edmantgoog
init high just high
[x] Clockmaker & Locksmith
-
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Shipwrecked on a Strange Shore
- Thread starter Eri
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- fantasy irregular updates
[x] Clockmaker & Locksmith
WaryObserver
Capricious
[X] Shipwright
Seems like the best for survival, with its many skills explicit and implicit.
Seems like the best for survival, with its many skills explicit and implicit.
Hmm, well, I've tried to make them all have pros and cons. Shipwright has a pretty big one that you don't seemed to have picked up on, namely that it can't really help the character create the materials needed to make a ship. (I should include that in the description more explicitly, let me go do that now...)
I should also point out that the world has a tech-level somewhere around the 17th century level, with some things better and some things worse. Hydraulics are pretty good, so is spring and clockwork tech (which is considered extremely high tech), there is no gunpowder you know of. Medicine is more 18th-19th century as is optics. The printing press is around and has been for a while. Steel is starting to be used in construction. People are experimenting with electricity. Steam engines isn't really anything anyone's thought of, but it's pretty common to pipe hot steam through buildings to warm them up . Glass can be machine rolled, but that's pretty new. People of power and wealth might have double glazing windows, (the world is in a small ice age so people really work at staying warm)
... but why am I telling you this? You'll be leaving the known world pretty soon and it's doubtful you'll come back soon, if ever.
Anyway. The votes are pretty spread out. I might have given you too much to choose from... I'm going to leave it for a while yet I think.
I should also point out that the world has a tech-level somewhere around the 17th century level, with some things better and some things worse. Hydraulics are pretty good, so is spring and clockwork tech (which is considered extremely high tech), there is no gunpowder you know of. Medicine is more 18th-19th century as is optics. The printing press is around and has been for a while. Steel is starting to be used in construction. People are experimenting with electricity. Steam engines isn't really anything anyone's thought of, but it's pretty common to pipe hot steam through buildings to warm them up . Glass can be machine rolled, but that's pretty new. People of power and wealth might have double glazing windows, (the world is in a small ice age so people really work at staying warm)
... but why am I telling you this? You'll be leaving the known world pretty soon and it's doubtful you'll come back soon, if ever.
Anyway. The votes are pretty spread out. I might have given you too much to choose from... I'm going to leave it for a while yet I think.
grassyhyuuga
ash-hole
- Location
- hasetsu
[X] Architect
Surely the skills learned in architecture can be transferred, somewhat, to shipmaking as well. Would probably require a lot of trial and error, but you'd be better off than, say, a bookbinder.
Surely the skills learned in architecture can be transferred, somewhat, to shipmaking as well. Would probably require a lot of trial and error, but you'd be better off than, say, a bookbinder.
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- Location
- Pilipinas
[X] woodcarver and carpenter
- you know your way around the woods
- your handy with an ax
- you know which tree to cut and when
- you know how to take care of plants
- you can make practical things (i.e. chairs), artistic things (woodcarvings), and other things that may require wood (i.e. those wooden letter blocks used in printing presses, sorry I forgot what its called)
- you know your way around the woods
- your handy with an ax
- you know which tree to cut and when
- you know how to take care of plants
- you can make practical things (i.e. chairs), artistic things (woodcarvings), and other things that may require wood (i.e. those wooden letter blocks used in printing presses, sorry I forgot what its called)
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Woodcuts? Moveable type (i.e. the letters in printing presses) are usually metal at this tech-level.
It's a decent write in, but think wider. Add some more things you can craft or at least know the basics of. Something relevant, maybe paper?
Anyway, we're still pretty tied. If you can manage to get un-tied, as it were, before I go to bed (soon, it's way too late even if I don't have work tomorrow) then you get an update cause it's pretty much all written up except for the name of what you are. Otherwise this'll be open 'till tomorrow.
Character creation 3
[x] Clockmaker & Locksmith
Okay! That's great. I'm certain you're the best in the field, but surely it can't have all been clock-making and locksmithing. Everyone knows something besides their main skill, what about you, how did you distribute your time and what minor skills have you picked up?
