Questions for world building coming soon. Feel free to get acquainted, pose some ideas if you want.
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Assaultmech Atlas 21-12 prepares to beware of the alien, the mutant...the heretic.
And finally plant some daises. That place over there would look nice with some daises. And maybe some hastas.
Hey guys, remember when I'm ruining every plan and stepping on things you don't want stepped on, that I'm just setting you up from some comic relief. I'm gonna try to play the ultimate straight man. =)
Kon'zu checking in! Glad to make the cut. Lots of stiff competition there.
And the last minute entry takes his place. Greetings, gentlemen. And Atlas.
Sorry, I had to. Refinement is not a killbot's strong point.
Damn WarMech. This is the first time he's ever had his food obliterated via laser.
The laser proceeds to frost over, disabling it for the time being.
Two can play this game.
Shall we do anything in the meantime? Write bonds, perhaps?
Goromatz frowns at the mechanical monster's willingness to destroy food so quickly. Maybe he has never traveled with anyone who has required food to survive out here. He shuffles his stuff together into an even tighter pack and swings it over this back. Beaming to the group, Hello all!I am Goromatz. Chef, adventurer. There isn't an egg I can't cook or a trap I can't disable.
For reference, my bonds are:
I ran away from the circus to be with ____________.
____________ left me in a pinch when they were supposed to come through.
____________ knows incriminating details about me.
____________ has my back when things go wrong.
I spent time in jail with ____________.
IF anyone wants to know me ahead of time we can trade or something.
Do remember that, as far as I'm aware, you don't necessarily have to use the starting bonds on the sheet. You can easily enough write a bond yourself based on the first impression of a character - they are meant to show how you view or relate to them, after all. For example:
Kon'Zu appears to be different from other WarMechs, but can I really trust his claims?
Could I convince Goromatz to teach me of cuisine? My own knowledge is...limited.
Atlas is a danger to everyone in Torch, and I can't leave him be.
All of these are actual suggestions, by the way. Happy with them?
Actually, you bring up a good question - Do you guys want the roleplay from the Recruitment thread to be canon?
As far as I'm concerned, this is canon.
Actually, you bring up a good question - Do you guys want the roleplay from the Recruitment thread to be canon?
Works for me!
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Hee, a whole gaggle of interesting characters accidentally bonding over a garden patch in a junkyard is probably the most DungeonWorld thing I've ever seen. =)
About bonds, I'm still getting the hang of DW in general, and I admit that I still have -zero- talent at bonds. I've plugged in names to the default ones here, but if you have alternatives, do suggest them.
"Changeling" is always getting into trouble—I must protect them from themselves.
Goromatz’s ways are strange and confusing.
It would be good to die with James Keegan at my side.
Kon'Zu hides a rage nearly as deep as my own.
Yeah I was more or less just throwing them out there as a starting point in case anything sparked with someone else. I am probably going to go with:
"Changeling" is another being that needs sustenance! Can I teach him a thing or 2 about cooking and learn what "Changeling"(s) prefer? OR Can I prepare a meal for him that he appreciates?
Atlas appears to not appreciate that food is important. Can I help him understand that it is also important?
Not sure about James Keegan yet.
Kon'Zu doesn't appear to be like other machines I've seen who were mostly designed for war. What is his secret?
I'm down with it being canon that we all either kind of stumbled upon each other.
Starving Changeling is my life's mission.
Changeling should not insult those that are bigger, stronger, and have more lasers than him.
HAHA! CRY SOME MORE!
I don't know, I'm not Atlas. I don't know what goes on in his processing unit. If I had any clue, I might be more helpful. If you really want ideas:
Changeling is strangely protective of organic matter. This is complicating my targeting solutions.
Changeling is capable of using enemies as weapons against themselves. How?
For some reason, Changeling is averse to glorious combat. How do I teach him its joys?
Or, if you REALLY want to freak him out:
Changeling's body does not match anything in my records. I shall learn their species' capabilities for future combats.
