For Character Development.
Alright so I've been thinking about and tinkering with this character concept for a while now and I thought it was time I put down some details and started making it come together. I really don't super like the Faerie rules (I prefer the way the Magic Realm creature rules work) but I have muddled my through it to try and build something that works for the original concept.
@RafaelB I'd certainly welcome any input you have on anything here since this guy needs to be a Companion that works compatibly with your character!
First I'll take a stab at basic character virtues and talk about what I'm thinking regarding them.
The intent is to begin with a Might Score of 5.
Virtues: Faerie Sight (1), Highly Cognizant (1), Humanoid Form (1), Lesser Power (1), Ostentatious (3), Personal Power (1), Personal Vis Source (1), Regio Network: Faerie Roads & Trods (1)
Flaws: Dutybound: Goblin Clan (Cogair)(1), Enemies: Athlone Watch (1), Greedy (1), Negative Reaction (1), Nocturnal (1), Restricted Might: Daylight (3), Susceptible to Deprivation (1), Traditional Ward: Cold Iron (1)
Faerie Sight + Humanoid Form: Basic selections filling out his role as a Faerie Goblin.
Highly Cognizant + Ostentatious: I see these as both going together strongly (he understands the mechanics of things, and thus can optimize) and also providing an explicit reasoning as to why he is seeking to become a Companion to someone like Atheus. He knows that being around Humans bring vitality and power etc. He is seeking a way out from the sort of "bottom rung" of the social strata of his Clan and the opportunity to forge a relationship with not only humans but a Magus seems like a very good way to do that. I think that implies Cognizance?
Personal Vis Source: The Form of his Might will be Imaginem, and I see this as a steady accumulation in himself of 1 pawn of Imaginem Vis per Season. This is simply intended to be fuel for his advancement.
Regio Network: Faerie Roads & Trods: A knowledge of the inner workings of the pathways of Faerie, as discussed previously.
Lesser Power & Personal Power: I'll discuss those in a follow up post just breaking down my Power designs for him.
Negative Reaction: He has unnaturally pale skin, sharp teeth, slightly pointy ears, and violet eyes. These combine to project an unsettling and obviously not quite human appearance.
Enemies: Athlone Watch: The Watch doesn't do a lot of enforcing at night, in sort of a truce with Goblin-kind. That however doesn't mean they like Goblins if they see one during the day or if they are encountered directly while committing crimes at night. Athlone might as well belong to the Goblins at night, but during the day Goblins are expected to not show themselves. And getting caught is a bad idea at basically any time.
Dutybound: Goblin Clan: Gazik is a member of the Goblin Clan Cogair, the Clan of Whispers. The Clan that specializes in stealth, burglary, thieving, and assassination they represent the clandestine "Agents" of the Court of Winter. Gazik is still loyal to his Clan and the Court, and may occasionally have obligations passed down to him by either.
Greedy: As a professional thief, burglar, spy, assassin, and general "Agent" Gazik has learned a very great deal about the mortal love of money. It is also one of the foremost weapons for manipulating mortals employed in the criminal enterprises of the Court of Winter, and Gazik has taken this lesson to heart.
Noctural + Restricted Might: Daylight: Goblins are, as a rule, Nocturnal creatures. These serve to reinforce that trope and make it very difficult and disincentivized for Gazik to try and do anything during the day. It also means he will feel vulnerable sleeping/staying somewhere conventionally vulnerable to daylight like a normal house. There is a reason Goblins prefer living underground and it is a sense of safety from the sun during daylight hours.
Susceptibility to Deprivation: Goblins are basically humanoids, so the role of a Goblin basically involves these things.
Traditional Ward: Cold Iron: This is just playing straight to traditional Faerie lore/tropes, but I would like to highlight that it is "Cold Iron" and not any metal weapon etc.
