Talk about our character sheets, connections, etc here

In reply to Aerikan (msg # 1):

I'm trying to put a character together

In reply to jtfed (msg # 2):

I posted a doc in the shared folder "characters" in the Blank Slate on drive.  The idea I'm working with is an AI developed to oversee and sort communications, put into an android body to be able to move to different locations as needed.  He became self aware, possibly through the intervention of an extraplanar entity, and has set out into the wild to live his own life.  There, he began to channel magic through the crystals that power him.  I think his magic would be partly scrying and telepathy to represent his role in telecommunication.  I want his summon to be a dragon, which could be both mount and large-scale fighter.  Given his dragon connection, I want him to have a fascination with human fairy tales.

Love it, Greg! The dragon mythology is a nice touchstone.

I'm definitely going with the fangshi. One of my favorite tropes. It literally means something like "master of techniques/recipes" but is generally a kind of magical warrior, wuxia sowrdsman who also uses chi powers or alchemy or other things to defeat ghosts and monsters and evil spirits. A sort Crouching Tiger version of a D&D paladin. That mixed with a Yojimbo/Man with No Name kind of wandering ronin or knight errant.

Still working on backstory and personal motivations. I may resurrect a short character I had for an Exalted game who was similar and had a pretty cool backstory. She was a captain of the guard of some city that in the lore was taken over bu monsters, she was forced to wed the head monster general, and that's when she snapped and exalted, couldn't defeat him but fought herself free. Then disguised herself as a man as she traveled the world learning more about defeating ghosts and spirits, helping other women or those forced into oppression or abuse, and trying to learn the techniques to one day destroy the original monster.

That gives short term and longterm motivations, and a secret to hide, which is always nice.

So some mechanics thoughts:

Your magic.mech/alternate form should be expressed as an Aspect. Just pick an Aspect or two on your sheet and make it about that.

Any specialty or specific powers of that should be expressed as Stunts tied to the Geomancy or Geotech skill.

So like, for my character, the high concept Aspect is probably just Wandering Fangshi (I'll likely spice it up but that works), the Trouble Aspect might be On the Run or something similar.

I'd probably only use one aspect for the Geotech since it's not a huge part of the character, something like Fast Enough for You Old Man, the idea that it's kind of a junky ride but it gets them around.

Then to represent the exoricism idea, I'd probably take Geomancy at a low skill (1 or 2) but take a stunt, call it like Exorcism, that gives me a +2 to Geomancy when specifically (and only when) trying to banish things or send them back to another plane.

So Greg you might have a medium or low Geotech, a high Geomancy, a stunt for using Geomancy when related to information, and potentially two aspects for the dragon form to represent its superpowered nature.

Here's my first pass char sheet. Remember to look at the book/pdf for examples and character creation flow

Will format nicely later.

ASPECTS

High Concept: Wandering Exorcist (At Least, I'd Like to...)
Trouble:      In Hiding Twice Over
Char Aspect:  Once a Warrior
Char Aspect:  I'm 90% Sure
Tech Aspect:  Where'd That Mech Come From?

SKILLS

Great (+4): Athletics
Good (+3): Fight (or Shoot?), Will
Fair (+2): Geomancy, Physique, Deceive
Average (+1): Drive, Lore, Notice, Stealth


STUNTS

Exorcism: +2 to Geomancy rolls when trying to undo, banish, or otherwise send something back into the other realm

TBD Character Stunt

Still Running: Spend a Fate Point to remove or avoid a Consequence to the mech that has to do with wear and tear, endurance, or overextension

In reply to Aerikan (msg # 6):

Here's my work on my character.  I'm thinking I'll call him David (in honor of Ser Davos from Game of Thrones), for now.  Not part of the character sheet, but, a backstory I'd like (this makes some assumptions about the world and/or Ai-Lin, and what's acceptable for our characters/their stories:)
David grew up in an easy life to gentle parents.  He didn't make the decision to come out to Ai-Lin, but, he was old enough that he could leave if he wanted.  He decided to come with his family (forsaking material comfort for the comfort of having family around).  He was studying to become a doctor.  Soon after he got his practicing license (or whatever passes as "acknowledgement that you can professionally heal people"), he found he was up against medical cases that, while they seemed acute, would often kill his patients.  (Injuries that didn't leave someone hale enough to come back, influenza cases that took too much away from his patients, etc)  He didn't have materials, and, as Ai-Lin grew, he found he didn't have enough trained people around...

