Barrett — Roleplayer Guild

Basic Information

| Name |
Andronicus 'Andy' Griffiths-Hopkins

| Date of Birth |
12th October 1997

| Gender |
Male

| Sexuality |
Homosexual

| In-Depth Appearance |
Standing at around average height, Andy tends to slouch a bit so most people think of him as small. He doesn't mind and has, in fact, taken steps to make sure that image of him is reinforced in people's minds. He sometimes deliberately wears jumpers a size too big or makes sure to look down at his feet, all to make sure he seems non-threatening. Apart from that, he likes warm clothes in a variety of colours, sometimes following styles and sometimes whatever's comfortable. He smiles often and laughs loudly, not afraid of seeming silly or of embarrassing himself or others.

Who Am I?

| Personality |
♦ Intelligent ♦ Manipulative ♦ Caring ♦ Lazy ♦

Given his upbringing, Andy would say he's come out pretty well. He's not a heartless monster, he doesn't see people as chess pieces to be sacrificed and he's never once talked someone into committing suicide. As Andy might say, he'll talk someone into giving him the last cookie but hurting others is where he draws the line, much to his father's frustration. Where his parents have missed a trick, however, is that they never quite understood that frustrating them was one of Andy's favourite outlets for his own anguish. As an only child who almost never saw his parents, a combination of anger at them and a desire for their attention caused him to have an almost pathological need to not meet their expectations.

As a person, Andy might not seem unique. There's one child in every class who is smarter than their fellows and never lets anyone forget it, not even for an instant. And upon first inspection, it would be easy to think that's who he is. A more careful study shows that, on the contrary, Andy does everything he can to make everyone forget how intelligent he is. For if people realised that their hand movements and sighs telegrapher their mood and intentions to him, they would probably be much less willing to talk to him. Thanks to his parents, Andy has inherited a dangerous ability to read people and use what he sees along with a tactical mindset that searches every situation for the optimal advantage and the most vulnerable pressure points. His skill at hiding this is incredibly important to him, because who wants to talk when they think they're being analysed or be friends with a user of people? No, better to keep some things hidden.

Of course, there's also the matter that Andy is incredibly lazy. As much as his parents have defined him, both through intention and inadvertently, they never managed to pass on their towering ambition. The name Andronicus is split between the meanings 'man' and 'victory' but Andy was content to drag his heels through school, party on the weekend and wander home to be reprimanded for the hickeys and the smell of smoke. "No ambition!" his father would storm, as his mother looked in silent judgment. But another part of their son they didn't understand was Andy's view of people. Where his father saw forces to be manipulated and his mother saw pieces to be positioned, Andy sees unique works of art, each one subtly different from the next and all beautiful in their impermanence. Occasionally he's tried to explain to others how incredible it is to watch someone until you understand them, the gaze into them until you can almost see yourself reflected. Whether Andy genuinely cares for people or just hates to see something so sublime ruined is hard to say, even for him, but it's safe to say he is more nurturing and kind than his parents will ever approve of.

| Likes & Dislikes |
✔ Happiness and the sound of laughter.
✔ Sweet things and sugary treats.
✔ Hot chocolate, marshmallows optional.
✔ Cooking and baking.
✔ Any game that is reaction based, he generally loses.
✔ 80s Action films, the cheesier the better.
✔ TV shows, the longer the better.
✔ Smoking, it annoys his parents.
✔ Drinking, it doubly annoys them.
✔ Telling people what to do and seeing them do it.

✘ Salty snacks, salty foods and salty drinks.
✘ Bad characterisation in fiction.
✘ Tactical games, he never loses.
✘ Having to clean up after cooking or baking.
✘ Insects, they're horrifying and irritating.
✘ People not prepared to listen to him.
✘ Having to play people to get them to listen to him.
✘ Being called Andronicus

| History |
Growing up is difficult for everyone. Rich, poor, smart, dumb, no one has an easy time navigating the pitfalls of childhood or the traps of adolescence. And, as Philip Larkin once said, they fuck you up, your mum and dad. In the case of Andronicus (no one but his father calls him that, everyone else uses Andy at Andy's express request), his parents could hardly have done a better job with the fucking up. As two people with towering ambition and incredible abilities, they decided that a child could be the perfect instrument to combine their two skill sets and further their legacy. So when he was born, George named him Andronicus and told him the world could be his. As soon as Andy could talk, the training began. It wasn't physically gruelling or abusive but it was constant, inescapable. Every interaction he had with anyone not his parents was assessed, graded and critiqued. Before he could properly walk, he knew how to persuade other children to let him have the toys he wanted without hitting them.

