Here's a thought. Nico Bolas and Bificom would probably get along like two buds in a bar :D
Poor Smaug!
Search Posts
Also, @Bificommander. You are a dragon, and I am a dragon herald with my own pet dragon... We could have some interesting interactions >.>
Paladin: no
However, I think I found my second class, if the GM is willing to lift a race restriction: DRAGON HERALD!
So here is the first draft for the background stuffs for my summoner (and again, his name will change, I just suck at names horribly!) but I have yet to get any of the crunch up for him. This will probably change in chunks as I get his crunch built up and different abilities get factored into his story. The main reason That I have his fluff done before his crunch is that he is a reoccurring character of mine, and mostly I just had to dig it up and shape it for this campaign. If you see something that you really dont like, let me know now and I can easily change it ^-^ A quick 2 liner about his backstory; He believes that the world will one day be overrun by dragons, and in the near future. He goes around trying to "preach" his religion and warn the masses of the impending doom. He is an arcane caster and has a "dragon hatchling" who manifests near him. Smaug doesn't know it, but the dragon beside him is the reincarnation of the same dragon he prophesies will destroy the world, and ages in reverse, the longer he lives, the further back in time he "existed" until he finally meets up with his former glory. "hes a crazy koot, and old to boot.
Worth noting. I took the Umbral Unmasking Drawback as my shadow takes on the form of a monstrous dragon (DC 15 Wis to see it), and my shadow disappears every time I summon Nico Bolas. If you want to play up the interactions brought about my monstrous shadow, as I do intend to spend a fair bit of time without him summoned (such as in towns), go ahead :) Description:
An older man, probably in his 50s, lean, gaunt and raggedy. He has the look of a man who has been out in the wild for far too long and an almost crazy look in his eyes. Not the dangerous crazy, rather the look of someone who has seen things that cannot be explained. While the clothes he wears are by no means rags, they are well worn and weathered, giving the impression of a man on the road for ages. The other thing of note, he wears the skin of a giant salamander, adorning his shoulders like a massive red cowl draped across him... Lo! he calls to you guys
Fluff:
Name
Nico Bolas, a young red wyrmling crouched forward on all fours, with a long neck and slender tail flickering to and fro. His scales are a deep red, creviced with soot black. Along his ridged and bony back sit two wings, while at the tip of the lizard rests the mighty head of the Red Dragon. Scaled and serpentine, with deep, dark eyes almost tinged with evil and malice, while a fearsome maw dripping fire embers and spewing black smoke tops out the fearsome presence of the mighty red wyrmling.
History and Backstory:
Smaug had 2 main phases in his life, essentially before he went crazy and after he went crazy. Pre-catalyst he was just your average working man, there was very little outstanding about him and he never really applied himself to the things he did. As a result he worked for the government of Andoran, pushing paper and keeping the bureaucracy going, but never made it into any position of significance. Mundane, boring, and going nowhere.
Yet he had mellowed out a bit over these last few years (or at least less vocal) and the government of Andoran has re-hired him, this time as something more like a consultant, for Smaug was someone who had traveled far and seen many things, he could act as an emissary in difficult or dangerous places, and trusted to keep Andorans interests in whatever business he was doing.
Recently, Commander Gerregne of the Andoran Army had approached Smaug. He was sending a group of adventurers to Vraath Keep in Isger and he needed someone there to keep an eye on the group, and on neighboring Cheliax. A Government watchdog, if you will. Nico Bolas has a different story. A celestial dragon bound to the outer planes, he longed to be manifest on the material plane, but more then just exist there, he wanted to rule. However, no one knew him. No one believed, feared or revered him. He could not grow nor exist nor rule without the belief of the people. Perplexed, Nico Bolas was stuck. Searching, Nico Bolas found Smaug, his mind broken like his body from the crash. There he began whispering to him, telling him of power and prophecies. Prophecies of himself, of his rise to power and his eventual rulership. And of the world ending at his hand... Soon, the voices in Smaugs head begun to take on a very real essence. They got louder and more persistent, slowly revealing themselves to be the voice of Nico Bolas. Then, in a dream, Nico Bolas came to Smaug, telling him he would assist him on his journey, intertwining their fates together.
Nico Bolas has an interesting existence. He grows exceedingly fast, both forwards in time and backwards. To have the immense power he required, he would have to live the lifetime of an ancient dragon, and to achieve that, he grows into history. The older he gets, the further into the past he has existed. Another interesting dynamic is the alignment of the two. Smaug is NG, his prophetic lifestyle is very free and whimsical, going where the wind takes him while his government work requires a degree of order from him. Smaug is also very selfless, doing things for others and generally caring for their well-being over his own. Nico Bolas is in many ways his opposite, being CE in a very selfish and self serving way. He cares little for others, valuing only himself and the altruistic attitude of Smaug is something he simply cannot understand.
