Beckett Blank

Player: Lazarus Fox On-screen character: Mordecai Mordant

Actor (Off-Screen, 2015)

Pushing 50. 6'5", broad-shouldered. Should look like an action hero — except for the deep scar pulling his mouth into a permanent mocking grin (early-career glass door accident). Bushy black eyebrows, piercing blue eyes. Permanently typecast as B-rate villains. Always wanted to play the good guy. Took the Box 13 call muttering "finally my luck is changing."

Vibe: Gorilla in a suit. Dresses well. Chess, puzzles, old novels, how-to books. Quiet when not acting, then suddenly info-dumping enthusiastically about something random. Low charisma, high curiosity.

Actor Relationships

Cory Vandermere: Cory engages him on chess (Cory is mediocre but earnest) and listens to the info-dumps without glazing over. Cory thinks Beckett is a deeper actor than his career has allowed him to be. Working out how to say that in a way that doesn't land badly.

On-Screen Character: Mordecai Mordant

"Dr. Mordant to some, yet no one has ever seen a certificate." Field coroner. Joined Box 13 for access to subjects of study. Doctor's bag full of unusual remedies. Distracted, last to leave a scene. Cerebral and gruff with an unnervingly gentle side. Not bound by "do no harm."

Reliability Flag

Only ~50% of Mordecai's observations are close to reality. He never sees the whole picture. Treat his reports as raw data, not analysis — but don't discount them entirely; the 50% that's right is often the useful half.

Specialty: Forensic medicine (when right), improvised pharmacology, knowing where to put the knife.

Notes

Session 1: Identified dog pack size and composition from prints (medium-sized pack).
Session 1: Talked Kyle Alexander down from acute psychosis — a quiet, extended character moment that revealed Mordecai's "unnervingly gentle side" for the first time at the table. Cory vacated the room to let this happen.
Session 2: Hard Success persuasion push on Mark Travis — gained access to Amy's room.
Session 2: Examined signage on the Thul Cathul statue (The Four-Armed Beast); found the broken plaster at the left heel.
Session 2: −1 Sanity on entering Gallery B (jump scare from the statue).
Session 2: Successful Medicine roll on Gus after his death — revived him (television).
Session 2: Stared at the prop monster after the shoot. Wondering if it is real.

Bond Phase — Session 2

Action: Withdrew. Result: −1 to all bonds.

Character Relationships

Elias (Cory Vandermere): Wary respect. Professional understanding nobody else on the team has access to. Both are the specialists most willing to do the unspeakable thing the situation requires. They recognize each other. Trusts Mordecai's hands, not his interpretations. Have had exactly three conversations about chess.