Lucien (Flambeau Apprentice Development)

I've updated Lucien's stats and story to incorporate the feedback we've discussed.

Includes removal of mentor & skilled parens, balanced the V&Fs, added stats and abilities, confirmed age 8 and size -2, indicated when each V&F set will start and end according to the apprentices book and comments here. I edited the earlier post to avoid posting huge walls of text over and over.
Also point out that I added a made-up virtue to his childhood stat block called "Being Educated (by abbey monks) +1". This is to represent that he had been taken as favored by some of the abbey where he lives. There is a similar approach in Apprentices book where it mentions starting with abilities that are normally not allowed, so I thought it best to reflect that.

I wii get back to this latter, but I can work with PoBs suggestion on Mentor

Don't feel pressure to rush. After rereading I still need to find another flaw and not so sure about incomprehensible either. Feedback other than those minor points would be good though.
Edit: finished editing, can be reviewed.

At a quick glance, nothing much to say, love the mythic blood.

Lucien can be reviewed, I think he's ready.

As a favor, please repost the character or post a link of what i an supposed to see.

[size=150]Overview[/size]
A head strong, fearless, and intelligent orphan child, who is at risk of becoming either a "mini-dictator" or abandoned by the orphanage because he is too much trouble to handle. Lucien's blatant gift means he stays aside from the noise and banter of orphanage life, trying to stay out of the way. He is also frequently absent from roll calls and curfews.

Since he has started to mature, his gift and angry personality has begun to get stronger and stronger. Most recently this has expressed as physical manifestations of smoldering and heat, especially when angered or cornered. Lucien is afraid of this new change and knows too well what happens to "different" children, as a troubled girl "ran away or disappeared" a few years ago even though she left her meager possessions in her bed. This may make Lucien even more resistant to change, and is certainly affecting his relationships within the orphanage.

[size=150]Personality[/size]
Lucien is a smart child who's natural intellect has lead to some bad habits forming. Raised as an orphan with parents unknown to him, his development has been ad-hoc and at the mercy of the sometimes brutal orphanage where he lives. I see the character as somebody who rejects authoritarian rules where the "why" cannot be explained, and this has led to him being labeled a troublemaker.

He tends to drive the actions of others through observation and advice. While not yet physically strong he is smart enough to attach himself to a figurehead type and push his agenda through that person. A large bull headed boy named Tomas, and a bossy girl named Eloise are his current associates. If not found by a Magus he would be a skilled advisor in later life, IF he can be found by the right people and learn to control his nature.

[size=150]Background[/size]
Lucien's magical bloodline is believed descended from a Flambeau of great renown (could it be even Reculed himself?) but also unacknowledged in the hotly debated House Flambeau apocrypha. If discovered his bloodline will create further disorder and volatility in the House due to it's inherent power, and Lucien being a forgotten bastard child. I plan for Lucien to start to investigate his bloodline as a story. At some age he will want to know, as he will not be willing to just hope that it was Flambeau.

  • Where else has the bloodline deviated? Is Lucien's past actually a deception designed to undermine the House?
  • How many other children have their been?
  • If not Reculed then who or what creature/ancestor allows such a potent magical connection?

Along with the recent expressions of fire and smoke Lucien has also seen physical manifestations of power in his own skin. His skin is now mottled or discolored in places. Over time this may make the otherwise indistinct child look more monstrous (will rationalise a low Pres score as the mythic blood physically manifests).

Lucien' childhood appearance is boringly ordinary.

Described by one of the brothers at the Abbaye d'Auberive (Auberive Abbey) as "A very unassuming countenance with a disruptive intellect. Of course we punish him, the brats raided the larder again!"

Introduction date: 1240

Quotes

  • Said about him, "... the boy has such promise, just look at his lettering!"
  • "If the brothers can't find it, then they don't need to know. I'll help you hide the kitten, but I'll need a favor..."
  • "Don't make me quiet your crying Thomas. Shut up, go back in and teach Audren a lesson. For all of us!"

