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Post by LabRat on Oct 11, 2012 12:05:47 GMT -6
Reroll
[dice=12][rand=4508237082012744588202261725973673685971410442355369864965410523]
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Post by LabRat on Oct 14, 2012 10:57:19 GMT -6
Aria's fifth level character sheet Added Combat Reflexes and switched out maneuvers Steely Strike for Rapid Counter (ToB 65) Attachments:
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Post by Rigil Kent on Oct 14, 2012 11:39:13 GMT -6
Observation: You should also have Weapon Focus (spiked chain) from the bonus training session, so your attack would be +11, not +10.
Also, is the "initiator" level correct? With the crown doo-hickey, your effective level is +1 for terms of determining maneuvers and stances.
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Post by LabRat on Oct 14, 2012 15:34:05 GMT -6
Thank you for pointing that out. For some reason my character sheet got really messed up in hero forge so I had to go to an older version and recreate it. I guess I overlooked the Weapon Focus.
The initiator level is correct. Not much happens in terms of maneuvers and stances until level 7.
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Post by LabRat on Oct 15, 2012 19:30:25 GMT -6
Fixed. Good catch Rigil. I can't figure out how to change the initiator thing so I'll just make a mental note of it, doesn't change anything though. Attachments:
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Post by Rigil Kent on Oct 28, 2012 12:03:20 GMT -6
Question: who watches the Manor while Aria is away? I'm going to presume that House Devreaux has a loyal older butler type (mayhap a Servile Snarker? Or is he or she simply a Jeeves?) ... so describe this NPC for me.
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Post by LabRat on Oct 28, 2012 13:39:26 GMT -6
How about we do something a bit different and see what you think.
Baxter Mayhue was actually the batman of Liam Starkweather while he was in active duty. After the (insert random war) here, Aria's father gave Baxter a position in the family household as more of a general house manager (much to Isolde's chagrin since she still remains adamant that it is her responsibility to see who oversees the operations of the manor and would therefore appoint staff where she deemed fit). Aria grew up having Baxter around so she never thought his position was odd, though he certainly didn't act as a butler with 'proper' decorum (she would often overhear Baxter having extremely frank conversations with her father, even though she didn't understand the subject matter). Nor did he really look like a typical butler, who were usually much older, as they would have to spend years climbing through the ranks to achieve a similar position.
Baxter never really treated Aria with the proper respect as you would a Lady of the house (this is where elements of the servile snarker comes in). When she was younger and throwing a tantrum he started calling her Tune, for she wasn't being as beautiful or melodious as her namesake suggested. If she came in crying from skinning her knee, he would tell her that His Majesty would never accept a sniveler in his great army. As Aria grew older, she started to banter back and that is where they made a lasting connection. Aria started appreciating Baxter because he didn't treat her as a Lady of her station and she enjoyed the moments where she didn't have to keep up appearances.
Unbeknownst to Aria, her father asked Baxter to watch over her when he was on his deathbed. He kept that promise until Merek overtook the household. Merek ended up relieving all of the staff of the house and replacing it with his own servants. Baxter vanished without even telling Aria goodbye. When she asked Merek what had become of him, Merek would simply say that he has been taken care of.
Before Aria and the group left Korvosa to answer a summons from the Aspis Consortium, she hired runners to find information as to the whereabouts of Baxter. They returned with a letter from Baxter saying that he is now able to return to her house. Aria is overjoyed when she sees him again but she notices that in the time they have been apart Baxter has changed. He is thinner now, with a scar that runs down his cheek, and he walks with a slight limp. When Aria inquires what happened, Baxter says that she shouldn't worry about it, and that he is just happy to be in her employ once again. Aria doesn't push but the haunted look in Baxter's face causes her to wonder what exactly happened to him.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Oct 28, 2012 14:02:28 GMT -6
I like! I like. Two options for the face. First is Gerald of Rivia from the Witcher stuff and the Second is Future John Connor from Terminator 2. Which do you prefer? Both would fit the character, I think... or
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Post by LabRat on Oct 28, 2012 14:31:51 GMT -6
I wanted to give you a character you could play around with a bit in terms of adding to part of the story that Aria doesn't know (or the player for that matter, makes it more fun for me *EDIT* I just ask that you don't do the "the butler did it" trope). Let's go with Gerald but I think I am going to change his surname. He doesn't look like Baxter Mayhew. more like a Baxter Iamgonnakickyourass
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Post by Rigil Kent on Oct 30, 2012 18:12:48 GMT -6
Thanks to Baxter's keen insights into Korvosan nobility, you have a better grasp on the political situation. (AKA, I've revised the Prominent Noble Families page.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 11, 2015 10:43:49 GMT -6
Moved this thread.
