Vil-hatarn here--I'm thinking of adapting this alias--it was for a Serpent's Skull game that didn't get far. Perhaps an Academae student, or perhaps he was rejected for reasons unknown...going to ponder for a bit, see what comes up.
Quariel
Elf (aquatic trait from APG) Wizard (water elementalist)
Alignment: CN. Quariel values his own freedom strongly, but at the moment does not spare much thought for the freedoms of others. This is likely to change over time, as he spends more time in Korvosa and sees the suffering of its people.
Statistics: moderately high strength and dexterity, very high intelligence, slightly low charisma (probably an 8)
Quariel grew up in the seclusion of Kyonin, born to a small riverside clan. His childhood was spent in the water as often as out, and when he was apprenticed to the clan's wizard, he showed remarkable affinity with water magic. The majority of his spells utilize ice or water to achieve their intended effect, whether that effect is sealing a doorway, knocking a target over, or forcing someone to drop their weapon. This affinity was even more apparent when he called his familiar; he bonded with a black river rat who he calls Reeds.
What began as a talent has become the focus of Quariel's studies. Upon completion of his training in the ways of the wizard, he departed Kyonin, the better to research the ways other races and cultures utilize the power of elemental water. His master's parting gift to him was a handmade spellbook with a water rune blazoned on the cover; Quariel records only his favorite spells in this book, keeping others on a variety of ancillary notebooks and scraps of paper. His other signature possession is a unique two-pronged spear used by his clan, a gift from his mother to see him safely through his travels.
Quariel has traveled the northern Inner Sea regions for nearly a decade, acquiring a wealth of experiences and insight into his research. He first traveled south, to the deserts of Qadira, where he harnessed the power of steam. More recently he visited northern lands and augmented his water magic with ice. He has just arrived in Korvosa, hoping to gain some knowledge at the Academae, but was rudely rejected (want to flesh this part out a little more).
DM Barcas: What are your feelings on modified spells? For example, I would describe a grease spell cast by Quariel as a sheen of ice, or a hold portal as him freezing the doorframe.
The Advanced Player's Guide (if you have it) offers some nice options for this--check out the character sheet listed on this alias's profile. He's an water elementalist wizard with extra aquatic bonuses from an alternate elf racial feature. Air elementalist would probably be a valid option as well (controlling wind can be extremely useful on a sailing ship).
For spell selection, I would keep range in mind--short range spells would be difficult to use in ship-to-ship combat.
Other than profession (sailor), making a ship's wizard shouldn't prevent you from using any abilities on land.
I'd be interested in using this character--he was for a SS game that didn't get past the first day. Here are the description and backstory from the profile:
Description:
Quariel's most striking feature is his eyes, the large pupils a deep blue which evokes a pool of water. He wears a simple, loose tunic in a matching blue and plain leather pants--clothes practical for ship life. These clothes do not conceal his slight form--even for an elf, Quariel is light, weighing merely 115 pounds despite being nearly six feet tall. A variety of pouches, bandoleers, and interior pockets hold all of his possessions, most notably his two spellbooks. Though he rarely has need of it, his clan spear is never far from his hand.
Quariel has been a great many places in his life, and there are few things he doesn't have at least a passing knowledge of. More than anything, though, he loves life on the water; normally somewhat reserved, he is lively and energetic when given the opportunity to swim or to sail.
As can be seen in his magic, Quariel has a powerful affinity for water, and his travels are a dual effort to experience as many waterways of the world as he can and to seek out and study all kinds of water magic.
Backstory:
Quariel grew up in the seclusion of Kyonin, born to a small riverside clan. His childhood was spent in the water as often as out, and when he was apprenticed to the clan's wizard, he showed remarkable affinity with water magic. The majority of his spells utilize ice or water to achieve their intended effect, whether that effect is sealing a doorway, knocking a target over, or forcing someone to drop their weapon. This affinity was even more apparent when he called his familiar; he bonded with a black river rat who he calls Reeds.
What began as a talent has become the focus of Quariel's studies. Upon completion of his training in the ways of the wizard, he departed Kyonin, the better to research the ways other races and cultures utilize the power of elemental water. His master's parting gift to him was a handmade spellbook with a water rune blazoned on the cover; Quariel records only his favorite spells in this book, keeping others on a variety of ancillary notebooks and scraps of paper. His other signature possession is a unique two-pronged spear used by his clan, a gift from his mother to see him safely through his travels.
Quariel has traveled the northern Inner Sea regions for nearly a decade, acquiring a wealth of experiences and insight into his research. He first traveled south, to the deserts of Qadira, where he harnessed the power of steam. More recently he visited northern lands and augmented his water magic with ice. Most recently he has joined the crew of the Jenivere, a merchant vessel which travels up and down the western coasts, in order to earn passage to distant Sargava, where he hopes to gain new insights into the harnessing of elemental water. While he could have paid for passage, he found the prospect of assisting in the sailing of the ship more appealing and has picked it up quite quickly.
