and is thinking very seriously about picking up some journalism courses. In the meantime, Network Zero is watching his videos with serious interest.
Attitude: “Somebody has to keep these people from getting killed.”
Skills: Whitey originally came to college on a wrestling scholarship. which he still retains, even though he now spends more time on his other pursuits. He is, however, devastating in his weight class and seems to have natural skills. (Don’t tell anybody but he’s a distant cousin of...Well I won’t say who, but you can “Smell what he’s cooking”) So dots of Wrestling Fighting Style, Brawling Dodge, Strong Back, and merits like that, are right in keeping. He’s weakest socially, not being much of a talker. He is, as previously noted, a big strapping butt-steak of a young man. (Likely be well fixed for Strength and Stamina) and he’s not dumb at all. He’s actually a pretty good student and lately, he’s been reading more. Not that occult stuff so much. But philosophy...Yeah. He’s been delving into that.
Gear: He carries a digital camera/Mic rig like professional photojournalists carry, along with an iPad so he can edit on the fly or film if something happens to Cam1. He’s stocked to the gills with small camera equipment, batteries, that he packs into a photojournalist's vest. By now it’s become something of a tradition that the vest also sports a camelback and power bars.
Whitey carries no weapons as a matter of course, But he does keep a Louisville slugger in the trunk of his hatchback.
Home: Lives in a rental home just off campus that appears to have been set on fire multiple times.(It really only happened like the one time...) He lives with 4 other dudes and a revolving cast of steady girlfriends/fuck-buddies that seem to crash here whenever. Things are relatively peaceful for the most part. This is mainly because Whitey keeps his door locked. The one issue that could have been a problem was when one of the bros had a girlfriend who had a nose-candy problem and she stole a case of lenses. Those lenses cost more than Whitey’s car. The chick got busted at the pawn shop, and the dude in question left the house almost immediately. He discovered that Jax was capable of encircling his throat with a single hand.
Circle: Small. Jackson has only a few people he holds dear. His PRS people and at least two of the dudes living in the house now. An ex-girlfriend he still talks to in the college of Economics, and his wrestling teammates. That’s about it.
Story Uses:
“Ok. That’s it. We’re out.”
Whitey’s role in the PRS is fairly clear cut. When Whitey calls it, The rest of them listen, because if things go sideways, Whitey is likely going to be saving everyone’s life. (Collette first naturally.) It’s not that he’s precognitive or anything like that. It’s just that he’s got actual common sense, which in the World of Darkness is almost like having a superpower. While Paul and Collette and Virgie are spit-balling theories and arguing causes, Whitey is paying laser-like attention to the immediate surroundings through his lens.
“Well. I may have a guy I can call.”
If Network Zero extends an invitation, Whitey’s situation may change, but not necessarily his primary interest. He might be more primed to enter dangerous situations...but never at Collette’s expense.
No. Not Ever.
Connections:
* Has been to The Witness many times with his Ex. (Patty was really into the local music scene.) Tony Serrano offered him a job at one point when a fight broke out on the dance floor and Jax had handled it before the Security could get to it.
* The boys in his shared housing like various forms of exotic chemical entertainments so Whitey has met both Rick Deluca and Teflon John Galloway.
* Big Dan Tarleton scouts the University wrestling team on a semi-regular basis. Has made a pitch to Whitey, but Whitey isn't buying.
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