Also, in the interests of ensuring that the party (in whatever form it becomes) actually stays together, it occurred to me that we could actually reproduce the Aria-Mardak relationship with Aria and Kenrick. Right now, Kenrick's past is most a big empty hole - he was told one thing by Lord Stagwood, that his mother was a lady-in-waiting there and that his father died, but that does not necessarily have to be the full truth. Perhaps his mother was a lady-in-waiting at Lord Stagwood's keep, but perhaps his father was Aria's father. Perhaps Kenrick looks a lot like their father, which causes Aria to take note.
In this way, both characters would (eventually) have a strong interest in seeing House Starkweather restored to its former prominence...
Just some random thoughts...
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 11, 2015 11:28:20 GMT -6
If the name "Devreaux" sticks, that might suggest the family has Antagonese roots
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Post by LabRat on Jul 13, 2015 7:32:59 GMT -6
Moved this thread. In this way, both characters would (eventually) have a strong interest in seeing House Starkweather restored to its former prominence... If you are totally fine with that, then I am as well. It would make sense in terms of the two people who may eventually enter the foray of aristocracy to have a common goal, and it would always help with party solidarity. @ Giger If we know each other before hand due to the Hero's guild (if that's still on the table), then one of Aria's short term ambitions is to look into the lineage of Kenrick. As luck would have it, she may know of a certain Beguiler that could help her out. Her other ambitions would depend on how you want her background story played out in terms of what happened to her lands and title. Depending on what she is left with would determine what her ultimate goal would be. I know she has an established back story, but we can certainly tweak it if it would help the GM or the party out.
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 13, 2015 7:54:49 GMT -6
The Ambition isn't for me as GM, per se, but for you as the player, to give you an RP goal to work towards. It can be whatever you want to focus on. Restoring the House is a perfectly good one, has obvious rewards for completion, and is probably going to be long-term. Sometime before we kick off, I'm going to make an accounting of everyone's Ambitions and work out the crunch, what you have to do to complete it and what you get out of it when you do.
As far as the relationship between the PCs goes: all I've specified is the Guild membership—beyond that, it's up to you guys. You don't need to explain further unless you just want to. It could totally be a Noodle Incident.
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Post by LabRat on Jul 13, 2015 10:32:22 GMT -6
Maybe what I was getting at wasn't clear, sorry! I totally plan on thinking up her ambition(s) but I just wanted to confirm that her background story that she already has passes muster for this campaign. Right now she is left with the main house and her title and a meager sum of money. If any part of her background story would change (let's say as a GM you don't think she should keep her title or her physical house, etc.) then her short term ambitions would change (i.e. if she no longer had her home, she would want to try to make some money so she could get out of living in the slums).
