I would still enjoy being surprised by the Othersoul. :)
I've been playing around with Wyld Shape ideas, too. At first I was thinking owl, but I wasn't sold on it and then I saw someone else was going for it so I decided that was as good a reason as any to think of something else. Right now I'm thinking leopard, with spots that look like stylized eyes. Eyes that seem to track and follow sights around them, both seen and unseen.
I'm sure that trip to Edinburgh was informative! It certainly sounds like you had a great time there.
I didn't spend as much time at the university as I could have, since I was traveling with someone and we had other things to see that day, but it was definitely geeky and cool. The campus was such an eclectic blend of old and new, and I was very curious about what it would have been like there in the mid-1800s.
Seer of Shadows wrote:
I looked over Mary Adam Anderson and there are a few things I would like to touch on.
The ankou othersoul losing its taste for death and then playing 'games' with its targets that seem oddly reminiscent of old tales of the Grim Reaper is certainly ripe for exploitation down the line. Do you have any particular angles in mind with how you would like to see that played out?
Well, I was thinking that Mary's vigilante identity likes pursuing and catching prey, which is kind of like playing games, and Mary's social identity is primarily a doctor first, which means she has sworn an oath to do no harm. So their combined human influence on Mary's othersoul would be to kill only in certain circumstances, which I imagine would be very confusing to a grim reaper. There's probably a lot of Pratchett's early Death books mixed in there too. When your whole purpose is killing people, gaining a touch of humanity must be incredibly worrisome. But I can see that going a number of different directions: resentment (how dare this human make me question my role?), awe (this human is like a god, remaking me in her own image!), collaboration/abdication (you tell me what to do if you're so special), or even cruel obsession and retribution (I will punish you for doing this to me).
Honestly, though, I'm perfectly comfortable with the idea that the Othersoul is your purview, and you can do whatever you want with it. Like others, I am excited just to see what sounds cool to you play out.
Seer of Shadows wrote:
Poisons are not material components and, as such, are not covered under the material component clause. That said, I might be willing to work with you on a way to incorporate some those into your Curio since poisons are integral to your character and it might not always be practical to visit the Goblin Markets or go out of your way to find and harvest appropriate monsters.
Cool! Maybe we could do something with, like, recipes for poisons, where Mary doesn't start with any unnatural (non-mundane) poisons in her possession, and no knowledge of how to make them, but once she finds one through the course of play she can subsequently synthesize doses of it with the tools in her Curio or something like that?
Seer of Shadows wrote:
I'm quite interested in learning more about Mary's trips to that cabin, as that could provide a few interesting angles depending on the finer details of what went on there.
I purposely left it vague so that I could always fill in details later, like if she succeeds at a high Knowledge check she might suddenly recall having dissected a creature very similar to it. Likewise as a player I sort of shy away from thinking too carefully about what her vigilante identity might have done while it had possession of her body, because dread makes it much more frightening-- to know that something awful happened (or a spree of somethings) conveys what that part of her is capable of without needing to get into the specifics. It also will make it easier for me to play Mary's slow realization that she is a monster, and that ultimately she is helpless to stop herself. :)
Wish I'd seen this sooner; haven't checked the Recruitment forum in months since I was happy with the games I did have, but one of mine just ended. Is there still time for me to whip up a character for this or is the party pretty much locked in? The premise sounds super cool.
You should have enough time to complete a character, as I'm pushing the recruitment back about a week due to my router issues having messed with the tentative timeline that I had outlined.
Ouachitonian wrote:
The mental and physical +2s from ABP went into Cha and Dex, respectively. That would’ve put Dex over 24, so I dropped it back and bumped up my Int.
Fair enough. Just wanting to check for curiosity's sake.
Storm Dragon wrote:
I can't get over the idea of just like...a middle-aged goodwife with a brownie Othersoul that works at the estate. Or alternately her Othersoul could be something a bit more vicious so the "bleed" better justifies the violence inherent in a PC's lifestyle, but it just gets constantly more and more domestic over time.
I can't recall the name of it at the moment, but there is a 'house fey' in Pathfinder akin to the brownies of folklore, but with a vicious streak. If the exact bestiary entry comes to mind, I'll be sure to list it.
Jereru wrote:
Na, mostly details that might haunt my fractured mind... Nothing major.
Just wanted to check and make sure, so as to not miss something major.
gyrfalcon wrote:
Honestly, if you're at all leaning toward banning it, I don't know if I want to dissuade you.
I think there's a bunch of vey fun stuff. And there ARE several published errata now. I think it's pretty stable/final...but there's a LOT to learn. If you're not thinking "Cool! Lemme learn this interesting new skills-based system!" you should prolly keep banning it.
That said, since you asked, I'd assume I'd lean heavily into the Performance sphere (especially, acting, but likely singing and dancing too...seeing as I'd be an actor from a comedic opera). My first thought was to do Bard (maybe Minstrel SOM archetype) + Professional (with Performance as my main Professional Method). I'd probably also take some Body Control, Bluster and Communication talents.
I'd still be learning the system at the same time as you were, and I'd be perfectly happy to make changes/corrections/house-rules as needed. I doubt it would be OP compared to the other builds around...but it *WOULD* involve a gob of new rules, which could be a burden on you if you're not excited to learn the new system.
100% your call. I haven't given thought to if/how I'd build the concept without SoG...but I can think about it, if that's better for you.
I can certainly give things another lookover for you, although I may not have a concrete answer for you until sometime tomorrow. Does that sound amenable?
Alexander Stephens and Midnight wrote:
I've been playing around with Wyld Shape ideas, too. At first I was thinking owl, but I wasn't sold on it and then I saw someone else was going for it so I decided that was as good a reason as any to think of something else. Right now I'm thinking leopard, with spots that look like stylized eyes. Eyes that seem to track and follow sights around them, both seen and unseen.
That seems really cool!
eriktd wrote:
Cool! Maybe we could do something with, like, recipes for poisons, where Mary doesn't start with any unnatural (non-mundane) poisons in her possession, and no knowledge of how to make them, but once she finds one through the course of play she can subsequently synthesize doses of it with the tools in her Curio or something like that?
