Faaid greets you, Agha Torstein.  He comes from the Young Realms himself, though a son of the High Men much like you.  But Faaid is not much of a do-gooder, not that he'd stand in your way.  He comes to join this expedition to sate his lust for gold and stories, and brings his own particular talents to the group.  After all, ruins are often filled with nasty things, it may become necessary to have a nasty man around.  Not that Faaid is nasty, of course!  Haha!

I have:
- Detections
- Eldritch Frost
- Eldritch Hand
- Eldritch Storm
- Eldritch Tide
- Eldritch Visions
- Eldritch Wards
- Elven Lore
- Enchantment
- Illusions
- Spell Songs


I'm unlikely to raise Eldritch Tide and Enchantment at all, and I just want the level 2 of Eldritch Hand and Detections, no more.
I'll raise Eldritch Frost, Storm and Wards at each level I think. Not sure for the other two points. Maybe Illusion or more likely Eldritch Visions if you want to have a focus on Illusions. Last point will probably be used here or there (so that means Elven Lore and Spell Songs).

Spell Songs
Elven Lore
Detections
Skirmishing Mastery
Movements of Nature

I will be getting Illusions, Mind Control, and trickery as well. But dabblers get a lot less magical choice than others.

If Faaid's the type to share stories over the fire while camped for the night, I imagine Torstein'd enjoy his company a great deal - especially Faaid's animated in his story-telling and does voices.

Oi! stories are my bit. Don't make me cut a #*$&%!

Ahvylyn is a "bard" type. Hah. Emphasis on story-telling and singing. Other than that, she's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades type. I plan to focus in roguery a bit and spell lores though. Well, as much as a dabbler can focus in anything.

Well, my friend, Faaid does love telling stories!  And campfires are the best place to wax poetic.  But he does not have too much knowledge of the stories of old, no.  What is the point in retelling those, when the present is so much more intimate?  Do not worry, fair Brightsong, I would not dare step on your dainty elven toes.  Sing to your heart's content.

Any time is fine. Torstein likes stories that have happy endings the best.

Haha. Ahvylyn doesn't have a favorite type of story, just the story itself. Any story from anywhere about anything.

If Faaid knows stories she does not, be prepared to be pestered.

So we're looking at a Warrior, Rogue, Dabbler, Wizard, and then whatever Corwyn decides to play?  Sounds well rounded so far.

So, I have a question about Specialty Skills.  With regards to Ranks, Warriors and Rogues are allowed to buy them at a 1:2 ratio (one point for two ranks) as opposed to other careers that use the 2:1 (two points for one rank) ratio.  But we're also only allowed to buy two ranks per level.  Am I correct in interpreting this as only being allowed to spend one point per level, as it gives us the two ranks?  Or is it saying that we can spend two points, which would end up with four ranks?

I know what's up with Faaid, Aleesia, and Torstein for starting point: they're with Atrocles. Please let me know when you're ready, Ahvylyn and Corwyn, if your characters are on board with that as well or if they've got their own reason to be in the area.



I think the correct interpretation is being allowed to spend on point per level since it gives two ranks. Two ranks per level is the limiter, not the amount of DPs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:30, Wed 15 Sept 2021.

Got it.  That makes sense.  Gives us the ability to spread our talents wide, while other careers build tall into their magicks.  I grabbed a few, myself.

All right, all I have left for Faaid is gear: specifically, the third choice from his Culture.  Those final options from Desert aren't all that inspiring.  Dried Food and Waterskin, Camel or Horse, or Tent and Bedroll.  Is it winter when the game is starting?  Cause that would make my choice a lot easier.

The season in-game will be early spring. Easier to dig in the ground when it's not frozen.

Blah-bitty-blah, I get home after work and I destress with some videos and I forget to turn my notes into a character sheet for this game. It's all spelled out on a notepad, but I just need to translate it all.

Sorry, GM.

Gah, making this character reminded me of playing anything made by Palladium. I mean, the 80s RPG style influence is heavy. Way more Chaosium and Palladium and Runequest than AD&D to me. I especially love the solve to the old D&D HP problem here. And the advancement system is crunchy yet flexible. I like it. The way stats are done is intriguing. That's why I am leery of the best of twelve system. It will really skew skills. We'll effectively all be a few levels higher than our actual level.

Blaha, if they ever put out a Palladium Fantasy 3e, I'd be game. If they have and I am unaware, then I need to track it down. 2e was nice, loved the flavor, but it had serious gaps in the design as I recall.

It's all good. No rush.

I actually agree with this.  Part of the game is not being good at certain things, such as Warriors and Lore, and Wizards/Animists at Combat.  With the Best of Twelve, we basically cancel out what we're bad at, and double down on what we're good at.  Even the Best of Six is a powerful system, though a lot more swingy.

That being said, I do enjoy looking at Faaid's sheet and seeing him look like a badass who won't outshine any other character in their respective roles.

Fair enough. If you weren't done with sheets I'd reverse myself, but since you've put in the work I'd rather just stay the course and see it through.

I mean, if you were going to do something now would be the time.  But I also wouldn't look forward to changing all those numbers.

Yeah, I don't want to make the majority of you go back and change things. Just enjoy being fake high level and getting to skip the obligatory basements full of rats. ;)

You know, I've been thinking about it.  For every Hobbit (who clearly used the 50pt point-buy), there was an Aragorn or Legolas or DORF or Boromir.  They definitely used variations of the random stats.  Powerful allies tagging along with struggling protagonists is definitely a trope.

I guess what I'm saying is no worries.

If it makes anyone feel better, Torstein's only got a 5 Wits score.

Really, as long as we have one character who can slay all the foes, and one character who can pitch a tent like a champ, we'll be sitting pretty.  Everything else is bonus.

Will be completing my character over the weekend, as I'll need time to flip through the book and my sheet.

And I am all for the 12 point buy, nothing wrong with starting out competent and well rounded. The 50pt, for some vocations at least, is far too stingy IMO; the way level ups and DPs work (the 2:1 is very expensive) and the bonuses to vocational skills you will only be able to specialize what your vocation is good at; the alternative is too expensive and doesn't yield much result.

I like the game but I really wish they had been more free with DPs for non-vocational skills to allow for more rounded characters (a mage who is good at wandering and the outdoors for example; Gandalf traveled all over middle-earth!

OOO, I disagree on so many points here. But that's fine. The only one that matters is that I don't often play RPGs to roll up the heroic figure. To use the analogy above, I am here to play hobbits not Aragorn or even Boromir. I love the feel of first level characters barely capable of fighting off goblins while not crapping their pants. I mean, Gandalf was a nearly unique, semi-divine being. Bilbo was a fat hobbit who liked comfort.

I'll be about finally translating my notes into a character here.

I'm pretty happy with the build of the character I've ended up with. There's obvious holes in what he can do and I'm not really sure he'll be all that good at fighting, but I'm thinking that we can complement each other.

That's really the thing I like the most out of these kinds of RPGs: the team aspect where the characters count on each other to succeed at different challenges.