Potential story seeds

  • a rumor of a child who survived a barn fire where many animals and the building itself was totally engulfed,

[size=150]Recent History[/size]
Recently the carers at the Abbey have found a way to entice Lucien to be compliant, which is to offer him additional study. What began as a punishment for a particularly clever prank against a groundsman, exposed a keen interest in learning and books. He has learnt to write in his native French and now keenly is looking to Latin. His inventiveness is also finding a use with illumination and sketching of texts much to the delight of the abbey's librarians. The librarians are frustrated with Lucien's inability to clearly communicate how he thinks his idea up, but are pleased with the results.

Lucien is aware that his interest in study places him socially separated from his peers, and is using that separation to his advantage by frequently assisting those less talented - especially if those other children can be lead toward his goals.

Appearance
Once a slightly quirky looking but ordinary sandy haired child, now Lucien's skin is beginning to physically reflects his mythic bloodline. The areas of mottled, scarred, or reddened skin slowly move and shift week by week, meaning that his physical appearance subtly changes as the rorschach inkblots creep on his skin. Not fast enough to see moment by moment, but very different dawn to dusk.

When he is able to escape formal rules he is often seen with a mutt dog at his heel. His clothes are almost always disheveled and grubby, although he does carry a cloak and extra odd clothing in case he or a friend needs them.

[size=150]Statistics[/size]

Virtues
8 pts active as child, 10 pts planned

  • Active Major Virtue - Mythic Blood (Descendant of Flambeau) +3.
    Includes a Minor Focus: Creating Fire (which is less than CrIg due to heat and light components of Creo), Mythic power: (+30 soak to fire), Minor Personality Flaw: Wrathful. This power is active now that his gift is started to express, unfortunately only the Wrathful aspect is obvious.
  • Active Virtues - Orphan (Social) +0 (to be replaced by Apprentice +0 shortly).
  • Active Virtues - Great Characteristic: Intelligence (up to +4) +1, Inventive Genius +1, Book Learner +1, Second Sight +1
  • Being Educated (by abbey monks) +1. Will be removed when taken as apprentice.
  • Inherited House Virtue - Puissant Ignem (House Virtue) +0. To become effective after 10 seasons of activity & teaching from Roberto who will joint-mentor Lucien.
  • Inherited Virtues - Deft Form: Ignem +1, Affinity with Art: Ignem +1, Potent Ignem +1, to express after Ignem is opened.
  • Inherited Magi Virtue - The Gift +0. Lucien's gift started to express between his 6th to 7th birthday, slowly growing it's negative influence in his interactions.

Flaws
-8 worth active as child, -10 planned.

  • Active Flaws - Optimistic (Fearless) -3, Blatant Gift -3,
  • Active Flaws - Turbulence Prone -1 (a Children's magical flaw, to be replaced by Warped Magic -1 when Arts are opened).
  • Active Flaws - Dark Secret -1 (Lucien's magical bloodline is from a Flambeau of great renown but also unacknowledged in the hotly debated House history, which if discovered will create further disorder and volatility in the House due to Lucien being a Bastard child).
  • Inherited Flaws - Visions -1 to begin due to a story event during apprenticeship , Warped Magic -1, Weird Magic -1

Details of the minor mythic power. Chosen because I wanted something with an epic feel for a Flambeau character that would be indesputedly niche for the House but also not an overt destructive power.

  • "Fire in the Blood"
  • R: Personal, D: Diameter, T: Ind
  • Allows Lucien a +30 damage soak to fire and heat related damage, as his bloodline is deeply infused with a strange essence of Ignem magic. Fire and heat do not effect him in the manner of other people. Lucien is also very warm to the touch even in freezing conditions, although he gains no resistance to the cold.
  • (Base 4 for +5 soak, +5 for up to +30 Soak, +1 Diameter)
  • Created as a level 30 power.
  • Will combine with the Deft Art: Ignem exceedingly well.

