Character Creation for Gaxxian (OOC)

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Heir of Laimunt Valley
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So... what we do at the end with those Things of Virtue? People want to play the Enrichment part?
I also accept ideas about alternative rewards since that 5cm diameter Ovum doesn't really work with a ring xD

I would also like to determine now the appropiate Technique + Forma to bind Stella, to avoid surprises later :stuck_out_tongue:

That cat has enough Herbam powers to say that would be correct to use that Forma?
What about the Technique? In general, cats can go with Intellego. But with the array of powers that Stella have maybe other options are good too.

Unless we go crazy retconning rewards and things for Celeste and Alba, this doesnt affect anything for the arrival to Tugurium and the first contact with their inhabitants, so i'd say (if Itzhak is ok with it) that we are ready to play the arrival to the covenant (and into saga) when the SG is ready to switch into the next season.
Meanwhile (since play by post takes time anyway) we could finish those details.

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112

I think playing out the enrichment could be fun, but personally I'd be more interested in knowing who Alba is, so I'd suggest to add the item as part of the reward from an adventure already tied with her objectives and just assume the enrichment happens when we reach that point. This way we can have an story about Alba being her, instead of gaining an item? But if you think her enriching the item tells a better story about who she is, I will not contend with that. =]

Regarding alternative rewards, you are already getting the adventure XP and 1 pawn for that season. As for the whole year, you are at 38xp + 1 p. vis + 1 spell. Since the guidelines are 45xp and 3 pawns it seems somewhat even to me? If you still think it's short, why not 1 more p. vis?

Re: familiar, I think TeFo to bind is pretty much whatever you want. Herbam seems very natural to me. Rego seems fit, given Stella's powers. Maybe she is royalty between the cats and Alba doesn't know that? :thinking:
The book is clear in that "Any magus should be able to find an animal that he can bind with his best Technique and Form" and personally I've always read that as "choose whatever you want, just make it have a minimum of sense".

It seems you will arrive just in time to meet Regulus before he departs for Durenmar. Just enough time for him to probe you both on how you view the training of apprentices. =]

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113

I also think that would be funnier :slight_smile: Also, i dont really have anything to do with it right now, so it has sense to playing it later :wink:

I see the math more like: i got 4 pawns in 4'5 years ^^!

:+1: :slight_smile:

True xD Thats good :smiley:

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In that case you must also consider the rest. You got 156xp, 85 spell levels, a couple of laboratory texts and 4 pawns in 4.5 years (and befriended a potential familiar). ^^

XP seems to be in line, considering the 85 spell levels (3 or 4 extra seasons of study/adventure instead of inventing spells would bring the xp to the 45 average). So, why not retcon the amount of vis?

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12 posts were merged into an existing topic: Character Creation for Red-Shadow-Claws

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Ok, so... let's try this. I will post the character sheet, so we can see what should be changed if its necessary to make it better for both.

But first, a very short summary about his past (im able to do summaries from time to time, really):

  • His father sinned with a huldra while her wife was pregnant, so when his son was born he with huldra blood.
  • They raise it, but as he ages, his faerie blood turns more and more obvious, so he must leave his village at being just a very young man.
  • He lives for a long time at the sides of civilization, living a lot of time into the forests but going to villages when he need something that he cannot find into the wilderness.
  • Things happens and he ends being cursed with lycanthropy (later he will discover that from then, he can also talk with some animals), so he ends wandering deep into the dark forests of Swabia and griefing about the unfairness that he has to pay for his father sins and strengthening his ideals of seeking justice (in general, not against his father).
  • He knows boar that cannot live in a herd due to Magical Air, but the human doesn't care. So both make a bond and start to help each other.
  • He lives on the border of dangerous places to help people or just scare them away so they don't get in problems... and... thats it.

... well, that was shorter in my mind xD But it's still a summary :stuck_out_tongue:

So, he is a person that can hold his ground in violent situations, that search for justice and to help people (in a personal and general sense, he doesn't know actual law... nor care) and that feels like there is no place for him to stay.