I could work with that, although we would need to handle those on a case-by-case basis given the huge disparity in poison power levels.
eriktd wrote:
I purposely left it vague so that I could always fill in details later, like if she succeeds at a high Knowledge check she might suddenly recall having dissected a creature very similar to it. Likewise as a player I sort of shy away from thinking too carefully about what her vigilante identity might have done while it had possession of her body, because dread makes it much more frightening-- to know that something awful happened (or a spree of somethings) conveys what that part of her is capable of without needing to get into the specifics. It also will make it easier for me to play Mary's slow realization that she is a monster, and that ultimately she is helpless to stop herself. :)
I have some interesting angles I could play around with then.
I'd never quite settled on Lysander's Wyld Shape, but had an idea: does it need to be a currently-extant species? As a man of learning, who's read every book he could find pretty much since he was a toddler, he'd be aware of much of the latest scientific finding on, for example, dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, etc. Could his Wyld Shape be something like that?
Seer, originally you said we couldn't choose any racial traits from that pool of 13 points. However, could we take such traits, provided they only appear/benefit us when within the Twilight Realms?
Also, would it be possible to gain more racial traits during gameplay at all?
On a personal note, I wouldn't hate it if you approved SoG, as I *might* take the Herbalism sphere if you did.
Yeah actually approval of SoG might be something many folks might care about, just for the ability to trade class skills for a Trade Tradition.
Meanwhile, I'm working more on the Legendary Bard (Improv Artist) side of my gestalt. If Professional doesn't get approved, I'll think of other options.
I'd never quite settled on Lysander's Wyld Shape, but had an idea: does it need to be a currently-extant species? As a man of learning, who's read every book he could find pretty much since he was a toddler, he'd be aware of much of the latest scientific finding on, for example, dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, etc. Could his Wyld Shape be something like that?
As long as the base is a real-world animal and you try to keep it from being too crazy- crazy being tyrannosaurus rex, pterodactyl, etc.- I don't have much of an issue with it.
Monkeygod wrote:
Seer, originally you said we couldn't choose any racial traits from that pool of 13 points. However, could we take such traits, provided they only appear/benefit us when within the Twilight Realms?
I will be sticking with my original stance on that particular subject.
Monkeygod wrote:
Also, would it be possible to gain more racial traits during gameplay at all?
I hadn't planned on it, no. It's an interesting idea though, so I may consider it.
Monkeygod wrote:
On a personal note, I wouldn't hate it if you approved SoG, as I *might* take the Herbalism sphere if you did.
I will consider it although, as I mentioned to gyrfalcon in my last post, it may be a day or so before I go through the material and errata to make sure any issues were fixed.
Hey Seer, I wanted to let you know I'm going to be completely offline (no devices at all, let alone Internet) til Aug 13.
I've got the Bard (Sovereign Piper Spheres archetype) half of my gestalt done. I've done some pre-work on a SoG Professional for the other half, but will hold off on finalizing the rest til I know if SoG works well for you. Hopefully that timing will work out!
Fair-skinned, with brown hair and brown eyes, Alexander has a slight build and is of middling height. He often wears practical, hard-wearing clothes somewhat beneath his station, though he does have a couple of suits he reluctantly gets out when the situation calls for it.
Personality:
Alexander is typically somewhat diffident and retiring in personality when in public, unless someone starts speaking about physics, chemistry, or some other subject he's interested in, at which point he suddenly becomes intense and animated.
Description for Midnight:
Midnight is ordinarily a black housecat with amber eyes, lean (though not malnourished) and rather skittish. In the Dreaming, however, she is an enormous cat at least as large as a tiger, with fur so black it seems to drain the light from her surroundings, making her exact dimensions harder to determine. Only her amber eyes shine out of the darkness, cunning and hungry...
Hey Seer, I wanted to let you know I'm going to be completely offline (no devices at all, let alone Internet) til Aug 13.
I've got the Bard (Sovereign Piper Spheres archetype) half of my gestalt done. I've done some pre-work on a SoG Professional for the other half, but will hold off on finalizing the rest til I know if SoG works well for you. Hopefully that timing will work out!
Understood. As for Spheres of Guile, consider at least the Performance sphere cleared for use.
OK, I'm back and will work to finish up my character. His second side will be a Spheres of Guile Professional, if that's permitted.
SoG-wise, he'll be mostly focused on the Performance Sphere but also likely a bit of the Subterfuge sphere and maybe Body Control and/or Bluster. I think, if Professional class is OK, I'm not worried about other talents; if there are some you choose to ban, I can just swap. (Swapping class could work too, but would be better to know that up front.)
BTW, what's your latest thought as to when you'll close recruitment?
I have an idea for an American chef Fighter/Investigator (I think thats as close as you can come to the old Elven F/M/T unless you do an arcane trickster. He travels the world working and learning local cuisine. He met the Ainsworth's working for an American paying for a dig in Egypt. He recently ran into them in Edinburgh and they invited him to the estate.
Concept: devout Christian/cleric, with a taint of foul blood (bloodrager with abyssal/infernal bloodline). Hears a demonic voice. Is looking for ways to get help from people familiar with the occult, as science and prayer have both proved inadequate.
For brevity's sake, I will repost the details of what has been going on with me for the past week and a half, which I posted moments ago in my existing campaign.
Quote:
I apologize for the long absence immediately after the router incident that had already led to me missing several days. It was highly unprofessional and extremely discourteous of me to vanish without so much as a word and that is on me. I will explain in the below paragraph exactly what was going on and, while it does not excuse my silence, hopefully it will shed some light on why I was absent at the very least.
My grandmother had some dental work done about a month and a half ago and, long story short, one of the teeth adjacent to the ones that were pulled abscessed to an extreme degree- to the point where the right side of her face, from earlobe to the top part of her neck- were swollen. She already had an infection before getting the dental work done and that served to make it much worse. She ended up developing a bone infection in her jawbone- specifically the body portion of the mandible- that led to a relatively small but still serious case of osteonecrosis and had to have emergency surgery done on that. Because some doctors in our area do not always give the best care and sometimes make very costly mistakes, I chose to stay with her and ensure that she was receiving the very best care she could, or, at the very least, not the worst. The surgery and her IV antibiotic drips have done their work and everything seems to have turned out about as well as it could have, given the circumstances. I returned home this Thursday but, after around a week or so of using the hospital couch in her room as a makeshift bed, promptly fell into a deep sleep not too long afterwards. Friday was spent catching up on various duties and obligations that had accumulated in the days I spent at the hospital with my grandmother. And that brings us to early this Saturday morning when I can, at last, take a moment to breathe easy and post.
