Murphy Enzares

Murphy Enzares is a Blaziken of 88 years of age, from a world separate from Terra only known as Vytoetra. On that planet, he’s widely known as the 38th President of America, from 1974-1977. A Blue-collar worker at heart, and a man with a deep love for his country and it’s history, he quickly rose to the echelons of presidency through hard work, determination, a pact with an Eldritch God, and a lot of willpower!

Appearance
Murphy is a Blaziken in appearance, with an orange-red down and hair of the creamiest yellow. He stands tall at impressive 6’06”, staring down among most others with his sharp, judgmental eyes. He’s not particularly bulky, being in fit shape yet having a lithe physique. Battle scars adorn him all over his body, and while most are covered by his suit and tie, the one across his beak sits prominently.

Attire
Murphy, while being retired, is still the biggest fan of ‘Business Casual’. He regularly wears a Suit that’s dark red in coloration, with matching color cufflinks and tie, and with a matching pair of pants covering the entire length of his legs. The undershirt is white in coloration. On some rare days he can be seen wearing more traditional retirement clothes...namely, a pineapple shirt and sunglasses.

Personality
Murphy is a hardened old man, not strictly in heart alone. He’s accepting towards the idea of ‘tying one’s hair back’ and has been known to try it, however he finds much difficulty in loosening up and often comes across as cold. When he does, though, his normally stoic and calculated speech becomes bubbly, the words dancing off his tongue as he fires off into deeply-invested diatribes. He’s s very compassionate man, sometimes to an unhealthy degree, taking the misgivings and mistakes of others onto himself as a situation to address, or a problem to fix. Normally he’s cool and very level-headed in matters of any kind, even though Gaspar tends to...not be. At all. Murphy is also not one to give up easily, trying to see any project he starts through to completion. While he does think quite highly of himself, he’s also quick to accept any fault in himself, and is known to take the same measures with others in order to correct his misgivings.

Drives and Obstacles
Goal(s): Find Adam’s mother, defend Gaspar’s followers from the Crusaders of the Sword, figure out a way to undo Gaspar’s seal

Motivations: His drive to help others is quite large, as is his drive to help his Patron. He’ll do whatever he thinks is necessary...within reason.

Obstacles: The biggest obstacle, of course, would be that he doesn’t have enough information. On Adam’s Mother, or Gaspar’s whereabouts, or even on the Crusaders themselves...

Affiliations

 * The Cult of Dimensions: A cool club hosted by Gaspar, in which members discuss multidimensional affairs, hold meetings, or just hang out and do club activities. It’s all quite lighthearted stuff, nowadays.

Romance

 * Single: And has not been ready to mingle for some time. Gaspar’s tried getting the Blaziken to start flirting a bit, more, to...undetermined effect.

Family

 * Jeremiah Enzares: A...Man. Blaziken, presumably. Murphy doesn’t know all that much about him, besides that he worked as a Newspaper Reporter, he fought in World War 1, and that he was his father. Apparently, he was an old man at the time, very stern, but passionate for others in much the same way that he was. He’s assumably dead, though officially ‘missing’.


 * Elizabeth Enzares: Murphy’s Mother, And also a Blaziken. She was a stay-at-home mother who specialized in knitting and growing fruit and vegetables. Apparently, during World War 2 she served as an iron worker. She spent most of the rest of her life from the 50’s onwards with herself, sometimes socializing with other elderly women, until she fell ill in the late 60’s. Sadly, she passed away in 1968.


 * Olivia Parson: Murphy’s ex-wife from 1961-1972. A lovely Blaziken, very energetic and quite as passionate as Murphy. She studied History most of her life, and went on to become a History teacher at a few local High Schools. While they had a bit of a whirlwind romance, they still cared for eachother very much, and even remained friends long after their divorce.


 * Julius Enzares: Murphy’s son, a Temperamental and Proud Blaziken, who cares much for the wellbeing of others, or so he’s told. He’s not often met up with his son after the divorce, and after graduation he’s stopped seeing him completely outside of family reunions. Still, he wants to make amends to him one day, but does not know how...