[] Specialist
Maybe you have the focus of someone with Asberger's, maybe you've had little time besides work or maybe you simply prefer your main skill over all others. Nevertheless you've not picked up many skills besides clock-making and locksmithing
(Choose ONE minor skill, bonus to main skill)
[] Dual focus
Maybe you have a hobby you're reeealy fond of, maybe you were raised in a family who made their living with this skill, maybe you're just talented at it, nevertheless you have one other skill and you do it pretty well for someone who doesn't do it for a living.
(Choose ONE minor skill, bonus to minor skill)
[] All-rounder
You like learning things, or maybe you just pick things up easily. Possibly you had strict parents who wanted you to be a polymath. Anyway, you've picked up a wider variety of skills than most people.
(Choose TWO minor skills)
Your choice of minor skills is slightly wider than your major skill. Pick one or two. You cannot pick a skill twice
-[] Social skills
-[] Thieves skills
-[] Magic (only divine magic exists, restricted per the deity's portfolio, list will be provided if necessary)
-[] Music
-[] Medicine
-[] Stealth
-[] Nature and wilderness survival
-[] Book learning and linguistics
-[] Fighting
(edit: Feel free to suggest reasons why you've picked up the skill. Goodnight.)
Okay! That's great. I'm certain you're the best in the field, but surely it can't have all been clock-making and locksmithing. Everyone knows something besides their main skill, what about you, how did you distribute your time and what minor skills have you picked up?
[] Specialist
Maybe you have the focus of someone with Asberger's, maybe you've had little time besides work or maybe you simply prefer your main skill over all others. Nevertheless you've not picked up many skills besides clock-making and locksmithing
(Choose ONE minor skill, bonus to main skill)
[] Dual focus
Maybe you have a hobby you're reeealy fond of, maybe you were raised in a family who made their living with this skill, maybe you're just talented at it, nevertheless you have one other skill and you do it pretty well for someone who doesn't do it for a living.
(Choose ONE minor skill, bonus to minor skill)
[] All-rounder
You like learning things, or maybe you just pick things up easily. Possibly you had strict parents who wanted you to be a polymath. Anyway, you've picked up a wider variety of skills than most people.
(Choose TWO minor skills)
Your choice of minor skills is slightly wider than your major skill. Pick one or two. You cannot pick a skill twice
-[] Social skills
-[] Thieves skills
-[] Magic (only divine magic exists, restricted per the deity's portfolio, list will be provided if necessary)
-[] Music
-[] Medicine
-[] Stealth
-[] Nature and wilderness survival
-[] Book learning and linguistics
-[] Fighting
(edit: Feel free to suggest reasons why you've picked up the skill. Goodnight.)
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LucidProp
Pocky Eating MafiaDoka
[X] All-rounder
-[X] Social skills
Sure, the natives (if there are any) probably won't speak the same language and have the same culture as our PC but knowing how to act around weird looking strangers with even weirder customs will make him less liable to getting killed.
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
Pretty obvious. I don't really fancy the magic option. Can we play as a non-magic man in a fantasy setting for once?
-[X] Social skills
Sure, the natives (if there are any) probably won't speak the same language and have the same culture as our PC but knowing how to act around weird looking strangers with even weirder customs will make him less liable to getting killed.
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
Pretty obvious. I don't really fancy the magic option. Can we play as a non-magic man in a fantasy setting for once?
Info on Religion
There are two main "Pantheons", but they seem to be merging, slowly but surely. Going by the names of the gods, theologists speculate that this has happened before. There should be some more minor gods, but I haven't have time to make them yet. If you see a portfolio missing that really should be there (or one you want to be there so you can take it) tell me and I might make up one.
First pantheon:
♂ Liotoverd: (Father god) Spring, Love and Protection Deity also the the patron of those striving against seemingly overwhelming adversity. Husband of Autumn. His symbol is a crocus on a field of white.
♀ Tamnarossa: (Mother goddess) Autumn, Stability and Fertility/Agricultural Deity. Patron of those making the best out of what they have. Wife of Spring. Her symbol is an apple framed by a maple leaf
♂ Boy Summer: (Chaos god) Summer, Luck and Animal Deity. Patron of children and idiots. Child of Spring and Autumn. Looks about ten. His symbol is a rabbit's foot.