That is the account of my absence from the 8th until today, for better or worse. I will be leaving very soon to get breakfast before I have to clock in this morning, but just know that I have not forgotten this recruitment, am still interested in running this game, and will return sometime this evening to answer your questions.
Are othersouls always dry, or can they be some sort of demon? What about a fey with a demonic connection? I’m thinking that if there’s no demonic connection, it’s hard for me to like the flavor of an abyssal/infernal bloodline.
Maybe a fey could also be fine, but I really liked the idea of two natures that were in direct opposition to one another. Can easily come up with a different character concept.
A big question hovering about in the air has been when I will close this recruitment since it was postponed and I have, at last, reached a decision: September 1st, which is roughly a week and a half away. That should give people sufficient time to finish up and ask me whatever questions are necessary so they can build their characters.
gyrfalcon wrote:
OK, I'm back and will work to finish up my character. His second side will be a Spheres of Guile Professional, if that's permitted.
SoG-wise, he'll be mostly focused on the Performance Sphere but also likely a bit of the Subterfuge sphere and maybe Body Control and/or Bluster. I think, if Professional class is OK, I'm not worried about other talents; if there are some you choose to ban, I can just swap. (Swapping class could work too, but would be better to know that up front.)
...
....Ooooooh, or maybe my non-Bard side will be a SoG Envoy instead, if that's allowed?
All non-Leadership-esque rules from Spheres of Guile have been hereby cleared for use, so feel free to use any of those.
MelvinVorthos wrote:
Are othersouls always dry, or can they be some sort of demon? What about a fey with a demonic connection? I’m thinking that if there’s no demonic connection, it’s hard for me to like the flavor of an abyssal/infernal bloodline.
Maybe a fey could also be fine, but I really liked the idea of two natures that were in direct opposition to one another. Can easily come up with a different character concept.
Othersouls are always fey, but some fey have distinctly fiendish slants, such as the Redcaps, Ankou, Chernobogs (very demon-esque fey from a Legendary Games supplement), et cetera. I can propose some ideas, if you are interested.
I will move forward with character creation along the lines I outlined. I would like some ideas on possible Othersouls. I have a hard time imagining a character with a Bloodline and an Othersoul that are not intimately tied together, but maybe it is otherwise.
Another question I'm having as I look over the character creation rules is about power level. Because pathfinder is not a game with tightly balanced options, I find it important to try to match the power level expected for a given campaign. I want combat to be interesting and an engaging part of gameplay. Should we be trying to make strong characters with mostly powerful feats, spells, etc? This seems even more important to get right than usual, due to Gestalt, high point buy, racial bonuses, etc.
Re SoG: Great! I'll work on finishing up my Gilbert & Sullivan (Pirates of Penzance) actor as an Envoy | Bard.
BTW, it's worth highlighting to everyone that you might find you want to trade your class skills for a trade tradition, since that's an option available to any class. If you do, you'll get 1 base sphere and 2 trade talents (if both your classes have 4 or fewer skills / level, which is referred to as "Competent") or 2 base spheres and 4 trade talents (if at least one of your classes grants > 4 ranks/level, which makes you "Adroit") ...and then an additional +1 trade talent / class you have beyond the first (so 1 extra, if your gestalt build doesn't include any multiclassing).
Warning, it's a LOT to grok all at once, especially if you don't own the Spheres of Guile PDF...but the Trade Traditions and Using Spheres of Guile and Vocation sphere pages on the Spheres wiki page can be a big help.
Put together some basic writing that communicates my ideas about my character's background so far. Hope this looks like something that would make sense in this game. If so, I will look to flesh things out a tiny bit more.
Background so far:
”A man in a robe, claiming communion with the divine. Madness.” Gregor glanced around the nave but found nary a soul in the pews. He was alone. No, not alone, he thought, looking up at Jesus. It must have been a child, whispering such blasphemy from the narthex before darting back into the street. The thought offered small comfort to Gregor, who found that his hand grew hot as it clutched at the crucifix that hung from his neck. That was not the voice of a child.
—-----
”Perhaps it is the voice of Satan, as you guess.” The Bishop watched Gregor carefully from across a desk of burnished oak. ”Yet perhaps it is only the product of your own mind. At any rate, I think you might find that time at a monastery in the countryside would serve you well.” ”Yes,” said Satan, his voice thick and rich as spoiled milk. ”Let him send you away. You love to prattle on to the working masses. Let that work be taken from you. Come to the woods. I am waiting.” ”Yes, said Gregor, his voice thin and wavering like a child’s. ”Yes,” he said again, more firmly. ”I need the quiet life, for a time. And I trust in your holy judgment. I should like to go North, if I may, where the air is clear and cold.”
After the arrangement had been made, and the Bishop had given his blessing, Gregor stood up to leave. The Bishop touched his shoulder, stopping him for a moment. ”I am thankful, Gregor.” His words were heavy and solemn. ”I have the utmost faith in the salvation of your soul. Were it another, one less pious, less devoted, my heart would be filled with doubt. But God has chosen you to bear this burden.”
Gregor turned away, so that the Bishop could not see his face. He felt the hand slip from his shoulder.
—-------
Satan had not spoken to Gregor since he left London. Yet his presence had grown in other ways. There were eyes in the dark that did not blink, though Gregor could not see them. Though normally quick to make friends, few at the monastery had spoken at length with him. He heard their whispers on quiet nights. He traced letters on parchment with hands that did not belong to him. What did Satan say to me, the last time I heard his voice? He gasped when he finished writing. The words were writ in a merciless ink. Come to the woods, they said.
I am waiting.
—--------
Gregor slipped from his room while the moon rose pale and white above ghostly clouds. He held his Bible and wore his crucifix, but carried no other weapons and wore no other armor to his meeting with Satan. The face of Jesus, once cast in a fine silver, had been worried smooth. Shivering, Gregor drew his robes about him to shut out the night air. The words of the Bishop burned in him now. He felt no fear, for he knew that God was with him. He would find the archfiend, and show him the faith in his eyes. When he sees that I am beyond temptation, he will leave me. ”Yes, freedom is within your grasp. You need only prove that you are steadfast, and I will find another.” ”What test must I pass, Lucifer?” ”Go and stand at the edge of yonder river.” Gregor obeyed. ”Take off the trappings of your faith and cast them into the water. Then if you still are faithful, without the air of such things, I will see that your soul is true, and leave you.”
Gregor held a hand firmly about his crucifix. He felt it grow hot, but no design to take it off entered his mind. He sat down at the foot of a tree and smiled. He need speak no words to Satan. Gregor opened his Bible. It was too dark to read, but he knew what the words said anyway.
