Want to try new systems.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

I like CarnivalOfTheGoat's idea for the ceremony, so let it pass into use. And as for how recently arrived, I'd say anywhere under a month and some change is acceptable. As for the roofsword, I was going to give each of the characters a few thousand gold coins worth (leaing towards 6.5k to 8k) to either buy up Wealth Levels or just get other things beyond what your WL semi-casually allows you. (In the example of a roofsword, it could be purchased at the cost of a WL 3 item to represent one that was made by a lesser smith and doesn't get the bonus to damage, or at the cost of a WL 5 item to get an extra point of quality, rounded up.)

Additional aside, a noble starts at WL 4, so they have five WL 4 items, five WL 3 items, five WL 2 items, and five WL 1 items, assuming they don't do any trading up (i.e. a WL 3 item taken with a WL 4 slot). And they can change or replace any of those items in a week. They also start with their choice of a less easily replaceable mount or building of WL 8 or less or any item of WL 5 (again less easily replaceable)

To get to WL5 is 10K or 25K gold, I think, right? Also, I kind of assume that in many of the cases of exotic items the price/WL is representative of a particularly striking example...Specifically the Nahalite veil...I'm not sure, in a gold-standard economy, that you can heap enough gold coins onto a piece of silk to make it more valuable than a house, although I suppose incredibly artful and fine embroidery might command such a price...But that degree of fine-ness probably wouldn't be distinguishable across a crowded room or at a ball.

And as for that reputation, they can be interpreted in different ways, but the points determine how it's used. So if you took Devious Weretigress from a Decadent Land (6), then the fear and curiosity help you as people don't object as strenuously (who wants to get eaten by a weretigeress) or are willing to help you do something (devious + decadent means something interesting, right?). If you got Devious Weretigress from a Decadent Land (-5) then it could be the same emotions but it instead helps out an enemy showing defiance (bravery in the face of a weretigress is how one shows spine!) or perhaps just randomly against somebody that you're asking for something relatively normal of (because they fear what ends it may be used for or just think you're not taking them seriously with such a normal request).

So, I'm a little more confused now. Do you 'buy' negative reputations? Or can (as we were discussing) the same reputation be treated as both negative and positive dependent on the situation/NPC (i.e., DWfaDL might be a severe negative when trying to curry trust, but if someone were looking for a conspirator it might be valuable). Or am I, perhaps, by mixing a mental characteristic, a magic type, and a location, putting too much crap into one reputation ide?

And for name level, for nobles I'd say it's probably determined by what your back home rank 'should' be. For Chosen Ones, probably Chosen if they have a name rank. I'll think about the mook stuff. I might just give them very lop sided stats that makes them frail (low heart and thus low mood being the obvious). Thufir Hawat was talking about titled level, which are different things, since CarinvalOfTheGoat was talking about name level for multiclassing.

Okay, I am a touch confused because I think maybe I didn't express my question well, or my current realtime distractions here are preventing me from sorting out the kernel of value from the answer. I'm not asking what the title-name 'is' but rather how the first-level title affects MCing. Does it count? Level 1 is a named level. Level 4/5 is the next named level dependent on class. Is it possible to multiclass w/o penalty in a 1-level dip? I.E., is a wizard 1/noble 3 going to suffer the multiclassing penalty on the page I mentioned earlier? Sorry about the confusion.

EDIT: Oh, and CarnivalOfTheGoat, as a noble, you could take the weremagic style as your adept style and then either another magic school or a fighting style for your neophyte one. (I'm going with level 4).

Good to know about the level selection. I was already pondering that, yasssss...

Here's one more question I'm unclear about: for purposes of things like Parapet Style, do the 'physical attack spells' of the Werecreature Style qualify as magical attacks or are they still defended against physically?

[RSGAlex]

Going from WL 4 to WL 5 is 5000. The reason for 6.5k minimum was enough that anyone could afford at least one WL increase and some other things. In the case of the Nahalite Veil, it's a combination of exoticness (most places have to import that from far away), craftsmanship of the stuff that is imported (probably upper end), recognition, and rarity that raises the gold price.