Current Child Stats: Age: 8. This incorporates a -3 to all stats, and a -2 size.
Size: -2, Int 1, Per -2, Pre -6, Com -4, Str -2, Sta -1, Dex -3, Qui -1.
Adult Stats:
Size: 0, Int 4, Per 1, Pre -3, Com -1, Str 1, Sta 2, Dex 0, Qui 2
Personality Traits: Fearless +3, Angry +1, Mischievous +2

Abilities

  • Early Childhood: Speak a French Dialect (tba) 5 (0), Area Lore: Auberive France (Hidden trails) 2 (0), Athletics 1 (5), Awareness 2 (15), Brawl 1 (5), Guile 2 (15), Stealth 1 (5), Second Sight 1 (0).
  • Later Life (6-8 y.o. 60pts): Concentration 2 (15), Leadership 2 (15), Latin (Calligraphy) 2(15), Church Lore 1 (5), Second Sight 2 (10).

My comments are off the cuff, and not to be seen as authoritarian declarations.

  • You take Presence as a dump stat. Big mistake if you intend to have any successful social relations.
  • With the Bltant Gift and Negative Presence, your relation to your two cohorts needs explaining.
  • Not sure how V/Fs work for Apprentices. But I think that Educated should stay since you received earning before becoming one. And I don't think Visions needs to wait for the Arts.

My intent was to demonstrate the change from a normal-ish child to a gifted youth. The mods to presence/appearance are deliberate as noted in the backstory. As is, most of the transition occurs when the Arts are opened. I see Visions as similar, it is a side effect of being opened to magic. The two kids are there from when Lucien was younger, happy to adds something in story which states they are no longer friends.

I'll have a think about the Presence as a dump stat. I do want blatant gift and having a negative pres on that isn't great but there is also little point having a positive.

The Education did not grant XP. It was to reflect the same style as a covenant upbringing where the child is exposed to some non-general skills earlier. I don't think it is any different from covenant upbringing. If it added XP I'd agree it should be retained into the later years. That said, I don't really care either way. Happy to remove it if you don't agree with the explanation.

Any other feedback?

Just to advise you to focus on character. Many things could possiblychange in play, in-game and meta-game. But ifno one has comments or objections, I think I can work him into a story.

With mundanes, it makes a worse situation worst.

Also, your blatant gift won't affect magi with their Parma up, but your low presence will certainly be a disadvantage in your dealings with them.

Also, to me, your descriptions doesn't read so much as a low presence (He could just as well have a positive one, as far as I'm concerned) than as an Ignem Monstrosity or, maybe, a Monstrous Blood, so you might be interested in checking these out

Updated mechanics as:

  • Reduced impediment from negative presence from -3 to -2. Also adjusted the other stats to rebalance and reduced the negative Com to zero.
  • Removed Angry personality trait, as wasn't needed and ran a little against an fearless trait.
  • Removed educated background virtue, and Turbulent childhood flaw so V&F match.
  • Visions (Dreams) to stay as is, as something which happens during apprenticeship.
  • Dropped Warped magic flaw, replaced by Ignem Blooded (Emits Incredible Heat) from the example in RoP:Magic, as suggested.
  • Will rewrite backstory to suit lower Pres shortly and indicate that Lucien grew apart from the other children as the gift started to express.

[size=150]Statistics[/size]

Virtues
7 pts active as child, 10 pts planned

  • Active Major Virtue - Mythic Blood (Descendant of Flambeau) +3.
    Includes a Minor Focus: Creating Fire (which is less than CrIg due to heat and light components of Creo), Mythic power: (+30 soak to fire), Minor Personality Flaw: Wrathful. This power is active now that his gift is started to express, unfortunately only the Wrathful aspect is obvious.
  • Active Virtues - Orphan, raised by Monks (Social) +0 (to be replaced by Apprentice +0 shortly).
  • Active Virtues - Great Characteristic: Intelligence (up to +4) +1, Inventive Genius +1, Book Learner +1, Second Sight +1
  • Inherited House Virtue - Puissant Ignem (House Virtue) +0. To become effective after 10 seasons of activity & teaching from Roberto who will joint-mentor Lucien.
  • Inherited Virtues - Deft Form: Ignem +1, Affinity with Art: Ignem +1, Potent Ignem +1, to express after Ignem is opened.
  • Inherited Magi Virtue - The Gift +0. Lucien's gift started to express between his 6th to 7th birthday, slowly growing it's negative influence in his interactions.

