ParanetOnline
The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: BumblingBear on January 12, 2011, 07:10:13 PM
-
Without further ado:
Character: Ethan White
High Concept: Soldier turned Evocator turned Pele’s agent
Trouble: Bully, meet fist.
Aspects: Elite Soldier with a curious mind, My x wife is a blood sucking monster – literally, Maui’s Fishhook.
Background:
Ethan was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He joined the Army after high school and served for several years as an Army Ranger.
As a Ranger, he excelled at hand to hand combat, firearms, and was incredibly tough both mentally and physically. However, on a mission in Afghanistan, his team got into a firefight with insurgents, one of whom was a channeler who erected a kinetic barrier. Ethan’s team won the firefight with no casualties but he could not write off what he had seen to a trick of the light.
He soon found out that asking questions about what he had seen was not welcome in the military and helped make his decision to get out of the Army.
Aspect: Elite Soldier with a curious mind
What shaped you:
Upon returning home after ETSing from the Army, Ethan had to go to court to finalize a messy divorce. While in the courthouse, he witnessed three cops get taken down by a ghoul and became totally, "clued in." After this experience, Ethan delved into the study of magic with a single minded determination. He sought out several wizards, read as many books as he could find, and through sheer effort of will he became adept at evocation.
However, unknown to him, the scuffle at the courthouse had had an impact on his x wife as well. She went searching for answers herself, but naively delivered herself to a coven of black court vampires.
Evan discovered this fact when she attempted to kill him while he was on a date. He was able to escape with his life, but only on account of his budding evocation.
After this happened and his date wouldn’t talk to him anymore due to his psychotic x (he told the truth about who it had attacked them but omitted the vampire part), he started wandering the countryside, destroying vampires with cold conviction.
Due to his experiences, he has a loathing of all creatures that must feed on others to survive and knows more about vampires than any other kind of supernatural monster.
Aspect: My x wife is a blood sucking monster, literally.
Your first adventure:
After one of Ethan’s friends from the military contacted him and invited him on a trip to Hawaii, Ethan accepted. It was a good time to take a break from his studies and his work. Ethan has been working as a clued in mercenary, taking down supernatural entities for money.
One evening when Ethan and his friends were having fun on the beach, Ethan thought he heard screams in the distance. Since his friends were pretty much passed out drunk, he went to investigate alone and found a tourist couple being attacked by water fae.
Ethan blasted them with spirit evocation back into the ocean, giving the tourists time to get away. However, instead of running with them, Ethan took out his pocket knife and waited for the two fae to come back and fight.
He defeated them… barely. After the fight when he was walking back, he felt like he was being watched.
He had a hard time explaining all of his bruises and scratches to his friends so he claimed he got in a fight with a bum. They thought it was funny. He eventually went on a walk alone to be by himself and reflect on the fight before. While on the walk, he came across an old woman in dark clothing who was picking flowers. He warned her not to mess with the flowers since they belonged to Pele, and soon afterwards he was attacked by another dark creature from the fae.
Ethan was tired of fighting from the day before, and he gathered up quite a bit of power before letting it loose. The creature was utterly torn apart.
After the creature was terminated, Ethan was surprised by the old woman transforming into the young, beautiful form of Pele. She told Ethan he had two choices; He could either be granted power and serve her, wearing an item of great power while going through his tumultuous life (feeding her with the violence near the artifact) or she would orchestrate his death before he could leave Hawaii.
Ethan accepted and went through Pele’s ritual, becoming a supernatural warrior. Since then he has been wandering, looking for people to help. He has made peace with his deal with Pele since he grasped power to help others in the first place. Now he just needs a cause to believe in.
Aspect: Maui’s Fishhook
Superb(+5): Guns, Discipline
Great(+4): Athletics, Fists
Good(+3): Lore, Conviction
Fair(+2): Endurance, Might, Alertness
Average(+1): Scholarship, Weapons, Investigation, Intimidation, Presence, Investigation
All other skills at mediocre (+0)
Stress:
Physical: [ ] [ ] [ ] ( [ ] [ ] ) +1 armor
Mental: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Social: [ ] [ ] [ ]
Mortal Stunts:
Armed Arts(-1)
Knife and sword weapons are used based on the fists skill.
