Welcome! Be sure to introduce yourself to one another. I will have our discord link posted here so you can join it.
Welcome! Be sure to introduce yourself to one another. I will have our discord link posted here so you can join it.
Thank you very much for choosing Krokod! He's a social fellow with a traumatic past (Yes, I know, not THAT original in fantasy settings but classics work for a reason) but is over all a team player. He works as a cook in town and so likely other characters have interacted with him.
I'm new to Discord so I hope folks forgive a few luddite slips. I know it's been around for years, I just never had much need before :o
Thanks for the opportunity. Mia's skilled in a number of crafts and helps other craftsmen around town. She's been living in Heldren proper for the past four years or so.
Ready to hop on the server whenever you get the link up.
Here is the discord link. It is only active for 7 days then it goes away. Jump on in.
Hell yeah!
Thanks for liking my submission, I look forwards to meeting everyone in character!
Also, GM I added to my profile on the bottom a trophy from each of the countries she's traveled previously. I'm certain she'll add more throughout the campaign too!
Okay. I did a look over the town in the campaign info bit. Ideas who he might interact with and where he'd favor.
Obviously below is subject to our Game Master's approval:
I think as a cook, Krokod likely gets most of his work from the Silver Stoat with Menander and Kale Garimos as his regular employers. He is for hire working for others, and sometimes ends up doing a dinner for this or that person specifically, but no one has really hired him as a 'personal cook' which is probably just as well as he's quite social and enjoys the bustle of crowds. He's likely grown close to the Garimos and knows enough to give them space as a couple.
Of course, he's met and flirted with Xanthippe Euphram, and so far hasn't gotten a black eye for it. Possibly because his magics can allow him to heat up a forge extra fast if it grows cold.
Not particularly religious, he goes to the local temple as much as for staying in sync with the locals as anything else. Sometimes when mention of the importance of family in talk of Erastil he gives a weak smile, the empathic might realize there's sadness tied to it. He doesn't seem to have a favorite diety but doesn't blapheme against any. Why make enemies?
The Savvy may note that Krokod tends to keep a respectful distance from Old Mother Theodora unless business calls for it. He's down right respectful when he meets her in the street though. It's possible she looks a bit too much like some folks he knew in his life before coming to town for him to feel comfortable.
Krokod is almost always in on the town meetings. He's a young man, but he is a man so figures he's as much right to opinions as anyone else in the village. And while he's not trained in dancing, he always shows up for the village dances anyway.
Likely, Krokod has no one in town that really dislikes him, not that he knows of anyway. However, it is mentioned Xanthipee has MANY suitors, so it's possible he's got at least one 'rival' that resents the hell of the 'new comer foreigner'. Depending on how open this person is about his dislike, it's possible Krokod enjoys tweaking the green eyed bastard's nose a bit.
It is also possible that, as a good looking if lean lad who is just a bit different, another lass out there has noticed HIM and would really like to kick him in the ass for not getting a hint. Such is the drama of a small village.
(Obviously PCs are a whole different kettle of fish and I will work with folks on PC interactions and history as they like)
Just joined the discord. I'll get the alias set up shortly and post here.
Edit: Alias is set up. Just needs final touches.
Okay, so here's what I have so far. Mia is seventeen years old, and has spent the last five in Heldren proper, serving an extra hand for the various craftsmen around town.
NPCs she knows well or that would be familiar with her
Isker and Xanthippe Euphram - Since they run the local smithy and Mia knows how to smith not just common goods, but also armor and weapons, she's worked with them the most.
Sophia Imirras - Mia has some leatherworking skills, I can see her working for Sophia to repair riding tack, saddles, as well as making goods when needed.
Elder Natharen and Zaarida Safender - Depending on how long Natharen has been elder, he could have been the one that took Mia from the last of the woodsmen that found her.
Tengezil Frimbocket - She either borrows his shave-horse or has commissioned one for her bowyer work. May even work with him to help make batches of parts.
She'd also know some of the huntsmen and woodsmen in town since she can act as a bowyer, and perhaps that's how she's been making her living recently since there doesn't appear to be one in town at the moment.
Possible PC connections
Krokod - One of Mia's few friends is Xanthippe. I could see her getting to know the outgoing sorcerer once they manage to get past the wall of awkwardness that keeps most people from getting to know Mia.
Kessir and Golden Arrow - You might know her as your local arrow and bow supplier. Like I said, it appears the town doesn't have a bowyer at the moment.
Hi everyone! I'm throwing a quick post in just to thank the GM for picking me, and confirm that I didn't disappear after the selection process! I live in France and my reactions can be a bit delayed because of time zones differences :')
I'm excited to play with you all! I'll take some time later to sit down and work on Linge' s relational ties to Heldren and the other PCs proper.
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One of many refugees from Sarkoris, Kriemhild ended up in Taldor, and, not wishing to take gifts or alms, immidiatly applied her massive brawn to both the smithy and the lumberjacking enterprises. Earning her a steady income and a reputation as a very tough and strong worker.
She suddenly became one of Iskers friends, after he saw her teaching his daughter Xanthippe "Anti-Incubus-techniques" passed down to her from her family. A town youth daring to get overly touchy with Xanthippe still sings an octave higher.
She then joined the militia.
She is pretty open, often seen with Xanthippe (who uses her to screen suitors, if you are scared of the 250 lb half orc with massive bulging muscles, you arent worthy of Xanthippes attention), and a pretty sizeable drinker.
She aspired to sing, which she can, in a fashion, and wasted much of her savings on a failed effort to get into the opera.
She would propably known Mia a bit, but, being less skilled then her, mostly does helper tasks suited to her massive strength and considerable constitution.
Perhaps Krokod ran into her while trying to flirt with Xanthippe, but Krokod likely didnt show fear and succeeded :).
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Other notes:
--Kriemhild does not tend to get to date much, in Taldane culture, men always buy the drinks and she is a rather expensive date on that account.
--Stridsdottir means "Daughter of strife/battle" while it may sound boastful, its kind of the mark for "orphan of unknown parentage due to f~%*, demons everwhere", and carries a bit of stigma.
--In old Germanic, hild implies battle/heroism, while kriem comes from grima, which mask. Visage of battle could be a translation.
There is obviously the rather infamous character from Ring of the Nibelungen as another reference.
--when a visiting adventuring Magus regaled her with the superiorty of "fighting with your head" (clearly seeking to hit on Xanthippe), she took him outside for a mock duel and knocked him out. With a headbut.
--She has thought many young villagers how to swear in Orcish, much to their parents chagrin, if their parents would speak Orc, which they dont haha.
--Cats seem to regard her as a very big clumsy cat for some reason
--There is a meme in the village about Kriemhild hitting her head on the top doorframe of the general store whenever she tries to enter. If she is sober, she typically manages to duck a bit and avoid it, but many villagers conspire to send her on general store related things whenver she is a bit tipsy. On youngling wrote "Duck Kriemhild!" in Orcish on that doorframe, while she appreciated the effort, the youngling wrote "Kriemhild is a duck" because he was drunk and orc isnt the easiest language to write in, and he as drunk.