What was difficult for Andy was that the only contact he had with his parents was in the context of these examinations. They never played games with him, never took him to the park or told him stories. At first, he craved their attention and worked hard to get it through success on their terms. He studied psychology manuals, the art of war and every significant treatise on how to bend others to one's will written in the last few hundred years. He practised cons, tricks, characters, strategies and anything he thought might impress his parents. There's another saying though; the reward for digging the biggest hole is a wider shovel. Every accomplishment seemed to bring only more work and less face time with his parents. Andy was not to know that their plans, and those of the Syndicate, were accelerating and required them to be still more active in their various arenas. Had he known, he probably wouldn't have cared. All he saw was that no matter what he did, his parents didn't seem to care.

So he went in the opposite direction. If success wouldn't please them, he'd make them pay attention through thoroughly refuting all their lessons. Instead of careful interaction and long term planing, Andy did his best to live in the moment and react instinctually. He made friends and enemies quickly, getting drunk in the middle of the day and running from school whenever he felt like it. Needless to say, his parents were appalled and not just because of his activities. His antics were bad enough but what was more distressing to them was that he was now too well trained in both their strategies for manipulation that he could see them coming. For the first time in a long time, both George and Linda had to talk to someone without being sure what they were thinking. Predictably, it did not go well. Their attempts to put Andy back on the straight and narrow (from their perspective, anyway) did nothing more than push him farther away from it.

Unsurprisingly, someone as intelligent as Andy had long since worked out that his parents had been grooming and training him for something. He'd assumed they wanted him to run for President or the Senate one day and dreaded having to deal with their reaction when h eventually told them there was no way he'd be doing something like that. Of course, when he discovered what he had really been raised to do, he almost wished he'd been right.

| Family |

Personality:
Andy's father, George, is perhaps the most calculating and manipulative person to live since Niccolò Machiavelli. His ability to gauge people's buttons and then press them in such a way that they do precisely what he wants them to do is second to none, allowing him to manipulate adults like a parent governs their child. Body language, micro expressions, fractional changes in the tones of voice are all signs to him about what a person is feeling and how he might use that to twist them to his way of thinking. As such, he hates people in general and views them as stupid sheep, ubiquitous and easily scared but easy to herd into place.

Role in the Syndicate:
George has used his abilities to go far, building up political influence and power in America but especially New York City for years. His official title is 'senior political advisor to the Mayor' but those who truly know him know too that the Mayor hasn't made an important decision without George's approval since he was elected. Mr. Griffith's influence goes far further than NYC, however. Along with the rest of the Syndicate, he has power over half the congressmen, senators, lobbyists and candidates in Washington, as well as the criminal organisations over most of America. Whereas some of the members enforce, assassinate or cover up, George's job is perhaps more terrible than any of them; he is the face of the Syndicate, the person that visits those people who resist the organisation's wishes. He cajoles, threatens and bribes people into bending to his will and therefore the will of his shadowy partners.

Personality:
Linda Hopkins has always had a very singular view of the world; it's a board and the people are the pieces. You put them into position, you line them up and you send them to fight for your cause. Even in her earliest memories, she pitted friend against friend in school, coming out unscathed and ever more popular. She honed her skills in first the political arena and then as a director of covert military operations, finding both to be stimulating but neither quite challenging enough. Upon meeting her husband and joining the Syndicate, she finally found an endeavour worthy of her talents. Unlike her husband, Linda doesn't hate the people she uses, she simply doesn't see them as more than assets.

Role in the Syndicate:
While the Syndicate comes together and collectively chooses policies and goals, it is Linda's job to formulate plans to pursue them. She knows the strengths, weaknesses and capabilities of each other member intimately and plans accordingly. She is utterly ruthless, prepared to destroy any enemy in any way and sacrifice any operative for the sake of success. Without her guidance, the varied members of the Syndicate would still be forces to be reckoned with and the organisation would retain much of its power. With her as its brains, the Syndicate has undermined the process of law, order and democracy in the most powerful country in the world. All without any but a few meddling kids noticing. Check and mate.