Now, the character sheet (or sheets, there is also the boar):

Onfroi

Age: 33
Warping: 0
Confidence: 1(3)

Size: 0

Personality Traits

  • Angry +2
  • Brave +3
  • Passionate +2
  • Loyal +3

Characteristics

  • Int: +1
  • Per: +1
  • Pre: 0
  • Com: +1
  • Str: +2
  • Sta: +1
  • Dex: +2
  • Qik: +2

Virtues
Cautious with Great Weapon (1), Enchanting Music (1), Faerie Blood: Huldra (1), Improved Characteristics x2 (2), Puissant Enchanting Music (1), Puissant Great Weapon (1), Unaffected by The Gift (1), Voice of The Forest (1), Warrior (1)

Flaws
Disfigured: Cow tail & Hollow back (1), Incomprehensible (1), Lycanthrope: Bear (3), Magical Animal Companion (1), Obsessed: Justice (1), Outcast (1), Warped Senses: Sensitive to Heat (1), Wrathful (1)

Combat

  • Dagger: Init: +2, Attack +8, Defense +6, Damage +5
  • Long Spear: Init: +5, Attack +13, Defense +11, Damage +9

Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Abilities

  • Animal Handling (Inspiring loyalty) 1
  • Area Lore: Upper Lorraine (Natural areas) 2
  • Area Lore: Swabian (Natural areas) 2
  • Athletics (Sprinting) 2
  • Awareness (Searching) 4
  • Brawl (Dagger) 3
  • Charm (Being daring) 2
  • Chirurgy (First aid) 1
  • Concentration (Stay still) 3
  • Enchanting Music (Fear) 5+2
  • Folk Ken (Deception) 2
  • Great Weapon (Long spear) 5+2
  • Hunt (Covering tracks) 2
  • Intrigue (Gossip) 1
  • Language: French (Lorrain) 5
  • Leadership (Intimidate) 1
  • Music (Sing) 5
  • Stealth (Sneak) 4
  • Survival (Forests) 3

Boar shape

Confidence: 1(3)
Size: 0

Personality Traits

  • Angry +3
  • Brave +4

Characteristics

  • Cun: +1
  • Per: +1
  • Pre: -4
  • Com: -4
  • Str: +2
  • Sta: +2
  • Dex: +2
  • Qik: +2

Virtues
Berserk (1), Enduring Constitution (1), Ferocity: When cornered (1), Tough (1), Unaffected by The Gift (1), Voice of The Forest (1)

Flaws
Greedy (1), Disfigured: Cow tail & Hollow back (1), Magical Animal Companion (1), Warped Senses: Sensitive to Heat (1), Wrathful (1)

Natural Qualities
Aggressive, Hardy, Herd Animal, Tireless, Tough Hide

Combat

  • Tusks: Init +2, Attack +12, Defense +10, Damage +7
  • Tusks (berserk): Init +2, Attack +14, Defense +8, Damage +7

Soak: +10
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, -2/-2, -4/-4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Abilities

  • Athletics (Sprinting) 4
  • Awareness (Foraging) 3
  • Brawl (Tusks) 5
  • Survival (Forests) 5

Guiscard, the Black Boar

Season: Summer
Age: 6
Might: 5 (Animal)
Confidence: 1(3)

Size: +1

Personality Traits

  • Angry +3
  • Brave +4
  • Greedy +2
  • Loyal (to Onfroi) +2

Characteristics

  • Int: -3
  • Per: 0
  • Pre: -4
  • Com: -5
  • Str: +2
  • Sta: +2
  • Dex: 0
  • Qik: +1

Virtues
Berserk (1), Enduring Constitution (1), Ferocity: When cornered (1), Large (1), Tough (1)

Flaws
Magical Friend (1), Magical Air (3), Wrathful (1)

Natural Qualities
Aggressive, Hardy, Herd Animal, Tireless, Tough Hide

Magical Qualities
Improved Attack: Tusks (1), Improved Damage: Tusks (1), Improved Initiative: Tusks (1), Improved Soak x2 (2), Minor Virtue: Unaffected by The Gift (1)

Magical Inferiorities
Susceptible to Deprivation (1)

Combat

  • Tusks: Init +4, Attack +15, Defense +12, Damage +10
  • Tusks (berserk): Init +4, Attack +17, Defense +10, Damage +10