--The other meme is about "Kriemhild vs horses vs gravity, spoiler gravity always wins" horses seem to innately distrust her, in the way they would a large feline predator.
It can be overcome, but she doesnt like riding, and horses dont like being ridden by her.
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Okay, I laughed hard at "Anti-Incubus-techniques" and approve of the idea that Krokod has met Kriemhild (Who may be nicked named by some "Xanthippe's dragon" if the player is okay with it ;) ) and didn't show fear. Healthy respect? that's another thing. Actually he probably encourages her musical side. It's a small town and they could use some entertainment even if it needs work. Besides, he likes dancing and he doesn't exactly have a performance skill. Knowing she's part of the militia, if he sees trouble brewing he isn't sure he can handle himself, he probably goes to her as she's closer to his own age and more relatable than some of the old guard to him.
By now, he might even know a few of her favorite dishes, as he surely knows Xanthippe's.
The above might also apply to Mia, who is Xanthippe's good friend. Assuming Xanthippe pushes Mia out into public now and then, Krokod has probably tried to set the girl at ease and will distract folks from her if she feels crowded. He might even feel a kind of big brother instinct he thought buried kick in now and then, which is laughable as Mia is far more skilled with weapons than he'll ever be.
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Kriemhild singing a song from the kellid group that picked her up and got her to Taldor:
I fight my enemies
because thats what I´m paid to do
I never hesitate to act
or even think it through
Id retire any day
But I spend too much on swords and whores
I aint gonna raid no more
Refrain:
Glory Glory
What a hell of a way to die
Gory Gory
I am good to be alive
Glory Glory
I just wish theyd pay me more
I guess Ill raid once more
Refrain ends
The people that were fighting
Are them Chelish through and through
I ask for reinforcements
but they said "that would be you".
I wait for them to sue themselves
Thats what Im praying for
I aint gonna raid no more
Refrain
My Battleaxe is broken
And my War-Skald`s jaw is gone
The other day I saw them turn
My best friend into ham
For dinner I shall eat some things
That I found on the floor
I might not raid once more!
Refrain
I got all kind of blessings
And my abs are fully blinged
I like to throw my axe at them
to hear my own ears ring
Every single Raid I swear
its my big score
I guess Ill raid once more!
Refrain
My family is buried
and my hometown is ablaze
I do not see the irony
as one more town I raze
I lost sight of all revengeance
creeds and the oaths I swore
I just wanna raid some more
Refrain
The clients didnt tell us
what we would be fighting for
and all I know for certain
is that I wont die from "poor"
In other words I´m just another
f#&*ing dog of war
Ill glady raid once more!
Refrain
Never trust them Chelish
or anything they say
Theyll always stab you in the back
Just to get their way
The only thing that worse
Is their s~!% substandard pay
So Ill have to raid once more!
Refrain
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There was also the unusual Taldane musical cats Orcs Featuring the following song:
Epica memory from the musical cats
Midnight
Not a sound from the battlement
Has the moon lost her memory?
I am smiling alone
In the torchlight
The dying foes collect at my feet
And their bodies begin to moan
Memory
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was powerful then
I remember
The time I knew what victory was
Let that memory live again
Every shield-Orc
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Someone mutters as the next foe is guttered
Oh yes there will be mourning
Daylight
I must demand a pay-rise
I must fight for a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new war will begin
Burnt out ends of smoking ruins
The stale cold smell of morning
A warrior dies, another life is over
Another day is dawning
Fight me!
It's so easy to leave me
All alone with my memory
Of my charge at the sun
If you don't pay me
You'll understand what your defeat is
For us a new war has begun!
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That introduction to Kriemhild is glorious.
Here's Linge's relationships with NPCs and PCs (sorry if I got a little bit carried away, I have a tendency to write novels when I get enthusiastic about something):
First, NPCs:
_ Old wounds dating back from Isker's military service had made Isker Euphram suffer from years before Ranna and Linge Hagebak moved to Heldren. Since Argus's leeches had long proven inefficient, and even Old Mother Theodora's ash-tree infusions and various cataplasms were no longer enough to dull the pain, it was with great reluctante and no small amount of arguing with his daughter that Isker turned to the new healer in town. Ranna listened to his case carefully, listed the different remedies he had been taking from Theodora to ease his chronic pain, then told him flatly he had built a tolerance to the the treatment and needed to cut off whatever he was taking at once. Infuriated, Isker had barged out of Ranna's house then and there -only to return a few days later sheepishly to apologise, after Theodora confirmed Ranna's diagnosis and chewed Isker out for not telling her he had been buying potions and herbs from Tessareae on top of taking the Old Mother's remedies to increase the dosage.
After that little incident, Isker's health improved considerably. Ranna advised him on how to put the least strain on his muscles and joints when he was working to lessen the pain, and after a few months, he could safely be switched to a different, lighter medication to help with the pain. Thus, the Hagebak women forever won the gratitude and friendship of the blacksmith and his daughter. Whenever Ranna and Linge happened to meet Isker and Xanthippe in the streets of Helden, she would be greeted with bright smiles and casual chit-chat. Patrons of the Stoat would even joke that Isker bowed his head to 'Mrs. Hagebak' with the same respect he usually reserved for Mother Theodora alone.
Although she doesn't feel like she did anything to deserve it, Linge began to be treated very warmly by Xanthippe. Upon learning that Linge often spent whole days in the woods alone with nothing but a sling when gathering herbs, Xanthippe insisted that she would not leave the blacksmithery without a proper weapon and, undeterred by Linge's pleading and arguing that she could not carry iron, she rummaged through the whole shop until she could find the lightest spear Linge could lift. After she found Horn, Isker not only suggested that the bear should wear a light armour to protect him against the arrows of hunters, but was actually brave enough to do the measuring. He gave it to Linge at a knockdown price.
The Euphrams helped in their own way during Ranna's illness, with Xanthippe sometimes showing up with groceries or fully cooked meals to last Linge and her mother. Isker was among the men who dug the grave.
_ There is no doubt that Linge is in Tessaraea Willowbark's good graces for being an efficient and reliable worker. While Linge takes care of the lesser tasks of gathering herbs and making cataplasms for the old and the sick, Tessaraea has more time on her hands to focus on the greater art of making as many alchemist's fires as her shelves can handle without collapsing. Although Linge has heard all of the village's rumours about Tessaraea's presumed lost love, she doubts that they are true -maybe the elf is just plain weird. In any case, she hasn't asked any questions, and Tessaraea, in true elven politeness, returned the favour by not asking any about the Hagebaks' lives.
When working together at the apothecary's shop, the two women move around each other with the same regularity and precision as two automatons on one of Orillus Davigen's clocks. They keep focused and speak little, an ambiance that they both find rather soothing. Although friendship for elves takes decades to build, Linge is one of the few people in Heldren that Tessaraea appears to feel comfortable around -and perhaps appreciate.