Later, he found he could greatly expand his medical capability by using magical herbs, fungi, and (bio-)drugs.  He didn't often have the same problems of the past.  He was often open about how to procure, prepare, and use the drugs, because he didn't want himself to be the bottleneck of people's health, and the procedures with these magical elements were  comparatively simple, if you could get ahold of the right ingredients.

As Mongoose Company's influence in the town grew, they quickly learned of how useful and how often critical to people's survival these herbs, fungi, and drugs were.  There was a doctor just telling everybody who wanted to hear about it, often for the price of a dinner. (David, in case that's not clear.) Initial experiments showed he was right, if occasionally off on some of the most effective ratios.

Mongoose Company soon decided that the sources of these medicines were very useful branches of monopolized trade, indeed.  Few people dealt in them.  While most of the previous traders marked it up enough to be useful, recognized that doctors often served everybody.  It wasn't long before Mongoose Company had obtained all the routes of easily verifiable and clearly legitimate sources of these drugs into Ai-Lin.  Prices shot up, practically overnight.

David tried to negotiate. But, time after time, it was "unexpected shortage", "supplies got robbed", or, the best, "we can't keep this business running at those prices.  They'd been running themselves into the ground."

He found that, if he was going to treat everyone, he was going to run himself into the ground.  And he had to eat to keep his patients alive.  So, he opted for less reputable sources.  Usually less than half the price, but, often enough, you ended up with unusable produce.

Now, he's started to get attention for finding supplies reputable sources won't provide at workable prices.  The law isn't catching up to him, yet, as there aren't laws against him doing what he does, and his practice remains strong.  But Mongoose Company is no stranger to lobbying, where it doesn't have direct control.  They're voicing their concerns about "back alley quacks" using "dangerous drugs" on their "marks". Of course he tests everything he gets before he uses any of it, but, the voices of fear are piling up.

He knows he needs to find ways of more effectively bargaining with Mongoose Company, and, he needs to finally settle down and find actual people to train before he can't practice medicine anymore.  He's been burned on that second front.  The last few people he started to train turned around and outed what he now considers secrets to the Mongoose Company.  He wants to share his knowledge, but, only if that will actually yield health benefits for Ai-Lin, and, he's pretty sure that will only work if he can find someone who can be trained and cares enough about Ai-Lin to stand up to Mongoose Company.

ASPECTS

High Concept: Doctor and educator who dabbles in smuggling
Trouble: Sometimes, following the rules means not being able to save lives.
Character Aspect: Comfortable with all sorts
Relationship Aspect: Business Target of Mongoose Company
Tech Aspect: (Still working on it)

Still working on the rest.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Tue 31 Dec 2019.

Since you mentioned law, I should note that out here in Ai-Lin, the law- what it is, and who enforces it- can get a little sketchy. Theoretically you have the Emperor and the provincial Governors, but they are hundreds of miles away; we don't hear much from them in these parts. There are the Elders and their guardsmen, who think it prudent to align (in spirit, at least) with this province's Governor. There's Mongoose, which are a sort of law unto themselves. There are places where those spheres of influence overlap (e.g. the river docks) and places where neither touches (e.g. the forested hills of the outskirts).

If Mongoose really thought you were a threat, they would take an active role in displacing you (or ensuring that you ended up dead somehow). Since you're still here and still alive, but ALSO are on their radar, either they don't want to get rid of you (e.g. because they think they can get more drug recipes out of you?) or they don't think they *can* get rid of you yet (e.g. because you have a relationship or connection to an Elder? They aren't ready to confront the Elders that directly yet).

If you have an answer to this that you prefer, that's cool; it's equally okay if you don't (your character doesn't have to know, either...). There are possibilities.