The Spider's Tread - Personal Power
The Spider's Tread (Personal Power)(Might Cost: Zero)
ReCo 10
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Individual
This allows perfect spider like movement along any surface regardless of the seeming impossibility to climb or structural inability to support the weight of the power user. Whether thin tree branches, glass windows, walls, or ceiling rafters this power allows the user to move along them seemingly attached from any direction at normal speed. Intricacy has been applied to this power to make it more precise, granting a +2 bonus to Athletics checks when using this power (for example when jumping between surfaces or otherwise making an intricate or demanding climbing maneuver).
(Base 4, +2 Sun)(Movement over surfaces that cannot support)
(Base Might Cost: 1)
(Intricacy Allocation: 3 points: 1: Reduce Might Cost to Zero, 2: Increase Precision)
Shadow's Silent Grasp - Lesser Power
Shadow's Silent Grasp (Lesser Power)(Might Cost: 1)
PeIm 15
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual
Renders the target completely silent, no matter what happens, for the duration. Gazik uses this both on himself for stealth as well as on objects he may have to interact with to prevent drawing attention to himself. It also will work when ambushing a guard, rendering stealthy takedowns perfectly silent. The Target remains silent until the next Sunrise or Sunset, or until exposed to direct Sunlight. Gazik can end the effect on any specific Target at will with a moment of mental effort.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Complexity for the ability to end the effect early)
(Base Might Cost: 3)
(Intricacy Allocation: 2 points: 2: Reduce Might Cost to 1.)
@RafaelB I've been reviewing the Faerie advancement rules on RoP:F pg 65 and thinking about the relationship between Gazik and Atheus. As a source of raw story and vitality, and the core of how the two interact, strategize, and generate dramatic potential/outcomes I've been thinking about the potential for the employment of Atheus using Intrigue for these purposes. Devising an all new scheme, or a symbolic heist or the like that will culminate in the desired glamour changes for Gazik.
Thoughts?
I think I'm somewhat in the dark regarding what is Gazik's current role (as a faerie). A thief, a brawler, a killer, all of the above?
Depending on his role and goal, this might not be necessary. Eg. if he intends to succeed as the kingpin of the goblin market and recognizes Atheus as someone who has the skills to make that happen, it makes sense, for a Narrowly Cognizant faerie, to become a companion. However, if you tell me he intends to change his current role completely (becoming the next ruler of the Winter Court, for example) then I think Highly Cognizant would be better.
I think this can be explained without picking Highly Cognizant. From RoP:F (emphasis mine):
Characters who through luck, flexibility of role, or good planning can increase their Pretenses more often
Being Atheus' companion sounds like sufficient luck. =9
But maybe his role simply allows him to interact with humans enough for Ostentatious to count?
Only one pawn/season? We are starting quite high in vis. You could have two extras.
If you want to keep the theme of slowly accruing vis, what about adding two extra pawns, one at each solstice?
As described, I think this would limit his participation in stories beyond the simple -3 to social rolls, and fit more closely to the Monstrous Appearance major flaw. Thoughts?
Is the Watch actually in the known about the goblin market as a magical/faerie thing? I mean, beyond rumors?
But beyond that, I think Enemies is a more specific thing. A person or organization that is out there to get you personally. As you are framing it I think something like Outlaw or Outsider would be a better fit (albeit those being Social Status flaws). Or perhaps a reskin of Cabal Legacy or Employed by Company (something to the end that, while you must work for the crime sindicate, you also have their backing when needed).
I get where you are going, but I think this is better framed as changing Enemies to "Employed by Crime Sindicate" or something of the sorts, and acquiring a social status flaw that earns you the enmity of the Athlone watch.
Not necessarily. Only pointing this out because you really don't need to be bound by this if you don't want to.
For clarity sake, wrought iron?
This seems so close to Flight, both in form and function, that I think it's reasonable to just design it as such? Flight, but constrained to the role?
In practical terms: the description remains the same, except for deleting everything after "Intrincacy has been spent...". Magnitude is increased by one to make constant, extra levels still spent as intrincacy to bring cost to 0. And I'd say you can safely ignore the +2 to Athletics and give Gazik automatic success in any jump as long as no external factor (eg. hurricane winds) requires an Athletics roll?