_ Although their methods greatly differed, there was mutual respect between Ranna Hagebak and Old Mother Theodora, as well as an unspoken agreement that Ranna would replace her as the village's midwife when death would come for the old wise woman. Linge has occasionally run errands for Theodora, and often saw her visiting the Hagebaks in the middle of winter around a warm cup of tea, when Ranna's mood was at her lowest. The wise woman and the young herborist, however, have rarely interacted with one another prior to Ranna's demise. Linge has no idea whether Ranna and Theodora's relation had reached the stage of friendship or not, but in spite of her rhumatisms, the old wise woman made a few visits to Ranna's house with remedies while she was battling her illness, and now finds herself without a clear successor in line.
_ Linge has never attended church, nor had any inclination to, and Ranna's aversion to anything approaching organised religion has earned the Hagebak women few friends among the clerics and the devoted worshippers of the gods. In spite of his best efforts, Natharen Safander was no exception, to the point that Ranna flat-out refused to let him go anywhere near her when he offered Linge some magical help to cure her illness. While Natharen has not completely earned Linge's trust, she considers him one of the few priests she has met who wasn't scared of admitting openly that he didn't know the inner thoughts of the gods or the 'right' ways to heaven better than anyone -and indeed, never really commented on Ranna or Linge's lack of faith. Natharen showed sincere willingness to help Ranna regardless of her beliefs, and barely batted an eye when Linge declined his offer to perform a funeral service, respecting Ranna's wish to be buried outside of Heldren's graveyard, with her own rites. Zaarida, however, still shoots the odd looks when they meet in Heldren's streets.
_ Although Linge doesn't spend time inMenander and Kale Garimos's establishment, she had had to rely on the couple to provide her with literal buckets of porridge to keep Horn satiated -for a fair price, of course. As Horn grew older, she has had to switch to Perkin Tarimm for bear food, which she buys in ever-increasing quantity. The halfling now rubs his hands together when Linge, one of his most reliable customers, crosses the threshold of his shop. It prompted the druidess to train Horn to hunt his own food to avoid having her meagre means entirely siphoned.
_ Sophia Imirras distrusts Linge since she spotted Horn circling her stables. Some teeth-clenched negotiation had to ensue to persuade Sophia out of shooting the bear cub on sight if she caught him lurking again. Although Linge is convinced that Horn was just curious and probably wouldn't have attacked as big a prey as a horse, she added meat to his menu to avoid any future incident.
_ Argus Goldtooth was more than a little miffed that an apothecary's assistant should get between Tessaraea and him. It hasn't helped that Linge has so far turned down as politely as possible all of his offers to teach her how to bring leeches into her treatments, and that neither Hagebak women has let him cut or style her hair in spite of his familiarity with Skald hairstyles. Linge suspects Argus might have tried to persuade Tessaraea to pick another assistant once or twice -so far without any success.
As far as the PCs are concerned, here's a few ideas for connections (feel free to tell me if you don't like them!):
_ While probably not one of Xanthippe's closest friends, I think it's safe to assume that the smithy's daughter would have introduced her girl friends to each other at some point.
Kriemhild: Kriemhild's boisterous personality would probably intimidate Linge a little bit, though she'd show genuine curiosity about opera, which is very unfamiliar to her. They probably don't have much in common in terms of life experience or hobbies since Kriemhild is likely to spend most of her time at the Stoats- though she can certainly find out that Linge can't hold her alcohol the fun way :)
Mia: It's very likely that Ranna would identify Mia as a changeling, and Linge would have been warned about her. Whether they strike a friendship or not is going to depend a lot on how well Mia would hide her heritage and 'curse', so to speak.
Krokod: Even if Linge and Krokod are not formally introduced, she would have seen him around Xanthippe for sure. He would absolutely know, for sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that Ranna and Linge are originally from Irrisen based on their accent, clothes, hairstyles, and... Well, everything about them, really. This could be interesting, as Linge has never even heard of Irrisen before she came to Heldren. What Krokod decides to do with this information is up to you!
_ The two remaining characters could have ties to Linge via Horn:
Golden Arrow: See, the moment you submitted your character and described her as wearing a polar bear's hide, I thought about the diplomatic incident this would cause between our PCs if we got picked in the same team :')
Linge would absolutely be terrified of Golden Arrow killing her precious bear cub, and absolutely suspects her of being the one who killed Horn's mother if the elf happened to be in or near Heldren a couple of months before the game starts (whether you actually did it or not is your choice -I won't put that blood on your hands!) All the hunting trophies Golden Arrow carries on her person certainly doesn't assuage her fears. Linge would probably want to avoid Golden Arrow, especially since she rather lacks confidence while the elf is very sure of herself.
Kessir: Much like Linge, Kessir spends a lot of time on the edge of Heldren. Because he is an archer (and possibly a frequent hunter), she already would have told him about the bear cub wearing an armour, probably asking him to pass the message not to shoot him under any circumstances. If he was particularly understanding, she might even have confessed her fears about Golden Arrow to him, asking him to help keeping an eye on Horn.
When Linge saved Horn from the forest, a couple of months ago, he wrecked chaos on the streets of Heldren for at least a solid fortnight. He had a knack for sneaking away from Linge and, left to his own devices, would sniff around, trot aimlessly down the streets, go through everyone's trash to find food and steal just about everything edible he could find, from carcasses to meat pies left on windowsills to crackers in a woodworker's backpack. He has never attacked anyone, but scared plenty who turned around to see where the munching noises were coming from.
This past month, everything has been quiet again, and for all everyone knows Linge keeps him somewhere outside Heldren. Even the woodworkers and huntsmen now rarely see him, though he is still known to accompany Linge on her herb gatherings.
Golden Arrow: See, the moment you submitted your character and described her as wearing a polar bear's hide, I thought about the diplomatic incident this would cause between our PCs if we got picked in the same team :')
Linge would absolutely be terrified of Golden Arrow killing her precious bear cub, and absolutely suspects her of being the one who killed Horn's mother if the elf happened to be in or near Heldren a couple of months before the game starts (whether you actually did it or not is your choice -I won't put that blood on your hands!) All the hunting trophies Golden Arrow carries on her person certainly doesn't assuage her fears. Linge would probably want to avoid Golden Arrow, especially since she rather lacks confidence while the elf is very sure of herself.
Hilarious!
Though I think they way I'm going to be playing it is that Golden Arrow will be arriving in town RIGHT when we start the game. She has been in Taldor for a few months, but on the western edge by Cassomir in the Blackwood Swamps most recently. As for the fear of killing a cub? There's no sport or honor in that, no worries.
All the better to have a fresh slate of building relationships with the town and the PC's organically through play, I think.
I think Linge and Golden Arrow meeting for the first time is going to be a hoot.
As I said, it looks like Mia's the only bowyer in town. She'd probably be the first person Golden Arrow gets turned to when it comes to resupplying her quiver.
I'll have to go through the other stuff (Which is great, by the way.) latter. I also might be a bit slow responding to people for the next couple of weeks to a month. I've got some deadlines for work stacked up on top of each other, so I've been trying to focus on those.
Krokod: Even if Linge and Krokod are not formally introduced, she would have seen him around Xanthippe for sure. He would absolutely know, for sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that Ranna and Linge are originally from Irrisen based on their accent, clothes, hairstyles, and... Well, everything about them, really. This could be interesting, as Linge has never even heard of Irrisen before she came to Heldren. What Krokod decides to do with this information is up to you!
