8 posts tagged “fantasy”

Besh: An undersized but patient and enduring Red Infernal; a master jeweler and eldritch forge-tailor

Branna: A well-muscled Young Master in her forties who would have been a Ranger if not for the extent of her abilities with Earth magic.

Dane: Youngest known son of Prince Magnus; powerful air mage, focused on control of minds

DiShae: A plump male 'Young' Master Druid who's actually older than Crystalia and Rowan together.

Fred: A large python familiar, content serving some of the older Master Druids between hibernations.

Gris: A foul White Infernal, steeped in the blackest necromancy.

Lady Angelheart:  Spirit of the Angel Heart; Avatar of the Celestials; First Patron of Sir Ardrau; wellspring of healing

Lady Ironheart:  Spirit of the Iron Heart; Avatar of the Giantkin, from primitive, savage Orogs to the brilliant and physically and magically mighty Storm Giants; source of Earth Magic

Lady Oakheart: Spirit of the Oak Heart; Avatar of the pre-war united Fey, the Seelie and Unseelie; Source of Thunder and Lightning, and of Ancient Magic in general

Mammon: An Elder Red Infernal, just below the Great Five in power - a 'princeling' of the Inner World.

Rajan: An shape-shifting Infernal of great power and no small prestige.

Sir Ardrau Essrem Fieng, Young Master Knight – Sir Ardrau still is the honorable Knight, and will help anyone in need as he quests for the heart stone he lost over fifty years ago: An undead abomination of his former self; his skeleton is viewable through the rusty, pitted holes of his dark armor; forever doomed to this existence until the day he recovers the Heart Stone – the stone that was delivered into the dark hands of Lord Jaulvor; recovery of Oakheart has granted him some brief respite from his curse, but as little more than a spectre.

Young Master Catrina Maximoff, Princess of Easterlee – Druid Initiate; eldest grandchild of Prince Magnus, in line to inherit a Princeling seat of Easterlee due to certain key abstentions in her elder family; called Herald by the Fey; Air Mage with a touch of heightened speed, but whose strengths lie in mind manipulation; handles the responsibilities of her position(s) when required, but prefers to defer dealing with the implications of her heritage, knowing she's going to have to give her life over to them within two years; most interested in boys, friends, and defending her family.: White hair and grey eyes, just like her grandfather; slightly taller than average, with a slim build (again echoing her lineage); 16 years old.

Ranger Jack Flash – Ranger in good standing; trained with Senior Ranger Pietro Greatwood some years ago; takes very little seriously except for combat and protecting Young Master Catrina (per the request of her father); very much in Miss Rimeaea’s favor of late:  About 5’10” tall, with shoulder length black hair and almond shaped green eyes; almost always shirtless and never wears shoes; has recently added a slightly over-large black codpiece to his daily attire, worn over his blousy Druidic pants.

Young Master Poindexter – “Dex” – as he prefers and is called by his friends, in his normal dragon form is about the size of a large house cat.  He was originally saved by the druids after being severly injured.  He only remembers Barnabus coming to his aid, what attacked him and left him dor dead, he doesn't remember.  His psyche has locked that away, most likely to protect him from himself.  He became very adept with his hands and actually learned how to cook and nurture the land for fruits of all sorts.  He is a better chef then most.  He also developed a loyalty to the druids out of the kindness they showed him.  Thus why he is so close to Catrina.  He looks at her as an extension of Barnabus which needs protecting.  In short, while not truly a familiar, his role is familiar like.  As a humanoid, he has learned to shapshift into an elven figure.  Standing about 5'10" with an athletic build, his skin is copperish in color.  Much like a deep tan and very similar to his dragon hide color.  His eyes remain green, just as in his natural form with reddish hair.  While in human form, he is learning the art of swordsmanship to fight and defend.

Shen Wu Ji – polite and charming to her patrons, often giving the impression that they receive more favors than just the pleasure of watching her dance; equally polite to those she holds in disdain, though she salts her words with subtle barbs; most of the city knows the Druids have vouched for her, and that she is a performer from a far-off land; most do not realize how isolated she feels, in a strange land all alone, whose customs and even magic are totally alien to her; uses the facade of a "comfort woman" to hide her inner self; enjoys the company of other performers, appreciating their craft; befriended, counseled, and assisted by Pan, a diminutive local fire fey also in service of the Druids:  An exotic woman of exceptional beauty; almond shaped eyes so dark a brown as to seem black, (gem tones and pastels being typical eye colors in Greatwood and the surrounding territories); golden tone skin and straight black hair; attire varies from the mildly risqué to the outright scandalous, with no apparent regard for season or temperature, though she does favor Fire colors; moves with graceful precision, often looking like a part of the fires she uses as props when she dances.

