Dr. Julia Hoffman from 'Dark Shadows'

 “Today I shall attempt to find the truth of what my intellect refuses to accept. At sunset, I shall confront the monster in his lair.”

Dr. Julia Hoffman 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F: Typ (06)
A: Typ (06)
S: Typ (06)
E: Ex (20)
R: Rm (30)
I: Rm (30)
P: Rm (30)

Health: 38
Karma: 90
Resources: Ex (20)
Popularity: 2 (as leading expert in Hematology and blood diseases)

Talents:
Julia Hoffman is very experienced and learned, possessing the following talents:

• Medicine*
• Psychology
• Hypnotism
• Pathology
• History
• Detective*
• Multi-Lingual
• Occult Lore* (While Julia doesn’t study the occult, her experiences and investigations with the Collins family have granted her knowledge)
• Chemistry
• Engineering

Powers:
A remarkable woman
Although human, Julia Hoffman is a very remarkable woman who has mastered multiple scientific fields, experienced first hand the occult, time travel, and parallel time, and has even managed to cure uncurable mystical diseases. Julia Hoffman’s natural attributes and reasoning make her a foil for most of the adversaries encountered and have given her a unique place in Dark Shadows, a protagonist who is equally dangerous and respected by her enemies. Julia’s power-like effects include:

• Resolve: Dr. Hoffman posses a great deal of resolve in her dealings, and although terrified at times of her enemies remains dedicated and steadfast in her activities and action. In situations in which Dr. Hoffman must make fear checks vs. Intuition and Psyche, Dr. Hoffman may roll on Am (50) intensity to continue with her actions. Dr. Hoffman will suffer damage and effects but may ignore attempts to prevent her from acting and/or possession attempts by making a successful FEAT.
• Enhanced Invention: Dr. Hoffman may recreate ‘modern’ technologies (circa 1970) with older or outdated materials, such as creating a blood synthesizer in the 19th century or the like. Dr. Hoffman has shown great skill at recreating modern technologies linked her talents during many of the periods that she has been transported to. Dr. Hoffman uses her Reason rank to make such technologies and must have the appropriate resources and materials to do so.
• Immunity: Leviathan Cult Corruption: Dr. Hoffman is one of the humans that cannot be converted or corrupted by the Leviathan Cult and is completely immune to their attempts to control or convert her to their efforts. Dr. Hoffman may have similar immunities to other similar groups and their efforts but it is not tested.
• Karma Awarding: Dr. Hoffman gains Karma through efforts that are villainous – such as brainwashing/hypnosis, covering up murders, lying and deceiving the Collins family, etc. Dr. Hoffman’s goals have always been ultimately to help people and will cross a moral line if it was to save them, often doing so without regret.
• Vampirism Cure: Dr. Hoffman has worked on curing vampirism and was mostly successful on Barnabas Collins, ultimately proving that she could cure a curse through science. In the later canon material, it was revealed ultimately that Dr. Hoffman was capable and successful of creating a cure for Vampirism using new plasma. Dr. Hoffman also was expert in attempting to cure Lycanthropy and the degenerative condition that affected the Leviathan heir.
• Time Travel: Dr. Hoffman has traveled time as often as Barnabus Collins, often being able to find or summon the methods through the mysterious stairs or through other methods. While Dr. Hoffman cannot consciously use this ability, Dr. Hoffman suffers no ill-effect from time travel and when faced with terrible results seemingly is spirited away to a period in which such things can be changed.

Contacts:
Dr. Hoffman has a variety of contacts in the medical and psychological fields, as well as have deep contacts with all of the Collins family. Dr. Hoffman has a superior contact in Barnabus Collins, Quentin Collins, and even old enemies and can call upon them when necessary.