Oh yes, Krokod probably freaked a bit when he first heard that accent enter town! Friends might haven noticed the normally gregarious cook going into hiding of sorts when Linge and Ranna came in for almost a whole week. If pressed, he made up some excuses about afraid he was catching a cold. After the first week however, something's got to give and while Krokod has lost most of his accent in Taldane/common, if he speaks Ulfen near her, well, she may wonder if he was making fun of her own accent. He would apologize and simply say that's how he learned it.
If he found out she was unaware of Irrisen, a LOT of worry would go out of him. To be fair, he probably thinks Horn is cool and might feed him a few scraps. As for Linge? He would offer her some Lutefisk! He's the only one in town who will eat the stuff normally! He still avoided Ranna as a rule, maybe afraid of what SHE knew. But when Ranna died, he did go to her burial site, sat down a small bowl with a piece of birch, a piece of oak, and a drawing of a ship inside of it. He burned the contents of the bowl, and when they were ash, she spread the ashes over the burial mound. Whether Linge knows of this or not is the player's call.
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Some of Kriemhild player's goodies remind me of the time I played an Ulfen Barbarian. One time in combat he sang this in combat:
"When I was just a lad, trying to figure out my place
on how to answer questions that had long plagued the Ulfen race
My Grampa said to me, worn helm upon his brow
"My kin I know that look, you're asking why and how...
Not knowing all the answers, that's simply no disgrace
but an answer that almost always works is Axe to the face!"
"Axe to the face my boy, axe to the face!
Many a primal warrior has used it successfully in debate
For it severs a smug foe's silver tongue
And fights over land, or a maiden's hand
There's nothing like an enemy's head on a plate!"
"Trouble with the bill?"
"Axe to the face!"
"Tricked by a shill?"
"Axe to the face!"
"Bored and need a thrill?"
"Axe to the face!"
"Well, I heeded my grandda's advice
beyond his dying day
And it's amazing how well it works in each in every way
Axe to the face, my friends, Axe to the face!"
"Not knowing all the answers? That is simply no disgrace!"
"But the answer that almost always works is Axe to the face!"
*****
By popular vote, he was discouraged from singing that again. He was no skald :)
That is funny.
I've had a few characters that have spun yarns and sung songs. A lot of the time I came up with the lyrics and the stories, though.
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Golden Arrow: Sounds great! Then Golden Arrow and Linge don't know each other, and we save our creativity for their first encounter :)
That also means that Linge can't have talked about her to Kessir!
Krokod: Love that Krokod can be added to the list of characters scared s$~#less of Ranna. I must have done something right with her characterisation! :P
I guess what Krokod and Linge might have learned about each other depends on how willing he was to ask some questions. Of course, you decide whether he has tried to investigate the Hagebaks' past or not or if he revealed his own.
Here's how Linge would react if Krokod tried any of the approaches you mentioned:
_ Speaking Skald with an accent from Irrisen near her probably wouldn't have been interpreted as mockery. Rather, Linge would be delighted to find someone who speaks with the same accent as her mother and her (something that never happened to her), and would immediately ask where Krokod is from, admitting that her mother never revealed to her where she grew up.
_ If Krokod offers her Lutefisk, Linge would again react positively. It's the type of food she would have eaten during her childhood, and unlikely to raise suspicions about Krokod's origins since it's more of an Ulfen specialty than an Irrisen one.
_ If Linge caught Krokod visiting Ranna's grave or assisting to her burial, she would be perplexed since she's never even seen her mother talking to the cook. She would try to know why he has shown up at all -better make up a lie on the spot! If he slipped to Ranna's grave at a time he was sure Linge wouldn't be there, and she found the ashes, she would know someone had performed some kind of ritual on the grave and would be disturbed. However, if Krokod has lied low so far, she would have no reason to suspect it was him.
_ Asking her questions about where she's from would confirm she doesn't know anything about Irrisen. She would describe how she spent her early years on a boat, and explain that her father was a sailor while her mother was a medic. If asked about where Ranna is from specifically, Linge would answer (with some hesitation) that she doesn't quite know, but assume it's "somewhere in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings"- just a different kingdom than her father's. If Krokod asked very bluntly if she was from Irrisen, or state that she was, in fact, from Irrisen, Linge would be very confused and ask Krokod how he would know -pressuring him into revealing why he has such an interest in Ranna and Linge. Questions about Ranna's affiliation with the Winter Witches would result in similar confusion, with Linge asking for more details and obviously knowing nothing about what Krokod is talking about.
Let me know what Krokod would decide to do, and how far he would go with his investigation -but I think it's safe to assume now that Linge and him would indeed know each other well. Especially since Krokod has already interacted with...
Horn: Was it the famished look of the bear cub that prompted Krokod's pity, or just the inherent cuteness of his white fur and big black eyes? Regardless, if Krokod fed him scraps after catching him near the door of his kitchen, he would soon find out the hard way that what has worked for stray cats clearly isn't enough for a carnivore the size of Horn. Krokod would find out the hard way that malnourished or not, fifty pounds of bear can't easily be removed from one's kitchen -especially when they're trying to stick their head into the cooking pot.
The sense of smell of bears is a hundred times better than a dog's, and soon Linge would notice that Horn always disappeared between eleven and noon in the morning, the minute he would catch a whiff of Krokod's next delicious meal simmering on the fire. There probably wouldn't have been any solution for Krokod other than locking all windows and doors of his kitchen before cooking, preferably with sturdy wooden or metal bars, and ignore whatever scratching and whimpering noises ('sounds sad' soundtrack) might come from the other side.
With Horn's departure from Heldren, Krokod hasn't really seen him in over a month -although he might still leave food for him in the woods if he so wishes. It's always eaten in full.
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Krokod: Love that Krokod can be added to the list of characters scared s%%&less of Ranna. I must have done something right with her characterisation! :P
You did :)
I guess what Krokod and Linge might have learned about each other depends on how willing he was to ask some questions. Of course, you decide whether he has tried to investigate the Hagebaks' past or not or if he revealed his own.Here's how Linge would react if Krokod tried any of the approaches you mentioned:
_ Speaking Skald with an accent from Irrisen near her probably wouldn't have been interpreted as mockery. Rather, Linge would be delighted to find someone who speaks with the same accent as her mother and her (something that never happened to her), and would immediately ask where Krokod is from, admitting that her mother never revealed to her where she grew up.
The fact Linge didn't know where she came from would be an odd relief to Krokod. However the question would trouble him. He would be very vague, admitting he was not sure where he was born but he spent his youth "north of Varisia" (Which is technically true and fits Irrisen) and hope she never got to look at a map or assumed the Land of the Linnorm Kings.
_ If Krokod offers her Lutefisk, Linge would again react positively. It's the type of food she would have eaten during her childhood, and unlikely to raise suspicions about Krokod's origins since it's more of an Ulfen specialty than an Irrisen one.