Best of luck with your personal life, and thanks for GMing even if it was only for a little while--I greatly enjoyed getting a chance to play instead of GM for once.
Once the first two are clear, Quariel carefully makes his way down, comfortable from his time among the Jenivere[i]'s rigging. As he lowers himself over the edge, a thought strikes him. [i]I hope someone or something doesn't find our ropes...without a guard at the top we could be quite vulnerable. Well, too late now...].
Climb: taking 10 if possible = 16
If not, Climb 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
"I'd definitely be up for trying, if we can find a reasonably safe way to get to it. There's a good chance we could salvage some more useful materials from it, though given the location, we'll likely be limited to anything we can carry up on a rope."
Quariel also looks around for alternate route, or the unlikely possibility of survivors. Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
"It should at least last through the daylight hours, possibly even through to tomorrow morning." He helps himself to a bowl of porridge as well, then focuses on preparing his gear, arranging his many satchels precisely so as not to impede movement as well as checking his spear for any damage from the previous day's combat. Satisfied, he slings it across his back and is prepared to depart.
"Very well." Quariel heads over to the two women. "Hold on, this will only take a moment." He concentrates for a few seconds, then moves his left hand, tracing a complex rune in the air. Eranla and Fi'Vannali suddenly feel as though they are surrounded by a cool mist, protecting them from the brutal tropical heat.
Quariel's first sight upon awakening is a pair of beady green eyes--Reeds is sitting on his chest. He doesn't seem particularly startled--to the others, it seems this is a regular occurrence. Standing up and stretching, he immediately pulls out his spellbooks, combing them for spells that might be more useful than those he had prepared the day before. After about fifteen minutes, he has made his choices and settles into the routine of committing the magic to memory, with Reed perched on his shoulder.
Quariel prepares two castings of Endure Elements and Hydraulic Push, as well as dancing lights, detect magic, prestidigitation, and ray of frost.
Joining the others by the campfire, he announces, "I've prepared some spells which should make the midday heat more bearable--I thought it might help us make the most of the daylight as we search for a better campsite. Unfortunately, I do not have the strength to protect the whole group this way; in fact, I estimate I only have sufficient power to shield two of us. Still, it might be some aid. As our leader, Tar'kanas, perhaps you should select the individuals for me to shield in this manner."
Quariel accepts the model of the Jenivere carefully, as if afraid of breaking it. "Thank you, Fi'Vannali; I will carry it in memory of my lost crewmates."
"Your suggestions are wise. Unfortunately, I have little in the way of survival skills, other than knowledge I've picked up over years of research. However, what magic I have is at everyone's disposal; I can at least make the mid-day heat more bearable. I will begin developing some more practical spells immediately--I'm sure there's some way I could contribute to the security of the campsite."Quariel will begin researching alarm in his spare time.
Quariel takes a large swig of the brandy, more than most would expect one of such slight frame to be able to handle.
"I am no leader myself; I have no objections."
Exhausted from the long day, Quariel quickly falls asleep, his bags stacked under his head to create a rudimentary pillow, with Reeds' nest pouch nestled in the crook of an arm.
Once the others have departed hunting, Quariel will approach Ishirou. "So, it seems you were right to be worried. We're stranded on a deadly desert island, I'm down a finger...never imagined this was where the Jenivere would take me."
Okay. Guess that'll be waiting...can't afford spell research at the costs suggested by the book. Might take Elemental Spell, though the level adjustment really hurts...
"We'll want to organize a watch, to keep the fire going and warn us of any hostile creatures. As there are ten of us, I suggest five two-hour shifts, with two people taking each shift; that way we ensure no one falls asleep and everyone gets a full night's rest, which we will surely need to face the coming day. I am accustomed to late-night watches from my time on the Jenivere, so I'll take the fourth watch."
Any chance Quariel could learn an ice version of burning hands at second level? I was just thinking about spells he could be working on during the downtime.
Quariel does what he can to help set up the camp, but it is clear he lacks most of the relevant skills to do so; after a number of botched setups, he is relegated to tying off ropes, a job he can handle.
Hmm...forgot to retrieve my finger in the hope of eventual re-attachment after that first fight. Ah well...suppose Quariel will have to make do with nine fingers from here on out. Every hero has to have some scars, right?
"Your concerns are reasonable; however, this beach seems a very poor location for a camp...it is exposed to the sun and storms, and frequented by those sea creatures that ate my finger." He holds up the hand with the missing digit for emphasis. "I'd rather not lose any more, or I will have to rewrite all my spells to use only three fingers."
"If you insist on setting up a camp here, we should do our best to make it as temporary as possible, so that we can reuse the materials when we establish the superior location."
This heat is oppressive...I feel as if I could hardly move. Plenty of water for me to work my magic, though...so I suppose it's not all bad.
Ignoring Gelik's rambling, Quariel tries to work on his spellbook, but finds the heat and humidity too much, so he uses prestidigitation to de-humidify his books and puts them back away. Reeds spends the afternoon hiding in Quariel's shadow, trying to stay cool.
