I don't know drek about Harlequin and I was considering using him as a kind outside figure at some point. Kinda special, nothing serious though, but no one knows drek about him in my group anyway, so it's more for the mystery.

Anyhow, I was wondering if someone could give me a brief description or something along those lines, something for me to play with. I don't have any books where he's mentioned at all I believe. I can just make it all up, but incase I get a book or two in the future where he's mentioned I'd rather have a solid and consistent base to work upon.

Anyhow.

If someone could like, fill in the below for me or whatever, I'd be grateful.

1. Rough description? (Something clowny about his appearence?)
2. Rough personality? (I know what he's about etc, but it'd help)
3. Personality quirks? (It'd be helpful, if there way anything in particular)
4. Clothing and Items? (Something he always wears or carrys?)

If there should be anything else seriously taken into account when using him, and as I've already mentioned I know what he is and pretty much how powerful he is, then I'd appreciate the information.

I don't know drek about him, so whatever you know would help.

Thanks anyhow,




- Baatorian

Note : I don't want any flaming so I'll just quickly mention that it's nothing for combat or whatever. Just in my campaign at current I have an all elf group struggling against some pretty large sinister odds. I'm thinking that he'd perhaps be used as move of a guide. Although I'm not even sure I will, depends.

From what I know, Harley's an Immortal Elf and a bit of a comedian. He doesn't seem to take things too seriously (at least, not in the Aztlan sourcebook which AH covered. He did an Elvis impersonation, for crying out loud ). His face is painted somewhat like a clown and he's a very good swordsman and magician. He also seems to be an 'ultimate' involved in the metaplot, so if Harley's got interest in your group, they've got to be something special indeed.

That's by canon, but you know, it's your game, feel free to make him up however you want. Cause it's, you know, your game.

Yeah, it's a pretty important and big plot. Problem is I hate big and important plots, but one thing lead to another and all that. So it's needs to be resolved as quickly as possible, luckily they're doing fairly well with some good ideas.

I just wanted a bit of canon, yes, as you say, it's my game and it will go as I like, but somethings I like to keep to canon, like important NPCs.

Anyhow, cheers for that one, hopefully they'll be a few more.



- Baatorian

Also, any book you have with Shadowtalk by "Laughing Man" has some of Harlie's comments in it. They give a pretty good snapshot of his personality.

Jeez, I never remember where particular Shadowtalk was.. I don't suppose you could name a book or two could you, mate?

Doesn't matter if you can't, I'll have a search, thanks.




- Baatorian

There's a bit in one of the Tir books where someone's going on about how the elves worship Passions and Harlie tells him that he'll send flowers to his funeral since he (the person talking about Passions) is a dead man. Which is the only one to come to might right off

If you can find "Worlds Without End", you can get quite a bit on Harlequin.

As stated, he always wears full whiteface with diamonds, wears whatever he feels like (that's at least 50 years out of date) and has long hair generally kept in a ponytail.

As for personality, he's the ultimate deus ex machina. Feel free to ham it up; he's a scarred and bitter old veteran, but he's kept his sense of humor. Personally, I play him a bit like Q from Star Trek-- damn near omnipotent, but always complicating matters.

Oh, the good old Immortal Elf and Last Knight of the Crying Spire.

OK, any Shadowtalker post tagged as the Laughing Man is his. He's an immortal elf with a bit of a feud with Ehran the Scribe. That's what the original Harlequin adventure was all about. His second adventure deals with the return of the Horrors (RE: Earthdawn references - aka the 4th World) and his attempts to stop them. Aside from numerous ST apperances throughout many sourcebooks, he crops up in the Novels House of the Sun, and Worlds Without End. The latter being by far the most discriptive of his personality.

There aren't any stats for him because he's so hard and metaplot orientated the players haven't a possible chance in killing him. (The old addage - if you stat it, they'll kill it.)

I'd imagine anything written by Tom Dowd is probably the best place to get information on Harlequin, as I believe he created the character. Personality-wise, Harlequin isn't all that difficult; he's usually more sarcastic and whimsical than a true joker. He also tends to be fairly mercurial. In game, he's always been a plot device; he's not one to really help shadowrunners out in any direct fashion. It probably goes against his principles. More likely, he's the one getting them in trouble.