Not that he's an expert, but Krokod would mention that the ruler of Taldor has some sort of honor guard consisting of Ulfens so it's not unheard of in the larger cities for a few Ulfen foods. But in a town this small folks are skittish. "Most can't appreciate the power of a good Lutefisk" A tut.
_ If Linge caught Krokod visiting Ranna's grave or assisting to her burial, she would be perplexed since she's never even seen her mother talking to the cook. She would try to know why he has shown up at all -better make up a lie on the spot! If he slipped to Ranna's grave at a time he was sure Linge wouldn't be there, and she found the ashes, she would know someone had performed some kind of ritual on the grave and would be disturbed. However, if Krokod has lied low so far, she would have no reason to suspect it was him.
mmm by then, Krokod probably would know Linge (While still avoiding Ranna) so yeah he might get caught if she came out of mourning. He would explain that he 'heard' that up north burial rites often involved at least a symbolic ship to carry the soul, and smoke to rise. Birch was considered holy "up north" and Oak was a tree of the gods. In this, he really IS stumbling as it's been years and he would admit he wasn't sure but thought it could do no Ranna's spirit no harm and maybe help her sail more speedily into the Boneyard?
(Mix of Slavic burial rites, some norse, and winging it!)
_ Asking her questions about where she's from would confirm she doesn't know anything about Irrisen. She would describe how she spent her early years on a boat, and explain that her father was a sailor while her mother was a medic. If asked about where Ranna is from specifically, Linge would answer (with some hesitation) that she doesn't quite know, but assume it's "somewhere in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings"- just a different kingdom than her father's. If Krokod asked very bluntly if she was from Irrisen, or state that she was, in fact, from Irrisen, Linge would be very confused and ask Krokod how he would know -pressuring him into revealing why he has such an interest in Ranna and Linge. Questions about Ranna's affiliation with the Winter Witches would result in similar confusion, with Linge asking for more details and obviously knowing nothing about what Krokod is talking about.
As Anti-climatic as it might seem, Krokod would not pry deep about where Ranna was from. He's tried to forget about Irrisen and avoids talking of it. He would have ideas, of course, and that's why he avoided Ranna while she lived. So he would not ask bluntly :) So that would avoid some confusion or pressuring on either side. Of course, when the adventure starts, Krokod may then feel he has to share more of his true history whether he likes it or not.
Should be fun :)
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Can Kriemhild have horn as a drinking buddy? And occassional wrestling sparring partner?
In line with the "Kriemhild vs horses" thing, some drunk youth claimed he is faster on a donkey then Kriemhild is on Horn, which would have likely been right, if not for Kriemhild super genius idea to grab Horn, put him over his sholder and easily outrun the donkey (who was rather confused because the drunk youth mounted him backwards)!
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Alrighty, let’s see what I can put down for reference.
Starting with relationships with other PCs, in no particular order:
Golden Arrow: Natural it is!
Linge: I absolutely see these two as having, at the very least, a working relationship, if not a friendship. Even if the two may have had disagreements in the past, followers of Erastil are generally on good terms with followers of the Green faith and Kessir is a devout follower of Erastil. In regards to the cub, Kessir would definitely respect her wishes. Afterall, a bear cub poses no threat to the town on its own. He might even go so far as to bring her a rabbit or some other catch to help feed the growing bear.
Mia: Hokay. So. I’m positive that if Mia wasn’t the one making Kessir’s bows & arrows, he would never speak to her. Yes, I like that idea. Kessir is the customer who places a list and some coins down and might, MIGHT say “Have a good day,” when he leaves. That’s not to say that he would ever do anything to harm Mia, she’s part of the community afterall and Erastil demands that you keep the peace. However, Kessir’s probably keeps an eye on her whenever he sees her around.
Krokod: Despite his arcane predilections (lol), Krokod seems like a decent enough fellow to Kessir. He comes to the temple, and while he clearly isn’t praying to any deity, Krokod is there making an effort to be a part of Heldren.
Kriemhild: Beyond any initial interaction when Kriemhild first came to town, I don't know if Kessir would have many interactions. Kessir is not exactly the right demographic for the theater but he appreciates any opportunity to bring the town together and if Krie were to facilitate that, Kessir would be happy.
NPCs
Elder Safander & Zaarida Safander: of all NPCs in town, Kessir has the best relationship with these two. With the death of his parents, Kessir threw himself fully into the teachings of Erastil. Going so far as to give up his family home and along with most of what was inside to take up permanent residence at the temple, claiming whichever spare bed is unoccupied come evening. (Subject to GM approval.)
Old Mother Theodora: As Kessir sees it, Theodora is a person to be respected and cared for. While he’s wary of her abilities, the ancient woman has forgotten more about Heldren than most will ever know. Kessir always makes a point to stop by for a visit at least a couple of times a week.
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Krokod: I like keeping some mystery and unsaid stuff between our characters. All the more information to unravel when we'll get into the AP proper! :)
Krokod having the same accent as the Hagebaks is something that Linge would be likely to mention casually (if a bit excitedly) to her mother, who would deflect by assuring her it comes from an obscure region of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. Then, she would probably ask some questions around about the boy -and it wouldn't be hard to learn that he showed up in Heldren, alone, when he was just thirteen.
Then, the dreaded thing would have probably happened: Krokod would get an unexpected visit from Ranna.
She'd probably show up in his kitchen, unannounced (possibly scaring the s&&$ out of him), at a time when they'll both be alone, setting foot in his shop for the first time. She'd order a takeaway meal for two persons, something the Hagebaks have never done. Then, as Krokod is cooking, she'd ask in perfect Skald how he got out from Irrisen. She would ask to see his magic, and nod in appreciation when he creates some fire. Her third and last question would be if the witches had found out about his powers.
If Krokod admits he used to be a Winter Witch's apprentice, Ranna would get angry and berate him for thinking he would be safe in Heldren, a small town with no militia, when even Oppara's army would have trouble keeping him safe from the Jadwiga. She would tell him he would need to move to bigger cities, deeper south, as soon as possible.
Regardless of Krokod's answers (and how much details he reveals to her), she would tell him to not speak a word about this or Irrisen to Linge -because she would know. And that he should stay away from her daughter. Then she'd pay and leave with her food.
They would have probably met soon before Ranna fell ill. Of course, he might seize the opportunity to ask some questions of his own, being the only one who knows where the Hagebaks are from!
Kriemhild: In that case, wouldn't Horn be 'on' Kriemhild rather than the other way around? :)
He'd certainly be too surprised that someone would be able to pick him up to resist.
I won't ask why you would want the bear cub drunk -I assume it's for the Rule of Funny! I assume it could be done with a large quantity of honeymead, and Horn would have some trouble walking in a straight line after that.
Of course, both of those actions would piss Linge off -but hey, Kriemhild can make up for it during the campaign!
Kessir: Linge would certainly appreciate whatever help she can get to feed the bear cub. If Kessir shows understanding of her beliefs, doesn't try to convert her and isn't the type to often talk about religion (depending on what you mean by 'devout' here), they might absolutely get along well.
Alrighty, let’s see what I can put down for reference.
