Ambrose Bierce

* Biography
* Threat Assessment
* Trivia and Notes
* Gallery

Abigail, Amelia, Ann, Almeda, Adelia, and Aurelia Bierce (Possible Sisters, Deceased)
Addison, Aurelius, Augustus, Andrew, Albert, and Arthur Bierce (Possible Brothers, Deceased)

## Biographical Information

### Place of Birth

*Unknown* — *possibly* Meigs County, Ohio United States

### Occupation

"Devoted Urban Mystical Balancing Arcane Spirit Systems"

### Marital Status

Presumed single — *possibly* Widowered (Molly Day Bierce, Possible Wife, Deceased)

### Residence

No permanent address on this file (likely homeless)

## Physical Description

### Race

Human (possibly a reincarnation or resurrection?)

### Who was Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce was an American writer, journalist, and satirist. He was the tenth of thirteen children born to a poor but literary home, instilling a deep love for reading and writing. Bierce attended the Kentucky Military Institute (until it burned down) and the University of Cincinnati, but he did not graduate from either. He enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, sustaining a traumatic brain injury in battle before returning to active service, and later served as a topographical engineer.

After the war, he worked as a journalist and editor for various newspapers in the Midwest. 1872, Bierce moved to San Francisco, where he wrote for the San Francisco News Letter and the Wasp. He also wrote for the San Francisco Examiner and the Argonaut. In 1887, he published his first book, *Tales of the Soldiers and Civilians*.

Bierce is known for his dark, cynical writing style. He wrote short stories, essays, and poetry, and he was a master of the horror genre. He was also a master of satire, and his work often featured biting social commentary. Bierce's most famous work is *The Devil's Dictionary*, a collection of satirical definitions of words and phrases. He also wrote a series of stories about the Civil War, which was collected in a book called *The Civil War in the United States*. Bierce also disappeared in 1914 while traveling in Mexico. His fate remains a mystery. He was declared legally dead in 1924.

### Who is this Ambrose Bierce

But what's the brief backstory of one of American literature's best got to do with the Ambrose Bierce? Well, let's fast forward to 2011.

In Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, Indiana, a strange man stirs awake, dazed and confused. The man is unshaven, unwashed, and uninformed about his identity or how he got there. Next to him was the cenotaph of none other than the famed satirist Ambrose Bierce. With no memory of his past, except vague, fragmented visions of battles, sampling various texts, and a bevy of old-world rituals, this clueless man adopts the name Ambrose Bierce due to the connection he feels to it.

After getting a shave and shower, this Ambrose examined himself in the mirror. He is pretty sure he has never seen the strange face in front of him. Feeling more adrift than he was already, Ambrose headed next to a library. It was there that he felt more comfort than he had anywhere else could remember. He read old texts that were familiar to him and was able to find a book containing the portrait of satirist Ambrose Bierce. Though he didn't see much resemblance to the acclaimed author and the face he now wore, this amnesiac man was convinced this used to be the face that he would have expected to find in the mirror.

Feeling uncertain of who he was and having no direction in life, Ambrose fell into a bottle and didn't stop drinking until he somehow ended up in Star City (even he doesn't remember how he got from Indiana to Oregon except he had to be there). It was there that Ambrose was in an alleyway trying to conjure another drop from his empty bottle when, to his surprise, his wishful thinking actually had an effect.

Over the next year, Ambrose's natural affinity for magic began to develop. As it did, Ambrose became increasingly aware that Star City's ley lines were being tampered with. While investigating the mystery, Ambrose came upon the Dover family, and while he was snooping around the family's background, Ambrose made two discoveries that unsettled him. The first was that he remembered how much he hated making any kind of fuss about genealogy, and the second was that the Dover family had several occultists in their family — one which looked like a bit like our amnesiac arcanist.

Before Ambrose had a chance to do anything about the Dover family, he found himself too busy fighting for survival as his magical instincts took him to ground zero of the infernal invasion, with him nearly being swallowed up by the pit that opened up in the park with Trigon's emergence.

But Ambrose Bierce managed to rally his developing magical talents and a strange sort of critical thinking to see himself out of the other of that hellscape. He also got a chance to meet young Stanley Dover and his monster, Spot. It was Stanley that would introduce Ambrose to John Constantine. They didn't get along. Though Ambrose likes to crack jokes about their similarities, John doesn't seem too keen.