♀ Girl Winter: (Law goddess) Winter, Productivity and Technology Deity. Patron of hard workers. Child of Spring and Autumn Looks about fifteen. Her symbol is a gear containing a snowflake although it used to be a wheel containing a snowflake, time and tech has marched on.
Second pantheon:
♀ Am: Deity of Carnal Love, Beauty, Art and Music, also a trickster goddess. Twin of Atra. Her symbol is a sun descending into the sea.
♀ Atra: The Protector of Innocents. Deity of Marriage, Childbearing and Rearing, Drama and Literature. Twin of Am. Her symbol is two hands clasped together on top of a sun.
♂ Mianobog: Deity of Crafting (etc.) and Healing. Brother and/or husband of Diemka (depending on where you're from). He is The Present. He is represented with tools of various kinds in his (rather large) hands. His symbol is the palm of a hand containing an anvil crossed with a hammer.
♀ Diemka: Deity of Knowledge and Divination (etc.). Sister and/or wife of Mianobog (depending on where you're from). She is Past and Future. She is represented with a mask, always. Her Priestesses and Priests wear masks. These might or might not proclaim their status within the temple. Some gifted Priestesses and Priests of Diemka can see and interpret the runes of the Rotiena, but this is highly ... prophetic, and does not often make much sense. The High Priestess of Diemka is always one such. Her symbol is an open book containing a seemingly empty mask, but one eye always looks out of it.
The next two are technically part of the same pantheon, but are currently backing the other side of the war,
♂ Padre Touno: Thunder & War deity (think Thor) Patron of archers. Married to Dna. Pioggia. Symbol is a hand holding a bundle of arrows. Slow to anger, but slow to calm as well.
♀ Donna Pioggia: Rain, Agricultural and Wealth deity married to Pdr Tonuo. Symbol is a "rain-drop" but must always be made of a precious material. (Think a mix of Demeter and Pluto without the death connotations) Basically represents all good things that come out of the soil.
Common for most Pantheons:
♀ The Rotiena also known as Fata or Fates in other Pantheons. Multiple minor Deities or spirits present at every Birth, mostly three of them sometimes just two, sometimes many more. The first (always represented as a child) gives the newborn a Guardian Spirit or Totem (often a cat, dog or bird). Each of the following bestowing an invisible rune(?) upon the forehead of the newborn, representing each truly important point on that child's life. The last one (always dressed in white) marks the child with the rune of their death. Only small children, the insane and those in a heightened state of awareness can see them (not drunks! Being drunk is a lowered state of awareness not a heightened one)..Sometimes the mother sees them The runes can be interpreted, see heading for Diemka, it is also possible to guess from the colour of the dresses of the Rotiena (if you see them that is) It is tradition to make small offerings of food and other gifts to the Rotiena in the hope that they will change the runes to the better, but since it is impossible to guess how many of them there will be the table is usually set for only three, the First the Last and one other. Richer people sometimes set the table for even more. They also sometimes appear at other significant events, most notably those they have foreseen when they appeared at a person's birth, same rules for seeing them apply.
♂ Domovoj are Grandfather Spirits who guard the House. (think brownies) Always addressed as Grandfather, or a respectful diminutive thereof if you are a member of the household and on good terms with him, and given offerings of food & drink at holidays.
♂ The Doorkeeper. He used to have another name once, but he offended Atra (unspecified how) and she and Am placed him as the doorkeeper of the Gates of Death. Often used in other Pantheons as well, only the story of how he got there changes, he is mostly portrayed as a young man, mostly muscular and almost always chained to the gates. He is an unbeatable swordsman and traditionally wins games (like chess etc.) Always dressed in dark blue and white. Every so often (tradition says after every ten years, ten months and ten days) he gets a day off. His looks changes, but he can be recognized by the colour of his clothes and the shackle on his left(?) leg. To meet him is an Omen (with capital O) but has no particular interpretation, it must be seen in connection with circumstances. e.g. If you see him before a duel you are sure to display extraordinary skill if you are pregnant it is a very bad omen for it means your child shall haunt death's door. Many soldiers pray to him.
