Grogs...grogs everywhere!

A thread to post grog ideas/first drafts/etc. and for discussion thereof.

I have a grog idea! Or maybe it's more of a companion idea...not sure!

Was thinking about Blair's personal servant being someone she grew up with. Lots of mischief together - possibly even the one who's really responsible for getting Blair cursed in the first place (not that Blair blames her - she's a cheery soul). So a kind of...maid bodyguard. Someone who took it upon themselves to make sure Blair didn't come to harm like that again. Probably also shares Blair's love of gossip and getting into trouble. So a sneaky, inconspicuous, bodyguard|spy mash-up?

I think the concept is doable as a grog. But maybe it'd be better as a 'Smoke Knight' companion?

I like the idea. But it does feel more like a Companion than a Grog, to me.

I'm working on four/five grogs, but I'm including them in Bea's development thread. She has four children, one away being trained. So that's four to write but three at the covenant. And then there is the nursemaid. I have a really good grasp on the elder (14 and 13 years old) two children. The younger two are 6 and 3, so there is not a lot to do with them yet anyway. I just figured I would mention it here for cross-linking. It will be sorted better on the wiki.

Kevin Longarm, Grog

Kevin is a lug. Likable enough but he tends to make gaffs when under scrutiny or when formality is needed. Corbin took him under his wing after an especially disastrous social mess Kevin created involving a clansmen moot and a misunderstanding of a daughter's intentions. Corbin and Kevin are now comfortable friends.

Characteristics: Int -1, Per 0, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik +2
Size: 0 Age: 33 (33), Height: 168 cm, Weight: 72 kg, Gender: Male
Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk (0), Puissant Great Weapon (1), Warrior (50/50)(1), Weakness (Pretty faces)(-1), Careless with Etiquette (-1)
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Loyal +2, Logical -1
Abilities: Area Lore: Area 3 (taverns), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (in combat), Bows 4 (Bow, Short), Brawl 4 (Fist), Carouse 3 (drinking), Charm 2 (opposite sex), Chirurgy 2, Etiquette 2 (magi), Gaelic 5 (rude words), Great Weapon 6+2 (pole axe), Guile 2 (avoiding duties), Hunt 2, Order of Hermes Lore 1, Ride 2, Single Weapon 5 (Shield, Heater), Stealth 2, Survival 1 (for a short period)
Equipment: Full Metal Scale Armor (Soak 8) (Soak 8; Protection: 7); Pack; Shield, Heater (Init: 0; Atk: 0; Dfn: +3; Str: 0; Cost: Standard), Encumbrance: 3 (4)

(edit: altered flaws to not have Ability Block with Logic, and replaced with Careless with Etiquette)

Are we going to have any potable grogs?

And I present a forge companion!

Class: Grog
Name: Jerry the Forge Companion
Age: 19
Personality Traits: Uncertain+3, Fearful+2
Characteristics: Str+3 Sta+1 Dex-2 Qik-2 Int-2, Prs+2, Com+3 Pre+0
Virtues: Educated, Forge-Companion, Good Teacher
Flaws: Weak-Willed, Offensive to Animals, No Sense of Direction
Abilities: English 5 (Insults), Brawl 3 (Improvised Weapons), Area Lore: England 2 (Bars), Latin 5 (Hermetic Usage) Artes Liberales 3 (Geometry), Philosophiae 4 (Verditius Runes), Craft: Metal 5 (Assisting), Teaching 3 (One on One) Intrigue 4 (Rumormongering)

This is Hope's forge companion. He's used to Hope's Gift, but hasn't done so for anyone else. The result is he generally stays cooped up in her Sanctum, or hanging out with servants or the like. He tries to stay away from most magi. Powerful and untrustworthy. Watching, really hearing rants about, Verditius Magi and Hope didn't help either. Plus, he's not very assertive in the first place. Hope makes sure he's well taken care of and he helps with her labwork and studies. Fair deal right?