If it needs explaining, he intends to hide just what he is until either he can't, or he feels like he can seriously trust a given party member. So given that you know what he is, AND you're gathering info that is usable for both combat plans and targeting solutions, neither of which he'd like to really be involved with himself...
James Keegan won't be back around until sometime on Monday, but I don't want to get too far along in this process without him (which is why I haven't posted questions yet). I don't want him to be the odd man out, so we can see about possibly slotting him into the canon stuff so far / giving him an existing relationship with someone when he gets back.
[edit] Also, that reminds me - Atlas and James - I'm very excited to have a game with both of you again. :)
Peregrine Garl is being worked up now, will probably finish him in the morning. Sorry for the holdup!
Cool, looking over character sheets now.
Questions for world building stuff will be coming tonight or tomorrow. I have an in-person game tonight which might delay me a bit.
Hi Yorrick!
Oh ya, I was rapidly looking for a way for Thomas to start hitting on Estelle. ;D
Haha, understandably so!
Fixed! Load info and moves are now in my profile!
His name is Garl, his title is Peregrine- he worships a bird goddess, so that's the title for a roaming templar of low rank. And he's also smaller than the smallest female troll, so being diminished is his lot in life.
His name is Garl, his title is Peregrine- he worships a bird goddess, so that's the title for a roaming templar of low rank. And he's also smaller than the smallest female troll, so being diminished is his lot in life.
That's super cool! What are the other ranks? I'm playing in another game where elves are descended from birds instead of apes and I'd love to steal bird-ranks as a way for their society to organize themselves. Similar to old, powerful men being called "Silverbacks"
So you might say he's small and tough...not entirely unlike a "Badger". =D
The temptation to start referring to the Silver Mount as a "Vault" is overwhelming. ;)
(Everyone not us: Yorrick, James, and I are/were in a Fallout-themed Savage Worlds game. =)
;D
His name is Garl, his title is Peregrine- he worships a bird goddess, so that's the title for a roaming templar of low rank. And he's also smaller than the smallest female troll, so being diminished is his lot in life.That's super cool! What are the other ranks? I'm playing in another game where elves are descended from birds instead of apes and I'd love to steal bird-ranks as a way for their society to organize themselves. Similar to old, powerful men being called "Silverbacks"
Still parsing it out- I'm thinking Gyrfalcon is the highest rank, since they're the most valued hunting bird and the biggest. So maybe Gyrfalcon, Golden Eagle, True Hawk, Buzzard, Peregrine. Buzzard isn't an insult within the faith, since carrion birds are thought to bring the souls of the dead to their proper place.
Load and coin are under my equipment now.
Okay, first batch of questions! Please be sure to read everyone else's so we don't super contradict each other.
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Garl
- What's one race that tends to have a lot of problems with Trolls? What's one race that gets on really well with them?
- What does Cormara demand for sacrifices?
- How large do Troll tribes tend to be? Is there a tribe in Numeria?
- How do the other worshippers of Cormara view you?
- Is Cormara genderedised? How do worshippers of Cormara worship? Are there churches? Is it more of an individual worship? What draws Wizards to the God(dess)?
Goromatz
- Is there another sentient race that lurks in the deeps? What's the Dwemer relationship with them?
- Who runs your eatery while you're away?
- How often do you go home?
- Are there other types of Dwemer that live on the surface (read: elves)?
- Is your Psychic Blade move a thing that most Dwemer can do?
- Is there a special ingredient (meat, plant, etc) that brings you to the deserts of Numeria? How far away from home is it?
Assaultmech Atlas 21-12
- What does your Insignia of the Machine Mage look like? Is it a physical item (like some kind of badge) or is in engraved / stamped into you?
- What tends to trigger your Rage? Is it intentionally programmed or some kind of instability?
- How far away from Torch / Numeria are you from originally? What brought you here?
"Changeling"
- What do you look like naturally? What do you disguise yourself as while in town? Likewise, do you have an alias that you use?
- How did you come to learn that people don't react well to your natural form?
