Savage Tide (in the Mist)

Game Master Anirtak

Milton, Annelise, Trail, Svetozar:

Welcome to Sasserine!

Can you finish your characters and make aliases for them?

And tell us something that you did recently that might identify you as an adventuring sort.

Oceanshieldwolf and Archpaladin Zousha, you are both 100% welcome to get characters up and join the table. PBP tends to go slowly so it'll be easy enough for you to slide in if you can get them done in the next day or two.

Looks good. Only thing I would question is "Just One," which I have no idea what it refers to. And I would suggest maybe one or two spells that you have a firm grasp on. Or, that can come later.

Just one refers to things effected by spells.

I don't know how magic is supposed to work. I've seen some systems where you know pieces (or would have tags in this case) and put them together to cast something. So for an example. I want to hit an orc with a fire bolt; tags would be: Elemental Magic, Elements are My friends, Just One and Magic Wand if I have one in equipment. If I wanted to say summon a celestial eagle to attack a bowman out of range, no tags for summon so it would look like: It's all In there, Just One minus That's All I know and It's the Master's Spellbook afterall.

Now if that is not how magic works and I need Firebolt Spell, Shield Spell, Mage Armor spell, etc. I can do that as well.

Milton, Annelise, Trail, Svetozar:

Welcome to Sasserine!

Can you finish your characters and make aliases for them?

And tell us something that you did recently that might identify you as an adventuring sort.

Oceanshieldwolf and Archpaladin Zousha, you are both 100% welcome to get characters up and join the table. PBP tends to go slowly so it'll be easy enough for you to slide in if you can get them done in the next day or two.

Will do!

Milton has recently been searching in and out of town for his master. He tells anyone who asks he is searching for a magical amulet and he is. It just happens to be the one his master was wearing.

As soon as I find some free time Monday I'll create the alias for Svetozar Lanezra -- and try a bit more on the Crunch! Like, I know this character concept; I practically feel it in a novel or movie. So I can feel when he'd appropriately get a +1 or a -1, or two +1s -- but trying to articulate it when it hasn't happened yet,... tricksy.

Like, earlier, I put "Bookworm" as my -1 under 'Holy Warrior' -- I can see this guy having a -1 on almost all of his "attack rolls" because he's a Bookworm. But is that a -1 under Loremaster or a -1 under Holy Warrior. And of course, against a Demon of Devil, against a Vampire WarLord or Draconic Necromancer -- maybe that -1 dissipates as my study and intrinsic knowledge of such turns to two +1s (demons & devils) or just one +1 (vile BBEG).

It's kinda like the various tags are variations of Yen/Yang: Trait X produces a +1 or a -1 in differing types of situations: My Hellbred nature makes it easy to lie, +1 / but the same Hellbred nature makes it hard for some people to trust me, -1.

Anyhowevers'es & Whomevers'es, I'm late for bed after a long game session over-the-table with my homegame group -- I'll get back here sometime Monday.

.... With my Svetozar Lanezra alias!

I dusted off the ol' STAP Players' Guide... that I wanted to run almost 20 years ago when STAP (and Hellbred) was first published.

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Twenty years, though?

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Oh, you betcha, my STAP Players' Guide came in the mail in Aug '06 and the various chapters arrived in the mail each month after that. I started my first subscription to Dungeon around 1992/93ish and kept it long, long past the final issue, through the first several APs. 'Hellbred' was published in Dec '06 and I would've gotten mine either right then or for my birthday in late January. Almost 20 years ago.

Anirtak wrote:

Looks good. Only thing I would question is "Just One," which I have no idea what it refers to. And I would suggest maybe one or two spells that you have a firm grasp on. Or, that can come later.

Just one refers to things effected by spells.

I don't know how magic is supposed to work. I've seen some systems where you know pieces (or would have tags in this case) and put them together to cast something. So for an example. I want to hit an orc with a fire bolt; tags would be: Elemental Magic, Elements are My friends, Just One and Magic Wand if I have one in equipment. If I wanted to say summon a celestial eagle to attack a bowman out of range, no tags for summon so it would look like: It's all In there, Just One minus That's All I know and It's the Master's Spellbook afterall.

Now if that is not how magic works and I need Firebolt Spell, Shield Spell, Mage Armor spell, etc. I can do that as well.

Magic gets into the nitty gritty a bit, but I suppose you should understand it if you're going to play a wizard. So, I will attempt to explain. I am operating at about 50% brain right now.

Spellcasters in PF-style LitM

If you do not have a tag that identifies you as a spellcaster, you cannot cast spells. Easy.

If you do not have a tag that specifies an effect, you always take a consequence of magical fatigue equal to the power of the effect. This status cannot be lessened by a reaction. This is in addition to any consequence resulting from a 9 or less on the roll.

This is significant, if you're casting with 3 power tags and no weakness, that's a status 3 Magical Fatigue which will count as a penalty against spell-casting until you recover. My thinking here is that you are able to "wing it" and make up effects, but it comes at a cost.

There are no Vancian, spells-per-day limits. You can cast spells all day long. When you incur consequences by using magic, the Narrator (me) may give you Magical Fatigue statuses, or burn tags to make casting harder. For the most part, these can be removed with a good night's sleep.

Pathfinder and D&D have way too many spells to take a tag for every spell a full caster has under their belt. When in doubt, consult with the Narrator (aka GM).

