|
That's a really cool character concept, and cool art as well.
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2015 15:14
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 13:46 |
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:Interesting, this guy's definitely interesting. Very mythical, definitely has potential for some good story. I think my only reservation would be that it'd be hard to connect him to the group properly. Thanks for the feedback! Hyfaidd now has a Technique Proficiency and an addition to his background that explains how he's out adventuring.
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2015 17:52
|
|
|
Submitted for your approval. I must also admit that while I am into this setting, FATE is not a system I'm familiar with, so criticism is more than welcome. In lands across the seas lie a barren, godless tundra teeming with monsters and housed by people with no souls if you are to believe the stories. On the small island of Gotland, came a young man named Stigr with the blessing from his father to discover new lands where he and his ilk could live without prosecution. The father was a known seiðmaðr a witch-man who were hunted and killed for delving in a practice meant strictly for women. Stigr had shown no aptitude nor want for the realm of magic and for that he was not put to the sword by the Gutes of Gotland. Yet Stigr was dissatisfied with the life he had and sought to make a name for himself. He was particularly spurred when his father was told a prophecy from a seer that he would achieve great things and ascend beyond his origins. He was in the same room at the time the seer told her vision and the young Stigr left his father's side cutting all his ties to the man. When he came of age, the volva - a shamaness of Gotland - told a prophecy to him of how he would travel west and return to Gotland bearing arms and the power to shape the earth, along with the dire warning not to touch any the land until he entered the dark ocean. Inspired by the prophey, Stigr has joined some ambitious raiders who believed in the lands of riches that delved west. While he heeded the warning, the adventurers did not care for prophecy and stopped in Sjælland which had food and riches, though the lands were patrolled by metal men that looked the same with only the plumage differentiating a few from others. With so strange a sight, he believed that there were Dwarves that settled below Sjælland and sought to find them out; as master craftsmen and lords of the earth below they would have wealth and arms that he could use. Five days of searching led him to these Dwarves, and he tried to convince them to favor him - promising them protection and alliance - but the Dwarves saw him as impetuous and arrogant, and so made him a thrall. For eight years he was forced to live underground, to dig their tunnels, tend to their tools and forges, and do all their hard labor for barely enough to live. The years hardened him into a big strong man, and the Dwarves thought that he would be none the wiser to their knowledge and ways. They were wrong. In his servitude, Stigr learned fragments of the Dwarven craft without their notice and made the powers of fire and metal his own. When the time came, he fled his Dwarven captives, harming them for the years of enthrallment he endured and taking from them a silvery axe engraved with many runes. Free again, he sought to resume his voyage west for his fortune; what he had endured would not make him respected and for all his time his witch-father had enough time to become everything the seer said he would be, while he would be only a shadow. Stigr would ply his new knowledge to make enough coin for a ship and supplies to resume his journey for wealth and greatness. It would not take too long before he would be back on sea again. The next time he docked he was exactly where the volva said he would land and was surprised by what he saw: darkness, beasts, and fog. Little did he know that he had not landed where he was supposed to land - in the south - and was instead in Pictland. These savages would make their presence known to Stigr and try to take his head and weapon as trophys, but it was not to be. He would raid and carve a bloody path across Pictland as he sought his fortune. In his travels he was ambushed by a large pack of Picts but managed to rout them and capture one of their own - a spearwoman covered in blue tatoos - for questionin. It was through her that he learned enough of the tongue to speak, and of the troubles that grip the land though what she said on that was vague to his ears; for him it was enough to go south to see these times with his own eyes. He would leave her to her own devices and proceed south where opportunity was the thickest. Crossing into England he found to his surprise that that Pictish woman was following him. At first he thought she would try to kill him, but as time passed she did not and still in pursuit. Stigr expected adventure and danger in his quest for glory, but this was not what he suspected would happen. ------------------------------------- Stigr, son of Od Stress: [ ][ ][ ][ ] Conditions: -2, -4, -6 Refresh: 4 Reputation: Pagan Terror from the North Origin: Seeking Glory with Hardship Trait: Impartial to the Politics Trait: Skills Crafting +3 Aggressive Fighter +3 Magic Recognition +2 Intimidation +2 Stunts Fresh From the Forge: During four days of rest, spend a Fate Point to make a roll for a slight offense or defense boost with Resources. No Kill Like Overkill: After killing an enemy, make a roll for an Advantage in the battle. pre:Sidekick: 'Loki' - Pictish Spearwoman 'Loki' was the name Stigr gave to the Pict Woman, for she gave none. At the age of 8, her father was told a prophecy of how she would end their way of living. To avert this, her father exiled her from the village expecting her to die in the wilds; the girl's only comrades he could find were exiles like her. Among those were an exiled seer who was ensorcelled, claiming ludicrous things; one of which was she would be wife to one from a strange land and who would not kill her when he has the chance. She was part of the pack that would strike at Stigr. She would be captured and held at axepoint for questions she did not understand. The stranger left her alive and with questions of her own in her head. She did not believe in prophecy, but the strangeness of circumstance has made her curious. Aspects: - Covered in woad tattoos - Keeps to herself Stress: 3 Abilities +2 Ferocity +1 Senses +1 Cunning +0 Agility AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 16:10 on Mar 4, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2015 08:22
