[Burning THAC0] B2: The Keep on the Borderlands (ooc/setup)

[engrishonly]

Okay, here's updated Ferrantos. As always, your comments are welcome.


Name: Ferrantos Age : 21
Concept/Bio: Vengeful Metal Artificer/ The Thyantian Bastard

Beliefs:
* To kill Master Vide I must create a blade sharp enough to make a stone bleed. I need to find a monster with a sharp mind to use as an antecedent.
* Vellekhyr always protects me. For his sake I will only take antecedents from monsters.
* I need money badly. Now that I’m back in Karameikos, I’ll demand some from my noble half-brother Auromos.

Instincts:
* If I am surprised I cast "The Fear!"
* I always practice my ability by imbuing my allies’ weapons.
* If someone uses religion to justify their actions around me, I scoff.

Traits: [Dt] Mark of Privilege, [Char] Base Humility, [Dt] Gifted, [Dt] Missing Eye

I like the one about Vellekhyr and monsters. Part of it will be defining what makes a monster, especially on the Borderlands.

The interaction with Auromos will be interesting. Maybe he will be part of a group of Knights Errant stationed at the Keep, raiding the monsters in the Borderlands for wealth & glory.

I think the one about imbuing weapons could use some sort of frame around it. "When I am sitting in front of a fire, I always imbue my allies' weapons", for instance.

The "sharp mind" thing... I have something in mind, as said, and it could correspond to the dread & remorse that Vellekhyr feels about going into the Caves.

 

[Mathalus]

I'll take your suggestion about imbuing around a fire. How about:

I imbue my allies weapons in the dark. That is when I am most powerful.

Maybe it could eventually transalte into a +1Ob to imbue during daylight hours?


Vellekhyr is pretty closely tied to Ferrantos through backstory and some other beliefs. Maybe there is some room for one of his beliefs to tie in to Constance?

Maybe someone as guilty feeling as Vellekhyr is needs a confessor?

 

[Kobold Stew]

It would be helpful IMO to go strictly by formula and have 1 Belief tied directly to the situation (being clear about why Constance wants to go to the Caves of Chaos, like a missing sister?) and a 2nd Belief tied to another character, as the enchanter & elf are woven together.

Thanks for this -- I chose only to afford the sister at 1 pt, and that meant hatred and minor. I didn't think I had the investment to make more of her for the story.

Perhaps: My sister is missing, and I believe they abductors were coming for me.

As for tying to the party specifically, I always find these hard to write without being manipulative of other players -- it's hard to define how my actions will change based on others. Esp. with the yet-to-be-named Paladin, who probably believes in the religion, which Constance does not.

Perhaps: The paladin has saved me once, and that's a debt I will discharge with something I actually believe in.

Malathus, thanks for the comments. Constance has her fists -- if there is fighting, I like the thought of her pounding away at something and yet, with the Tidy aspect, always having the blood spatters go elsewhere as she remains elegant (though if you preferred, we could make it staff or something; I'm not great on scripting in any case)-- , and Vellekhyr has a Bow.

Besides, maybe we won't actually do any fighting...

 

[engrishonly]

Thanks for this -- I chose only to afford the sister at 1 pt, and that meant hatred and minor. I didn't think I had the investment to make more of her for the story.

Perhaps: My sister is missing, and I believe they abductors were coming for me.

As I read it, "Minor" means the NPC's impact in the setting, so a King would not be minor, but a serving wench could be.

On the other hand, Relationships need to be accessible without a Circles check... but Vanity is "hateful"...

I like her as a missing person. It is probably the coolest way to get Constance into the Caves.

As for tying to the party specifically, I always find these hard to write without being manipulative of other players -- it's hard to define how my actions will change based on others. Esp. with the yet-to-be-named Paladin, who probably believes in the religion, which Constance does not.

Perhaps: The paladin has saved me once, and that's a debt I will discharge with something I actually believe in.

I don't like "somethings", but I like the concept.

Maybe it ties to the abduction theme. The abductors weren't small (Kobolds), but man-sized... Hooded, masked - basically, no way to recognize personal features. You can throw in one detail or two as a "lead" for investigating, but nothing about race/species.

Besides, maybe we won't actually do any fighting...

We will probably offend Gary Gygax somewhat if this happens, although I will not object.

Some of the humanoids will be more resistant to communication, however. And there are other denizens of the Caves of Chaos...

 

[engrishonly]

I'll take your suggestion about imbuing around a fire. How about:

I imbue my allies weapons in the dark. That is when I am most powerful.

Maybe it could eventually transalte into a +1Ob to imbue during daylight hours?

Yeah, we can do something for sure.

Maybe it can come at a trait vote down the line. Flip through the existing stuff & see if there's something fun first.

 

[Mathalus]

There's Sight of the Owl and Nocturnal in the Monster Burner. You're right though, let's see how it gets played out and what happens during the trait vote. Anyway, I'll use that as my instinct unless you have more comments.

"I always imbue my allies' weapons in the dark. That is when I am most powerful."


So, I think I'm just about set. Kobold Stew and Voidrazor have pretty tight characters as well. I think only Vellekhyr needs one last belief. What are the prospects for starting with three players is Hand of Mystara doesn't post again?

 

[engrishonly]

So, I think I'm just about set. Kobold Stew and Voidrazor have pretty tight characters as well. I think only Vellekhyr needs one last belief. What are the prospects for starting with three players is Hand of Mystara doesn't post again?

I would really like a "tank" type character in the mix.

How about this...
I saw someone asking for a BW PbP game on the BW forum. I'll shoot him a PM.

If we get both HandofMystara and another player, great. We'll go with 5 players.

If not, we'll go with 4.

 

[engrishonly]

I am not sure what to do here next. I don't have BW. Should I get it? Hiw do I create beliefs?

Oh, for everyone... Luke has the Beliefs commentary from the "Adventure Burner" on the wiki.

Burning Wheel Beliefs Commentary chapter

Very useful to read through for creating Beliefs. It's probably tougher for someone unfamiliar with the rules, but it'll shed some light on the philosophy & "art of roleplaying crap" that Luke talks about.

 

[Kobold Stew]

In the words of Daffy Duck, "Let'thh twy that again...":

My sister is missing, and I believe the red-hooded abductors were coming for me.

The paladin has saved my life, and that's a debt I will discharge by killing a foe when he shows mercy.

 

[engrishonly]

In the words of Daffy Duck, "Let'thh twy that again...":

My sister is missing, and I believe the red-hooded abductors were coming for me.

The paladin has saved my life, and that's a debt I will discharge by killing a foe when he shows mercy.

Cool.

Hey, you can even give Constance some sort of funky totem or memory to carry around if you like... sort of like Conan the Barbarian (the Arnold movie), his memory of the twin snake symbol of Thulsa Doom. That would play right into some of the stuff in the Caves...

I kind of like the idea of killing a helpless foe for the Paladin, who shouldn't be doing that sort of thing... is it going to fit with the "forgiven" stuff, and the not-quite-so-villainous humanoids thing?