Limitations:
Dr. Hoffman has many limitations that evolve over the course the series. For the purposes of this write-up, I am focusing only on the limitations that seem to be the most enduring and prevalent:

• Driven by goals: Dr. Hoffman is driven by her goals and ultimately will put her goals ahead of everything except her loyalty to the Collins family. Dr. Hoffman concealed Maggie Evans’s ordeal, lied to the Collins family at different points including Barnabus, made deals to see her goals move forward with enemies, and many other events. Hoffman must make a Psyche FEAT vs. her Psyche rank when faced with countering her own goals unless it is a matter of necessity, greater good, or loyalty.
• Loyalty: Dr. Hoffman is incredibly loyal to her friends and colleagues as well as the Collins family whom she grows to love as her own. Dr. Hoffman will sacrifice herself to ensure that those she is loyal to are kept safe and secure and will work against her better instincts to ensure to ensure such.
• Enemies: From Angelique to the Leviathan Cult to Judah Zachery Dr. Hoffman has made many more powerful enemies that do not forget her role in stopping/thwarting them. As such, Dr. Hoffman is often in danger or at risk due to her enemies – although her enemies seem to have a healthy respect for her. 

Originally published on Classicmarvelforever.com on 3rd October 2020

Dark Shadows

 

 

Begun in 1966 and continuing until 1971, Dark Shadows was a gothic soap opera that introduced the Collins family and their history that included among things lycanthrope, vampirism, witchcraft, cults, and skullduggery. Dark Shadows established itself as a cult favorite show and remains very much  a part of fandom's history spawning three movies to date and several attempted reboots.

The Dark Shadows Wiki is the definitive source online for all things Dark Shadows and has been an excellent resource on the show and the other versions.

So far I've written up the following:

Angelique Brochard - A powerful witch and occasional enemy/ally to Barnabus and the Collins family.

Barnabus Collins - An ancestor of the current family, cursed with vampirism 

Collinwood - the Collins family home as well as the concept of 'Parallel Time'

Count Andreas Petrofi (and his hand) - An enemy of the Collins family and powerful warlock

David Collins - the youngest of the Collins family with strong psychic powers

Laura Collins  - The presumed dead wife of Roger Collins and mother of David - also a powerful creature called a 'Phoenix'

The Leviathan Cult - an ancient cult that serves primordial masters who seek to control the Collins family, especially Barnabus Collins.

Doctor Julia Hoffman - Physician and scientist who is an ally to Barnabus Collins and the Collins family.

Quentin Collins - An amnesiac member of the Collins family who was both enemy and ally.

 

Barbabus Collins from 'Dark Shadows'

Barnabas Collins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F: Ex (20)
A: Rm (30)
S: Rm (30)
E: In (40)
R: Gd (10)
I: Rm (30)
P: In (40)


Health: 120
Karma: 80
Popularity: -5 (As the mysterious killer)/ 10 in Collinsport
Resources: Rm (30)

Talents:
Mystic Origin*
Martial Arts A
Occult Lore: Demonology
Resist: Domination
Occult Lore: I-Ching
Multi-Lingual
Mystic Potential*

Powers:
Vampire: Barnabas Collins is a vampire of the traditional Hollywood sort, displaying many of them both in the show in the comics. As a vampire, Barnabas has the following powers:

• Bio-Vampirism: Barnabas requires blood to survive, and can pass his curse onto others.
• Hyper-Speed: Barnabas can move with Good (10) speed (As seen in the Gold Key comic)
• Hypnotism: Ex (20) ability to hypnotise individuals who make eye contact with individuals.
• Natural Weaponry: Fangs: Ex (20) damage when biting
• Animal transformation: Bat: While not often seen in the show, Barnabas often changed into a bat in the Gold Key Comic.
• Invisibility: Ex (20): Barnabas can disappear and reappear at will.

Sorcery: Barnabas is a talented sorcerer, capable of using a variety of spells but shown to be able to perform several key spells:

• Exorcism: Ex (20)
• Mystic Detection: Ex (20)
• Time Travel: Through using the I-Ching, Barnabas can send his spirit back in time to occupy his own body in the past. Barnabas can only travel to periods he exists in.

Contacts:
The Collins Family
Dr. Julia Hoffman
Willy Loomis


Limitations:
Barnabas has the following limitations:

Vampire: Barnabas has the traditional limitations of a Hollywood vampire, such as crosses, garlic, and requiring an invitation to enter among others

Dark Secret: Barnabas is posing as his own descendant, and as such, his vampiric nature is not widely known outside of a small circle of contacts

Enemies: Barnabas has many enemies, from the Leviathan cult to his most famous adversary, Angelique. As such, all of enemies of Barnabas know to use his allies against him.

