Player Character Secrets: Ulysses Dixon

Ulysses Everett Dixon

The Navy speaks in symbols and you may suit what meaning you choose to the words.
―Patrick O’Brian, Master and Commander

Character Profile: Ulysses Everett Dixon

Dixon begins the campaign somewhat conflicted and sullen, struggling with inner demons and attempting to find his footing in the awkward shuffle of shipboard politics. His character arc can bend in any number of directions, from working-class hero to brilliant leader, from team player to bitter outcast. But everything changes for Dixon the moment he reaches Abaddon.

Hidden Correspondences with Other Characters
Dixon’s only hidden correspondence is with Montgomery Lowell, and it’s fairly innocuous: the physician who tended Dixon’s leg after his injury on the Black Island was Dr. Adrian Talbot, the Miskatonic alum who wrote to Lowell before hanging himself.

Shipboard Conflict
The appointment of Joseph Coffin as second mate rankles Dixon. Like Mr. Whipple, Dixon feels stifled in his career—he should have been promoted to third mate! And to make matters worse, Dixon has been assigned as Coffin’s boatsteerer. Of course it’s not really Mr. Coffin’s fault, but the Keeper should play upon this tension, at least until the player characters begin interacting and forming more organic relationships. The Keeper should take opportunities to remind Dixon that he’s not actually an officer, especially early in the game. If the Keeper wants to stir the pot, she may get Whipple and Joshi involved.

Test of Mettle
Ever since freezing in the face of battle that day on the beach, Dixon has been struggling to regain his nerves. This leads him into reckless confrontations with whales. During any whale hunt, the first time Dixon faces the whale and readies his harpoon, he must make three rolls: a Sanity roll, a Whalecraft roll, and a Luck roll. If he fails all three, he immediately loses 1D6 Sanity points! If this results in the loss of 5 Sanity points, Dixon goes temporarily insane. The Keeper and player must decide how to roleplay this break. Will Dixon become paralyzed with fear? Or will he overcompensate with daredevil abandon, foolishly throwing himself—and his companions—directly in the path of danger?

Dixon’s Relationship with Morgan
Dixon genuinely likes Leland Morgan, and Chapter 1 is designed to bond them closer together during several scenarios, including “Ulysses Dixon’s Tradition” and “Leland Morgan’s Opium War.” However, as Morgan’s change into a Deep One accelerates, Dixon is bound to notice. Reacting to his friend’s crisis offers numerous rich roleplaying opportunities, and the Keeper and players should exploit them for dramatic impact.

The Black Island
Although Dixon is not under the influence of the Call of Dagon when the campaign begins, he is burning with curiosity about the Black Island, the source of his shame. It still features in his worst nightmares. The Keeper is encouraged to play upon this mingled sense of curiosity and dread during the last two chapters of White Leviathan, perhaps calling for Sanity rolls to prevent Dixon from exploring the island on his own.

Endgame: The Temptation of Ulysses Dixon
Once the Quiddity reaches Abaddon, Dixon discovers that his old man-of-war Leviathan is the most powerful ship in the collective. And not only that, his friend Alan Loveless is in command! As described in Chapter 8, Loveless welcomes his old shipmate, offering Dixon the answers he’s been seeking, not to mention a seat “in the room where it happens.” This temptation may be overwhelming, and depending on how Dixon plays his cards, he could emerge as the most politically-connected player character in the game. However, this requires sharing the Commodore’s goals, and that includes the Resurrection of Dagon. Whether Dixon remains true to the Quiddity, abandons his comrades for the Leviathan, or becomes a liaison between the two is up to the player. The Keeper should ensure that all three are viable options—there’s no right answer here, and every pathway is fraught with peril.

White Leviathan > Keeper’s Information > PC Secrets
[Beckett | Coffin | Dixon | Lowell | Morgan | Quakaloo | Redburn | Ward]
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Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 21 October 2021
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]