Example: A [Wizard] with a [Fiery Destruction Spell] tag can cast a simple flame bolt or - with enough power to affect multiple targets - a Fireball.

But, let’s say the Wizard knows they'll be up against invisible foes and wants to [see invisible]. In pathfinder, he can prepare it if he has the spell in his spellbook. Preparing a spell (in LitM) is a prep action he would do while camping. He would use [Wizard] and [Spellbook], plus or minus any other tags and statuses that are relevant, which he could use to create a story tag [See Invisibility Spell] and now he can cast it.

Wizards will need a [spellbook] tag (though a fully committed Wizard will probably want it to be a theme) and can prepare spells using the same kind of prep action as in the example above.

Components, ceremonies, etc: The last thing I think anyone wants to see is a 2e style Quest for Bat Guano so the wizard can cast fireballs. But, I do love the power of exotic materials, holy symbols, dramatic incantations and so on. Anyone who wants to “power up” their spellcasting with components such as these can do so. But you need to have the tags and it has to be relevant. A priest with a [Holy Symbol] can use it to empower his spell casting. A wizard with [butter] can use it to empower his [Grease] spell. And any caster can take a prep action to create the proper [Incantations] and [Mystic Gestures] to juice up their spells. But nobody HAS to. You can just use your action to cast your spell.

Let me know if this helps. Or more, if it doesn't.

I'm going to try to include a little connection to Annelise, very little, and completely open-ended.

That works for me, we're all going to have to know each other somehow, I think, unles the GM wants to run a starting scene where we all meet up

Hmmm...Annelise, your background indicates you've been on the wrong side of the law, but do you plan on being "roguish?"

that is a good question! When I saw that one of the other palyers was thinkning of running a PC with the theme "stealthy tabaxi" I sort of assumed they would cover that so I didn't go too far down that road. But since they apparently don't know what locks even are, asking them to pick one is probably a tough ask.

I've got "Streetwise" as a tag and "nimble" as another so there's probably some rogue stuff I can do. I could always change the "underworld connections" tag to something more directly useful if we think it might be needed.

(or if you'd prefer, you can say "expert treasure hunter")!

Annelise does not bother with euphemisms!

And tell us something that you did recently that might identify you as an adventuring sort.

I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for - can you elaborate?

As soon as I find some free time Monday I'll create the alias for Svetozar Lanezra -- and try a bit more on the Crunch! Like, I know this character concept; I practically feel it in a novel or movie. So I can feel when he'd appropriately get a +1 or a -1, or two +1s -- but trying to articulate it when it hasn't happened yet,... tricksy.

Like, earlier, I put "Bookworm" as my -1 under 'Holy Warrior' -- I can see this guy having a -1 on almost all of his "attack rolls" because he's a Bookworm. But is that a -1 under Loremaster or a -1 under Holy Warrior. And of course, against a Demon of Devil, against a Vampire WarLord or Draconic Necromancer -- maybe that -1 dissipates as my study and intrinsic knowledge of such turns to two +1s (demons & devils) or just one +1 (vile BBEG).

It's kinda like the various tags are variations of Yen/Yang: Trait X produces a +1 or a -1 in differing types of situations: My Hellbred nature makes it easy to lie, +1 / but the same Hellbred nature makes it hard for some people to trust me, -1.

Anyhowevers'es & Whomevers'es, I'm late for bed after a long game session over-the-table with my homegame group -- I'll get back here sometime Monday.

.... With my Svetozar Lanezra alias!

My read on it is thus: Bookworm isn't really a weakness for a Loremaster, is it? So Holy Warrior is the right spot. And I don't think it doesn't apply when he's fighting demons - he doesn't somehow get better at swinging a sword. But, it looks like there's at least a couple of tags that offset it, so he'll end up with a net +.

As for finding the exact right wording to get the exact right bonuses at the exact right moment... I wouldn't. This is a highly narrative game, but it's not quite a novel. There are still dice that are going to decide quite a lot, and one of the main principles I encourage is playing to find out. The interesting part is discovering who your character becomes.

Anirtak wrote:

And tell us something that you did recently that might identify you as an adventuring sort.

I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for - can you elaborate?

Someone is going to try to hire you because you're an adventuring sort. So, I'm coming to you to tell me what you may have done to make them see you that way. No massive quest necessary. Just something that someone who pays attention to these kind of things would notice.

For example, if you were a gangster who turned around one day and broke your boss's jaw and started protecting an orphanage... so, yeah, I think you're covered.

Annelise Wykes wrote:

Anirtak wrote:

And tell us something that you did recently that might identify you as an adventuring sort.

I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for - can you elaborate?

Someone is going to try to hire you because you're an adventuring sort. So, I'm coming to you to tell me what you may have done to make them see you that way. No massive quest necessary. Just something that someone who pays attention to these kind of things would notice.

For example, if you were a gangster who turned around one day and broke your boss's jaw and started protecting an orphanage... so, yeah, I think you're covered.

:)

Got it, thanks!

Do you want us to start thinking about how we might know each other? Or are you going to handle that in-game?

Here’s an idea. Based on a couple of seminal articles from Dragon magazine in the 80’s and a seminal character from S2 White Plume Mountain whi was guarding the original DnD Black Blade…a noble-hearted half-ogre with some interesting heritage and a capacity for ultra violence. But no interaction with Black Blades.