Soak: +11
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, -2/-2, -4/-4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-6), -3 (7-12), -5 (13-18), Incapacitated (19-24), Dead (25+)

Abilities

  • Animal Handling (Boars) 1
  • Area Lore: Swabia (Woods) 2
  • Athletics (Sprinting) 4
  • Awareness (Foraging) 3
  • Brawl (Tusks) 8
  • Survival (Forests) 5
  • Swimming (Swampy waters) 1

And to finish, and because knowing me i usually mess with the numbers part, i add the abilities leveling too, so we can be sure that everything is correct xD

------- First 5 years -------

  • Area Lore: Upper Lorraine (Natural areas) 1
  • Athletics (Sprinting) 1 (5exp)
  • Awareness (Alertness) 2 (15exp)
  • Language: French (Lorrain) 5 (free)
  • Stealth (Sneak) 2 (15exp)
  • Survival (Forests) 1 (5exp)

------- 28 years (420 exp) + 50 exp from Warrior -------

  • Animal Handling (Inspiring loyalty) 1 (5exp)
  • Area Lore: Upper Lorraine (Natural areas) 1 --> 2 (10exp)
  • Area Lore: Swabia (Natural areas) 2 (15exp)
  • Athletics (Sprinting) 1 --> 2 (10exp)
  • Awareness (Alertness) 2 --> 4 (35exp)
  • Brawl (Dagger) 3 (30exp)
  • Charm (Being daring) 2 (15exp)
  • Concentration (Stay still) 3 (30exp)
  • Enchanting Music (Fear) 5+2 (70exp)
  • Folk Ken (Deception) 2 (15exp)
  • Great Weapon (Long spear) 5+2 (75exp)
  • Hunt (Covering tracks) 2 (15exp)
  • Intrigue (Gossip) 1 (5exp)
  • Leadership (Intimidate) 1 (5exp)
  • Music (Sing) 5 (75exp)
  • Stealth (Sneak) 2 --> 4 (35exp)
  • Survival (Forests) 1 --> 3 (25exp)

PS: I forget to comment a few more points and decisions about the character.

I took a bear as lycanthrope shape because the flaw demands to be a dangerous predator, so a boar, even if that would be thematically fine, it wouldn't accomplish the requirements.

Also, for the bear shape i've used the rules that appear in Mystery Cults. I've saved Voice of The Forest because it mentions that sobrenatural abilities remain, but i've removed Enchanting Music because a singing bear it just feels wrong xD Also, he has Cunning, so i doubt that a bear would think to use music at all in first place anyways.
About that, when those rules mention about removing General abilities in animal shape but saving the knowledges... i was unsure about the exact abilities to save. So, for now, i just removed them all.

About the boar, i've added Intelligence instead of Cunning because its mentioned into the Story Flaw. I chose to put a -3 in Int, because of his size. If somebody thinks that it should be lower, it can be changed.

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Considering the level of detail, I moved the post in this topic. The general topic is for proposing concepts, not for detailed stats.

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129

Onfroi seems like a nice guy, except for occasionally becoming a bear. XD
I imagine his bear form is also disfigured?

I'll make a few comments on Guiscard first, because I think a few things about him impacted Onfroi's design.

  • being a magical creature I feel like he should be designed as a grog, including being limited to 3 points of virtues and flaws. He has currently 5 points of virtues, balancing 5 points of flaws.
  • He shouldn't keep his natural qualities either.
  • He needs a social status virtue or flaw, even as an animal. The Magical Friend minor flaw from RoP:M seems adequate. He gets a few benefits from his association with Onfroi, but is still treated as an animal.
  • Magical Air seems inadequate (Major) and unnecessary. Humans will already keep away from Guiscard. Adult male boars usually live alone, so he doesn't need a reason to stay away from the herd. But if you still want to lean on that, may I suggest Offensive to Animals instead? It's minor.
  • The version of the Magical Animal Companion flaw on the corebook puts the companion's Might at 10-size, the one on RoP:M leaves it open to the SG. I see no problem with 5 before size, but I think a bit more wouldn't be a problem either?