Krokod: Despite his arcane predilections (lol), Krokod seems like a decent enough fellow to Kessir. He comes to the temple, and while he clearly isn’t praying to any deity, Krokod is there making an effort to be a part of Heldren.
Good read. Krokod might pray to a deity now and then, particularly in sympathy for a friend in a bad situation, or maybe for something he hopes for a bit selfishly, but mostly he's there for the community!
I think , for his part, Krokod would be a bit in awe of Kessir's archery skills. Other than that, he'd see him as a decent guy in return. Kessir doesn't demand too much of him at the temple, and Krokod treats Kessir's faith respectfully. If they ever do become good friends, he might encourage Kessir to cut loose a bit (By NG to LG standards). Ironically enough, if Kessir confessed to being cautious around "Arcane types", Krokod would totally endorse that as a good key to survival :)
Though he clearly has decided Mia is okay and would say so.
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Okay, here's some more concrete thoughts on how I think Mia and everyone else would relate and interact. Please feel free to change stuff or work with me on brainstorming stuff. I just put it the way I do because if you're cool with it, I'd rather it be a "Yes, this is a fact or happened" than a "Uh, maybe? I dunno."
General Information:
- Mia is considered strange by most. As far as I'm aware, it'd take a fairly difficult knowledge check to place her as anything other than a slender human with differently colored eyes. I think this will need a GM ruling on whether or not those who are familiar with Irrisen would place Mia as a changeling or not. She's not aware that she's anything other than human and isn't doing anything to hide the tells that give her heritage away. She just assumes she has really good night vision.
- Mia keeps the fact that she's a mage a secret. It wasn't until the past year that she even started preparing spells on a daily basis.
- Mia has been living in Heldren for the past five years. She came in with one of the Varisian caravans that roam about during the winter and stayed when they left. She's an open worshipper of Desna and can be seen star-gazing on clear nights.
- Mia helps out Sophia Imirras with leatherworking and Isker and Xanthippe Euphram with blacksmithing
- Mia is good friends with Xanthippe and spends most of her free time hanging out with her.
- Mia has become the town's bowyer, by dint of being one of the few people with the necessary skills and not also a huntsman or woodsman.
- Over the past year, Mia has gotten more skittish and taken to carrying a blade with her at all times, and no one's sure why. Rumors probably abound, however.
- This is another point that I think would require some GM input. I don't know how many would know how Mia was first found or that she was "adopted" by Galvinius. I would think Elder Natharen might, but I'm not sure how long he's been in town. Old Mother Theodora almost certainly would, but it's also an open question if anyone has connected Mia to the babe that was found in the woods and whose discovery lead to three woodsmen dying in strange, horrible ways.
Kessir:
- See above about whether or not Kessir would recognize Mia as a changeling.
- Mia would have become a steady supplier and crafter of bows and arrows over the past few years after learning the craft from whomever was the previous bowyer.
- She has no idea why you're so taciturn, so assumes it has to be something she did that she doesn't remember.
- Up to you, but Kessir's parents could have told him about what happened to the woodsmen that found Mia as a cautionary tale. Whether or not you recognize Mia as the babe they found, well, she is about the right age.
Golden Arrow:
- "Yer lookin' t'stock yer quiver? Aye! Ye be wantin' t'talk t'Mia. She's in town. Look fer th'pretty slip-o'-a-girl with mismatched eyes an' raven-black hair, probably has a blade on her hip. Can't miss her. Just be careful not t'spook th'lass."
Kriemhild:
- Xanthippe did introduce you to Mia, maybe even saying that it's for the shy girl's own good.
- You've found that, much to Mia's dismay, it's fairly easy to get her to go along with whatever scheme you may have concocted.
- Given your personality and the above, you're also one of the few people that have seen her drunk. Xanthippe would also be one of those few, mainly because she was there at the time. This would probably be when you found out that Mia is multi-lingual.
- Mia looks up to you as a big sister.
- When you challenged the magus to the duel, Mia was trying to quietly warn him off behind your back, indicating that provoking you was a bad idea. She does not feel bad at all for what happened.
- Over the past year, you almost certainly would have noticed she's getting more skittish, and she's started wearing a sword or dagger on her hip around town. When asked about it, Mia lies, badly, that nothing's going on.
Krokod:
- Mia eats at the Stoat often, coming in later as things are winding down if she's eating alone. She regularly comes in with Xanthippe and Kriemhild when things are more lively, though.
- Mia's shy, but, after a little while, she'd open up to you. She's smart, pretty, but socially awkward. In a word, Mia is adorkable.
- See above comments about whether or not Krokod would recognize her as a changeling.
Linge:
- See above about if Ranna recognizes her as a changeling. I'm cool with it, if it makes a difference to the GM.
- Mia can craft both leather and armor, and is probably one of the few people in town that could work on Linge's armor.
- Mia doesn't realize she's a changeling, so she doesn't try to hide it. She does keep her magic abilities a secret by the simple expedient of not using them or carrying around her spellbook unless she's going to be traveling for a few days and can hide it in her backpack.
- Mia has and will continue to secretly give Horn sctriches and belly-rubs whenever she'd catch him out and about town with no one looking. She's going to be very embarrassed once someone discovers her.
Yeap, Kriemhild goes by rule of funny. She has been born in the worldwound, where booze is simply safer to drink on account of abyssal polutants and diseases running around. Honeymead is great! Booze and sweets in one package? Slurp!
Also:Horn is that you?
would Ranna recognice Kriemhild as a Bloodrager?
If yes, she could, given Kriemhilds worldwound background, misidentify her bloodline as Abyssal (same claws as a Sphinx at level 1).
Kriemhild normally curses/swears in Orc, but if she is really pissed she got some withering insults in Abyssal as well, even though she doesnt actually speak or understand that language.
Note: I occassionally do "reverse metagaming" if I fail really badly at a kn. check to identify a foe. For example: vs. a Succubus
THEY ARE VERY DODGY! BUT IF I GRAPPLE HER SHE CANT FLY AROUND AND SHOOT US WITH ARROWS GM feel free to send me suggestions!
Note: I can only do kn. rolls before I start bloodraging, so it wont come up frequently.
Mia: Given that Ranna comes from a country where witches are prevalent and changelings are probably not that rare, I simply assumed she could have guessed what Mia really is -especially if she's got that "dark magic aura" about her.
As for what Ranna is (and here I'm just sharing a couple of ideas -feel free to tell me if they don't fit in the campaign, GM!):
I envision Ranna as coming from one of the many druidic families of Irrisen who acted both of pillars of their community and protectors of their land, which is why they were almost all slaughtered mercilessly by the witches. Because they had at least one young daughter and couldn't flee easily, Ranna's parents would have tried to move away from Whitethrone and closer to the southern border of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, before they were taken by surprise by an attack in the middle of the night. Ranna survived both out of sheer luck (she was the only one who woke up in time), and because Trollheim was only a few days away.