Other minor Pantheons:
♂ Weaver (translate to Greek? υφαντής?) Deity of Fate, Water and Wind. Weaves everyone's threads of fate. (After that challenge weaving mere wind and water is a piece of cake.) At birth the first "fate"/ Rotiena who appear tie a string to the heart of the newborn (the next ones follow the regular routine); this string connects that person to the loom of the Weaver.
(their marriage ceremonies prominently figure strings tied together) Those who believe in the weaver do not disbelieve the existence of other gods or goddesses, they merely think that they as well are bound by the weavings of fate, albeit more loosely, they refer to them as weave-dancers.
♂ The One God (?) (think a mix of Yahve and some sea-god) said to be omnipresent omniscient and near omnipotent, but in practice seems to have the portfolios of watching, sea/ocean, animals and the protection of children. His followers believe all other gods are false gods. They're seen as pretty silly by other people as, well, there are miracles everywhere there are priests.
... I've tried to edit out the notes to myself, but I've probably missed some, ignore them.
First pantheon:
♂ Liotoverd: (Father god) Spring, Love and Protection Deity also the the patron of those striving against seemingly overwhelming adversity. Husband of Autumn. His symbol is a crocus on a field of white.
♀ Tamnarossa: (Mother goddess) Autumn, Stability and Fertility/Agricultural Deity. Patron of those making the best out of what they have. Wife of Spring. Her symbol is an apple framed by a maple leaf
♂ Boy Summer: (Chaos god) Summer, Luck and Animal Deity. Patron of children and idiots. Child of Spring and Autumn. Looks about ten. His symbol is a rabbit's foot.
♀ Girl Winter: (Law goddess) Winter, Productivity and Technology Deity. Patron of hard workers. Child of Spring and Autumn Looks about fifteen. Her symbol is a gear containing a snowflake although it used to be a wheel containing a snowflake, time and tech has marched on.
Second pantheon:
♀ Am: Deity of Carnal Love, Beauty, Art and Music, also a trickster goddess. Twin of Atra. Her symbol is a sun descending into the sea.
♀ Atra: The Protector of Innocents. Deity of Marriage, Childbearing and Rearing, Drama and Literature. Twin of Am. Her symbol is two hands clasped together on top of a sun.
♂ Mianobog: Deity of Crafting (etc.) and Healing. Brother and/or husband of Diemka (depending on where you're from). He is The Present. He is represented with tools of various kinds in his (rather large) hands. His symbol is the palm of a hand containing an anvil crossed with a hammer.
♀ Diemka: Deity of Knowledge and Divination (etc.). Sister and/or wife of Mianobog (depending on where you're from). She is Past and Future. She is represented with a mask, always. Her Priestesses and Priests wear masks. These might or might not proclaim their status within the temple. Some gifted Priestesses and Priests of Diemka can see and interpret the runes of the Rotiena, but this is highly ... prophetic, and does not often make much sense. The High Priestess of Diemka is always one such. Her symbol is an open book containing a seemingly empty mask, but one eye always looks out of it.
The next two are technically part of the same pantheon, but are currently backing the other side of the war,
♂ Padre Touno: Thunder & War deity (think Thor) Patron of archers. Married to Dna. Pioggia. Symbol is a hand holding a bundle of arrows. Slow to anger, but slow to calm as well.
♀ Donna Pioggia: Rain, Agricultural and Wealth deity married to Pdr Tonuo. Symbol is a "rain-drop" but must always be made of a precious material. (Think a mix of Demeter and Pluto without the death connotations) Basically represents all good things that come out of the soil.
Common for most Pantheons:
♀ The Rotiena also known as Fata or Fates in other Pantheons. Multiple minor Deities or spirits present at every Birth, mostly three of them sometimes just two, sometimes many more. The first (always represented as a child) gives the newborn a Guardian Spirit or Totem (often a cat, dog or bird). Each of the following bestowing an invisible rune(?) upon the forehead of the newborn, representing each truly important point on that child's life. The last one (always dressed in white) marks the child with the rune of their death. Only small children, the insane and those in a heightened state of awareness can see them (not drunks! Being drunk is a lowered state of awareness not a heightened one)..Sometimes the mother sees them The runes can be interpreted, see heading for Diemka, it is also possible to guess from the colour of the dresses of the Rotiena (if you see them that is) It is tradition to make small offerings of food and other gifts to the Rotiena in the hope that they will change the runes to the better, but since it is impossible to guess how many of them there will be the table is usually set for only three, the First the Last and one other. Richer people sometimes set the table for even more. They also sometimes appear at other significant events, most notably those they have foreseen when they appeared at a person's birth, same rules for seeing them apply.