| Abilities |
Andy has no magical or abnormal physical abilities and is not a mutant or an alien. As a specimen, he is simply a human being. His strengths lie in his far exceptional intelligence and extensive training in the fields of social manipulation and tactical leadership. Almost as soon as he was able to have meaningful social interactions with others, he was trained to make sure the interactions were steered by him to his own advantage. Similarly, he has spent an undocumented but nevertheless ridiculous number of hours running through complex strategy simulators, honing his skills as a commander if not a fighter.

| Strengths |
Good with people and good at getting people to be good.
Extremely intelligent, picks things up fast and solves problems well.
His skills are tempered with empathy, a conscience and a desire to help people.

| Weaknesses |
Is lazy, often resists doing things simply because he can't be bothered.
Has limited physical talent, below average hand-eye coordination and no personal combat skills whatsoever.
Little to no real life experience with commanding others or leading a team.

The Other

| Theme Song |
Goodbye Mr. A – The Hoosiers
”So busy showing me where I'm wrong, 
You forgot to switch your feelings on, (Oh-oh-oh-oh) 
So, so superior, are you not, 
You love a little bit but you forgot ”

| Extra Information |
Has a driving license but is a very nervous driver.

Andy

Tish
"Our little party Princess is good to have around. She's like a lucky charm or a mascot, she guarantees good cheer and can be squeezed into whatever space Jay hasn't already taken up. I kid, she forces us to be happy or else."

To be honest, I think Tish is dealing with recent events better than any of the rest of us. She's upset but nowhere near as confused about it as Malcolm seems to be or as broken up as Lia. I don't like playing psychologist too much with people but I'd guess her shifting lets her feel like she's bullet proof, like nothing can catch her or stick to her. She doesn't like talking about her parents and didn't even before we all suddenly had this great reason to not want to talk about or parents, so I'd guess her relationship with them was a little strained and her issues with authority probably come from that. Though who am I to talk about parents and authority issues, I imagine my own familial history would give most psychologists a field day.

Anyway, she's happy as anything, whenever and wherever we are. Lia keeps us sane and moving on but it's Tish constantly leading us in song or games of I-Spy who keeps us happy. And her shifting is ridiculously useful for us, no one is going to recognise her. Once she gets a bit better at the more difficult parts, we might end up relying on her for a lot more.

They're ready to go now they got their surfboards, And they're going to the discotheque Au Go Go
But she just couldn't stay she had to break away, Well New York City really has is all oh yeah, oh yeah

Jay
"Jay's cute. I mean cool, he's cool. We've met a few times when the parents get together but I haven't talked to him much."

Alright, he's totally adorable, I admit it. His whole 'I'm such a rebel' thing is dorky and absolutely hilarious because he seems to really believe. But he somehow still makes it hot and I am only semi okay with that. We haven't talked that much but he seems to like skateboarding a lot (could be fun, I could take lessons from him) and mentioned Battlestar Galactia in the same tones most people mention god. As luck would have it, I haven't seen that. Is that good (we could watch it together) or bad (I can't talk to him about it)?

But as gorgeous and charming as he is, there's something off about him. I don't know, he seems a little bit more aware of people's motivations than he has any right to be. Eh, it's probably nothing.

On his thin and wispy spindles, He was deft and he was nimble, His eyes were scientific, And his dancing was terrific

Malcolm
"He's alright, is Malcolm. A bit straight laced and it always feels like he's watching you but we've all got our funny little ways.”

I don't know much about animals but it's clear to see that Malcolm has lived his life in captivity. It comes out in lots of ways; disapproving looks at alcohol, raised eyebrows at at saucy jokes, wrinkling his nose whenever I smoke. If I had to guess, I'd say it was his father who enforced rules around his house. It's just a hunch, something in the way he looks away when Tish jokes about me being the father of this little band. Or, as she puts it, the papa bear. I don't think I've ever been called a bear before.

One thing that really comes through loud and clear about him is the way he watches things. I mean, I watch because I was taught to but he looks at us chatting like a hungry child looks into a sweetshop window. He's drinking in everything we do and say, because he wants to understand and he wants to join in. We'll have to see if we can get him to loosen his straight laces (not like that, mind, gutter, out), especially if he's going to be any help in the future.

I want to break free from your lies, You're so self satisfied, I don't need you
I've got to break free God knows, God knows I want to break free.

