Scions of Magic (Inactive)

Game Master Viscount K

The lich Tetrigus seeks to bring an end to all magic not under his control. It is up to a few young adventurers to stop him, with the power of the world's last sorcery at their command.


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Yeah, sorry about that. I got a little carried away as I was describing the inspirations he got for different aspects of his weapon. Given more time I could probably shorten it and make it a better read but I wanted to get as much as I could of his backcround out before the cut tomorrow. It's not my worst work, but it could defiently use some tweaking. It'll be the first thing I do if I get in to the game tomorrow.


Had a think and im going to drop out, Just do not have the time now sorry. Have fun all


This looks pretty neat, wish I'd stumbled onto it sooner! I'm interested in maybe making a Ninja, and there's some material from a Super Genius Games book I'd like to use. If I supply you with the PDF would you mind looking it over?


Rokku wrote:
If I supply you with the PDF would you mind looking it over?

Board mods frown on offering to distribute copyright material. I think most of SGG's stuff is on d20pfsrd.com anyway.


Well, I was interested in seeing what I could do with 2 point buy, but due to family concerns, and a recent change in scheduling, I have to be out. Have fun all.


I'm keeping it to official Paizo material for this, Rokku, sorry. If you can get it done by the end of the day, I'd be glad to see whatever you can come up with inside those restrictions, though.


I have Arthur done mechanically, but you haven't told me if his story is good enough to warrant a gunslinger yet. XD I understand if not. It is very rushed.


Okay, folks, that's the end of recruitment, and I've got some tough choices to make for cuts. If you aren't on here, sorry for the time you put in, and let me know if you'd like me to keep you in mind in case of dropouts or different story segments later on.

Who's still in the running:
Caderyn of Logyr, aspiring paladin of a silent god.
Arthur Grayson, who dreams of flight on wings of steel and fire.
Baxter 'Basher' Ames, a strong hand clenching a checkered past.
Asa bint Aangul, whose family holds secrets even from themselves.
Ardeth Bay, follower of a path he does not yet understand.

But we're not quite done yet. I've got to cut one or two of the remaining folks, but I thought I would give you a little time to refine or add to what you've got - mostly in the hope that you'll make my choice a little easier. I really like how all of you folks fit into the world that's living in my head, and that's why you're on the list right now.

Oh, and Caderyn, I went and changed the spelling of your homeland. Hope that works for you.


Very interesting... and awesome, of course. I took back my barbarian character, apologize for posting so much, and now set off to refine my characters story.

In the mean while, would you like his mechanics up? I have a Mythweavers sheet for it that I can link.


Hm. That'll work, sure, but if you can get the alias functions working on these forums, that'd be ideal - and pretty necessary, for the finished product. Oh, and yes, I would like to get the mechanics, one way or another.


I believe this is what you mean, yes? I suppose there's a way to add the mechanics of the character to it as well but until I figure it out, here is the Mythweavers sheet I have used.

Arthur Grayson

I do have a few questions for what feats you will and won't allow for him, but I'll wait until I see if I make the last cut before pestering you. And they really aren't pertinent until the next level at the earliest.

If you have any questions, however, feel free to ask!


I'm honestly too swamped gaming wise at the moment to make any changes to Ardeth. I'll stick with what I've got.

Silver Crusade

Good gaming to all in the cut!

@Viscount - thanks for the consideration!


Unfortunately it appears I must sleep. I don't mean in general, though considering all the wasted hours I suppose that is slightly unfortunate, but at this moment. You can tell by my rambling that I'm not just saying this either. So, I shall get to sleep and will post my revision to Arthur's back story when I awaken and have had time to look over it later today.

While I sleep, if you get the chance and have the time, would you mind telling me of any specific points you'd want clarified, shortened, lengthened or given more detail? I touched on the points I had problems with, but I don't mind at all if you had any comments. If not, it shall be up once I awaken! Or soon after.


Sorry, guess I missed it - what were the points you had trouble with, again?


Very glad to have made a first call-back. Is there any specific blank I can fill in? Should I work on mechanical polish and equipment list? Work with other applicants to build threads between us? (Kind of miss the ninja Miss Bay, had hoped to be making her a black scarf. :) )


I had problems with the flow of Arthur's background. Or rather the lack of one. It was very bulky and didn't do a very good job of explaining why, just what. For instance, it explains what he did with the experiments, but not why or what he attempted to create. Now it's clear that he intended, originally, to do something different but found it inefficient (to say the least). So I fixed that. I also integrated what I found from Baxter of the Northerners culture and lands into his inspiration to use plants to aid his workings.