|
|
|
Morainn Though married for many years, the union of Arthur and Guenevere remained childless, and the Queen's liaisons with Lancelot were likewise barren. At the time of his half-dead, the heir and only child of Arthur's body was his bastard son Mordred, who fell dealing Arthur the ill-fated blow. Mordred himself had two children, but Melehan and his brother were slain shortly before the Battle of Camlann by Sir Bors the Younger and Sir Lancelot. Of the two, only Melehan had a child, his son Mordrain, not yet old enough to be even a squire. Mordran had been left with the nephew of Arthur and cousin of Mordred, Sir Galeschin, himself too old to fight and too conflicted by the pulls of his family to choose a side. Now the last of the Orkney Knights of the Round Table, after Arthur returned and grew more bloodthirsty, Sir Galeschin left with the young Mordrain to seek sanctuary in a monastery. There he raised the youth in the ways of knighthood, chivalry and the faith, hoping to bring him forth as the rightful heir to the throne when Arthur passed away from his wounds and bring the kingdom to rights. But Arthur never died, and Sir Galeschin passed away before he could see the land restored. Mordrain trained and prayed and waited, but eventually fathered his own son to continue the line, named for his surrogate father, Galeschin. Mordrain raised Galeschin in the same manner, once again hoped to be the new king. As Galeschin aged however, and the Pale King showed no signs of failing, he became convinced that there would be no new king and no peace unless someone finished the job Mordred had started at Camlann, and slew the king. He had two sons, Mordred and Morgant, both trained as he had been in turn, but instead of teaching them to wait in the slowly failing monastery and pray, he tasked them to set out into the land and make an end. Though the pair made some good in the land, they never managed to reach the Pale King, the eldest son Mordred falling in battle to a fell beast, leaving the wounded Morgant to attempt to carry on the line, pining their hopes on the next son. Perhaps because of the cursed wound of the beast, or simply bad luck however, the next son never came. Morgant had only one child, his daughter Morainn. As she grew, and no sons came, he began to despair. One day however, when she was only six years old, Morainn climbed to the top of one of the towers of the monastery and found an abandoned nest, containing a single hatching Gyrfalcon in it, the bird of kings. Taking it as a sign, Morgant decided to train her, and because of her sex, or despite it, he trained her more thoroughly than any of his line had been since Arthur himself. Not only did he teach her of knightly combat and the ways of chivalry, he taught her of what he had faced on his own attempt, of the beasts he encountered, what few nobles remained and what he knew of the people. Courtesy and charm of a king, and the old noble art of Hawking. She learned everything he could teach her, excelling most of all in the armored dance of war. When Morainn finally set out on her quest, she was younger than her father or uncle had been, but far better prepared. As she left the monastery, her Gyrfalcon perched on her shoulder, she did not know what shape the future would take for her, but she knew where to start. She would need companions and the support of the people if she wished to become the true Queen. quote:Morainn GodFish fucked around with this message at 12:12 on Mar 19, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2015 13:13
|
|
|
AnAnonymousIdiot posted:Stigr, son of Od Overall I do not find this character that good a fit for this game. The backstory just doesn't seem to fit in that well with what I'm aiming for here, I don't particularly like some parts of it at all (the dwarves, for instance), and I think the warrior woman sidekick seems a bit iffy. As it stands, I couldn't take this character. Sorry. Mechanically you've not done too badly, I will say, but your stunts are kind of poorly worded. There's no such thing as a "slight boost" for a start, and I can't really figure out what No Kill Like Overkill is actually supposed to do. GodFish posted:Morainn Now this character I like. Can't wait to read the backstory, the concept already pleases me. I'll do my best to give some full feedback on everything you've got already. Aspects are good, those are complex-but-singular things that can be compelled or invoked in a number of situations. Expect the origin to see a fair bit of workout, and I'm interested in seeing what you end up taking for traits. Your skills look fine. You can have Art of the Melee as a catch-all combat skill, no need to separate it out. It's specific enough in that it doesn't cover all kinds of fighting, but not so specific that it won't see much use. Proficiencies are solid. I like how you've gone for armour over weapon, that's an interesting but very thematic choice. A good defence can make for a good offence. I will ask, though, does the bird's Speaks the Tongue of Men aspect mean he can talk like a person, or is it just that he understands human speech? Either's fine, I just wanted to make sure I'm not making any weird assumptions. Personally I would have gone with +2 on the Agility approach rather than Cunning, since it's a falcon, but a smart bird is valid too. I would be more than happy to come up with some stunt ideas with you, if you're still having issues figuring that out. They are not that easy.
