Winifred Martindale

Concept: Goddamn Busybody

AKA: Winnie, or Win to her friends. As you can imagine, she inspires rather unpleasant epithets from people who do not like her much.

Desc: Tan. Toned. Fit. Blonde. No ink. Clear blue eyes. Constantly on the go. Phone constantly in hand. More frown wrinkles than laugh lines. A strident note in her voice that causes agitation in small animals.

History: Winnie didn’t used to be this way. She actually was a sweet girl once upon a time. But she grew up poor and in a place where the walls of reality were a bit thin. Some people can thrive in situations where they don’t have actual control over their lives. Others cannot. So one night, While Winifred was trying to get to sleep over the noise of her arguing parents. An “Angel” spoke to her and asked her if she would like to have the ability to have more control over her life and the lives of others.

    That was a long time ago. When the “Angel” moved into her, changes started happening. And now, when she looks back at the past, it never seems that bad.  They’ve been together so long, they no longer think of themselves as separate entities.

    Winifred is still a youngish woman. She went to college and studied Art history with the idea in mind to become a museum curator someday, but really, she was husband shopping. She met Kyle at a Tri-Delt mixer and over the course of time, browbeat him into marrying her and getting his law degree. (Secretly, he yearns to go back to music.)  They have  3 kids.  Noah (7, Has had a picture taken of him every single day of his life.) Taylor (4, and likely already clinically depressed) and Deirdre (1, Total drama queen)  Naturally, The family had needs so, Kyle was forced to sell off his prized restored Mustang so they could get the minivan. It’s better this way really.

    Winnie doesn’t work. How could she? She has these little angels to worry about. But she does keep herself busy with the PTA, and the Home Owner’s Association, And the neighborhood church, and nearly any other avenue that allows her to manipulate and move other people around on the chessboard in her mind. She’s very active on social media and even has her own mommy blog where she regales people with stories about her children and her man and coping strategies (Read= borderline narcissist manipulations) for dealing with same.  #blessed!

Attitude: “Rhetta, Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m afraid that your lawn garden doesn’t conform to HOA standards. Now, I get that it’s pretty and all. I’m not unsympathetic. But unless your landscape is brought up to HOA code by the end of this weekend, I’m afraid you’re going to have to be fined for every day that it remains this way. You can, of course, appeal this decision at next month's meeting, but I think we both know how that’s going to go. No one really likes you, Rhetta...”

Skills: Physically, she’s in fine shape. Kyle, on the rare occasions when he actually gets some, has no real complaints. She’s not really what you’d call a combatant, but she has taken a course or two at the “Y” in self-defense. Intellectually, she’s smart enough. No genius mind you, but she does have a decent education. Socially, she’s nearly goddamn unstoppable. She’s pretty and she’s the sort of person that people naturally gravitate to. She’s confident in the way that a narcissist always seems to be and she has a positive gift for being able to suss out people's motivations and secrets. Not only that but she has a gift for becoming a sort of “Grey Eminence” A power behind the throne.  Her “Friends” are usually all the people that run the organizations that she stays active in.  She is very skilled in going around behind other people and getting a lot of things done and handled very quietly.

On the spirit side of things,  She’s about a middling level spirit with at least 2 dots of Influence: social control. She possesses the following Numina: Omen Trance (used for staying ahead of game.) Implant Mission (Used for whipping her “Friends” into a workforce frenzy) Drain (used to top off essence and stop arguments cold.) and Aggressive Meme (No one does “Whispering Campaign” better than Winnie)  She has the following Ban: She is not allowed to hold a position of significant power directly.  She also possesses the following Bane: She cannot abide being laughed at. If she is laughed at, she must withdraw.

Gear: She carries a gym bag with all the necessary oddments that a mommy on the go might have with her. Wet naps, tasteless granola bars. a tube of Neosporin, etc. etc.  The only serious piece of equipment that is part of her daily carry is her iPhone. She can destroy you with just this.

Home: She dragooned Kyle into buying an enormous place on the edge of the really pricey neighborhood in town. One of those McMansion deals with a Great Room for entertaining. Kyle really doesn’t make that kind of money yet. But if he stays with the DA’s office, he probably will someday. Mainly because she’ll put it into his head that he’ll make a good DA himself..and then eventually State Attorney...or maybe a judgeship someday.  He’ll be fine. He can put in the hours.

There is also a Pomeranian named “Lucy”  Lucy knows who the Alpha in the house is.

Circle: Large and ever shifting. Winifred is a seasoned intriguer and most of the enemies that she has made don’t have the desire or wherewithal to tangle with her again. Winnie likes having the wives of the rich and powerful in her cabal and is not above flirting with the men-folk to get what she wants. (She’s never actually cheated on Kyle. She doesn’t think that’s appropriate. But you never know when the situation might call for it. And it’s not like Kyle really satisfies her or anything...Only control satisfies her.  But if Kyle divorced her, she might lose things she’s worked very hard for...and others might laugh at her.

Story Uses:

“I think she looks tired. Don’t you think she looks tired?”

Winifred is the kind of antagonist that you’d actually have to look pretty hard to see that she was supernatural. In fact, she prides herself on being able to use her social acumen to get her way without having to use her Numina. It may be that not a lot of plots in the World of Darkness cook off in the burbs. I get that. But it’s not as if they don’t have the potential.

“Kyle. I want you to go over there and speak to those people. I want you to tell them that those sorts of shenanigans will NOT be tolerated in this neighborhood. We have children here.”

Like any spirit keenly interested in control, wild elements tend to upset the applecart. So if your characters happen to cross paths with Winifred, she will end up turning into the sort of snoopy busybody that was the stereotype of the suburban housewife in the 50’s.  You will no longer enjoy living in the neighborhood.

Connections:

* Maurice Van Rensaslear Faithful reader of his column. Considers herself something of a foody too.

* ADA Calvin Donloe  A co-worker of Kyles. Might have to have something bad happen to him if he gets in the way of her...of Kyle's ambitions.

* Bartholomew Reines I did mention her self-defense courses right? Guess who?

* Alex Mahoney "Did you listen to his latest program? Mind shattering stuff right? He and I are cousins. Did you know that?"

* Payton Breckinridge "Lucy's vet is a tasty morsel...He needs the right woman in his life. I know that if something happened to Kyle (God Forbid) I'd be looking for someone like him."

* Reverend Mike Plumber "Mike is an inspiration to us all. I won't hear an evil word against him."

* Parker Mortuary and Black Creek Cemetery Winnie supported Mary Parker for PTA president. Mary has come to rely on Winnie's oracular pronouncements for any major step she takes.