If anyone wants to try and write a thread or two involving Arthur I wouldn't mind. He's usually distant though, often mumbling to himself or writing in a journal. Which I need to add to his CS...

As for my character sheet, it has been updated. I had two skill points missing and none of his gunslinger deeds listed. That has been corrected.


Here it is. The revised background. Unfortunately, I got ahead of myself and my attempts to shorten the story while trying to add depth failed. It's a page longer by my estimation. Hopefully it's a good read though.

Spoiler:
Arthurs parents were, much like Arthur would be one day, followed by rumors from other residents of Danel. There comings and goings to and from the city, often leaving nearly empty handed and returning with books, scrolls or odd devices of ancient origin raised many questions. But none of them raised as many as the day they returned not with their findings but with a child. For the first few years, his parents remained at home to raise Arthur, giving him their time and their love. They were good people and from them had born a very intelligent child. He had learned to read and speak by the age of four. By the age of six, he was reading as if he were ten. By the age of eight, he read nearly as well as his parents, though could only understand three languages. The parents of this gifted boy were proud of Arthur and loved him dearly, but the road called to them and their purpose, which the rumor mongers would have you believe was to summon a demon and which Arthur guessed was the preservation of history, called with the road. By the age of nine, they left Arthur in the care of their only friend within the city, Durn, with instructions for almost every event that might happen. They had even left instructions for what would happen if they did not return within a year.

Arthur was already comfortable around Durn, though this was because he had met the smith before hand. Arthur, being every the curious child, had often gone to Durn's smithy down the road and asked questions of the older man. Most smith's might have turned him away so they could focus on their work, but Durn remembered being a boy at that age, always full of questions, and did the best he could to answer when he could. Arthur, for his part, did not pester the smith when he said he was too busy, understanding and respecting the adult who was so patient with him. So Durn often check on Arthur, who spent much of his time reading. His parents had left him a list of things to study but he had finished the list within the first week and now searched on his own for whatever his mind wanted. More often then not, he was drawn to books about engineering. Though they were few and far in between, much of the text focusing on the ancient world and it's rituals of old, Arthur learned quickly how to find and locate the books where technology was the topic.

One such text was a journal of an old painter, one who had seemed to have a brilliant mind for many other things too. And within this text Arthur found what would, to this day, be an inspiration for his work. A picture of a flying machine made not with the magic of old but through sheer engineering prowess. Arthur marveled at the designs within the book, all of them, but this one especially touched his youthful heart. To reach the skies...

Unfortunately, four months into his solitude, the date for Arthur's parents to return came and went without any sign of them. The youth was, at first, not worried, merely believing them late. But as the days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, Arthur's fears grew. His studying came to a stop as the young boy, who loved his parents dearly, spent more and more of his waking hours hoping for them to return. Perhaps six months in, Arthur could more often then not be found sitting atop the wall around Danel looking toward the north where his parents had gone, waiting for their figures to show up on the horizon. Durn, unwilling to let the boy suffer alone, enacted the plans Arthur's parents had left behind early. During the seventh month of their absence, Durn asked the boy to move in with him.

Arthur did so reluctantly at first, but the affect that a caring adult had in his life was quick to show itself. He became more animate now, speaking to Durn the way he once had to his parents, confiding in this simple smith his fears and reams. And Durn did his best to protect the boy from the truth. It was a year to the day that Arthur surprised the smith for the first, though certainly not the last, time. He wandered down from his room into the smithy attached to Durns home and asked the older gentleman if he believed his parents would return. Durn, who believed honesty was very important, was forced to answer the truth. “No boy... I don't think they will...”

Arthur nodded and looked away, and Durn could see that the boys face was streaked with tears. “Do you think something happened to them? Bandits, perhaps?”

“I knew your parents well boy... it would take more then just a few bandits to keep them from you.”

Arthur looked to Durn, whose face was solemn in the light of them embers of his forge, and asked, “Do you think... that if they had a better way to protect themselves they would still be here?”

Durn shrugged his shoulders and replied, “In this day and age, nothing is certain. But I reckon a better means of defense would make anyone safer.”

Arthur nodded, as if he had expected this answer, and said, “Then I'll make one.”

