One thing I forgot to mention. Starting with the next set of stories, I will probably let the players control the grogs and covenfolk. Who controls them for a given story will depend on which players are involved.
Let me give you a couple of examples, just to make sure it is understood what I am looking for.
Let's say I wanted to tell a story involving Bernhard, as if he was a magus. In the Spring, he wants to go and investigate the pillars north of the island. He expects to need some assistance from a grog for added security, in addition to requisitionning the Baltrum for a few days. So he would be the primary role in that story, with a supporting cast of one grog (to be played by another player) and at least some of the sailors of the Baltrum (played by another player). I lay out a plan to climb one of the towers, so ropes and climbing equipment is prepared for the foray. Say he has the Story flaw Curse of Venus. I'm stating that this flaw will be activated for that story, by way of a female supernatural creature living on top of the pillar. The Storyguide would then use that kernel to build a story around it.
Let's say I was playing Quercus (and he had not left). He wants to find a suitable place on the island where he could grow oaks supernaturally to supplement the covenant's income and resources. He figures that perhaps somewhere in the northeast swamp my work, as it is away from mundane eyes. So he wants to fly around the place to locate a drier spot and determine if it is safe. He'll bring along his grog cousin (support cast) because he can also fly, with Japik's magical otter companion joining in for fun. I propose to the SG a story where he'll have to negociate with some supernatural inhabitants in the swamp for their help in getting the resulting logs out of the swamp.
These are just examples of what I'm looking for. Who the cast is from the players' side. What Story flaw will come into play, if any. What kind of challenge you are looking for in the story (fighting, negociation, etc.) What is the desired result of the story.
Of course, to make things interesting I'll probably changes and add some stuff into the mix. :mrgreen:
Japik will keep exploring the surroundings from the sea as dolphin. He wants to find out why it seems that a lot of animals avoid coming closer to the island, especially other dolphins. This may include a tour to check out the pillars north of Helgoland and then Prochorus and/or Herman may join as well if they want.
We haven't introduced Japik's otter companion yet so we should do that at some point. Either as a story of its own or he will just show up in a story centered around something else.
Then if Waddenzee or pirates come up again Japik will always react if he is around.
Lothar will arrive in spring and will probably be introduced and showed around the site where he is supposed to make his work. Then he may need to hire some workers. I'm not sure how much of this will be played out as a story. I have suggested that his Supernatural Nuisance is some kind of spirits or faeries so maybe they can be interwoven with another farie story? For example Herman's faerie friend.
Also this will be Lothar's first meeting with magi and it should be quite an eye opener for him. Maybe some of the strange happenings around him will get an explanation when he starts to understand how the world really works.
Hjalmar may go with Japik as his shield grog on any adventures where he doesn't spend most of the time in the sea as dolphin. He will be home protecting the buildings and inhabitants of our small covenant at all other times.
Yulia will assist Dietlinde running the inn and when Lothar arrives I assume she will be showing him around and get him started on the house building project. Later on her pregnancy may affect her.
Trond and his crew need to sail for the trading business as much as possible, but if the knarr is needed for something more important leading to a story then the crew should join here as well.
I'd like to do a story that involves the otter as well. But Japik's interests always seemed aimed at the sea, where I cannot integrate the otter. It's also difficult to bring it up on Oberland. And since I have had little examples of the relationship's dynamic between the two, it's hard for me to place a hook for Japik. So I'd like you to (descriptively) have your magus interact with his otter companion in future threads. It may be bored and feel like Japik is neglecting it?
They met and became friends when Japik lived on the Baltic coast and then the otter joined him when they moved here. Since then Japik has been busy with his explorations around the island and setting up the covenant so it could definately be that the animal companion is bored and feeling neglected. He has probably explored the island on his own but now wants to have some fun with Japik. They are both adventurous and carefree. He may play a prank on the Bjornaer or something to attract his attention.
Since Herman's faerie friend seem to have a similar personality, perhaps the two companion friends may join up in a story with both magi? Just an idea.
Dietlinde could have heard gossip about oddly colored stones and go dowsing for metal ore with Alruna for protection. If she finds a potential location for a mine, it might be occupied by something that Prochorus needs to deal with - something with a pretty face?
I'm having trouble coming up with anything for Prochorus because he's kind of useless. I'm not sure why I designed him with the singing restriction, because in most social situations it's too risky to cast anything, but "social stuff magic" is all that he knows and the only thing that can make things work despite his non-Gentle Gift. I'm almost tempted to create a new magus, but it would be a shame given he's "driven in" in the situation already. I'll think about it.
I know how you feel Wits. I have cursed myself for designing Japik the way I did. Imaginem magic is not the most useful when we are building a brand new covenant in a low resource saga. But I really like him as a character so I won't let him go freely.