♂ Domovoj are Grandfather Spirits who guard the House. (think brownies) Always addressed as Grandfather, or a respectful diminutive thereof if you are a member of the household and on good terms with him, and given offerings of food & drink at holidays.
♂ The Doorkeeper. He used to have another name once, but he offended Atra (unspecified how) and she and Am placed him as the doorkeeper of the Gates of Death. Often used in other Pantheons as well, only the story of how he got there changes, he is mostly portrayed as a young man, mostly muscular and almost always chained to the gates. He is an unbeatable swordsman and traditionally wins games (like chess etc.) Always dressed in dark blue and white. Every so often (tradition says after every ten years, ten months and ten days) he gets a day off. His looks changes, but he can be recognized by the colour of his clothes and the shackle on his left(?) leg. To meet him is an Omen (with capital O) but has no particular interpretation, it must be seen in connection with circumstances. e.g. If you see him before a duel you are sure to display extraordinary skill if you are pregnant it is a very bad omen for it means your child shall haunt death's door. Many soldiers pray to him.
Other minor Pantheons:
♂ Weaver (translate to Greek? υφαντής?) Deity of Fate, Water and Wind. Weaves everyone's threads of fate. (After that challenge weaving mere wind and water is a piece of cake.) At birth the first "fate"/ Rotiena who appear tie a string to the heart of the newborn (the next ones follow the regular routine); this string connects that person to the loom of the Weaver.
(their marriage ceremonies prominently figure strings tied together) Those who believe in the weaver do not disbelieve the existence of other gods or goddesses, they merely think that they as well are bound by the weavings of fate, albeit more loosely, they refer to them as weave-dancers.
♂ The One God (?) (think a mix of Yahve and some sea-god) said to be omnipresent omniscient and near omnipotent, but in practice seems to have the portfolios of watching, sea/ocean, animals and the protection of children. His followers believe all other gods are false gods. They're seen as pretty silly by other people as, well, there are miracles everywhere there are priests.
... I've tried to edit out the notes to myself, but I've probably missed some, ignore them.
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[X] All-rounder
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
-[X] Medicine
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
-[X] Medicine
edmantgoog
init high just high
[X] All-rounder
You like learning things, or maybe you just pick things up easily. Possibly you had strict parents who wanted you to be a polymath. Anyway, you've picked up a wider variety of skills than most people.
(Choose TWO minor skills)
-[X] Magic (only divine magic exists, restricted per the deity's portfolio, list will be provided if necessary)
-[X] Book learning and linguistics
You like learning things, or maybe you just pick things up easily. Possibly you had strict parents who wanted you to be a polymath. Anyway, you've picked up a wider variety of skills than most people.
(Choose TWO minor skills)
-[X] Magic (only divine magic exists, restricted per the deity's portfolio, list will be provided if necessary)
-[X] Book learning and linguistics
What makes you think it'll be a deserted island
(Also those of you voting for magic might want to be aware that it could potentially be really hard to level it up.)Anyway, have another infodump. I'd like to have you familiar enough to the setting that you can recognise any potential culture clashes
This:
... is the "known world". Or at least most of it. The continent to the south is also technically "known", but is veeery sparsely inhabited. Mostly on the coast (The temperature is hot temperate to semi-tropical, but it's mostly desert. and parts are contaminated by some strange magic) If you go around it though, or through, near the country marked "J" you can get to the island chain you are currently sailing along, the Sapphire Necklace. Recently a lot of the countries back home have started to colonise some of the nicer uninhabited islands along the chain and that's where you are heading.
The country you are at war with is marked "C" on the map and you are from either "A", "B" or (less likely) "D"
I seem to have misplaced my notes on them, but I can make do. Only thing I've forgotten are the names ... I think.