It was from a small mining town that his first inspiration for this means of defense came. The town had discovered, quite by accident, black powder and were using it to great effect to create more and more tunnels. Unfortunately the mining tunnels, the town and about half the mountain disappeared when they used it one too many times. The process they used to refine the black powder was not named in the journal Arthur had, one written by one of the miners. It wasn't his job, after all. But by luck or province, it had been his job to collect the mineral it originated from. A near perfect description of the mineral, how to locate it, and how to harvest it was provided. While he would have to learn himself how to create the powder from it, he had a start in his idea. Explosives such as that would be useful at a distance and, if formed properly, could be lobed across said distance. Few bandits or wild animals would be willing or able to stand against such a force

At the age of eleven, he asked Durn, the man who had become a surrogate Father to him, to make the request for the mineral with detailed instructions on how to find and gather it. Durn, his legal guardian, had been given control over many things from Arthur's parents when he took Arthur in. The house, the library, and a surprisingly large amount of gold. Durn, however, was smart enough to realize he had also been given a responsibility to raise Arthur properly. So he did what his parents had done whenever he had wanted something in his youth, he made Arthur work for it. Though Arthur's gold could probably pay for orders a thousand times over, Durn wanted to instill in Arthur a sense of responsibility and the value of a coin. As such, Arthur only got as much mineral as he had earned helping out in Durns smithy. In the earlier days this meant little but Arthur did not object, wishing to make his guardian proud.

With the small amounts of the mineral that he began to gather Arthur did extensive tests and, also with the aid of Durn, tried hundreds off different ways to refine and mix the powder. The tests often involved fire and, after the second one that had cost Arthur half an eyebrow, Durn insisted he find a place outside to continue testing. Arthur could not test in the streets or the alley ways for fear of causing a disturbance, so his testing, in the end, fell outside the city walls. Eventually, after a few minor burns and some discarded sheets of metal, Arthur deduced that his refinement process was not good enough, and the powder needed a great deal more heat a great deal quicker to ignite.

So again he delved into the books his family had and the library of Danel, hoping to find a way to fix his issue. Though he did not find any way to fix the refining process, it appeared that no one save that mining town had ever tried after the accident out of fear, he did find something else. From the north, from one of the crafting tribes as his parents had detailed it, there was a manner of plant that grew about fissures that, when used properly, created a powerful flame. It seemed that this plant was used to start and sustain fires that would be hard to put out in the freezing cold of the north. Arthur only wondered for a short while how his parents had gotten such information, since he immediately began looking for plants with similar attributes through his texts. When he was confident enough to go out looking Arthur only spent a few weeks in search of what he needed. He found the plant that would aid him in abundance, but quickly learned through testing that it was no where near as potent as the Northerners recipe. Arthur guessed that the fissures that helped create the micro-ecosystems might create, in such a wild place, plants far stronger then the common kind he had found. It would stand to reason that the properties that allowed it to survive in such a harsh place, even with the aid of the fissure, would quickly overcome the weakest and bread true the strongest.

So it was again that Arthur delved into his parents text until, at the very bottom of the pile, he found a signal scroll from far off to the east. It depicted glass containers of odd shapes over flame and leaves being mixed into it some how. It's language was archaic, beyond even Arthur's understanding, but more searching turned up a journal of his fathers with the translation. It was a process to extract key oils from plants, or from other liquid things, by evaporating the oil in one beaker, letting it flow to a higher beaker in the chain, and then letting it cool in the higher beaker until it was again a liquid. Arthur, delighted, set about creating a set of such beakers. It only took him a month of crafting and two more house fires before he was able to make the process work well enough for his needs. Using the knowledge of plants from the north and the skill of refinement from the east, Arthur distilled a vial of oil pure enough to create the heat he needed, perhaps ten times more effective then what was used to light torches in Danel.

Experimenting was extensive now and his walks outside the city were usually followed buy loud thunder peeling across the city. Rumors abound of what he was doing began, the most prolific of them saying that he had found a way to tap into the 'magic' of old. When asked by the more brave, or nosy, of the rumor starters Arthur would laugh and say this. “The magic of old is a dead religion. Nothing more. What I do now is not magic. It is the future!” Often these brave souls who managed to catch Arthur between his walks back and forth between the outer wall and his home spoke little of their encounter with the young, but rapidly growing, man. If pressed themselves, they would simply call the child touched. The look in their eyes made them seem shaken by the experience. It wasn't Arthur's personality that did this either, for years of focusing inward in his mind made him distant and socialization had become difficult for him. It was the belief they saw in his eyes. The certainty that he had discovered a way to uplift man kind. Such a young child with such grand thoughts scared the older, more conservative lot who came to speak to him merely for a good story to tell their friends over a fire. And instead they were left with questions, so many questions.