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2015 20:24
|
|
|
Considering wrapping up recruitment after this weekend, maybe Monday or Tuesday, so if you have any changes to make or new characters to submit, get 'em done soon.
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2015 16:01
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:I will ask, though, does the bird's Speaks the Tongue of Men aspect mean he can talk like a person, or is it just that he understands human speech? Either's fine, I just wanted to make sure I'm not making any weird assumptions. Personally I would have gone with +2 on the Agility approach rather than Cunning, since it's a falcon, but a smart bird is valid too. Thanks for the feedback so far. I added the backstory, a Trait and two Stunts. Would Royal Duty be too strong or not useful enough, depending how Influence works? Some help with the last Stunt would be great too, thanks! My original idea for the bird was to have only it and Morainn be able to communicate, but I was having trouble coming up with the right way to do that. In retrospect giving Morainn a trait like Speaks the Tongue of Birds would have done exactly that. Thinking about it again though I think I like the idea of having it able to speak, and there is some basis for Arthurian talking birds with Archimedes, so I'll stick with it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2015 03:39
|
|
|
GodFish posted:Thanks for the feedback so far. I added the backstory, a Trait and two Stunts. Would Royal Duty be too strong or not useful enough, depending how Influence works? Some help with the last Stunt would be great too, thanks! Fearless: You are not easily scared. All attempts to intimidate you suffer a two shift penalty. Tough as Nails: Gain an additional mild consequence slot. Guardian Knight: You can spend an action to protect up to two allies in your zone, allowing them to use your combat skill to defend against melee attacks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2015 07:14
|
|
|
Daraken posted:How do these sound? I'm afraid the first two are a bit boring and the last one I'm not quite sure if it fits mechanically. Oh, I like the idea in that last one. Would something like v work? Guardian Knight: Once per conflict, when an ally in the same zone as you fails a Defend roll in a melee, you may take the blow, rolling your own Defense against the existing roll.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2015 08:24
|
|
|
Green Intern posted:That's a really cool character concept, and cool art as well.  Hope the sheet doesn't dash any dreams here.Domna Maesa  A family came to the Isles from what seemed like half way across the world. They were drawn there by stories of valour, and tales of God. A King given divine providence. The most sacred of relics, the Holy Grail, being rediscovered. If from Dan to Beersheba was the Holy Land, then from Lyonesse to Avalon must truly be the Blessed Lands. Where one will live under the freedom of God's grace. Not like their homeland, where they were Dhimmi. Where they lived under the jizyah. It was no place for a God-fearing Saracen to live. So the Maesa's set on their pilgrimage to this fated place. But what they got was a cursed land. The stories were just that, stories. The tales were of feats perhaps once seen and heralded, but now bore nothing close to the truth. The only King here was a foul husk of a man, polluting the very earth he walked on. Empty towns with the sick and dying scattered to all corners looking for shelter. Even the light of the sun had hidden itself away from where once had held so much hope. This is where Domna grew up. Far from home. Away from friends. With fanatical parents holding true to the faith even when God had long since abandoned this place. They both took it upon themselves to help the suffering, to travel and give light and hope to those who had lost all. Which left their daughter to be looked after by the rest of the family, her aunts and uncles who had undertook the pilgrimage with them. A family that started to fall each passing winter, victims of the same death and curses that purveyed the land. As her mother and father took more and more to the mendicant order, Domna saw less and less of them. Until there was only her uncle left to raise her. Domna's uncle was not a God-fearing man, he laughed at the idea. Here they called him an alchemist, a man who transmutes gold from lead and creates magic potions from berries and leaves. But back home? He proudly called himself a chemist. An observer of the natural world. Replicating what he could see in his workshop. Finding ways to make new from the old. Understanding how, especially in dead lands like these, nature worked. All so he could exploit it. To make money, to make life easier, to show his power and intelligence over nature and the common man. To call him a swindler and a con-man would be all too polite. But even if her uncle wasn't the only family she had left, Domna was drawn to his way of life. She grew up being told of faith, but all she saw was her life and family withering away before her eyes by following the supposed word of God. And her parents were nowhere to be seen at all, so taken were they with their mission. So the girl became an apprentice under her uncle, taken under his wing to learn the trade and secrets of a chemist. Elemental reactions. Mixing compounds. Composition of the organic and inorganic alike. How to sell it to people who don't understand a single thing about how you even make their elixir. And, of course, the less savoury aspects. Not just digging up rocks to melt down, or working with lye, or even boiling bones and shell. It was the lies and false promises. Selling miracles to people who didn't know better. Peddling poisons as panacea. That's where the coin that funded their studies and lined their pockets really came from. And Domna ended being just as good a huckster as her uncle was. But all