While I didn't make an extra character sheet for Ranna, she would have had high Wisdom and decent Charisma, and probably Sense Motive, Knowledge (nature), Diplomacy and Intimidate amongst her highest ranking skills. As an Ancient Guardian, she could totally have the Knowledge domain, which would both explain and fuel her hyper-vigilance (if not paranoia) in-character -and her reputation as being scary-scary and high to b+#&!!@@!
I don't think she would have more than a couple of levels in the Druid class though, especially since she spent most of her life lying low rather than going out on adventures to acquire new powers and skills.
Whether Ranna actually knows something is wrong with Mia or not, Mia has been part of Heldren's community for five years before the Hagebaks even came to town, so far with no incident, she's Good-aligned, and she has no particular reason to cross Ranna's path on a regular basis. By the time she figures out something is indeed very off with the bowyer girl of Heldren, Mia may have not noticed anything other than glares and accusations of being tainted from Ranna, and yep, Hagebak senior definitely doesn't like her -but in private, everyone is muttering about how Ranna is being weirdly aggressive towards Mia for no reason. Ranna Hagebak certainly doesn't have a reputation of being the most normal person around, and her suspicions might be dismissed as odd by the villagers who have known Mia for years. Your call! :)
Linge herself would feel a little bad for Mia, and would be embarrassed by her mother's behaviour if we go with the 'Ranna knows something is going on, even if she doesn't know exactly what' storyline. She would probably be a bit wary of Mia given that Kessir is highly distrustful of her, but years of being the 'cursed' one ostracized by others would prompt Linge to make an effort not to be mean to the girl.
Horn would certainly appreciate the scritches and the belly rubs. Mia's help would definitely be welcome to make adjustments to the bear cub's armour whenever it starts to be too small to fit him. Such alterations are somewhat complicated by the fact that Horn now just falls flat on his back whenever Mia is nearby to get pets on his belly. Even if he has been seen more rarely around Heldren a month after his arrival, Mia would notice that alterations to his armour and measuring would always take place in the vicinity of Linge's house -perhaps he was not taken far away as presumed.
Kriemhild: That bear is adorable. Definitely could be Horn, but with brown fur and a couple more years! :')
Ranna would have more knowledge about witches than about bloodragers, and fewer reasons to be wary of the latter. She would know Irrisen well, but her knowledge about the Worldwound wouldn't go much further than what any inhabitant of Golarion would know. Then again, if Kriemhilds has demon blood...
I guess it all depends: would Ranna have had plenty of time, in the two years and a half she spent in Heldren, to suspect and investigate anything about Kriemhild?
Would she have many occasions to see Kriemhild, speak to her, or overhear other villagers complaining about Kriemhild in a way that would definitely catch her attention and make her think something was off with the half-orc?
Would Ranna have reasons to suspect (or witness) that Kriemhild has demonic magical powers?
If 'no' for all three, then Ranna was probably rather indifferent to Kriemhild while they both lived in Heldren. She's sagacious and she has a Spider's Sense for anything witchy, but she's not omniscient and has no reason to suspect or investigate demonic affiliation with everyone she meets if she's not prompted to do it :)
It doesn't bother me to go with the Rule of Funny when it comes to Kriemhild getting Horn drunk and using him as a prop to win some bet. Just know the bear would probably be a little wary of you by this point, and Linge would certainly hold a grudge for mistreating Horn for funsies -but that would make for fun role-play between our PCs!
Krokod: If you'd rather have Krokod never meet Ranna, just let me know! I like to write scenes and toss ideas in the air, but I'd hate to impose anything on anyone :) Ranna wouldn't meet him on a regular basis for sure, he came to Heldren at such a young age, and everyone knows he has fire magic -perhaps she would have no reason to suspect anything about him, and Krokod could have convinced Linge not to report anything about their conversation to Ranna by making up something.
Kriemhild doesnt actually think that honey mead is something you drink to get drunk, she thinks horn is absolutely adorable.
Kriemhild automatically grows claws while she bloodrages. She has a workout routine involving lifting logs, which she does include in militia training. The smith was a bit annoyed at how easy normal weight were for her, so she has the "Pain tree", just for her.
If she hadnt reasons to bloodrage during the day (thats for her the euquivalent of drawing a weapon, and is pretty rare), she will bloodrage during a "super special lifting training" and power lift the "pain tree" as often as she can. That tree has plenty of claw marks.
She can lift 460 pounds overhead, and get 920 pounds of the ground while raging.
Having to get the 500ish pound log of the ground is also the punishment for being late to militia training. Unless you are Kriemhild then you have to lift it overhead.
Okay, I think we may need to figure out some timelines.
Mia is 17 years old. She was originally found in the Border Wood by a trio of woodsmen. Two died when they ignored her and the third died after he brought her to the priest at the church and told him what happened. Shortly after that, Galvinius took her in. He lived in an old watchtower some distance from town, maybe a half-day's travel in good weather. No one really saw her for the next twelve years. Then she came into town with a Varisian caravan as winter was setting in about five years ago, when she was twelve. She's spent the time since then learning how to smith, to craft leather, and to craft bows and arrows. How long ago did Linge and her mother come to Heldren?
Kriemhild doesnt actually think that honey mead is something you drink to get drunk, she thinks horn is absolutely adorable.
Maybe, and maybe Horn doesn't get drunk off of it, but Mia's got 10 CON. She's a light weight compared to most adventurers.
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Linge is 19 years old, and the Hagebaks arrived in Heldren 2 and a half years before the beginning of the adventure, when Mia was 14-15 years old.
Ulfen culture must have seen its lot of berserkers. With a name like Kriemhild Stridsdottir and her almost supernatural strength when raging, Kriemhild definitely fits the bill to a T. While it could have made an impression on Heldren's inhabitants, anyone familiar with Barbarians wouldn't immediately suspect dark magic at play. Besides, Kriemhild is officially a merc staying in a small village where opportunities for well-paid fights don't abound, so even if Ranna found her weird, she could have decided the threat would soon go away on its own. You decide if Kriemhild would have caught her attention and how it might have played out - it's more likely if Kriemhild has been staying in Heldren for several years and shows no sign of wanting to move out!
Besides, if the Hagebaks had known that the former apprentice of a Winter Witch, a cursed woman with dark fey blood and a half-demon barbarian were staying in Heldren, maybe they wouldn't have stayed in town if you catch my drift :)
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The mercenary group that brought Kriemhild with them went on to Oppara to become Ulfen (Kellid actually but who cares) guard, Kriemhild was about 14 at that time, which for a half Orc means physically mature but still young.
Kriemhild thinks that the group went to Oppara to become Ulfen Guards, but she does not know (if that was the case, they would have sent a message at some point, and they didnt). It is possible that the merc group saw her as simply far too green for whatever they were about to actually embark on, and, after dealing with a bandit problem around heldern, asked the towns leadership to take her in.
She is 21ish now, the Helderns leadership take on her is that well, they kind of advertize her. "We got that super strong half Orc in our militia! She can grow claws! She may have kin in the Ulfen guard! Bugger off bandits and annoy another village!" Which works surprisingly well, as bandit problems were rare for the town.
Rana may have well been like "Eh, typical inferior Kellid rather then true born Ulfen barbarian, thats maybe a sensation for the peacelanders down here, but honestly, 2 of my cousins could also grow fangs and not just claws when annoyed!"