Well one quick point in the first adventure with him in it there is this statement.

Ant spell that the runners can do Harlequin can do the same spell at a power level high than the runners could hope to do and if he does not know the spell he can fake it at a very high level.

Now that is not a direct quote but it is close enough so you get the idea. He is mentioned in several source books the most recent being I do belive to be Dunkelzhan's will.

We just got a book called dragons of the sixth world not too long ago. I wounder if they could make a book on the power characters such as Harlequin. So we as players could use it as reference material for our game. Just A thought pass it around maybe it'll take. LOL

I'm putting an expanded and revised description in my expanded and revised Immortals page; which I should have finished and up any day now. Honest.

Harlequin often shows up in Black Jeans and a leather jacket, no matter the weather. His fool's cap and makeup seem to be his "war paint", he doesn't wear them all the time, just some of the time. As for his personality, the Madagasgar chapter in the Cyberpirates book has the best look at his personality. He pals around with a Great Dragon, tells off another Immortal Elf and plants seeds of conspiracy in the heads of several 6th world conspiracy theorists. I'd love to use him sometime in one of my games, and I just might.

I suppose a picture or two might help?

I've always prefered the 2nd myself, as a picture. Check out AH's website, there are 3 stories concerning Harlequin on his site.

Don

Nobody mentioned Aztlan sourcebook yet for shadowtalk?

Tinker Gnome did mention any book. That's pretty all inclusive.

Don

Is this a newbie hazing thing, or was the request for specific books immediately after the "any book" mention just overlooked?

Well, if you consider my joining date, you could probably deduct that I'm not a newbie.

Meaning no, it wasn't. I've been GMing tonight, which is why I haven't been posting after every new post or two. Besides, I already thanked TinkerGnome. But thanks for picking up on that Tenebris, it was very helpful.

Anyhow, cheers EVERYONE for the information, it's well enough for me to rock on with this one, and thanks to Kanada Ten for those pictures, I usually GM in front of my computer too, so I can just slap those babies straight up onto the screen when I (or should I say IF) need them. Although I must agree with shadd4d on the second picture, the first one looks a bit manical, kinda remains me of the clown out of Stephen Kings IT.

AH, I'll check your site in a bit, cheers mate.




- Baatorian

This is a bit off topic, but would an Immortal Elf who smokes have to worry about cancer and all the jazz? (Besides bad breath and yellow teeth that is)

IEs are immune to toxins

Boy those lucky devils get all the breaks.

Why do immortals smoke?

Wow. After that post and that link, I feel so inadequate now.

You can't die either, eh?

"You shouldn't smoke. Those'll kill you, you know."

"Something has to."

~J

Harlequin is an immortal elf from the 4th World, over 6,000 years old (though he never tells his age). He has a very odd sense of humor which seems to drive him, as he's seen it all before and has to find the humor in it all or else he'll go insane. He doesn't care about the political games most IEs play, only in himself (probably why he is the most powerful metahuman on the planet -- he focuses all his energy on improving himself rather than ordering others around).

Harlequin seems to be odd in that he dresses and talks like he's stuck in several different eras, both archaic and modern, at the same time. He dresses usually in a leather jacket with several pins, bluejeans, and clown facepaint (usually a white face with red diamonds over the eyes and mouth). His hair is naturally red but usually dyed black (or is it the other way around?)

Harlequin has made posts on Shadowland under the names Laughing Man and -H-. He is a high double-digit initiate who follows no set tradition. He is adept both at slinging spells and swinging a sword. He has never been given stats because he isn't an enemy to defeat, but rather a force of nature meant to move the plot along. He should be used as a plot device, not as an NPC. And try to avoid using him to bail out the PCs as he is the ultimate Deus ex Machina.

The Abstruse One

A post in SSG by Harlequin represents his opinions on the Tir and the Path of the Wheel. They were posting about religion when Harlequin posted "Same goes for the Path of the Wheel followed by legions of Tir elves. Don't believe for a second that there's any historical basis behind it. It's just another way to keep the masses in line."