Lord Jaulvor - Traitorous Noble from Sir Ardrau's homeland, arranged the ill-fated quest for the Angel Heart that cost Ardrau his flesh; rides a semi-skeletal flightless bird, seeks the Herald to gain control of...?

Sir Carlund - Strictly honorable undead knight in Lord Jaulvor's service, riding an undead horse.

Sir Torus - Fiery undead knight in Lord Jaulvor's service, riding a rotting land dragon; crushed by Jack and consumed by Shen Wu Ji.

Attack Formula
Attack powers should be between 8 & 12 DC, with at least one at 10 DC and no more than one NND/AVLD attack (although multiple special attacks may be allowed if they all target the same special defenses).  Characters with SPD 6 should limit themselves to 11 DC, while those with SPD 4 could begin with 13 DC.  Powers with more than -2 in Limitations may be allowed one or more additional DC that don’t count against the limit.  OCV+DC for the character's best attack should not exceed 22.  Mental attacks OECV+DC should be about three points less.
To figure effective DC for powers with Advantages, consider the following:
·    Include the DC added by STR for any HA, HKA, or other similar power.  Modify STR by any and all Advantages on the relevant base attack except for Reduced Endurance.
·    Reduced Endurance, Personal Immunity, Difficult to Dispel, Ranged, and similar abilities count as +0
·    Area Effect, Explosion, Accurate, and similar abilities count as +1/2 if they target DCV 3 and +1/4 if they target the opponent’s normal DCV, regardless of how large the area is.
·    Armor Piercing and Penetrating only count as +1/2, even if bought multiple times.  Find Weakness counts as a flat +2 DC to the attacks it modifies.
·    Variable Advantage counts at the maximum value it provides, not its total value.  Variable Advantage at +1 or higher must limit itself to ONE targeted special defense: NO EXCEPTIONS.
·    Variable Special Effects and Indirect count as +1/4, no matter how versatile.

Defense Formula
The character's best offensive (not Dodge, Block, or Disarm) DCV x3 + DEF (average of PD & ED) should total 55 or less.  ¼ Damage Reduction increases the effective defense type by one half (150%), and ½ Damage Reduction doubles it.  ¾ Damage Reduction may only be purchased if limited to one attack type (fire, non-magical weapons, etc.  i.e. anything the GM feels merits a -1 limitation or worse).  No more than half of either defense should be resistant unless the DCV/DEF total is low or the primary resistant defense is a non-persistent Force Field.  Each special defense chosen (Mental Defense, Power Defense, Lack of Weakness, etc.) in ANY amount (including Mental or Power Damage Reduction) reduces the DCV/DEF maximum by 5 points, but they otherwise do not figure into the calculation.  Hardened Defenses (at any multiple) for more than half of the total for both PD&ED counts 5 points toward the formula; Hardening only one defense or less than half of both counts as 3 points, and Hardening less than half of one defense counts as 2 points.  The amount of hardened defense counts, as the number of points hardened count one-for-one against the number of points Penetrating, and of course as normal against Armor Piercing.

Exceptions
Characters with an OCV/DC total 3 or more points below what they could have may be allowed a higher DCV/DEF total (typically +5).  Likewise, a DCV/DEF total 15 or more points lower may raise the OCV/DC cap by +1.
SPD 5 is standard.  Each point of SPD above or below 5 moves the OCV/DC maximum 1 point and the DCV/DEF maximum 5 points in the opposite direction.  (SPD 4 = OCV/DC 23 & DCV/DEF 60, SPD 7 = OCV/DC 20 & DCV/DEF 45)
Attack-only skill levels are figured into the OCV+DC formula normally.  Skill levels that may count for either offense or defense are applied as the player chooses, either all toward effective OCV, all toward effective DCV, or split between them.  Martial Art moves are considered case by case, with the best DCV bonus move that does damage (not Disarm, Block, etc.) counting toward DCV and the best OCV-DC total counting toward the offensive formula.
Characters with Invisibility bought so they may attack at full power while invisible are considered to have +3 OCV AND DCV for these formulas.  Darkness, Flash, and other similar abilities are not penalized in this way because they are performed in lieu of an attack and may inconvenience friends as much as foes.  Exceedingly “clever” combinations of sense-diminishing powers and the Personal Immunity advantage may move them into the Invisibility category.