Onfroi

  • The reason he has Unnafected by the Gift is to pair him with Guiscard Magical Air? I think it could be dropped if that's the case, but it does make it easier for Onfroi to interact with the magi.
  • I think Enchanting Music could be used instinctively (since he loses awareness while transformed), but only to induce fear? Seems reasonable to me. =]
  • You retain understanding of languages and general lores, so that would be both Area Lores and French. How much these would actually be useful w/o self-awareness is debatable.

Onfroi and Guiscard seem like they would be welcome company when Regulus visits Crintera. Onfroi would receive pity from the Bjornaer due to his condition, but not the mistrust that other shapeshifters receive.

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This risks making Magical Animals less capable than their mundane counterparts. Consider a Golden Eagle. It's got Per +3, Awareness 4, Keen Eyesight virtue (+3), Keen Eyesight quality (+3), for a total +13 to Awareness rolls based on sight. But a Magical Golden Eagle would only have a +10?

Now, the only thing I can agree to, is that Qualities that adjust the Characteristics, or grant Abilities, wouldn't grant those for free, and you'll need to buy those.

This should be exempting Virtues of the basic animal, in my opinion.

Granted, my views on this derive a lot from having created the Animals of Mythic Europe pdf, but that work has allowed me to see the impracticality of the system for generating Magical Animals in the RoP:M book.

131

As for being a wereboar, just make it a flesh-eating one. Porcine are omnivorous, so they aren't above eating the flesh of other animals (or humans, for that matter) when the opportunity arises. Boars are aggressive, dangerous and "predatory" enough IMHO.

Enchanting Music wouldn't be useable when transformed, as its an active ability and the character has "the intelligence of an animal while changed, react to all stimuli as an animal, and don’t retain any memory of actions taken in animal form, save occasionally in dreams." (ArM5 p.55) To me, that means that the animal doesn't use music, including Enchanting Music. In the same way, Voice of the Forest will be of limited use when transformed, as your animal form would still be perceived by other animals as a predator.

Note that the rules in HoH:MC are oriented towards statting out the animal shape of a Bjornaer. I would not apply them to statting out the animal shape of someone with the Lycanthrope flaw. So knowledges and other abilities of the human shape do not apply when in animal shape. Emotions will port over (You still recognize both friends and enemies when changed.) but little else.

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This, however, contradicts all examples of magical creature design from RoP:M.
Indeed, the creation of mundane and of magical animals were never meant to be used together. In particular, mundane animals are created on an "stat as needed" basis, with more gut feeling and less hard rules, while magical animals mirror mundane ones, but as described in RoP:M end up needing their magical qualities to bridge some gaps.

plus a power granting better eyesight, or buying a mundane quality with a magical quality (if allowed). It's not a perfect system, sadly.
But I'm not really trying to nitpick. In the end, all is fine as long as the character is functional and the SG agrees. ^^

Pg. 23 applies to shapeshifters in general, including explicit mention to lycanthropy in one place, but yes, it seems to be generally geared towards heartbeast statistics.
Since the lycanthrope flaw says "You have the normal physical characteristics of the animal, except
that +3 is added to your Soak score (in animal form only)" it might be easier to just use the animal stats in the end.

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4 of those virtues comes from the animal in itself. And the other one its there to represent that some boars are bigger (its mentioned in the description of the animal).

Natural qualities remain in magical animals. There was a lot of talk about this already and the decision was that all animals retain their natural qualities.

True, i will look at it :slight_smile:

Magical Air affects more than only humans and animals. And adult male are alone usually, but this would mean that he was alone even as young.
If you think that having a Major Flaw it's too much for a grog level animal, thats ok. I can change it, too.

Yeah, this one its specially weaker because i didnt want to make it too powerful (i dont understand why on one hand you seem worried about virtues, and then you tell me to push the Might... magical qualities are just direct free virtues ^^!).

Yeah, i used the exp to pay for all the abilities.

Idk, if everybody thinks that its ok, i would change it, ofc. But in theory you turn into a normal animal. Its not a specially flesh-eating version or nothing. It would just be a regular boar ^^! Just eating a little before each full-moon and there is no flesh-eating problem xD

Yeah, that was my thinking process too.