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Not sure Ranna would discriminate between Kellids and Ulfen. Back in Irrisen, everyone was in the same boat - in deep s!~+. She may not have much knowledge about half orcs though, but surely she would have figured out nubile claws are unheard of, if only based on other people's reactions.
Kiemhild isn't from Irrisen, and if she doesn't use her powers that much, perhaps a demonic bloodline isn't the first explanation that would have popped into Ranna's mind. Lycanthropy is a big part of Ulfen culture and isn't particularly frowned upon, so perhaps that's what Kriemhild is hiding from anyone else.
Further digging would of course reveal that many things don't quite sit right within this hypothesis - no evidence of transformation whatsoever. However, Ranna is not omniscient, and there is no spell that might force Kriemhild to reveal the truth. At most, she might use her Lore Keeper ability on people she suspects to be tainted with magic.
However, this is only a 1st level ability, and while I think it could work in Mia (her weakness is cold iron - a dead giveaway for those associated with feys), Kriemhild has no weaknesses because of her abyssal lineage - so I'm not sure the scrying would give any information to Ranna besides "definitely not a witch or a werewolf". Unless she would have identified Kriemhild's magic as clearly demonic - I don't know, the phrasing of the Lore Keeper special power is a bit ambiguous what counts as an 'ability', and how much information do we get? Is it the same thing as an Identify Monster check? Would it just tell Ranna that Kriemhild has the supernatural ability to grow claws and cast spells, or would it go as far as indicating that she has a abyssal bloodline?
I can only be certain that Krokod would be safe from the effects of such a screening. At worst it reveals his affiliation to Fire Elementals, something that clearly does not set him as a friend of the Jadwiga. He has the most chance to fool Ranna into thinking he has nothing to do with tainted magic at all - and ironically, he's the only one who is closely affiliated with Winter Witches!
Okay. I'm a bit behind.
Regarding Linge: I am totally okay with Ranna interrogating Krokod privately, scaring the hell out of him, and then taking her suspicions to her grave :) I doubt he'd admit he was a witch's apprentice, but he would likely confess he was originally from Irrisen. He would not mention his sister to her, merely that his magics were not welcome. Which is true. He would ask her not to share that. He wants nothing to do with the old country and Taldor is his home now. If he learned Ranna was not a witch, for certain, he'd be much relieved there but still cautious. Thus in screening him, Ranna would learn he was a scared young man who headed south for a safer life and happened to have fire magics. And yes, be unaware he was an apprentice to a Winter Witch.
Regarding Mia: No worries. I wasn't sure Krokod would know she was a changeling, and as part of your fun is her learning on her own I'm definitely going with that eluding him. He would notice she started carrying a weapon and a bit skittish, and might inquire but won't press. He might double down on making her feel at ease when Xanthippe and she hung out at the Stoat. Ironicaly, his bias against his home country might blind him to some truth of Taldor. After all, changelings in TALDOR? PLEASE. Even if he knew about changelings, Taldor is 'safe' (Barring furious nobles, possible civil wars, and tax collectors).
Lore keeper would propably tell her that Kriemhilds willsave is not very strong, and that she isnt the quickest person ever, and that her constition is pretty great and that she hits like an angry troll when roused.
Kriemhild herself thinks she has some weretiger or werelion blood somewhere in her genealogy, based on her ease of getting along with cats and having claws.
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So if Krokod gets Kriemhild a bowl of cream at the Stoat, is he going to end up wearing it? :)
Nah, she would give you suggestion, utterly implausible ones, on how to make cream that has proteins an vitamins but would otherwise appreciate it:).
She is actually very safe to prank in general, in the mercenary company, pranking was widespread as "not flipping out when pranked" is in a way the same skill you need to "not hit your guys and follow orders" while bloodraging.
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Kriemhild, Mia and Krokod: I am starting to fear that giving Ranna divination powers was a bad idea. You have built so much of your backstories on your PCs harbouring secrets, and it would simply be unfair if another character (even a dead one) had guessed them already (even partially), and could spread the word in Heldren. I wouldn't want to be the type of player to take too much space and put others in difficult positions by having them alter their initial ideas for the character's personal quest.
I prefer to downplay Lore Keeper (who cares, she's dead and an NPC) to keep everyone's secrets safe - and to wrap things up, because I'm afraid I'm holding things up by going into overcomplicated stuff!
Ranna wouldn't go further than asking a few questions about Kriemhild, and would have mostly left her alone - at worst, she kept her eye on her a bit. Mia would remember Ranna as definitely wary of her and sometimes being an ominous presence glaring daggers at her, but nothing more, and Ranna wouldn't know much beyond her affiliation to feys. Heldren's inhabitants would have no clue why Ranna would react that way.
Even if the confrontation with Krokod happened and he was left a bit shaken by it, she would leave his kitchen satisfied with the knowledge that he has definitely no affiliation with the Winter Witches. Not a chance, with his fire powers. He would be told in no uncertain terms to not tell anything about Irrisen to Linge, and that'd be it! Ranna is notably as good to keep other's people secrets as her own, and will not tell a soul about what Krokod chose to share with her.
He definitely could have asked Ranna if she was affiliated with the Winter Witches. In which case, she would chastise him for even entertaining the idea, making a passing remark at [b]"youths unable to recognize their elders" .
I hope this will fit well with everyone's backstories and that the Hagebak family won't take too much place compared to the other PCs. Please let me know if it's too unbalanced! :) I know I can get carried away with fluff, and I don't want to spoil anyone's fun with prattle.
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My opinion:
You see, the funny thing in pathfinder is that divination stuff goes wrong all the time! And the practicioners know it goes wrong all the time! And they may send in their second in commands to observe someone, only to report Kriemhild is not very smart, stronk, and fairly fun to be around! Oh, I picked up some phrases from her! What language is this? It sounds funny!
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Well if that doesn't make "Quote of the Week" I don't know what does.
First posting coming shortly today
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I've added the lore bit to the bottom of my profile! The Mule's names!
This is proving truer and truer the more I roll for Krokod ;)
I've added the lore bit to the bottom of my profile! The Mule's names!
Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher?
Edit : Also, how did I roll better than Krokod, Kriemhild and Goldie?! Linge's not even trained in Diplomacy !
Sorry folks, I do not have the energy to work on a post tonight. I'll try to have something up tomorrow.
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<3
Before I forget, I have one question about our character sheet. There's one thing I didn't quite understand from the rules of character creation:
Favorite Class: HP, Skill, and Class Bonus
Does that mean we should have "+1 HP and +1 Skill and Class Bonus" , or "+1 HP or +1 Skill or Class Bonus?"
I know it's usually the latter, but sometimes GMs have their own, preferred way of doing things!
Your PC will receive all three each level (including level 1).
My apologies on that not reading clearly, I do see how it could be read either way. But I like giving the characters a little extra padding with the HP, extra skill to help with that background, and the class bonus because who doesn't like extra boost to a class feature.
Your characters are supposed to be heroes, let's help them get there!