through this, over the years she worked and learnt at her uncle's side, the faith and morals her parents instilled in her persisted. She still saw the suffering around her, the death that prowled the night, the starving masses who needed help and relief from the spreading evil surrounding them all. And she was taking what little they did have to pay for what they needed, and sometimes for what they didn't even need or what she knew didn't work. It wasn't right. It wasn't just. It never rested easy with her. But she managed to live with it. Up until a mendicant was passing through town, looking for her. He had news of her parents, news she had long suspected but which hadn't hit home until just then. It stirred a lot of emotions. From the normal, reasonable ones in her head to the rash, angry ones in her heart. She loved them as much as she hated them, they dragged her away from everything she knew and also gave her a life she never would have experienced otherwise. But what rose in her more than anything was the sudden, crushing responsibility. She was the only one left. This accursed land had claimed drat near every Maesa that had stood upon it. So she was left with a question; how was she going to carry on the family name? Was she going to follow the sort of righteousness of her parents, or the rewarding greed of her uncle? No. The pangs of guilt and shame wouldn't just go away on their own. There was only one answer. And there was still time to do the right thing. Domna started with her uncle and his workshop. She open the stores to whoever needed it, took the coin from the safe, and took with her all the compounds and ingredients she could carry. All she left behind was pine resin and sulphur, in a pile big enough to reduce the workshop to little more than ash and cinders with the slightest of sparks. With this, she started on a new path. So now Domna is on her own, left with the simple mission her parents had pursued their whole lives. Doing something to make a difference to the people who can't help themselves. And there are a lot of them that needed it. She wasn't a great fighter, and she held no true faith in God to guide her. She doubted that she could give great speeches to stir the hearts of men. But she was smart, and well learned in the chemical sciences. And she could lie, cheat, and steal with the best of them. How that could help the needy? She'd find a way. After all, there will always be people like her uncle around. quote:Domna Maesa Robodog fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Mar 7, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2015 14:06
|
|
|
GodFish posted:Thanks for the feedback so far. I added the backstory, a Trait and two Stunts. Would Royal Duty be too strong or not useful enough, depending how Influence works? Some help with the last Stunt would be great too, thanks! I would have Royal Duty as "When I choose to reveal my royal lineage, treat the group's Influence as two ranks higher for the rest of the scene." That could have some interesting choices along with it, the repercussions of waving around your lineage might come back to bite you. After all, you're essentially related to the Pale King, and he ain't a popular figure. Keep in mind that you won't be using Influence on everyone, just on those who have their own measure of Influence. So someone like the abbot of a big church, sure, he's got Influence. But a random candlemaker? No. The other stunt I would suggest tie into your falcon. Perhaps something like "When Astor creates an advantage on an opponent, I gain a boost when invoking that advantage." That way you could have your noble bird divebomb some fool and follow it up with a swift sword move. However, you can't make two attacks on your turn, and your bird counts as an extension of yourself, so you'd need time to set it up, and poss. Instead of combat, if could be something like "Every scene where I have Astor, I gain one free invoke on any aspect of the terrain." That would be good for some sharp eyesight, which birds of prey usually have. Or "I can send a brief message to anyone I have met before, and receive a reply, in exchange for losing Astor until the start of the next scene." Again, one of the classic uses of trained birds, made a little easier by the whole "talking" thing. GodFish posted:Oh, I like the idea in that last one. Would something like v work? To cut down on rolling I would just have it as "When an ally in the same zone as you takes at least one shift of damage in a melee, you can choose to absorb up to three shifts of that damage." No once-per-conflict, the limitation would be that it would physically exhaust your own stress to continue taking damage. Although with your armour rating you'd always be good to take at least one. Another defensive option could be "When I take damage from a physical source, I can choose to take the complication Shattered Shield and lose my armour rating for the rest of the scene, in exchange for ignoring all of that damage." High risk, high reward. Robodog posted:Domna Maesa I like this character, I really do. Very down-to-earth, but lofty goals. Quite a lot of material to work with here, too. You might need to explain the skills to me, however. I'm not sure quite what "Blest are the Shepherds" and "Gilding the Tourney" are supposed to do. But on to the stunts! Robodog posted:Steal from the Rich The first one would be rather tricky to codify as a stunt. Narratively speaking, giving food to the starving is going to make them friendlier with you, regardless of stunt. So while I can understand the sentiment, it's not necessary. But you could use the stunt to give a bonus, of sorts, to that kind of interaction. Maybe... "Whenever the group has helped someone in some way, I gain a free invoke that can be used on any new aspects created by that act." So if you guys give some starving peasants food, and they gain an aspect like Grateful, you can invoke that aspect once for free. But that's about as close as I can see you getting a stunt which provides a standard mechanical bonus to being nice. At least this late in the evening, I might have a revelation tomorrow morning. The latter is a little easier, as combat stunts tend to be. Maybe something like "Whenever I take Stress in combat, I gain a boost to my next defensive action." Simple cause and effect. Get hit, get a bonus against getting hit again. It depends what you want from something called "Defender of the Just", though. The name is a bit hard to nail down. You could always relate your stunts to your proficiency. Something like "Whenever I use a creation as a defensive measure, I can also create an advantage on the target." Try to think about what the rules don't let you do, and how to subtly bend them into allowing you to do it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2015 23:12