Have always loved half-ogres (Steeltoe in Dragonlance notwithstanding) and a ruleset that doesn’t say “no way - that’s overpowered” might just let you play it…

THEME: Big Half-Ogre (Magi)
POWER TAGS:
Blistering Assault/Make the Red mist
Long Legs, Long Arms
WEAKNESS TAG: Leaves an Opening
QUEST: Master the Rage

THEME: A “Big” presence
POWER TAGS:
What nice fangs you have! (Intimidatory!)
Force of will (hard to intimidate)
WEAKNESS TAG Aaaaaagh! (Poor diplo)
QUEST: Learn the ways of “men”

THEME: Magical Heritage
POWER TAGS:
Understands some magic
Native magic resistance
WEAKNESS TAG: Can’t cast magic
QUEST: Explore my magi heritage

THEME: Walking Armory
POWER TAGS:
A weapon for all seasons
Ranged capability
WEAKNESS TAG: Not exactly quiet
QUEST: Find a weapon master

I guess he also might have narrative weaknesses along the lines of “hits head on doorways” and “this skiff won’t hold the party AND you” and “Everyone kill the ogre!!!”

Do you want us to start thinking about how we might know each other? Or are you going to handle that in-game?

I'm going to let you guys decide if you've met before. The campaign doesn't need it. I was thinking of sort of building the Fellowship theme in the first scene, so...

Here’s an idea. Based on a couple of seminal articles from Dragon magazine in the 80’s and a seminal character from S2 White Plume Mountain whi was guarding the original DnD Black Blade…a noble-hearted half-ogre with some interesting heritage and a capacity for ultra violence. But no interaction with Black Blades.

Have always loved half-ogres (Steeltoe in Dragonlance notwithstanding) and a ruleset that doesn’t say “no way - that’s overpowered” might just let you play it…

THEME: Big Half-Ogre (Magi)
POWER TAGS:
Blistering Assault/Make the Red mist
Long Legs, Long Arms
WEAKNESS TAG: Leaves an Opening
QUEST: Master the Rage

THEME: A “Big” presence
POWER TAGS:
What nice fangs you have! (Intimidatory!)
Force of will (hard to intimidate)
WEAKNESS TAG Aaaaaagh! (Poor diplo)
QUEST: Learn the ways of “men”

THEME: Magical Heritage
POWER TAGS:
Understands some magic
Native magic resistance
WEAKNESS TAG: Can’t cast magic
QUEST: Explore my magi heritage

THEME: Walking Armory
POWER TAGS:
A weapon for all seasons
Ranged capability
WEAKNESS TAG: Not exactly quiet
QUEST: Find a weapon master

I guess he also might have narrative weaknesses along the lines of “hits head on doorways” and “this skiff won’t hold the party AND you” and “Everyone kill the ogre!!!”

I dig this. I am a little confused about the magic, but from a mechanical standpoint, it seems right on.

Annelise Wykes wrote:

Do you want us to start thinking about how we might know each other? Or are you going to handle that in-game?

I'm going to let you guys decide if you've met before. The campaign doesn't need it. I was thinking of sort of building the Fellowship theme in the first scene, so...

Have I made things too difficult here with my character? I was sort of thinking the sheer fact that he is a Tabaxi might be enough to draw attention. But I can have him do something noticeable like save a child from a runaway horse kind of thing.

Trying to analyze my difficulties while attempting this again, I found two things hindering me: One is that as I try to articulate this Power Tag or that Weakness Tag, I struggle condensing all my thoughts and ideas and considerations into a single clause or phrase. But I'm trying and getting better. The second hinderance is that it feels that my various Power Tags, Weakness Tags and even Quests tie-in to multiple of my Themes, so that my PC feels more melting-pot than salad-bowl or crayon-box. ....Prior to this post I've been tinkering and editing and trying for a couple hours (off-and-on) and a moment ago got a 'Eureka' and am displaying it below, hoping that my Master of Ceremonies can rope it all together for me.
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THEMES:
Loremaster
Devilish Deceiver
Reincarnated Villain
Holy Warrior (hopeful)

POWER TAGS:
Scholar of Hell & The Abyss ; Scholar of history and philosophy

Intrinsic Deceiver Talent (that I use to trick evildoers) ; Intrinsic Beguiler Talent (that I use for earnest Diplomacy)

Fierce against Fiends and vilest villains

POWER / WEAKNESS TAGS:
Devilish Birthmark ; DevilTongue languages/mannerisms ; reincarnated escapee-from-Hell

WEAKNESS TAGS:
Bookworm: average-only-STR-for-Fighting ;
Tunnel Vision: Focused on finding an Epic Quest for Good-vs-Evil

(if you add these up, there are 8 Power Tags total and 5 Weakness Tags total, while 3 of these can sway either way)

QUESTS:
Research, Research, Research
Redemption (show I'm a Good Guy)
Epic Quest for Good vs Evil

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And like you and I have both said, 'Leave some things 'Open' / Keep room-for growth'

For example, the little blurb I scribbled out to introduce my PC to Sarah's -- where I awaken (reincarnated) in Sasserine next to her PC's orphanage and she has me arrested. Maybe in my attempt to show 'I am a Good Guy' I develop a strong 'Protect Children' Tag. I mean, my first Establish/Threat/Action/Consequence Scene is that I am awakening naked next to an orphanage. I'm the perceived Threat so Annelise Wykes takes the Action to have me thrown in jail. Thereafter I decide to "Protect Children" since literally my first Scene as a Reincarnated Hellbred was getting arrested around kids. And I want to make up for it.