Advancement
Every 25 earned experience increases the OCV formula by 1 and the DCV formula by 5.

Menswear tends toward tapered slacks and collared pullover shirts with short-to-medium v-necks.  Buttons and fastenings are currently considered ‘fussy’ or ‘busy’ and are only common among those overly enamored with outdated fashion.  At most, a single stay for the pants is hidden beneath a sash or vest, and long shirt sleeves are lightly tied at the wrist.  Undergarments usually consist of a sleeveless shift falling to the top of the thigh, split front and back to be folded comfortably into pants.

As far as colors go, commoners can wear whatever they see fit that is within their budget, although most will stick to the inexpensive and practical cream and brown.  Upper class folk, however, have traditional schemes that they tend to stick to.  Those with strong ties to Whitetower traditionally wear green and cream, while those whose first loyalty is to Easterlee wear the goldenrod and purple of the city’s Myrmidons.  Proud mages will dress in the colors of their Guilds; Earth in black and brown (usually accented with some metal or primary color), Fire in red and gold, Water in blue and green, and Air in white and soft silver.  Beyond those social issues, the primary styles currently in favor are separated into Civic and Mercantile, each with their own political connotations.

Civic styles are prevalent among the political, military, and civil service folk.  The Civic look is tightly tailored, with very close fitting shirts, stiff wrist bands over cuff ties, and close-fitted slacks tucked sharply into boots.  Formal occasions will add short jackets held closed at the neck with a short cord or a single hidden stay.

Mercantile styles are favored by tradesmen, crafters, financiers, and labor leaders.  The Mercantile movement advocates the loose and flowing – in strong contrast to the Civic – with blousy shirts, gemstone or plain jewelry stays for cuff ties, and single pleat slacks over low shoes.  Formal occasions will add short to medium length jackets with long tails, laced up from the bottom or closed with a fancy kilt pin or broach.

Women’s clothes in the city favor the high ‘empire’ waist, named for the style of the prehistoric Elven Empire Period that this supposedly imitates.  Day-to-day wear is usually simple, high-sash dresses over a lightly fragranced shift and bloomers (or camisole and panties for the young with a bit of money or very active).  Formalwear introduces a middle layer of (usually minimal) foundation garments to enhance the appearance of a firm, healthy figure.  Most dresses expose a healthy but modest spread of neck and shoulder, but some (young and daring) ladies go significantly lower, even deleting all but strategically placed jewelry pieces above the sash.  Bare bellies, exposed navels, and fully open backs are traditionally reserved for swimwear, and even then only for teenagers and the bravest would-be scandal-starters.

A lady in formal attire who has chosen to focus on home and husband will often wear a jacket in her husband’s style, but in a pastel version of his colors, while a woman presenting in her own right will wear a primary color jacket over her dress, adopt the male style retailored to a female figure, or affect something in between.  A man who has chosen to focus on the support of his wife’s career may also choose to sport a pastel jacket, symbolic of her role and his choice, and marking him as a noncombatant in the event of magical challenge.

Druid fashion makes no pretense of following style, and remains largely unchanged from the time of the Great Treaty of Man.  A loose, three-quarter sleeved top, falling to mid thigh is paired with either hakama (blousy pants / divided skirt) or a lavalava (simple rectangular wrap skirt) for wear by either gender.  Druids also favor going sky-clad in some circumstances, but rarely do so outside Whitetower or the forest depths.

Rangers will wear whatever the environment requires in the field, but the default field uniform is green tunic over tan shirt and close-fitting brown pants.  Ranger formalwear is a matter of personal choice, but most wear either a clean field uniform or something in ranger colors and Civic style.

Geography

Whitetower - A physical, living tower of weathered stone and white wood where the Druids live, deliberate, and teach.  It is surrounded on three sides by the Young Pine Forest, with rocky plains and the settlement of Easterlee on the fourth.

Easterlee - Generically used by the Druids for everything east of the Young Pine Forest, but more specifically the thousand year old city-state that arose to the east from a treaty between Druids and humans when the forest was first planted.  The treaty forbids clearing trees, encroaching on the forest in any way, or building anything over one hundred feet tall, so everything is built farther and farther in the lee of the eastern wall – hence, Easterlee.

Young Pine Forest - The forest at large that houses Whitetower as well as several races: including the Druids and Rangers, Treants, and some Fey.  The temple at the heart of the forest is forbidden to all but the most senior druids.

Caernovon - Capital city of the fey kingdom one hundred leagues to the east of Easterlee.