- Have you tried to do any research about your people? Did you manage to learn anything?
- What is the oldest race you know of? Are they older than you?
- Being so ancient, did you see one of the original ship crashes?
Kon-Zu
- Is there a Mark IV model?
- How long have you been in Torch? What have you done with your time there?
- What does your iron fire lion token symbolise?
- People in Torch are likely somewhat apprehensive towards you. Is there anything you do to help with that?
- The Essence of Fire that powers you, where did it come from? Is it a piece of an elemental (if such thing exists), is it some technological marvel, is it magic?
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1) It is both. The symbol (the arrow representing the eternal march of Technology and Power, and those who wield it) is stamped onto a small metal badge, and then welded onto the left breast after a Forged proves himself worthy.
In his day the symbol was instantly recognizable as something to be either feared or cheered, depending on your loyalties. Now it's a historical symbol that is variously repurposed for whichever political group thinks it can get milage out of it.
2) The Rage is a calculated product of the A-TAC program. When certain threat criteria are met, all non-combat programs are given a lower priority as the threat-neutralization motives are put into action.
3) The village of Metaurus was a three-day walk from the Silver Mount. Mind you, that's three days for Atlas, so it would be considerably more for a person, or less if they were mounted. It was out-of-the way, which is why more units were not sent, and why the Machine Mage never sent more--a historian might call Metaurus the high-water mark of his reign.
The village had a long tradition of crafting powered black lotus into a slurry (called "Pure") that had various magic-enhancing properties. A Historian might call the loss of a critical source of Pure to be the reason Karamoss lost.
In fact, let's call it that. In 3936, renowned historian Alcibades marked the 300th anniversary of the siege of Absalom by releasing "The Red Redoubt", a synopses of the rise and fall of Karamoss. It included a section with a few technical sections dedicated to the various mechanized warriors that Karamoss used. One such section detailed the "Assault class" that Atlas belongs to, with a commentary that such things were rarely seen, and even more rarely engaged, since men would run from them unless they greatly outnumbered the machines. Another technical note states that assault class Forged were not produced in great numbers after the loss of Pure, and smaller, medium-class machines made up the bulk of the hordes released on the third day.
Garl
- What's one race that tends to have a lot of problems with Trolls? What's one race that gets on really well with them?
- What does Cormara demand for sacrifices?
- How large do Troll tribes tend to be? Is there a tribe in Numeria?
- How do the other worshippers of Cormara view you?
- Is Cormara genderedised? How do worshippers of Cormara worship? Are there churches? Is it more of an individual worship? What draws Wizards to the God(dess)?
- Tribes of Gnolls tend to come into conflict with Trolls, simply because they compete for the same resources within the same areas (and not because their names rhyme) and both are nomadic. Gnolls tend to have a numerical advantage, but Trolls are hardy and large, able to handle many opponents before being overwhelmed. One of the only races that work in tandem with Trolls are the Nezu ratfolk that pick over the remains of the Trolls' battles and sloppy meals. And when Trolls need something repaired, the ratfolk are able to settle on a price for their assistance.
- Cormara demands shiny, captivating objects and freshly killed meat left on high bluffs where birds may pick them up. The objects themselves are often valuable, as shiny trash is easy enough for her birds to procure themselves. Often, a Peregrine will be tasked with hunting down an offering stolen through ignorance or greed and must bring the thief back to the bluffs from whence the item came in order to properly return it.
- Troll tribes are rather small- typically no more than 6 males and up to 10 females and just as many children. The strongest males have multiple trollwives and the lowest on the social order often challenge the next highest for one of his. Any more trolls will stretch a region's resources too far and either exile or violence serve to reduce their numbers. The Wheelkeeper tribe (Garl's parents among them) are most commonly in Numeria, though their rivals in the Blackfinger tribe roam through as well.
- Garl is viewed as a curiosity by other Cormarans, as Cormara's followers are predominantly tengu. While they are not unkind, none besides his adoptive teacher Eileen consider him a friend or were willing to partner with him. The Resplendent Owl, the greatest of their order, does not expect Garl to reach higher than Peregrine rank.