True. It has some use, but its limited.

Explicit mention twice:

2. cunning vs. intelligence
If the shapechanger is a lycanthrope, apply the Cunning score of the animal, otherwise retain human Intelligence.

7. Wounds & experience
Any wounds taken in the human form are refl ected in the animal form, and vice versa. Thus, a human with a Medium Wound has a Medium Wound in cat form, despite the fact that if that wound had been inflicted when in cat form, it would have been more serious due to the different wound ranges of a cat and a human.
Lycanthropes are an exception to this — when transforming back into human form, all wounds taken while an animal are healed, although wounds suffered as a human remain.

And one indirect mention (only lycanthropes lose their intelligence):

Arcane and Academic Abilities are available to the shapechanger if he retains Intelligence. Supernatural Abilities can always be used.

Lycanthropes are shapeshifters after all (albeit involuntarily ones). So i followed those rules.

PD: i had miscalculated the Qik with Bear shape, i forgot that the base should be +2 to end with 0 at size +2. So i've changed that into the sheet.

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Consistency. =9

Indeed. It's easy to forget those things, sorry.
I linked Arthur's most recent post on expectations on design of familiars (and other magical animals I assume) to the Notes and Claims houserules section.

I see no problem either. From Bear to Boar is only a one letter change, anyway. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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135

Regarding Onfroi, as far as Celeste is concerned, he would be an acceptable companion. He can be useful in combat, and he's got his Enchanting Music, which means he can help in other manners as well.

My one issue with him is his Motion Sickness. That takes away one of the things Celeste would LOVE to see him do... ride Guiscard into battle, or when traveling.

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Great :smiley:

xD Now that i've imagined the scene, adding Celeste riding Lencor too, i cannot agree more xD I will change the flaw :stuck_out_tongue:

Btw, since the flaw it would give him another virtue... its that ok?

137

There's a Magical Animal flaw in RoP:M. I believe it's a Free Flaw.

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Yep, but its not a Social Status D:
The one pointed by Rafael is also extremely adequate to an animal like Guiscard, too.

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I'd drop Greedy or Wrathful in exchange for it, keeping the personality trait if desired. To some degree, the difference between a personality trait comming from a Personality Flaw and one freely chosen is semantic if the character is going to be mainly under the control of a specific player.

The Social Status I do not consider semantic, because it describes the relation between the character and the world around it, and that's important. Magical Friend Guiscard is very different from Magical Covenfolk Guiscard, who is different from Magical Champion Guiscard.

Also, looking at RoP:M, Magical Friend is specifically intended to be the counterpart of Magic Animal Companion. Onfrei is the one people trust, Guiscard does not merit any respect by himself; society sees him as an sidekick to Onfrei, and wouldn't interact with him at all if not for Onfrei.

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140

I've changed Motion Sickness with Incomprehensible. Also, now it turns into a Boar instead of a Bear.
And i followed Rafael idea and i chaned Greedy with Magical Friend :slight_smile:

I forgot something or its everything ok?

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141

I've added the advancement from those seasons before the adventure directly at my sheet.

I understand that both spells that i made in Summer could be learnt in the same season, since the restriction only applied in the advancement process, but not in-game. It's that ok?

The binding of Stella requires an extra pawn (8 Herbam that i had + 1 extra) that i don't have with my starting resources. I understand that i can take it from the yearly payment? Its that ok?

Also, the binding process will give me 45 exp points to buy Cords. I will use them like this:

  • Golden Cord: 30 exp → Level 3
  • Silver Cord: 0 exp → Level 0
  • Bronze Cord: 15 exp → Level 2

I will also write here the effects of the magical item created by Alba (costs 2 pawns to make it):

Chest of infinite charcoal (CrHe 20 effect)
It seems a regular big but simple chest made of fair birch wood, but it's infact inchanted to generate a large amount of charcoal the first time that it's opened each day.
The charcoal lasts for a Moon duration (or until it's burnt).
(Base 2 + 1 Touch + 3 Moon + 2 Group)

If its not good, please, tell me and i will make changes or another activity.