Arthur's experiments would, unfortunately, come to a grinding halt around his thirteenth year. This was when he finally managed to work everything out. The kinks in his explosives were many, and between the refining process for the powder itself and the weakness of the oil, Arthur would have to spend more gold then he had over the last two years, nay more gold then his parents had left him, to gather enough of the mineral to make only a few hundred explosives. Effective at first, but stock would quickly dwindle in a crisis and Arthur needed to create something the city would see as a viable way to defend themselves.

Despairing that all of his work had been for naught, Arthur went almost half heatedly into the lessons his guardian, Durn, had insisted he have with him. Durn, knowing that in three short years Arthur would be called upon to learn how to defend the city, wished to instill in his youth the basics of martial combat. He was a smith, of course, no where near an expert in anything. But to be able to forge the weapons properly Durn had always held to the belief that he needed to know how they worked. So he practiced, constantly, preserving the skills that had been taught to him in his youth by the descendants of the founder.

So Arthur went into these lessons and began to learn the ways of the sword, the dagger and other melee weapons. He picked up quickly on the basics, but did not seem to have any real potential when it came to close quarters fighting. However, he seemed to have a knack for ranged combat. He quickly picked up on how to use a bow and a crossbow, seeming to favor the latter. The practice took a lot of Arthur's time and energy, so more often then not he would stop working at the Smithy, a physically taxing job on it's own, and practice with Durn on how to use weapons. When they finally returned home, Arthur had not the energy to contemplate his experiments. It was oddly liberating for the young man, who had spent day and night thinking on how to improve it. And it proved, in the end, just what he needed. Now, more physically fit then he had ever been, with about two months of mindless and somewhat relaxing physical labor, Arthur returned to his work. Almost immediately he came upon his solution, something he would have never thought of if it were not for Durn.

He began drawing, designing and then constructing his first prototype almost immediately. His inspiration? The bow. It was so deadly because it focused such great power behind a single point. The crossbow even more so for some, allowing a great deal of force to be added through engineering. So he decided to find out how much force one of his explosions, measured right, could create. At first he tried something more open, like a crossbow, but quickly discovered that too much of the force was directed upward and toward the wielders face. It cost him a small scar on his chin, but thankfully he had been practicing with hardly a fraction of the estimated oil treated black powder that would be necessary to make this work. Thankfully he quickly learned and, quite soon, he had a working prototype. He immediately decided to use something much stronger then an arrow, which were made of wood, and deduced that fletching wouldn't survive the force, so he had to create a long muzzle to help aim the projectile of his choice. A small metal ball. His first live test, though it cost him his first prototype, punched it's way through several inches of a tree.

Over the years, Arthur has tweaked both his designs and his formula’s. He has discovered ways to streamline the loading process, the lighting process, and even the building. He has refined his black powder and the oil he treats it with and has, almost to a single speck, measured what he needs to fire his weapon. It is still a work in progress. It has, by his estimation, a 20% chance to not fire at all. But when it does, when used close enough, it does so with enough force to punch through armor, making even the most heavily armored man vulnerable. He has improved it's range, it's accuracy and it's durability. And now, at the age of sixteen, despite the rumors abound that have followed him since his youth, despite the loss of his parents and having to completely scrap his original idea; Arthur is ready to face the world. And now, at the age where all youth must go to learn beneath the descendant of the found, Arthur brings his weapon in the hopes of proving his worth. And in his breast pocket, just over his heart, lies his first inspiration. The flying machine that he often dreamed of building in his youth. A symbol, perhaps, that technology would be what uplifted mankind from this desperate lot in life they now had. Or perhaps, a goal of the young inventors.


Arthur might not have time to prep meals bettween botches, might he be a regular at Bin Ali's Taverna Wahsis, scribbling in his journal about what had just gone wrong?


That works quite well! I'll bet that, more often then not, he'll either be covered from soot from the forge or from his failed experiments, so he may never make a very good impression. However, given how often he experiments he's probably almost a daily customer, usually coming in for one very large meal that probably makes up for all the meals he missed that day.

Also, you have a very interesting character idea! Wish I could write so neatly. Just to get my point across I have to be prolific with my word use. XD

Anyone whose purchased or had a weapon fixed can say they've been to Durn's shop and seen Arthur working as well. If anyone spends any amount of time listening to rumors, they're also likely to hear, at least rarely, of the crazy young man who can make thunder.


