It looks like we might have lost Nikandros, and Orekles. Neither has responded to my PMs. There is a possible replacement who wanted to be kept on the waiting list. I need to contact them and fill them in on where we are.

Oof, this has taken a while now. I'm still here by the way, let's try sounding off to see who's still present.

Well, I'm still here.  disconnected from my character at this point.  Forgot what the original concept was all about, even.  But still here.

I'm still here.

Thanks everyone, for sticking around.  I created a thread to reference the characters.  I've contacted one of the previous applicants, so hopefully they'll join us soon.  Then we can finish up the aspects, and pick skills and stunts.

Creating and maintaining momentum is always the big issue in rpol games...

Welcome Saulus of Britannia to the game!

Hi everybody.  Which was why when GM did not choose me to join first time round I said if you need replacement please PM me back.

So that why I here now.  Looking forward to working with you all :)

Hello. :)

Was the concept Saulas submitted in the other thread, accepted?

His very overt interactions appears to be exception to the approach we'd discussed earlier (In Session 0 thread message 24-28.  Not so much the squirrel story, but the list of abilities:

• "has a sight that goes beyond the mundane."
• "See the spirits, as they are part of the world to.
• "He can see into the realm others cannot."
• "Able to interact with them in a way others do not understand"
• He can interact and change things within the other realms.

I'm totally okay with him having extended abilities in this vein.  But, if this concept and these abilities as presented are accepted, then I feel the need to pivot Sophia.  His direct interaction with the spirits dramatically overshadows Sophia's indirect interactions, and I'm not interested in playing that particular dynamic.

I will have to give some thought to how best to adapt her to our revised cast list.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:27, Sun 31 July 2022.

In reply to Sophia (msg # 15):

I think that's a discussion to have.  I was going to temper some of these ideas to make it in line with what we had discussed earlier.  In the description it said these abilities had loads of limits, and they weren't predictable.  I was going to use that to represent something on par your character's prophetic dreams, but they would be waking visions. It wouldn't be a window onto another world, but shadowy glimpses.

I'd like to hear from Saulas for their ideas.

I see a possibility of something along the lines of Sophia "leaving the cloister" so to speak, to become Saulas apprentice.  But she absolutely must bring something unique to the table.

Perhaps her Path of Harmony approach might inform his direct interactions with the spirits?  Perhaps his "failures" have been a direct result of not working in harmony... trying to force things to act outside of their nature, or trying to make changes without looking wide enough for all the influencing factors.   I could handle that set-up.

Truthfully, I'd forgotten about the prophetic dreams.  Thanks for the reminder.  I am seeing Sophia as a chosen of the Gods, though for what purpose, I've no clue (and she doesn't see it that way, anyway).

She's been trying all her life to get over the need for vengeance for something I haven't defined--probably the death of her parents.  And she clings to The Path of Harmony to reconcile the fact that she'll never really get the chance for that visceral closure she so desperately wants.  Hunting provides a rare moment when she is one with her environment and she can "lose herself"...

Saulas.  I would like to hear your thoughts, too...

Hiya everyone, does this skill and stunt allocation make sense.

Great (+4): Fight
Good (+3): Rapport, Drive
Fair (+2): Physique, Shoot, Resource
Average (+1): Athlete, Will, Notice, Investigate

Stunts: Keen Combat Prowess
Whenever Katerina needs to overcome obstacles with Athletes, she can switch it to Fight due to her combat Experience
Soldier's Will:
Her time at the battlefield has strengthen her mind and resolve. Any Will skill needed, she can switch it with Fight
Sixth Sense:
Whenever Katerina uses the Investigate Skill on the aftermath of a fight, she can switch it for the Fight Skill due to years of constant battle, she's seen many that she can almost picture what happened in an aftermath.

In reply to Katerina (msg # 18):

It looks good. The way I see it, your stunts are specifically tied to combat situations. For example if someone was trying to intimidate you in a fight, you would use fight to resist it, but if someone was trying to charm you, you would use will. Is that the kind of thing you were thinking?

Yep, pretty much, theirs a reason why she doesn't do well in social politics.

In reply to Sophia (msg # 17):

Hi Sophia.  If you want to be Saulas apprentice I am really cool with that.  If not a little bit surprised.
In D&D turns Saulas would be Chaotic Good.  In Gurps turns he would have the flaw curious.  He also a bit of a ladies man / charmer (if that did not come out in his Trouble: description then I may need to re-right it) but he never wishes anybody ill.  He is often employed as a healer.  He is kind but a little to restless for his own good.

So yes Saulas would take her as his apprentice.  Working together to help develop her prophetic dreams.  Working together as a team to access the realm of spirits.
In return she may see her role to rain in some of Saulas more dubious actions.

Would that work with you?  I let this be your post.  Your story.