 * Sean Enzares: Murphy’s Grandson, a hotheaded and proud Blaziken with a heart of gold. Unlike Julius, he doesn’t hate his grandpa’s guts and thinks Gaspar is ‘the coolest uncle’. They don’t see eachother all that often, but at the very least Sean likes having Murphy around.

Friends and Foes
Friends:


 * Gaspar: Eldritch Abomination and gigantic goofball, Gaspar has been a part of Murphy’s life for decades now. While originally they formed a pact due to Murphy’s father having relations with the cult and, to Murphy’s own admission, a desire for knowledge and the ability to help others, it’s grown to something of a more personal connections between the two.


 * Koopario Kruise: Koop is a Koopa kup, traveling from world to world, looking for answers regarding the one named Ryker. Gaspar is working to provide those answers, though Murphy is more keep to keep an eye on Koop as he transitions to life with Marin. After all, he and Gaspar got off to a bit of a rocky start, themselves...


 * Xeno the Mew: A Mew That Murphy happened upon by complete chance. After learning of his plight trying to escape from a powerful force created from one like him, Murphy offered him safety in the town of Peregrine. And then gave him half a scare when he invited Adam in without letting him know first. They seem to be on chill terms now, though that and a few questionable opinions have put Xeno off from spending more time with him. Still, it’s not like Murphy doesn’t want to get to know the Mewboi better.


 * Adam: A Mew/two that approached Murphy...or rather, one that Murphy approached. After telling Murphy that he wanted to meet others of his kind, the Blaziken offered him safety and family in the alternate world city of Peregrine. Without consulting Xeno. Oops. It seems those misgivings were forgiven, though, and he regularly writes to Adam.


 * Michael: You know, from podcast!


 * Norris Theodoric: A wrestling Nidoking, Norris is a vessel that Murphy had met up with quite recently over a game of Poker, and a man who really knows how to turn his charm up to 11.

Allies:
 * Other Vessels: There’s a Lott’s them! Most Murphy doesn’t actually know personally. Sure, they have meetings, but it’s kind of a small room!

Enemies:
 * The Crusaders of the Sword: A group of Crusaders heaven-bent In stopping Gaspar and his tyrannical reign from spreading any further. Murphy’s opinion on them ranges from ‘School Bullies’ to ‘Active Threat’ from decade to decade, and the idea that his own son has joined up with them hasn’t been sitting well with him at all...

Acquired/Learned Abilities

 * Resilient Intelligence: Murphy’s a smart cookie. You know the deal, +1 to INT score, proficiency on INT-saving throws.


 * Eldritch Invocation: Due to the power granted to him by Gaspar, Murphy has a plethora of eldritch boons at his disposal. These include:

Armor of Shadow: Murphy can cast Mage Armor on himself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components. You see that suit? That’s his Mage Armor.

Devil’s Sight: Murphy can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Eldritch Sight: Murphy can cast Detect Magic at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Eyes of the Rune Keeper: Murphy can read all writing.

One With Shadows: When Murphy is in an area of dim light or darkness, he can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction.

Ultimate Pact Weapon: Murphy can use any weapon he summons with his Pact of the Blade feature as a spellcasting focus for his warlock spells. In addition, the weapon counts as a magic weapon with a +3 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is already a magic weapon that he transformed into your pact weapon.

Witch Sight: Murphy can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of him and within line of sight.


 * Warlock Spells: With the powers of Gaspar flowing through him, Murphy is able cast all sorts of magic. These include:

Cantrips: [Chill Touch], [Eldritch Blast], [Mage Hand], [Prestigitation]

1st Level Spells: [Charm Person], [Protection From Evil and Good], [Tasha’s Hideous Laughter]

2nd Level Spells: [Shadow Blade], [Mirror Image], [Spider Climb]

3rd Level Spells: [Blink], [Sending], [Tongues]

4th Level Spells: [Evard’s Black Tentacles], [Shadow of Moil]

5th Level Spells: [Commune], [Scrying]


 * Mystic Arcanums: With the power granted to Murphy by Gaspar, Murphy is allowed to perform a 6th, 7th, and 8th level Warlock spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot.

