Age of Skysail: Fate Core Group Game

[chaoslord29]

'Pure' being a relative term, at least in my vision - the darn stuff is so expensive and difficult to mine that it's almost always smelted into an alloy with iron for plates of any non-novelty size...but the ratio of cavorite to iron in the alloy affects how much it can lift per area unit.

Got it, so we're using 'pure' in the same sense it applies to gold, which is doubly apt as a comparison given it's scarcity and value.

[TheGlyphstone]

Yeah, except gold doesn't have a chance to blow itself (and you) up while you're mining it out of the ground.

[Jefepato]

Okay, I'm giving this a shot because the thread is moving fast.  It could probably use some more work -- there's not much detail currently, and I'm a bit tired.

Name: Jean-Jacques ("Jack") Alvey
High Concept: The Finest Ship's Cook You'll Ever See
Trouble: My Father's Family Wants My Head
Backstory: Jean-Jacques is the son of a Frenchwoman who worked in the kitchens of a wealthy British family, and he learned well from her.  (The fact that he was also the bastard grandson of the venerable Lord Alvey was an open secret among the family and household staff.)  It would have been a pretty good life if things hadn't gone horribly wrong.  (Aspect: I Can Make Anything Edible)
First Adventure: Unfortunately, tragedy struck: Jean-Jacques's father, Orson Alvey, was murdered, and suspicion immediately fell on his mother, who'd discovered the body.  He still doesn't know who the killer was, but Lord Alvey's wrath quickly turned an awkward situation into a manhunt.  Jean-Jacques's mother was killed, and the teenager was forced to flee after managing (against all odds) to dig a musket ball out of his own arm and stitch the wound one-handed.  Fortunately, they'd lived near a port, and he was able to talk his way onto a ship that was short on crew and get out of the country before anyone caught up with him.  Things just escalated from there, but even if he has no real leadership experience, it's a rare privateer who doesn't appreciate having a halfway competent cook on board.  (Aspect: To Hell With The Nobility, or possibly Surgeon Before My Time)

[TheGlyphstone]

Here we go:

Name: Aldritch Griffin

Image: To be determined

High Concept: Bastard Prince Of The Skies - Lord Alexander Mason, the eccentric genius who discovered how to stabilize raw cavorite and ushered in the birth of the airship, was never really a people person, preferring to putter around in his laboratory. He did manage to find a wife and have a family, though, and his son (also named Alexander) grew up showered in the wealth and fame from being the son of the 'King of the Skies', and he was definitely a people person. Too much of a people person, as it turned out - one of his liaisons on the side, before he settled down and married a proper British lady of his own- left the girl he was dallying with pregnant. When this indiscretion was discovered, the Mason family reacted as any proper aristocratic family would, by disowning any official relation or connection to the penniless girl and her infant. This was how Aldritch grew up, constantly under the shadow of the great Masons whose blood filled half his veins but whose vast fortunes he could never so much as lay a finger on.

Trouble: Black Sheep of The Family - Despite the public line that there existed no illegal scions of the Mason line, Aldritch's existence as the sole living proof of his father's indescretions was a mostly unspoken truth within the family, and the cause of a great deal of anger. Most of his patrilineal family despises him, and he cordially detests them in return, but they have the wealth and influence to make his life unpleasant whenever the opportunity arises and it's not too much effort to do so, in the way only 'royalty' can. Not all of them agreed with the decision to bar him from their ranks, though - particularly among some of the second or third cousins standing to inherit as much of the family fortunes as he is - and sympathy for him does exist here and there. Blood is blood, in the end, and he can sometimes find a relative willing to help him if he's willing to swallow his pride and ask.

Backstory: Forced to make his own way in the world while taking care of his unmarried mother, Aldritch had no time for formal schooling or education. Where he was cut out of inheriting family wealth, though, he inherited his grandfather's alchemical expertise in full measure, along with a few faded journals that belonged to Alexander I describing some of the more obscure properties of cavorite. Aldritch believes, with enough time, he can develop a procedure of his own that will also stabilize cavorite - on its own many times more powerful than black powder - without removing its explosive properties, and be the inventor of a weapon as world-changing as his grandfather's discovery was. He's learned a lot about alchemy in his experiments towards that end, though all of it is self-taught through trial and frequently spectacular error, making him a Back Alley Alchemist.