Anirtak wrote:

Annelise Wykes wrote:

Do you want us to start thinking about how we might know each other? Or are you going to handle that in-game?

I'm going to let you guys decide if you've met before. The campaign doesn't need it. I was thinking of sort of building the Fellowship theme in the first scene, so...

Have I made things too difficult here with my character? I was sort of thinking the sheer fact that he is a Tabaxi might be enough to draw attention. But I can have him do something noticeable like save a child from a runaway horse kind of thing.

Not at all!

Saving a child from a runaway horse is perfect. Probably a little light if you were a regular human, but combined with being Tabaxi, I think should do the trick.

We should probably also figure out how humans react to you. Has the average joe seen Tabaxi before? Is there a Tabaxi neighborhood in town? Or will you be the first they've ever seen?

Trying to analyze my difficulties while attempting this again, I found two things hindering me: One is that as I try to articulate this Power Tag or that Weakness Tag, I struggle condensing all my thoughts and ideas and considerations into a single clause or phrase. But I'm trying and getting better. The second hinderance is that it feels that my various Power Tags, Weakness Tags and even Quests tie-in to multiple of my Themes, so that my PC feels more melting-pot than salad-bowl or crayon-box. ....Prior to this post I've been tinkering and editing and trying for a couple hours (off-and-on) and a moment ago got a 'Eureka' and am displaying it below, hoping that my Master of Ceremonies can rope it all together for me.

.
.
.
.

THEMES:
Loremaster
Devilish Deceiver
Reincarnated Villain
Holy Warrior (hopeful)

POWER TAGS:
Scholar of Hell & The Abyss ; Scholar of history and philosophy

Intrinsic Deceiver Talent (that I use to trick evildoers) ; Intrinsic Beguiler Talent (that I use for earnest Diplomacy)

Fierce against Fiends and vilest villains

POWER / WEAKNESS TAGS:
Devilish Birthmark ; DevilTongue languages/mannerisms ; reincarnated escapee-from-Hell

WEAKNESS TAGS:
Bookworm: average-only-STR-for-Fighting ;
Tunnel Vision: Focused on finding an Epic Quest for Good-vs-Evil

(if you add these up, there are 8 Power Tags total and 5 Weakness Tags total, while 3 of these can sway either way)

QUESTS:
Research, Research, Research
Redemption (show I'm a Good Guy)
Epic Quest for Good vs Evil

.
.
.
.

And like you and I have both said, 'Leave some things 'Open' / Keep room-for growth'

For example, the little blurb I scribbled out to introduce my PC to Sarah's -- where I awaken (reincarnated) in Sasserine next to her PC's orphanage and she has me arrested. Maybe in my attempt to show 'I am a Good Guy' I develop a strong 'Protect Children' Tag. I mean, my first Establish/Threat/Action/Consequence Scene is that I am awakening naked...

You're getting there. I do think the way you had things arranged earlier works great. Of the three crossover tags, I don't really see the Birthmark being helpful, so maybe make that a weakness? And I don't see the other two as being weaknesses particularly, so maybe make them Power Tags?

Yeah I think I’m probably confused about the magic stuff too. I wrote it up right before I feel asleep from some notes made a little earlier…

“Can’t Cast Magic” seems more like a narrative device than a Weakness tag. And Native Magic Resistance feels a bit like a game mechanic searching for a home.

Essentially, Greyhawk had some storied ogre-magi - Qesnef was the “boss” in Ketaptis’ dungeon under/in White Plume Mountain keeping adventurers from attaining Blackrazor an intelligent black blade of no small power. So this character (Kesnet) is the half-caste son of Qesnef, but has little connection to his father except snippets of lore passed down from what little his mother knew.

So Kesnet knows he is magically inclined, has some knowledge of what magic is when he sees it, doesn’t know (yet) how to make any, and isn’t always affected by magic like regular mundane folk. Or maybe some magic affects him more than mundane folk. Perhaps the weakness might be “Myriad effects”.

To be honest, I’m too much of a relativist to think that Positives might occasionally be detrimental, and Weaknesses be turned in the characters favor if leveraged correctly… ;)

I also wanted to clarify that Force of Will is also supposed to be about more than just being immediately overbearing, but having a strong sense and mastery of self.

We should probably also figure out how humans react to you. Has the average joe seen Tabaxi before? Is there a Tabaxi neighborhood in town? Or will you be the first they've ever seen?

Obviously up to you but I’d thought that we were VERY rare. So, probably the first ever seen for most people

Wrestling with Power and Weakness for the Themes of Devilish Deceiver and Reincarnated Villain, I'm starting to wonder if those two Themes are too similar. It is starting to feel like what I try to articulate for one is the same as that which I thought of for the other.

I'm going to think on a different Theme to see if one comes up. And Tuesday sometime put forth my best attempt yet!

@Svetozar: I agree themes and tags can feel like a salad. And as I said upthread, I feel “Positive” and “Negative” might be mutable. I imagine Anirtak will be looking at how things work just as much as us, and there will be, as we are mostly neophytes with the system: a) room to finesse; and because of the system, b) room for growth and change.

@trawets: a big thank you to you - the way you set out your functions helped me a lot to understand things - I basically just quoted your post, cleared your stuff and popped mine in. Amazing what some bolding and space can do for clarifying comprehension…

Hehehe. I just copied Annelise's and then added the bolding and spaces with my own stuff :)

I changed up two of my themes somewhat to add some spells.