Of course her great ambition would be to restore her house, but I figured there needs to be supplemental ambitions to be used as stepping stones. I won't know how to proceed until I understand her current situation. If you don't have any issues, then I'll keep her as is and go from there.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 13, 2015 11:09:28 GMT -6
Moved this thread. In this way, both characters would (eventually) have a strong interest in seeing House Starkweather restored to its former prominence... If you are totally fine with that, then I am as well. It would make sense in terms of the two people who may eventually enter the foray of aristocracy to have a common goal, and it would always help with party solidarity. @ Giger If we know each other before hand due to the Hero's guild (if that's still on the table), then one of Aria's short term ambitions is to look into the lineage of Kenrick. As luck would have it, she may know of a certain Beguiler that could help her out. The way I've been approaching Kenrick thus far is that he has never actually met either parent. According to what he was told, his father died before he was born and his mother died during childbirth. He doesn't have anything of theirs so the easiest way to really introduce that thread is if he looks exactly like one of Aria's parents - I lean toward Dad, because that's the easiest to work with. Plus, as a bastard, providing we could actually prove that (which I have no idea whatsoever how we'd go about doing that), he's not going to inherit anything of yours unless legitimized (heh. Kenrick Starkweather. Not a bad flow, I must admit) which could lead to a new ambition on my part. Maybe what I was getting at wasn't clear, sorry! I totally plan on thinking up her ambition(s) but I just wanted to confirm that her background story that she already has passes muster for this campaign. Right now she is left with the main house and her title and a meager sum of money. If any part of her background story would change (let's say as a GM you don't think she should keep her title or her physical house, etc.) then her short term ambitions would change (i.e. if she no longer had her home, she would want to try to make some money so she could get out of living in the slums). Heh. Dragon Age II. Living in the slums with your uncle, trying to regain the title to your house? I think the easiest way to phrase that ambition in Crusader Kings 2 terms, Giger, is her ambition is to "Gain a Title." In this case, it just happens to be her title again...
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Post by LabRat on Jul 13, 2015 11:27:51 GMT -6
I lean toward Dad, because that's the easiest to work with. Plus, as a bastard, providing we could actually prove that (which I have no idea whatsoever how we'd go about doing that), he's not going to inherit anything of yours unless legitimized (heh. Kenrick Starkweather. Not a bad flow, I must admit) which could lead to a new ambition on my part. Yeah, I was expecting him to look like the spitting image of her father, or at least enough to get Aria's attention. It would take some time and a lot of luck to prove his lineage (if it is even possible), but having a half-brother to potentially secure the name Starkweather would be a much better situation than another potential crappy marriage.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 13, 2015 11:39:44 GMT -6
Here's a thing to consider: what is Aria's personality in this regard? Does she dance around why she asked questions about his family? Or does she bluntly tell Kenrick that he looks exactly like her father? If the GM decides she still has a manor house in the Capital (even an especially rundown one that will require lots and lots of coin to repair and rebuild), then perhaps there is a portrait within of her parents that she can show him? Do we start the game with him knowing that he might be a bastard or do we reveal that later? Much depends on the characters ... I actually lean toward her keeping that a secret for the time being, perhaps at Jareth's urging or Aria's own struggles with trust at least initially. After all, we're just 1st level at this point (urgh) and who knows ... she may fear that he'd be a jerk who might try to steal her claim out from under her. Once she gets to know him better and recognizes his alignment is LG, she'd possibly realize that he's unlikely to do any of that and will instead be the frighteningly loyal family she no longer has. Also, where were Devreaux lands? Given the pseudo-French spelling, needs to be in one of the three border territories - Coastlands, Crownlands, Highlands. Crownlands is probably easiest as it means the king can reward Aria with them when we become famous and all.
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 13, 2015 11:56:16 GMT -6
On review, my first takeaway is that the overall story should be fine as-is. I do have some "issues" (for lack of a better term) that are primarily cosmetic.
1) Technically can't belong to two "houses," though Starkweather could be a cadet branch of Devreaux, and therefore "related"—whatever she does will likely only affect Starkweather, not Devreaux, which has likely continued on (possibly in Antagonia). It would be simpler to ditch the Devreaux connection entirely. This is, of course, open to discussion—I don't know everything; you might have an example of a RL situation that is analogous to your original story
2) Lucian's family (not named? Or is that where Starkweather comes in?), as far as my understanding is concerned, would gain nothing from a marriage to Arya's unless (a) the marriage is matrilineal and their offspring would be of her house (in which case, most likely, Lucian's family is not nobility), or (b) Arya's line is related to a higher nobility that will increase Lucians' prestige (but their offspring would be of his line, not hers, and would do nothing for her house). As above, I can be corrected here, especially with an appropriate example.
