Sam Emerson

[Sam Emerson]

SAMUEL THEODORE EMERSON

Looking back at the beginning of this and how life was
Just you and me and love and all of our friends
Living life like an ocean
But now the current’s only pulling me down
It’s getting harder to breathe
It won’t be too long and I’ll be goin’ under.
Can you save me from this?
‘Cause it’s not my time. I’m not goin’.
There’s a fear in me. It’s not showin’.
This could be the end of me and everything I know.

Stats

Preferred Name: Sam, mostly.
Species: Vampire
Type: Cursed
Age: 40 – appears 21
Date of Birth: August 20, 1972
Occupation: He sometimes gets a booth on the boardwalk either sketching caricatures, airbrushing t-shirts, or fortune telling, depending on the night.

Appearance

Eyes: Blue
Hair: Naturally blond, though sometimes he dyes it. He keeps it pretty short.
Height: 5’ 8”
Build: Athletic
Style: Jeans and t-shirts make up the heart of Sam’s wardrobe. However, he makes it a point to be an individual and add his own spin to what would be a boring outfit. He’s not picky with any particular colors, but it’s almost a definite that some loud, obnoxious color will make its way into any ensemble. He also likes interesting patterns and doesn’t really care if things clash. If he mixes and matches and thinks he looks cool, he doesn’t really care if other people disagree. He’s a fan of accessories when appropriate: hats, necklaces and belts when necessary. He has light and heavy jackets for when the weather calls for them. He generally wears sneakers, but he’ll throw on a pair of flip-flops if he’s going outside quickly or going to the beach. Sometimes he wears gloves. He tries to make them look like a fashion statement, but they do serve a purpose. He has special abilities that are activated by touch, and sometimes he doesn’t want to use them. Gloves put a barrier between his hands and everything or everyone else.
Play-By: Corey Haim

Powers

Common cursed vampire abilities (immortality, above average strength, heightened senses, regeneration).

Premonition – Sam was pretty intuitive as a human. As a vampire, that trait has enhanced greatly. He can pick up images and general information about people he touches and feeds on if their minds are open to him. If his “victim” is calm and willing (a friend of his who trusts him, for instance) he may get a premonition as he’s feeding – something from the past, present or future. He can sometimes curb his visions. For example, if someone wants to know their future specifically, he can try to concentrate on reading their future. However, if the person’s not completely open to him, doesn’t trust him, or he’s not properly nourished, it doesn’t always work. He may not always get a premonition. Sometimes he’ll only get a general feeling, a single image, or a fleeting thought. He is not a mind-reader and his ability is directly tied to touch and trust. It works best if he feeds, as drinking someone’s blood is a bit more intimate than a touch, and generally works best with unaware or semi-aware humans with a trusting nature and an open mind. It often doesn’t work as well with other supernaturals or anyone with a distrusting, closed-minded disposition.

Psychometry – This is a secondary ability that’s sort of an extension of the premonition power. Sam can get a read off an object the same way he’d get one off a human, however objects tend to change hands quite a bit. The premonitions or feelings he gets from objects are often random and less accurate than those he’d get directly from somebody. He also can’t control his psychometry as well as he can control his premonitions. Since one touches so many things on a regular basis, sometimes he gets a read off something he touches without meaning to.

Psychology

Personality: Sam is a bit bi-polar these days – he sort of runs hot and cold. At the core, he’s a thoughtful, well-meaning person who has no desire to harm anyone. He has a good sense of humor and he enjoys talking to people for the most part. Sam usually comes off friendly and welcoming with a joke and a smile for whoever he happens to run into.

At times, Sam may come off cold and aloof, keeping to himself and not inviting conversation. This typically means he needs to feed and doesn’t want to hang around too long and rip your throat out. It’s something he does intentionally for your safety and his comfort and doesn’t mean he dislikes you (though it may come off that way).

When he feels upset, threatened, or protective, Sam is very dangerous. As a person, Sam doesn’t want to hurt anyone. As a vampire, he’s designed to murder you, and do it violently. As much as he may regret it later, Sam can and will rip someone’s throat out faster than they can say “vampire” if he feels in any way threatened. More often than not, getting violent is a knee-jerk reaction he can curb – part instinct, part bloodlust. If you startle him, he may punch you in the face, then be quick to help you up off the ground and apologize. However, if you try to stake him, he may dish out more of a beating, and he’ll kill you if he has to. If you hurt or threaten someone he cares about, rest assured he will hunt you down and return the favor and he’ll enjoy every second of it.