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:I like this character, I really do. Very down-to-earth, but lofty goals. Quite a lot of material to work with here, too. You might need to explain the skills to me, however. I'm not sure quite what "Blest are the Shepherds" and "Gilding the Tourney" are supposed to do. But on to the stunts! I was a bit concerned that going flowery for the skill names right away might mean nobody knows what anything actually does. So I wrote up a little thing in advance to explain them! Quicksilver Tongue = Very quick and clever and charismatic with words, especially at lying, trickery, and fast-talking. The Central Science = Trying to evoke that classic sort of Gothic scientist feel, unbridled science for the sake of science. And obviously here, that’s chemistry. Wealth Distribution = Basically just stealing things, through various means. With the end goal being getting it to the poor and starving and needy. Trying to focus it on the idea of universal destination of goods. Blest are the Shepherds = The lingering religious teachings and fervour from her parents, along with the obligation to protect those in need. Religious lore with a bit of fancy preacher speak thrown in. Gilding the Tourney: Trickery in contests, fights, and when scamming goes south fast. Winning by being sneaky and clever, fighting dirty without looking like she is. A fake it till you make it combat skill. Fuego Fish posted:The latter is a little easier, as combat stunts tend to be. Maybe something like "Whenever I take Stress in combat, I gain a boost to my next defensive action." Simple cause and effect. Get hit, get a bonus against getting hit again. It depends what you want from something called "Defender of the Just", though. The name is a bit hard to nail down. I can see what you mean with the steal from the rich thing. I might replace that with the proficiency stunt just to make things easier. And I might steal that stunt wholesale, if that's okay. I actually really dig it. With "Defender of the Just" I was kinda aiming for something like, if there's nobody else around at least she can stand up and protect the innocent even when she's kinda not suited for it or just plain out classed by fel beasts. Boosting defence works for that, I think. Kinda standing stalwart no matter what. In relation to that though, would it be worth getting the technique proficiency to give myself some protection for that sort of thing?
|
|
#
?
Mar 7, 2015 05:07
|
|
|
Updated Royal Duty to your version, which is way better, and I took the second Astor related stunt. I really like the absorbing stress version of Guardian Knight, but I'm pretty much out of stunts so I'll just keep that in mind for later on if I get in.
|
|
#
?
Mar 7, 2015 06:13
|
|
|
Robodog posted:I was a bit concerned that going flowery for the skill names right away might mean nobody knows what anything actually does. So I wrote up a little thing in advance to explain them! That clears it up nicely, thank you. Robodog posted:I can see what you mean with the steal from the rich thing. I might replace that with the proficiency stunt just to make things easier. And I might steal that stunt wholesale, if that's okay. I actually really dig it. Technique is for those characters who are combat-orientated, career fighters and the like. You don't need it to take part in a fight, it just gives you an edge in kickin' rear end. I am pretty sure it's balanced out by the effective cost, but, well, I guess we'll find that out through playtesting. There will be fights going on, I wouldn't hype up the fel beasts unless there would be some, but there's more than one way to fight. Your alchemy gives you access to a lot of potential "moves" that cannot be matched by someone with the traditional sword-and-board (or whatever their particular style is). That blinding light of yours could create a very potent advantage on an opponent, which could be exploited, not just by you but by everyone else in the group. With alchemy, your benefit comes from stacking up advantages to make your opponents weaker. Blind them, bind them, poison them, stun them, the works. You don't need to stick within established chemistry too strictly, it's fiction after all, but you can get a lot of survivability in a fight simply by being able to create a lasting advantage on an opponent. Feel free to take whatever stunts I suggest, too, that's my whole reason for suggesting them. GodFish posted:Updated Royal Duty to your version, which is way better, and I took the second Astor related stunt. I really like the absorbing stress version of Guardian Knight, but I'm pretty much out of stunts so I'll just keep that in mind for later on if I get in. Well, adding another stunt to your technique proficiency only costs a Fair Prize, and you'll get one of those every time the group hits a resolution in the story, so you should be able to build up your characters fairly quickly. Plus I also might allow characters to take on self-improvement projects to work on their abilities in their downtime, depending on how thing go.
|
|
#
?
