She’s also the one who comes up with the idea of hypnosis to reverse her link to Dracula and track him, so she’s inventive too.

*Minor Spoilers For Penny Dreadful Follow*

Vanessa is a complicated and interesting character that’s hard to pin down. If I was to make a PC (or NPC) inspired by her, I would probably use Magician as the base class, but have her also be a Demoniac. Vanessa struggles with her possessing entity throughout the series. She would have an exceptional Charisma and the Asset “Strong Personality”, representing how she is usually able to suppress the Demon (although she also succumbs frequently). I would use the Affliction “Desired by Evil” to represent how she can’t escape the attention of the dark powers. Alternately, the character could be portrayed not as an actual Magician, but instead an Everywoman with “Occultist” as her Profession (or Avocation).

As you say, a special mention.

And Hesselius, while not evil, was largely ineffectual.

You mention Penny Dreadful among your inspirations. How would you characterise Vanessa Ives? She takes in Magician, certainly, but there’s a bit of Demon Hunter to her if for no other reason than it’s how she keeps from being a demon. And if there’s anyone in the world who could somehow manage to be both a Libertine *and* a True Innocent…