Generally, Sam just wants to go about his business, and live whatever life this is he has. He doesn’t quite fit in with other vampires, and he doesn’t fit with people either. He just does his best to make friends and allies, not enemies. He’s a pretty patient and understanding guy, for a vampire. He’ll take his time to get to know you before he forms an opinion of you, provided you don’t try to kill him and his loved ones. He’s pretty forgiving, for the most part. He’s been a scared human as well as a hunter, so he can relate to people who are afraid of him or want to kill him. Even people who try to kill him can be given a second or third chance. It’s when you try to kill people he considers family that you have to watch out.

Sam is very intuitive, both naturally and supernaturally, so it’s not a good idea to lie to him. He’ll most likely pick up on it and he’ll remember it. He doesn’t trust people who don’t trust him. He’s very protective of those he cares about, and he’ll kill for the people he loves without question.

Strengths:

• Intuitition – Sam is very good at reading people and situations. He can pick up on a lot just from observation and paying attention, and then his supernatural skills aid him when it comes to digging into people’s minds.
  
• Humanity – Although he’s a vampire, Sam does have a heart and a conscience. He has people he cares about and he remembers what it was like to be a scared kid as well as a hunter. He’s very open-minded and willing to work with just about anyone.
  
• Knowledge – Sam has researched and will continue to research all things supernatural. He also researches whatever catches his interest. He’s not afraid to hit up the library or the Internet.

Weaknesses: Your character's faults.

• Cursed Vampire Vulnerabilities – he can’t enter a home without being invited, he can’t consume normal food or beverages, he’s sensitive to sunlight, his eyes are sensitive to bright light, he can be repelled by salt.
  
• Bloodlust – he has a natural craving for living blood that eats at him all the time. He also has a tendency toward violence and bloodshed.
  
• Family – anyone Sam cares deeply about is considered “family” to him. If he loses or think he may lose someone he loves, all bets are off.

History
Sam was born in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was raised alongside his older brother Michael until he was fifteen. After his parents’ divorce, his mother Lucy moved her two sons to Santa Carla, California to stay with her father. There, Sam met and befriended Edgar and Alan Frog, two fledgling vampire hunters working at the local comic book store. When Michael was targeted by a nest of vampires, Sam allied with the Frog brothers to save him and the rest of the town. Together and with the help of Michael, Star, and Sam’s grandpa, they wiped out the entire nest.

Sam remained in Santa Carla until he finished high school, graduating in 1989. During his time in Santa Carla, he remained friends with Edgar and Alan and researched the supernatural. He learned to defend himself against all manner of things, sometimes through research and sometimes through experience. By the time he was eighteen, Sam had become a fledgling hunter. Not sure he was cut out for college, Sam decided to take a road trip to see what else was out there. He took his dog, Nanook, and his grandpa’s car and hit the road, much to the dismay of his family.

In his travels, Sam crossed paths with several monsters, managing to kill or outrun all of them. He settled in random towns along the way, taking odd jobs to make money when he needed to, and making friends here and there. A few months later, he headed back to Santa Carla, where he had to face his family. He got a part-time job and started thinking about his future, hunting on his own or with Edgar and Alan when the need arose.

When he was twenty years old, Sam went out on his own to investigate a potential vampire nest. Expecting not to find much of anything, Sam was surprised to find himself outnumbered by a group of vampires unlike any he’d ever encountered. Holy water didn’t help him, the cross he carried didn’t help him, and they seemed to be able to anticipate his every move before he made it. Instead of killing him, the leader of the nest decided to turn him. Either he’d make a useful addition to their family, or he’d lead a miserable life as the thing he once hunted down and killed on a regular basis. He was held captive for several days before he escaped and gathered weapons and reinforcements. However, when he returned to the nest to kill the head vampire he found it abandoned.

Sam spent nearly two years searching for the vampire that turned him, or some other cure. Through unintentionally eating a squirrel early on, Sam learned he could consume animal blood without turning. However, there came a time when he could no longer resist the urge to feed on a person. Overcome with hunger and bloodlust, Sam fed on an unsuspecting passerby, killing him in the process. He ran from the scene, trying to head home, but he collapsed in the street and died before he made it. He was found and taken to the local morgue. His family was called, he was identified, and given a funeral. Thinking he died of starvation rather than “the change,” nobody saw it necessary to take precautions (such as cremating him).