Flaws
-7 worth active as child, -10 planned.

  • Active Flaws - Optimistic (Fearless) -3, Blatant Gift -3,
  • Active Flaws - Dark Secret -1 (Lucien's magical bloodline might be from a Flambeau of great renown but also unacknowledged in the hotly debated House history, which if discovered will create further disorder and volatility in the House due to Lucien having unknown parentage).
  • Inherited Flaws - Visions (Dreams - to begin due to a story event during apprenticeship) -1, Ignem Monstrosity (Emits Incredible Heat from body) -1, Weird Magic -1

Details of the minor mythic power. Chosen because I wanted something with an epic feel for a Flambeau character that would be indesputedly niche for the House but also not an overt destructive power.

  • "Fire in the Blood"
  • R: Personal, D: Diameter, T: Ind
  • Allows Lucien a +30 damage soak to fire and heat related damage, as his bloodline is deeply infused with a strange essence of Ignem magic. Fire and heat do not effect him in the manner of other people. Lucien is also very warm to the touch even in freezing conditions, although he gains no resistance to the cold.
  • (Base 4 for +5 soak, +5 for up to +30 Soak, +1 Diameter)
  • Created as a level 30 power.
  • Will combine with the Deft Art: Ignem exceedingly well.

Current Child Stats: Age: 8. This incorporates a -3 to all stats, and a -2 size.
Size: -2, Int 1, Per -2, Pre -6, Com -3, Str -4, Sta -1, Dex -3, Qui -3.

Adult Stats:
Size: 0, Int 4, Per 1, Pre -2, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 2, Dex 0, Qui 0

Personality Traits: Fearless +3, Mischievous +2

Abilities

  • Early Childhood: Speak a French Dialect (tba) 5 (0), Area Lore: Auberive France (Hidden trails) 2 (0), Athletics 1 (5), Awareness 2 (15), Brawl 1 (5), Guile 2 (15), Stealth 1 (5), Second Sight 1 (0).
  • Later Life (6-8 y.o. 60pts): Concentration 2 (15), Leadership 2 (15), Latin (Calligraphy) 2(15), Church Lore 1 (5), Second Sight 2 (10).

I will let others rule on the character as I do not have the Apprentices book. But I am ready to work you into a story whenever you are.

Let me rewrite the backstory and fluff a bit, and then let's role.

Groovy. Let me know when you are ready.

For what it's worth, no problem for me either :smiley: Rock on!
(And I find that the Mythic Blood + Ignem Blood* combo is just perfect on all fronts)

  • I suppose you mean the Ignem Monstrosity flaw?

Updated background

Concept
An intelligent orphan child who grew up normally in early childhood, who is now becoming ostracized due to his gift for magic. He was once a key antagonist in the lives of the monks, who tolerated the acting out due to his potential. Lucien's blatant gift and fiery blood means he now has to stay aside from normal orphanage life, trying to stay out of harm's way. He is frequently absent from roll calls and curfews, and is finding more and more that people react poorly to him whee once they we allies; or at the very least manipulable.

As he was forced to withdraw he found a few remaining holy brothers still sought to tend his natural talent, but they did so almost exclusively at arms length. This has made lessons harder, and forced Lucien to adapt his views. While never negative, he is now healthily skeptical of others; especially those who he knows are either afraid of him or hate him.

Since he has started to mature his gift and personality has begun to get stronger and stronger. Most recently this has expressed as physical manifestations of smoldering and heat, especially when angered or cornered. Lucien is afraid of this new change and knows too well what happens to "different" children, as a troubled girl "ran away or disappeared" a few years ago even though she left her meager but loved possessions in her bed. This may make Lucien even more resistant to change, and is certainly affecting his relationships within the orphanage.