Supernatural Powers:
Evocation
Spirit, Air, Light
Control: (Spirit+1, Light+1), Power: (Spirit+1)
Item Slots – 2 focus, 4 enchanted
Ring +2 spirit defensive conviction
Ring 1 Offensive Light 3 times a day (aimed with guns),
Bracelet 4 shift block 3 times a day.
Refinement (Evocation) (-1)
Item of Power (+2)
Maui’s Fishhook
Unbreakable
Imparted Abilities – Sponsored magic
Sponsored Magic – Thaumaturgy and Evocation (-3)
Item of Power
Pele’s Dagger
Unbreakable
Mystical Obsidian Dagger, weapon +3. Has the aspect, Collateral Fire Damage (trails sparks and flame while used)
Considered Holy
The Catch (+3)
Ethan loses one tier of /all/ his physical supernatural abilities while on or in the ocean. The ocean and and the sky are not places of power for Pele.
Inhuman Strength(-2)
Inhuman Speed(-2)
Inhuman Toughness(-2)
Wizard’s Constitution (-0)
Ethan will live a long time now.
Total Refresh: 1
Other weapons/equipment:
Colt 1911 – 70 years old. Has the aspect, “Old Faithful”.
Uses handloaded +p rounds with small amounts of garlic sealed in the hollow points with wax.
Kel Tec RFB, 308 bullpup assault rifle. Has the aspect, “Deadly Technological Marvel”
Uses handloaded +p steel core ammunition
-
This is the one I came up with for my gf:
Character: Melon Fields
High Concept: Scion Mutt with Wings
Trouble: Scared of Violence
Aspects: Strangers make me nervous, Do my wings make me look fat?, WTF - Fairies?
Superb(+5): Stealth, Athletics
Great(+4): Alertness, Burglary
Good(+3): Investigation, Weapons
Fair(+2): Scholarship, Deceit
Average(+1): Conviction, Discipline, Empathy, Guns, Might, Performance, Resources
All other skills at mediocre (+0)
Stress:
Physical: [ ] [ ]
Mental: [ ] [ ] [ ]
Social: [ ] [ ]
Background:
Melon was an orphan. She was found on the steps of a church and eventually raised by her loving but very vanilla adopted parents. After her father and mother divorced, she lived with her mom who had very little money do to nothing but a high school education.
She has always known she was different and this could be part of what has contributed to her shy nature. She eventually decided to go to school and major in photography so she could have a professional career doing what she loves, but not have to deal with too many new people either.
Aspect: Strangers make me nervous
What shaped you:
While in school, Melon made a few friends who were not good influences. One night she was out drinking with her friends and they ditched her. Melon was not completely sober, in a strange part of town, and all alone.
After noticing a few men steadily moving closer to her, Mellon panicked and backed herself into an alley. In the heat of the moment and her slightly inebriated condition, Mellon moved her mind in a direction she hadn’t known existed and shape changed into a pixie-like version of herself.
She was able to fly away, leaving the perplexed, would-be thugs behind.
Over the next few months, she began to experiment with her powers, but she was very self-conscious about how she looked while in that form. She feared what anyone who knew her would think of her abilities and kept them hidden for the most part.
After a time of hiding her powers, she began to become depressed that she was different than everyone else. During this time, her mom came close to losing her house. Mellon stole some cash the night she heard this and gave it to her mother. This was the first of many times that Mellon indulged in burglary and the freedom to sneak around.
Soon she was going out every night to test her powers, no longer afraid of them.
Aspect: Do my wings make me look fat?
Your first adventure:
After graduating from college, Melon moved. She didn’t know many people in town and was a struggling artist, so she began to do divorce detective work on the side. It was easy for her to take pictures and stay hidden, so it was usually easy money.
However, one night while she was trailing a man her client suspected was cheating, she met someone like herself. He popped out of nowhere, his wings buzzing. He was a bit smaller than she was, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
After her initial WTF reaction, she asked him what he was. He informed her that he was one of the fae. Melon was intrigued. Her whole life she had not truly known what she was. She knew that she looked a bit like pictures of the fae she had seen, but she didn’t know for sure they were real. She had thought she might me a mutant.
She was about to ask the little fairy more questions when an enormous owl swooped towards them to attack. Without thinking, Melon blasted the owl out of the sky with the lightning she could throw from her hands.
However, after the owl fell, the fairy hissed at her and screeched, “Olympus spawn!” before zooming away, never to be seen again.
Now Melon had more questions than she has answers, and there was no telling if or when she would ever truly know where she came from.
Aspect: WTF, fairies!?