For a Noble, you get points equal to your charisma to put in positive reputations. By default it'll just be positive but if you also want to take a negative version of it in a more limited scope, you could. This is because Nobles and the associated classes get free positive reputations as benefits basically to serve as low level fashion items. That way a traveling noble type can get away with their traveling clothes being a WL 4 thing that they have purchased with WL, but still be able to bust out a d6 'weapon' or 'armor' in social combat.

And as for name level, as I understand it, Name Level (in terms of muti-classing) refers to the level where the title is the name of the class. So an Engineer is name level at level 5 because they have the title of Engineer. A Rogue is name level at level 4, because then they have the title of Rogue, and a Wizard or Witch is name level at level 10 because then they're a Wizard or Witch by title.

Nobles and Chosen Ones are the only ones that this doesn't apply to, nobles never having a Noble Title, and Chosen Ones having no Chosen One title. I'm unsure if those were intended, so for Nobles I houserule that it's by what rank you should have and for Chosen Ones by a combination of doing your prophesied stuff and title if at all.

And the physcial attack spells are defended against physically. It's why they have a physical attack die. If you're talking about for the purposes of surges, then yes. Using one on a Parapet style defender can cause them.

[Thufir Hawat]

Well, I got a bit to read and respond to. So lemme get to it.

I like CarnivalOfTheGoat's idea for the ceremony, so let it pass into use.

Yay!

And as for how recently arrived, I'd say anywhere under a month and some change is acceptable.

Let's put it at a month exactly, then?

As for the roofsword, I was going to give each of the characters a few thousand gold coins worth (leaing towards 6.5k to 8k) to either buy up Wealth Levels or just get other things beyond what your WL semi-casually allows you.

Great! I'm a roofsworder, then.

Question: it is a "swashbuckling" weapon, and one that would be in its place in a ballroom just as much as a battlefield, right? By the description, I'd say it is - but you're the setting, so I'd rather ask. (I imagine it as a schiavona or baskethilted palasz, if anyone is wondering :P).

(In the example of a roofsword, it could be purchased at the cost of a WL 3 item to represent one that was made by a lesser smith and doesn't get the bonus to damage, or at the cost of a WL 5 item to get an extra point of quality, rounded up.)

Great, then I'm probably going to do exactly that, then! Depending on how much money I get, of course...

Regarding reputations, I seem to be missing where to find them. What do we get as starting Reputations on 4th level?

I'll think about the mook stuff.

Just as a note, I think "mooks" are adequately covered by the Mob style and other NPC styles. If we assume lack of training, they probably haven't got armour, either.

Thufir Hawat was talking about titled level, which are different things, since CarinvalOfTheGoat was talking about name level for multiclassing.

Ooops, sorry for the confusion!

Tell me if I should space things out more or need to clarify things.

It's certainly clear enough for me!

To get to WL5 is 10K or 25K gold, I think, right? Also, I kind of assume that in many of the cases of exotic items the price/WL is representative of a particularly striking example...Specifically the Nahalite veil...I'm not sure, in a gold-standard economy, that you can heap enough gold coins onto a piece of silk to make it more valuable than a house, although I suppose incredibly artful and fine embroidery might command such a price...

Oh, it is very much possible. Thrust me, the piece of silk itself might be more valuable than a house by itself... ;D
(Houses are cheap, all you need are local workers. Silk is imported at great risk. Quality cloth was, during lots and lots of history, among the most valuable commodities - in earlier times than the setting is located, even cloth of an unusual colour might be incredibly valuable).

But that degree of fine-ness probably wouldn't be distinguishable across a crowded room or at a ball.

The shimmering and smooth motions of the veil betrayed that it's real Nahalite silk. The crowd sighed in amazement, watching the reflections of the light on its surface.
That's a totally historical description, apart from the name. Truth is often stranger than fiction >:).

Here's one more question I'm unclear about: for purposes of things like Parapet Style, do the 'physical attack spells' of the Werecreature Style qualify as magical attacks or are they still defended against physically?