First Adventure: A Little Trouble In Big China Some of the earliest weaponized explosives were developed in ancient China, and so Aldritch set out to the exotic Orient in search of its secrets, taking passage on an East India Tea Company airship as a common airman. Hilarity ensues, and he ends up hunted by the prefecture, fleeing the country in disguise with a set of ancient Chinese scrolls bearing a failed recipe for 'devil's breath', gunpowder mixed with cavorite dust.


---------

For at least one of my stunts, I want to have A Little Something To Remember Me By: Gain a +2 bonus when using Alchemy to escape pursuing enemies.

[kckolbe]

Wow, missed a lot while I was asleep.  I did want to comment on focus/starting ship.  It was, after all, my intention to have a separate ship (though for RP purposes I may allow a mate to captain it so I can be on the main ship as a trade adviser).  I don't mind combat taking the lion's share of activity, between pirating, wars, and trouble on the ground in unstable colonies, the opportunities are significant.  While it is true that my char is not suited for such a life, I did kinda ask for that with his Trouble. 

As for the ship I wanted, I am more familiar with 16th century ships (so feel free to convert), but I was thinking something along the line of a Bergantin for my character (one step up from the smallest trade ships, about 25 crew) and a Nao (smallest dedicated warship, about 60 crew) for SGTDan's.  His ship would be far more suited to war and just generally a more impressive ship, but mine would at least be my ship, the result of an impressive young career at trade. 

[SGTDan]

Sir Humphrey Irving Battle
High Concept:
Captain Battle of the Royal Navy is an accomplished and decorated naval officer. His years of service has seen Elizabeth I give way to James I but his loyalties have never changed. For Britain he would give his life in her service. His accomplishments during the Queen's reign began when as a young boy saw him take part in numerous skirmishes with pirates protecting British trade lanes. Eventually working his way to a posting aboard a small frigate Battle proved his mastery of aeronautical combat leading when the Spanish Armada tested the Royal Navy again. Alone his ship found it's self side to side with the mighty Spanish flagship, El Impoluto. It was a ship that the Spanish prided itself on, one of the largest man o' wars to ply the skies.

It had harried English merchants and sunk nearly every Royal ship that had tried to stop her. The El Impoluto had sunk the Relentless killing Lord Hornblower of the Admiralty board during the last time the two navies clashed. Every English sailor knew and understood aboard his frigate that they had to stop the terror of the skies. Without thinking he ordered his Marines into battle while he challenged the Spaniard Admiral to a duel with a cry of "Sink the Impoluto!" that echoed out of every English sailor. Through the smoke and sounds of dying men his men fought heavily outnumbered. They pushed hard against the odds knowing Britain was relying on them. On his sword the dirty Spanish fleet broke with no leadership and it's flagship under English control. Following the legends defeat he found himself leading the chase as the Armada fled back to home. There Battle finally smashed the cowering foe into Spain's shores.
Master and Commander

Trouble:
Due to his very strong patriotic origins Battle tends to look ill at Spaniards or Frenchmen. His sourness for such men being grown through his service to the Crown. Being the man who would in his deep baritone voice from the railing of the poop deck cheer his men on with songs of battle even as shells hissed overhead, Battle commands the same amount of respect from his fellow Englishmen as his hatred for Britain's foes. As such, he finds it difficult to be in the company of some of his island nation's longest rivals without challenging them to a test of martial prowess, but equally difficult to bring harm to fellow countryman. This makes Battle a great drinking buddy if you're English but terrible company of your home country is one of Britain's bitter rivals.

