In Ages Past

[Celticfury]

In ages past, before the Calamity, Those Before reigned in all of Estria, divine in the power and majesty. From Their hands They forged us, the Younger Races, Their loyal and trusted servants. For ages we served Them, and They in turn gave us purpose, and protection. You, students of the Argent Spire, have the great honor and privilege of preserving Their legacy. You must not falter in this most sacred duty, for Those Before shall return, and we Their humble servants shall surely be rewarded for our devotion.

-Master Harun Samara, addressing a gathering of new students.

--------------------------------

Welcome, one and all, to the very first (and hopefully not the last) CelticAC.


You, the players, will take the role of students in the Argent Spire, studying under Master Javad Armand. Unlike some places of learning, in the Argent Spire, there is no set curriculum or standard for admission. The individual masters are free to accept whatever students they desire, and may teach any subject, so long as it is approved by the ruling Rais. Thus, the Spire boasts a diverse student populace; from dedicated scholars and priests, to members of the Emerald Blades hoping to gain that much needed edge through magic, to adventurers hoping to better understand the relics they bring back from the Ruined Quarters.


This game will use the FATE system, which has been used before in ACs. While I am certain most of the people I am likely to have sign up already know the system, for those who don't, there are some very useful tutorials made by Patchy here and here, or you can check out the Fate SRD here.


Character Sheet:

Spoiler :

Name:
Gender:
Age:
Race:

Description / Appearance:

Personality & History:

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical: 1[] 2[]
Morale: 1[] 2[]
Consequences:
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Aspects:
High Concept:
Trouble:
Aspect:
Aspect:
Aspect:

Skills:
Great (+4):
Good (+3):
Fair (+2):
Average (+1):

Stunts: Choose 3 Stunts.

Equipment: [weapon] (+1)

Skill List

Spoiler :

Athletics - The Athletics skill represents your character’s general level of physical fitness and nimbleness.
Contacts - Contacts is the skill of knowing and making connections with people. Networking.
Crafts - Crafts is the skill of working with machinery, or in this game: making things in general.
Deceive - Deceive is the skill about lying to and misdirecting people.
Empathy - Empathy involves knowing and being able to spot changes in a person’s mood or bearing. It’s basically the emotional Notice skill.
Fight - The Fight skill covers all forms of close quarters combat. For its ranged counterpart, see Shoot.
Investigate - Investigate is the skill you use to find things out, it revolves around concentrated effort and in-depth scrutiny.
Lore - Knowledge is the skill of education and intelligence, a very flexible skill.
Notice - The Notice skill is a counterpart to Investigate, representing a character’s overall perception, ability to pick out details at a glance, and other powers of observation. It also affects your turn order like initiative.
Physique - The Physique skill is the counterpart to the Athletics skill in that it represents pure brute strength. Fair gives an extra physical slot and Great gives another one.
Provoke - Provoke is the skill about being a jackass at someone and eliciting negative emotional response from them
Rapport - The Rapport skill is all about making positive connections to people and eliciting positive emotion. It's the diplomacy skill.
Resources - Resources describes your character’s general level of material wealth in the game world and ability to apply it.
Shoot - The counterpart to Fight, Shoot is the skill of using ranged weaponry, either in a conflict or on targets that don’t actively resist your attempts to shoot them (like a bull’s-eye or the broad side of a barn).
Stealth - The Stealth skill allows you to avoid detection, both when hiding in place and trying to move about unseen.
Vodun - The specific kind of magic used in this world.
Will - The Will skill represents your character’s general level of mental fortitude. Fair gives an extra moral slot, and Great gives another one.

Magic
The system of magic being used will be the Vodun system, as explained here and here. For the Thirty second version:

• Buy a skill called “Vodun.”
• Take a half hour in a dark room with someone’s name, a voodoo doll, or similar accouterments, and make a Magic roll to create an advantage against the target of the spell.
• Put an aspect appropriate to a curse or blessing on the target. It lasts for three days, seven if you succeed with style.

Spoiler Spells :

Annoyance: The target rubs people the wrong way. If the spell has a subject, then the target of the spell is more easily annoyed by that subject.

Charisma: While related to love, this turns it on its head by improving the target’s general presence and demeanor. It’s sometimes a subject of ridicule—specifically, ridiculing those who would need such a spell—but it sees a lot of quiet use.

Clarity: Popular among those who fancy themselves sophisticated magi, for many this spell is their morning cup of coffee, sharpening their thoughts and senses. It’s also a popular “counterspell,” used to remove curses.

Clumsiness: You know those days where you dropped a glass, spilled your coffee in your lap, and ripped your shirt on a latch? This makes for that kind of day.