David Collins from 'Dark Shadows'

 David Collins



Maybe there's something in there he doesn't want anyone to see-maybe something... horrible!

F:  Pr (04)

A: Typ (06)

S: Pr (04)

E: Typ (06)

R: Gd (10)

I:  Ex (20)

P: Rm (30)

Health: 20

Karma: 60

Resources: Pr (04)/Rm (30) – Personal/Trust

Popularity: 0*

Talents:

David currently has the student* talent.

Powers:

Medium Prodigy: David Collins is a medium prodigy, able to tune into the weirdness of Collinport and the Collinwood estate. David can pick up on ghostly and supernatural activities. David is considered to have the following abilities;

• Communicate with Dead: David can see and speak with the dead with Rm (30) ability, although he is not always aware that the spirits are not living beings, and is more a receptive medium than a projective/broadcast medium.
• Precognition*: David has had flashes into the future, occasionally dreams and/or nightmares revealing the future or aspects of the present with Ex (20) ability. David cannot control these dreams, and often they make little sense to him or anyone else.
• Postcognition: Occasionally, David can gain knowledge from objects he comes into contact with Ex (20). David has been overwhelmed on numerous occasions, requiring a Psyche FEAT at -2cs when such occurs (See Limitations).

Contacts:

David Collins has contacts within the Collins family, specifically ancestors such as Barnabas Collins or Quentin Collins.

Limitations:

David has a few limitations related to his ability and background:

• 
  
• Possession Target: David has been possessed on numerous occasions by hostile entities. As such, David has at this age a -1cs to any Psyche FEAT against possession attempts. As David gets older, he loses this vulnerability.
• Target of Obsession: David is the target of obsession from his real mother, Laura Collins, who seeks to immolate both of them during her rebirth as a phoenix (See last year’s write-up on Laura Collins).
• Curious: David’s curiosity leads him into trouble on more than one occasion. David is drawn to mysteries and secrets easily, and suffers an initial -1cs to his Intuition in such affairs.

The Leviathan Cult from 'Dark Shadows'

The water shall nourish each grain of sand, wedged between ancient sacred stones, and guide us to a threshold of a time to be, and restore our flesh and bones.

Possibly one of the more dangerous threats that faced the Collins family was the Leviathan Cult. Made up of beings from the primordial, the cult played in the background of Dark Shadows over a period of episodes, culminating in the rise of their leader, the defeat and attempted resurrection, and even attack in different timelines. What makes the cult dangerous is their utter dedication to their dark lords, the complete mastery over events, and their ability to bide their time.
The Leviathan Cult

The Leviathan Cult is made up of countless members across the globe from every walk of life. The purpose of the cult is to return to control of the Earth to its eldritch non-human denizens. To this end, the Leviathan Cult utilizes magic, connections, agents, and artifacts to bring about their control. Most of the appearance of the Cult in Dark Shadows deals with the return of the cult's master, a mysterious being whose presence is kept in an artifact called The Naga Box. Through use of blackmail, mind-control, magic, and other means the Leviathan Cult managed to force Barnabas Collins to do their bidding, ultimately meeting their end when Collins joined forces with their leader in the cult's destruction. Although Resources are not necessarily addressed, it is clear that an Cult of this size operating as long as it has would require significant resources. That being said, I would place the cult’s total resources at Mn (75), with accessible resources depending on the individual and the current purpose.

Typical cult members run the gambit of statistics and abilities. The cult seeks out people of importance and either converts them directly (with the use of the Naga Box) or through deals and pacts made. The Cult has many members versed in the occult, and every member (converted or not) have the following talents due to their membership in the cult:

• Occult Lore
• Knowledge: Leviathan Cult
• Knowledge: Dark History of the Naga
• Knowledge: Areas of Power

Leviathan cult members identify themselves with either lockets or rings bearing this symbol:

The Naga Box

The Naga Box is an artifact of great power, storing the life-essence of the Cult's leader and possessing great powers of its own. The Naga Box can act as a device of spirit storage at Un (100) rank, allowing those of greater power to work through the box as if a conduit. Any person who stares into the box must make a Psyche FEAT vs. Am (50) intensity or be converted into a Leviathan Cultist. The powers that drive the Leviathan Cult can use the box to enact mystical effects, ranging from Am (50) to Mn (75) level curses or effects. The box and its denizen will not function if it would endanger the purpose of the Cult, such as reveal powers. Such effects included cursing Barnabus Collins with vampirism again. For some reason, some people were unable to be converted due to something about their genetic structure. The Judge’s discretion on what that means, but some people simply are impossible to convert with use of the box.