6th Level Spell: [Circle of Death]

7th Level Spell: [Plane Shift]

8th Level Spell: [Demiplane]


 * Pact of the Blade: Murphy can use his action to create a pact weapon in his hands, which usually takes the form of a large scythe, with which he is proficient. The scythe counts as magical, overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical attacks and damage. The scythe disappears if it’s more than 5 ft. away from him for longer than a minute, or if it’s manually dismissed.

Skills

 * Flamethrower: An ability innate to Mozilla Firechicken. Using his action, Murphy can breathe a 15ft. cone of fire to target any creatures caught in range, who must make a Dex saving throw of 8 + Murphy’s CON modifier and his proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. He can only perform the move once per long rest.


 * Flare Blitz: Murphy wreathes himself in flames and charges at an opposing target. On hit, Murphy deals 2d10 Fire-based bludgeoning damage, but takes half the damage he deals as recoil. The damage increases to 3d10 at 6th level, 4d10 at 11th level, and 5d10 at 16th level. He can only perform the move once per long rest.


 * Fire Punch/Blaze Kick: When performing any kind of unarmed strike with his arms or legs, Murphy can choose to apply fire damage to the blow.


 * *Blaze*: When his HP drops to below 1/4th, all of Murphy’s fire-based attacks gain an additional 1d4 fire damage.


 * General Skills: As a studious individual, Nuvel knows his stuff! He has advantage on Arcana, History, Investigation, Perception, and Persuasion rolls.

Weaknesses

 * OK Boomer: Murphy has disadvantage on history checks involving any piece of technology made within the last 10 years.

Key Items

 * War Medal: Awarded for acts of bravery during the Korean War. He doesn’t wear it much nowadays, feeling like it lends itself well to an air of importance...but that the suit speaks for itself.


 * Letter from his dad: Dear Murphy, please accept Gaspar into your life. He’s baked a cake for you. Yours truly, Dad. The rest of the letter is written in an eldritch language.


 * Golden Locket: A locket containing an image of both a young Murphy, young Olivia and a newly-born Julius. He keeps it around his neck at all times.

Weapons

 * Dimensional Scythe: A scythe bearing a black shaft, with a blood red metallic tip. This is his pact weapon of choice. It deals 1d8 slashing damage on hit.

Other Equipment

 * Crossroads Communicator Mk 2^80: The same model of phone as Kup’s, it features the same level of inter-dimensional connectivity. Unlike Koop, he has no idea how to use it, a point of teasing between him and Gaspar.


 * Book of Shadows: A Warlock never goes far without theirs. This one appears to be a newer print of the same kind of black/red/gold books found among Vessels of Gaspar. But who’s printing them...?

Inventory

 * Golden Bracelet: He used to wear a fancy watch to tell the time...demiplanes screwed with that, though. So, general jewelry it is!

Biography
Murphy was born October 29th, 1929, in a cheap living space in New York, the very day of Black Tuesday. his father, Jeremiah, a Reporter who worked at a Newspaper Company and his mother, Elizabeth, a typical stay-at-home wife, oft struggled to keep their family together during the ongoing financial crisis that would soon be known by the name of The Great Depression. Food would be grown from the most part in their backyard, clothing for the newly-born baby was all hand-knit by the mum, and all and all they only barely had enough to get by for a few months before Jeremiah would lose his job. At that point living expenses proved too much, and the couple and their child were evicted from their home. Forced to live on the streets with none of their possessions and with no way to care for their 1 & 1/2 year-old child, the Enzares were forced to put him up for adoption.