When it comes to his service if the King decrees it then it must be done. Battle has never disobeyed an direct order nor does he intend to. Throughout his service he has become as close friend of the King himself, being a trusted officer to the Admiralty board and adviser when the King needs a honest opinion. To break the trust the Crown has placed in him would be unthinkable to the Battle and worse then death.  The highest insult anyone can say to his face would be to question his loyalty to the Crown which has only happened once. After a short duel Battle proved that he is more then willing to risk his life for the King.
Your Faithful & Obedient Servant, Sir

Backstory:
Battle spent his childhood on the streets of London before being taken under a Commodore's wing and enlisting in the Navy. Aboard the HMS Whistler young Battle spent much of teenage years learning off of the various sailors on board from gunning to commanding. He met the love of his live, Catrina, while he climbed both ropes and ranks. Given a name by the Commodore, the young boy became known as Humphrey Battle.  After his commission to a junior officer he transferred to another ship. Even in separation the two kept in touch even as it became taboo. One night after a massive battle with the Spanish they were caught, she took the fall and he continued in his career. Even as he patrolled the skies of the Americas Battle's heart stayed in Scotland lamenting the fact that an gentlemen like him could never be with a working girl. Always the hero he began to question his place in life.

Ever since then the Captain found himself among the head of every fleet. Always the first to be seen leading the line as two fleets clashed, Battle became a hero in England. Every battle he participated in, win or lose, Battle was categorized as never taking a step back. Always steady even under the scream of flying shell or hiss of splinter he saw his mission through. Eventually he worked himself up to the head of a might fleet aboard a large man o' war where he plied the skies and protected the various colonies from vicious scoundrels. Across the skies in the America his name was synonymous with "one who is master of the skies" and pirates began to fear the silhouette of his ship coming over the horizon.
My Bonnie Lass

First Adventure:
When Battle was called into audience with the King, he was surprised to say the least. Duke of Buckingham had approached the Crown with an ambitious and daring plan to goad the French into war. A number of the Duke's agent would be part of this plot but the James wants someone he can trust. Trust to be steadfast and sturdy when the chips are down, Battle was that man. The plot would mean that Battle along with the Duke's agents given Letters of Marque to become privateers complete with new identities. Still they would work for the England but harry the French and Spanish merchant lanes to goad either power into getting too aggressive. Then once they overstep the bounds the privateers would be called to raise their true colors along with whatever resources they amassed in that time. This would not only allow England to rightfully go to war against France, but greatly increase the strength of the Royal Navy without doing it openly during peacetime.

Agreeing for his King, he was given his letter along with a contact in the Americas who would set him up with a ship. Along with that the contact would be the one to pass orders from English Crown. Asking the King directly, who wasn't aware of the scandal between the two, Battle wanted one condition. He could bring a recommissioned Catrina as a trusted officer at his side. Without much fuss the King signed the paper reinstating her with orders to meet Battle at the London dock. Thanking the King Battle, now Ward Tanner a ex naval officer looking to strike it rich, headed out to get ready for his adventure of piracy.
The King's Secret Navy

[Pumpkin Seeds]

seems like there could be quite a lot of meet and greet on a trip to the Orient.  Before I write the next aspect, I could have her sign on as a mercenary for a bit which would go with her "Not the Marrying Kind" portion of her life.

[HairyHeretic]

I have an idea, but I'm not entirely sure how well it'd fit. I'm thinking a sort of wandering con artist / fang shi (Chinese exorcist) . He would have come from China via the East India company, and wandered his way across 2/3s of the world at this point. If you're read any of Raymond E Feists stuff, he'd be a bit like Nakor.

Would something like that work, or would I be better off coming up with a different character?

[chaoslord29]

Okay, I'm giving this a shot because the thread is moving fast.  It could probably use some more work -- there's not much detail currently, and I'm a bit tired.

Name: Jean-Jacques ("Jack") Alvey
High Concept: The Finest Ship's Cook You'll Ever See
Trouble: My Father's Family Wants My Head
Backstory: Jean-Jacques is the son of a Frenchwoman who worked in the kitchens of a wealthy British family, and he learned well from her.  (The fact that he was also the bastard grandson of the venerable Lord Alvey was an open secret among the family and household staff.)  It would have been a pretty good life if things hadn't gone horribly wrong.  (Aspect: I Can Make Anything Edible)
First Adventure: Unfortunately, tragedy struck: Jean-Jacques's father, Orson Alvey, was murdered, and suspicion immediately fell on his mother, who'd discovered the body.  He still doesn't know who the killer was, but Lord Alvey's wrath quickly turned an awkward situation into a manhunt.  Jean-Jacques's mother was killed, and the teenager was forced to flee after managing (against all odds) to dig a musket ball out of his own arm and stitch the wound one-handed.  Fortunately, they'd lived near a port, and he was able to talk his way onto a ship that was short on crew and get out of the country before anyone caught up with him.  Things just escalated from there, but even if he has no real leadership experience, it's a rare privateer who doesn't appreciate having a halfway competent cook on board.  (Aspect: To Hell With The Nobility, or possibly Surgeon Before My Time)

