Issue two of the ENWorld Players Journal has arrived. Haven't looked it over really, but I did some ego reading.
Jim Zubkavich did good work on the illo. It fits Bartholomew, right down to his magic staff (toothpick). Isabel looks nice too.
Now for a "Web Enhancement"
Bartholomew is most apt to use Still and Empower Spell on Expeditious Retreat and Obscuring Mist to facilitate get aways. Using either Still Spell or Empower Spell as appropriate when casting Misdirection. Only when cornered, or when somebody is in dire circumstances will he cast Monster Summoning II, using Still Spell if the situation calls for it. (Such as when the villains don't know he's around, or they are not aware of his status as an awakened mouse.
Bartholomew normally speaks in an ultrasonic squeak. A sort of automatic "Silent spell". He has to lower his voice to be heard by big folk, and even then it is rather high pitched.
Britney the dire wolf is named after Britney Spears. Britney (the dire wolf) has the personality of a two year old wolf pup. That is, playful. She is the only "monster" Bartholomew has ever gotten with that Monster Summoning II. If summoned for play or general wasting of time she can stay of a day or so. But if called for battle, or if she gets involved in battle, she is recalled about a minute or so after the combat is done. This is a special case, and as such over rules the spell description in the PHB.
As noted in the article, Bartholomew is meant for a 'change of pace' encounter. Somebody the party can query for information about the local area, trade stories with, and so on and so forth. A successful encounter with Bartholomew may include learning something of import from him (which could take a lot of diplomacy), catching a vague reference of his and getting him to expound on it, or winning his assistance in a matter (so long as you don't get him killed).
A party is most likely to encounter Bartholomew searching through their gear for food (he's a mouse, it's what they do), talking with the horses, or riding around on Britney. On rare occasions, and when he's out in the boonies away from prying eyes, he'll go flying with Isabel.
Things he will help with: Damsels in distress, entertaining small (and suitably restrained) children, providing information.
Things he will not help with: dragon slaying, world saving, and entertaining unrestrained small children. Please note that in this case restraint refers to physical restraint by a responsible adult. Bartholomew knows children and has a healthy respect for their destructive capabilities.
On the next page is an article on an alternate way of handling magic. Feel free to apply it to Bartholomew. Use him as 'test bed' to see how the alternate works before having your players try it out.
Thanks for letting me brag about Bartholomew some more. BTW, Bartholomew is my second sale to a gaming magazine, and the first article of mine published where the publisher was not obligated to (Had a rules advice column in the long defunct Journeys Journal for the Mythus game. My first sale was to Journeys Journal as well, but I was never paid for it, and the magazine folded before the article could be published.) As always, feel free to write regarding Bartholomew's adventures if you do use him in a game.
Jim Zubkavich did good work on the illo. It fits Bartholomew, right down to his magic staff (toothpick). Isabel looks nice too.
Now for a "Web Enhancement"
Bartholomew is most apt to use Still and Empower Spell on Expeditious Retreat and Obscuring Mist to facilitate get aways. Using either Still Spell or Empower Spell as appropriate when casting Misdirection. Only when cornered, or when somebody is in dire circumstances will he cast Monster Summoning II, using Still Spell if the situation calls for it. (Such as when the villains don't know he's around, or they are not aware of his status as an awakened mouse.
Bartholomew normally speaks in an ultrasonic squeak. A sort of automatic "Silent spell". He has to lower his voice to be heard by big folk, and even then it is rather high pitched.
Britney the dire wolf is named after Britney Spears. Britney (the dire wolf) has the personality of a two year old wolf pup. That is, playful. She is the only "monster" Bartholomew has ever gotten with that Monster Summoning II. If summoned for play or general wasting of time she can stay of a day or so. But if called for battle, or if she gets involved in battle, she is recalled about a minute or so after the combat is done. This is a special case, and as such over rules the spell description in the PHB.
As noted in the article, Bartholomew is meant for a 'change of pace' encounter. Somebody the party can query for information about the local area, trade stories with, and so on and so forth. A successful encounter with Bartholomew may include learning something of import from him (which could take a lot of diplomacy), catching a vague reference of his and getting him to expound on it, or winning his assistance in a matter (so long as you don't get him killed).
A party is most likely to encounter Bartholomew searching through their gear for food (he's a mouse, it's what they do), talking with the horses, or riding around on Britney. On rare occasions, and when he's out in the boonies away from prying eyes, he'll go flying with Isabel.
Things he will help with: Damsels in distress, entertaining small (and suitably restrained) children, providing information.
Things he will not help with: dragon slaying, world saving, and entertaining unrestrained small children. Please note that in this case restraint refers to physical restraint by a responsible adult. Bartholomew knows children and has a healthy respect for their destructive capabilities.
On the next page is an article on an alternate way of handling magic. Feel free to apply it to Bartholomew. Use him as 'test bed' to see how the alternate works before having your players try it out.
Thanks for letting me brag about Bartholomew some more. BTW, Bartholomew is my second sale to a gaming magazine, and the first article of mine published where the publisher was not obligated to (Had a rules advice column in the long defunct Journeys Journal for the Mythus game. My first sale was to Journeys Journal as well, but I was never paid for it, and the magazine folded before the article could be published.) As always, feel free to write regarding Bartholomew's adventures if you do use him in a game.