Confusion: People tend to misunderstand the target—or get easily lost if it’s a place.

Love: One of the most well known but also most contentious spells, especially when used with a subject. Without a subject, it simply makes the target more friendly towards the world, but with a subject, it inclines the subject toward the target. A lot of people view this as skeezy at best, and date rape at worst. It’s a touchy topic, and a number of magicians get around this by explicitly casting dud spells.

Health: The magical equivalent of fizzy tablets with vitamin C and zinc.

Luck: This is the most common spell in circulation, and it can take the form of good or bad luck.

Obscurity: The target is easily overlooked—by the subject, if appropriate. Whether this is a blessing or a curse depends a lot on your perspective.

Prosperity: Another popular blessing, financial things fall the target’s way. It’s rare that this turns into a large windfall, but it can show up as a loan extension or a free beer.

Rage: Small things annoy the target more than usual, as if they’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed. If the spell has a subject, then the target of the spell is more easily enraged by that subject.

Safety: Keeps the target—or area—safer than it would be.

The AC will be hosted http://celticac.chatango.com/. Since I am now an official(-ish) GM, I will try to be on http://specservdiv.chatango.com/ more often to answer any questions and the likely many complaints/critiques you will have, though sending me a message on Steam is likely to be more reliable.


I aim to have the game take place at 5 PM EST, on Thursdays, hopefully starting next week on the 19th. If this day does not work with anyone, contact me and I will see about setting up another day to run.

 

[Celticfury]

Map coming maybe

General Lore:
The Calamity
Little is known about the Calamity outside of legends. While the myths told about the event vary, there are certain similarities that exist between the accounts. It is believed that a great war was waged between Those Before, wielding powerful magics and artifacts. At some point during the course of this war, a great and terrible weapon was unleashed. While the legends differ on what exactly this weapon was, the power it unleashes was said to have resulted in widespread destruction, lasting several week. The fate of Those Before after this event is a hotly debated subject, with some claiming that They were wiped out, while other believe They have simply retreated to another realm, to one day return to Their rightful place as rulers of the world.

Those Before
Before the Calamity, three main races ruled the world; the Elehvan (elves), Darkarhi (humans), and Dracone (drakes). Wielders of great magics, They forged mighty empires and grandiose cities, before ultimately retreating from Estria in the wake of the Calamity. It is believed that all the races that inhabit the world today owe their existence to these three. Much of the knowledge about Those Before has been lost, sadly, including the majority of knowledge in the magical arts. Most of what is known about Them is confined to myth and the scattered knowledge gleaned from recovered tomes.

The Younger Races:
Genasi

Spoiler :

While the race of the Darkarhi have long since passed into history, the genasi still remain to preserve their legacy. The genasi are believed to have been forged from, and thus will embody one of, the four classical elements; fire, water, air, and earth. Myths state that they were first brought to being as servants to the rulers of Dennejah. As such, they tend to comprise the majority of the citizenry in the Restored Quarter. While genasi culture tends to be more varied than others, the one central theme tends to revolve around the veneration and preservation of the Grand City and its artifacts. For this reason, scholars and priests are highly respected, as are the Emerald Blades, who work to restore the city to its former glory, or at least something of similar quality.

Naga

Spoiler :

Hailing from the northern jungles of Besgale, the naga carry on their heritage as guardians of the temples and cities of the ancient Elehvan. Strict rules of conduct govern many aspects of daily life, with discipline and loyalty being treasured virtues among the society of soldiers. This makes the naga highly prized as guards and mercenaries among the other races. This dedication also makes the naga fairly skilled, if uninspired, artisans and scholars.

Kobold

Spoiler :

In ancient times, the ability to obtain and create beautiful pieces of art and jewelry was the best way to gain the favor of the Dracone, whom the kobolds worshiped. It is for this reason that they tend to be the most industrious and crafty races, being renowned throughout the world for their skill in mining and forging. The more intricate the item being crafted, the better. A common mating ritual for males is to bring gifts to prospective females in hopes of courting favor. Kobold society tends to also be matriarchal, with the larger and stronger females typically taking on multiple mates.

Kenku

Spoiler :

While many of the younger races hold Those Before as beings to be praised, the kenku hold a different view. Legends hold that the kenku were cast aside as failures by their creators, regarded mostly as pests and nuisances. To survive, the kenku resorted to trickery and scavenging, hiding out and collecting tribute in hopes of appeasing their former masters. As individual kenku tend to be rather weak, they also congregating in flocks, protecting and supporting each other. The flock is of greater importance than anything else in their society, and they guard it zealously.

