Mordecai
the traitorous queen
Margaret Anne Stafford
- Name: Margaret Anne Stafford
- Nickname/Alias: None
- Age: 43
- Birthday: December 2nd
- Race: Human
- Gender Identity: Female
- Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
- Martial Status: Widowed
- Occupation: Nurse in an assistant living nursing home
- Nationality: North American
- Campaign(s): Modern
- Name: Margaret Anne Stafford
- Brief Bio: Margaret is the type of woman whose routine is in a rut that is years deep. She leads a predictable life, just the way she likes it. As a nurse at the small-town, local nursing home, she spends her life dolling out medications and sponge-baths. Her lawn is mowed biweekly and she hasn't rearranged her furniture since the day she moved into her house twenty-one years ago. Nothing ever changes, which gives her exactly the peace of mind she needs. There are no true friends in her life, considering how distant she is with her associates and people she meets on a daily basis-- she's so distant, in fact, that over her forty-three years of living in the same small town of Mistmill, she has yet to identify a single person as a close friend. Her inability to socialise with others has alienated her considerably from the other citizens of Mistmill, through declining offers to join the book club or neighborhood BBQs for the more solitary entertainment of a good book at home. Her lone wolf image is further intensified by her choice of refined vocabulary and an aloof tone that is neither warm nor inviting.
Taking her first impressions into account, it does not take long for one to realize that Margaret is frigid-- in every sense of the word. When the subject falls on love and intimacy, Margaret is pessimistic, believing that there is simply no one made to compare to her perceived refinement and intelligence. While Margaret is genuinely considered moderately bright by IQ standards, she perceives herself as being considerably smarter than all other people. Stemming from twenty years of killing her patients without being caught, Margaret has come to the conclusion that she is simply too smart for law enforcement and the family members of the deceased. In fact, she believes she deserves greatness and fame, and society is just too ignorant to understand her genius. She does not seek out fame, but expects it.
As an employee, she has a good work ethic and has never called in sick during her twenty years of service. Though apprehensively considered a model employee by her superiors, her records indicate a number of verbal altercations with patients and their families. Though Margaret genuinely believes all of her actions are done from a place of concern for her patients, many of her patients would sourly admit that she has no sense of bedside manner and that her mandatory job duties, like administering medication or IVs, are performed with some cruelty. Her smiles are far and few in-between, though when she does muster one up, it seems forced and unnatural. While many young children around town believe her to be an evil witch, there is some good to Margaret. For example, all of her neighbors eagerly await early autumn, when she gives out gift baskets of her beautiful homegrown produce from her summer garden or how she always knits a baby blanket for any expecting mother she knows.
- Ethics: While she has killed dozens ailing nursing home patients over the last fifteen years, Margaret genuinely believes she is easing the pain of these individuals. By society's standards, she is cold, apathetic, and with a moral compass that points due South, but in her head, she is doing things out of the graciousness of her heart. She's a murderer, but deduces she is a hero.
- Strengths:
Manipulation - While manipulation is genuinely considered a negative thing to possess, Margaret has gotten so skilled at reading others and using manipulation to her own benefit, she can convince just about anybody to do as she pleases. She uses this power for her own benefit, of course, and to make her own life more comfortable.
- Music - A talented musician, Margaret has had an intuition for the language of music since childhood. Her fascination with it drove her to mastery of the piano and violin, though she constantly attempts to branch out into new instruments. Her love of music extents to listening to music, as well.
- Discipline - Margaret lives her life by rules. She has never called in sick to work, she never misses an appointment she makes, and if she says she'll be somewhere, she'll be there. Her discipline follows her in all corners of her life. She never craves to food cravings and will never fail to do her 5 A.M. yoga sessions every other day because she's feeling sleepy. On that note, she has probably never missed a bill payment. Ever.
- Weaknesses:
- Delusional - While she hides her delusions behind an expensive vocabulary and a love of classical music, Margaret understand right from wrong, but develops new perception of reality to mitigate the circumstances of her crimes. She lies to herself just as much as she lies to others, and will convince herself so thoroughly her lies are truth that she often entirely alters her memory of an instance.
- Condescending/Warped Compassion - While most individuals feel sympathy or empathy for the pain of others, Margaret feels sorry for everyone who isn't herself and looks down upon everyone else with a feigned sense of mercy. In her own mind, murdering her patients were to bring them mercy from their pain and suffering. While most of her patients weren't actually in any pain, she believes herself to be a decider of life and death, or an angel of mercy.