Mar 7, 2015 22:51
|
|
|
Alright! I'll go with the defensive and proficiency stunts and see how my creations work for me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2015 03:06
|
|
|
Last call on submissions! You've got until Tuesday afternoon/evening to get 'em in. Don't worry about missing stunts or traits, those can be fixed up after I've made my picks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2015 21:46
|
|
|
Lilyana Moore https://docs.google.com/document/d/179hDifPHLGcmpCLcsYqWj7FyrBASIsU_r858RwTAc34/edit?usp=sharing
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2015 03:50
|
|
|
Arzu Black In the days of Arthur's rule, the noble family of Black was a powerful force in the kingdom. Their wealth and political influence in support of Arthur's reign helped bring many into the kingdom and built up the power of Camelot. When Arthur fought Mordred, and returned as the Pale King, Lord Black kept the Black Estate strong, providing a refuge from the darkness of many of the surrounding lands. Of the thirteen scions of the Black family, the youngest was Asau. Asau was promised an estate of his own on the condition that he join the search for the Grail far away to the east. Asau returned with a new Byzantine bride Fadime, but no Grail, and Lord Black denied Asau his estate, but granted him a small home on the family land. To 'celebrate' his return and new bride, Asau held a party at his new home, with all his family and several surrounding lords in attendance. Drugged wine filled every cup, and when all were dazed, Asau drew his father's sword from its sheath, and slit the throats of every guest in attendance, save his pregnant wife. Many stories are told of that day. Some say that when Asau slit the last guest's throat, his blade turned black as night, and took Asau as one last sacrifice. Some say Fadime killed him and destroyed his body from anger and grief. All that is known is that Asau was never seen again. His sword was found, stained black, in the bloodstained mess beside Fadime. Fadime gave birth to a little girl named Arzu, the true heir of the Black family. While the girl grew up, the Black Estates fell under a deep pall. The peasants and merchants sickened and left, crops refused to grow, and wiry brambles grew over the stones of Black Manor. Word spread that the bloodline of Black was cursed. Arzu grew up alone, save for her mother's presence. Fadime told Arzu of her father's crimes, but also of her grandfather's greatness. Arzu read deeply in her family's library, especially interested in matters of politics, theology, and mysticism. Every day, she danced through the courtyard with the family sword and swore she would return honor to the name Black. When Arzu was a teenager, Fadime took ill of some wasting sickness, and then the vultures began to circle. Local minor lords seeking to claim the Black estates for themselves came, but Arzu fought back. She sold relic of her house to fund a mercenary defense, and began to put workers to use to mine her family land for stone and ore, the one resource that had not spoiled. She was not afraid to use her father's reputation in her favor either, scaring away opportunists with the threat of her Curse. Several assassins and petty thieves attempted to end Arzu's life despite the threat of the Curse. The Black Blade ended their lives swiftly and silently. The word of the young woman's prodigy swordsmanship only fuled the flames of rumors of her dark nature. Fadime died when Arzu was 19, but it only redoubled Arzu's commitment to erase her father's sin. The Black Estates were beginning to recover, but Arzu's reputation was no better. It would take some grand feat to prove her honor- something like a quest to destroy the Pale King. Arzu Black Reputation: Sins of the Father Origin: Duchess of the Black Blade Trait: I Will Restore Our Honor Trait: Royal Chivalry Skill: +4 Dance of Death +2 Twisting Words +2 Politics and Stately Affairs +2 Intimidating Presence Stunts: Fear My Name: When Arzu invokes an advantage on an opponent that she created by citing her family name, she deals one shift of Stress on that opponent. The Black Estate: Once per day of down time, when a character makes a Project check while on the Black Estate they gain a free boost. Proficiencies: Technique: Blood Dance Weapon: The Black Blade [1] Armor: Heraldic Mail [0] Stunt- Bloody End: When fighting with the Black Blade, when Arzu strikes a target with a Consequence, she deals an additional shift of stress. Refresh 4 I can adjust the backstory timeline if I haven't allowed for enough time to pass since Arthur died. I'm going to have one stunt related to Arzu's statecraft/estate, and either another combat stunt or some way to make extra use out of her intimidating family named. Haven't quite worked out the details yet, so if you have any suggestions, let me know! Mince Pieface fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Mar 19, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2015 09:05
|
|
|
Strictly speaking Asau would have come back with a Byzantine bride as that area didn't become Turkey before it was invaded and taken over by the Turks a couple hundred years later on  e: my history degree might be borderline useless but I'm going to get some use out of it, drat it. Robodog fucked around with this message at 10:06 on Mar 10, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2015 10:04
|
|
|
Robodog posted:Strictly speaking Asau would have come back with a Byzantine bride as that area didn't become Turkey before it was invaded and taken over by the Turks a couple hundred years later on  History... my old nemesis.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2015 17:15
|
|
|