## Threat Assessment

### Resources

* **Reborn Human Physiology?:** Put frankly, we don't know what's up with Ambrose — and neither does he.
	+ ***Raw Arcane Channeling:*** Ambrose has an innate connection to magic that's more primal than scholarly. He can tap into raw magical energies without the use of proper rituals or spells, though the outcomes can be unpredictable.
	+ ***Elemental Manipulation:*** Drawing from his deep connection to the world, Ambrose can sometimes can influence natural elements like fire, water, air, and earth, although not always with precision. This appears to be a brute strength sort of use of magic to emulate intrinsic energy patterns.
	+ ***Force Fields:*** With a mere gesture or focus, Ambrose can erect protective barriers against supernatural or imprison otherworldly entities temporarily.
	+ ***Mystical Healings:*** While not his forte, in moments of great need, Ambrose has been known for to channel healing energies to mend injuries or purge minor causes.
	+ ***Supernatural Senses:*** Ambrose can sense and interact with magical phenomena, entities, or residues in his vicinity — including ghosts, demons, angels, fae, etc.
* **Archetype:** Ambrose's aura possessed an arcane imprint marking him as 'Archetype.' Though the origin of the nature of archetypes is not yet understood, we do know that they are of special interest to the demon Nergal and several other entities. Archetypes can sense each other and seem to share certain standard features and habits.
* **Man of Action:** His experiences, whether real or imagined, seem to have taught him to fend for himself. While no martial artist, Ambrose is crafty and can hold his ground in physical confrontations, often using the environment to his advantage.
* **Occultist:** While his powers may be raw and instinctual, Ambrose has accrued a vast understanding of magical artifacts, rites, symbols, and entities over the years. Some of this is recently acquired, and some of it comes to him through faint glimpses of scattered memories and chunks scattered among his constant mental figure.
* **Satirist:** Just as his namesake, Ambrose has a sharp wit and even shaper tongue. His knack for satire and sarcasm can catch adversaries off guard.
* **Strategist:** While he might seem disheveled or even aloof, Ambrose possesses a keen intellect, often thinking several steps ahead in mystical battles or negotiations.
* **Mystical Relics:** Over time, Ambrose has collected a number of artifacts, charms, and tokens with various magical properties. This includes his goofy necktie, which actually can be used for dowsing, and his ectoplasm-soaked trench coat that may smell awful, but it affords him more mort protection from magic than most people realize.

### Weaknesses

* **Elemental Backlash:** While Ambrose can use his magic to call upon the elements, he doesn't always have full control, which can lead to collateral damage or unintended consequences. Also, continued use of this seems to generate some ire with some intrinsic entities. Even the most powerful or arcanists would do well to avoid angering a member of an intrinsic parliament, let alone an entire intrinsic field.
* **Haunted Past & Memory Loss:** Whether he's the real Ambrose Bierce or not, his past is filled with gaps and uncertainties. This fragmented memory and lack of true identity can sometimes be a point of exploitation for his enemies.
* **Unpredictable:** Ambrose's wild magic is a double-edged sword. While it grants him immense power, it can sometimes backlash or produce unexpected results.
* **Vice — Gluttony:** Ambrose's frequent indulgences can sometimes cloud his judgment or become his crutch. When even the slightest stressed or depressed, Ambrose usually seeks his solace at the bottom of a bottle or in the haze of smoke. He seems to be at his best when he's somewhat chemically unbalanced.

### Analytics

* **Physicality:** 3 — Trained / Exceptional
* **Occult:** 6 — World-Class / Superb
* **Weaponry:** 4 — Expert / Enhanced
* **Expertise:** 3 — Trained / Exceptional
* **Range:** 4 — Expert / Enhanced
* **Strategy:** 4 — Expert / Enhanced
	+ **TOTAL:** 65
	+ **RANKING:** Moderate Threat

## Trivia and Notes

### Notes

* Ambrose Bierce is a character from *Stanley and His Monster Vol. 2*.
* The similarities between Ambrose and John are a nod to the authors of *Stanley and His Monster Vol. 2* wanting to use John Constantine but not being able to. The comic version of Ambrose doesn't like being compared to John Constantine.
* His occupation is a nod to him being part of the "Disreputable Urban Magicians And Sorcerers Union."

## Links and References

* Appearances of Ambrose Bierce

1. ↑ Network Files: Ambrose Bierce