Locations:
The Grand City of Dennejah
Once considered to be the the Crown Jewel of the Arwan Desert, and maybe even the whole world, The Grand City of Dennejah now lays in mostly ruins, laid low by the Calamity. Among the crumbling arches and minarets, beasts and brigands fight for control and survival, while the Emerald Blades slowly try to bring the city back to civilization, one district at a time. Despite the dangers, the artifacts and wealth left behind by Those Before prove very inviting for treasure hunters, both sanctioned and unsanctioned. Regular expeditions are made into the Ruined Quarters, bringing wealth to the city through the Shaded Bazaar.

The Restored Quarter
The bastion of civilization within Dennejah, the Restored Quarter is governed by the wealthy Rais, the city’s nobility. Encompassing most the city’s western section, the city is flourished under the high walls and watchful eyes of the Emerald Blades. A center of trade and learning, the Quarter draws in races from across the known world, resulting in a cosmopolitan mixture of cultures. While this has enriched places like the Argent Spire and the Shaded Bazaar, it has also resulted in some tensions among the city’s denizens.

The Argent Spire
The Argent Spire is the largest pre-Cataclysm structure to remain intact within the entirety of Dennejah. When it was first reoccupied and dedicated as a temple to Those Before, an extensive library of ancient works was discovered within one of the floors. As the Restored Quarter grew and more travelers and pilgrims would come to visit the Spire and its library, more books and artifacts were brought in to expand upon the collection. Over time, the Spire grew to be one of the foremost centers of learning in the known world, eventually being converted to an official school by the Rais, though portions of the Spire are still dedicated to religious worship.

The Shaded Bazaar
The Shaded Bazaar is the primary merchant district in the Restored Quarter. A sprawling network of streets lined with shops, stalls, and warehouses, it owes its name to the massive roof that shields the streets from the desert sun, while allowing light into the Bazaar through specially placed windows. Just about any manner of goods or services can be found here, with merchants from across the world travelling to the Bazaar to sell their wares. The Bazaar is also located next to the Griffon Gate, the most prominent passageway between the Restored and Ruined Quarters. This makes it a natural stop for salvage expeditions, beginning their dangerous journeys under the gaze of the gate's marble guardians.

Characters and Factions:
Master Javad Armand
An elderly kobold scholar, Master Armand believes that knowledge is gift not just for the elite or gifted, but for any who have the will and determination to seek it. Thus, he draw students from all walks of life, regardless of origin or status. Master Armand focuses on the General Lore of Those Before, covering magic, history, artifacts, and theology. A calm and patient male, Armand is slow to anger, and prefers to resolve conflicts through diplomacy rather than force. In his youth, he had been an important part of the Argent Spire's official scavenging teams, and though his adventuring days are over, he continues to help organize expeditions and catalog artifacts.

Apprentice Alya Nagi
A gifted female air genasi, Alya Nagi serves as assistant and student to Master Armand, with the goal of eventually becoming a Master of the Argent Spire herself. Specializing in ancient artifacts and languages, she has always held a deep fascination with Those Before. The one thing that has prevented her from joining with an expedition is her cautiousness, which sometimes borders on anxious worry.

The Emerald Blades
The Emerald Blades are the sanctioned military force in the Restored Quarter. Serving as both city guard and standing army, the Emerald Blades are easily identified by their green sashes and short scimitars, each with a small emerald gem on the pommel. They are answerable only to the Rais, working to enforce the nobles' will and expand control over the Ruined Quarter. Though the native genasi tend to comprise the majority of the Emerald Blades membership, naga are also found in decent numbers in their ranks, while kobolds and kenku are much rarer.

 

[Celticfury]

Reserved as well. Because you never know.

 

[Lighthearter]

Name: Layla
Gender: Female
Age: Not even she knows, but on the young side. Possibly not quite the age of adulthood, possibly just over.
Race: Kenku

Description / Appearance: Layla has large eyes, even for her kind, and a shorter beak than most kenku. Her feathers are black and dark blue, save for a white patch at the back of her head. She dresses in simple clothes and always carries a well-stocked backpack with odd ends of rope and knife hilts jutting out at odd moments and places. She is almost always fiddling with one of her blades in some capacity.

Personality & History:

Spoiler :

Layla hatched under the care of Kazim, a lowly merchant with a fondness for spirits and discipline alike. Any questions she had about her mother, he rebuffed with fervor and anger, until Layla learned not to ask them. He always was suffering under some malady or another, and he would often rant about "the good times" where he claimed to have been a kenku of wealth and status, leader of a flock...sometimes claiming he consorted with the Rais. Layla quickly learned as well not to press for details or argue points that she considered unlikely.

