Unknown Cargo: Character Design

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

The esteemed Mr. Ferguson has asked me to post my character design to the game's design thread, however I find I'm not yet able to post there. In the interim, to facilitate things moving a bit more quickly, I'm posting here to give the extant players a chance to review/critique. Who knows. You might even find a problem with my math. I know I have a few times. :wink:

My first attempt at 5th ed character creation...

Five years post gauntlet.

Scipio Dolosus filus Forlitace filus Fulgens filus Tremere

Saga: Uknown Cargo
Setting: Mythic Europe
Current Year:
House: Tremere
Age: 25
Size:
Confidence: 1 / ( 3 )
Decrepitude: 0
Warping: 0

Birth Name: Unknown
Year Born:
Gender:M
Race/Nationality: Eastern European
Place of Origin: Ceoris
Religion: Roman Paganism
Title/Profession: Magus
Height: 5'7
Weight: 150
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Handedness: Left

Sigil: Pagan Animus
Certamen School: Gladiatrix
Covenant: Lubeck
Domus Magna: Ceoris
Prima: Poena
Parens: Forlitace, Tremere Archmagi of Ceoris
Covenant of Apprenticeship: Ceoris

Intelligence: +2 (3)
Perception: +1 (1)
Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Presence: +1 (1)
Communication: +1 (1)
Dexterity: +1 (1)
Quickness: 0

Virtues (10): Minor Magical Focus (Certamen), Mercurian Magic (Major), Temporal Influence (Influence Peddler) (Minor), Skilled Parens (Minor), Mastered Spells (Minor), Ash Gild Trained (Minor), Cautious Sorcerer (Minor), Affinity (Mentem)(Minor), Affinity (Vim)(Minor), The Gift, Hermetic Magus

Flaws (10): Weak Spontaneous Magic (Major), Driven (Hermetic & House Rank)(Major), Covenant Upbringing (Ceoris)(Minor), Fragile Constitution (Minor), Difficult Spontaneous Magic (Minor), Small Frame (Minor)

Personality Traits: Pragmatic (+3), Ruthless (+3), Epicurean (+3)

Reputations: N/A

Abilities:

Psuedo-Latin ( Language of Ceoris ) ( Slang ): 5 ( 0 )
Latin ( Hermetic ): 4 ( 50xp )

Magic Theory ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )
Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 3 ( 30xp )

Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 30xp )
Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 30xp )

Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 2 ( 15xp )
Penetration ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )

Code of Hermes ( Rights ): 1 ( 5xp )
Order of Hermes Lore ( Conflicts ): 1 ( 5xp )
Magic Lore ( Magical Traditions ): 1 ( 5xp )

Awareness ( Searching ): 1 ( 5xp )

Etiquette ( Nobility ): 1 (5xp)
Intrigue ( Hermetic ): 3 ( 30xp )
Guile ( Fast Talk ): 1 ( 5xp )
Bargain ( Favor-Trading ): 1 ( 5xp )
Charm ( Wit ): 1 ( 5xp )
Leadership ( Planning ): 1 (5xp)

Stealth ( Urban ): 1 ( 5xp )
Legerdemain ( Picking Locks ): 1 ( 5xp )
Single Weapon ( Gladius/Short Sword ): 1 ( 5xp )
Thrown Weapon ( Knife ): 1 ( 5xp )

Arts:

Rego: 8 ( 36xp )
Muto: 8 ( 36xp )
Perdo: 8 ( 36xp )
Corpus: 3 ( +1xp )( 7xp )
Mentem: 11 ( 66xp )
Vim: 11 ( 66xp )

Spells:

ReVi25: Aegis of the Hearth
Mastered: 1 ( Stalwart Casting ) ( 5xp )

MuVi25: Wizard's Communion
Mastered: 1 ( Adaptive Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReVi25: Opening the Intangible Tunnel
Mastered: 3 ( Adaptive Casting, Ceremonial Casting, Penetration ) ( 30xp )

PeVi10: Demon's Eternal Oblivion
PeVi10: Words Wrought of Iron ( As Oblivion, for Fae )
PeVi10: Cthonic Invocation (As Oblivion, for Divine)
PeVi10: Fellblade of the Art (As Oblivion, for Magical)
Mastered: 2 ( Adaptive Casting, Penetration ) ( 15xp )

ReVi25: Maintain the Demanding Spell

ReMe10: The Call To Slumber
Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReMe20: Scent of Peaceful Slumber
Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

InMe15: Perception of the Conflicting Motives
Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

PeMe15: Calm the Motion of the Heart
Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

2

(Well, there's one glaring problem, but that's been covered in a different, recent thread.) 8)

Q- Sigil- "Pagan Animus" - how does that manifest in spells, exactly?