Personally I'm not sure losing this balances against Restricted Might, as it seem like a pretty minor power, the loss of which is easy to circumvent.
That was my exact thought when I read the advancement rules! They do seem to imply that the creative work should be something artistic, but the completion of a scheme seems very apt to me.
I'd say that it doesn't need to be a scheme made solely for Gazik's advancement, but it should be one in which he plays a fundamental, non-negligible role.
My concern: the rules state that if Atheus ever fails, he will never again be able to change Gazik, and what I'm thinking as valid schemes right now would be complex schemes devised through Int+Intrigue. This means that Atheus' +5 Com and his Silver Tongue wouldn't apply, and he would have a total of roll + 7. This might either restrict Gazik's advancement (since he is limited to gaining Minor Virtues and losing Minor Flaws) or even make Atheus unable to further upgrade him. Not a big problem per se, but it undermines one of the very reasons for Gazik approaching Atheus.
Besides that, I'm thinking that simply devising the scheme isn't enough, it must be seen to completion. I'm still not quite sure how to account for that, but that might merit a bonus to the roll.
I think the goal is vaguely defined as "not being on the bottom anymore" but that he knows that substantive change and transformation are possible. But that could easily be revised to be narrowly cognizant and changed later if necessary/desired/beneficial. And in the mean time free up one point.
Interesting point. I do see his role as a criminal if you will in the enterprise of the Goblin Clans as giving him a constant sort of pretext (by design) for harvesting negative glamour in the style of the Winter Court. It is a big part of how and why the Winter Court does things how they do them.
I won't say no to that at all.
I think Monstrous Appearance is more like ... a minotaur, or a monstrous form lyncanthrope if you will. Something that is completely inhuman and horrifying. Whereas my attempted description effect is more just ... he is clearly touched by the darker powers of faerie, but also clearly human-ish. Thoughts? I can make adjustments so we aren't stretching believability here. But the Goblins are a known force in the underworld and interact with humans, just generally on their own terms.
Interesting point here. Outlaw might be more fitting indeed, and I wouldn't say it is inappropriate.
Actually that seems perfect.
Cold Iron is Iron worked without ever being exposed to fire, especially to preserve its anti-faerie properties. So not an everyday object but also not one that it takes a wizard to create.
Thoughts?
It seems odd to me that if you fail a roll one time you are locked out forever. That strikes me as a bad rule.
But the general shape of it besides that (Int + Intrigue, and needing to see out the scheme/story to complete a transformation) I think I agree completely on. It could also serve as an impetus for Atheus to develop his scheming abilities. Also I would say it is a roll you could spend Confidence on, and as a Tytalus you have an advantage there.
Virtues: Narrowly Cognizant (F), Faerie Sight (1), Humanoid Form (1), Improved Powers (1), Ostentatious (3), Personal Power x 2 (1x2:2), Personal Vis Source (1), Regio Network: Faerie Roads & Trods (1)
Flaws: Employed By: Goblin Clan (Cogair)(1), Negative Reaction (1), Nocturnal (1), Outlaw (3), Restricted Might: Daylight (3), Traditional Ward: Cold Iron (1)
I'm trying to think of how this exists in the world. If it has to be something specifically made for combating faeries with this ward, or if it could just be "lying around".
Wrought iron would be used for several everyday tools (from C&G p.64: nails, horseshoes, door hinges, locks, keys, and some farm implements), and is what I understand the classical "weak to iron" refers to. It is not steel, nor weapon material (unless someone decided to make a goblin-killing knife). One could find it "lying around", but it wouldn't be any more of a liability to Gazik than fire is to a person, I believe.
But he would hate the smell of the blacksmith (as many folklore faeries do).
Working iron completely cold would be a lot rarer.
Gazik would just need to find another "artist". I agree that it does not look like a good rule. Seems like a candidate to be simply disregarded?
A case study:
Atheus wants to frame a merchant of being dishonest to make him lose social standing, under the premise that this would hinder his business and make Ashenrise lose their main supplier in... idk, glassware.