Whatever he may have been in the past, Kazim of now was too drunk and too sickly to be a good merchant, and he barely scraped together enough for him to live in relative comfort. Layla received the leftover scraps from his lifestyle, and if ever something had to come out of the budget for them to make it by, it was her food or clothes.

No surprise, then, that Layla took to pickpocketing. The little bits of copper and silver she scavenged from the unwary became her lifeline, and eventually she managed to save up enough to acquire basic lessons in Vodun from a passing scholar. He was likely not as skilled as Layla assumed in the art, but she walked away with a fundamental understanding of the basics, and an empty purse. But hope was not lost! One of the spells she had learned was Prosperity.

Layla hatched a plan. If she cast the spell upon her father, before his next trip to the market...

Unfortunately, she did it. More unfortunately, he spotted her about her work. Kazim had never expressed his views on magic before, but Layla discovered firsthand that it was, in his view, intolerable and dark. After a vicious beating, she found herself thrown on the streets and cast out in full view of all their neighbors, Kazim screaming at her about how much of a burden she had been upon him.

The first nights were hard, but Layla used her thievery and Vodun skills to get herself above water. She found her way to a flock of thieves, and they took her in for about a year as she learned from them the arts of pilfering and raiding, only for them to take exception when she took a larger share of one score than she was allowed. Out she went.

Next was a Vodun flock, which taught her more of the art. She ate up all the information she could, only for her thieving to be discovered when she stole trinkets from her teacher. Out she went.

Six more flocks followed. Out she went, again and again and again. Layla took to setting up caches around the city, carrying daggers to protect herself from the Emerald Blades and her former flock-mates alike. She ventured into the Ruined Quarters, taking what she could find that other groups hadn't already swept up. She became a fixture of the Shaded Bazaar, taking anything anyone left within easy reach.

That was when she heard about it. The Temple of Agammaru.

No one knows who Agammaru was/is, but there are stories of a temple, buried deep in the Ruined Quarters. Inside there is a room of gold and silver and gems and powerful artifacts, laid out on all sides in a vast display, ringing the "Moon Stone", a magnificent silver gem said to glow with moonlight, among other properties.

Layla was instantly taken in.

So now she has made her way to the Spire, uninterested in detailed studies of Those Before, but obsessed with learning everything she can about Agammaru and the temple, about the grand treasures she seeks to acquire. Finding the temple would be her ticket off the streets, into a life of luxury the like of which Kazim could only dream of in an alcoholic stupor. Perhaps she could buy a patent of nobility and become a Rais.

And she has no intention of sharing her spoils with anyone when she finds it.

TL;DR:

• Never knew mother
• Raised by sickly, semi-delusional, oppressive father
• Thrown out of house after being caught using Prosperity on father
• Learned to survive on street, progressively kicked out of one flock after another
• Heard rumors of an el epic treasure in the Ruined Quarter
• Came in search of information on the above

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical: 1[] 2[]
Morale: 1[] 2[]
Consequences:
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

High Concept: Magpie of Dennejah - Layla constantly seeks the big score, the nest egg - the payday that can put her off the street and into her own palace. She cannot be deterred from hunting for it and will go beyond all reason in her efforts to acquire it.
Trouble: Flockless Bird - Layla has been kicked around from one Flock to the next practically since birth. This makes Layla a resourceful bird and highly independent...but with very few friends in kenku circles, and a streak of selfish pragmatism that can come up at the worst moments. After all, Layla has already lost a lot of flocks...what's one more?
Aspect: Eyes of a Hawk - Layla and the law have a love-hate relationship. She does most of the loving, they do most of the hating...but she has become extremely observant as a result of her constant run-ins with the authorities, despite her reputation.
Aspect: Ravens Mean Death - Layla has been fending for herself since she was young, and from time to time, that's meant she has had to fend off people who didn't like the idea of her fending for herself. She's become rather proficient with her daggers, whether up close and personal or thrown.
Aspect: Collector Crow - Living on the street taught Layla a lot about the importance of having backup plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner alike. She is meticulous about maintaining several small stashes of resources and items around the city, and keeps a wide array of semi-useful things on her person as well.

Skills:
Great (+4): (Stealth)
Good (+3): (Athletics) (Deceive)
Fair (+2): (Shoot) (Crafts) (Vodun)
Average (+1): (Resources) (Fight) (Contacts) (Notice) (Provoke)

Stunts:

Nest Egg Seeker - Layla has been raiding places for a long time. She possesses an almost supernatural ability to guess and discover hiding places, making her able to use Stealth in place of Investigate when searching for hidden items.