Q- Not sure exactly what "Ash Guild Trained" provides. :confused: (If that changes some of the below, ignore.)

Wish you'd posted him step by step - hard to reverse-engineer him to check the math.

But, some aspects that jump out:

  1. If he's CharGen'd to be 5 years out of Gauntlet, he'll have 10 warping points. Score = 1.

  2. I only see 20 points in the "Early Childhood" mix of skills. (Aware 1, Charm 1, Guile 1, Stealth 1). Should be 45 there, at least.

  3. Arts - Total of 247. In my experience, since skills cost multiples of "5", it's odd for Arts not to as well. Something's up.

  4. Mastered Spells - He has 75 pts of Spell Mastery. That's fine, but that's 25 more than the Virtue gives. So...

  5. Point total: I count ~315 in Abilities, plus 25 extra from Mastery, plus 247 in Arts, for a total of... ~572 pts total.

He gets 45 pts from Early Childhood, plus 300 from Apprenticeship (w/ Skilled Parens), plus pre-post Apprenticeship, means that he needs to come up with... ~227 points?

If he was apprenticed at Age 5/Gauntleted at 20, that's 5 years or +150 points after Gauntlet, so still about 75 points over budget, give or take?

Haven't looked at spells (and still don't know how "Ash Gild Trained" fits in), but I'm willing to go out on a limb, and say "He might need work". :wink:

3

Gild trained is worth around 90xp, but I hav enot checked the numbers

That character looks fine to me , ihave no problem with him

4

(90 points for a Minor Virtue?) :open_mouth:

Even at 90 points, I'm not sure it adds up. (In fact I'll say it just doesn't, from where I'm sitting, tho' I've had a bad run of braincramps lately.) There are 200 points of spells, which is 50 over the 150 allocation from Skilled Parens. Even with +100 from the Guild, that puts him ~25 points over.

(Unless he was using the advanced, season-by-season rules, but I'm not about to try to reverse-engineer those.)

However, the dearth of Early Childhood skills is undeniable, and the odd total for Arts, at the very least.

5

My exp count (and please be lenient with my thought process here):

315 abilites
247 arts
75 mastery
200 spells

837 exp used in the character

Early Childhood: 45 abilities
Apprenticeship: 300 abilities (including mastery) and arts, 150 spells, 50 for mastery scores alone, and 90 for anything
Post-Gauntlet (5 years): 150 for anything

785 exp given by the book

now, assuming you took the 1.5 exp rule for your affinities in Vim and Mentem, I can knock a total of 44exp off of the 837, but that still gives me 793, which would only put you off (by my count) by 8exp.

The biggest exp. allocation problem I see is with Early Childhood and Gild Trained. The 45exp for EC must be spent on Area Lore(where the kid grew up), Athletics, Awareness, Brawl, Charm, Folk Ken, Guile, Living Language (other than your native language), Stealth, Survivial or Swim. Gild Training gives 30exp which must be spent in Order of Hermes Lore, Intrigue, or Duremar Lore (or rarely, another covenant lore). The other 60exp are for General or Arcane abilities, arts and spells that are appropriate to your gild (given examples for Ash Gild being Hunt, Penetration and battle magics).

On another note, I think your Flaws overlap too much for my taste. Mercurian Magic already restricts your spontanious magic to only casting ceremonial style. Taking Weak Spont. Magic (major) and Difficult Spont. Magic (minor) almost seems redundant. At this point, if you didn't want your character casting any type of spont. magic, I would say invent a new flaw Failed Ceremonial Caster, which I would put as a minor flaw, and take another major flaw.

6

Spells are a different count pre-Gauntlet, tallied by themselves. After Gauntlet, they're all from the same pool, unless done season-by-season.