Time

The home kingdom of game play is on a ten day "week" called a Tenday.  Most folk traditionally work seven days with three days off.

Cultures

Druids of Whitetower

Technically the rulers of the kingdom of Greatwood, but they seldom appear to extend their politics outside of themselves.

Standard Language: Druidic

Use genderless terminology:

Master – Title of one who has achieved sufficient standing for voting rights in the Druidic Council.

Young Master – Title of one who has passed out of classes into general study – a druid in good standing.

Initiate – Title of one who has been accepted by the Druids as an apprentice.

Mistress – Title of one who has stepped down from a voting position; usually to recover from a grievous injury or to raise a young child without the distractions of Council and Study.

Young Mistress – Title of one who has stepped down from lesser druidic duties, for reasons similar to above, but hopes to return and seek full voting rights in the future.

Rangers of Whitetower

The protectors of the forest and active "arm" of the Druids.

They mostly call each other “Ranger So-and-So” in the field, but in private or around Whitetower there are three ranks: Senior Ranger (the Field Marshals of the Rangers), Ranger (regular officers), and Junior Ranger (trainees).  There are no ‘enlisted’ Rangers; that role would be taken by volunteers from the small forest communities.

Usually gone seven days and then rotated home for three, in groups of four to six.

No more than two trainees per senior Ranger in the field.

Easterlee

Ruled by a council of eleven Princelings; heavily influenced by the Druids through treaty and tradition.

Modest armed forces consisting mostly of Myrmidons (officers) and Men-at-Arms (footsoldiers), with conscription and volunteer forces (City Watch, etc.) available to be called up on a day’s notice.

Standard Language: Trade

Capital city - only city - of the kingdom of Greatwood.  Made up of mostly humans, easily tens of thousands in population.  Noble lines were established pre-Druid rule and are maintained for the most part, with the addition of Master Druids regarded as nobles and some (precious few) new lines for outstanding service to city and kingdom.

Types of Magic

Magic is thought of as being governed by classic elements:  Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.  While any particular magic usually falls into just one of these categories, magic users may have the ability to control more than one.  However, the greatest magicians generally have one overriding focus.

 - Earth is traditionally the magic of living things and wilderness, trees and rocks.  This is the most common elemental focus among Druids, as well as Humans and Fey, and one of the most versatile (or at least combinable) elements.  Earth and Air produces Lightning; Earth and Fire produces Metal; Earth and Water produces Wood.

 - Air is traditionally the magic of thought and apportation.  Telekinesis and most Mental powers fall into this category.  These powers are fairly rare, and sometimes take on sinister connotations, due to their ability to tamper with the will.  The Unseelie were supposedly masters of the arts of the Air, but only small pieces of their talent remain in the greatest among the Giants.  Air and Water produces Ice, but Elemental Cold is a rare variation on Air Magic.  Air and Fire supposedly produces Elemental Shadow, but only the mythical Gray Infernals are rumored to possess such abilities.

 - Water is traditionally the magic of healing and fertility, but it is also reputed to be the closest to Necromancy, as spells of poison, acid, and horrible drownings come just as easily to its masters.  The Seelie were the greatest Water mages known to Greatwood scholars, but so much of their knowledge was lost in the Elf War.  Druids – and Humans in general – favor Water just behind Earth, in overall commonality.  Water and Fire produces Thunder, but while proven, these powers are rare in the extreme.

 - Fire is traditionally the magic of both artifice and destruction.  It is the power of choice of blacksmiths and arsonists, jewelers and war mages; a passionate and dichotomous magical wellspring to draw from.  Red Infernals are the undisputed masters of Fire magic, but Humans and Giants are no strangers to its lure.

Celestials and Infernals consider their magic different from that of the rest of the world, but the rest of the world disagrees.

The most distinct subtypes of magic include Necromancy, Channeling, Summoning, and Chi / Spirit Disciplines.

 - Chi users are not considered magic users in the classical sense, no matter how fantastic their feats, because their power is entirely internalized and undetectable to classically trained mages.  Only Humans seem particularly drawn to the Spirit Disciplines, although some lesser Giants bear some Talent for it.

 - Channelers and Summoners are the opposite, having no perceptible internal component to their magic.  They may detect as weak or strong, depending on the nature of what they traffic in magically and what they are using at the time.  Celestials are the undisputed masters of both Channeling and Summoning, but no race is denied such Talent.