Shrike With Thorns - Layla has been in plenty of tight spots, and growing up flockless meant she had to constantly be prepared for the worst. As such, she comes equipped with a veritable armory's worth of hidden knives. No matter the situation, Layla always has at least one knife hidden somewhere.

Lockpecker - Layla has dealt with a lot of secure locks and barriers standing between her and loot, and she considers herself an expert at getting past them. Whenever she uses Crafts for the purpose of bypassing any kind of lock, she gains +2 to her roll.

Known Spells:
Obscurity
Prosperity

Equipment: [Endless supply of throwing knives] (+1)

Stuff:
Weird key, strange symbol. Nightclub? Chastity belt?

 

[Dem Taqat]

Name: Donsai Miname
Race: Genasi (Water)
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Description: Standing straight and slightly on the tall side, Donsai has dull grey-blue skin and short hair of a deep blue colour. With a broad nose and solid build, he has a notable preference for red clothing, and generally carries a curved sword at his side.
Bio:

Spoiler For A Little Writing :

Donsai grew up on the fringes of Besgale, where his mother was daughter of the governor of a small city. However, Donsai spent plenty of time with his streetwise father, a notorious thief, helping him with somewhat morally-dubious odd jobs around the city. As he aged, his mother began to worry that this was a bad influence on him, and began working especially to give him a more proper formal education. While Donsai attempted to wriggle his way out of this, a solution arrived in the form of a wandering Naga monk by the name of Yuno Sum Won, who, after some persuasion, agreed to stay for a few months to teach the wayward youth.

This strategy worked like a charm, with Donsai coming to somewhat idolise the steady monk. As well as instilling some much-needed discipline in the youngster, Yuno also taught him the basics of the Striking Swallow Sword Style, and the ideals of honor and dignity which would move him later in life. When the time finally came for his Master to continue her travels, Donsai was a very different person, much to his mothers approval and his fathers wry amusement.

Seeking to complete his new education, Donsai persuaded his mother to allow him to venture into Besgale to study at one of their temples. Despite the harsh climate, he impressed himself on the other monks of the Once and Future Order at Phendar, and they agreed to complete her work. In the process of this, he learned the quest on which she had set off in the first place; to rediscover the origins of their arts, said to lie amidst the lost city of Libmatha. Seeking to follow in her footsteps and assist her, Donsai set off on the same quest as soon as his training was done.

With his feet upon the road, Donsai soon found himself embroiled in all the misadventures a questing hero could ask for, from thwarting the theft of the Grand Ring of Bats to briefly awakening the ghost of Princess Tutenkumatchilia. One of these misadventures was the hunt for the Great Copper Butterfly of Tamul, a legendary creature said to possess all knowledge. As it turned out, this had been somewhat exaggerated, but the Butterfly did offer to teach Donsai whatever single thing his mind was most suited for: the 'Tooth of the Twisting Tiger', a sword technique no longer taught by virtue of being almost as dangerous to the user as to the enemy.

More recently, Donsai intervened in what appeared to be a comparatively mundane mugging of Kenku merchant Chirruk Halfbeak, quickly dispatching a handful of roving bandits upon the road. After the injured Halfbeak was taken care of, the two began travelling together, struggling through the many tense situations Donsai seemed to attract. They have since arrived in Dennejah, where Halfbeaks knowledge of the rumour mill and Donsai's seemingly-suicidal do-gooder tendencies have directed them towards one Javad Armand.

Refresh: 3
FATE: 3

High Concept: Errant Samurai
Trouble: To Live in Interesting Times
Aspect: Penniless Philosophy of Phendar
Aspect: Striking Swallow Students Shun Sorcerous Shortcuts
Aspect: Reneged on Rougish Rearing

Skills:
Great: Will
Good: Fight, Rapport
Fair: Athletics, Notice, Physique
Average: Empathy, Investigate, Lore, Provoke, Stealth

Stunts:
Tooth of the Twisting Tiger: Donsai may roll a Special fight attack with an additional +3 bonus, but gains the consequence 'Strained'. Cannot be used if a consequence slot is not open.
Horse Hastens in the Highlands: Donsai receives a +2 bonus to athletics during chases in hazardous terrain.
Dragon's Domain is Danger: Upon combat start, Donsai makes a Will roll, opposed by the commanding enemy's will, and if successful applies the 'uneasy' aspect to that enemy for the duration of the scene.