Missed the Mentem & Vim Affinities.

Listed as 66 points each, which is "full price", should be 44 pts each. That may come close to covering it, might do it.

That doesn't seem to add up either.

We need to hear back from the Player, to explain what they think is going on.

Good point, and I'd agree. There's a general rule: "If a Flaw does not hinder the character, it's not a Flaw." (re Story flaws it's "If the Flaw does not enhance the story...", and etc.) At some point, that collection of Flaws stops being valid, because the area it's supposed to hinder has already been squashed flat.

But that's largely up to the SG to judge.

7

Hi,

I prefer leaving it for Timothy to decide, but since we're talking...

This character is fine by me, if the xp costs work out.

I think it's perfectly reasonable for a Mercurian to trash spontaneous magic. Even appropriate. They go together like peanut butter and more peanut butter.

I would like to see a biographical sketch, so I know how the character fits the numbers.

Anyway,

Ken

8

It's been mentioned before in other places, but I'd put the native tongue of Coeris as greek, given it's location and proximity to the Eastern Roman Empire and the fact that greek was the lingua franca of that area.

If that's a campaign specific choice, then by all means, proceed, but I think that if you want to try staying accurate for the area, you want greek.

-Ben.

9

Early Childhood ( 45 / 45 xp )
Psuedo-Latin ( Language of Ceoris ) (Slang): 5 ( oxp ) ( I'll wait for SG guidance before switching this to greek or not. I wouldn't be opposed to it. )
Latin ( Hermetic ): 3 ( +15xp ) ( 45xp ) ( Following the guidance in the living language ability writeup stating that characters from certain envirionments [ covenants being specifically mentioned ] can select it as such. Given the 'Covenant Upbringing' flaw taken in regards to Ceoris, I feel it is fitting. Of course if my SG feels otherwise, it will be changed. )

Apprenticeship ( 300/300xp - 150/150spells + 50/50xp )

Raise: Latin ( Hermetic ): 4 ( 5xp )

Magic Theory ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )

Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 1 ( 5xp )

Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 1 ( 5xp )

Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 1 ( 5xp )

Penetration ( Vim ): 1 ( 5xp )

Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 1 ( 5xp )

Code of Hermes ( Rights ): 1 ( 5xp )

Order of Hermes Lore ( Conflicts ): 1 ( 5xp )

Magic Lore ( Magical Traditions ): 1 ( 5xp )

Awareness ( Searching ): 1 ( 5xp )

Etiquette ( Nobility ): 1 ( 5xp )

Guile ( Fast Talk ): 1 ( 5xp )

Bargain ( Favor-Trading ): 1 ( 5xp )

Charm ( Wit ): 1 ( 5xp )

Leadership ( Planning ): 1 ( 5xp )

Stealth ( Urban ): 1 ( 5xp )

Legerdemain ( Picking Locks ): 1 ( 5xp )

Muto: 8 ( 36xp )

Rego: 8 ( 36xp )

Vim: 11 ( 44xp )

Mentem: 11 ( 44xp )

ReVi25: Aegis of the Hearth - Mastered: 1 ( Stalwart Casting ) ( 5xp )

MuVi25: Wizard's Communion - Mastered: 1 ( Adaptive Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReVi25: Opening the Intangible Tunnel - Mastered: 3 ( Adaptive Casting, Ceremonial Casting, Penetration ) ( 30xp )

ReMe10: The Call To Slumber - Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

PeVi10: Demon's Eternal Oblivion
PeVi10: Words Wrought of Iron
PeVi10: Cthonic Invocation
PeVi10: Fellblade of the Art

  • Mastered: 2 ( Adaptive Casting, Penetration ) ( 15xp )

ReMe20: Scent of Peaceful Slumber - Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

InMe15: Perception of the Conflicting Motives - Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

PeMe15: Calm the Motion of the Heart - Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

--- Concludes Apprenticeship, Mastered Spells, and Skilled Parens point usage.