- Cormara is female and female templars and priests outnumber males 2 to 1. Worshipers leave offerings on high bluffs for her couriers, singing hymns to the wind and raising a great noise. Besides the Great Aerie rising from the Chasm of Gales, there are few churches to her. She is rarely invoked by those that do not serve her, outside of funerals- worship tends to be private, either individually performed or in a small flock. Wizards are drawn to her as she is the courier between planes and it is believed that magic flows more freely in the trail of her servants. Her enmity toward demons means that she is invoked often by wizards that do not wish to deal with the potentially fatal consequences of their research.
Is there a Mark IV
Of course. They're better than the Mark IIIs but not nearly as good as Kon'Zu. The better question is if there's a Mark VI...
How long have you been in Torch? What have you done with your time there?
He's been in Torch for almost a year. He's mostly cared for the orphans he displaced by setting up a sanctuary in the junk yard. He's made quite an effort to keep a low profile and any rumors of a "Metal Man" who lives in the Junk Yard is hopefully taken as rumor.
What does your iron fire lion token symbolise?
The token was a gift from one of the orphans. He is following his own path of peace, struggling to fight against his every instinct to fight and kill. The token helps him remember his focus.
People in Torch are likely somewhat apprehensive towards you. Is there anything you do to help with that?
Kon'Zu does his best to hide from most people, letting the orphans gather what little he needs. He's very frightened that the TL will realize he survived the fire and more worried that the TL will realize that the orphans survived. He'd sooner die than let the children be harmed.
The Essence of Fire that powers you, where did it come from? Is it a piece of an elemental (if such thing exists), is it some technological marvel, is it magic?
Kon'Zu was built to burn. His heart is a furnace, he is powered by rage and destruction. His capacity to heat and light (And eventually set fires) is a feature, not a bug.
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"What brought you here?"
Whoops, missed this one.
3.5) The Assaultmech is simply executing his orders. He is no longer able to secure Metaurus (on account of it no longer existing) so he has returned to the place of his master to receive new orders.
Of note, Karamoss always instilled a second-tier directive in all his creations: "In the absence of orders, work to destroy the Technik League."
He did this so that even when cut off, or captured, they would try to destroy his nemesis.
Garl
- What's one race that tends to have a lot of problems with Trolls? What's one race that gets on really well with them?
- What does Cormara demand for sacrifices?
- How large do Troll tribes tend to be? Is there a tribe in Numeria?
- How do the other worshippers of Cormara view you?
- Is Cormara genderedised? How do worshippers of Cormara worship? Are there churches? Is it more of an individual worship? What draws Wizards to the God(dess)?
...
- Tribes of Gnolls tend to come into conflict with Trolls, simply because they compete for the same resources within the same areas (and not because their names rhyme) and both are nomadic. Gnolls tend to have a numerical advantage, but Trolls are hardy and large, able to handle many opponents before being overwhelmed. One of the only races that work in tandem with Trolls are the Nezu ratfolk that pick over the remains of the Trolls' battles and sloppy meals. And when Trolls need something repaired, the ratfolk are able to settle on a price for their assistance.
- Cormara demands shiny, captivating objects and freshly killed meat left on high bluffs where birds may pick them up. The objects themselves are often valuable, as shiny trash is easy enough for her birds to procure themselves. Often, a Peregrine will be tasked with hunting down an offering stolen through ignorance or greed and must bring the thief back to the bluffs from whence the item came in order to properly return it.
- Troll tribes are rather small- typically no more than 6 males and up to 10 females and just as many children. The strongest males have multiple trollwives and the lowest on the social order often challenge the next highest for one of his. Any more trolls will stretch a region's resources too far and either exile or violence serve to reduce their numbers. The Wheelkeeper tribe (Garl's parents among them) are most commonly in Numeria, though their rivals in the Blackfinger tribe roam
I would amend that Garl is also seen as a dumb shock trooper by some of the less charitable followers of his goddess- something to throw at a powerful enemy to wear them down. He's alive still because he's tough, smarter than he looks and his mentor is looking out for him still.