Equipment: Sword named 'Suchirurifu' (+1)

DT

 

[Patchy]

Name: Chirrut Halfbeak
Gender: Male
Age: Effectively 25
Race: Kenku

Description / Appearance:
Much to his childhood dismay Halfbeak's second most notable feature is his smaller than average beak. Considered a feminine mark of beauty, his beak, along with his dark feathers which are more iridescent than usual, makes Halfbeak a rather beautiful man.

A recent acquisition, Halfbeak's most notable feature is his sole eye. Or rather the embroidered eyepatch that covers the place where his left eye should be. The eye patch, much like the rest of Halfbeak's wardrobe is in the blue and gold of the Chirrut flock.

Personality & History:
Born into the large Chirrut flock Halfbeak grew up expecting a normal life serving the Chirrut as a merchant. But as every Kenku knows, to become a landed merchant of the flock one must first prove their worth as a peddler traveling from town to town in order to prove their business talent and build up a network to rely upon.

And so Halfbeak proceeded, working to make allies and outwit rivals until one day a risky shortcut to Dennejah failed to pan out and the young Kenku found himself set upon by bandits. Unable to defend himself Halfbeak was sure that his death would swiftly follow after they took out his left eye. And if not for the timely intervention of Donsai Miname it would have most likely been the case, the Gensai swordsman dispatched the bandits and provided bandages for Halfbeak to take care of himself with.

Following Kenku tradition Halfbeak swore a life-debt to Donsai and found that the wandering swordsman's life fit in well with his traveling merchant status. The two traveled for a time, Donsai providing help where he could and Halfbeak attempting to keep the two of them alive. A recent stop in Dennejah has allowed for him to sell a good portion of his wares and given him time to catch up with the Chirrut flock. A few stray rumors come to him about an interesting situation involving one Javad Armand.

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical: 1[] 2[]
Morale: 1[] 2[]
Consequences:
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Aspects:
High Concept: Self-Interested Peddler
Trouble: Life-debt to a Man with a Death Wish
Aspect: Frugal Financier
Aspect: In with the Chirut Flock
Aspect: One Discerning Eye

Skills:
Great (+4): Contacts
Good (+3): Empathy, Resources
Fair (+2): Deceive, Investigate, Rapport
Average (+1): Notice, Athletics, Stealth, Shoot, Provoke

Stunts:
Notorious Gossip: NAME gets a +2 boost to Contacts when creating an advantage to plant a mischievous rumor on someone.
Psychoanalysis: Once per scene NAME can spend a fate point to make a special, targeted, Empathy roll representing NAME's potent deductive faculties. For each shift made on this roll NAME discovers or creates an aspect on the target of the observations, though only one can be invoked for free.
Little White Lies: +2 to Deceive so long as NAME thinks the lie is being made to help the other person out.

Equipment: Hand Crossbow (+1)

 

[Kinich-Ahau]

Name: Sutekh Misra
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Race: Naga
Description: He has speckled golden eyes, ochre skin, & saffron scales. All of his hair save for a long braid that reaches his pectorals has been shaved off. A single polished prase earring dangles from his left ear, and he wears numerous armbands and bracelets of microcline. His robes are dark indigo.
Bio:

Spoiler :

Hailing from deep in the desert, where only the most experienced adventurers can hope to venture to and survive, Sutekh was raised by the isolationist Ptolemis clan. The Ptolemis clan has a long and proud history- or so they claim- teaching primal magicks forgotten to all but the most knowledgeable of scholars.

As is Ptolemis custom, Sutekh was sent out into the desert with no food or water at dawn on his 17th hatchday. The Ptolemis believe that the desert will reveal something of deep spiritual significance to all clan members, and that this is something they must do alone. If the youth returns, they celebrate a successful rite of passage; if not, they take it as a sign that the desert spirits claimed the youth to protect the tribe. Sutekh, with his deep knowledge of vodun and desert wildlife, passed his trial without incident and returned.

The same could not be said, however, for his sister Nephthys when she took her trial two years later. Sutekh and Nephthys were incredibly close growing up, and while the rest of the tribe was ready to shrug and say 'she was taken for a reason, do not mourn her,' Sutekh was simply unwilling to do the same. He tried tracking her trough the desert, but the trail led nowhere. He tried to divine her location with vodun, but no matter how many spells he cast or how well he cast them, he could not locate her. With no other options, and recalling the tales of some older Ptolemites of a massive library filled with unknown magical tomes, located somewhere called 'Denney-Jha,' Sutekh left his tribe, determine to learn whatever he would need to to locate his dearest sister.

