Andy Warhol said that, in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Although most people live in quiet anonymity, that doesn’t prevent others from trying for their 900 seconds in the spotlight. Publicity seekers are those who try to set themselves apart from the teeming millions by drawing attention to themselves. These folks can be broken down into two types – general and limited – and three broad methodologies: knowers, doers, and hoaxers.

General glory hounds are those who want to be known to the world at large, while limited publicity seekers are those who are content to fame within their own field of interest. Thus someone who climbs a building using suction cups might be a general publicity seeker, while a lifelong mathematician who claims to solve the Riemann Hypothesis might be a limited publicity seeker (since few people outside of the math and science fields would care).

Knowers are those publicity seekers who know something the general populous doesn’t. They can include researchers, scientists, explorers, scholars, and the like. These are the least common type of publicity seekers, since it’s the hardest path to take and generally the least successful; while there are many people who become famous by discovering the unknown, most people only interested in fame don’t take this uncertain route.

Doers are those who can do things other people can’t, either as a one-time deed (such as going over Niagara Falls in a barrel) or as a continuous occurrence (such as an intrepid animal handler with a penchant for picking up venomous creatures). Although “doers” covers those who accomplish trivial things such as world-record attempts, it also includes more useful acts, such as a doctor who is a world-renowned expert in a particular operation.

Hoaxers shortchange both of these routes by only pretending to know or do something others don’t. Hoaxers either fake their knowledge, such as someone who purports co find a previously unknown notebook from Leonardo da Vinci, or their abilities, such as someone who claims to be able to transform water into gasoline. Ironically, very often the more outrageous the claims, the more likely they are to find an audience.

Hoaxe.rs are experts at misrepresentation, either about who they are (such as someone who dresses like a monster to terrorize a town) or what they know. If they suspect they are in danger of being revealed as a fraud, they will go to great lengths to avoid discovery, including remaining out of sight, filtering all calls through unhelpful receptionists, or turning the cables by accusing their accusers of being fraudulent or untrustworthy. In extreme cases, they might even resort to violence or worse to keep others quiet about the truth.

Regardless of their methodology, publicity seekers often come into contact with adventurers, explorers, and others of a heroic bent. This can either be because the glory hounds are exploring the same mysteries as the investigators (in order to become famous, of course}, or else because the investigators are led on a wild goose chase from unmasking a hoaxer’s trick. And heroes are usually quite unhappy at being distracted from worthier causes in order to uncover the yeti costume in a publicity seeker’s closet.

Typical Knower/Doer

Coordination 2D
Physique 2D+1
Knowledge 3D+2: scholar 6D+2
Perception 3D: investigation 4D+2, repair 3D+2, search 4D
Presence 3D+1: charm 4D+1, willpower 4D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Body Points: 17
Character Points: 1
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Devotion (R2) to becoming famous

Advantages: Contacts (R1), friends in the field of expertise; Trademark Specialization (R1) with an aspect of the field of expertise/fame

Special Abilities: none

Typical Hoaxer

Reflexes 2D: sneak 3D
Coordination 2D+2: sleight of hand 3D+2
Physique 2D
Knowledge 3D: forgery 3D+2
Perception 3D+1: hide 3D+2
Presence 4D: charm 5D, con 7D, disguise 5D, persuasion 5D, willpower 5D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Body Points: 16
Character Points: 1
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Devotion (R2) to becoming famous

Advantages: Contacts (R2), friends in the media

Special Abilities: none

Note

Either type of publicity seeker may have some ranks of the Fame or Wealth Advantage … however, they will almost always desire more.