The Torchic spent most of his formative years like that under the care of a large Foster Home, not very social with any of the other kids or other caretakers. He took mostly to himself, reading any books (scarce as they were) around the Foster Home and in some cases taking round trips to the local library. Sometimes he’d ask a caretaker or two or the librarian to help him read the books, though for the most part he learned to read on his own. He found through this activity that he had a bit of a passion for history, as well as various pieces of adventure-based fiction. Aside from that, he enjoyed playing card games in his spare time, usually having a hard time of convincing others at the foster home to play with him. Of course, he was also enrolled into school, though much like the cluster of age groups at his foster home, the classroom was a similar unorganized cluster. Still, he took well to his lessons.

As the years rolled by and Murphy became older, he decided to start holding some responsibility under foster care. At the ripe age of 9, he took to being a newsboy in between School lessons, selling newspaper on the street to any who cared to see it. A rough job at first, and most folk tended to ignore him, though as the months rolled by he got a grasp on how to catch the eyes and ears of those he tried to sell to. And of course, he read parts of the newspapers he was handing out on his own time, gaining a vested interest not only in history, but in current events. And as 1939 came winding down and with it, the start of a second World War, it only spurred on both people’s interest in buying newspapers, and Murphy’s own interest with worldly affairs.

And so the 40’s came and went, Murphy starting to open up to others in the Orphanage, staying up to date on worldly affairs and continuing to sell newspapers on the streets even after the war’s end caused a decrease in demand. He’d also learned to take care of his daily needs during this time, researching living expenses, taking up cooking, and even looking into getting a driver’s license. Something he did develop a knack for was speech, getting a bit of a silver tongue after figuring out what to say to those who’d want to hear it, and slowly realized he had a desire to have his voice be heard. He’d planned to move out from the Orphanage to live on his own soon, considering he’d gotten much too old for many people to want to adopt him, though as he’d reached 18 years of age the Cold War had just cropped up, and he’d been drafted into the US Army soon enough. He served in South Korea during the Korean War from 1950-1953, following an armstice agreement. The experience left Murphy a changed man, desiring more than before to stop others from falling under the gears of war.

After returning to the US, Murphy decided to apply himself further, having a desire to serve his country at a higher level. He found himself a cheap apartment to live in and got himself a job working at an industrial plant until he was living securely enough to start attending college in 1956, studying up further on American Politics. As he took these courses, he met Olivia Parson, a fellow Blaziken a few years younger than himself who was studying up on ancient history and wanted to become a History Teacher, or perhaps an Archaeologist. She had immediately taken a liking to Murphy, and the two soon became close friends. And then a bit more. By the time they’d gotten out of college, they were already dating, and it’d be another year more before an admittedly hasty marriage...

And as Murphy graduated from College, he began putting up self-campaigns in order to attain a position on the New York City Council, which eventually worked in his favor. Olivia, meanwhile, continued to support her new husband, applying for a teaching job at a local high school, though also expressed interest in having a child, a sentiment Murphy agreed with. And so, Julius Enzares was born on April 10th, 1964. The two had no trouble with expenses for their child, though as Murphy continued campaigning he found that he wasn’t able to give Julius the attention he initially thought he could...but all the same, he didn’t want to send him off the same way his parents did, so he tried his hardest to balance matters with his job and family. All the while, political matters continued to swarm in his mind. The Vietnam War had recently reached a crescendo, and he was determined to do something about it, one way or another...

A few years had passed. Murphy and Olivia took care of Julius as best they could, while Murphy continued to slowly climb the political ladder...and then Murphy got a letter from his mother. Elizabeth fell ill under a life-threatening condition, and wanted to reach out to her son, believing she would soon reach the end of her life. Murphy dropped everything that day to drive over to her, so he could be by her side. He never knew either of them well, but as much as he didb’t want to put Julius through what he went through, he didn’t blame his parents for his situation, not fully, and he didn’t want to lose his only chance to have a connection with them. He learned through her that apparently his father, Jeremiah, was a fair bit older than he was aware of, having served in World War I and earned a Purple Heart for his contributions, and that the two had apparently met sometime within the early 1920’s. But it seems he had went missing sometime in the 1940’s, leaving Elizabeth with only a letter, addressed to Murphy when he came to ‘be ready’. Murphy spent the next few weeks with Elizabeth until her passing away on February 8th, 1968. She was 71 years old.