---

Katerina.
Before I met Sophia I was thinking Saulas may have worked for your father the king.  Saulas left him taking a valuable war horse with him.  The reason would be a disagreement over a marriage agreement (misunderstanding).  If that is ok.
So if your ok with this.  Which daughter of your father ended up in Saulas arms (if you want it to be Katerina that cool).  However I do not wish to presume anything like this with someone elses character).  I also happy for you to decide if the kings daughter (possibly yourself) was Saulas lover, wife, or bride to be, was interested in Saulas but he did not notice at the time.
I only think it fair for you to decide.  If you don't like the idea then tell me.  But I thought it would be fun.  As this will be a major effect on your background I want you to have control of it.
If want this to be, it could be the reason you ended up leaving your father if really want entwine yourself with Saulas dubious past?

If your happy with this it will be my post.

---

Note to GM. I am aware this game is not A rated.  Any interacted Saulas has will be anything a 12 year old could read with no problems.  I will think and be careful with my posts.

Eh, the problem with that is Katerina is mostly into women. I can't really see her be interested in such a ladies man like yourself. A relationship like that sounds more like what the King wants more than her own decision, though that does add another layer of conflict to the estranged father relationship.

However, if that's not how you prefer (seeing as she might be hostile to you), she has two younger siblings I think. I'll let you describe them, theirs only one fact you need to know, her mother and sisters generally have a healthy relationship even if their currently separated.

Oh that could work.

Your father decides to arrange a marriage with his trusted adviser Saulas and one of his daughters.  He picks Katerina.  Thinking it would  put her in her place.  Saulas sort of went along with it trying to find a way out.  He finds out Katerina is not into him but woman (which he does not have a problem with).
And to top it all off one of your sister was into Saulas and upset he left.

Both try to find away out of the agreement but cannot.  So they both fed your father not knowing the other is doing the same.

Would that work?
How Katriane feels about Saulas is up to you.  However in their last meeting Katriane make her feeling felt and (maybe much to her suprise) Saulas told her he understood and respected her feelings.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:42, Sun 31 July 2022.

Yeah, I'm up for something like that.

In reply to Katerina (msg # 24):

Cool. This is why I wanted to talk to you first before making my post. I wanted this to fit in with the way you saw your character. I did not wish to make any assumptions and now you've explained more about Katrina I'm glad I did this.

I am thinking about the aspect of love should be free.

What do you think?

Hmm, sure, it's very much up to you on aspect naming.

Re: Saulas and Sophia

Hi Sophia.  If you want to be Saulas apprentice I am really cool with that.  If not a little bit surprised.
It's not going to be a traditional master-apprentice relationship.  (She'll never call him "master" for instance :)   I think we need to nail down the expected exchange.  I'm thinking He tries to help develop and interpret her gifts (the prophetic dreams) and she tries to help reframe his interactions with the spirits in ways that align with their flow of nature.   It's got to be a equal give & receive relationship or it won't work for me.  the "help" simply can't be one way.

She understands nature.  Not so much the urban environment, but the principles of harmony should still apply.

As to the ladies man thing... meh, whatever.  I'll play my character as she develops.  At the start of the game, however, if there's been any physical component between them, it's certainly not yet an emotional commitment.

In return she may see her role to rain in some of Saulas more dubious actions.
Let's call it that she may see her role to instruct in ways of harmony.   It's easy enough to divert a river, for example, if you make it easier for the river to go the way you want it to...  You simply can't force a river to run uphill...  (Oh, I can see all sorts of annoying sayings like that.  That could be fun).

Great (+4): Lore
Good (+3): Empathy, Investigate
Fair (+2): Notice, Will, Rapport
Average (+1): Contacts, Crafts, Resources, Stealth

Stunt: A Lifetime of Study. Chiatracles has spent his life reading, experimenting and learning. You can spend a fate point to use Lore in place of any other skill for one roll or exchange, provided you can justify having once made an academic study of the action attempted.

Stunt: Wise Councillor. Chiatracles' sagely advice can set a troubled soul at ease. Once per session you can reduce someone else’s consequence by one level of severity (severe to moderate, moderate to mild, mild to nothing at all) by succeeding on an Empathy roll with a difficulty of Fair (+2) for a mild consequence, Good (+3) for moderate, or Great (+4) for severe. You need to talk with the person you’re treating for at least half an hour in order for them to receive the benefits of this stunt, and you can’t use it on yourself. (Normally, this roll would only start the recovery process, instead of changing the consequence level.)

Stunt: See the Truth of Things. Chiatracles' insights into a situation can border on the uncanny. Once per scene you can spend a fate point (and a few minutes of observation) to make a special Investigate roll representing your potent deductive faculties. For each shift you make on this roll you discover or create an aspect, on either the scene or the target of your observations, though you may only invoke one of them for free.

Hmm, is their anything else we need to discuss?

If you are ready we can move to the third phase aspect.  It's just like the second phase except you need to pick a different character's backstory to work off of.