If you come to the Taverna Wahsis in a soiled state, you will be greeted, seated, and left with a tray of steamed lemoned towels, a bowl of hot water, a tankard of cold water, and time. When the tankard is empty, or the towels have been unrolled, you will be approached and food discussed. After a second or third 'singlemeal' event, fruit is given to you as you leave. You're a clever person, you're sure they are speaking of you, Asa and Mahmed; the say your name 'Atha', Mahmed says it more 'Ata', but you've heard Asa correct him, saying careully, 'Arr Thorr', which is how Mahmed says your name, when speaking it to you. Between them, in their rapid alien speech, though, you're 'Atha'.


If I may ask, what language are they speaking? Is it complicated enough that Arthur might not be able to pick up a word or two from the context?

He was raised by scholars and has been taught or taught himself four languages, so he might be able to get more then just his name being mentioned. That said, if it's too complicated, their careful with it or you just don't want Arthur to know then I certainly don't mind saying that he just doesn't pay attention enough or something.


I'm sure you're clever enough and have enough library to know it if you want to. I thought you'd be nose-in-the-book, though. If not (or if eventually less so), they could work at languages together. But let's suppose at first he's getting what they're saying '13th Warrior' style...

"Asa, warm towels! It is Ata, and two books, today..."

"Asa, send Ata with fruit." "I have the fruit, when he goes."

"Asa, towels! And Ata is small cut face, bandages!"

:)

I'm guessing we'll work languages, I've put a point of her 2nd-level skills into Linguistics, therefore. (And Climb, Swim, and Ride, which seemed militia-y.) If there's something she can explain your character learning, feel free. For instance, Arthur might be Asa's entree' into a rank of Disable Device, eventually.

I guess we should name the language... 'Aliin'?


Actually, surprisingly, Gunslingers don't get disable device. But he could probably teach her the basics of engineering, leading to her eventual understanding of disabling devices on her own?

And he probably is a nose in the book type most of the time, but sometimes he's curious enough to work on other puzzles like a new language. After all, thinking of only one puzzle brings about redundant and stagnant thinking. Giving it some space and coming back to it later usually helps.

Having them work on languages in the future will be interesting! I imagine there's a lot of now dead civilizations and such. I should probably give him a point in linguistics as well. XD


Asa - primarily, I was hoping folks could bring up anything they thought was lacking. Also, forging links between one another as you mentioned (and you and Arthur are doing) is always good. Oh, and don't worry too much about mechanical polish at this point, we'll get that sorted when the final cast list is decided. Anything you'd care to get out of the way now is great, but I'm not really looking too hard at it yet.

For your reference, Arthur: Gunpowder Facts and History. That, of course, is how it's done traditionally. I look forward to seeing Arthur get creative. I rather expect you to have an interesting time getting your regular ingredients once you're out of safety zones. Should be fun. In exchange for this extra piece of making your life difficult (and it will be an issue, I can promise), I grant you Disable Device as a class skill. Enjoy.


I see! And Arthur's current idea is him getting creative. But I suspect he'll be more so rather soon. And yes, I'm sure you'll make an interesting time out of his gathering. But not to worry, that's half the fun! The other half, of course, being successful.

As for how it's done traditionally, Arthur is going through a very round about way of doing it because he doesn't know the traditional method. He has one of three pieces from a miners journal. The other piece he's using doesn't quite make up for the two original ones. I left it ambiguous as to whether that was the reason his gun fails 20% of the time. (4 misfire instead of just 2. Double the trouble!) I was hoping to have that be one of the issue's he'd after to overcome, among other things.


Actually, now that it occurs to me, I have a few questions for you, Asa.

The fighting style your family practices - is it a strictly family tradition, or is there a culture you're descended from that once practiced it? Also, how closely kept a secret is it from the rest of the world? I caught that she was cautious about revealing it to people, but do they believe they're the only ones who know it? I suppose I'd pretty much like to know more about what's going on there in general. Part of my motivation for this is figuring out who can be reasonably expected to speak your language.


Will respond to recent questions very soon. But had started this last night, and it's ready now, and hint at fuller answers later, so...

She'll need Linguistics anyway, she's got to use it to get deep enough into her legacy to learn Read Magic, whenever that plotline is opened.