What do you look like naturally? What do you disguise yourself as while in town? Likewise, do you have an alias that you use?
The description I gave in the recruitment thread is accurate here. I suppose the closest description I can think is an earth elemental crossed with a minotaur, with the bulk and size of neither, being about 5'8". Eyes that tell of his every season. Brown hide skin with a rocky texture, interspersed with actual bits of lighter brown rock that define detail, like those eye arches. There are more major bodies of rock that cover his arms and legs, like gauntlets and greaves respectively. No horns, not even stone versions. The most confusing things to him though, are that he still bleeds, nothing but the rock actually being terribly resistant to weapons, and that there's a rather strange brand...tattoo? Symbol? Birthmark? On his back. It apparently used to show a great tree, but when he actually got the tools to see for himself, it had shifted to some sort of fire. It's the same colour as his blood.
He doesn't stick to a consistent disguise - too much risk of becoming recognisable, and subsequently getting revealed. The worst bit would be leaving others wondering where his old face went. So he sticks to travellers, slotting in with actual arriving groups where possible, using some variant of "Wanderer" or "Guardian" as a name. When he can't, he favours half-orcs, since he found that they and their parentage are quite warmly welcomed here, taking roles as smithies, priests and salesmen. They're surprisingly charismatic.
How did you come to learn that people don't react well to your natural form?
The same way he learned how easily he bled. On his initial approach, he hadn't been aware of the reaction rock-minotaur creatures get, for obvious reasons. Torch responded with the town militia, not having a proper guard yet, pelting him with sling-stones and crude arrows. He started paying careful attention to who was welcome since then. Later on, he picked up a hooded robe, so as to hide his features better in case of a glamour malfunction. He'd have a mask, but ah...it'd have to be made to fit him. And he's not ready to see if attitudes have changed yet.
Have you tried to do any research about your people? Did you manage to learn anything?
The best he's been able to do is feed his description to the people that do a lot of travelling, and it's not turned up much. Either it's confused with one of the creatures he resembles, or they start going on about rumours of monsters and wizards experiments and demons...yadda yadda yadda. It's a tad insulting.
There are a few books he's been recommended regarding magical creatures that sound like they'd be helpful, Alastair's Bestiary being one, but for all the languages he's learned over time, he's still completely illiterate. He's just not had the teaching or resources to learn.
What is the oldest race you know of? Are they older than you?
Of what he's heard of, the best candidates for such a position are dryads, dragons and Forged. But he's outlived many a tree, and their dryads with them. He's never heard of dragons dying of old age, getting stronger with their age even, but adventurers make that a moot point. And Forged are more of a collection of various constructs than a species, so it would be unfair to count them. He'd love a baby dragon, though. So far, it's his best shot at a lifelong companion.
Being so ancient, did you see one of the original ship crashes?
Hard to miss the thing, it took out a good chunk of the Forest when it landed. The thing seemed strange and dangerous though, so he left it be, and stayed away from the sites of any future landings. He can only hope the Technic League didn't find it, and strip it down.
Thought I'd cut them into something more digestible. After seeing them together, they feel a bit...big.
Say, Garl? What are the chances we know about each other?
** spoiler omitted **...
I'd say there could be a good chance- especially if Changeling's scent doesn't change between forms, Garl could always sniff him out.
When you weave an illusion to conceal your identity, roll+CHA.
✴ On a 10+, choose 3
✴ On a 7-9, choose 2
✴ On a 6-, choose 1
● The illusion is not broken when you are touched casually.
● The illusion affects your voice, scent, and body temperature.
● The illusion appears normal in reflections like mirrors or still water.
● The illusion perfectly mimics appropriate mannerisms and poise.