All right then! It's been a long Tuesday for me, but let's take a look at what's going on here. Picks will probably be tomorrow.MadScientistWorking posted:Lilyana Moore An interesting character, although I have to say, maybe the "sheltered upbringing" thing is a little at odds with the rather bleak setting as it currently is? Regardless of the books she's read, she's still going to know that there's no sun where there should be. Then again, with the sun having been gone for as long as it has, maybe the whole concept of "sun" is just another storybook invention to her. Regardless of that, though, I kind of like the character. Possibly because I am a big ol' sucker for the power of stories and that sort of thing. Maybe you could tweak her a little bit, round out the concept. Something a little more than just "soldier in the army" for her father would be nice, I could build off that a bit. I'd also like to see what you're going to put in your songbook (or storybook, as the case may be) for your Harmony proficiency. Mince Pieface posted:Arzu Black I like this character too, although I guess I've been saying that an awful lot. Just goes to show what an inventive bunch you all are, I suppose. I like the family history tying into the Pale King's ascension and the sickness o'er the land, all that jazz. That's good. I especially like the "Black Blade" stuff, that's rather evocative, and Arthurian lore is full of various colours of knight. If you're looking for a stunt related to the ancestral holdings, I'd say something like... "When the group is within a day's journey of my estate, the group's Resources and Influence both count as being one rank higher." But it depends on exactly what you'd like, a flat wealth-and-prestige bonus might not be that thing. If you want another combat stunt that ties into the family legacy, I'd say something like "When I invoke an advantage on an opponent that I created by citing my family name, I deal one shift of Stress on that opponent." You're also missing a point of refresh, you should have four. Your first proficiency is free, you only need to exchange refresh if you're taking more than one. Also your weapon ranking should be 1, not 2 - you can't exchange a point of refresh to bump it up one, if that's what you were trying to do. Everyone starts at the same level, you'll get a chance to improve your skills during the game itself. Mince Pieface posted:
King Arthur isn't real and Lyonesse is a made-up country from some old medieval story, so I honestly don't give a hoot and neither should you.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2015 23:48
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:You're also missing a point of refresh, you should have four. Your first proficiency is free, you only need to exchange refresh if you're taking more than one. Also your weapon ranking should be 1, not 2 - you can't exchange a point of refresh to bump it up one, if that's what you were trying to do. Everyone starts at the same level, you'll get a chance to improve your skills during the game itself. Oops, this line mislead me " You have Weapon and Armor ranks, which start at 1 and 0 (pick which gets 1 and which gets 0). You can enhance either rank for 1 additional point." I'll work on my stunts and hopefully get them done in an hour or two, since I'm leaving work now. Are the Aspects/Skills ok?
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2015 01:17
|
|
|
Mince Pieface posted:Oops, this line mislead me " You have Weapon and Armor ranks, which start at 1 and 0 (pick which gets 1 and which gets 0). You can enhance either rank for 1 additional point." Ah, I see the confusion. I'll be sure to edit the wording so it's more clear. Aspects and skills seem just fine to me! Very evocative on both counts, and those aspects are certainly ripe with potential.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2015 01:52
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:
I like the combat stunt, but I'd like something a little splashier for my Estate. I was thinking something like 'Once per day of down time, when a character makes a Project check while on the Black Estate they gain a free boost." Not sure how powerful/underpowered this is though, since Projects are new to me. Alternately, something that would give me an extra benefit (boost or aspect with free invoke?) when succeeding Influence rolls (is that a thing?) near the estate. Mince Pieface fucked around with this message at 03:00 on Mar 11, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2015 02:53
|
|
|
Mince Pieface posted:'Once per day of down time, when a character makes a Project check while on the Black Estate they gain a free boost." That sounds a lot like 'let's set up a mad science lab down in the basement' to me, you should totally do it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2015 03:25
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:An interesting character, although I have to say, maybe the "sheltered upbringing" thing is a little at odds with the rather bleak setting as it currently is? Regardless of the books she's read, she's still going to know that there's no sun where there should be. Then again, with the sun having been gone for as long as it has, maybe the whole concept of "sun" is just another storybook invention to her. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rshQ-e-lU9UgibuaHc2pyhBMSuXImkR1Azw9tlmUE1o/edit?usp=sharing MadScientistWorking fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Mar 11, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2015 05:58
|
|
|
I spent today finishing my new book (out soon!) instead of making picks because I am garbage trash who prefers to do actual work than sort out my play-by-post campaign. Seriously though, sorry. I will ruminate on my decision and post it first thing in the morning. Well, after I've had breakfast.Mince Pieface posted:I like the combat stunt, but I'd like something a little splashier for my Estate. I was thinking something like 'Once per day of down time, when a character makes a Project check while on the Black Estate they gain a free boost." Not sure how powerful/underpowered this is though, since Projects are new to me. Projects are basically just fights. Fights you can go back to and hammer away at over the course of multiple scenes, but still fights. Each "attack" you make costs you a relative time period. Say your project is to brew up an antidote. Every attempt to defeat the problem costs you an hour. This means your project could take a couple of hours, or the better part of a day. Is time of the essence? It might be! So a stunt like that would basically be a home field advantage that could be used to hasten along a project by giving a bonus. Which makes sense. Researching something? Black Estate has a great library. Building something? Black Estate has the manpower and resources. So on and so forth. Influence is sometimes rolled, but not that often. It's more of an effective "importantness level", where the higher it is, the more important you are. It has its ups and downs. A high Influence rank will mean a lot of people know who you are, but also... a lot of people will know who you are. The price of fame, as they say. Influence will change how people react to you. It's what separates the dirt farmers from the dragon slayers, essentially. That's why I suggested the stunt I did, it basically means that when you're at home (or close to it) you're considered to be wealthier and