Duncan (age 16)
Stats:
Int 2 Per 1
Pre 2 Com 2
Str -1 Sta -1
Dex 0 Quick -1

Virtues:
educated(minor +1)
arcane lore(minor +1)
unaffected by gift(minor +1)

Flaws:
fascination with magic(minor -1)
bastard(minor -1)
visions(minor -1)

Abilities:
Gaelic 5
area lore(ireland) 3
Guile 2
Latin 4
artes Liberales 1
Magic Lore 4
medicine 4
philosophae 4
faerie lore 3
stealth 3

Duncan was born of a single mother, and grew up inventing a heritage for himself based on dreams of who his father might have been. He had convinced himself that his father was a powerful wizard or faerie, and sought to learn all he could, especially after learning to read from the local priest. Somehow when the covenant was looking for young magi Duncan heard rumor of the request and fancied himself a magus- until he arrived at the covenant and saw what the real thing looked like. Now he simply seeks a way to fit in, deciding he is better off here than with his mother.

He seems more like a tool that gives you +5 to your lab total than a grog. Doesn't talk to the magi. Stays cooped up in your lab.

And can be used to train an apprentice.

Umm... how does he give +5? I'll swap failed apprentice out for something. But he still needs to eat and stuff, so its not like he'll be in the sanctum all the time.

My understanding was that a failed apprentice can give you Int + MT to your LT. Is that incorrect?

As a forge-companion alone, he wouldn't. That's more like +1 to certain lab totals.

My opinion is that Failed Apprentice should be banned for grogs. Being too subservient and having Failed Apprentice just makes for living lab equipment. And if they're superior enough to be trained as magi (10 V/F level), they shouldn't drop to the grog level (3 F/V level).

Considering that a failed apprentice must have had (and lost) the Gift, that certainly implies a companion character. I have been known to allow them in my games, but I don't think it would fit the general feel of this game...

If we are going to put failed apprentice on a grog it should be a grog available to any magus.

Yes, I'll go through and Tag all the "open-play" Grogs as such.

PG, I think you misunderstand. Remember, QPaC is playing Hope, the maga with the parasitic familiar. :smiling_imp:

Couldn't resist. :mrgreen:

I'm getting him 50 points short on Abilities; he currently has 305, and he should have 355, including his Educated and Forge-Companion points.

Alright fixed. I also tweaked the fluff to make him less of a shut in.

[size=150]Patricius[/size]
Characteristics: Int -1, Per 0, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik +2
Size: 0
Age: 30 (30), Height: 5'6'', Weight: 158 lbs, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Faerie Warping: 1(0)
Virtues and Flaws: Custos, Second Sight, Martial Abilities, Faerie Sympathy(Bravery), Weakness (Stories), Visions, Humble
Personality Traits: Brave +3, Loyal +2, Garrulous +1
Combat:
Axe & Shield, Heater: Init: +0, Attack +12, Defense +11, Damage +7
Fist: Init: 1, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +1
Dodge: Init: 1, Attack , Defense +6, Damage
Kick: Init: 2, Attack +6, Defense +5, Damage +4
Soak: +8
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:
Area Lore: Area 3 (Highlands)
Athletics 3 (running)
Awareness 3 (in combat)
Bows 4 (Bow, Short)
Brawl 4 (Fist)
Carouse 3 (drinking)
Charm 2 (opposite sex)
Etiquette 2 (magi)
Latin 2 (common terms)
Gaelic 5 (rude words)
Single Weapon 5 (Shield, Heater)
Survival 1 (for a short period)
Second Sight 1 (regiones)

Equipment: Shield, Heater (Init: 0; Atk: 0; Dfn: +3; Str: 0; Cost: Standard); Full Metal Scale Armor (Soak: 8) (Soak: 8; Protection: 7); Pack
Encumbrance: 3 (4)

Isn't that four Virtues? Custos isn't free.