Goals and Reasons for Adventuring:
Smaug has resigned himself to a gruesome death sometime in the future. He knows he will die either at the hands of the dragons or on the journey to warn others. Now, and for as long as he can, he travels around, warning others and helping out. While most people shun him, a few accept him (although they usually ignore his words), and in doing so they find a kindly soul willing to help out and care for people. He is also bound to Andoran both out of loyalty and a sense of doing right so he often goes places (such as Vraath Keep) at the whims of his superiors. Nico Bolas has a different agenda. He secretly knows that he is the one in the prophesy. That he is the one who will bring about the end times. But in order to do that he needs to grow. And in order to grow he needs others to believe in him, believe he exists, believe that he WILL bring about The End Times. If he can get enough people to believe then it will become reality. And he is growing stronger... Future Plans:
Smaug will continue as a summoner from here on out, picking up extra evolutions when he can and generally focusing on support. He will also try to keep his intimidate as high as possible, as his prophetic speeches continue to scare the masses :D Nico Bolas is a more complex case. I will continue to build him like how i envision a dragon to be. Intelligent, flying, bony hide, a fearsome and flaming bite, and intimidating. Some of the evolutions i am looking at are: Improved Damage (bite), improved armor, Reach (bite), fire resistance, Skilled (lots of knowledges), Int Increase, Energy Attacks (fire), Flight, Fire Immunity, Frightful Presence, See in Darkness, Swallow Whole, Fire Breath Weapon,Large. I wont be able to take all of these, but this is the pool ill be drawing from. Greatest Fear:
One of Smaug main goals is to spread the word about the impending doom by the dragons, and the ruler of the dragons. A red-black behemoth as fierce as the gods and as powerful as death itself. He will annihilate the world and burn it to nothing. As such his greatest fear is when (not if) this will happen, and it will happen... As for his crunch I am unsure at this point what his other half will be. in a nutshell he is a very tough summoner with good social skills. a few ideas I had were:
Any suggestions that I can check out?
@Smaug, yes, I'll allow the eidolon to do that. As an aside, having him called Smaug causes a lot of mental dissonance in my head, breaks the fourth wall, so to speak. Could you grab another name for him? Sure, I'll come up with something, I would hate to wreak my chances of getting in over something like that, so thanks for being honest with me. Is Nico Bolas an OK name for the dragon eidolon?His new name will be something like: XXX, prophet of the Dragon, but will remain Smaug for right now until I come up with something :) Oh, can I still take the Umbral-unmasking drawback, even if I get no extra trait? It's just a really neat part of his flavor :) Next post, a big chunk of his back story/fluff \^-^/
I have an idea for this campaign that I intend to submit but I am way too tired right now...
Then the thought was: How cool would it be if he was actually right? Smaug is a Human Summoner on the one side with a really high con score (he is tough as old boots!) and the Umbral Unmasking drawback (his shadow is his dragon that he talks to while it is not out).
Ill get more down, and make it sound significantly better once I have had a bit more sleep!
There. Smaugs crunch is esentially done minus spells and equipment.
Campaign Trait:
I based this one off of the Finding Haleen trait. Weary Wanderer: After spending countless days, weeks and even months roaming from place to place on your neverending quest, you have grown hardened by the land and picked up a skill or two on your journeys. Whenever you take a lvl in Summoner, gain +1 hp and +1 skill point. 3: Worth noting. I took the Umbral Unmasking Drawback as my shadow takes on the form of a monsterous dragon (DC 15 Wis to see it). If you want to play up the interactions brought about my monsterious shadow, go ahead :) 4: im going to create a salamander follower, but it would help if you created the other :) Abasara: Its no offense ta me! These be dangerous times indeed and one best be careful. All the same, I'll be comin on up an joinin ya! Tha chance ta get off me feet and put any kind o meal in me belly would be much appreciated! Smaug helps himself up the rope into the canopy tent/thing and sits himself down comfortably. Smaug be me name. Ah be a prophet of the times ta come, but right now i am simply a hungery man. From which world be you folks? Smaug then pulls out a small, half empty bottle from somewhere behind him My contrabution. You galls be old enough ta drink?
Sounds good :)
Abasera: An older man, probably in his 50s, lean, gaunt and raggedy. He has the look of a man who has been out in the wild for far too long and an almost crazy look in his eyes. Not the dangerous crazy, rather the look of someone who has seen things that cannot be explained. Then again, there is a zombie apocolypse going on... The other thing of note, a giant salamander adorns his shoulders like a massive red cowl draping across him... "Lo!" he calls to you guys "I mean no harm! Ive been traveling from that city from over yonder mountian and could use some company, and a warm meal, if you would be willing to spare and share with an old prophet." He keeps at a polite distance, waiting to be invited in rather than intruding in these harsh and often unpredictable times. "well. Human company anyway."
Ok. Here is the fluff for Smaug, Prophet of the DRAGON and his dragon Eidolon, Nico Bolas.
Fluff: Name Smaug, Prophet of the DRAGON Class Human Summoner 1/ Thug Rogue 1 Personality Physical Description
Nico Bolas, a young red wyrmling crouched forward on all fours, with a long neck and slender tail flickering to and fro. His scales are a deep red, crevised with soot black. Along his ridged and bony back sit two wings, while at the tip of the lizard rests the mighty head of the Red Dragon. Ridged and serpentlike, with deep, dark eyes almost tinged with evil and malice, while a fearsome maw driping fire embers and spewing black smoke tops out the fearsome presence of the mighty red wyrmling.