 - Necromancy draws on the corrupt aspects of all four elements: Dark Earth to raise and empower the dead, Dark Fire to cage and torment the soul, Dark Air to summon and command spirits, and Dark Water to poison and corrupt the living.  White Infernals are rumored to be the strongest in the necromantic arts, but none are immune to the lure of the Dark Powers.

Again, in no particular order (briefer than before, but likely to be fleshed out later):

Master Rowan - youngish Master Druid who has been very much in the thoughts of Mistress Crystal lately.

Prince Edyn - Sovereign of Caernovon; elementalist of fire, earth, and water: 7' tall; slim; dark haired; strong noble bearing; soft-spoken and patient, with an appreciation for poetry.

Mia - Novon serving girl assigned to Princess Catrina's quarters in the Ducal ring within the Noble Quarter of Caernovon.

In no particular order:

Master Druid Barnabus Boltagon - second or third ranked Druid at Whitetower (if the Druids marked such things) and organizer of the quest for the Unseelie Heartstones; Uncle to Catrina Maximoff: looks 50ish but probably older, with short honey-blond hair fading fast and slowly becoming shot with gray.

Pan - diminutive fire Fey; messenger for the Druids; connoisseur of the arts (especially fire dancing): only a few inches tall, with red and orange hair and butterfly wings; leaves behind pleasant smelling smoke when he's in a hurry.

Young Master Amelia - teaching assistant; research aide assigned to Sir Ardrau: quiet, pleasant; very disappointed in herself for not being more accepting of Sir Ardrau's "condition".

Darius Wordsmith - bard and poet; one of a handful of experts on Unseelie poetry in Easterlee (although there are many dabblers and aficionados): dark hair with an artistic touch of gray; long, lean build; dark eyes and an easy smile; good conversationalist.

Lady Grivane - fallen knight; comrade to Sir Ardrau on his last quest who died before reaching the Angel's Heart; slave to Lord Jaulvor: mummified corpse in blackened armor, typically riding a rabid worg.

Young Mistress Crystal - adopted mother of Catrina, mother of Luna, wife (estranged) of Ranger Pietro Greatwood; former elementalist instructor on family hiatus: Auburn hair; youthful, athletic figure; smoky blue eyes that turn gray or green to suit her mood or the magic she's channeling. REVISION: Young Mistress Crystal's real name is Crystalia, but she prefers the diminutive.  She took the married name of Maximoff, changing it to Lencher when her husband's lineage was revealed, and then dropped all surnames when she became estranged from her husband a few years ago.
 
Rimeaea - dancer for Romgald's Company, a group of traveling performers; Air (Ice) Elementalist; perhaps the only survivor of attacks on Greatwood Road caravans by strange creatures: about 5'4", with short, dark hair and a gymnast's build; pleasant and kind, but "allergic" to Shen Wu Ji because of their elemental sympathies.

Erik Lencher, Prince Magnus of Easterlee - Descendant of pre-Druid noble houses; one of eleven sitting "Princelings" of the Easterlee Council; Air Mage of nearly unrivaled power; Grandfather of Catrina Maximoff; Magocrat: 6' tall and solidly built, with white hair cut in noble style (pageboy); rarely walks, since flying requires an insignificant fraction of his power and perhaps less concentration on his part.

Master Brink - Elder (and elderly) Druid; seer and diviner of the first rank; toymaker and chess piece carver: stooped well below 5' tall, with little hair to speak of, and gray eyes that spend too much time focused on something other than what is before him.

Cleopatra - Cheshire Siamese; Familiar of Whitetower; "knowledge collector" and trader in secrets: dark furred, with amber eyes, and a playful-and-wicked-by-turns smile that seems to expand as she disappears; approximately Dex-sized, but a tad heavier, since she merely clings to walls and ceilings instead of flying.

Luna - soon to be Druid Initiate; 8 year old daughter of Crystal & Pietro; sister (half- and adopted) of Catrina: brown hair; dark eyes that sometimes seem wise beyond her years; plump and energetic little girl who just happens to be able to read and manipulate earth and stone.

Senior Ranger Pietro Greatwood - first Maximoff, after his adopted father, then Lencher, after his real father, Prince Magnus, changed to a generic Ranger surname after an explosive falling out with same; "Master" Ranger; Father of Catrina and Luna; estranged husband of Crystal; son of Prince Magnus, Erik Lencher: white hair and dark eyes (sort of a silver-headed Viggo Mortensen); weapons master with mystically backed combat talent - superhuman speed and skill; remote, withdrawn and temperamental; rarely seen in Whitetower of late, and never in Easterlee.