Grogs Character Creation Discussions

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Price of Knowledge
21

A more developed version of Giuseppe.

Giuseppe

Born in the streets and alleys of Venice he made a mediocre living on thieving and begging for his first 10 or 12 years. He was caught while trying to steal the purse of a magus and was then brought to the nearby covenant. Here he was forced to stay and even got some training with weapons. Even if life was much better here than in the streets he tried to escape a few times but somehow the magi found him and brought him back.

He has always hated authorities and the magi are just the same, but when he met Ludovicus he felt a connection due to the bad treatment of the young magus' master. He decided to stay with him.

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +1, Com 0, Str +1, Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: -1
Age: 21 (21), Height: 158 cm, Weight: 52 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Clear Thinker,Puissant Stealth, Custos (Martial Abilities), Afflicted Tongue, Small Frame, Compulsion (laziness)

Combat:
Dodge: Init: +1, Attack --, Defense +5, Damage --
Club: Init: +2, Attack +8, Defense +6, Damage +4
Fist: Init: +1, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +1
Kick: Init: -0 Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +4
Soak: +3
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (4-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16), Dead (17+)

Abilities: Area Lore: Venice (canals and alleys) 2, Athletics 1(climbing), Awareness 3 (searching), Brawl 3 (dodge), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 2 (being witty), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), Guile 3 (lying to authority), Italian 5 (venetian), Profession: boatsman 2 (gondolas), Swim 1 (diving), Stealth 4+2 (urban areas), Single Weapon 3 (club), Thrown Weapon 3 (knife)

Equipment: Partial Leather Scale Armor (Soak: 3); sap, walking stick, throwing knife, short sword, round shield
Encumbrance: 1 (3)

22

Is it Giuseppe or should it be Guiseppe?

Looks good overall. Obsessed could be Oversensitive (athority) or Compulsion (challenge authority). But that will cause problems when the young magi try to integrate themselves into a large, structured covenant like Fengheld, where autority and chain of command is considered important. If you want to go with the sample background I gave him, a less problematic one would be Compulsion (laziness).

By my calculation, he should either be 20 years old or have 30 additional xp.

Even though his weapon of choice is the club, he might still be equiped with a short sword and round shield. He's supposed to be a shield grog, after all. :wink: Doesn't mean he like those, not does he carry them around much, be he'd have them. Also, Full Leather Scale Armor is a bit heavy, so he'll suffer penalties to his defense. Perhaps a better choice for him might be a Partial Leather Scale, or even lighter armor. But then, that armor may also be something he doesn't like!

23

I think Giuseppe is the most common spelling in Italian.

Changed this to Compulsion (laziness).

I think it's correct now. He is 21 and I added Profession: boatsman 2 (gondolas) as he may have worked as gondolier in Venice for some time.

Added short sword and shield and changed armour.

24

As you stated in the other thread for final version of Emil, latin 5 is high, maybe we can lower it to 4 and use the 25xp to increase social skills : charm 1--> 2 Guile 1-->2 and get another skill at rank one, maybe another area lore ?

25

I reformatted Emil's stats in the other thread.

26

So I'm supposed to come up with a concept and background for a shield grog for my maga. I've had several idea floating in my mind, but to keep it simple I've got the following I think I'd like to run with. I'm open to suggestions, and obviously someone else has to stat this dude up.

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Name: Siegfried von Ottwaller
Nationality: German

Concept/Background: A military veteran, Siegfried was forced into being a shield Grog at Durenmar as punishment for his criminal ways. He used to be a bandit, traveling along the road that stretches between the monastery of Gengenbach in the west to Waldmössingen, preying on the helpless merchants that decided to travel through the Black Forest as a means to make a living. Which went horribly wrong when he and his band of not-so-merry men happened upon a caravan that featured a singular maga traveling to Durenmar with her contingent of Grogs. The battle was not pretty, with Siegfried's entire side being wiped out in a matter of minutes thanks to the magics of this peregrinatore Flambeau. But rather than be killed, Siegfried surrendered, and the maga took him to Durenmar to be punished for his crimes. The council saw something in the man, and decided he may be put to better use in defense of the covenant should they need it. One more grog never hurt anything, and if he died in defense of the covenant or one of its magi at some point, then he'd have been considered to have repaid his debt.

He has been now ordered to protect Wolfram, primarily due to his sentence, but also because of Wolfram's political lineage. Durenmar is looking to regain the lost power that they once had, and a potential Primus who can change the domus magna for House Verditius is a powerful thing. So Siegfried has been given the unenviable task of making sure the lab rat doesn't get himself into trouble...or worse. And having to work closely with one maga is something that Siegfried doesn't really want to do.

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Is this acceptable? I'm still getting used to the relationships between mundanes and magi, so if I've got something here that isn't cool, then let me know. If I need to add anything before someone stats him out, I'm all over that too!

27

Concept and backstory looks good to me. Who is taking the ball on putting together stats for the grog? I need a volounteer.

28

i'll do the first draft this evening or tomorrow.