Ash Guild Trained ( 30/30xp - 60/60points )

Intrigue ( Hermetic ): 3 ( 30xp )

Raise Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 2 ( +4xp ) ( 14xp )

Single Weapon ( Gladius/Short Sword ): 1 ( 5xp )

Thrown Weapon ( Knife ): 1 ( 5xp )

Perdo: 8 ( 36pts )

Post Gauntlet 5 Years ( 133/150points )

Raise: Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 3 ( 16xp )

Raise: Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 25xp )

Raise: Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 25xp )

Raise: Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 2 ( 10xp )

Raise: Penetration ( Vim ): 3 ( 25xp )

ReVi25: Maintain the Demanding Spell

Corpus: 3 ( +1 xp ) ( 7xp )

--- Posted Sheet Stats Completed ( Unless I missed something? ) --

By my count I have 17 pts left?

Corrections to my math/accounting are welcome! :smiley:

10

Another silly side note... locks at this timeframe were pretty simple. One was a wooden bar on the inside with a small hole above it. A peasant's hand scythe fit through the hole and allowed the bar to be shifted, unlocking the door.

The romans had some padlock type locks for chests... there certainly were key-locks in 13C europe, but they are uncommon....found more often in places like churches.

You might be better served with legerdemain(slight of hand). Just a thought.

-Ben.

11

Revised XP Breakdown:

Early Childhood ( 45 / 45 xp )
Greek ( Vocabulary ): 5 ( oxp )
Latin ( Hermetic ): 2 ( 15xp )

Athletics ( Endurance ): 1 ( 5xp )
Brawl ( Dodging ): 1 ( 5xp )
Stealth ( Urban ): 1 ( 5xp )

Charm ( Wit ): 1 ( 5xp )
Guile ( Fast Talk ): 1 ( 5xp )

Awareness ( Searching ): 1 ( 5xp )

Apprenticeship ( 300/300xp - 150/150spells + 50/50xp )

Raise: Latin ( Hermetic ): 4 ( 35xp )

Magic Theory ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )

Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 1 ( 5xp )

Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 1 ( 5xp )

Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 1 ( 5xp )

Penetration ( Vim ): 1 ( 5xp )

Finesse ( Precision ): 1 ( 5xp )

Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 1 ( 5xp )

Code of Hermes ( Rights ): 1 ( 5xp )

Order of Hermes Lore ( Conflicts ): 1 ( 5xp )

Magic Lore ( Magical Traditions ): 1 ( 5xp )

Etiquette ( Nobility ): 1 ( 5xp )

Muto: 8 ( 36xp )

Rego: 8 ( 36xp )

Vim: 11 ( 44xp )

Mentem: 11 ( 44xp )

ReVi25: Aegis of the Hearth - Mastered: 1 ( Stalwart Casting ) ( 5xp )

MuVi25: Wizard's Communion - Mastered: 1 ( Adaptive Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReVi25: Opening the Intangible Tunnel - Mastered: 3 ( Magic Resistance, Ceremonial Casting, Penetration ) ( 30xp )

ReMe10: The Call To Slumber - Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

PeVi10: Demon's Eternal Oblivion - Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )
PeVi10: Words Wrought of Iron - Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )
PeVi10: Cthonic Invocation - Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )
PeVi10: Fellblade of the Art - Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )

ReMe20: Scent of Peaceful Slumber

InMe15: Perception of the Conflicting Motives - Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

PeMe15: Calm the Motion of the Heart - Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

--- Concludes Apprenticeship, Mastered Spells, and Skilled Parens point usage.

Ash Guild Trained ( 30/30xp - 60/60points )

Intrigue ( Hermetic ): 3 ( 30xp )

Raise Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 2 ( +4xp ) ( 14xp )

Single Weapon ( Gladius/Short Sword ): 1 ( 5xp )

Thrown Weapon ( Knife ): 1 ( 5xp )

Perdo: 8 ( 36pts )

Post Gauntlet 5 Years ( 150/150points )

Raise: Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 3 ( 16xp )

Raise: Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 25xp )

Raise: Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 25xp )

Raise: Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 2 ( 10xp )

Raise: Penetration ( Vim ): 3 ( 25xp )

ReVi25: Maintain the Demanding Spell

Legerdemain ( Sleight of Hand ): 1 ( 5xp )

Bargain ( Favor-Trading ): 1 ( 5xp )

Leadership ( Planning ): 1 ( 5xp )

Profession ( Scribe ) ( Copying ): 1 ( 5xp )

Corpus: 2 ( +1xp ) ( 4xp )