Oh, another bit about the Taverna Wassis, or I suppose about Asa, really. The girl can dance. It's got to be a regular night for it, or arranged beforehand with her father, or very rarely will just happen, when all the guests are served, and she can stop waiting tables and working the kitchen, and he can stop tending bar and get out his drums.

The dances are not common to the local area. They are also not unique to Asa's family, although of course some details are. A knowledgeable scholar of dances could point out how the head and body scarves, and much of the step, are more an Aliish style, while the motion in the arms and hips and torso, and the progressive unfolding of the scarves as streamers, and the loosing of the hair to similar effect, is more of a Caravan-folk style. Some might recognise a Dervish-like ecstatic intensity at times, a degree of abandon not otherwise a part of Asa's reserved and proper public persona.

Mechanically, Asa can take 10 for 17, which is 'enjoyable'. On days when she has not done otherwise, she can use her Inner Beauty Trait and take 10 for 21, which is a 'great performance'. If she takes time to prepare and use her Masterwork tools for Perform:Dance, and if Mahmed succeeds at Aid Another, she can take 10 for 25, a 'memorable' performance.

On such nights, one or both of them might be seen with a tear in their eye. Any long-term patron might be heard to comment on how like her mother she dances.

On a rare and inspired night, Mahmed will fail at his drumming, and denied the safely 'memorable' performance, Asa will roll for it. This could be a 14(on a 1), or a 33, which is as high as the chart in the rules goes.

Oh yeah, the girl can dance.


Alrighty, I think it's time to set another time limit on this bad boy. Say, Monday night? We'll keep going with character refinement as long as necessary, of course, but I think I'd like to not waste any more time for whoever I can't pick.

Quick roll call, folks, let me know you're still paying attention and that Monday night (PST) works for a cutoff time. If you're gonna be busy or out of town or something and need a little extra time for that last little flair, just say the word.

If I haven't heard something from you by then, I'll have to assume you've lost track of this game, and we'll say our goodbyes. At least that's easier than having to cut somebody, anyway.


As a note on Asa's dancing skills - exceptional skill checks will get exceptional results. I hate it when I do something amazing and the GM lets it go with "great, you pass" and we move on. So the heck with that, if you kick ass, the world will acknowledge your awesomeness.

That's not to say that if you get a 35 on a dance check, all your enemies will die from exposure to pure style - but you'll get reasonable rewards.


Viscount K wrote:

Actually, now that it occurs to me, I have a few questions for you, Asa.

The fighting style your family practices - is it a strictly family tradition, or is there a culture you're descended from that once practiced it? Also, how closely kept a secret is it from the rest of the world? I caught that she was cautious about revealing it to people, but do they believe they're the only ones who know it? I suppose I'd pretty much like to know more about what's going on there in general. Part of my motivation for this is figuring out who can be reasonably expected to speak your language.

Wall of text, for GM, but any welcome:

Viscount K wrote:

Actually, now that it occurs to me, I have a few questions for you, Asa.

The fighting style your family practices - is it a strictly family tradition, or is there a culture you're descended from that once practiced it? Also, how closely kept a secret is it from the rest of the world? I caught that she was cautious about revealing it to people, but do they believe they're the only ones who know it? I suppose I'd pretty much like to know more about what's going on there in general. Part of my motivation for this is figuring out who can be reasonably expected to speak your language.

The fighting style is a combination of "Beloved Mercenary Arab Husband" and "Grandmother Sacred Shield" with "Caravan Serpent Hidden Fang" and "Dancing Unseen Grasp". It's no style at all, in anyone's usual sense of the word.

The shield is just a round shield style, Asa's training has been with wickerwork shields, very light and mostly useless, until filled with Intent. They are in fact used as a sort of basket/tray while serving in the Taverna. The style was developed by her mother, after her grandmother made The Shield, in anticipation of using the shield in battle. Mahmed taught Aangul the shield proficiency, and she worked it into something danceable, to better use it with magicks, when the magicks returned. So the 'Dancing Shield' style might well be unique to the family, unless it was also developed elsewhere, certainly possible.

The kapenia is a a classic garment of the arab-like Alii and other cultures as well. The degree and manner of decoration of course varies, perhaps reaching its zenith for gaudiness, if not for art, among the Caravan Folk, who I'm using to stand in for the Varisian Gypsies, as a source for the 'Varisian Bladed Scarf' and other similar types.