He would then devise a scheme (Int+Intrigue) to achieve that? What does this means? That if I roll... a 12, I get a series of steps in order to achieve this? Or that I can propose a plan to the storyguide and by making an Int+Intrigue roll I'd have an honest assessment of it's feasibility?
Suppose is the second option. As long as Gazik is part of the plan (eg. maybe he is responsible for planting fake documents while Atheus is distracting the merchant) and succeeds in whatever actions he needs to accomplish this he manages to enact the desired change after the scheme is successful?
Cloak of Woven Shadow - Personal Power
Cloak of Woven Shadow (Personal Power)(Might Cost: Zero)
PeIm 25
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Individual
Renders Gazik completely invisible and silent, wrapping him in an aura of shadow that then fades with him into invisibility. Less obviously in renders him immune to others sense of touch and destroys all olfactory species. This means no objects retain any sort of sensory impressions of him discernible with magic and people can not feel if he touches them, providing a +6 bonus to picking pockets or similar sleight of hand. Additionally the lack of olfactory species means while under the effect he leaves no scent trail to be potentially followed. Gazik can end the effect with a moment of concentration.
(Base 5, +2 Sun, +1 Moving Image, +1 Complexity to be able to end the effect early)
(Base Might Cost: 3)
(Intricacy Allocation: 5 points (From Improved Powers x 1): 3: Reduce Might Cost to Zero, 2: Improved Initiative from Zero to +2)
The Spider's Tread - Personal Power
The Spider's Tread (Personal Power)(Might Cost: Zero)
ReCo 10
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Individual
This allows perfect spider like movement along any surface regardless of the seeming impossibility to climb or structural inability to support the weight of the power user. Whether thin tree branches, glass windows, walls, or ceiling rafters this power allows the user to move along them seemingly attached from any direction at normal speed. Intricacy has been applied to this power to make it more precise, granting a +2 bonus to Athletics checks when using this power (for example when jumping between surfaces or otherwise making an intricate or demanding climbing maneuver).
(Base 4, +2 Sun)(Movement over surfaces that cannot support)
(Base Might Cost: 1)
(Intricacy Allocation: 3 points: 1: Reduce Might Cost to Zero, 2: Increase Precision)
Cold Iron is indeed more rare than simply worked iron.
Another option might be a Minor version of Vulnerable to (Substance). Whereas Iron Weapons are a Major (because they are common and would readily be employed), a more specific sort of substance that requires knowledge to be employed might fit the description of Cold Iron.
I concur to discard the part about failure means you can never be the artist again. Though failure does mean that the glamour/pretense energy and vis have been wasted. (I will cry in private.)
If the goal is to develop a workable plan to achieve your objectives, based on your Intelligence and Intrigue scores and die roll I will try to help you shape a workable plan and give you information about the environment that a good conspirator could acquire while doing their legwork for their scheme etc. It will be used in the development of a strategy commensurate with the ability and skills of Atheus at the time, and the die roll. And ... uh, capped by our own ingenuity of course. 8P
For Gazik to get a transformation the job needs to be designed to be a symbolic act for him and his desired change/advancement as much as anything else. It could still be used to serve a plot purpose if we can think of a suitable task to do that with, but it can't just be a random task. The symbolic nature of it is part of what makes the target numbers so high, in that it needs express the desired change and to help generate a surge of glamour that helps make the change occur.
For Atheus and Gazik Intrigue I think fits because it is at the core of the shared Role and the sort of Stories that they are involved with together.
Humm... seems fair. Let's see how that plays out!
As it stands this isn't a flaw for Gazik, as all of his powers have zero cost and affect only himself.
I will read up on that, but it certainly won't always be the case even if so. I have a conception essentially of most of his powers being burned away by direct daylight, even if he leaves an illusion somewhere etc.
Re: average age, I'm fine with you just going with whatever is necessary for Gazik to be compelling for you. Maybe think about what would be his age if he was designed as a human with a couple of magical powers?
I don't think I have anything else for now, except for expectations!
Vorsutus is 30, just because I know that off the top of my head. How about I make Gazik the same age?
I think 30 is more than fine.