In reply to jpfed (msg # 8):

I'll think on some of that.  I don't want Mongoose to want me dead, only to be at "a little annoyed" with me.  I'm healing folk for less money than they believe they could pull in.  And I do buy from them sometimes.  I would imagine (with my character's level of knowledge) that they might find my experience useful, and believe that they might pull me into the fold, with sufficient motivation.  (My character doesn't likely believe there could be any such motivation, but, you never know what you'll face...)  My character has almost certainly gotten some kind of offers before, but he's been clear about his worry for Ai-Lin's health being his reason for refusing.  The level of force they're willing to apply may be mounting, but, for now, they've been keeping it to civilized/legal/business tactics.

I kinda don't want there to be an Elder for a relative.  I'm ok with there being an Elder who sees me as taking up a good cause, and offers me some kind of backing or acknowledgment that the Mongoose don't immediately want to squash me in light of.  I see my character as being in his fifties, so, he may be somewhere approaching Elder age, as is.

If you'd like, I can suggest tactics Mongoose may have employed/want to employ with my character, to see if they can get my cooperation.

Also, those law circumstances are great for how I envision David.  I want him to be kind of law-breaky but not so obviously breaking the law that the guard feels they have to come down on him.  Having a vague situation where he's kinda breaking the rules, but, without his help, less affluent people just die (which is why he's helping) is where I like it.  (I want my character to be propelled into some kind of change into how he does things.)  If you think that other circumstances will propel him into some kind of change, without adding the possibility of legal problems, I'm cool with that, too.

In reply to jtfed (msg # 9):

Putting character info here for consolidation purposes.

High concept:  Crippled telepath
Trouble:  Lost purpose
Character aspect:  former gladiator
Character aspect:  seeking redemption
"Mech" aspect:  Soul of a Dragon

Skills
Great (+4):  Physique
Good (+3):  Resources, Geomancy
Fair (+2):  Fight, Investigate, Will
Average (+1):  Contacts, Notice, Provoke, Rapport

Stunts
Telekinesis:  can substitute Geomancy for Shoot when small objects are available
Telepathy:  Can send one-way messages
Crystal breath:  Dragon spirit can use crystals to create a relevant breath weapon

I think I forgot to talk about Stress and Consequences, which is the equivalent of Health/HP. reference the character sheets with the boxes and this will make more sense. Also rea dmore here: https://fate-srd.com/fate-core/conflicts


If you hit someone with an Attack, however much you beat their Defense roll by is how much damage you do.

When you take damage, you mark off Stress. Stress clears out between encounters.

By default, each character has 2 Mental and 2 physical Stress boxes.

If you have the Physique or Will skills, they add one or two more boxes depending on level.

A 1 or 2 in Physique/Will gives an additional 3pt Stress box, and a 3 or 4 in the skill gives a 4 pt.

So Tam, who has 3 Will and 2 Physique, would have 1,2,3 and 4 pt Mental Stress boxes, and 1,2, and 3pt Physical Stress boxes.

So if he took 2 pts of damage, I could check off the 2pt Stress Box. If I then took 4, i could check off the 4pt box. if I then took another 4, I would have to take a Consequence.

You can't combine boxes. So if you have the default 1 and 2 pt boxes and you take 3 damage, you can NOT check off both boxes. You have to take a Consequence. A consequence reduces the damage, and then any remaining you can use Stress for.

Every character has 3 consequence slots - Mild, Moderate, and Severe, which reduce 2, 4, and 6 damage, respectively.

Unlike Stress, Consequences do NOT go away after encounters. They are temporary aspects that can ONLY be bad. The GM can tag them to get bonuses against you. They are like any other kind of aspect, but just bad.

They go away over time, with skill rolls (Lore or Empathy for physical or mental healing), and roleplaying.)

Once all stress and consequences are filled up, the character is taken out, and the GM describes what happens. generally they are not dead, but captured, saddled with more disadvantages, etc.

PS - Jerry you can decide how much stress/consequences bad guys have. Mooks might just have a stress box or two, where villains might have higher stress boxes and all three consequence slots.

Read the book, refer to the documentation, or ask me when it comes up. But do note stress boxes on character sheets!

Matt, I'm copying over some notes you had emailed and responding to them here:


I'm still planning on going with my concept of having a character who bridges the gap between magic and tech.