THEME: Magic Man
POWER TAGS:
Elemental Bolt
Force Disk
WEAKNESS TAG That’s All I Know
QUEST: I Must Learn How This Works

THEME: Master's Spellbook
POWER TAGS:
It’s All in There
Find Magic
WEAKNESS TAG: It’s the Master’s Spellbook After all! (Incomplete Training)
QUEST: Make His Own Spellbook

I added an attack spell, Elemental Bolt, a defense/utility spell, Force Disk and Detect Magic. Now if I don't need a detect magic spell I'll come up with something else.

Have we started work on backpack's yet? I was thinking something like:
Backpack
Magic Wand
Vial of Acid
Vial of Water
Vial of Air
Phosphorus
11 Herbs and Spices

Also, thinking on it further, the theme “Walking Armory”’s Power Tag “Ranged Capability” is less of a Tag, and feels more like, again a narrative device. Essentially Kesnet has a long two handed blade, a spear, a shortsword, a dagger, a main gauche, a spiked club/morningstar, spiked gauntlets, some javelins, another dagger, a bow, some arrows etc…And he knows how to use them. How to leverage that as a +1 in combat I’m not exactly sure…

@Oceanshiledwolf: I think its ok if theme tags are a bit vague/open-ended, so "walking armoury" should be fine - he's carrying loads of weapons so you invoke that tag to reflect it. By contrast I:ve tried to make my power tags a bit more specific, so maybe "ranged capability" becomes "my trusty bow and arrows" and the other power tag picks out the melee weapon you think he'l use the most - "my BFF the greatsword" perhaps? That way if you use the bow or greatsword you have two tags in play but if he needs a dagger for close up work you just have the one tag.

@Annelise: yep, you are right - Walking Armory the theme covers the Power tag “Weapon for all seasons”.
I like your ideas - I’ll tweak it to Dread Blade (for the great-est sword) and Deadeye for an Eye (for firing/throwing).

Yeah I think I’m probably confused about the magic stuff too. I wrote it up right before I feel asleep from some notes made a little earlier…

“Can’t Cast Magic” seems more like a narrative device than a Weakness tag. And Native Magic Resistance feels a bit like a game mechanic searching for a home.

Essentially, Greyhawk had some storied ogre-magi - Qesnef was the “boss” in Ketaptis’ dungeon under/in White Plume Mountain keeping adventurers from attaining Blackrazor an intelligent black blade of no small power. So this character (Kesnet) is the half-caste son of Qesnef, but has little connection to his father except snippets of lore passed down from what little his mother knew.

So Kesnet knows he is magically inclined, has some knowledge of what magic is when he sees it, doesn’t know (yet) how to make any, and isn’t always affected by magic like regular mundane folk. Or maybe some magic affects him more than mundane folk. Perhaps the weakness might be “Myriad effects”.

To be honest, I’m too much of a relativist to think that Positives might occasionally be detrimental, and Weaknesses be turned in the characters favor if leveraged correctly… ;)

I also wanted to clarify that Force of Will is also supposed to be about more than just being immediately overbearing, but having a strong sense and mastery of self.

So, can't cast spells without a spellcaster tag is one of the rules I've put in play for magic, so "Can't cast magic" is kind of redundant. Also... when would you tag it? So, I agree that it's not a great weakness. Maybe "Magic Curious"? or something like?

Force of Will is exactly what you say it is, more a defense than an offense, in simplest terms. Maybe Strength of Will? Now you have me thinking about it "Force" sounds more pushing than holding ground, but I'm probably overthinking...

And I like the changes you're making to the weapons master, I was thinking about whether that needed tweaking, and now I don't have to. Yay!

As far as weaknesses being strengths, etc... The DNA of tags comes a lot from FATE, where you could invoke (+) or compel (-) any aspect as appropriate. In City of Mists there was an optional rule (I think) allowing you to use weaknesses as positives and power tags as negatives, in some situations. LitM doesn't have that rule, but it may be in an as yet unreleased chapter. In real life, yes. Most strengths are weaknesses in the right circumstances, and vice versa. I would probably houserule something to that effect with a more experienced table, but given the extent to which all this is new to the majority of players, I'm going to say let's keep it simple for now.

I changed up two of my themes somewhat to add some spells.

THEME: Magic Man
POWER TAGS:
Elemental Bolt
Force Disk
WEAKNESS TAG That’s All I Know
QUEST: I Must Learn How This Works

THEME: Master's Spellbook
POWER TAGS:
It’s All in There
Find Magic
WEAKNESS TAG: It’s the Master’s Spellbook After all! (Incomplete Training)
QUEST: Make His Own Spellbook

I added an attack spell, Elemental Bolt, a defense/utility spell, Force Disk and Detect Magic. Now if I don't need a detect magic spell I'll come up with something else.

Have we started work on backpack's yet? I was thinking something like:
Backpack
Magic Wand
Vial of Acid
Vial of Water
Vial of Air
Phosphorus
11 Herbs and Spices

I like the Force Disc and I'm up in the air about whether Elemental Bolt should specify an element. Let's say no, but keep an eye on it. I feel like detect magic should be so innate to a spellcaster it should be automatic... but you could expand it to "investigate magic" to include analyze, identify, etc.

Backpacks... so in the core rules it wants you to start with one backpack tag. I see in the preview it is a lot more open-ended. Let's keep it to 6, and no secret blends.