Definitely looks good to me their Jefepato. A couple of paragraphs total is more than enough, and it definitely conveys the feel of (yet another XD) bastard noble scion. May I suggest that you might play up the potential for split French-British loyalties. Rather than a French chef, why not have your father re-marry a French woman and when killed, have her forced out along with yourself.

Here we go:

*Snip*

---------

For at least one of my stunts, I want to have A Little Something To Remember Me By: Gain a +2 bonus when using Alchemy to escape pursuing enemies.

Character looks good there, we've already talked a little over PMs, but it brings up an important question/issue as to whether we want to make a separate skill for Alchemy/Chemistry rather than Lore which I was already going to reskin as Philosophy.

I'm thinking you should probably take Born Alchemist as a Stunt representing a natural talent with chemicals, especially since as it stands it doesn't seem like you'll be taking a high Academics/Lore/Philosophy rank.

[TheGlyphstone]

I looked at the Fate core skills and figured Alchemy would be a Crafts skill, not a Lore skill - Lore/Academics/Philosophy/(Science), by the description, seemed like a 'know things' skill, while Crafts is the 'make things' skill, and I'd be using Alchemy to Make Things. Usually boomy things.

[chaoslord29]

I looked at the Fate core skills and figured Alchemy would be a Crafts skill, not a Lore skill - Lore/Academics/Philosophy/(Science), by the description, seemed like a 'know things' skill, while Crafts is the 'make things' skill, and I'd be using Alchemy to Make Things. Usually boomy things.

Ahhh, I see what you're saying and that does make sense. However, I'm still thinking Alchemy (or Alchemist) should be Stunt applied to the Crafts skill. Fate is very kind where Skills are concerned, advising that skills should be kept very much general unless some sort of practical purpose is served by having a bunch of different re-skins of the same Knowledge or Craft Skill.

If Philosophy is going to take the place of our Lore skill (representing academic and scientific knowledge) then perhaps something along the lines of Engineering should serve as the Craft skill. Anyone have a more Colonial Era sounding name for Crafts/Engineering?

[TheGlyphstone]

Maybe have Crafts be set to one 'default' area of expertise, and allow Stunts to apply a character's Crafts rating to other areas of expertise? I.e., I could have Crafts-Alchemy, but with the stunt 'Controlled Demolitions' I can use my Crafts for, say, Engineering.

Also, I think 'Artisan' sounds like a good Colonial name for the Crafts skill.

[Jefepato]

'Crafts' sounds colonial enough to me, but I do like 'Artisan.'

Definitely looks good to me their Jefepato. A couple of paragraphs total is more than enough, and it definitely conveys the feel of (yet another XD) bastard noble scion. May I suggest that you might play up the potential for split French-British loyalties. Rather than a French chef, why not have your father re-marry a French woman and when killed, have her forced out along with yourself.

I freely admit that I only went with the bastard-noble thing because I was low on ideas for a trouble aspect and went with my first random idea for why a rich family hates my character.  I'll give your ideas some thought; I don't see my character as much of a patriot, but given the tensions between England and France people might well treat him like he has split loyalties even if he doesn't actually care that much.  (Probably not enough to turn that into a trouble aspect on its own, though.)

Did you see my previous question about how knowing multiple languages works in Fate Core?  I don't remember seeing anything about languages under the default skills listed...

[kckolbe]

I believe it was under academics.

[chaoslord29]

Language is pretty much handwaved in Fate. You can use the Lore skill to see if you speak the language, which makes sense in this setting since most philosophers are going to speak at least their native language and Latin. I suggest that it be handled either through Aspects or Stunts.