—--------
Gregor gasped as he startled awake. ”And who might you be?” Asked an elegant scottish woman. She held a small basket.
”Gregor John Walden, priest of London sent to monastery here.” ”But there is no monastery in Waldenshire,” pointed out the woman.
”I am not in Waldenshire.”
The woman blinked. She looked about her. They were on a green moor, the world about them gray and cloaked with an early morning mist. Gregor blinked back at her, and the confusion of waking did not leave him. Only the hazel eyes that gazed at him were fixed in the real world. ”Can you help me?” He asked, very suddenly.
”Why yes, child.” The word sounded softer than it might, to one who was used to being called Father. Gregor nodded vigorously and reached for his crucifix. The woman gasped and dropped her basket. Herbs and mushrooms scattered on the grass.
Gregor reached for them and saw that his hand was red with blood that he knew at once was not his own.
I will move forward with character creation along the lines I outlined. I would like some ideas on possible Othersouls. I have a hard time imagining a character with a Bloodline and an Othersoul that are not intimately tied together, but maybe it is otherwise.
So I would like to pose a few questions in that case. Are you looking for an Othersoul with a traditionally demonic appearance and demeanor or are you more flexible with your vision? What sort of powers might you want from it later?
MelvinVorthos wrote:
Another question I'm having as I look over the character creation rules is about power level. Because pathfinder is not a game with tightly balanced options, I find it important to try to match the power level expected for a given campaign. I want combat to be interesting and an engaging part of gameplay. Should we be trying to make strong characters with mostly powerful feats, spells, etc? This seems even more important to get right than usual, due to Gestalt, high point buy, racial bonuses, etc.
You needn't worry about having to completely optimize a character like you would for something like, say, a megadungeon akin to Rappan Athuk or the Slumbering Tsar. That said, this game will certainly have some challenging combat from time to time- especially later on- and some degree of optimization would be of benefit.
So I would like to pose a few questions in that case. Are you looking for an Othersoul with a traditionally demonic appearance and demeanor or are you more flexible with your vision? What sort of powers might you want from it later?
I am definitely flexible on appearance. I do imagine a melodious and demonic voice. I think it's fine for my character to think he's hearing the voice of Satan, and for it to actually be something pretty different.
Later on, I envision my character's cleric class features coming from their time as a Priest, and their Bloodrager features as coming from their Othersoul. The main Bloodrager features that I think should align thematically with the Othersoul are 1) the Abyssal and/or Infernal Bloodline 2) the Rage ability and 3) some Bloodrager spells. I was also thinking about selecting race point options that feel demonic.
Seer of Shadows wrote:
You needn't worry about having to completely optimize a character like you would for something like, say, a megadungeon akin to Rappan Athuk or the Slumbering Tsar. That said, this game will certainly have some challenging combat from time to time- especially later on- and some degree of optimization would be of benefit.
Let me clarify what I'm asking about. If we build reasonably optimized characters, will combat become too easy and boring?
I am definitely flexible on appearance. I do imagine a melodious and demonic voice. I think it's fine for my character to think he's hearing the voice of Satan, and for it to actually be something pretty different.
Later on, I envision my character's cleric class features coming from their time as a Priest, and their Bloodrager features as coming from their Othersoul. The main Bloodrager features that I think should align thematically with the Othersoul are 1) the Abyssal and/or Infernal Bloodline 2) the Rage ability and 3) some Bloodrager spells. I was also thinking about selecting race point options that feel demonic.
That will definitely help me formulate a list of potential Othersouls that could fit the theme, as it eliminates the more 'brutish' fey with semi-fiendish countenances and personalities. I can have a list drafted up for you by, say, tomorrow. This list will include links to the actual monster entries in the Archives of Nethys or d20PFSRD when possible so that you can have a better reference point than a simple bullet point recitation of monster names from me.
MelvinVorthos wrote:
Let me clarify what I'm asking about. If we build reasonably optimized characters, will combat become too easy and boring?
Combat will never be too easy or boring, at least in most cases. I am very adaptable as a GM and can scale up creatures when necessary. Creating monsters that are not just solid, but which also feel novel and engaging from a mechanical perspective, is a personal goal of mine in almost every game that I run.
I can have a list drafted up for you by, say, tomorrow.
Ok sounds good.
Seer of Shadows wrote:
Combat will never be too easy or boring, at least in most cases.
Great! I've generally found that I'm more likely to find combat boring than too hard, so I just wanted to make sure the game would be a good fit for me in that way.
How are you feeling about that list of potential Othersouls? If you don't think it's important to have identified a specific creature for an Othersoul, I personally don't think there's a problem with leaving them unidentified. At least for now anyway. I was a bit concerned that there wouldn't be any suitable fey in the world, but it seems like there are.
How are you feeling about that list of potential Othersouls? If you don't think it's important to have identified a specific creature for an Othersoul, I personally don't think there's a problem with leaving them unidentified. At least for now anyway. I was a bit concerned that there wouldn't be any suitable fey in the world, but it seems like there are.
I have been scouring books the last several days in an attempt to find a good match for you. I posted the day before yesterday, but it didn't stick apparently. To summarize my results, I skimmed through my physical collection and dug deep into my digital library. Out of several hundred fey monsters scattered across both first and third party bestiaries, only one matches your Othersoul's concept and how you portrayed it in that initial background post: the Chernobog from the Boreal Bestiary and Forest Kingdom Compendium by Legendary games.
It is classically demonic in appearance, hates divinity and takes pleasure in blasphemy and corruption, is evil to a fault, and has enough power where it could be used as an enemy later on, should you want to face it later as part of your character arc. Power-wise, it gets a lot of SLAs, can fire cursed thorns from its body that slowly kill those they are lodged in before turning them into ironbriar zombies, can smell divinity, and a host of other things.
I think it's ok for me to change the concept around depending on what types of creatures make sense in your game. If there are other creatures you would prefer that's ok with me. But the Chernobog sounds like it fits well, and I think that would be cool, so I will plan to go with that unless we talk about it more some other time.
Here is where I am at on the mechanical side at the moment. Feel free to take a look, or to just ignore what I have for now and look more when I have a finished product. Still a bunch of stuff to do including feats, skills, spells, a trait, and spending money. Also thinking I should add something of a more traditional background in addition to a slightly more polished version of the vignettes I posted above.