Force of Will is exactly what you say it is, more a defense than an offense, in simplest terms. Maybe Strength of Will? Now you have me thinking about it "Force" sounds more pushing than holding ground, but I'm probably overthinking...

I think you are thinking just the right amount! I do kinda agree though, and that is the two-edged sword of English - if nothing else this system really puts an emphasis on how you express things and how they might be parsed. I originally was drawn to “Willful” but that can be a negatively connotated concept. Power of Will or Strength of Will work…but I might just keep it Force of Will. Let’s see what the game dictates through the narrative…

Wrestling with Power and Weakness for the Themes of Devilish Deceiver and Reincarnated Villain, I'm starting to wonder if those two Themes are too similar. It is starting to feel like what I try to articulate for one is the same as that which I thought of for the other.

I'm going to think on a different Theme to see if one comes up. And Tuesday sometime put forth my best attempt yet!

I've looked again at everything you've submitted about this character. In his previous life he was an archmage, but he has little to no magic in this incarnation. Instead, he's gone face/lore/war.

Devilish Deceiver rings strange for me in a character who's about redemption. I've been a bad boy, so now I'm going to try to lie my way into heaven? But you've also thrown in a tag for persuading. So, maybe a good weakness is "hates lying to mortals" or something?

And it doesn't feel like any tags you've put near Reincarnated Villain actually have anything to do with who he was, or how or why he came to be reincarnated. There may be something to work with there?

Anirtak wrote:

Force of Will is exactly what you say it is, more a defense than an offense, in simplest terms. Maybe Strength of Will? Now you have me thinking about it "Force" sounds more pushing than holding ground, but I'm probably overthinking...

I think you are thinking just the right amount! I do kinda agree though, and that is the two-edged sword of English - if nothing else this system really puts an emphasis on how you express things and how they might be parsed. I originally was drawn to “Willful” but that can be a negatively connotated concept. Power of Will or Strength of Will work…but I might just keep it Force of Will. Let’s see what the game dictates through the narrative…

Nice thing about being human... we can talk about stuff like this. As long as we're both on the same page about what it means, the vagaries of the language are less frustrating.

An ex-gangster, a feline shaman, a wizard's apprentice, a reincarnated scholar, and a half ogre walk into a bar...

And a gnome merchant princess! I should have some rudimentary tags up and running after work!

...and a gnome merchant princess.

I still need a recent escapade to ID as an adventurer from Milton, Svetozar, Ogre and Princess. It can be a small thing, but it should attract a little attention.

Here’s an idea. Based on a couple of seminal articles from Dragon magazine in the 80’s and a seminal character from S2 White Plume Mountain whi was guarding the original DnD Black Blade…a noble-hearted half-ogre with some interesting heritage and a capacity for ultra violence. But no interaction with Black Blades.

Have always loved half-ogres (Steeltoe in Dragonlance notwithstanding) and a ruleset that doesn’t say “no way - that’s overpowered” might just let you play it…

THEME: Big Half-Ogre (Magi)
POWER TAGS:
Blistering Assault/Make the Red mist
Long Legs, Long Arms
WEAKNESS TAG: Leaves an Opening
QUEST: Master the Rage

THEME: A “Big” presence
POWER TAGS:
What nice fangs you have! (Intimidatory!)
Force of will (hard to intimidate)
WEAKNESS TAG Aaaaaagh! (Poor diplo)
QUEST: Learn the ways of “men”

THEME: Magical Heritage
POWER TAGS:
Understands some magic
Native magic resistance
WEAKNESS TAG: Can’t cast magic
QUEST: Explore my magi heritage

THEME: Walking Armory
POWER TAGS:
A weapon for all seasons
Ranged capability
WEAKNESS TAG: Not exactly quiet
QUEST: Find a weapon master

I guess he also might have narrative weaknesses along the lines of “hits head on doorways” and “this skiff won’t hold the party AND you” and “Everyone kill the ogre!!!”

So we're on the same page...

I feel like Sasserine is definitely going to be very, very nervous about a half ogre walking down the street. I feel like calling the watch for existing is a real possibility, but not a default. Does that sound about right?

My impression from the player guide as that some parts of town (Shadowshore) don't have much in the way of a watch presence - maybe he'd be ok as long as he stuck to the slum areas?

My impression from the player guide as that some parts of town (Shadowshore) don't have much in the way of a watch presence - maybe he'd be ok as long as he stuck to the slum areas?

There's a Chaotic Neutral part of me that wants to make a table for Wandering Karens.

But my thinking is that someone calling the watch would be unusual - but a possibility. The kind of thing I might do when I fear things are getting dull >:D

My impression from the player guide as that some parts of town (Shadowshore) don't have much in the way of a watch presence - maybe he'd be ok as long as he stuck to the slum areas?

I imagine there'd be gangs and crime bosses lining up to ask him, "Tell me, Kesnet, have you ever heard the term 'involuntary servitude?' 'Unconscionable contract?' No? Great!"

THEME: Loremaster
POWER TAG: Scholar of Devils & Demons _/_ Scholar of history & philosophy ( +1 rolls regarding Fiends ; +1 rolls regarding other Lore checks)
WEAKNESS TAG: Bookworm ( -1 on all Attack rolls)
QUEST: Seeker of Knowledge
.