If you want to be able to speak two or three languages, just invoke whatever Aspect of your character makes sense for it. Otherwise, mai and I already discussed a Polyglot Stunt which can be used to grant a bonus whenever speaking the native tongue might be advantageous.

Maybe have Crafts be set to one 'default' area of expertise, and allow Stunts to apply a character's Crafts rating to other areas of expertise? I.e., I could have Crafts-Alchemy, but with the stunt 'Controlled Demolitions' I can use my Crafts for, say, Engineering.

Also, I think 'Artisan' sounds like a good Colonial name for the Crafts skill.

I think we're going to stick with Crafts as a singular Skill, and allow players to specialize using Stunts. To be clear, that means Crafts makes you good any time you have to use your hands to build or create something, and a Stunt representing a specialty (For example Alchemy, or Shipwright) will grant a bonus to specific situations. I may rule in play that not having the appropriate specialty may impose a penalty when trying to perform more specialized tasks (say Jewelry Making, or Clockwork) but for the most part, were going to keep it simple.

May use Artisan though, that's pretty good.

[TheGlyphstone]

Alrighty...instead of Back Alley Alchemist, then, I'll change it to Shock and Awe - he hasn't succeeded in his quest yet, but he's learned a lot about making things go boom and how to distract people. But he's also prone to going with the flashier and louder of two options, even if being subtle would work better.

Back Alley Alchemy can be a Stunt, letting me use Crafts to whip up improvised alchemical concoctions or devices as needed.

[SGTDan]

So now that my character has been cleared, I was curious what people would like to see from the ships we'll have.

My mind has begun to wonder to what we should do for it.

Have we decided how we're going to work it? I do like the idea that everyone has an aspect that reflects their relationship with her.

[kckolbe]

Going to withdraw.  I guess FATE just doesn't appeal to me.  Best of luck.

[chaoslord29]

Alrighty...instead of Back Alley Alchemist, then, I'll change it to Shock and Awe - he hasn't succeeded in his quest yet, but he's learned a lot about making things go boom and how to distract people. But he's also prone to going with the flashier and louder of two options, even if being subtle would work better.

Back Alley Alchemy can be a Stunt, letting me use Crafts to whip up improvised alchemical concoctions or devices as needed.

Sounds good to me Glyphstone. I wanted to check in though on your First Adventure. Is 'Little Trouble in Big China' (can't not picture Aldritch being played by Kurt Russel now) the Aspect or just the Title for the Adventure? If it is the Aspect, how do you anticipate that being invoked/compelled?

So now that my character has been cleared, I was curious what people would like to see from the ships we'll have.

My mind has begun to wonder to what we should do for it.

Have we decided how we're going to work it? I do like the idea that everyone has an aspect that reflects their relationship with her.

Just need to finalize sheets for Pumpkin Seeds, Jefepato, and Glyphstone and then we can advance to the Crossing Paths phase, everyone can pick up two more Aspects, and then everyone can pick a 7th Aspect directly related to what they bring to a ship and crew.

Also, I was thinking that rather than just starting with a ship, how would everyone feel about making the first Scene of the Campaign stealing the ship which will serve you in the rest of your adventures?

[TheGlyphstone]

Title and Aspect. I could see it being Invoked if he needed to dredge up some memories of how to speak broken Chinese, a trick for hiding from pursuing authority figures, or a bonus on Athletics for a harrowing rooftop-to-rooftop chase scene. Compels would bring that misadventure back to haunt him...he's still a wanted man in China for his theft of the scroll, probably with some sort of bounty on his head. For extra bonus fun time, let's say he got shot during his escape, and while he survived, the wound occasionally flares up and discomforts him.

[chaoslord29]

Title and Aspect. I could see it being Invoked if he needed to dredge up some memories of how to speak broken Chinese, or a bonus on Athletics for a harrowing rooftop-to-rooftop chase scene. Compels would bring that misadventure back to haunt him...he's still a wanted man in China for his theft of the scroll, probably with some sort of bounty on his head. For extra bonus fun time, let's say he got shot during his escape, and while he survived, the wound occasionally flares up and discomforts him.