Asa wears simple scarves, decorated very subtly if at all, with the exception of those intended for dancing, which are obviously at least inspired by the Caravan styles. Some of these are 'Bladed Scarf' weapons, some of these (and one or two of the plainer ones) are 'pocketed scarf' types, which might be loaded with weight to serve as makeshift weapons. None of that should surprise any Caravan Folk, except possibly that an Aliin girl is using such. And of course, with Intent, the manner of the weapon changes dramatically.

What they are cautious about revealing is that Gran and Mom were Gypsy, witches if perhaps not 'Witch'-class, and that they carefully stealthed their magics and lore. Part of hiding that was hiding the scarf-fighting, and that's what Asa and Mahmed were discussing. Neither Asa nor Mahmed knows how common it might be, among the Caravans, and will be cautious, then relieved, when it's shown to be a sort of open secret and not a "HEY LICH! LOOK HERE!", kind of thing.

Which brings me to the game stats of the thing. I find stats that say it has reach, I find stats that don't. I see trip, disarm, or not. What's legit for your world? Does it have reach? Does it trip? Disarm? It's exotic, but is it 'racial', and not exotic for Caravarisians? (Asa gets it from Kapenia Dancer, either way)

And what of other scarves? Pocketed ones, with a stone in? All the same questions, again, please.

And as for languages, how about Asa speaks Common, Aliin ('Arab'), Caravaris, and maybe others suitable for your world? I'd expect Aliin is rarer than Caravaris.


Heck if I know, first thing I heard of bladed scarves was you making this character. I'll do some research, get back to you.

Oh, and thanks for the wall of text, I'mma ponder it a bit.


The bladed scarf, as recorded in description here and numbers here (search for scarf) appears to be a 1d6, x2 two-handed (uh-oh) weapon with the disarm and trip special qualities, and the following special text: "The skill required in using such scarves effectively and not revealing their deadly nature makes them exotic weapons. If you are proficient with a bladed scarf, you deal 1d4 points of slashing damage to any creature that makes a successful grapple check against you while you wield the scarf. You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls with a bladed scarf sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon." It's definitely not reach, as one of your archetypes gives you the ability to make it so with the use of your arcane pool. It's exotic, not racial (so far as I know). Other scarves, mostly not weapons. With a rock or some such in, I'd call it d4, x2, normally improvised but if you're proficient with bladed scarves, I'd let it slide.

That answer your questions, or did I miss something?

I suppose I would add that anyone non-proficient with a bladed scarf attempting to use one runs the risk of hurting themselves every time they attack. But that shouldn't matter for you.

Edit: just noticed that a bladed scarf, as makes sense, is a two-handed weapon. This could be a problem for your intended shield style.


Hmm... Arthur was refined a lot quicker then I had thought he might be. Mind if I ask a few mechanical questions then involving feats and such? I did say I would wait so I'll stick to that if you'd prefer. Curiosity as much as anything else that's driving me to ask.


Go for it.


Right then. Lets see here...

The first question is, may I take and apply to using a gun the feat Focused shot? Normally it's by the wording, saying that it works for bows and crossbows, so I am pretty much asking you to overlook that with this question.

The next couple of questions I have double checked on and apparently found my answers for, so apologies it's really just one.


Hrm. No reason it shouldn't work, as far as logic goes, but I worry about giving the gun too many bonuses when up close. Let me think on it.


Well I can do the math for what I intend right now if you'd like.

Math

Spoiler:
Right now at level 2 I do +1 damage within 30ft.

At level 3, if allowed, I'd take that, and whenever I'm within 30 ft I'd do +4 damage when I take a standard action to fire (it won't work if I ever start using rapid reload)

At level 4, I'd use the bonus feat to take deadly aim and, for a -2 to hit, I'd do another +4 damage. A total of +8 within 30ft, or +4 outside 30 feet. I'll also be bumping Arthur's dex up to 20 then.

Then at level 5 I get gun training, giving me another +5 to damage at any range. So that's, within 30ft +13 damage. Outside 30ft that's +9 damage.

That's all base damage. No magic or anything. It is powerful, I'll give you that. That's kind of why I had my eye on it. The downside is that by level 3 it will still take a move action to reload. So if I want to get that shot within 30ft off when enemies are moving, I'll have a lot harder time doing it. It also won't work with rapid shot if I ever get more barrels or alchemical cartridges working, since I need to make a standard attack.

And that's my math.


I'm gonna do you a favor and withdraw Ardeth. Seems like the others are more into this game at the moment and I've got quite a lot on my plate starting to DM a new game. Best of luck to all, and may fun be had!