12

Revised Character Sheet:

Scipio Dolosus filus Forlitace filus Fulgens filus Tremere

Saga: Uknown Cargo
Setting: Mythic Europe
Current Year:
House: Tremere
Age: 25
Size:
Confidence: 1 / ( 3 )
Decrepitude: 0
Warping: 0

Birth Name: Unknown
Year Born:
Gender:M
Race/Nationality: Eastern European
Place of Origin: Ceoris
Religion: Roman Paganism
Title/Profession: ?Magus
Height: 5'7
Weight: 150
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Handedness: Left

Sigil: Pagan Animus
Certamen School: Gladiatrix
Covenant: Lubeck
Domus Magna: Ceoris
Prima: Poena
Parens: Forlitace, Tremere Archmagi of Ceoris
Covenant of Apprenticeship: Ceoris

Intelligence: +2 (3)
Perception: +1 (1)
Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Presence: +1 (1)
Communication: +1 (1)
Dexterity: +1 (1)
Quickness: 0

Virtues (10): Minor Magical Focus (Certamen), Mercurian Magic (Major), Temporal Influence (Influence Peddler) (Minor), Skilled Parens (Minor), Mastered Spells (Minor), Ash Gild Trained (Minor), Cautious Sorcerer (Minor), Affinity (Mentem) (Minor), Affinity (Vim)(Minor), The Gift, Hermetic Magus

Flaws (10): Weak Spontaneous Magic (Major), Driven (Hermetic & House Rank)(Major), Covenant Upbringing (Ceoris)(Minor), Fragile Constitution (Minor), Difficult Spontaneous Magic (Minor), Small Frame (Minor)

Personality Traits: Pragmatic (+3), Ruthless (+3), Epicurean (+3)

Reputations: N/A

Abilities:

Greek ( Vocabulary ): 5 ( 0 )
Latin ( Hermetic ): 4 ( 50xp )

Magic Theory ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )
Parma Magica ( Mentem ): 3 ( 30xp )

Artes Liberales ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 30xp )
Philosophiae ( Ritual/Ceremonial Magic ): 3 ( 30xp )
Profession ( Scribe ) ( Copying ): 1 ( 5xp )

Concentration ( Spell Concentration ): 2 ( 15xp )
Penetration ( Vim ): 3 ( 30xp )
Finesse ( Precision ): 1 ( 5xp )

Code of Hermes ( Rights ): 1 ( 5xp )
Order of Hermes Lore ( Conflicts ): 1 ( 5xp )
Magic Lore ( Magical Traditions ): 1 ( 5xp )

Awareness ( Searching ): 1 ( 5xp )

Etiquette ( Nobility ): 1 (5xp)
Intrigue ( Hermetic ): 3 ( 30xp )
Guile ( Fast Talk ): 1 ( 5xp )
Bargain ( Favor-Trading ): 1 ( 5xp )
Charm ( Wit ): 1 ( 5xp )
Leadership ( Planning ): 1 (5xp)

Athletics ( Endurance ): 1 ( 5xp )
Stealth ( Urban ): 1 ( 5xp )
Legerdemain ( Picking Locks ): 1 ( 5xp )
Single Weapon ( Gladius/Short Sword ): 1 ( 5xp )
Thrown Weapon ( Knife ): 1 ( 5xp )
Brawl ( Dodging ): 1 ( 5xp )

Arts:

Rego: 8 ( 36xp )
Muto: 8 ( 36xp )
Perdo: 8 ( 36xp )
Corpus: 2 ( +1xp )( 4xp )
Mentem: 11 ( 66xp )
Vim: 11 ( 66xp )

Spells:

ReVi25: Aegis of the Hearth
Mastered: 1 ( Stalwart Casting ) ( 5xp )

MuVi25: Wizard's Communion
Mastered: 1 ( Adaptive Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReVi25: Opening the Intangible Tunnel
Mastered: 3 ( Magic Resistance, Ceremonial Casting, Penetration ) ( 30xp )

PeVi10: Demon's Eternal Oblivion
Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )

PeVi10: Words Wrought of Iron ( As Oblivion, for Fae )
Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )

PeVi10: Cthonic Invocation (As Oblivion, for Divine)
Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )

PeVi10: Fellblade of the Art (As Oblivion, for Magical)
Mastered: 1 ( Penetration ) ( 5xp )

ReVi25: Maintain the Demanding Spell

ReMe10: The Call To Slumber
Mastered: 1 ( Subtle Casting ) ( 5xp )

ReMe20: Scent of Peaceful Slumber

InMe15: Perception of the Conflicting Motives
Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

PeMe15: Calm the Motion of the Heart
Mastered: 1 ( Magic Resistance ) ( 5xp )

13

Hi,

Lingua Franca is the lingua franca. Just saying. :slight_smile:

Anyway,

Ken

14

Description:

A man of slender, even slight, stature. The keen eyes within his hawkish face are framed by an intensity of mein that some could find unsettling. Strong, high, cheek bones are accented by the absence of any excess flesh in his features which creates a contrast that lends severity to his appearance. Long and flowing dark hair is left free to the sides and rear, though on either side of his brow is a single long, thin braid, the pair serving to keep his hair clear of his face. The braids are adorned, seemingly at random, with a small collection of bronze runic charms. His strong chin is enveloped in a full beard showing more of the man's dark hair yet traced through with wisps of lighter color in the way beards tend to be. The beard has a well kept appearance being trimmed, oiled, and groomed in a very 'civilized' fashion. The mustache and center of the beard on and below his chin however, while kept with similar care, have been allowed to grow and almost reach the man's chest. Here another small collection of bronze charms hang. The man's ears are lost in the flowing black hair.

He is dressed in a richly blue doublet embroidered with golden scrollwork the close fit of which accents his lean form. All the buttons are fastened tightly, making the fit even closer than perhaps it might be otherwise. The thick padding of the doublet makes it seem perhaps a warm garment, and shows it's quality. Long sleeves are laced to the garment, of the same make, and extending down all the way to the man's wrists. Flush with the sleeves are the slightly brighter blue leather gloves covering his hands, embriodered with the same golden scrollwork curling about the palms and knuckles of the garment. Around his waist is dark brown leather belt, looped through a fine bronze buckle and tied in typical fashion to allow a generous length to hang down toward the ground. On the right side of the belt is a collection of several pouches all hanging from a set of bronze loops attached to the belt. The pouches are of different colors, materials, and sizes. On the left side is strapped a typical set of traveller's eating knife and spoon accompanied by a rather utilitarian looking dagger. Finally on his hip is a stern, long worn looking gladius. The weapon is plain, completely unadorned, yet very functional seeming. Below the waist he is covered by a set of unadorned yet quality white leggings the bottoms of which are tucked tightly into a pair of sturdy, hard looking, brown leather boots.

Slung across the man's back is moderate sized brown leather pack strapped tightly closed and bearing a look of being well worn with travel, and perhaps adventure.

The entire ensemble is covered by a large dark blue travelling cloak hanging down near the man's ankles. The cloak is thick and of a good cut, yet unadorned save for the plain bronze brooch which holds it in place.

15

Gang, we really need to take this back to our own sandbox now, OK? Vortigern, please post your character in the character design thread.

16

Were you that guy who confused the Carpathian Mountains with the Balkan Mountains?
Coeris in the RAW is far from the Greek areas.

17

IMC the mundane language around Coeris is something Slavic. That being said if you want the population of Coeris to speak Latin or Greek, I can kind of see that and if its important to oyu, we can work that in.

18

I don't care so much simply I don't like to see unhistorical things. Urban legends spreed quickly.

So IF you place Coeris in the Southern Carpathians the language of the people depends on the exact place. So it can be German, Hungarian, Vlach (today: Romanian), or a mix of these. The Romanian language is related to Latin and Hungarian is not a Slavic language.

Here's a map about the area. I colored with pink the Carpathian Mountains.

19

(Where'd you get the map itself?)

20

You're right, I did confuse the Balkans and Carpathians, but still, given the prominence of the Byzantine Empire in the area and the distribution of Greek in that portion of the world for religious and administrative purposes, I think that Greek makes some sense for the covenant language.

Although, given the Bulgarian expulsion of greek priests and their conversion with Slavonic, I can certainly understand the choice of that language as well and can see the strength of the argument.

-Ben.

-Ben.