- Control Freak - Her attitude towards her coworkers and patients has made it so she's never been able to be promoted, though she's been working at the same job for twenty years. While not in a position of leadership, she obsesses with exerting control over herself and others. She will often bully others into believing her way of doing something is the only way of doing something, and will antagonize someone who goes against what she perceives as correct. Her home life exemplifies this trait: everything has its place and nothing its left out of its place unless it's being utilised.
- Delusional - While she hides her delusions behind an expensive vocabulary and a love of classical music, Margaret understand right from wrong, but develops new perception of reality to mitigate the circumstances of her crimes. She lies to herself just as much as she lies to others, and will convince herself so thoroughly her lies are truth that she often entirely alters her memory of an instance.
- Fears:
- Fire - While Margaret can appreciate fire for its necessity, she fears fire it, more specifically, she fears house fires. Often times, she finds herself awaking in the middle of the night with a fear that she left the stove on, and will be forced to check whether or not it's turned off. This is true of all times of day, and she will frequently check to make sure her stove is turned off and appliances are unplugged when not needed. So deep is her fear of having a house fire that she installed a fire alarm in every room of her house.
- Disorganization - While some might not consider this a fear, Margaret feels genuine dread in any space that isn't neat or tidy by her standards. Much like her brain, her home is compartmentalized so nothing is ever out of its place unless it's being used. In mess, her nerves begin to get the better of her and it's this reason alone that she began work in the medical field, as hospitals tend to be neat places.
**Note: Margaret is not afraid of being caught for her crimes because she believes she is too smart to be caught. She may also believe that her crimes were not really crimes, as they were done for mercy, in her eyes.
- Fire - While Margaret can appreciate fire for its necessity, she fears fire it, more specifically, she fears house fires. Often times, she finds herself awaking in the middle of the night with a fear that she left the stove on, and will be forced to check whether or not it's turned off. This is true of all times of day, and she will frequently check to make sure her stove is turned off and appliances are unplugged when not needed. So deep is her fear of having a house fire that she installed a fire alarm in every room of her house.
- Aspirations/Goals/Motives: Margaret aspires to simply continue working as a nurse at St. Jude's nursing home, whilst attempting to maintain an acceptable level of normalcy in her life and to pursue her love of music whenever she can. She has already mastered the violin and the piano, though also hopes to perfect the cello and the flute. She would also like to win a prize at the state fair for her produce, though she had never found the will to be social enough to enter.
- Likes: Tea, reading, the first winter snow, knitting, Gothic architecture, hot baths, gardening
- Dislikes: Bad drivers, being late, the smell of perfumes, gossip magazines, cranberries, loose change
- Quirks: Every summer, Margaret tends a first-rate garden and then gives away all the produce to her neighbors. Her secret to green-thumb success? She waters her plants with green tea to give them a "happier and calmer life."
- Brief Bio: Margaret is the type of woman whose routine is in a rut that is years deep. She leads a predictable life, just the way she likes it. As a nurse at the small-town, local nursing home, she spends her life dolling out medications and sponge-baths. Her lawn is mowed biweekly and she hasn't rearranged her furniture since the day she moved into her house twenty-one years ago. Nothing ever changes, which gives her exactly the peace of mind she needs. There are no true friends in her life, considering how distant she is with her associates and people she meets on a daily basis-- she's so distant, in fact, that over her forty-three years of living in the same small town of Mistmill, she has yet to identify a single person as a close friend. Her inability to socialise with others has alienated her considerably from the other citizens of Mistmill, through declining offers to join the book club or neighborhood BBQs for the more solitary entertainment of a good book at home. Her lone wolf image is further intensified by her choice of refined vocabulary and an aloof tone that is neither warm nor inviting.
- Brief Bio: Margaret is a beautiful, middle-aged woman who has aged excessively well. Her lovely olive skin and buttery brown eyes are nudged with the smallest suggestion of wrinkles, just enough to give her a mature impression. If it weren't for the fact that her face was often twisted into an unapproachable grimace, she'd actually be quite lovely. While her body is not shapely, There is something innately feminine about her-- whether it be the curve of her cheekbones, the softness of her brow, the fullness of her lips, or the way she glides across the floor as she strolls (not walks). She's of average height for a woman, but possess an enviable waist size and an incredibly lean figure that gives a first impression of meekness. Do not be fooled, for her hands show she knows hard work. They're calloused from summers spent pulling weeds and days spent aiding ailing patients, though she makes careful note to pick out the dirt that gathers underneath her clipped nails everyday. Her nose is a bit too narrow, as are her shoulders, but those flaws are off-set by a full head of thick, silver hair. Once a dark haired woman, Margaret never concerned herself with petty things like aging, and let her hair go silver at its own whim. Arguably her best feature, her hair is mid-back length and the shiniest silver one could ever hope for, textured with thick chunks of dark, charcoal grey streaks throughout.