Mortal Stunts:
None
Supernatural Powers:
Cloak of Shadows (-1)
Human Guise (0)
Diminutive Size (-1)
Wings (-1)
Supernatural Speed (-4)
Breath Weapon (-2)
(works as sparks/lightning from the fingers)
Total Refresh 1
Other Weapons/equipment: Melon usually has access to a professional quality camera and carries her iPhone with her everywhere.
When she changes into pixie form, her human body disappears along with whatever she was wearing. Her Fae body has a living outfit of leaves and vines, but if she wanted to Melon could take it off and wear something different.
-
I'm looking for comments, criticisms, etc.
These are the first two characters I've really put together so I really want to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Thanks.
-
Of note Bear, light is usually considered part of spirit unless you're using a different cosmology and you should really detail your sponsor if you're going with a non-standard one (I.E. purely from a what does he give you standpoint).
Also your catch might be a point of contention for some people. For one it's technically a toughness only sort of deal, although I like what you've done there. And second the point value might be tough to argue depending on how much you would be required to go out on the ocean. Sure the ocean is common (hell it's 60% of the planet or something), but how much of the campaign is going to be out there? That's the more important bit to look at for point value. If you are playing a game where you'll be island hopping alot (or the ocean is a major location) then you're good.
Otherwise the first character looks legit.
-
Of note Bear, light is usually considered part of spirit unless you're using a different cosmology and you should really detail your sponsor if you're going with a non-standard one (I.E. purely from a what does he give you standpoint).
Also your catch might be a point of contention for some people. For one it's technically a toughness only sort of deal, although I like what you've done there. And second the point value might be tough to argue depending on how much you would be required to go out on the ocean. Sure the ocean is common (hell it's 60% of the planet or something), but how much of the campaign is going to be out there? That's the more important bit to look at for point value. If you are playing a game where you'll be island hopping alot (or the ocean is a major location) then you're good.
Otherwise the first character looks legit.
Thanks!
I did not know that light and spirit were the same thing since the book specifically mentioned photomancy. I will have to take that into consideration.
As for the ocean thing, most of the cities my group was thinking about were on the ocean, so I figured this would be a FAR more debilitating catch than most of the catches out there. I also like the fact that given the correct circumstances (stolen/lost Maui's Fishhook, being on a boat) my character would be at half power or less. That's pretty hard core.
I will have the rote spells, magic from the sponsor etc. separate.
I was really trying to think outside the box on these two.
-
you also seem to be missing some aspects; I count five each, not seven. It looks like you haven't done the Guest Star and Guest Star Redux phases.
-
I did not know that light and spirit were the same thing since the book specifically mentioned photomancy. I will have to take that into consideration.
Photomancy is a type of "thematic" thaumaturgy, which is another way to divide up a practitioner's abilities. Most often used for Focused Practitioners or minor talents). One could also buy Channelling (the weaker version of Evocation) and declare the theme to be Photomancy, rather than picking a particular Element like Fire, Spirit, Air, Water, or Earth.
Since you *are* using full Evocation, however, and the mystical nature of your powers are very much elemental in theme, it would be easier to use the standard elements, in which case most of Photomancy's utility would fall under Spirit, with some functions handled by Fire.
-
you also seem to be missing some aspects; I count five each, not seven. It looks like you haven't done the Guest Star and Guest Star Redux phases.
I'm waiting for the game to start so other characters/players can fill that stuff in as per the instruction in the book.
-
I'm waiting for the game to start so other characters/players can fill that stuff in as per the instruction in the book.
That makes perfect sense!
-
I can't tell what powers Ethan has. Could you list them please?
-
I can't tell what powers Ethan has. Could you list them please?
Evocation (-3)
Refinement (Evocation) (-1)
Item of Power (+2)
Maui’s Fishhook
Unbreakable
Imparted Abilities – Sponsored magic
Sponsored Magic – Thaumaturgy and Evocation (-3)
The Catch (+3)
Ethan loses one tier of /all/ his physical supernatural abilities while on or in the ocean. The ocean and and the sky are not places of power for Pele.
Inhuman Strength(-2)
Inhuman Speed(-2)
Inhuman Toughness(-2)
Wizard’s Constitution (-0)
Ethan will live a long time now.
Total Refresh: 1
-
So, what exactly is "Sponsored Magic - Thaumaturgy and Evocation"? Is it just ordinary Sponsored Magic?
