Sam Steele (SAM STEEL)

A Scout of the North

Samuel T Steele (a.k.a. Sam)

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1882, Sam Steele was a product of empire and wilderness. The youngest son of a maritime family, Sam was orphaned early and raised by an uncle in the Yukon Territory. There, amid the snow, lawlessness, and boomtown grit, Sam developed the skills that defined his youth: marksmanship, tracking, and an innate sense of leadership. By age 16, he had already served unofficially alongside surveyors and lawmen during Canada’s Klondike Gold Rush. Sam's adventures were widely publicized in North American pulp fiction, where his real-life accomplishments—helping to break up a smuggling ring, surviving alone through a winter storm with only a hatchet, aiding in the rescue of lost prospectors—were only slightly exaggerated. He spent the latter part of his teens working as a scout and Arctic courier, frequently crossing paths with geologists, tribal leaders, and frontier mystics alike. Though he considered joining the Mounties, Sam’s sense of justice ran deeper than uniforms. He turned down commissions in favor of independent work: mapping uncharted territory, ferrying messages between isolated communities, and defusing cultural flashpoints in regions too remote for government oversight. This combination of wilderness fluency and incorruptible ethics caught the League’s eye in 1904.

League Member Note
Dates Active in League: 1904-1920
Sam joined the League at 22 as a field operative specializing in Arctic and frontier environments. He quickly became indispensable in operations involving natural hazards, metaphysical anomalies tied to geography, or ancient sites frozen in ice or legend. Nicknamed “the Compass,” Sam could navigate terrain others deemed impossible—both physically and diplomatically. He became a trusted handler for sensitive border missions between magical territories, particularly in the far North where the boundaries between human and spirit nations were delicate. In one pivotal operation, Sam negotiated a truce between a displaced indigenous spirit court and a mining corporation unknowingly built atop a burial realm. His calm demeanor and cultural respect turned what could’ve been bloodshed into mutual reverence. Though he left the League in 1920, Sam remained a silent partner for years, offering aid through quiet channels. He returned to Canada and spent his final decades as a guide, protector, and unofficial “fixer” for borderland communities. Those who knew him spoke of a man who could walk between worlds—without disturbing either.
****END NOTE****

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Exceptionally fit, with the wiry toughness of a lifelong outdoorsman. High endurance, low body fat, and a pain tolerance that unnerved even seasoned League medics.

Facial Features

Sharp, weathered features with pronounced cheekbones. Often wind-chapped with a perpetual scruff. His eyes seemed older than his face.

Special abilities

Near-supernatural directional sense (even underground or in mystical terrain). Expert tracker. Could read wind, snow, and silence like a book.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Raised in hardship, trained by survival. Lost many friends to cold and violence. As a result, he valued life—all life—more than most.

Sexuality

Few known romantic attachments. Possibly asexual by choice or trauma; fiercely private.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Sam believed in protection—not of property or nations, but of people and truths too easily crushed by greed or ignorance.

Likes & Dislikes

Loved: Solitude, cold air, strong coffee, and honest work.
Disliked: Bravado, needless violence, and bureaucracy.

Virtues & Personality perks

Quiet, fearless, honorable. Always did the hard jobs without complaint. Preferred action to talk, but his word was his bond.

Vices & Personality flaws

Carried guilt like weight in a pack. Prone to self-sacrifice, emotionally reserved, and refused accolades. Had difficulty asking for help—even when needed.

Representation & Legacy

Remembered in the League as “the North Star”—unwavering, humble, and morally grounded. His field journals became essential reading for operatives assigned to remote regions.

Social

Social Aptitude

Socially reserved but surprisingly diplomatic. Spoke little, listened deeply. Trusted by those who usually trusted no one.

Speech

Sparse, clear, and sometimes poetic in simplicity. Rarely wasted a word. His stories, when told, were unforgettable.

Species

Duine

Realm

The Mortal Realm

Date of Birth

October 12, 1882

Date of Death

June 14, 1946

Life

1882 CE 1946 CE 64 years old

Circumstances of Death

Passed quietly in his sleep. Known locally as a respected civil servant and early conservationist.

Birthplace

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Place of Death

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Children

Sex

Male

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Eyes

Dark blue

Hair

Sandy blonde-brown

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale, often wind-burned or sun-reddened

Height

5’11”

Weight

165 lbs

Quotes & Catchphrases

I’ve seen worse, and walked through colder.

Aligned Organization

The League

Character Prototype

Aquarius
Independent, stoic, visionary.