Rooftop chases is a bit of a stretch and an old wound that flares up is material for an Aspect all it's own, but invoking it for some knowledge of Chinese culture, language, and whatever secrets he managed to steal are all good. Furthermore, I'm liking this idea of a price on his head, both with the Chinese, and the East India Company, as I'm assuming he's technically guilty of desertion having enlisted as a company airman only on the pretense of getting to China in the first place.

I'm also thinking that with so many people referencing China, Southeast Asia may be the best place to set our Campaign, letting your privateers get entangled in the colonial politics of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, New Guinea, etc. Would anyone be opposed to that? I'm particularly looking at mai, since much of her character was based on being abroad in the West rather than so close to home.

[TheGlyphstone]

Definitely a deserter, yeah. Under a false name, of course, but he didn't disguise himself, so someone might recognize him...he hadn't intended on the desertion, but everything went kablooie to where he needed to get out of the country right then and there, without waiting for his ship to leave.

[mai]

I'm also thinking that with so many people referencing China, Southeast Asia may be the best place to set our Campaign, letting your privateers get entangled in the colonial politics of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, New Guinea, etc. Would anyone be opposed to that? I'm particularly looking at mai, since much of her character was based on being abroad in the West rather than so close to home.

Well, her backstory would still work even if they then sailed back east, and European privateers are probably going to be, at least ostensibly, based in Europe or one of the colonies anyway, so it wouldn't be too much of a disruption. I'm not especially opposed to the idea, and if it's something everyone's interested in I'm willing to rework a couple things about the character if necessary (although I don't think it's necessary, and anyway she's from Shenyang, which is a city in the northeast, so she'll still be a bit out-of-place in the south).

[chaoslord29]

Definitely a deserter, yeah. Under a false name, of course, but he didn't disguise himself, so someone might recognize him...he hadn't intended on the desertion, but everything went kablooie to where he needed to get out of the country right then and there, without waiting for his ship to leave.

Perfect, so feel free to invoke that whenever you feel like a little Chinese lore, culture, familiarity, fireworks would be useful to Aldritch, and I'll compel it whenever his on-the-outs status with that particular prefecture and the EIC would be a complicating and dramatic factor.

Well, her backstory would still work even if they then sailed back east, and European privateers are probably going to be, at least ostensibly, based in Europe or one of the colonies anyway, so it wouldn't be too much of a disruption. I'm not especially opposed to the idea, and if it's something everyone's interested in I'm willing to rework a couple things about the character if necessary (although I don't think it's necessary, and anyway she's from Shenyang, which is a city in the northeast, so she'll still be a bit out-of-place in the south).

Glad to hear it mai! Given what little I know of racial and national tensions in the modern age between Southeast Asia and mainland China, I can only imagine things would be amped up a couple notches with Western colonial powers manipulating, exploiting, and fighting proxy wars amongst them. So not only will Lia be out of place among the Western Barbarians, but the less civilized Southerners as well.


@All
Currently up for discussion:

• Stealing a ship of your own for the first Scenario & Scene
• Having the campaign set (initially) in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, etc.

[/list]

[mai]

Glad to hear it mai! Given what little I know of racial and national tensions in the modern age between Southeast Asia and mainland China, I can only imagine things would be amped up a couple notches with Western colonial powers manipulating, exploiting, and fighting proxy wars amongst them. So not only will Lia be out of place among the Western Barbarians, but the less civilized Southerners as well.

I'm a little worried about that, actually, since my conception of Li Yan wasn't so much that she had "conflicted" loyalties as that she had "clear loyalties that aren't to the rest of the party", so if they ever find themselves set against the Ming emperor, that would be a place where I'd feel obligated to play her against the rest of the party, which isn't something I especially like to do in group games. Maybe we can change things such that most of the Emperor's attention is focused on the rebellions in the north and also at claiming large Cavorite deposits in Siberia and Manchuria, leaving the southeast more vulnerable to be fought over by regional powers and Western colonists?

Currently up for discussion:

• Stealing a ship of your own for the first Scenario & Scene

Stealing a ship might be fun, I'd be down for it.