more important than off out elsewhere, places where they don't know you as well. It does make me think that some sort of structured mechanic for having a base of operations that can be worked with, upgraded, etc. might not be a bad idea to work on... but that can wait for another time. MadScientistWorking posted:I used the wrong word. I was looking for more naively optimistic/quixotic which is reflected in my updated character sheet. The father is now a Knight that worked with Arthur and disappeared defending one of the few remaining cities from fel abominations. Also, I've added two of the harmony songs/stories. I know its still kind of vague but only because I know little about Arthurian legend making it hard to really fully nail down the character concept. A little too much time has passed for her father to have been one of the original knights, but he could definitely have still been a knight in the post-Pale-King world. It's been at least generation or so since Arthur. Maybe a hundred years or more. Still not sure what "Seeking the Bubble Reputation" exactly means. This might be a turn of phrase I am unfamiliar with. "Prodigy of a Knight" should be "Protégé of a Knight", I think? You might have got your terms mixed up, or I'm misunderstanding. I'm still here to answer questions, so if you have any more to ask about the setting and so on, get 'em asked.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2015 00:57
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:It's been at least generation or so since Arthur. Maybe a hundred years or more Updated my backstory slightly to account for this.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2015 03:22
|
|
|
Fuego Fish posted:A little too much time has passed for her father to have been one of the original knights, but he could definitely have still been a knight in the post-Pale-King world. It's been at least generation or so since Arthur. Maybe a hundred years or more.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2015 04:14
|
|
|
Having a bit of a tough time fulfilling obligations, and "running a play-by-post campaign" is pretty low down on the list of priorities. Sorry about that, but do bear with me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2015 01:03
|
|
|
Is there still time to make a character for this? If so, I might try to squeeze a character right before the deadline if it's feasible.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2015 06:44
|
|
|
Prowave Tierdash posted:Is there still time to make a character for this? If so, I might try to squeeze a character right before the deadline if it's feasible. I'm going to try and finish my picks sometime today, so you don't have too much time if you're going to try. Plus I'm going to be running the game with four to six characters, and there's already about twice that in submissions. You're welcome to try, though!
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2015 14:16
|
|
|
During this whole recruitment, I've seen some really interesting characters. I would like to thank each and every one of you for putting faith into my abilities as both a designer and a GM. Even if you didn't make the cut in the end, I appreciate that you took the time to read what I wrote and submit a character. That makes you cool in my book. (Buy my book.) However, I said I wanted four-to-six players, and I got more than ten potential players, which is basically twice as many as I'm willing to take. So I am sorry if you didn't make it, but seriously try GMing that many people some time. It's impossible. Here are my choices for our cast of characters, in no particular order: Morainn, played by GodFish Cullen the Stoat, played by Green Intern Léolin du Lac, played by Comrade Gorbash Johan von der Heydt, played by Daraken Arzu Black, played by Mince Pieface If anyone wishes to speak up now and say that they've changed their mind or no longer have the time for this game, let me know and I'll adjust the roster accordingly. Also, in the event that anyone has to drop out in future, I may call upon one of those not chosen to step in. Or rerecruit, maybe. Again I am super sorry not everyone got in! This was not an easy decision for me, hence why it took literally forever. But it's all done now, so let's sort out some of those missing aspects and get the group sorted.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2015 20:45
|
|
|
 I think I'm set on the traits/skills/proficiencies front. I look forward to probably getting us all in trouble for something I may or may not have done.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2015 21:47
|
|
|
I come bearing gifts for my boon companions. Morainn   Cullen the Stoat  Johan von der Heydt    Arzu Black  Some slight rewordings in a few spots to maintain the same style/tone across all of them, but the function is identical in each case. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 01:35 on Mar 17, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2015 22:42
|
|
|
Very nice Comrade Gorbash! As for traits, I'm thinking Well Traveled Scholar and Reluctant Good Samaritan. Though as the only foreigner character, maybe I should have one based on a relationship with another character?
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2015 23:04
|
|
|
Hoooooooly crap. Those look great! (There's a typo in Hidden Blades: "You gain also gain a boost." Sorry.)
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2015 23:05
|
|
|
Daraken posted:Very nice Comrade Gorbash! Green Intern posted:Hoooooooly crap. Those look great! Thanks! (What typo  )EDIT: Updated the art slightly in case any images got broken. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Mar 17, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2015 00:23
|
|
|
Awesome! Thanks for the kick-rear end graphic design, Comrade Gorbash. Many of the other characters might have had a chance at meeting Arzu, so I'm sure we could work something out if we want to. Perhaps something with Morainn, given the Black family's relationship to the Crown? I'm going to think more on this and post more later tonight probably.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2015 04:03
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 13:46 |
|
|
Those graphics look so cool, thanks! I was thinking of a Trait between Morainn and Arzu as well. Would something like Arzu's ancestry is as black as mine to represent them both trying to restore honor to their family names and a connection over that be good for Morainn's last Trait?
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2015 07:10
|
|