Murphy took a while to getting around to reading that letter, spending most of that year focusing on his work, though having trouble spending as much time with Olivia and Julius. When he did finally read it late one night, he found it odd that...most of it appeared to be some kind of incantation. When he read it aloud to himself, a dark, shadowy figure mysteriously appeared in his room, introducing itself as Gaspar. It said that it knew his father well, and had a proposition for Murphy: if he allowed the Blaziken to take part of him into his body to experience the world, and allow him willing control over it when able to, he would impart to him the vast knowledge and abilities he had, and extend his lifespan by more than a fair amount. It was not a deal easily made - Murphy ended up thinking about it for a few weeks - but if there was any way he could accelerate the slow pace of the bureaucratic process, at least so he could help his country better now, he would take it.

The two...did not get along particularly well, at first. It was rare that Murphy would ever let the demon take hold on his body, and the scant few times he did proved to be...embarrassing to both. Eventually, they settled on the guideline that Gaspar could not interfere with family or work matters, but that they could still hold conversations during either in less-tense moments. And while Murphy wasn’t too keen on all the advice Gaspar gave him, it did bring attention to him certain things about himself that he never even thought to question, as well as revealing quite a bit about the demon who apparently had so close s connection with his own father. He’d been promised knowledge and power, yet came away treasuring most his friendship.

Sadly, Murphy and Olivia’s marriage couldn’t be sustained any longer. Repeated failings to balance his family life with his work life had come to a head, and while Murphy’s self-discovery about being gay wasn’t the single biggest factor in sinking the ship, it did factor in. The two got a divorce, and Olivia custody over Julius, though the two stayed close friends. Julius never forgave his father, though, and is convinced the demon he suspected to have taken over his father is the reason they fell out of love. Murphy seldom saw much of Julius after that.

Gaspar did help Murphy attain a quicker political career, in the end. From 1973-1974, Murphy Enzares served as Richard Nixon’s second Vice-President, and was ushered in as the 38th President from August 9, 1974 to January 20, 1977, following Nixon’s resignation due to the Watergate Scandal. Under his term, he signed the Helsinki Accord, which helped ease relations caused by the Cold War, as well as US involvement ending in Vietnam. (Incidentally, of course.) He also put a lot of focus on funding to extracurricular activities, as well as withdrawing troops from Vietnam. He also presided over the biggest economic recess since the Great Depression during his time in office. He ask also very photogenic, and found to smile rather wide in photos. There’s actually a pretty popular one out there where he’s seated with Richard Nixon and is doing a blep. Riveting stuff.

After leaving office on his short term, Murphy decided to retire from high-billing political affairs. The life of Presidency proved to be quite a wild ride for Vessel and Patron alike and, as much as he’d enjoyed it, Murphy felt...fulfilled. He still kept up with current affairs, though, and was an active member of the community up through the 80’s...though after some time, he decided to go into seclusion, paying occasional visits to Olivia and a few select friends. He also became closer with others tied to Gaspar, and regularly attended meetings involving them. In that time, he’s also read up on all the books he hadn’t the time to read most of his life, and taken up various other hobbies, though...even with all that extra time, he hadn’t been able to make up with Julius for all he’s been through. Even with all this extra time, though, he still finds it in his heart to stand up for others, and has fought his fair share of more physical battles to keep the scores of innocents safe, and to help those in need of his keen sight and knowledge. His involvement in Peregrine in helping relocate Xeno and Adam has only served to open up a new chapter in his tale, and time will tell how it ends...

Points of Interest
Former Homes: The Yelman Home for the Orphaned, New York; The Enzares Residence, New York; The White House, Washington D.C.

Former Jobs: Newsboy, New York Council Member, Vice President, President

Gallery