There's definitely room for you to notice several different people that smell the same, as well as other details that seem odd for an individual, or similar between several. Go ahead and PM me if you want, and we can work something out. He gets around Torch.
I should be able to get my questions answered tonight.
Is there another sentient race that lurks in the deeps? What's the Dwemer relationship with them?
Not that has been really found. There are plenty of creatures who don't mind using the corners or the elabroate underground structures as home though. Gnomes can occasionally be seen closer to the surface with homes built underground. They tend to stay out of the way of Dwemer's, typically not liking the noise coming from their progress underground.
Who runs your eatery while you're away?
It has a full staff. It is a fairly large place and at this point he does more with designing the menu and figuring out what to serve than micromanaging.
How often do you go home?
Depending on where adventuring takes me, Goromatz can be found home anywhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of the year.
Are there other types of Dwemer that live on the surface (read: elves)?
There are no traditional elves that live on the surface. Unless someone feels strongly about this I was going to go with a world without elves. It is not uncommon for Dwemer folk to reside in cities or topside though. Goromatz's father retired to a small cottage in a city by the sea to spend his time "away from all the tinkering and noise."
Is your Psychic Blade move a thing that most Dwemer can do?
Knowledge of magic is prized in the Dwemer culture. Basics are taught in schools and a few go on to be fully fledged engineer magicians. Learning Psychic Blade was more of a pet project for Goromatz originally to aid in the show he was part of, but since it proved useful in the field he kept at it.
Is there a special ingredient (meat, plant, etc) that brings you to the deserts of Numeria? How far away from home is it?
Most of the time he is heading out to discover a new ingredient or new challenge. On this particular adventure out a shaman told him of a desert root that enhances the power of the tastes buds, elevating the eating experience. He is out seeing for himself whether or not this actually exists.
I'm pretty booked today, but I'll get to everyone's responses tomorrow and see if I have more questions or if we're ready to go!
I have a bond worked out with Changeling- which I'll define as "My nose lead me astray about Changeling; I will do whatever I can to make up for the misunderstanding."
I could use at least a few for the rest of the group, too- so here are the Templar example bonds:
____________ is a brave soul. I have much to learn from them.
____________ is suspicious. I will keep an eye on them.
I am working on converting ____________ to my faith.
____________ has insulted my deity. I do not trust them.
____________ is a good and faithful person. I trust them.
____________ is in constant danger. I will keep them safe.
I think 3 could lead to 4, which is why we should go for it.
I'll take "Brave Soul" if you don't have any other person in mind.
Here are my bonds:
My master warned me about Atlas.
Changing fights with skill and grace, and I respect them.
Goromatz knew me before I was taught.
Garl still manages to anger me.
Kon'Zu is a brave soul and I have much to learn from them.
I am working on converting Atlas to my faith.
My nose lead me astray about Changeling; I will do whatever I can to make up for the misunderstanding.
Goromatz is suspicious, I will keep an eye on them?
I could either be suspicious or I could just generally look like I need to be protected since I am a great deal smaller than you.
Yeah, Goromatz doesn't strike me as being all that shady as a character so maybe "Goromatz is in constant danger. I will keep him safe." works best simply because I've never seen someone as small as you.
I'm generally fine with the bonds I've seen for me, though I wonder about Kon'Zu's - I don't really see Changeling as one who fights, preferring to avoid it himself if at all possible, or get the opposition to do all the nasty work for him if violence is really needed for some reason. I don't quite start with the proper illusionist's toolset I would like to have in such situations, but in any case, Changeling isn't so much of a fighter. He may surprise me here, but I doubt it.
Is everyone fine with the bonds I've got written up for them? Any others they'd like to suggest?
In that case, I'll change my bond to:
"Changeling is like no other living thing I've ever met. He shifts like the water. I envy his ability and want to learn if I too can shed my bulky form."
Kon'zu can't, of course, but he's still very curious about life in all its forms.
Kon'zu can't, of course, but he's still very curious about life in all its forms.
Perhaps not on your own, but with help? We'll see. Loving the bond.