Ophelia
"Ophelia, no, I mean Lia, is the best. She keeps everyone moving, keeps everyone sane and even manages to keep us all happy. Without her, I think Tish would already have strangled me several times for sure but Oph--Lia makes it out like we're all just on a crazy road trip and acts like a playleader. And when you think about what's happened to us recently, what we've learned and lost, it's pretty incredible that we all join in."

In a way, Ophelia is like me or dad, only far less calculated. She doesn't think about why someone is sad or angry and she doesn't look for a pressure point to calm to them down. She just acts naturally and does her best to make everyone's day that much brighter. Ha, brighter. Because, you know, fire. Come on, it's funny. Fine, be that way, I don't care.

I think she's taking the... incident pretty hard. None of us are exactly happy about discovering our parents are cackling megalomaniacs bent on world domination but not all of us were that close to them. I mean, my dad hasn't given me anything close to a compliment since I was eight years old and mom told me sentimentality is a strategic weak point on my birthday once but I think Ophelia's parents looked after her and taught her how to not burn the house down. From what I can tell (I've really been trying not to watch her actions too much, I have, but it's hard to switch your brain off) she feels doubly betrayed because her parents are hero cops that set an example for her, only now she knows it was all a ruse. So she doesn't want to go back and wants to make sure none of us have to either.

Mostly though, she cares about us all and wants to keep us alive. She drives (I just can't do highways, too many cars, too scary) all the time, listens to me talk about anything, keeps Tish from driving us all insane. Without her, I'm pretty sure we'd already be back in NYC with our parents.

The ice we skate is getting pretty thin, The water's getting warm so you might as well swim
My world's on fire. How about yours? That's the way I like it and I'll never get bored.

Glo
"Glo's great, who doesn't like having their every move photographed while on the run? I mean, right? Seriously though, she's as good at looking after us as Lia is, we'd probably starve without her cooking skills. I mean, I'm not a bad cook but it's a lot of hassle..."

Glo is interesting in how she seems to have reacted to what I understand of her upbringing. Apparently she practically raised herself in a pretty bad neighbourhood, while keeping her grades high enough to stay in a pretty high end school on a scholarship. So she's a self made woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps (we all know I'd probably have preferred to lay down and wait for someone to bring me a drink) but that's left her with a curious mix of nurturing instincts (doesn't want others to have to work too hard?) and trust issues...

Gah! I almost went full psychology! Better tone that down. On a personal level, Glo is just like Lia; she looks after us, makes sure we don't make a mess or starve but also doesn't let us take her or anyone else for granted. As many of our little group have had pretty comfortable lives (cough Jay cough) that's very important for us.

Cody
"It's the quiet ones you've got to watch, am I right? Cody a good kid, likes to listen and doesn't like to fight. Maybe the world would be a better place if we were all like him? It would certainly be a less noisy place."

Is there anyone in this little group that doesn't have issues with their parents? I say that both as someone with their own issues and as someone who knows everyone is affected by their parents in one way or another but man, we could pretty much perform group therapy. Anyway, Cody seems happy to keep himself in the background and take in conversation but not quite in the same way Malcolm does. I think Cody is more comfortable in the role as the quiet one than Malcolm is, probably because the former has been able to interact with people during his life and let that role develop naturally where the latter simply hasn't had enough experience in social situations to fulfil any other role.

I mean, I like getting a good bit of attention, talking, having people listen and so on but I can understand if others prefer not to be in the spotlight. That's fine as a thing to do, so long as it's a choice and not forced on them by lack of confidence or anxiety. So we'll see what Cody's really like before I try to give him nudges in any direction.

Oh no love! you're not alone
You're watching yourself but you're too unfair
You got your head all tangled up but if I could only make you care
Oh no love! you're not alone

Amy
"Amy, Bella, Izzy, I don't like to let her settle on any one nickname. She's a good kid, always has been, but she's very much a kid. You know the expression 'born ancient'? That's me but I think the opposite is Amy. I reckon she'll still be acting pretty much the same way in thirty years or so."

Yeah, we used to see each other before the incident, now and then. Dad and mom liked her creepy parents, for whatever reason. It's weird though, her folks are weird on so many levels (their body language and micro-expressions are all wrong, not even starting on their language usage or tones) but Bella is just normal seventeen year old. Fun, creative, doesn't pull her punches (literally of figuratively, I have bruises) but not particularly unusual. I'll have to work that one out, one day.
Barrett Member

Oh, the year was 1778...

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