As sinker said, Ethan's catch is technically illegal by the RAW. But then again, who cares? It's your game, and it sounds like it won't be unfair.
By the way, have you considered giving Melon Human Form instead of Human Guise?
-
So, what exactly is "Sponsored Magic - Thaumaturgy and Evocation"? Is it just ordinary Sponsored Magic?
As sinker said, Ethan's catch is technically illegal by the RAW. But then again, who cares? It's your game, and it sounds like it won't be unfair.
By the way, have you considered giving Melon Human Form instead of Human Guise?
I went for human guise because human form denotes a shape change... and there really wasn't anything that fit changing into a pixie.
Not only that, but her abilities are part of her character. They never really go away. It seemed both most fair and most logical that she would just have to reveal her true nature in order to, say, fly.
The idea I had for the character is basically a hardcore changeling that is grounded by being part scion. This allows her to bypass the normal weaknesses of the fae and avoid the Choice, but doing so will basically force her to start seeing out her roots on the Greek pantheon side.
Basically, I wanted the character to have a choice between her human side, her sidhe side, and her Olympian side. Which she chooses to pursue will have consequences and impact her future powers (like pursuing her sidhe side and heritage would eventually result in a weakness to iron and a longer life but at the eventual loss of free will).
-
Human Form definitely works better than Guise for what you're doing. I have a player that shifts into a gruff type fae in my own campaign and did some looking before allowing it.
Guise is for something that looks almost completely human. White Court being the obvious example, but Ghouls being the other. Very close. The big distinction is that, in Guise your powers are still available, but as soon as you call on them, your nature is revealed. Human Form, you have to "shift" to gain access to them.
So the question is, always accessible or have to change forms to gain them? If change forms, then Human Form, else Guise.
-
Human Form definitely works better than Guise for what you're doing. I have a player that shifts into a gruff type fae in my own campaign and did some looking before allowing it.
Guise is for something that looks almost completely human. White Court being the obvious example, but Ghouls being the other. Very close. The big distinction is that, in Guise your powers are still available, but as soon as you call on them, your nature is revealed. Human Form, you have to "shift" to gain access to them.
So the question is, always accessible or have to change forms to gain them? If change forms, then Human Form, else Guise.
In this context I think both would make sense....
Human form gives a point back of refresh, though... and would probably make for more interesting play. Nothing is finalized - it will have to be her/the GM's decision eventually.
-
Also remember that for Item of Power to give +2 the item has to be noticeable and fairly large. Not too sure how many fishooks count as both ;D.
-
Also remember that for Item of Power to give +2 the item has to be noticeable and fairly large. Not too sure how many fishooks count as both ;D.
I can't resist. (http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/gamespyarchive/index.php?date=2005-11-09) ;D
-
Also remember that for Item of Power to give +2 the item has to be noticeable and fairly large. Not too sure how many fishooks count as both ;D.
I'm imagining something a little bigger than the hook on Lobo's forearm?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Lobo
-
I'm imagining something a little bigger than the hook on Lobo's forearm?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Lobo
Not quite but closer.
It'll be a pendant made out of koa wood or bone that is at least 6 inches in diameter.
I also figured that since Ethan loses /all/ of his magical abilities imparted by Pele if he does not posess the fishhook that a +2 refresh bonus is appropriate.
-
Something to consider is that in the same way that a high refresh refund on the catch signifies to your GM that you're ok with it being discovered and used, a high refresh refund on the item of power (with that caveat) would signify that you're willing to lose it on occasion.
I finally looked over the second character and I realized that cloak of shadows and breath weapon could be handled (minus the darkvision) by evocation if you wanted a little more flexibility, though I know the character is for someone new to the system so it does make some sense if you wanted to leave it.
-
Something to consider is that in the same way that a high refresh refund on the catch signifies to your GM that you're ok with it being discovered and used, a high refresh refund on the item of power (with that caveat) would signify that you're willing to lose it on occasion.
I am pretty much counting on it.
If the campaign lasts a long time and everyone's refresh was going up, perhaps my group could go on a quest to help my character "finalize" his power and iron over such a nasty vulnerability.
[/quote]I finally looked over the second character and I realized that cloak of shadows and breath weapon could be handled (minus the darkvision) by evocation if you wanted a little more flexibility, though I know the character is for someone new to the system so it does make some sense if you wanted to leave it.
[/quote]
You read my mind. :)