LG

29

Siegfried von Ottwaller
Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +2, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 32 (32), Height: 170 cm, Weight: 75 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Piercing Gaze (Intimidation: +3), Warrior (50/50), Puissant Single Weapon, Branded Criminal, Reckless, Disfigured (multiple scar on face and body from batlle and being beaten as prisoner)
Personality Traits: Reckless +3
Combat:
Dodge: Init: +1, Attack --, Defense +5, Damage --
Fist: Init: +1, Attack +5, Defense +5, Damage +2
Kick: Init: +0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +5
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: German 5 (slang), Athletics 3 (running), Covenant Lore (Durenmar): Covenant 2 (personalities), Animal Handling 1 (horse), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Brawl 4 (Dagger), Area Lore : saxony: Area 2 (geography), Guile 2 (lying to authority), Hunt 3 (covering tracks), Leadership 1 (armies), Etiquette 1 (magi), Folk Ken 2 (soldier), Area Lore : holy roman empire: Area 3 (geography), Bargain 1 (alcool), Single Weapon 5+2 (Mace), Soldier 3, French 2 (prose), Ride 2 (battle), Survival 3 (forest), Bows 4 (Bow, Short), Charm 1 (first impressions), Awareness 3 (keeping watch)
Equipment:
Encumbrance: 0 (0)

30

Initial thoughts (don't have much time to post):

Seems good overall. My only worry is that the combination of Branded Criminal and Disfigured will leave him severely limited socially. That would certainly reduce his usefulness to a normal-Gifted magus who would normally trust his grogs to handle mundane stuff for him.

It's also a bit strange that he'd have Area Lore: Saxony, when he was born near the Black Forest (west of it) and became a bandit there. Sure, he would have picked up stuff as a mercenary, but that would be covered by Area Lore: Holy Roman Empire. His weapon skills are a bit scattered (Brawl 4 and Single Weapon 5 is good, but Bows 4 is odd for a soldier/mercenary). Leadership is a bit low, as is Bargain.

31

in red : major changes

Siegfried von Ottwaller V2
Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +2, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 32 (32), Height: 170 cm, Weight: 75 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Piercing Gaze (Intimidation: +3), Warrior (50/50), Puissant Single Weapon, Branded Criminal, Missing Ear (Hearing: -3), Reckless
Personality Traits: Reckless +3
Combat:
Dodge: Init: +1, Attack --, Defense +5, Damage --
Fist: Init: +1, Attack +5, Defense +5, Damage +2
Kick: Init: +0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +5
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: German 5 (slang), Athletics 3 (running), Covenant Lore (Durenmar): Covenant 2 (personalities), Animal Handling 1 (horse), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Brawl 4 (Dagger), Guile 3 (lying to authority), Hunt 3 (covering tracks), Leadership 3 (armies), Etiquette 1 (magi), Folk Ken 2 (soldier), Area Lore : holy roman empire: Area 3 (geography), Bargain 3 (alcool), Single Weapon 5+2 (Mace), Soldier 3, French 2 (prose), Ride 2 (battle), Survival 3 (forest), Charm 1 (first impressions), Awareness 3 (keeping watch)
Equipment:
Encumbrance: 0 (0)

32

That looks awesome. Nice job!

33

Siegfried von Ottwaller (same with equipment and description + minor corrections)
Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1 (keen vision), Pre 0, Com 0, Str +2 (brutal), Sta +1 (trained), Dex +1 (precise), Qik +1 (athletic)
Size: 0
Age: 32 (32), Height: 170 cm, Weight: 75 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Piercing Gaze (Intimidation: +3), Warrior (50/50), Puissant Single Weapon, Branded Criminal, Missing Ear (Hearing: -3), Reckless
Personality Traits: Reckless +3
Combat:
Dodge: Init: +1, Attack --, Defense +5, Damage --
Fist: Init: +1, Attack +5, Defense +5, Damage +2
Dagger: Init: +1, Attack +8, Defense +6, Damage +5
Mace: Init: +1, Attack +12, Defense +9, Damage +10
Kick: Init: +0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +5
Soak: +6
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: German 5 (slang), Athletics 3 (running), Covenant Lore : Durenmar 2 (personalities), Animal Handling 1 (horse), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Brawl 4 (Dagger), Guile 3 (lying to authority), Hunt 3 (covering tracks), Leadership 3 (armies), Etiquette 1 (magi), Folk Ken 2 (soldier), Area Lore: Holy roman empire 3 (geography), Bargain 3 (alcool), Single Weapon 5+2 (Mace), Soldier 3 (), French 2 (prose), Ride 2 (battle), Survival 3 (forest), Charm 1 (first impressions), Awareness 3 (keeping watch)
Equipment: Survival Kit; Full Leather Scale Armor (Soak: 6) (Soak: 6; Protection: 5)
Encumbrance: 1 (3)

34

I'd like to see some additional personality traits, so that those playing him have a clue of how he will react, but that's all.

Egon, you can copy his complete character sheet in the Grogs and Covenfolk topic, using the format suggested here.

35

well we've got reckless, we can add intimidating (logical with piercing eyes imho), and I find sardonic interesting but maybe that a bit too much...

36

Bitter: I'll add both of those personality traits to him.

Arthur: I'll get him copied over pronto!

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EDIT: I added the guy to the Grogs thread.