So, I know we have started playing, but with permission, I'd like to swap some things around on Barrington's sheet.
1. Rituals. I know we talked about it, but I think no one has taken a ritual book. (Please correct me if I'm wrong). If that's so, then I'd like Barrington to do so. I think it's useful long-term for the group, and helps secure a niche for him and adds richness to his character. In a few levels, it gives the party access to water walking and water breathing as well. Ah, but how does this relate to being Enlightened, I hear you ask! Easy.
Jim lives in a world of magic, but believes in reason. There is much he needs to explain that science has not quantified or measured. The 18th C is a period of attempts at systemization (the "Age of Wonders") and he has more wonders that need explaining. His Ritual book constitutes his original scientific research into understanding the universe. The 18th C. firmly believed in Aether, the medium by which gravity and electricity was conveyed. Part of what Jim is doing is explaining the workings of Aether and other ineffable substances as best he can. He may be right -- that's really irrelevant. He believes he is right, and that reason will explain what those around him see as the workings of magicians, loas, or petty divinities.
The changes to the sheet would be:
* adding the above paragraph to the background
* removing Inspiring Leader and taking Ritual Caster feat (he meets the prereq with Wis, but would have Int-based spells. To my knowledge no Wizard rituals establish a DC based on Intelligence).
* changing the bonus language (Island Carib) to Latin. I had a reason for Island Carib, but this would trump it.
* adding a book with Alarm, Tenser's Disk, and (if I would be allowed a third spell) Gentle Repose. [I'm trying to choose spells without personalities -- no find familiar or unseen servant (yet); if they come, they do so because he has seen their workings and sees that they are "in fact" (i.e. maybe not in fact) operating through the manipulation of aether.]
The main change to play would be:
* the time 1000-1200 in his cabin would be dedicated to scientific researches (and forgery, when needed).
* rituals cast would be expressed in terms of his understandings of
aether.
* time spent transcribing spells found (on scrolls, or from wizards) would involve "translating" the supernatural mumbo-jumbo into reasonable and sensible Latin (such rituals would then be an exception to the doubt from his status as being enlightened).
2. Role on Ship. So by removing Inspiring Leader, that reduces the rivalry for the captaincy and eliminates some redundancy. He has not worked with Queenie before, but can take any of a number of positions as desired. He has insight and so can serve as Quartermaster. He can be a Gunner, or Master. There is no doubt he is ambitious and wants recognition, but this removes the obvious conflict with Queenie at the start (and gives it opportunity to grow over time as they have experiences with one another; I think he does *want* to be captain.
3. Fortunes:
a. "At Sea": I never qualified where he learned to navigate with the fortune. Can it be under
Ben Hornigold? (He would have served with Blackbeard/Teach, then, possibly when Barrington was known under a different name).
b. "Magic Trinkets"/"Haunted": I think I am interested in adding this pair, if only because magic items are rare. I recognize the value of gauntlets of swimming when at sea, but I think that making the hat-that-keeps-returning to him a headband of intellect means (a) there is an irony in his best scientific researches being driven by a non-scientific (magical) force, and (b) it gives him bonuses to skills he's not proficient in, making him more useful overall but perhaps not unbalancing. (Other stats at 19 would obviously be better for him, but Int has the flavour, and is traditionally granted with headwear.) Jim might not even be fully aware how much cleverer he is when he's wearing his hat. I'm completely fine if this is not okay, given Enlightened. I also know that in 3 weeks there's going to be a full list of uncommon magic items, but this feels right.
4. Maneuvers. Just to be clear:
a. the disarming attack allows you to disarm an opponent. It is my belief that if this happens in melee, I could pick up the object (or at least kick it away) before the opponent gets to act (and pick it up for free).
b. the pushing attack allows you to push an opponent up to 15 feet. I would hope that this could conceivably knock boarders into the sea, and that once they've afield a save and been pushed, they could be knocked into the water.
If those aren't the case, then I'd like to swap them out for Rallying (a kind of mini-Inspiring leader!) and (if necc.) Riposte.
I think that's it. Thoughts?