- Height: 1.676 m (5'7")
- Weight: 59.4 kgs (132 lbs)
- Health: For a forty-two year old woman, Margaret is in great physical shape. While not nearly as spry as she was thirty years ago, she shows no major physical health problems aside from minor arthritis in her knees and ankles. Nothing a few aspirin won't cure. While physically strong, her mental state is a bit more fragile. Hidden behind a mask of sanity, Margaret faces a lot of untreated sociopathic tendencies that will ultimately culminate in a major depressive episode. While she hides her malevolent spirit behind carefully spun lies and an aloof attitude, it's a matter of if, not when, she experiences a psychotic break
- Physical Disabilities: While her age is starting to show, Margaret is perfectly capable of managing the physical stresses of her job. She's a bit slower and a bit more stiff than she used to be, and finds that spending twelve hour shifts on her feet are a bit more difficult to conquer than they had been twenty years ago.
- Physical Abilities: None.
- Voice/Accent: She possesses a North American Midwestern accent that is often carried in a shrill, pointed tone.
- Scars/Notable Features: None.
- Attire: When not donning her work scrubs, Margaret dresses in mute colours, docile patterns, and conservative fashions. Her clothes are innately feminine, with turtle necks, sweaters, and fashionable chinos being the highlights of her wardrobe. She's not opposed to a classic dress either, so long as the skirt is long-bodied. Make-up, nailpolish, and hair clips are things she doesn't bother herself with, and she would rather be found dead than caught in a T-shirt or jeans. She always looks to be dressed for an event, even for a day spent at home. The little jewelery she does wear is always fashioned with pearls and of the highest quality, oozing sophistication. Heels, she believes, are things for young, desperate women, and she prefers a more prudent loafer or flat. She's the image of a classic woman, though she's a bit out of date in modern times.
- Brief Bio: Margaret is a beautiful, middle-aged woman who has aged excessively well. Her lovely olive skin and buttery brown eyes are nudged with the smallest suggestion of wrinkles, just enough to give her a mature impression. If it weren't for the fact that her face was often twisted into an unapproachable grimace, she'd actually be quite lovely. While her body is not shapely, There is something innately feminine about her-- whether it be the curve of her cheekbones, the softness of her brow, the fullness of her lips, or the way she glides across the floor as she strolls (not walks). She's of average height for a woman, but possess an enviable waist size and an incredibly lean figure that gives a first impression of meekness. Do not be fooled, for her hands show she knows hard work. They're calloused from summers spent pulling weeds and days spent aiding ailing patients, though she makes careful note to pick out the dirt that gathers underneath her clipped nails everyday. Her nose is a bit too narrow, as are her shoulders, but those flaws are off-set by a full head of thick, silver hair. Once a dark haired woman, Margaret never concerned herself with petty things like aging, and let her hair go silver at its own whim. Arguably her best feature, her hair is mid-back length and the shiniest silver one could ever hope for, textured with thick chunks of dark, charcoal grey streaks throughout.
- Brief Bio: Margaret Anne Stafford was the 'oopsie' baby of over-worked Daisy and Michael Stafford. She was born in Mistmill, Indiana, as the youngest of four, and will very likely die there. While she may have grown to accept the small-town feel of Mistmill, she had hated it growing up. Because of a verbal stutter, Margaret was frequently isolated from her sibling and playmates, and put herself into an increasingly violent fantasy world to survive the ridicule. Living with a father who worked long hours to put food on the table and a mother who was physically present but mentally absent, most of Margaret's antisocial behaviour went unchecked.
The young girl's problems did not stop with rampant antisocialism. She was a bright, but troubled student that often caused trouble in the classroom. At home, she had a fascination with fire and would often set small things on fire around the family home. She'd be punished for her actions by her father's belt, but that did little to discourage the behaviour. By thirteen, she had matured out of her stutter, but the ill conduct continued to intensify. She spent most of her teenage nights prowling through the town's alleyways to catch stray cats and dogs. With an immense interest in how things worked, she'd often catch these animals and mutilate them to study the pieces. Eventually, she'd feel anger over what she'd done and she'd bury the animals in bags out in one of the many crop fields around the town.
Then, quite suddenly, Margaret seemed to get better. Graduating high school and being accepted into the University of Indiana for a degree in history, Margaret appeared to have become a model student. She plunged herself into her studies, to the brink of obsession, and studied with passion to seek the acceptance and approval of her professors. And acceptance and approval she got. A place was always reserved for her on the Dean's list, and a long list of academic achievements soon followed. She also met and married a man by the name of Timonthy Dunst during her years at college and after they had both graduated, they moved back to Margaret's hometown of Mistmill to buy a family home.
