| Tamara Brooks |
|
|
| Portrayed By |
Rachel Hurd-wood |
| Gender |
Female |
| Date of Birth |
March 4 |
| Age |
16 |
| Zodiac Sign |
Pisces |
| Aliases |
Tam |
| Place of Birth |
New York City, NY, USA |
| Current Location |
New York City, NY, USA |
| Occupation |
Stray |
| Known Relatives |
parents, two siblings (Marcus, River) |
| Known Abilities |
None Known
(Precognition) |
| First Appearance |
Not all Broken is Fixable |
Tamara is an eccentric teen with a knack for showing up unexpectedly and in most unlikely places, and also for confusing the heck out of other people when she speaks. She is on the NYPD missing persons list, and a slightly out-of-date picture occasionally makes rounds on all the places missing persons posters go up.
History
Tamara grew up in a household consisting of her parents, her two older siblings, and one cat. Her parents were fairly typical modern American workaholics, always doing something or going somewhere — whether it was their own work or taking their oldest to soccer practice or what have you. It was perhaps not the most staid of homes, but it was a good one. She and her siblings were best friends and best rivals; not always close, each being about two years apart from the next, but not distant from one another either. It was the sort of household that exists within its own little circle of friends and acquaintances, little concerned with or touched by the many great issues and controversies of the world at large.
Her brother, Marcus, moved out at the beginning of Tamara's high school sophomore year, leaving home to attend college. Soon afterwards, she began to act strangely, just in little ways; but over time, her actions and behavior became less and less explicable — even by Tamara herself. She was sent first to the school counselor, then to an outside psychiatrist her parents hired. Both wrote it off with the same explanation — stress from school, her brother moving out, adolescence; just a combination of factors adding together to create a phase. It'll go away.
Her family wanted this to be true, so they believed it. They believed, and chose not to see the signs that what Tamara was going through was nothing so benign; that it was no more and no less than a slow, inexorable descent into madness. It was the inevitable and irreversible loss of a child who had been gifted in her way — not a virtuoso at any one thing, but one of those who can turn their hand to almost anything and do at least better than average.
They were blind until the night she walked out the front door of their house and did not return, leaving it gaping wide open behind her. Now they have missing posters up around the city, and badger the cops every few weeks, asking why they haven't found one little girl yet. But Tamara shows no signs of venturing back.
Abilities
Tamara is a precog who perceives all possible actions and their potential outcomes — both her own and of others around her. This makes her virtually impossible to surprise or catch. It's also why she's not exactly sane.
Wanted!
- The parents of Tamara and Marcus are available for play, if anyone wants an older character with PC relatives. About the only thing determined is that both are (probably) human, but even that — like most else — is open to suggestion.
- I am more than happy to contribute Tamara towards any plot or character development, on any scale. Feel free to page if you want to arrange something.
Timeline
September 2006: Marcus moves out of the Brooks household.
October 2006: Tamara's ability makes its first small and occasional appearances.
December 2006: Choosing insight over sanity, Tamara vanishes into the sea of humanity that is NYC.
| Feb. 3 |
Tamara finds her brother for the first time in the weeks since she disappeared. |
Marcus, Tamara |
| Feb. 4 |
A chance encounter in Central Park leads to philosophical questions. |
Sydney, Tamara |
| Feb. 7 |
More random encounters in Central Park, with the distribution of flowers. |
Angie, Desiree, Eliana, Hailien, Paige, Tamara |
| Feb. 8 |
Tamara and Desiree share insights. |
Desiree, Tamara |
| Feb. 10 |
A coffee shop encounter yields a new friend (read: person to bewilder), until Tamara cuts it short by running away from Marcus (again). |
Drake, Ianto, Jack, Marcus, Tamara |
| Feb. 15 |
Tamara meets Jane, gives away money. She doesn't quite meet Clint. |
Clint, Jane, Tamara |
| Feb. 17 |
What could have been an ugly event in Central Park turns a bit uglier with the introduction of nightmarish zombies. Sarah finds out she's not the only 'special' one. |
Jack, Sarah, Tamara |
| Feb. 18 |
Detective Damaris learns 'the Brooks girl' is still alive. She just doesn't plan to go home again. |
Mara, Tamara |
| Feb. 22 |
|
|
| (1) |
Tamara helps keep Lee from becoming a casualty in a fire at his school. |
D.L., Lee, Tamara |
| (2) |
Later: that thousand Jack gave Tam? $500 is quietly given away, seemingly at random. |
Alyssa, Eleanor, Elena, Ianto, Mr. Hendrickson, Tamara |
| Feb. 23 |
|
|
| (1) |
Tamara meets Lachlan, Barguest, Padfoot, and Molly. There is much dog drool. |
Lachlan, Ling, Marcus, Molly, Stefanie, Tamara |
| (2) |
Tamara and Hector converse at a street corner. Bryant passes through, and she gets to see someone else use the 'shadows' to their advantage, if in a different fashion. |
Bryant, Hector, Tamara |
| Feb. 24 |
Tamara's odd behavior raises red flags for Namir. She attempts to salvage the situation, but… no guarantees. |
Cass, Namir, Tamara |
| Mar. 4 |
Eleanor tries to return the money she was given. Fails. |
Daniel, Eleanor, Eric, Randall, Sakura, Tamara |
| Mar 7 |
|
|
| (1) |
Tamara disturbs Jonas. |
Jonas, Tamara |
| (2) |
Alyssa, Namir, Samantha, and Tamara run into one another at a social thing. Tamara slips out before being recognized. |
Alyssa, Namir, Randall, Sakura, Samantha, Tamara |
| Mar. 9 |
Detective Demsky also discovers Tamara's still among the living. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Mar. 10 |
At their second meeting, Judah tries to get Tamara to accept help. Succeeds slightly. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Mar. 11 |