THEME: Devilish Deceit/Charm
POWER TAG: Intrinsic Talent for Bluff _/_ Intrinsic Talent for Diplomacy ( +1 Bluff ; +1 Diplomacy)
WEAKNESS TAG: Unholy Visage ( -1 Diplomacy sometimes—Birthmark stuff, Master-of-Ceremonies prerogative, etc)
QUEST: Wield my innate Devilish heritage against Villains and monsters
.

THEME: Reincarnated Sorcerer
POWER TAG: Illusionist _/_ Sense Morality ( +1 casting Illusions vs “Perception” or “Will Save” ; +1 ‘Detect Evil/Good’ & Sense Motive)
WEAKNESS TAG: Arcane Anathema ( -1 from Nausea after every attempt to cast any Illusion magic)
QUEST: Endure Hellbred Crucible (show/prove I’m a ‘Good Guy’)
.

THEME: Holy Warrior
POWER TAG: Fierce vs Fiends _/_ Intelligent Tactician ( +1 combat rolls vs Fiends ; +1 Tactical Actions)
WEAKNESS TAG: Tunnel-Vision ( -1 on all other Actions if Fiends are nearby or a priority)
QUEST: Pursue Salvation through Epic Quest of the Righteous

Wow, I think I'm Really pleased with the way this worked out:

With the 'Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider' and 'Smite Evil' -Like Tags giving me a +2 vs Fiends -- with the +1 Bluff and Diplomacy in other situations from my Skill Focus Feats -- The Detect Evil thing, the front-line Paladin with 18 INT and 12 STR giving me the Knowledge Skills and a -1 on Attack rolls.

I know the Master of Ceremonies isn't too comfortable with my LG Bluff use but, oh boyee, I love playing it -- and it's fun in the game.

No one else was playing with Illusion Magic and I was struggling -- so I can do some Illusions. BUT! I always have the Nauseated Condition (or a -1) after I cast an Illusion.

Hope you like it!

Wow, I think I'm Really pleased with the way this worked out:

With the 'Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider' and 'Smite Evil' -Like Tags giving me a +2 vs Fiends -- with the +1 Bluff and Diplomacy in other situations from my Skill Focus Feats -- The Detect Evil thing, the front-line Paladin with 18 INT and 12 STR giving me the Knowledge Skills and a -1 on Attack rolls.

I know the Master of Ceremonies isn't too comfortable with my LG Bluff use but, oh boyee, I love playing it -- and it's fun in the game.

No one else was playing with Illusion Magic and I was struggling -- so I can do some Illusions. BUT! I always have the Nauseated Condition (or a -1) after I cast an Illusion.

Hope you like it!

I love it!

Especially, I'm tickled that you're translating everything BACK into pathfinder terms! For real, though, it is a useful guide for your intent in these tags. Let's not limit ourselves, though.

I love the illusionist angle. Check the notes on magic (that I added to the Campaign Info tab). Specifically: "Sorcerers cannot improvise effects - if they don’t have a tag for it, they can’t do it."

With the "Illusionist" tag, I'm thinking basic illusions, but if you wanted to get into more complex effects (invisibility, etc) you would need tags.

Okay, may need to rethink my concept: I thought you were going more paladiney given the general vibe of hellbred, but if you're going to be more of an illusionist, leaning into the gnome penchant for illusions would be redundant...don't wanna step on your toes!

I'm Paladin, Paladin, Paladin!

I saw you were a Gnome but didn't see any Illusions (I can be blind from time to time). I only picked Illusion (after DM said to think about Magic) because it didn't look like anyone else was going the way of minor illusions.

I will 100% go Divinations if that's better.

No stepping on other peoples' toes from me. I can do Augury / Divination. And even that's rare because afterward I will take a -1 on EVERYTHING for as long as the Master of Ceremonies deems appropriate (looks like based on the degree of power and the effect). But overall this is an 'only-sometimes' aspect of my PC.

EDIT: Power Tag (Reincarnated Sorcerer): Arcane Augur ( +1 on Auguries/Divinations vs The Cosmos)

Yeah I'm taking a page from 3.5e's Beguiler and be a roguish type who prefers spinning illusions to stabbing backs, feeling the big, strong lads and lasses in the party can handle that part just fine.

I'm going to try something here....

Ye Olde Tyme HYPOTHETICAL....

I'm confident that all this is just about right, but having it in a Post ought to be beneficial.
Is this pretty much what we're all about?:
.
.
.

Master of Ceremonies: "In the woods outside of town, the PCs see a fat Goblin (or Minotaur, or Orc, or Bandit, or mindless Zombie) with a rusty falchion getting ready to attack a farmer bringing a basket of apples to the market."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I rush forward to stand in between the Goblin and farmer -- pull out the weapon I wield, and attack."
2d6
-1 because I'm a Bookworm more than a Warrior
+1 (if the M.C. allows) because I'm an "Intelligent Tactician" positioning myself wisely. Or, the M.C. can decide that in order to get my +1 Tactical Bonus, I won't be able to position myself in between the Goblin and farmer because that would be poor tactics. So I must therefore choose to better defend (and only have the -1) or not defend (and have a +1 offset my -1).
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "The Vampire Necromancer you've been hunting stands before you, his unconscious victim sprawled on his laboratory table."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I charge and introduce him to my can of whoop-ass!"
2d6
-1 because I'm a Bookworm
+1 because I'm an Intelligent Tactician -- again, *only* if the Master of Ceremonies feels it's appropriate.
+1 because I'm "Fierce vs Fiends" -- like the Smite Evil vs Fiends/Evil-Dragons/Int-Undead
OR,
If Svetozar Lanezra decides to try to save the unconscious victim instead of fight:
2d6
-1 because I have "Tunnel Vision" and there is a Vile Fiend right there to fight
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "Having slain the Goblin you see odd heraldry disturbingly scrawled in blood on his armor and forehead."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I look closely at the heraldry to see if I recognize it."
2d6
+1 Lore
(M.C. decides secretly to apply *additional* +1 because it's not just Lore but specifically 'Lore regarding Pazuzu (or Hastur, or Molech)'
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "Having slain the Vampire Necromancer and rescued the victim, do you continue to X or do you proceed to Y?"