Refresh: 3
FATE: 3

Stress:

• Physical: 1[] 2[] 3[]
• Morale: 1[] 2[] 3 [] 4[]

Consequences:

• Mild: N/A
• Moderate: N/A
• Severe: N/A

High Concept: Jedi Snake
Trouble: Doesn't know when to quit
Aspect: Desert Mystic
Aspect: On the hunt for Nephthys
Aspect: Loves Animals

Skills:

• Great: Will
• Good: Vodun, Empathy
• Fair: Physique, Athletics, Fight
• Average: Stealth, Investigate, Rapport, Notice

Spells:

• Luck
• Clarity
• Safety

Stunts:

• One with Nature: Sutekh may use Empathy in place of Lore for all knowledge rolls relating to the natural world
• Warrior Monk: Sutekh may spend a FATE point to add his skill in Vodun to any Fight roll, so long as he is under the effect of Clarity
• Spirit Animal: When casting magic against someone, parts of or objects associated with the animal which is closest in mannerisms to the target count as a powerful symbolic tie to the target (Ex, cat hair would count as a powerful symbolic tie to someone who is catlike)

Equipment:

• Gnarled Staff (+1)

 

[Celticfury]

Apologies for the late reply, was busy today. Kinich, I'm going to say no to Warrior Monk. Spirit Animal will work, but it can only be used on the primary target. Meaning, if you are trying to get Person A to rage against Person B, it can only be used on Person A. Also, I'm going to need you to change your High Concept. I really do not want to have to consult another game I was barely in to understand that.

 

[Celticfury]

Friendly reminder that the first mission will be tomorrow at 5 PM, EST. I have also added a bit of lore on the Emerald Blades, the Shaded Bazaar, Master Armand, and his apprentice Alya Nagi.

 

[Celticfury]

Mission 1 Summary

Upon learning of a plot to kidnap Master Armand, Halfbeak and Donsai set out to intercept and warm the scholar, who was headed to the Shaded Bazaar with two of his students, Layla and Sutekh. A minor miscommunication led to a brief, but tense, standoff between the loyal students and the would be saviors, until the true threat revealed themselves; Umami Kircut, along with a small posse of hired thugs. After refusing his demands to hand over the aster, a battle which can be more accurately described as a massacre ensued. With pieces of the formed assailants scattered on the street, the team is left with the question of why the flock would attempt such a brazen assault, and also if the GM can figure out how to not make looting OP.

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Alright, thanks to everyone for coming out Thursday. I apologize for the shaky start, hopefully I can solve the technical difficulties for next time. And with the first mission complete, we have reached a minor milestone.

During a minor milestone, you can choose to do one (and only one) of the following:

• Switch the rank values of any two skills, or replace one Average (+1) skill with one that isn’t on your sheet.
• Change any single stunt for another stunt.
• Purchase a new stunt, provided you have the refresh to do so. (Remember, you can’t go below 1 refresh.)
• Rename one character aspect that isn’t your high concept.

Next mission will again be on Thursday, at 5 PM EST. The next mission planned will likely have little or no combat, so fair warning. Depends on how things go.

 

[Kinich-Ahau]

I will probably not be present for missions before 6 from this point on.

 

[Celticfury]

Mission 2 Summary

Following the attempted kidnapping of Master Armand, an inquiry was launched by the Blades into the matter. After speaking with the flock leader Umami Chorhl, the Blades declared that Kircut was acting by his own volition, though Alya insited that the flock leader had ordered the attack. Despite publicly dismissing any such connection, Halfbeak decided to investigate things personally, preferring not to involve outsiders in flock matters. After spending some time to prepare, Halfbeak and Donsai set out for the Umami compound, with Layla and Alya following behind stealthily. As the negotiations began, Layla snuck into the compound through a unguarded balcony, making her way to Chorhl's private chamber. Rather than finding the treasure she had hoped, Layla was set upon by three assassin's, who chased the would-be thief to the meeting room. It was then revealed that the assassin's were here to kill Chorhl, for failing their leader. After a slightly-tougher-than-last-time fight, and the assassin's laying dead on the floor, Layla and Donsai turned their attention to Chorhl, in hopes of gaining some answers. Chorhl soon revealed that he had in fact planned the kidnapping, at the request of the group the assassin's worked for. Their leader had been seeking a book, connected to a Pre-Calamity temple, that was supposedly taken by one of the members of the last expedition. The assassin's planned to interrogate Armand for a list of those involved on the trip, to hunt down the thief.

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So another mission complete, and now I think it is time for a another minor milestone.

• Switch the rank values of any two skills, or replace one Average (+1) skill with one that isn’t on your sheet.
• Change any single stunt for another stunt.
• Purchase a new stunt, provided you have the refresh to do so. (Remember, you can’t go below 1 refresh.)
• Rename one character aspect that isn’t your high concept.