Personality
Lucien is a smart child who's natural intellect has lead to some bad habits forming. Raised as an orphan with parents unknown to him, his development has been ad-hoc and at the mercy of the sometimes welcoming - often brutal orphanage where he lives. Smart children either flourish or get subsumed, and Lucien's determination will cause him to never cease trying. He is a boy who rejects simplified authoritarian rules where the "why" cannot be explained; and this has led to him being labeled a troublemaker. Lucien also needs to learn the value of rules, and when to break them.

He tends to drive the actions of others through observation and subtle advice. While not yet physically strong he is smart enough to attach himself to a figurehead type and push his agenda through that person. A large bull headed boy named Tomas, and a bossy girl named Eloise are his current associates, although they both are withdrawing away from him too. If not found by a Magus soon he might be at mortal risk.

Recently the carers at the Abbey have found a way to entice Lucien to be compliant, which is to offer him additional study. What began as a punishment for a particularly clever prank against a groundsman, exposed a keen interest in learning and books. He has learnt to write in his native French and now keenly is looking to Latin. His inventiveness is also finding a use with illumination and sketching of texts much to the delight of the abbey's librarians. The librarians are frustrated with Lucien's inability to clearly communicate how he thinks his idea up, but are pleased with the results.

Lucien is aware that his interest in study places him socially separated from his peers, and is using that separation to his advantage by frequently assisting those less talented - especially if those other children can be lead toward his goals.

Background
Lucien's magical bloodline is potentially descended from a Flambeau of great renown (could it be even Reculed himself, or not a Flambeua at all?) but also unacknowledged in the hotly debated House Flambeau apocrypha. If discovered his bloodline will create further disorder and volatility in the House due to it's inherent powers being so focused within Ignem. The bloodlone is doubly problematic as Lucien is a foundling, with no direct way to trace his parentage.

During later development I plan for Lucien to start to investigate his bloodline as a story. At some age he will want to know, as he will not be willing to just hope that it was Flambeau.

  • Where else has the bloodline deviated? Is Lucien's past actually a deception designed to undermine the House?
  • How many other children have their been?
  • If not Reculed then who or what creature/ancestor allows such a potent magical connection?

Appearance
Once a slightly quirky looking but ordinary sandy haired child, now Lucien's skin is beginning to physically reflects his mythic bloodline. The areas of mottled, scarred, or reddened skin slowly move and shift week by week, meaning that his physical appearance subtly changes as the rorschach inkblots creep on his skin. Not fast enough to see moment by moment, but different dawn to dusk.

Described by one of the brothers at the Abbaye d'Auberive (Auberive Abbey) as "A very unassuming countenance with a disruptive intellect. Of course we punish him, the brats raided the larder again!"

Along with the recent expressions of fire and smoke Lucien has also seen physical manifestations of power in his own skin. His skin sometimes changes, and is now mottled or discolored in places. Over time this may make the otherwise indistinct child look more monstrous (will rationalise a low Pres score as the mythic blood physically manifests).

His clothes are almost always disheveled and oft grubby, although he does carry a cloak and extra odd clothing in case he needs them. He is learning that preparation is a key to success.

Introduction date: 1240

Quotes

  • Said about him, "... the boy has such promise, just look at his lettering!"

  • "If the brothers can't find it, then they don't need to know. Sure, I'll help you hide the kitten, but I'll need a favor too..."

  • "Don't make me quiet your crying Thomas. Shut up, go back in and teach Audren a lesson."

  • Said about him, "he always has been a strange boy, that Lucien. Something not right about him."

  • Said by one of the brothers, "I know we're all God's children, and that charity is a virtue. But some days I wish that boy never came to us."

  • Said by the other boys at the abbey, "no, you can't play with us. Go away!"

Potential story seeds

  • a rumor of a child who survived a barn fire where many animals and the building itself was totally engulfed,

What about:

Quotes:

  • Said about him, "he always has been a strange boy, that Lucien. Something not right about him."
  • Said by one of the brothers, "I know we're all God's children, and that charity is a virtue. But some days I wish that boy never came to us."
  • Said by the other boys at the abbey, "no, you can't play with us. Go away!"

With a Blatant Gift and -3 Pre, he can't be popular with anyone at the Abbey.

Agreed, and added, and updated on the Wiki - Lucien ex Flambeau.