Build so far:
Senses Darkvision 120 ft, Perception +18
Cleric (vanilla) 7 + Bloodrager (Steelblooded and Urban) 7
Stats
Point Buy: Str 14 Dex 12 Con 10 Int 10 Wis 17 Cha 14
Human Bonus: Wis
Primary Stat: Wis
Secondary Stats: Str and Cha
Level Advancement: Wis
Mental Prowess: Wis
Physical Prowess: Str
Race Points: Advanced Str
Str 20 Dex 12 Con 10 Int 10 Wis 26 Cha 16
Traits
Priest Blessed: Three times per day when you are the target of a harmless divine spell, you may increase its caster level by 1 for purposes of its effect on you alone.
Resilient: +1 to Fort
Focused Mind: +2 to Concenrtation checks
1 Other
Doubt: Whenever you fail a skill or ability check, you take a –4 penalty on that type of skill or ability check for the next hour.
13 RP abilities
Advanced Strength (4 RP): +2 to Str
Natural Armor (2 RP): +1 Natural Bonus to AC
Improved Natural Armor (1 RP): +1 Natural Bonus to AC
Spell Like Ability, Greater (3 RP): Stinking Cloud 1/day
Darkvision, Greater (3 RP): Darkvision 120ft
Domain Powers
when you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, the save DC to halve the damage is increased by 2.
Touch of Glory (Sp): You can cause your hand to shimmer with divine radiance, allowing you to touch a creature as a standard action and give it a bonus equal to your cleric level on a single Charisma-based skill check or Charisma ability check. This ability lasts for 1 hour or until the creature touched elects to apply the bonus to a roll. You can use this ability to grant the bonus a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Aura of Heroism (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of heroism for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. Using this ability is a swift action. Allies in the area are treated as if they were under the effects of heroism. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Touch of Good (Sp): You can touch a creature as a standard action, granting a sacred bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws equal to half your cleric level (minimum 1) for 1 round. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Aura of Menace (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of menace as a standard action. Enemies in this aura take a –2 penalty to AC and on attacks and saves as long as they remain inside the aura. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Other Cleric Features
Channel Positive Energy 4d6
Spontaneous Casting (Cure)
Bloodline - Abyssal
Bloodline Feat - Power Attack
Bloodline Spell - Ray of Enfeeblement
Bloodline Powers
Claws (Su) At 1st level, you grow claws while bloodraging. These claws are treated as natural weapons, allowing you to make two claw attacks as a full attack, using your full base attack bonus. These attacks deal 1d6 points of damage each (1d4 if you are Small) plus your Strength modifier. At 4th level, these claws are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance. At 8th level, the damage increases to 1d8 points (1d6 if you are Small). At 12th level, these claws become flaming weapons, which deal an additional 1d6 points of fire damage on a hit.
Demonic Bulk (Su) At 4th level, when entering a bloodrage, you can choose to grow one size category larger than your base size (as enlarge person) even if you aren’t humanoid.
Other Bloodrager Features
Indomitable Stance (Ex)
At 1st level, a steelblood gains a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks, to CMD against overrun combat maneuvers, and on Reflex saving throws against trample attacks. He also gains a +1 bonus to his AC against charge attacks and on attack and damage rolls against charging creatures.
Armored Swiftness (Ex)
At 2nd level, a steelblood moves faster in medium and heavy armor. When wearing medium or heavy armor, a steelblood can move 5 feet faster than normal in that armor, to a maximum of his unencumbered speed.
Armor Training (Ex)
At 5th level, a steelblood learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a maximum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every 4 levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), these bonuses increase by 1, to a maximum 4-point reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus. This ability stacks with the fighter class feature of the same name.
Blood Deflection (Su)
At 7th level, as an immediate action a steelblood can sacrifice a bloodrager spell slot to gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. The deflection bonus lasts until the start of his next turn. This ability can be applied after an attack roll is made against the steelblood, allowing the steelblood to convert a hit into a miss if the deflection bonus is high enough.
Controlled Bloodrage
When an urban bloodrager rages, she does not gain the normal benefits. Instead, she can apply a +4 morale bonus to her Constitution, Dexterity, or Strength. This bonus increases to +6 when she gains greater bloodrage and to +8 when she gains mighty bloodrage. She can apply the full bonus to one ability score or split the bonus between several scores in increments of 2. When using a controlled bloodrage, an urban bloodrager gains no bonus on Will saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use Charisma-, Dexterity-, and Intelligence-based skills. A controlled bloodrage still counts as a bloodrage for the purposes of any spells, feats, and other effects.
Restrained Magic (Su)
At 3rd level, an urban bloodrager can attune her spells so they are less likely to impact her allies or innocent bystanders. When the bloodrager casts a spell, she can grant a +2 bonus on the saving throw against that spell to any creatures she is aware of that are targeted by the spell or within the spell’s area. Any creature that receives this bonus and succeeds at its save is unaffected by the spell, as if it hadn’t been targeted or wasn’t in the area.
Adopted Magic
At 7th level, an urban bloodrager learns some of the secrets of other magical traditions from other denizens of the city. She can select from the bard or magus spell list any spell of a level she can cast, and add it to her bloodrager spell list and to her bloodrager spells known.
At 10th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the urban bloodrager can add another such spell to her spell list and spells known. If she chooses to learn a new spell in place of an old one, she can exchange a bard or magus spell for another.
Here is my completed submission. I have two things to note.
First, I am not and have never been religious in any way. I have studied European (and other) history and am familiar with Christianity, but probably less than a lot of people.
Second, the build listed below represents what I believe to be a fairly powerful version of this character. If selected, I will try my best to take a look at the other characters and bring the power level of this character in line with theirs. I have a few easy ways in mind to make this character both more and less powerful. Hope that’s ok.
Bloodrager Spells CL 7th Concentration +12
1st - DC 14 2/day - Long Arm, Shield, Infernal Healing, Cause Fear, Ray of Enfeeblement
2nd - DC 15 2/day - Mirror Image, Frigid Touch
SLA 1/day CL 7
Stinking Cloud DC ???