Svetozar Lanezra: (after a long dialogue where we all discuss the Pros-and-Cons and are still unsure as a group the Wise or Righteous course of action...) "Guys, I can cast an Arcane Divination to augur an answer -- but it will greatly debilitate me; I could be Nauseated for hours after attempting it."
2d6
+1 to cast Augury
(I Fail to even get a Ten with my roll so we don't get the results of the Augury.)
And I am Nauseated with a -1 on all rolls until the M.C. feels it's appropriate.
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "You are discussing the issue with the Captain of the Guard in this salty little town and he says 'x,y,z.'"

Svetozar Lanezra: "I'm not convinced this guy is on the up-and-up; do I 'smell' the stink of Evil on him?"
2d6
+1 (Either for Scent Evil or for Sense Motive, again, depending on what the M.C. feel is the right situation.)
Depending on who this is, and what the situation is, I may get an additional +1 because of my Lore.
.
.
.
Svetozar Lanezra vs Mephistopheles
2d6
-1 Bookworm
+1 Scholar vs Fiends
+1 Holy Warrior vs Fiends
+1 Intelligent Tactician
and maybe
+1 after I Bluff the Devil to get an advantage during Roleplay
and maybe
-1 if I cast an Augury earlier

Yeah I'm taking a page from 3.5e's Beguiler and be a roguish type who prefers spinning illusions to stabbing backs, feeling the big, strong lads and lasses in the party can handle that part just fine.

...with the gear. Where else would you find a merchant princess?

Annelise Wykes wrote:

My impression from the player guide as that some parts of town (Shadowshore) don't have much in the way of a watch presence - maybe he'd be ok as long as he stuck to the slum areas?

There's a Chaotic Neutral part of me that wants to make a table for Wandering Karens.

"I saw everything, officer - he went that way - wearing a tan suit! Oh, won't someone please think of the children!!"

I'm going to try something here....

Ye Olde Tyme HYPOTHETICAL....

I'm confident that all this is just about right, but having it in a Post ought to be beneficial.
Is this pretty much what we're all about?:
.
.
.

Master of Ceremonies: "In the woods outside of town, the PCs see a fat Goblin (or Minotaur, or Orc, or Bandit, or mindless Zombie) with a rusty falchion getting ready to attack a farmer bringing a basket of apples to the market."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I rush forward to stand in between the Goblin and farmer -- pull out the weapon I wield, and attack."
2d6
-1 because I'm a Bookworm more than a Warrior
+1 (if the M.C. allows) because I'm an "Intelligent Tactician" positioning myself wisely. Or, the M.C. can decide that in order to get my +1 Tactical Bonus, I won't be able to position myself in between the Goblin and farmer because that would be poor tactics. So I must therefore choose to better defend (and only have the -1) or not defend (and have a +1 offset my -1).
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "The Vampire Necromancer you've been hunting stands before you, his unconscious victim sprawled on his laboratory table."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I charge and introduce him to my can of whoop-ass!"
2d6
-1 because I'm a Bookworm
+1 because I'm an Intelligent Tactician -- again, *only* if the Master of Ceremonies feels it's appropriate.
+1 because I'm "Fierce vs Fiends" -- like the Smite Evil vs Fiends/Evil-Dragons/Int-Undead
OR,
If Svetozar Lanezra decides to try to save the unconscious victim instead of fight:
2d6
-1 because I have "Tunnel Vision" and there is a Vile Fiend right there to fight
.
.
.
Master of Ceremonies: "Having slain the Goblin you see odd heraldry disturbingly scrawled in blood on his armor and forehead."

Svetozar Lanezra: "I look closely at the heraldry to see if I recognize it."
2d6
+1 Lore
(M.C. decides secretly to apply *additional* +1 because it's not just Lore but specifically 'Lore...

Mostly yes.

To tag "Intelligent Tactician" you have to do something tactically intelligent. Sadly, both the examples you offered seem... reckless. Charge Vampire? Stand between goblin and victim? Toe to toe with a named Devil?

Now, tell me you're flanking with someone? +Intelligent Tactician

Waiting for them to be distracted by the gnome's illusionary butterflies? +Intelligent Tactician

Shifting so the late afternoon sun is at your back and in their eyes? +Intelligent Tactician

etc etc etc

ALSO - think about prep actions in combat. Use +Intelligent Tactician, +Devilish Deceit, +Bluff to draw their attention (distracted-3) so Trails can use his claws at leisure to hit that foe whose defenses have been hitherto impenetrable...

Anirtak can you open up discussion? I think you've recruited us and this might be better in discussion. You can also put up more if anyone shows interest in recruitment.

Just my 2 cents.