Jerry for plot hooks, I worked with the main tech company for a while probably with a pretty mundane though successful research career. But the more I learned to work magic with machines, the more I learned that I could work magic without them. Now I find myself caught in the middle of the growing conflict. To continue the theme I've developed, I want to have a mech that is also inhabited by a spirit from the other world.

I want to focus my skills and abilities on support stuff. For example being really good at powering up peoples crystals.

Some ideas for specifics:

Leaving Mongoose Company is hard. They don't want people to leave. But if you escaped into the woods with some savings (Mongoose pays its researchers and engineers well), you could have used that money to set up a cottage there to tinker and experiment on your own. The local woodsmen accept, or, uh, at least tolerate you.

I'm imagining your mech, *mostly* untested, hidden in a shack in the woods. It's more complex than anything you built for Mongoose, but the principles behind it are sound.

One connection you could have with the rest of the group would be knowing the same gem-runners as Justin.

In reply to jpfed (msg # 12):

Thanks Jerry I’ll get my character up soon. I was thinking I probably still work for mongoose company unless that’s a problem with plot stuff. I imagine I am aware that they are a bit of the bad guys but haven’t made any big moves against them either.
I do like the idea of my mech being a personal project though rather than some company item I have on loan. For game play I am picturing it a bit in function like an scv or probe though hopefully bigger and cooler.

Belated thanks for posting system stuff, Rick!

Matt, it's totally okay for you to still be with Mongoose.  How's this for an angle: most Mongoose engineers have been working with force and heat crystals because they are the most obviously useful.  They've been able to build powerful steam engines and weapons for export back up the river. But in a way, the engineers have been victims of their own success; engines and weapons are so profitable that they haven't bothered really exploring other possibilities.

But you've been doing a lot of experiments building control mechanisms with switches, multipliers, and nullifiers. Enough so that your body has slowly, invisibly begun incorporating them. Officially, you build steam engine governors that prevent them from blowing out. But on the side, you've made more sophisticated devices...

That experience with control mechanisms is how you came to know Greg's character: you built his prosthetics, and maybe he still comes back around every once in a while for maintenance/ tune-ups.

In reply to jpfed (msg # 14):

Yeah this is great Jerry! Works very well with how I picture my character.
Ok , here is the character so far. I reserve the right to change things but just wanted to get something on here.

ASPECTS
High Concept: Bridging between technology and magic
Trouble: Curiosity killed the Matt
Char Aspect:  Never stop learning
Char Aspect:  Helping hand
Tech Aspect:  Haunted Mech

SKILLS
Great (+4): Geotech
Good (+3): Geomancy, Drive
Fair (+2): Contacts, Craft, Resources
Average (+1):Empathy, Lore, Investigate, Will

STUNTS
Synergy: +2 when aiding another's action
So much equipment: Fate point to have a relevant tool or supply on hand
Power up: Can boost crystals effects
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Wed 22 Jan 2020.

In reply to mstemm (msg # 15):

I've made some edits that I think match better.

Name: Dà Wèi Mùshī

ASPECTS
High Concept: Doctor and educator who dabbles in smuggling
Trouble: Sometimes, you follow the rules and people die
Character Aspect: Comfortable with all sorts
Relationship Aspect: Interesting to the Mongoose Company
Tech Aspect: Advanced medicine through plants

SKILLS
Great (+4): Lore
Good (+3): Burglary, Geomancy
Fair (+2): Stealth, Empathy, Notice
Average (+1): Contacts, Will, Shoot, Deceive

STUNTS
Hometown Doctor: Can use Lore to help people heal and/or stave off death
This root should do the trick: +2 to use Geomancy to stave off death, accelerate healing, OR reduce ongoing scarring/ongoing issues
Fewer Eavesdroppers Here: Can use Burglary to contest empathy rolls from people outside the conversation
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 08:43, Wed 29 Jan 2020.

Side question for Greg: how well known do you want to be from your fighting career?

In reply to GM (msg # 17):

I think fairly well known in major city centers.  I took rapport and contacts at 1 to represent the fame, but took them at a low level since he's fallen from popularity.

Mstemm has been renamed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rJlxFgEDXw
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:34, Tue 09 June 2020.