Rage Rounds: 16
Bardic Performance Rounds: 19
Channel Positive Energy 3d6 DC 16 6/day
Touch of Glory 11/day
Stats
Point Buy: Str 14 Dex 12 Con 10 Int 10 Wis 17 Cha 14
Human Bonus: Wis
Primary Stat: Wis
Secondary Stats: Str and Cha
Race Points: Advanced Str
Level Advancement: Wis
Mental Prowess: Wis
Physical Prowess: Str
Curio: Belt of Incredible Dexterity
Final Stats after Awakening: Str 20 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 10 Wis 26 Cha 16
Feats
1 for taking both Urban Bloodrager and Steelblood
Mad Magic
Spell Focus: Conjuration
Augment Summons
Superior Summoning
Sacred Summons
Improved Initiative
Combat Reflexes
Power Attack (Bloodline Bonus)
Eschew Materials (Bloodrager Bonus)
Traits
Priest Blessed: Three times per day when you are the target of a harmless divine spell, you may increase its caster level by 1 for purposes of its effect on you alone.
Resilient: +1 to Fort
Focused Mind: +2 to Concentration checks
Fate’s Favored: Luck bonuses increased by 1
Doubt: Whenever you fail a skill or ability check, you take a –4 penalty on that type of skill or ability check for the next hour.
13 RP abilities
Advanced Strength (4 RP): +2 to Str
Natural Armor (2 RP): +1 Natural Bonus to AC
Improved Natural Armor (1 RP): +1 Natural Bonus to AC
Spell Like Ability, Greater (3 RP): Stinking Cloud 1/day
Darkvision, Greater (3 RP): Darkvision 120ft
Skills (ACP -5)
Acrobatics +5 [1 rank, +3 class skill, +1 Dex, [+5 competence, jumping only]]
Climb +9 [1 rank, +3 class skill, +5 Str]
Diplomacy +7 [1 rank, +3 class skill, +3 Cha]
Intimidate + 7 [1 rank, +3 class skill, +3 Cha]
Knowledge: Religion +8 [7 ranks, +3 class skill]
Knowledge: the Planes +4 [1 rank, +3 class skill]
Knowledge: History +4 [1 rank, +3 class skill]
Knowledge: Local +4 [1 rank, +3 class skill]
Knowledge: Arcana +4 [1 rank, +3 class skill]
Perform: Oratory +11 [5 ranks, +3 class skill, +3 Cha]
Perception +18 [7 ranks, +3 class skill, +8 Wis]
Sense Motive +15 [4 ranks, +3 class skill, +8 Wis]
Spellcraft +7 [4 rank, +3 class skill]
Swim +9 [1 rank, +3 class skill, +5 Str]
Background
Artistry: Manuscript +5 [2 ranks, +3 class skill]
Craft: Candles +5 [2 ranks, +3 class skill
Profession: Priest +16 [5 ranks, +3 class skill, +8 Wis]
Linguistics +5 [2 ranks, +3 class skill]
Languages: English, Latin, French
Perform: Sing +9 [3 ranks, +3 class skill, +3 Cha]
Curio: Crucifix
Boots of Striding and Springing: 5.5k
Shawl of Life Keeping 1k
Belt of Dex 4k
Headband of Fortune’s favor 7.7k
Ioun Stone (cracked Dusty Rose Prism) .5k
Glorious Tabard, Lesser .4k
5.9k Unassigned
Domain Powers
when you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, the save DC to halve the damage is increased by 2.
Touch of Glory (Sp): You can cause your hand to shimmer with divine radiance, allowing you to touch a creature as a standard action and give it a bonus equal to your cleric level on a single Charisma-based skill check or Charisma ability check. This ability lasts for 1 hour or until the creature touched elects to apply the bonus to a roll. You can use this ability to grant the bonus a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Aura of Heroism (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of heroism for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. Using this ability is a swift action. Allies in the area are treated as if they were under the effects of heroism. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Other Cleric Features
Public Speaker
An evangelist gains Perform as a class skill. In addition, she is trained to project her voice with great skill and effect; the DC to hear her speak in difficult conditions is reduced by an amount equal to her class level plus her Charisma modifier (minimum 0).
Sermonic Performance
An evangelist gains the ability to deliver a select number of supernatural and spell-like performances through the force and power of her divinely inspired preaching and exhortation. This ability is similar in all respects to bardic performance as used by a bard of the same level (including interactions with feats, spells, and prestige classes), using Perform (oratory) as the evangelist’s performance skill. However, an evangelist gains only the following types of bardic performance: countersong, fascinate, and inspire courage at 1st level; inspire greatness at 9th level; and inspire heroics at 15th level.
Bloodline - Abyssal
Bloodline Feat - Power Attack
Bloodline Spell - Ray of Enfeeblement
Bloodline Powers
Claws (Su) At 1st level, you grow claws while bloodraging. These claws are treated as natural weapons, allowing you to make two claw attacks as a full attack, using your full base attack bonus. These attacks deal 1d6 points of damage each (1d4 if you are Small) plus your Strength modifier. At 4th level, these claws are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance. At 8th level, the damage increases to 1d8 points (1d6 if you are Small). At 12th level, these claws become flaming weapons, which deal an additional 1d6 points of fire damage on a hit.
Demonic Bulk (Su) At 4th level, when entering a bloodrage, you can choose to grow one size category larger than your base size (as enlarge person) even if you aren’t humanoid.
Other Bloodrager Features
Indomitable Stance (Ex)
At 1st level, a steelblood gains a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks, to CMD against overrun combat maneuvers, and on Reflex saving throws against trample attacks. He also gains a +1 bonus to his AC against charge attacks and on attack and damage rolls against charging creatures.
Armored Swiftness (Ex)
At 2nd level, a steelblood moves faster in medium and heavy armor. When wearing medium or heavy armor, a steelblood can move 5 feet faster than normal in that armor, to a maximum of his unencumbered speed.
Armor Training (Ex)
At 5th level, a steelblood learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a maximum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every 4 levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), these bonuses increase by 1, to a maximum 4-point reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus. This ability stacks with the fighter class feature of the same name.
Blood Deflection (Su)
At 7th level, as an immediate action a steelblood can sacrifice a bloodrager spell slot to gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. The deflection bonus lasts until the start of his next turn. This ability can be applied after an attack roll is made against the steelblood, allowing the steelblood to convert a hit into a miss if the deflection bonus is high enough.
Controlled Bloodrage
When an urban bloodrager rages, she does not gain the normal benefits. Instead, she can apply a +4 morale bonus to her Constitution, Dexterity, or Strength. This bonus increases to +6 when she gains greater bloodrage and to +8 when she gains mighty bloodrage. She can apply the full bonus to one ability score or split the bonus between several scores in increments of 2. When using a controlled bloodrage, an urban bloodrager gains no bonus on Will saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use Charisma-, Dexterity-, and Intelligence-based skills. A controlled bloodrage still counts as a bloodrage for the purposes of any spells, feats, and other effects.
