B is for Beyond Re-Animator

Re-Animator's Dr. Herbert West (as portrayed by Jeffrey Combs) is my favorite movie villain. I've blogged about him before here, here, and here. He's cold, calculating, yet he has a dry charm.West's ultimate goal, victory over death, is a noble one. The movies have all of the B movie staples, buckets of blood, cheesy dark comedy, and bare breasts. While the first Re-Animator is the best the films, Beyond Re-Animator remains my favorite, possibly due to the fact it was the first of the series I watched.

Dr. Herbert West

Background: While studying medicine in Europe, Dr. Herbert West created the Re-Animation Serum, a reagent that could bring the dead back to life. However, his first use of it on a human caused him legal troubles and he was forced to travel back to the States. He attended Miskantonic University,  where he met fellow medical student, Dean Abbot. The pair worked together to perfect the reagent, but again chaos ensued. Most bodies brought back became nearly-mindless zombies. Twice the pair attempted to conquer death and twice they did more harm than good.

After the second event, known as the Miskatonic Massacre, West was arrested and put in prison. It was here that he would meet a  young doctor named Howard Phillips and begin work on his serum again. However due to the nature of the experiments and  the prison's corrupt warden another massacre would take place.

West managed to escape the prison and hasn't been seen since.

Description: Dr. West is a plain looking main with brown hair and glasses. He always has a stern look and is prone to speaking in a very matter-of-fact manor. Still despite his stoic nature, he has a wry sense of humor.

Storytelling Hints: Death can be defeated. Not through some hocus pocus witchery, deals with the devil, or blood sucking gothic trash. No, science will conquer death!

Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Pride

Attributes

Intelligence 5, Wits 4, Resolve 5

Strength 2 ,Dexterity 2 ,Stamina 3

Presence 2, Manipulation 3, Composure 4

Mental

Academics 5, Investigation 2, Medicine 5, Occult 1, Politics 1, Science (Chemistry) 5,

Physical

Brawl 2, Drive 2, Larceny 2, Stealth 3, Weaponry 1

Social

Persuasion 1, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3

Merits:  Encyclopedic Knowledge 4, Languages (Latin) 2

Willpower: 9 

Morality: 4
Health: 8
Size: 5

Defense: 2

Initiative Modifier: 6

Speed: 4

The details of the Reanimation serum is best left undefined for plot purposes. Various World of Darkness books have zombie stats, use these for the Re-Animated.