played by Caitlin M.

Erika is a 5’5” Caucasian woman in her late twenties.

Erika Cook was born June 12th, 1982 and has lived all her life in Springfield. She has no siblings, and her parents moved to Florida after she graduated Western New England College in 2004. Luckily, her parents left their house to her; the house is old and slightly decrepit, but it’s right off Sumner Avenue, very close to the X and Forest Park. Erika is single, and mostly heterosexual. She has no children, and has focused much of her energy on doing the 180 Days in Springfield program through the University of Massachusetts to earn her teaching degree. Erika teaches high-school history, and currently works at Central High School.

On July 14th, 2008 Erika went with some friends on a kayaking trip up in Franklin County, but tragedy struck when her kayak hit some Class-5 rapids and she capsized. Her foot got stuck in some rocks and she drowned – until the Deep Dweller appeared and offered her a Bargain… The Deep Dweller managed to get her out and she was rescued, but she was now a Sin-Eater.

Erika has spent the past year delving into the mysteries of the dead and the Underworld. She picked up the basics of being a Sin-Eater when she encountered the Waterfront Krewe in Holyoke; their leader Lisa taught Erika the how-to’s and basic lore. She also told Erika of the Rich Man’s Hand krewe, which operates out of Palmer and Ware and has a lot of influence. The Deep Dweller has led her to two Avernian Gates in Springfield: one in the basement of the Old First Church in downtown Springfield, the other in the Barney mausoleum in Forest Park right near her home.

The Deep Dweller rarely manifests in any recognizable form, but usually conveys its presence by an overwhelming fear of the deep water. When viewed by other sin-eaters it appears as a flickering whirlpool with bones occasionally surfacing in it. Erika presumes it was once male, and is old – it drowned in the 1700s or 1800s, and has almost no humanity left. Only occasionally will it speak directly to her; it relies on impressions and sensations most of the time. The Deep Dweller seems to be waiting for more Sin-Eaters to appear with growing impatience.

Her keystone is a rock with a hole in it that was worn through by water.

Most sections of this page were originally published on Livejournal.