Restrained Magic (Su)
At 3rd level, an urban bloodrager can attune her spells so they are less likely to impact her allies or innocent bystanders. When the bloodrager casts a spell, she can grant a +2 bonus on the saving throw against that spell to any creatures she is aware of that are targeted by the spell or within the spell’s area. Any creature that receives this bonus and succeeds at its save is unaffected by the spell, as if it hadn’t been targeted or wasn’t in the area.
Adopted Magic
At 7th level, an urban bloodrager learns some of the secrets of other magical traditions from other denizens of the city. She can select from the bard or magus spell list any spell of a level she can cast, and add it to her bloodrager spell list and to her bloodrager spells known.
At 10th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the urban bloodrager can add another such spell to her spell list and spells known. If she chooses to learn a new spell in place of an old one, she can exchange a bard or magus spell for another.
Vignettes Background:
”A man in a robe, claiming communion with the divine. Madness.” Gregor glanced around the nave but found nary a soul in the pews. He was alone. No, not alone, he thought, looking up at Jesus. It must have been a child, whispering blasphemy from the narthex before darting back to the street. The thought offered small comfort to Gregor, who found that his hand grew hot as it clutched at the crucifix that hung from his neck. That was not the voice of a child.
—-----
”Perhaps it is the voice of Satan, as you guess.” The Bishop watched Gregor carefully from across a desk of burnished oak. ”Yet perhaps it is only the product of your own mind. Regardless, I think you will find that time at a monastery in the countryside will serve you well.” ”Yes,” said Satan, his voice thick and rich as spoiled milk. [i]”Let him send you away. You love to prattle on to the working masses. Let that work be taken from you. Come to the woods. I am waiting.” ”Yes, said Gregor, his voice thin and wavering like a child’s. ”Yes,” he said again, more firmly. ”I need the quiet life, for a time. And I trust in your holy judgment. I should like to go North, if I may, where the air is clear and cold.”
After the arrangement had been made, and the Bishop had given his blessing, Gregor stood up to leave. The Bishop touched his shoulder, stopping him for a moment. ”I am thankful, Gregor.” His words were heavy and solemn. ”I have the utmost faith in the salvation of your soul. Were it another, one less pious, less devoted, my heart would be filled with doubt. But God has chosen you to bear this burden.”
Gregor turned away, so that the Bishop could not see his face. He felt the hand slip from his shoulder.
—-------
Satan had not spoken to Gregor since he left London. Yet his presence had grown in other ways. Though normally quick to make friends, few at the monastery had spoken at length with him. He heard their whispers on quiet nights. More troubling, Gregor had moments when his faith left him. Doubt would creep into his mind on sleepless nights, and then be chased away with a whisper to the Virgin Mary.
Gregor sat alone, tracing letters on parchment with hands that did not belong to him. What did Satan say to me, the last time I heard his voice? He gasped when he finished writing. The words were writ in a merciless ink. Come to the woods, they said.
I am waiting.
—--------
Gregor slipped from his room while the moon rose pale and white above ghostly clouds. He held his Bible and wore his crucifix, but carried no other weapons and wore no other armor to his meeting with Satan. The face of Jesus, once cast on his crucifix in a fine silver, had been worried smooth. Shivering, Gregor drew his robes about him to shut out the night air. He would find the archfiend, and show him the faith in his eyes. When he sees that I am beyond temptation, he will leave me. ”Yes, freedom is within your grasp. You need only prove that you are steadfast, and I will find another.” ”What test must I pass, Lucifer?” Gregor spoke aloud into the night air, though he could see no one. The light of the moon meant little beneath the trees.
”Go and stand at the edge of yonder river.” Gregor obeyed. ”Take off the trappings of your faith and cast them into the water. Then if you still are faithful, without the aid of such things, I will see that your soul is true, and leave you.”
Gregor held a hand firmly about his crucifix. He felt it grow hot, but no design to take it off entered his mind. He sat down at the foot of a tree. He need speak no words to Satan, yet he did not feel the devil’s presence lessen. Gregor opened his Bible. It was too dark to read, but he knew what the words said anyway.
—--------
Gregor gasped as he startled awake. ”And who might you be?” Asked an elegant scottish woman. She held a small basket.
”Gregor John Walden, priest of London sent to monastery here.” ”But there is no monastery in Waldenshire,” pointed out the woman.
”I am not in Waldenshire.”
The woman blinked. She looked about her. They were on a green moor, the world about them gray and cloaked with an early morning mist. Gregor blinked back at her, and the confusion of waking did not leave him. Only the hazel eyes that gazed at him were fixed in the real world. ”Can you help me?” He asked, very suddenly.
”Why, yes, child.” The word sounded softer than it might, to one who was used to being called Father. Gregor nodded vigorously and reached for his crucifix. The woman gasped and dropped her basket. Mushrooms scattered on the grass.
Gregor reached for one and saw that his hand was red with blood that he knew was not his own.
Narrative Background:
Gregor John Walden was born to a working couple in the heart of London. His mother died in childbirth. Gregor fondly remembers the time he had a father, before the man’s baker’s lungs grew too sensitive for the city air. He remembers the time he spent as an orphan, in the care of a catholic priest, almost as fondly.
Gregor was a studious and pious adolescent. Reading the Bible in his spare time, he was encouraged to go to Seminary. He showed promise on the rugby field as well, but found no higher calling there. Though others thought his life unfortunate, Gregor saw himself as blessed.
After graduating into priesthood, Gregor began to serve in the same Diocese he grew up in. Many of the faces he saw in church were ones he had known his whole life. After years working as a priest, Gregor began to hear a troubling voice. It gnawed at the back of his mind, until he confessed it to a bishop. The man sent him north, to a monastery, in the hopes that a quieter, more communal life would be good for him. It was not.
Gregor soon found that, though the voice had gone, some curse was upon him. He resolved himself to confront this demonic presence, Satan, he believed. Venturing out into the woods on a dark night, Gregor spoke with the voice. He could remember sitting down to read the bible…and then waking up somewhere else, with another person’s blood on his hands.