I almost love Parapet style. It's the only one, I think, that has both a physical and magical defence rating listed on each manoeuvre ;D!

[RSGAlex]

If you want, you can have a month exactly. THe others can decide to have arrived a little later or sooner.

The roofsword (at least the standard quality one) would be a bit out of place in less maritime courts. A better made one, less so. Something to comment about (or make cutting remarks about if on a foe) but nothing to take unless the entrant was of notably destructive nature. And even then, not in all cultures.

I was talking about reputations because a noble (and related) starts with some. I'll probably end up giving everyone some reputations, but I was going to wait to see what I had to work with before deciding points and such.

And yeah, Parapet is the most magically defensive thing around. That's half of it's purpose (the other half being killing spellbound things).

[Thufir Hawat]

If you want, you can have a month exactly. THe others can decide to have arrived a little later or sooner.

The roofsword (at least the standard quality one) would be a bit out of place in less maritime courts. A better made one, less so. Something to comment about (or make cutting remarks about if on a foe) but nothing to take unless the entrant was of notably destructive nature. And even then, not in all cultures.

I was talking about reputations because a noble (and related) starts with some. I'll probably end up giving everyone some reputations, but I was going to wait to see what I had to work with before deciding points and such.

And yeah, Parapet is the most magically defensive thing around. That's half of it's purpose (the other half being killing spellbound things).

What would be a proper swaschbuckling weapon one could bring to a court, then? The caveat is, I want it to be able to cut as well, though the bonus against inanimate objects is just accidental to what I want.

I think I might have to just buy a roofsword for serious business, and a courtsmith saber for court, because what else are money for?

[RSGAlex]

The ultimate example would be the Orynjan kris. A more common one would be a shortsword, but at a few WL higher than a normal one.  But if you had the right outfit, you could probably make a roofsword into one as part of the ensemble. Like some kind of captain's outfit.

Or even start a fashion. That'd be the basis of an interesting reputation.

[Thufir Hawat]

The ultimate example would be the Orynjan kris. A more common one would be a shortsword, but at a few WL higher than a normal one.  But if you had the right outfit, you could probably make a roofsword into one as part of the ensemble. Like some kind of captain's outfit.

Or even start a fashion. That'd be the basis of an interesting reputation.

OK, I'll just take a WL 5 shortsword, one with above-average quality and silver inlay on the pommel. The letters say "I dare you to scratch me" >:).

And I'll still have a normal roofsword for use at a ship, or when I want to pay someone a "private visit". It's plain, and there's many like it, but this one is my Axe. We know and trust each other.

I guess both would work with my styles, so that issue is solved.

I'll remain a 4th level Trader, too. Well, technically that's 4th level Clerk, but still :P. As a Polyglot, I get the local high language, and get a History point to learn a smattering of the local Low language. I guess I don't need to purchase Thyrian separately, being a native, so that's set.

Anything else I need to decide on?

[RSGAlex]

Probably, but large sections of it can wait for later. Don't forget to decide your talent, because you have at least one no matter the Exoticas choice. Gotta have at least one social talent.

Assuming that you have no increases to your WL using the money you'll get (I'm fairly sure I'll give 7k), you can fill out some or all of the rest of the ten items (Five at WL 2 or less, Five at WL 1) you'll have as part of your standard stuff.

Also you may want to put down the values for the histories. I'll say a max of 5 points in it (so a value of 8) and 7 points over all.

[Thufir Hawat]

Probably, but large sections of it can wait for later. Don't forget to decide your talent, because you have at least one no matter the Exoticas choice. Gotta have at least one social talent.

Assuming that you have no increases to your WL using the money you'll get (I'm fairly sure I'll give 7k), you can fill out some or all of the rest of the ten items (Five at WL 2 or less, Five at WL 1) you'll have as part of your standard stuff.

Also you may want to put down the values for the histories. I'll say a max of 5 points in it (so a value of 8) and 7 points over all.