After staying over for the night, Tamara chats with Judah about safety, patterns, and perception. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Mar. 16 |
Tamara drops in on Namir, then bails out after they run into Claudine and Sean. |
Claudine, Namir, Sean, Tamara |
| Mar 17 |
A brief encounter in a coffee shop. |
Bekah, Jack, Jonas, Tamara |
| Mar 18 |
Tamara knows things she shouldn't. The usual. |
Natalie, Tamara |
| Mar 19 |
Tamara stops by to buy a book. |
Cass, Tamara |
| Mar 20 |
Judah obtains an unexpected present. |
Judah, Matt |
| Mar 22 |
Namir starts to figure things out. |
Namir, Tamara |
| Mar 26 |
Tamara finally puts her dislike of hospitals aside enough to pay
Mara a visit and remind her: just about anything is possible. |
Mara, Tamara |
| (2) |
Tamara also drops by Namir's room, where he starts putting clues together. |
Namir, Tamara |
| Mar 28 |
Central Park is not safe at night. Some have to learn this the hard way. |
Bekah, Jack, Jane, Lee, Samantha, Tamara, Yael |
| (2) |
After the incident in the park, Jack and Tamara chat around food. |
Jack, Tamara |
| Mar 29 |
Jane and Tamara discuss the nature of things. Then Tamara directs Jane to friends she might have otherwise met. |
Jane, Tamara |
| Mar 30 |
Judah starts to turn looking after Tamara into a habit. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Mar 31 |
A trip to the duck pond in Central Park yields little illumination, but Judah determines to try another approach — outside help. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Apr. 9 |
Tamara gives Desiree a bit of advice. |
Desiree, Tamara |
| Apr. 13 |
All bands need a drummer. Tamara takes advantage of her ability and makes the necessary introductions. |
Jane, Tamara |
| Apr. 14 |
Marcus is learning. Tamara still doesn't hang around, though. |
Jane, Marcus, Randall, Tamara |
| May. 7 |
Tamara makes Judah laugh. |
Judah, Tamara |
| Jun. 8 |
Portia meets both Marcus and Tamara at a comic store. |
Marcus, Portia, Tamara |
| Jun. 15 |
Judah and Mara have a much-overdue discussion of Tamara and the Evolved. Plans are made to look up Dr. Applebaum. |
Judah, Mara, Tamara |
| Jun. 25 |
Tamara agrees to find Kitty a cat. George is present for the last part of this conversation. |
George, Kitty, Tamara
[/cell]]
[[/row]]
[[row]]
[[cell]]
[[invisible-pizza|Jun. 29]] |
Tamara visits Ali in the park, bearing gifts. They go for pizza, and meet George along the way. |
George, McAlister, Tamara |
| Jul. 10 |
Tamara meets another wayward teen. |
Rafe, Tamara |
Associates
- Alyssa McAlister: A kindred spirit, after a fashion; she may be more coherent than Tamara, but they're not dissimilar. She's also very accepting of Tamara's oddities; this is something Tam' always makes note of.
- Desiree Russo: Although it's been a while since they last spoke, Desiree and Tamara share a gift; Tamara hasn't exactly forgotten that.
- Jack Derex: Jack has a grasp of Tamara's power. That makes him someone she can talk to. He's also helped her before, so has a positive connotation in Tamara's perceptions.
- Jane Forrest: Jane has benefited from Tamara's foresight a couple of times now.
- Judah Demsky: Judah is as close to a friend as Tamara could claim; not so much because of past history, but because she knows she can trust him and because their possible futures are often closely connected.
- Mara Damaris: Though Tamara trusts Mara as a person, the woman gets into too much trouble for her to be someone Tam' relies on often.
- Marcus Brooks: Brother. Company employee. The latter outweighs the former by a lot, these days — but as long as she can walk away in the end, Tamara can tolerate it.
- Namir Dayan: Namir knows what she sees. He also knows people Tamara may someday need to talk to. Now that they've agreed Tamara can look after herself, it's an association that works well.
- Rafael Ayana: Two peas in a pod, Tamara and Rafe are; two stray teens driven mad by abilities beyond their control. They even get along.
Quotes
The present moment comes to us through unnoticed actions of the past — too many to count, mostly unknown and unnoticed, and sometimes unavoidably terrible. We give ourselves up to the future, one drop of blood at a time, whether we choose to do it or not. (Water Logic, Laurie J. Marks, p 329)
- "People stand in the river without seeing it, but it touched everything. All the tangled threads of the shadows, the drifting ghosts."
- "Best intentions need to be watched carefully; they escape when you're not looking."
- "The mirror can always find you."
Lyric Snippets
Note: Songs are not complete; these are the pieces most applicable to Tamara.
On every corner I can feel it waiting
Just a moment, no awareness
I could easily slip away
And then I'll be gone forever
All around me I see danger
And it's closing in on me
Every second I can hear it breathing
I can't stand the fear inside me
Cause it's leading me astray
And it will be my ending
I'm searching
I'm fighting for a way to get through
To turn it away
It's waiting, always trying
I feel the hands of fate, they're suffocating
Tell me what's the reason
Is it all inside my head
Can't take it no more!
But no one faced what's coming my way
And I will let my fear fade away
Whatever may be, I'll have to find out
I can't explain myself at all.
And all the wants
And all the needs
All I don't want to need at all.
The walls start breathing
My mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.
A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.
When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight
It ends tonight.
A falling star
Least I fall alone.
I can't explain what you can't explain.
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away
Don't turn away
Don't give in to the pain
I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know that there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain if I will it all away
Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me shall I give in
Upon my end shall I begin
Forsaking all I've fallen for I rise to meet the end