Fortunately for Gregor, he also met Bonnie Ainsworth at the same time. Asking for her help, Gregor left the monastery in the hopes that this woman might know more about his voice than the men of the cloth. He had not lost his faith in God, nor even in the Church. But he knew that he could not return until the voice, and its presence, were gone.
Appearance and Personality:
The black fabric of Gregor’s cassock stretches a long way from his ankles to his collar. Well over six feet tall, the smiling Priest has a handsome and welcoming face. While not a young man, he has as yet no hint of gray in his hair. For years, Gregor always appeared immaculately groomed when in public. Lately, the fraying of his mind has shown itself in his disheveled hair and unshaven face. His eyes are weary, but calm…except when they dart suddenly around the room, searching for a speaker that is not there. He wears a silver crucifix, which he often grasps with one hand. The face of Jesus on his crucifix has been worn smooth and featureless, though the crown of thorns remains sharply pointed.
Christianity is the defining feature of Gregor’s personality. He sees everything through the lens of the Church. Recently, as he has left the church on dishonorable grounds, this has become a less defining aspect of his personality. Whereas before, he saw himself as a champion of the faith who would shepherd his flock to salvation, he now sees himself as a wayward sheep. Doubt has crept into the corners of his mind. As the game progresses, I expect Gregor will see many things that will call his faith into question.
Gregor used to enjoy keeping his own schedule and having time to pursue interests outside of the Church. He was gregarious and had many friends, but struggled to make new ones after leaving London. A pragmatic and practical orphan, Gregor will carry on, whatever challenges life presents him with.
The recruitment is officially closed to new interest. I am roughly a third of the way through applications, which are taking a little more time to deconstruct due to me having to make up lost days at work. As such, if any revisions are to be made or a finalized version of a previously mentioned concept posted, those will still be considered until such a time as I complete this final review of each application and post my choices.
I may message some of you if there is still something that I need, whether a vital piece of statblock or background information.
Simeon wrote:
Just checking in to make sure that Lionel's good to go and that I haven't forgotten anything?
Lionel seems good to go from a glance, although I may discover something missing once I reach him in my final lookover and statblock deconstruction for the character.
Alexander Stephens and Midnight wrote:
Likewise, anything further I needed for Alexander?
There is nothing that immediately comes to mind although, like I mentioned to Simeon, something may come up as I work through the applications a final time.
MelvinVorthos wrote:
I have two things to note.
First, I am not and have never been religious in any way. I have studied European (and other) history and am familiar with Christianity, but probably less than a lot of people.
Second, the build listed below represents what I believe to be a fairly powerful version of this character. If selected, I will try my best to take a look at the other characters and bring the power level of this character in line with theirs. I have a few easy ways in mind to make this character both more and less powerful. Hope that’s ok.
Both of those are not an issue for this game.
In regards to the first, one does not need to have perfect knowledge of something in order to produce enjoyable content that pertains to it. A rather famous example of this as it pertains to Christianity is the quote Jules throws around in Pulp Fiction that was supposedly from Ezekiel 25:17; the version used in the movie is markedly different from the actual verse, but it really sold the scenes and character arc it was used in.
As for the second, there are always going to be differences in power between PCs. As long as one PC is not completely running the show, I don't see an issue with that disparity.
Hey Seer, for those of us that're already underway, do you have a deadline you need final builds and backgrounds by?
I don't want to hold things up, *and* have a big work writing project at the moment that I'm trying not to distract myself from, so planning around a deadline would be helpful for me.
My Gilbert & Sullivan actor is shaping up nicely, but not quite done yet!
Hey Seer, are you still around and planning to do this? I hope all's well with you!
In case you are, I’m ready to officially present Arthur Cook, lead actor in the latest of Gilbert & Sullivans operettas, including the recent talk of the town, The Pirates of Penzance.
Arthur Cook: backstory, appearance, and other notes:
Background, and Relations
Arthur Cook is the talk of London’s theater scene. In the five years since Richard D’Oyly Carte opened the Savoy theater to showcase the emerging works of Gilbert and Sullivan, Arthur has starred in more of their comedic operas than any other actor (notably playing the Pirate King in the recent hit, The Pirates of Penzance). Cook is renowned for soaring vocals, for dazzling dance footwork, and for an uncanny ability to disappear into a role in a way that makes one sure one’s never seen this person before.
He knows how charming he is, and has recently grown accustomed to having a slew of admirers, male and female. While he’d be lying to say he doesn’t let the acclaim go to his head–fame has it’s benefits!–he is known for taking the piss out of anyone who takes anything (even his own fame and skill) too seriously.
Cook is the son of Adam & Roberta Cook, and was raised by them on the grounds of King’s College, where Mr Cook is a dean (teaching courses in Latin and fencing), and his wife Roberta is a well regarded acting teacher. While Arthur is of reasonable intelligence, he never excelled in his academic studies (much to his father’s disappointment). That is, until his last few years of school when Arthur managed to hone his ability to bluff and bluster to the point where he could often ace a course simply by acting the part, and persuading the teacher that he was surely a star at the subject.
Bonnie Ainsworth is, of course, a devoted patron of the arts, and never misses a production at the Savoy. Some months ago, she arranged to have Gilbert, Sullivan, and Arthur Cook over for a salon, and she was immediately taken by Arthur’s charm and wit. Arthur, likewise, appreciated Ainsworth’s deep knowledge of the theatre–as well as the fine food and wine she serves, and the fascinating company she attracts–and they became fast friends. When she invited him to a gala at Waldenshire (on a weekend between productions) he happily jumped at the opportunity.
Arthur Cook has wavy brown hair and green eyes. He sports a fashionable mustache and has a rakish grin that is known to melt hearts of women and men. Arthur is of average height and build, yet somehow often seems to tower above those around him. Though not particularly strong, he’s quite light on his feet, and in excellent condition overall. He has the ability to make whatever he wears appear quite fashionable, and recently he’s taken inspiration from one of his favorite roles: wearing the loose white cotton blouse, navy pantaloons, and red sash of Penzance’s Pirate King.
Once he awakens as a dreamwalker, he will have a shimmering magenta-and-indigo butterfly that often lights on his shoulder, or flies about his head like a living crown.
Other
I feel that either a Muse or Nymph suit the bill well. I’d leave to your discretion if one or the other fits better with your vision and plans for the game.
His Wyld Shape is that of a bluebird.
I'm happy to move his stat block to a profile if preferred. for now, it's probably easier to read in this doc: Arthur Cook, stats
I welcome any feedback / suggestions / corrections. Thanks!