The two most useful magi from the start left so here we are.
We should try to deal with one of the bigger covenants to get access to their library and copy a few more summae. We could use one in Intellego and perhaps Terram and Aquam.
I would not object to a limited-scope rework of your characters. Something like swapping a few virtues/flaws, or magical Arts, or spells, for that matter. These should still preserve the basic character concept, but might give you both a better tool to tell stories with.
For example, say Bearlord wanted to make Japik a more effective magus in the physical Forms. He'd like to swap Mentem for Terram. He also decides that his otter companion isn't working out and replace the Story flaw with Visions. Finally, he makes him a bit more combat-oriented by exchanging Stealth for Great Weapons and Doublet of Impenetrable Silk for The Earth's Carbuncle. This leaves the core character intact.
In the same way, Wits could decide to do away with Prochorus' Restriction (replacing it with Twilight Prone), swap out Shapeshifter for a buffed-up version of Enchanting Music (using the Entrancement mecanics), and perhaps reallocate some of his Arts and spells to reflect the fact that it is no longer his Hermetic Magic that is the main driver for his music-based powers. Those would be more extensive changes and stretch the limits of what I'd allow, but might still work if that leaves the core concept more or less intact.
It probably makes sense to concentrate our books outside of specialties we have. After all, I could write an L6Q11 Intellego Summa in one season right now. I can also teach the two of you 16xp of Magic Theory in a season. Or 15xp of Intellego. (Or maybe spend a season teaching 15xp of teaching so we are all at 2? Whatever.)
Hold this thought. I will not have time to make any changes until I come back home in two weeks. I will give it a serious look then. Swapping Mentem for Terram sounds very good to start with.
I'm having fun in this saga especially now since the pace has picked up. It's just a little frustrating sometimes when the character concept is a bit limited. Looking forward to getting Joel more involved directly with us.
I was too quick when i wrote my post earlier and forgot that Herman is an Intellego expert. That is exactly what we need and we have a good Vim summa already.
Teaching is good of course. We should probably spend a few seasons cross-training for the benefit of the covenant as a whole.
Bumping this thread as well. Since some of the characters have be reworked, this may change things.
Let's try to focus on the magi. What will each of them attempt to do during the next few seasons? There are several areas that require their attention, as far as I can see, so I'd like to know what their priorities are and where their efforts will be concentrated. Or even if they will just sit back and study from their limited resources.
Perhaps one of the order of business in the New Blood thread should be a council meeting? Just so the magi can discuss amongst themselves what they want to do.
A description of what Herman sees would help me. A council meeting probably makes sense.
Herman will want to look for vis sources and regios. And do some studying if there are useful books. Figuring out some sort of structure that Herman can set up as another lab, and determining how much it will cost to get the remain parts from what I have and what the covenant already has would also seem useful. It may make sense for us to give classes to each other as well, but that is probably not first on the agenda. If we can get a lab set up, and can spare the vis, a lesser enchantment that can help our grogs find potential vis sources is probably also on the list. (Yes, Herman can make long lists, and then get distracted by something curious.)
A council meeting to start with now that we are three magi sounds good. Let's continue with the New Blood story and that may lead to that council meeting.
We should discuss buildings and construction for certain. When is Lothar arriving? Next season?
Another lab is important to get ready when we have a building to put it in.
Japik wants to explore the sea and going up to the pillars north of Helgoland.
Then he also wants to try to improve relations with the villagers but he is not sure how to approach them.
Study-wise Terram will be high on his list of interest now after the changes, but we have no book of that Art so it will be slow for him.
He is supposed to arrive sometimes during the Spring season. Yulia didn't have a specific date for you.
The Covenant Description topic includes some detailed descriptions of the various areas. I simply need to update it to add the description of the former inn.
Prochorus tries a different strategy to finding vis: He casts Personal Charm and life-sponts Notes of a Delightful Sound on himself and heads to a place in Meden where people pass by, and sings and plays his kantele. Instead of payment, he asks for stories about the island. He says he is gathering them to make songs about the town, island, and surroundings. He may apply Posing the Silent Question or even Trust of Childlike Faith if absolutely necessary, but tries not to.
I'm not sure how Notes of a Delightful Sound should be designed to work outside for this purpose. Is it +1 Touch to affect sounds that exit Prochorus, +2 Sun, and Ind? That would make it level 4.
I think T:Ind would mean a single sound would be affected. What you'd need in this case if T:Group. A bit harder. But on the other hand, you could use D:Performance (Performance Magic) which is the equivalent of D:Conc.
That would make it level 5 (Base 1, R:Touch +1, D:Performance +1, T:Group +2).
I'll spin out the beginnings of a story sometimes later this week.