Talent is Administrator. I'm increasing my organisation's Shadow by 1 point until I make it to a higher level. In this case, it means I'm spending time slumming, with Butterknife on my waist, and talking to and with people in The Life, given that they are the main "resource" in that score :P.
Who says administrating cannot be fun >:)?

I think I'll get another Talent as an Exotica later. But for now, I'm fine the way I am. Besides, for now I've only got a minor talent, and the extra Trader talents always scale up to the level of your highest talents.
(Though, to be honest, I just like having those styles, so it wouldn't have changed even if I received the extra talents at a higher level).

I just had an idea about histories that depends on objects purchased. However, this means I've got to spend my wealth before I could do the histories, so let me get back to you when I'm done ;D!

[Thufir Hawat]

Aalt Draft 2

Aalt von Beck (tentative family name)
Male, Nineblood
Trader 4th level


• Strength 6
   
• Quickness 7
   
• Reason 4
   
• Charisma 8
   
• Magic 6 (d8 when resisting magic).
   
• Heart 5, 6 with human bonus.
Body 5
Mood
Reputation 0

To the Heart
Exotica (Swaschbuckler)

Parapet Defence Apprentice
Swaschbuckler Apprentice

Talent:  (HR) Administrator. I'm increasing my organisation's Shadow by 1 point until I make it to a higher level. In this case, it means I'm spending time slumming, with Butterknife on my waist, and talking to and with people in The Life, given that they are the main "resource" in that score.

Histories:
Spent St. Vartan’s Eve in Rithaign celebrating with the twin daughters of Duke Tumenant (6)
(Yes, couldn't resist taking the one from the book, and it fits a swashbuckling trader).

I carry Butterknife which slices pigs open, and an Axe for when the Axe-man visits you at night (6).
(I'm sure you can infer Aalt's "political leanings" from this, right :P? Of course, most people don't even know Axe exists and have only seen him with Butterknife >:)).

Local Low Language: 2
Polyglot bonus: High Language
Native Language: Thyrian

Inspirations:
Being Glamourous 2
Destroying the Order That Crushes The Mind 4
True Love 3

Money:
7k
6k
5k

Note: now I have to pick between increasing Wealth Level and really pretty clothes. That's going to be tough.

Items:
Shortsword "Butterknife" WL:5 (1000)
Roofsword "Axe" WL:5 (1000)

Bonus items (Trader):
Magnate wardrobe (wealth level 3)
Wight Blood (wealth level 3)
Wound Powder (wealth level 3)

Excellent trader clothes (2)
Stiletto (2)
Alchemist fire (2)

Suggestions, comments and so forth are still welcome! BTW, that's 7 bonus points in Histories, not 7 total, right?

[RSGAlex]

Seven bonus points. So the totals (after converting back from die size) should be 8 points.

My major suggestion is that if you do get a Wealth Level, you may consider changing the consumable bonus items for lasting ones. And possibly wait to see if you're going to be part of another group or spend the money to have your own.

[Thufir Hawat]

Seven bonus points. So the totals (after converting back from die size) should be 8 points.

My major suggestion is that if you do get a Wealth Level, you may consider changing the consumable bonus items for lasting ones. And possibly wait to see if you're going to be part of another group or spend the money to have your own.

Well, then I've got it right, 1d6 in both Histories and 2 points in a language (which, I believe, doesn't count against the number of histories, not that it matters at this level).

Good suggestion, I'll take it! Can you suggest anything lasting that seems like something I wouldn't want to miss?

With that in mind, I'll just upgrade to Wealth 4 (2000+3000), which means Axe is going to be free, and leaves me with 1000 cash after purchasing Butterknife. Actually, maybe I should rename it to Fishknife, or something else less dandy, but that can wait until we see what everyone else is doing ;D.

BTW, do we get extra Inspiration points, too? I kinda assumed we do, but didn't know how much to spend, so the numbers were just a guesstimate >:).

[RSGAlex]

The standard amount. (I just noticed two simple thing I overlooked. One, you should have Charisma 9, because you're a level 4 Trader, also the Leadership ability. Two you're over on inspirations. For some reason I saw the six and thought of it as the base. Sum of all inspirations should be equal to your Heart. The number overage was less important because you only roll Heart either way.)