A few nights later, Sam rose from the grave a vampire. Not wanting to endanger his family, rather than returning home Sam set out once again to find the vampire that turned him. It was easier this time, and though he intended to kill the entire nest, he was talked into joining them. Where else could he go? They taught him to feed and to use his new abilities. He remained with his new vampire family for a number of years, finding them less malevolent than he’d originally thought.

After several years, Sam began to feel conflicted about his nest. People who had seemed welcoming and kind to him when he was new seemed more and more cruel as the years went by. As Sam got used to being a vampire, he began to question the morality of the vampires he’d thrown in with. They saw people as a food source, nothing more. And, for a time, he’d gone along with them. However, Sam’s conscience got the better of him and eventually he parted ways with the nest, setting out on his own.

Living on his own wasn’t easy. At first he tried feeding strictly on animals. However, that often led to him giving into his bloodlust and feeding, killing people in the process. He went back to feeding on humans and, over time, learned to control his bloodlust and learned to feed without killing. However, before he could hone that skill, he was subdued by his old friend, Edgar Frog.

Note: The following section is negotiable with whoever picks up Edgar.

After killing a few civilians, Sam was tracked down by Edgar, who literally put him back in his grave. He nailed him into his coffin with a hammer and a metal spike and buried him, hoping to someday find a way to bring his old friend back. There, Sam slowly starved and slipped into a sort of hibernation, too weak to rise but unable to die.

An earthquake freed him. It was a small one, not big enough to bring buildings down, but enough to make the local news. The ground shifted enough to partially lodge the stake out of Sam’s chest and he slowly began to come out of his slumber. He managed to crawl out of his grave again, feeding ruthlessly until he regained his strength.

Over the past several months, Sam has gotten a decent handle on his bloodlust. He feeds mostly on animals and willing humans when he can manage it. When he does feed on an unwilling victim, which is sometimes necessary, he tries not to kill them unless it’s absolutely necessary. Sam has turned over a new leaf. With a handle on his bloodlust, Sam has become more like his old self: friendly, excitable, funny. Now that he’s more in control of his bloodlust, Sam feels comfortable associating with people. He spends more time in public than he used to. For the most part, he’s looking to blend in and live the life he’s got.

Sam currently lives in a run-down cabin in the woods a few miles outside of Santa Carla. It has no electricity or running water and it’s thought to be abandoned. He has not made himself known to his family or the Frog brothers, feeling it’s best if they all believe he’s dead.

A Day in the Life of...

It was a clear night. A steady breeze rolling off the ocean kept the air cool. Lights from The Boardwalk illuminated a large portion of the beach. Sam walked along the waterline, his Chuck Taylors sinking into the soft sand. He wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a red t-shirt falsely labeling him Lifeguard. He ran a hand through his hair, looking out over the dark, moving water. He liked walking along the beach at night, though he was starting to forget what it looked like during the day.

He walked well past the well-lit area into the darker more private areas of the beach with nothing but the round silver moon to light his path. Sam’s vampiric vision allowed him to see fine in the dark. The two girls walking toward him arm in arm didn’t have that luxury. He heard them giggling far ahead, slowing his pace to peer out into the night. They were about a hundred yards away and he could hear them better than he could see them. They were talking about the pirate ride – a mock ship that swung back and forth like a pendulum – and how one of their boyfriends hadn’t stopped calling and texting since they’d arrived. Sam kept a slow, steady pace, watching and listening as they came closer. Although he could see them, they didn’t seem to notice him until they slammed right into him. One of them gasped. The other squealed in surprise. He took a step back and held up his hands.

“Woah! Collision!”

He smiled, unsure whether or not they could see his expression.

“Are you guys okay?”

He looked from one to the other. The girl on his left had shoulder-length bleach-blond hair. The other was a bit taller with dark curly hair pulled back in a ponytail. They looked around sixteen or seventeen.

“We’re fine,” the blonde said.

“Jeez, I couldn’t even see you,” the brunette added.

Sam shrugged.

“Yeah. It’s pretty dark. What are you guys doing out here, anyway?”

“Girl talk,” the blonde said. “You?”

“Just takin’ a walk,” he said.

A sharp, bitter smell caught his attention. It took him a moment to place it. Alcohol.

“Where?” the brunette asked.

Sam blinked.

“Uh, nowhere in particular. Just getting a little fresh air. Where are you guys heading?”

The blonde leaned into the brunette and they both stumbled, giggling.

“Should we tell him?” the blonde asked.