As the temperature drops, his thoughts turn to shelter. "If every afternoon is going to be this bad, we need to turn our thoughts to shelter. Perhaps we could find somewhere inland with some natural shade or a source of good water?
"I have no idea, the captain was very secretive about it. In a situation such as ours, I would hope everyone would contribute whatever their past. I'll be keeping an eye on him all the same."
"Thank you." Quariel says quietly as Tania hands him the shovel.
"I would appreciate that; I will come find you once I have dug their graves." he says to Jask.
Heading a short distance inland from the campsite, he finds a suitable spot and begins digging, his mind churning with memories of his recently deceased crewmates; though he didn't know them for long, it was still shocking for so many lives to be snatched away so suddenly.
"I was part of their crew; I will not leave them behind." Quariel says calmly but firmly. "They at least deserve a burial on dry land; Gozreh has taken enough of my crewmates from me this day."
Looking around him at the state of the ship, Quariel says "This wreck is probably not stable--we should remove any useful supplies and the bodies of Alton and Rambar sooner rather than later. Having said this, he follows his own advice, and gathers as much food and gear as he can carry before carrying it up to the rock ledge.
"Look here--these wounds are very unusual. They're not from a blade or one of those sea scorpions...something very strange is going here." Quariel gestures to the cook's wounds as he speaks.
Seeing the situation has been resolved, Quariel turns his attention to the remains of the galley he just climbed into, searching it for anything of interest or value.
"Sorry about that, Reeds." he says, as the soaked rat climbs up to his shoulder. "Help me check out this wreck."
Quariel spends a moment coughing up water, thinking next time I cast the spell before jumping into the water. Counting the others, he sees one is still missing; he casts dancing lights in order to help the rescuers. Four bluish-white orbs sit just under the water's surface, hopefully improving visibility for any rescue attempts.
Prepared spells are at the bottom of my offense section.
Giving up on helping the others, Quariel leaves them to grab the rope and simply tries to swim away from the shore, hopefully to a lower portion of the ship he can grab or climb up.
Yeah, sorta regretting that decision right now. +12 seemed like overkill for a level 1 Swim bonus, but I guess it wasn't. Well...hopefully I manage to cast the spell?
Coughing up a bit of water, Quariel revises his plan, casting touch of the sea on himself and then attempting to help the two drowning humans; he'll try to grab them and swim towards the submerged sections of boat if possible.
Concentration 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 (guessing it's required what with the waves and rocks and all)
Swim 25 with Swim speed 30 (assuming success on the spell)
Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 (if necessary to spot the others in the water)
My water elemental wizard ability allows me to always take 10 on Swim.
Ah. Actually it's your Spirit of the Water alternate racial trait that let's you do that.
I'm kind of surprised you don't have a rank in it.
Yeah, I just double-checked and realized that. I didn't bother putting a rank in for now because it's not a class skill (originally had it as a class skill via the Jenivere Crew trait, but I decided to diversify and pick up Climb instead). Figuring I'll just count on the racial and class bonuses to keep the swim score up.
That was...less effective than I would have hoped. Seeing Tania tumble from the railing, Quariel turns his attention to helping her. If possible, he'll try and reach her in order to cast touch of the sea. If that's not feasible, he'll instead try to flank the sea scorpion and attack it with his trident.
Not looking forward to another close encounter with a sea scorpion, Quariel casts hydraulic push, hoping to create some space between the group and the creature.
"This is bad...if we're where I think we are. By my calculations, we're stranded on Smuggler's Shiv. This island has a bad reputation...really bad. Cannibals, undead...they've tried to colonize it with no success. Some says it's cursed, others say it's haunted by the souls of those shipwrecked on its jagged shores...we'd best be on our guard."
Seeing Tar'kanas heading off towards the ship, Quariel runs to catch up. "Wait for me! You may need my help reaching the ship."
Once his spells are prepared, Quariel turns his attention to figuring out what coast this is, combining his knowledge of astronomy, sailing, and geography.
If there are any other relevant Knowledge checks, Quariel makes them at +6.
Knowledge (arcana) 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 (astronomical knowledge, perhaps?)
Knowledge (geography) 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Knowledge (local) 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 (any relevant legends or myths?)
Profession (sailor) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Suddenly nauseated from the burst of activity right after regaining consciousness, Quariel stumbles over to the pile of gear and sits down for a minute. Once he's gathered himself, he sifts through the gear and pulls out his equipment. "Well Reeds, this is a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into", he says as he makes sure his spellbooks are dry. "I'd best prepare my magic...it seems I've fallen a bit out of practice with my old spear." This comment is met with an affirmative squeak from Reeds.
Quariel will prepare obscuring mist, hydraulic push, touch of the sea; detect magic, prestidigitation, ray of frost, dancing lights.
Once finished, Quariel casts prestidigitation and uses it to dry all of his gear, then turns his attention to the other survivors.
Gods damn, this is why I stick to magic, spells are so much more reliable. Quariel moves to N5 to flank the lobster-like critter, then strikes once again.
Trident M to hit 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
damage 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