A is reasonably sparsely populated as it's only really liveable in the valleys. It has basically one big city and a handful of villages. The people mainly worship Mianobog and Diemka and are in fact ruled by their priests as it is a theocracy. Controls the trade through the mountains. (Think Switzerland) The main languages are "Italian", "Slavic" and "Hungarian"
B is not really a country so much as three city states working together. It's warmer than A, but not as warm as C. People from here are considered cultured, but also greedy. Two of the city-states are led by merchant-princes and the third by a council. There is a nobility, but if you don't also earn money, this is forgotten pretty quickly. (Think Northern Italian city-state Venice etc.) The main languages are "Italian" and "Slavic"
D is not a country either, but the roaming grounds of seven quasi-nomadic tribes. Four of the tribes travel by houseboats on the rivers, the remaining three travel with their herds in the summer and live in villages in the winter. (they herd reindeer, sheep and horses mostly) They come together every seven years to discuss current affairs, laws, etc. Main language is "Slavic"
C is ruled by a King-Priest. Their Nobility is also their priesthood (They worship mostly Padre Touno and Donna Pioggia). They produce a large percentage of the grain and metal produced in the known world, but don't really refine it. Except for weapons, one of their main gods are big on weapons. There has been an increased risk of pirate attacks around their waters which they feel have restricted their ways of trading with the mainland, so they tried to conquer A to have access to the mountain passes. This of course angered both A and B (who are allies) and the war began. (Think the Papal state, only more millitant) Main language is "Italian"
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- Location
- California, USA
[X] All-rounder
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
-[X] Medicine
-[X] Nature and wilderness survival
-[X] Medicine
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
So, is this you saying, as the GM, "Yes, magic is available as an option, but it's a terrible idea, and you should avoid it (unless you like semi-hard mode)." or "Magic, as it often is, is a thing with striking advantages and disadvantages. In this case, one of the disadvantages is that you'r egoing to have real trouble getting any better at it."
Also, is it possible to acquire other secondary skill along the way s we go, or are the primary and secondary we choose now basically character-defining? If character-defining, is the strength of the primary/secondary pertinent to their trainability? (if yes to the first, no to the second, then All-rounder is the obvious correct choice, as having a third area of competence to work with is, in the long run, going to be far more useful than a starting skill boost in one of our first two)
More the second, I'm still making the rules for magic, but one of the things I'm pretty sure of is that to advance significantly you would have to be ordained as a priest/ess of the religion. And for that to happen you would either have to be really lucky with some rolls for who the other shipwrecked are or make contact with the deity itself. You can still advance, but it would be like ... I dunno, dipping one level of wizard in dnd and continually stocking up on more first level spells, rather than levelling up an accessing higher level spells.
edit: Oh, and the spells you do have will improve when you raise your spellcasting skills. The skills you get from clockmaker actually synergises quite nicely with spellcasting.
Secondary skills (actually all skills) can indeed be acquired after character generation. But I'm using a version of the Fate system, so it's also character defining as I'm using your answers to make aspects for the character, but then again even aspects can be changed. You're also not choosing skills so much as skill-sets and all-rounder, dual-focus etc is showing me how steep the skill pyramid will be.
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Hm, I think I'd just give you another spellcaster aspect and better ranks on the spellcasting skills (like I'd do with any dual focus really). Maybe the equivalent of a second level spell (or possibly a stunt). If you had been ordained, you would probably have been drafted too. Which would make it difficult for you to be on this voyage.
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I think we need that tie-breaker.I guess i'll just vote if there is need for a tie-breaker...
By my (manual) count, four out of five are for All-rounder, so I'm going to lock that.
There are three votes for nature and wilderness survival, two votes for medicine, two for magic and one each for social skills and book-learning/liguistics.
So... Medicine or magic? (Or, you know, vote for something completely different and make someone else sort out the tie, always an option)
If someone can manage to break the tie within half an hour or so, you get an update, otherwise you'll have to wait 'till tomorrow.
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- Location
- Canada
[x] Minor: Magic
- [x] Girl Winter
-[X] Medicine
Let's get a 3-way tie going.
- [x] Girl Winter
-[X] Medicine
Let's get a 3-way tie going.
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