History and Backstory Smaug had 2 main phases in his life, essentially before he went crazy and after he went crazy. Pre-catalyst he was just your average working man, there was very little outstanding about him and he never really applied himself to the things he did. As a result he worked as a salaryman at a local office firm, but never made it into management. He had a girlfriend, but they never got married. He had a nice car, but it always needed repairs and was usually parked.
Yet the worlds merged. Sightings of goblins and orcs and monsters to fantastical to believe! Slowly, a few started to listen to him. Just a few. When the first dragon was spotted flying above the city, many believed. Then the zombie plague hit. Once again, humans and their short memories, regarded Smaug as a crazy old man. He was wrong! It is not the dragons who will bring about the end, its the dead! And they have already brought it!
Once the merging had happened, the voices in Smaugs head begun to take on a very real essence. They got louder and more presistant, slowly revealing themself to be the voice of Nico Bolas. Then, in a dream, Nico Bolas came to Smaug, telling him he would assist him on his journey, intertwining their fates together.
Nico Bolas has a different story. A celestial dragon bound to the outer planes, he longed to be manifest on the material plane, but more then just exist there, he wanted to rule. However, no one knew him. No one believed, feared or reviered him. He could not grow nor exist nor rule without the belief of the people. Preplexed, Nico Bolas was stuck. Searching, Nico Bolas found Smaug, his mind broken like his body from the crash. There he began wispering to him, telling him of power and prophicies. Prophicies of himself, of his rise to power and his eventual rulership. And of the world ending at his hand... When the worlds merged, it gave Nico Bolas the chance he needed. Riding on the curtails of the arcane backlash, Nico Bolas emerged onto the material plane! And not a moment too soon... With the zombie plague came the absolute sundering of the conection to the planes... For better or worse, Nico was stuck here... Nico Bolas has an interesting existance. He grows exeedingly fast, both forwards in time and backwards. To have the immense power required, he would have to live the lifetime of an ancient dragon, and to achieve that, he grows into history. The older he gets, the further into the past he has existed. Goals and Reasons for Adventuring
Nico Bolas has a different agenda. He secretly knows that he is the one in the prophesy. That he is the one who will bring about the end times. But in order to do that he needs to grow. And in order to grow he needs others to believe in him, believe he exists, believe that he WILL bring about The End Times. If he can get enough people to believe then it will become reality. And he is growing stronger... Future Plans
Greatest Fear
Uncrossable Line
Notable Traits, Drawbacks and Feats
Toughness. Smaug is tough as old boots XD He gas been known to traverse inhospitibal terrain in his quest to warn others.
Great! Mostly i was looking for an OK to playing the summoner. Now i can go gung ho and rip him up :)
A quick 2 liner about his backstory; He believes that the world will one day be overrun by dragons, and in the near future. He goes around trying to "preach" his religion and warn the masses of the impending doom. He is an arcane caster (but he believes he casts divine spells) and has a "dragon hatchling" who manifests near him. Smaug dosent know it, but the dragon beside him is the reincarnation of the same dragon he prophesies will destroy the world, and ages in reverse, the longer he lives, the further back in time he "existed" until he finally meets up with his former glory.
Ya, sounds like it would be a blast (a fefreshing one, if a bit chilly), and thanks for the 24 hour notice :) will get the last of the crunch done and get some fluffy bits added. I hear fluff is great for keeping the cold out...
Haha! Well I am not Ulfen, just happened to be traveling on through the area at the time, spreading the news of the impending destruction at the hands of the dragons. Same as usual ,') Smaug will be good as a party face (well, as good as an old, half crazed man can be... but hey! He's good at swaying the crowds!), minor support but his eidolon should be a half decent front liner and later, knower of known things :)
Well here is Joseph bonkers character :)
Nope, I haven't entered the scene yet, I figured I should get a bit more of my guy done first but I can enter anyways, I got enough of him figured out to start roleplaying him :)
Hey sorry! I had thought that this thread had died, I only just recently realized that you were actually waiting for me. Again really sorry!!
He is only spending 19 points out of his 25 on racial stats and saving the rest for attribute points.
I have currently chosen the following attributes, tell me what you think!
Defects
He has lots of skills as well, mostly to represent his military background giving him basic training in a very wide variety of fields. I will not be taking the skilled attribute as I level up (most likely) so he will become a lot more focused as he levels. This allows me to be good at everything at the start and then pick and choose once this gets under way and I understand more about what it is I actually want to focus on. If there is anything that you think i can cut out or is less needed, let me know. As for background, I only have the basis in my head and have yet to actually get it down but I can give you a rough idea about what it is that I am thinking.
I like how I managed to roll the skeleton in the closet, owned and nemesis all together into one character :) It feels very coherent to me. It wont necessarily be Commander Grant, I intend to read up on the lore of the different commanding officers here soon and chose one that is appropriate, but I do want it to be someone high ranking and influential as well as someone who will be interacted with regularly as the story progresses. I want the defects to actually impact the story in meaningful ways :D
Again sorry for the radio silence and my misunderstanding! I would love to have this game take off :) |