And languages don't necessarily count against histories, mostly because you can somewhat imply them in other things. If you were a Priest of the Sleeping Sword of Welleran (4), then obviously you know the language that their writ is in. If you were an Assessor of Akran Poetry for the Helmsummit Trading Company (4), then you probably knew Akran and possibly even knew something about poetry.

Now some erudite sages or passionate speakers and poets might just have a language as a history, representing not just knowledge of the language but great skill in using it. On the one hand, it's a bit of a cost. On the other, it can be powerful for a speaker, and useful for making your writing memorable and possibly even influential.

And as a Trader, you get extra languages by title levels. It never goes beyond two points (5 or fluency) for a given language, but that's enough for most purposes, and it doesn't care about or count for the cap.

[Thufir Hawat]

The standard amount.

OK, I thought there would be more with levels.

(I just noticed two simple thing I overlooked. One, you should have Charisma 9, because you're a level 4 Trader, also the Leadership ability. Two you're over on inspirations. For some reason I saw the six and thought of it as the base. Sum of all inspirations should be equal to your Heart. The number overage was less important because you only roll Heart either way.)

Thanks, I'm going to edit them tonight. I'm trying to not monopolyze the thread, you know ;D!

And languages don't necessarily count against histories, mostly because you can somewhat imply them in other things. If you were a Priest of the Sleeping Sword of Welleran (4), then obviously you know the language that their writ is in. If you were an Assessor of Akran Poetry for the Helmsummit Trading Company (4), then you probably knew Akran and possibly even knew something about poetry.

I thought you had to devote histories specially for them? Guess I was wrong, and those points I spent on them would be better spent on a very E.-appropriate "Best way to learn Low Akranian" History instead.

Now some erudite sages or passionate speakers and poets might just have a language as a history, representing not just knowledge of the language but great skill in using it. On the one hand, it's a bit of a cost. On the other, it can be powerful for a speaker, and useful for making your writing memorable and possibly even influential.

Not how I picture him, so no.

And as a Trader, you get extra languages by title levels. It never goes beyond two points (5 or fluency) for a given language, but that's enough for most purposes, and it doesn't care about or count for the cap.

Yeah, I took the High version of the language with that.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

Sorry for not posting today. It's been a rough day, and (for reasons that are probably apparent) a rougher night. I'll see if I'm in a better mood to do some work on my character tomorrow.

ThaumaturgeTerashi, have you had any more thoughts about your character yet?

[RSGAlex]

Sorry for not posting today. It's been a rough day, and (for reasons that are probably apparent) a rougher night. I'll see if I'm in a better mood to do some work on my character tomorrow.

ThaumaturgeTerashi, have you had any more thoughts about your character yet?

Eh, don't worry. Take some time, it's not like most of us aren't new to this system and there'll be some learning or perception curves.

I thought you had to devote histories specially for them? Guess I was wrong, and those points I spent on them would be better spent on a very E.-appropriate "Best way to learn Low Akranian" History instead.
Not how I picture him, so no.
Yeah, I took the High version of the language with that.

The way I see it, the trade-off is one of applicability versus efficiency. Put three points into a language skill and you have a bonus d6 for pretty much any social action, some mental ones, and even some shadow ones in that area. Put three points into a history that implies a language skill, and you have a bonus d6 to the things implied in that history. Using one of my example, somebody with Priest of the Sleeping Sword of Welleran might speak the language, but only really gets the bonus for religious style oratory. Which may be a problem if the local nobles don't like those priests. But they could also use that history to help find a safe house kept by the priests, so it's all about how you're going to use them.

[Thufir Hawat]

Eh, don't worry. Take some time, it's not like most of us aren't new to this system and there'll be some learning or perception curves.