Life was good for a while. Margaret stayed home as a housewife while Timothy worked for a plastics company. Things went well for a few weeks, but bad habits proved not so easy to break. Her fascination with fire soon returned, as did her biting and cold personality that had been feigned pleasant during college. The couple fought often and, one night, during a particularly bad fight, Margaret had forgotten to turn the stove off before they went to bed. The excessive heat caused a malfunction in the wires and the older house, made almost entirely of wood, went up in flames like kindling. Margaret escaped the blaze, but Timothy did not, initially. He had survived, but only by a thread after firefighters had come to pull him out.
For three weeks, Timothy remained in a coma due to his injuries and, the decision whether or not to allow him to continue to live on machines to keep him alive was introduced to Margaret. The decision to let Timothy pass away was a turning point in nineteen-year-old Margaret's life. Being the decider of life and death was a position of power she found she enjoyed, and while she feigned grief, she derived joy from the event. Following his death, she quickly returned to her family name: Stafford. Applying her interest in science and love for death into a new field, Margaret plunged herself into nursing school and, by twenty two, she received her license for nursing. She began working at St. Jude's nursing home only weeks after graduation. Twenty years later, Margaret still works in the same nursing home. During her twenty year career as a nurse, Margaret has killed over forty elder patients by lethal injection using the drug Digoxin. She often believes she is killing ailing, elderly patients out of mercy-- to end their suffering and to prevent further de-humanisation of them by other nurses. While she might warp her own perception to believe her actions are just, Margaret often fantasizes about killing certain patients. Luckily for her, due to the restraint she exercises in the number of patients she kills and the fact that her patients are all elderly, no one has believed that any of her victims have died from anything but old age.
- Birthplace: Mistmill, Indiana
- Parents: Daisy Stafford (81), Michael Stafford (Deceased)
- Siblings: Johnathon (49), Angie (47), Charlotte (46)
- Education: Bachelor's degree in history, registered nursing degree
- Brief Bio: Margaret Anne Stafford was the 'oopsie' baby of over-worked Daisy and Michael Stafford. She was born in Mistmill, Indiana, as the youngest of four, and will very likely die there. While she may have grown to accept the small-town feel of Mistmill, she had hated it growing up. Because of a verbal stutter, Margaret was frequently isolated from her sibling and playmates, and put herself into an increasingly violent fantasy world to survive the ridicule. Living with a father who worked long hours to put food on the table and a mother who was physically present but mentally absent, most of Margaret's antisocial behaviour went unchecked.
- Prized Belongings: None.
- Finances: Middle class. Owns a small two-story house with a mortgage, but without any additional debt. Lives modestly, but comfortably.
- Weaponry (if applicable): None.
- Prized Belongings: None.
- Physical (strength, stamina, dexterity): While not physically adept by any stretch of the imagination, she is in good enough shape to stay on her feet for many hours of the day, lift heavy medical equipment, and assistant moving patients. She is in good shape for a woman of her age, though is by no means an athlete.
- Social (charisma, manipulation): Margaret is not very charismatic, nor is she well liked by her peers, but can be incredibly convincing when she wants to be. Using a blunt voice and a cold expression in her face, she often bullies people into bending to her whims. She takes a great deal of pleasure knowing she can manipulate people and situations and derives a sense of purpose from doing so. She clutches on to secrets and builds fantastic lies simply because she can and she's good at it. She probably couldn't tell you the colour of her socks without lying about it.
- Mental (intelligence, perception, wit, languages): With intelligence that is slightly above average, Margaret enjoys the finer things in life: languages, fine literature, and music. While she really could have made something of herself if she had applied herself, most of Margaret's wit has been funneled into deceit and underhandedness. She is fluent in both English and French, but doesn't have a single humorous bone in her body. While jokes will often escape her, she is very good at reading the emotions of other people and using them to her own advantage. She is a classic example of a psychological bully.
- Magic (resistance, attack, whatever): None.
- Physical (strength, stamina, dexterity): While not physically adept by any stretch of the imagination, she is in good enough shape to stay on her feet for many hours of the day, lift heavy medical equipment, and assistant moving patients. She is in good shape for a woman of her age, though is by no means an athlete.
- Pets: None.
- Hobbies: Gardening, Knitting, playing instruments
- Other: None.
- Pets: None.
| I must be cruel, only to be kind. William Shakespeare |
