Beckett
Beckett: The Noddist in Madison
Background and Arrival in Madison
After centuries spent traversing the globe in pursuit of Kindred origins, Beckett’s obsession with the myths of Caine and the Book of Nod brings him, inevitably, to the American Midwest. In the late 1970s, rumors surface of an artifact unearthed near Lake Mendota, possibly tied to the earliest nights of the Kindred. The city of Madison—Teejop to the Ho-Chunk—has always been a place of spiritual turbulence, standing atop ancient effigy mounds, caerns, and a potent Node. For a Noddist and scholar like Beckett, the city is irresistible.
Beckett first arrives in Madison in the early 1980s, drawn by tales whispered among Kindred and Dreamspeakers alike: stories of a Covenant Stone, a relic said to predate the founding of Enoch itself, hidden in the limestone caves beneath the Capitol Node. He quickly discovers that the supernatural landscape of Madison is uniquely volatile: a city where Gangrel walk openly in the wilds, Hermetic mages experiment with paradox beneath the Capitol, and echoes of ancient pacts still bind vampires and Garou together.
Story Connections in Madison
- The Capitol Node & The Book of Nod: Beckett believes that the Capitol Node is more than a mundane site of power—it is a spiritual fracture point, a place where the dreams and memories of the First City bleed into modern nights. In secret, he has spent years mapping ley lines and exploring hidden tunnels beneath the Capitol, seeking resonance between local legends and lost verses of the Nodist scriptures.
- Allies and Rivals: Beckett’s closest Madison ally is Jessica Woodfield, the Gangrel Primogen and a legendary Kinfolk. Their mutual respect (and occasional rivalry) is grounded in their shared love for the wild and the mysteries buried beneath it. Beckett often trades information with Jessica, sharing lore of ancient werewolves and lost caerns in exchange for leads on Kindred artifacts. He is also rumored to have collaborated with Lacy Z. Rivere (the Hollow One) and even attended secret gatherings at the Dreaming Echoes Freehold, searching for Fae interpretations of Caine’s myth.
- Mage Connections: Beckett’s ongoing correspondence with Jay Dee of the Order of Hermes has led to heated debates about the nature of vampirism, the true purpose of Enoch, and the metaphysics of the soul. Jay Dee suspects Beckett knows more about the original Gahara Pact than he lets on, and Beckett has even attended a clandestine Hermetic ritual disguised as a mortal scholar.
- Modern Investigation: In the wake of the 1985 murders that spark the Nameless Echoes chronicle, Beckett is drawn into Madison’s crisis. He seeks out both Kindred and Awakened scholars, offering his knowledge of ancient bindings and the consequences of forgotten curses. His Noddist expertise becomes vital as cracks in reality reveal memories and myths once thought allegorical.
Key Events and Hooks
- The Treaty of the Stone: Beckett uncovers evidence of a secret accord—the “Treaty of the Stone”—made between ancient Kindred, Garou, and mages to contain something slumbering beneath Lake Mendota (possibly a Neverborn or a fragment of the Nameless). His efforts to decipher this pact bring him into conflict with conservative Camarilla elders and radical Dreamspeakers alike.
- The Echoes of Enoch: Through dreams, Beckett receives visions of Enoch’s downfall, mirrored in Madison’s own looming collapse. These dreams, tinged with paradox, may be the result of the city’s fractured consensus—or manipulation by powerful spirits or mages hoping to nudge him toward uncovering (or preventing) a second Deluge.
- Gangrel in the Wilderness: Beckett spends long nights in wolf form, running with (and sometimes spying on) the local Garou. He is quietly respected by some as a “memory-seeker” and tolerated by others as a meddler. His ability to survive on the edges of Garou and Kindred society makes him a valuable but unpredictable ally in the coming crisis.
- Keeper of Secrets: Beckett maintains a hidden haven in the labyrinthine storm drains beneath Madison, a repository of gathered relics, lost diaries, and fragments of Nodist scripture. Here, he sometimes hosts secret symposia with outcast scholars—Kindred, mages, or even the occasional changeling—hoping to piece together the true history before the city’s supernatural fabric unravels for good.
Role in Nameless Echoes/Madtown by Night
- Scholar, Witness, and Troublemaker: Beckett is neither a ruler nor a rebel in Madison. He is a scholar chasing dangerous truths, a witness to the city’s oldest bargains, and a troublemaker whose discoveries threaten to bring hidden conflicts to light. In player-driven stories, Beckett can serve as a quest-giver, a mysterious informant, or even a rival—offering lore and insight but always with his own agenda.
In summary:
Beckett’s arrival in Madison is rooted in his pursuit of Nodist lore and the unique resonance of the Capitol Node. His alliances and rivalries span Kindred, Garou, and Awakened, and his presence in the city is both a stabilizing influence and a catalyst for chaos. Whether as a guide to lost history or a wildcard in the struggle against the Nameless, Beckett’s story in Madison is one of secrets, memory, and the danger of truth uncovered too late.