Varisian Bladed Scarf/Kapenia Dancer/Skirnir/Oops:

I know VBS is a 2-handed weapon. But Kapenia Dancer says:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A kapenia dancer is proficient in simple weapons and bladed scarves. Additionally, a kapenia dancer can wield a bladed scarf as a one-handed melee weapon. A kapenia dancer is not proficient with armor or shields and suffers the normal arcane spell failure chance when casting magus spells while armored

I know, no shields, no armor. I had missed the no armor bit, that's a mess, but the shield part is covered by Skirnir:

Sorcerous Shield (Ex)

At 1st level, skirnirs are proficient with all types of shields, including tower shields, and do not suffer an arcane spell failure chance when casting magus spells while using a shield. They treat their magus levels as their fighter levels for the purpose of qualifying for shield-related feats.

Regarding the loss of armor, I guess I'll roll with it, and see what happens, unless you're otherwise inspired. If she's underpowered without the armor, I will understand if you cut her.

Gonna have to think about what to do about AC.


Ardeth - Fair enough, sir. Good luck in your other endeavors. Now then, three or four, that is the question. We'll see on Monday.

Asa - Guh. God, multiple archetypes are a pain. Lemme just work that out for my brain's sake; Ordinarily, magi don't have shield proficiency, so I guess you didn't have to give that up for kapenia dancer. Your armor is totally gone, though, that's a thing. Don't worry about me cutting her due to power loss - I'm basing any and all calls on the flavor, not the numbers. If things get real bad for you, power-wise, we'll see about shoring it up in game.

Arthur - The real danger to me comes in that you're hitting touch AC on top of all that damage. But, you're right, the standard action to do it should even that out a little...I guess it doesn't bother me. Go ahead and focus your shots. On a slight tangent, I was just glancing at your character sheet - Unless I'm confused, I think you've only spent 23/24 stat points there, should you want to bump up one of those lower ones. On the other hand, if you'd rather just hang on to the point, note that somewhere, and call it a Luck Point. Not saying what that may or may not do.


You're right, I am missing one. But thats fine I'll hang on to it as a luck point.

Also, I understand the Touch AC is a big thing. I think a lot of people underestimate the gunslinger, actually. But I do thank you for that and, knowing your the DM, I know you have the right to ask me to change it to something else if it becomes too powerful for your tastes. It's not critical to the character so I wouldn't mind if it comes to that. I just happen to like the idea of putting intelligence to use like that. XD


Still paying attention, was just away at a con for the weekend and wasn't able to get free internet (or much time with the laptop I brought just in case).


Still in, for some reason it was not displaying new posts. I'll do aa bit of cleaning before tonight.


Are there any backstory elements you want me to work on while I'm giving it the final go over?


I've had to edit Arthur's ability score a little. Forgot just how heavy armor and weaponry was. Thankfully his background as a blacksmith's apprentice explains the small amount of extra strength he has too him. Otherwise he'd be stuck in medium encumbrance, which is a nasty thing if you ask me. Dropped his wisdom score down to ten. Upped strength to 13. Makes him a little less perceptive, but then again I can play the absent minded inventor a little more like this. XD Hope that's okay. Unfortunately I had to use that floating ability point too.

Oh, Baxter! Question. Would your character happen to know the northerners language

And Viscount, I finally remember the other mechanical question that was bothering me! I've found 2 traits that I like, but their names are kind of unfitting. Mind if I change them? The names are

Egorian School Apprentice
Conspiracy Hunter
I'd like to rename them too...

Apprentice Scholar
Secretive Inventor

What do you think?


Yeah, lets go with...

Nortspake
Linguists have identified this rough and guttural language as a derivative of a much more complex ancestral language. There are numerous syntax rules that seem to be corrupted and partially ignored. Dialects can vary widely between tribes but they all seem to be a corruption based on some form of root language.

High Nortspake
A dialect that seems to be closer in form to the root language of Nortspake, it contains complex rules and almost seems to be both a language and a philosophical school of thought. It is usually only spoken by tribal leaders and members of the priestly caste. Speakers of High Nortspake can interpret the writings found on the ruins that dot the landscape of the northern lands.


Alright, I moved the Northlands stuff into the alias and hashed out his feat and talent development. Going to look through the rest of his fluff and clean it up as needed


Would you be interested in tying Arthur and Baxter together in the past? Have Arthur find Baxter in the hopes of helping with translations?

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