The way I see it, the trade-off is one of applicability versus efficiency. Put three points into a language skill and you have a bonus d6 for pretty much any social action, some mental ones, and even some shadow ones in that area. Put three points into a history that implies a language skill, and you have a bonus d6 to the things implied in that history. Using one of my example, somebody with Priest of the Sleeping Sword of Welleran might speak the language, but only really gets the bonus for religious style oratory. Which may be a problem if the local nobles don't like those priests. But they could also use that history to help find a safe house kept by the priests, so it's all about how you're going to use them.

Thank you, I guess I should change which language comes from a History, then.

Aalt Draft 3

Aalt von Beck (tentative family name)
Male, Nineblood
Trader 4th level

• Strength 6
   
• Quickness 8
   
• Reason 4
   
• Charisma 8
   
• Magic 6 (d8 when resisting magic).
   
• Heart 5, 6 with human bonus.
Body 5
Mood
Reputation 0

To the Heart
Exotica (Swaschbuckler)
Leader

Parapet Defence Apprentice
Swaschbuckler Apprentice

Talent:  (HR) Administrator. I'm increasing my organisation's Shadow by 1 point until I make it to a higher level. In this case, it means I'm spending time slumming, with Butterknife on my waist, and talking to and with people in The Life, given that they are the main "resource" in that score.

Histories:
I carry Butterknife which slices pigs open, and an Axe for when the Axe-man visits you at night (6).
(I'm sure you can infer Aalt's "political leanings" from this, right :P? Of course, most people don't even know Axe exists and have only seen him with Butterknife >:)).

Learned High Avedish the Best Way Possible: In Bed With Noblewomen (And Maids) (8)

Polyglot bonus: Low Avedish
Native Language: Thyrian

*I'm not mistaking the names and we are indeed in Akra, right?
Inspirations:
Being Glamourous 2
Destroying the Order That Crushes The Mind 4
True Love 3

Money:
7k
6k
5k
1k

Wealth Level 4

Items:
Shortsword "Butterknife" WL:5 (1000)
Roofsword "Axe" WL:4

Bonus items (Trader):
Magnate wardrobe (wealth level 3)
Wight Blood (wealth level 3)
Wound Powder (wealth level 3)

Excellent trader clothes (2)
Stiletto (2)
Alchemist fire (2)

Well, that should be it. I still have to pick a few items, but that should be easy!

[RSGAlex]

We're not in Akra, but one of the Doomholds. It's more influenced by Aveda than Akra, but at least with the high tongue you can find more speakers in the nobility than you would of low Akranian among the common folk.

[Thufir Hawat]

So is the language High Avedanian?

[RSGAlex]

I called it Avedish, but yes. If you speak low Avedish, you can communicate with the common folk no problem. If you know high Avedish, then you probably use it better than the local nobles do.

EDIT: Of course, both high and low tend to be mutually intelligible, just they either sound strange (low) or strangely stiff (high) to the other.

[Thufir Hawat]

Changed it to Avedish by changing the first history. I didn't really like it anyway, and it makes more sense for my character to learn a language this way.

And I've got another language coming next level, I think, so that shouldn't be an issue.

[Muse]

  *peeks* 

  Going out of town.  Back friday night.  Still excited to play this ! 

[RSGAlex]

And on my end, here's what I think I'm looking at. If I'm wrong, correct me.

Spellbound Kingdoms: One complete sheet, one character idea that needs sheet-ing, and silence.

Double Cross: Two complete sheets and one that needs completing. I'll probably send out a writeup of the city later today.

[Thufir Hawat]

I'm afraid that your information presents things exactly the way they are.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

It has been a very rough month for me (for some reasons which are probably obvious and others which probably aren't), and it's dropped my creativity through the cellar for the past two weeks.

I tossed a light nudge-message towards thaumaturgeterashi asking what he was up to/planning because I was kind of stalling on my own character idea, and he expressed that he was having difficulty keeping up. As much as I enjoy this setting and would like to play this game, I'm wondering if maybe reconvening after the holiday season (which is a known destroyer of PbP games as many people spend 2+ more weeks during the next 6 with little/no time for the internet) wouldn't be a bad plan rather than abandoning the idea entirely?