Next mission will again be on Thursday, at 5 PM EST.

 

[Celticfury]

Just a reminder, mission will be today at 5 PM, EST.

 

[Kinich-Ahau]

I will most likely not be present for the mission

 

[Celticfury]

Mission 3 Summary

After conducting some research, Alya discovered that there had indeed been a book that went missing from the expedition in the Ruined Quarters. She also uncovered a potential lead to the book's location; a naga by the name of Hashin. Hashin was a thief formerly under Chorhl's employ, who had been on the expedition, but disapeered shortly after it returned. The team set off to locate Hashin, yielding little results until the naga herself bumped into Donsai. After being chased, tackled, and placed in a choke hold by Layla, the thief admitted that she did have the book, and agreed to hand the book over to the party, seeing it as being more trouble than it is worth. With their bounty safely acquired, the four set out back to the Spire, only to be confronted by a genasi woman and several naga. The woman insisted the party speak with "The Ascended", and after receiving their agreement, pulled out a curious artifact, and began speaking with a strange voice. The voice claimed that an Old God, Agammaru, was returning, and demanded the party hand over the book. When they refused, the woman and her minions attacked, dealing a great deal of damage to Donsai before ultimately being defeated. The attackers were revealed to have amulets with the same symbol as the book, adding another mystery that needs to be solved.

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Alright, so that mission went decently enough. Apologies for the repetitiveness and shaky start, I will try to fix that in the future. But for more, it is time for a significant milestone.

During a significant milestones, you can choose to do one (and only one) of the following:

• Switch the rank values of any two skills, or replace one Average (+1) skill with one that isn’t on your sheet.

• Change any single stunt for another stunt.

• Purchase a new stunt, provided you have the refresh to do so. (Remember, you can’t go below 1 refresh.)

• Rename one character aspect that isn’t your high concept.

In addition to the benefit of a minor milestone, you also gain both of the following:

• If you have a severe consequence that’s been around for at least two sessions, you can clear it.
• Raise the bonus of one skill by one.

I should have mentioned this before, but any changes made to your characters must be posted either in thread, or sent to me via pm or Steam, so I can keep track of them.

Next mission is tentatively set for Thursday the 9th, at 5 PM EST. That week may be a bit busy, but I should be able to keep the date.

 

[Dem Taqat]

Character Alterations: Gain Empathy as an average skill.

A little note for those who don't know (and explanation for those confused by the above), FATE uses something called skill columns for character advancement. This rule says that for every skill at a given level, you need to have an equal number of skills at the level below it. If I were to try for instance, boosting Fight to +4, I would have more skills at +4 than at +3, which would violate that rule. Because of the way the skill Pyramid is set up, boosting any of our current skills will result in a violation of this rule, hence the only option is to get a new one at +1.

Random Thought: Calling them approaches instead of skills in one post when on every previous occasion they have been called skills is confusing as all get out. Consistent terminology helps everyone.

DT

 

[Lighthearter]

If we are using a pyramid, Take Contacts at +1. However, if we are not using the pyramid rules(which is what I suspect for reasons, clarification would be nice though), boost Fight to +2, since I seem to get in a lot of melee engagements.

 

[Patchy]

Provoke +1

 

[Celticfury]

Reminded that we will be continuing last week's mission today.

 

[Celticfury]

Mission 4/5 Summary

A few days after retrieving the book from Hashin, the group was summoned to Master Armand's study, where they were met by Captain Rajab Ishak. The captain, impressed by their previous endeavours, offered them a chance to join the Auxiliary, to help bring down the so called “Ascended”. Accepting the offer (with one abstaining), the team was then given their first official mission; find the one responsible for supplying artifacts to the Ascended. Heading to Copper Street in the Shaded Bazaar, they were eventually directed to the store of one Akim Eridar. The talismonger provided quite talkative, for a price, particularly one the subject of Agammura. Before he could continue, though, he was attacked by his naga guard. Thankfully, due to the intervention of Donsai and Layla, the naga assailant was subdued and bound, with Akim safe from harm. He then provided a bit of info on who had purchased the disk found previously; a red genasi, who apparently was a patron of the Silent Grove, a place where the rich and powerful hob nob. Armed with the new info, the team elected to take the naga to Chorhl’s abandoned home, to interrogate her for information.

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Sorry for the late update. As confirmed by LH, the mission day will switch to Tuesday, although the next mission will be delayed until next week, on the 28th. In the meantime, take a minor milestone, if you so desire.