The box is considered indestructible unless taken to a Leviathan altar where it can be destroyed as it becomes vulnerable. Although initially considered one of a kind, it was revealed that a second box existed and was nearly used to revive the cult after its destruction. Once the box is destroyed, those converted to the Leviathan Cult immediately revert back to normal with little or no memory of their actions while part of the Cult.


The Altar of the Leviathan

The Altar of the Leviathan is a mystical artifact which is used in the summoning and preparation for the birth/return of the Leviathan leader as well as other key functions. The Altar of the Leviathan is as old as the cult itself, and even without the Cult it remains and exists, although the Altar itself can only be summoned and used by a true cultist.

The Altar’s unique abilities include:

• Teleportation*: The Altar itself can travel from place to place whenever it is summoned, crossing real time, alternate timelines, and dimensions with Un (100) ability. The Altar cannot be ‘summoned’ by normal means, requiring a high-ranking member within the Cult to do so (The leadership of the Cult).
• Pocket Dimension*: The Altar has a small cavern-like sub-dimension underneath of the mail altar itself, which is accessible as the Altar can separate and open. The cavern is where the leader of the Leviathans resided until released into the Naga Box, and can hold a small group of people comfortably. The area is never seen, but those who enter do so either to be punished, to be transformed into a true Leviathan (also never fully seen), or to be converted into the Cult. Those that are inside the Altar when it disappears and travels travel with it, as Barnabus did when he entered in the 1790s and reappeared in the 1970s.
• Conversion to the Cult: Much like the Naga Box, the Altar could convert someone into a Leviathan Cultist by having the person either enter the cavern-dimension underneath the Altar or by being used as part of ceremony on top of it.
• Site of Magic*: The Altar is the main sacrifice and mystical point for the Leviathan Cult, and as such any magics attempted by the Cult at this location gain a +1cs to effectiveness. The Altar functions so long as the Cult functions, and destroy one the other is also destroyed. The Altar, the Naga Box, and the Cult are all tied together in this way. The Altar is the only location that has proven capable of destroying the true Naga Box.

Cult Limitations:
While the Cult is well-connected and powerful, they have several limitations to their abilities and ultimately to their goals:

• Fear of Werewolves and Ghosts: The Leviathan Cult fears werewolves and ghosts to such the degree that they attempt anyone who may either be a werewolf or is a werewolf. Werewolves are immune to the manipulations of the Cult, and seemingly cannot be controlled or manipulated. Furthermore, magics and charms used by the Cult seemingly have little to no effect on Werewolves when they have changed into their bestial mode. With spirits and ghosts, it is strongly suggested that the Cult’s activities cannot affect the truly dead (Although undead like vampires can easily be controlled). The Cult attempts at many points to destroy focal points and objects belonging to spirits as they fear spirit. Much like werewolves, the Cult’s magic has little effect on the dead.
• Resistance: As stated earlier, some humans are simply unable to be controlled by the cult. Theorized by Dr. Julia Hoffman to be related to some sort of genetic mutation, some humans cannot be swayed by the box or altar to join the cult.
• Secret: The cult is only truly effective when they are secret. Knowledge of the cult and discovery causes the cult to retreat, unless situations are in motion for large events or planned activities (such as raising their lord or capturing Barnabus Collins for use, etc).
• Reputation: Although secrecy is very important, those in the mystical circles are aware of the cult and aware of both their goals and reputation.

Known Leaders of the Leviathan Cult
Several individuals have had high leadership positions within the Leviathan Cult. Most notably the cultists known as Oberon and Haza, Barnabus Collins (When under the sway of the cult), and Jeb Hawkes – the destined leader of the cult who ultimately turned against it.