Sam raised an eyebrow and the brunette looked him up and down.

“Maybe… He’s kind of cute.”

The blonde gave her friend a playful smack on the arm.

“Izzy, boyfriend!”

“Ow! What? He’s cute! I’m allowed to think he’s cute.”

The blonde turned to Sam.

“She has a boyfriend.”

He smiled.

“Thanks for the fun fact. So, what are you telling or not telling me?”

Sam looked from the blonde to the brunette – Izzy, apparently. They looked at one another, seeming to have a silent debate.

“There’s a party,” the blonde said. “But it’s kind of a secret party.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sam asked.

“It’s underground,” Izzy added. “Like, literally, underground.”

Sam raised his eyebrows, interested.

“That sounds cool. Where is it?”

The blonde covered Izzy’s mouth with her hand before she could answer and then whispered in the brunette’s ear. Had Sam been a normal twenty-something-year-old guy, he wouldn’t have been able to hear it, but he wasn’t a normal twenty-something-year-old guy.

“How old do you think he is?”

The blonde looked at Izzy expectedly, lowering her hand. The brunette eyed Sam, then shrugged. The blonde nodded at Sam.

“Hey, how old are you?” she asked.

Sam frowned.

“Uh, how old are you?”

“Sixteen,” they said in unison.

Not that I don’t like you, I’m just at a party
And I am sick and tired of my phone r-ringing.

They all jumped at the tinny sound erupting from the Izzy’s sweatshirt pocket. She rolled her eyes and pulled her cell phone out, her fingers moving over the screen.

“Look, can you get beer?” she asked.

Her eyes never left her phone. The blonde looked at Sam expectantly.

“Huh?”

The brunette slid her phone back in her pocket and sighed, annoyed.

“It’s B.Y.O.B.,” she said. “But, obvi, we can’t bring anything because… duh.”

Jeez. And he’d thought girls back in the day had their own language.

“Uh… I don’t know. I guess I could,” he reasoned. “That could kind of bite me in the ass later, though. Why should I risk it?”

The truth was Sam had no interest in doing these two any favors. But, he wanted to know where they were going. Anywhere underground in Santa Carla was typically dangerous – for several reasons. Izzy looked thoughtful, then smiled and shoved the blonde forward. The blonde squealed and stumbled into Sam. He caught her by the shoulders, keeping her from falling to the ground.

“Woah! Hey!”

The brunette laughed.

“Lauren will make it worth your while.”

The blonde – Lauren – spun around.

“Excuse you. Way to pimp me out for a six-pack, bitch!”

She shoved Izzy and the two fell to the ground, laughing and rolling in the sand. Sam watched, his mouth hanging open. He didn’t know whether to laugh or roll his eyes. He was debating walking away and leaving them on their own when the blonde climbed to her feet.

“Look, do you want to come to the party or not?” she asked.

Sam studied the two of them – Lauren standing, Izzy still half-lying on the beach. He smirked.

“Are you guys screwing with me or something?” he asked. “Making up some bullshit about a party to get some beer?”

“No!” they both said at once.

“There really is a party,” Izzy said. “You should come. It’s gonna be cool.”

“I’ve been to plenty of parties,” Sam said.

“But this one’s in a church,” Lauren said.

Izzy got to her feet and gave Lauren another shove.

“Lauren! Shh!”

Sam narrowed his eyes.

“I thought you said it was underground.”

“It is,” Lauren said.

She glared at Izzy, and then looked back to Sam.

“It’s underground in a church. Or, it used to be. You know, before it sunk.”

Izzy grumbled and threw up her hands.

[/i]

“It sunk?” Sam asked.

Lauren nodded.

“After an earthquake, like, forever ago. Anyway, it’s a cool place for a party. Most people don’t really know about it and cops don’t go looking for you there.”

“Whatever. Come if you want. We can’t stop you now,” Izzy muttered.

She started walking in the direction Sam had come from, leaving Lauren and Sam to stare after her.

“Well, she seems nice,” Sam said.

Lauren laughed.

“She’s just mad because we lost our bargaining chip. And probably because you’re cute and she’s stuck to her douchebag boyfriend.”

She surprised Sam by looping her arm around his elbow.

“Come on. Just come with us. It’ll be fun.”

Lauren started walking and Sam went along with her, wondering vaguely if they’d get to this party and find a bunch of dead bodies where a group of high school kids should have been.[/blockquote]

[Vampires Everywhere]