3) How to revive the house? Marriage to another man will continue his house, not hers, unless he agrees to a matrilineal situation. If she "discovers" a male heir to the house and can get him recognized, his children will continue the line—in which case, she just needs to push "that guy" into a good marriage. (This discovery doesn't necessarily need to be Rigil's character, though it would certainly work.) It seems like the most likely scenario depriving the family of their titles would be a lack of inheritors, or weird lines of inheritance that cause it to drift to some other house; in which case, she'd need to have the title removed from whomever currently holds it and have it granted to her house instead—which won't be easy. Maybe simpler if the house still holds the title, and is just "threatened" with its loss when Arya inherits.
Continuing to muse…
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 13, 2015 12:12:27 GMT -6
1) Technically can't belong to two "houses," though Starkweather could be a cadet branch of Devreaux, and therefore "related"—whatever she does will likely only affect Starkweather, not Devreaux, which has likely continued on (possibly in Antagonia). It would be simpler to ditch the Devreaux connection entirely. This is, of course, open to discussion—I don't know everything; you might have an example of a RL situation that is analogous to your original story The cadet branch sounds like it is probably the way to go. Perhaps the original Devreaux House has lands straddling both Antagonia and Generica (which is very much the sort of thing that happened between England and France), and then the first Starkweather "broke away" from them and claimed all of the territory in Generica as their's. This would naturally have led to a war back in the day, which could be amusing if House Starkweather/House Devreaux lands are one of those territories that are constantly fought over. She referenced "Old Name, New Money" so I presumed that Lucian's family weren't nobility but were probably wealthier than the Starkweathers at the time. So matrilineal marriage with Lucian's family gaining access (through the Starkweathers) to other nobles... And it is ARIA, not Arya. Arya is the would-be assassin.
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 13, 2015 12:29:33 GMT -6
Medieval spelling is fluid
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 13, 2015 12:58:37 GMT -6
Still thinking this over…
If the Starkweathers' lands (probably a low-level keep/town) are in the Westmark, that puts them in oft-contested territory from the Antagonese and Northraiders (plus it makes them pseudo-Scottish), which is good for the backstory and for the potential future. It could be that the Arl of Westmark is a dick, and has revoked the title for himself in payment for their many debts, perhaps promising to give it back (fingers crossed?) if the debts are repaid—combined, giving Aria good cause to be adventuring.
(ETA: Guess it doesn't need to be the Arl; could be further down the chain a bit)
(ETA2: Westmark or Thistlemoor (I think?))
Was also thinking about the chain—if dad or granddad was an adventurer, and took this magical chain-weapon as a prize for some sentimental reason, it might have been handed down as an heirloom, maybe not-so-much expecting it to get "used"
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Post by LabRat on Jul 14, 2015 8:48:51 GMT -6
Here's a thing to consider: what is Aria's personality in this regard? Also, where were Devreaux lands? Crownlands is probably easiest as it means the king can reward Aria with them when we become famous and all. For now Aria isn't going to say anything to Kenrick directly. You are right about the trust issues. So we can open the campaign with him still being in the dark, but she is going to poke around to see what she can find. The only problem is that she isn't a poking around sort, so she will probably enlist Jareth for help, if he is willing. For her lands, let go with Crownlands, makes things easier. Technically can't belong to two "houses"... Funny you should mention that, but to be perfectly honest, I am not entirely sure why I decided that they were to be Starkweathers but the house is Devreaux. It has been...what 2-3 years since I picked up the character, so my memory as to my reasonings is a bit fuzzy. Either you are correct, and they are a cadet branch, or maybe due to the true lineage of Devreaux dying out they needed to go matrilineal and so a Starkweather took up the mantle. So I guess they would be the Starkweathers of Devreaux? Honestly I have no idea what I was thinking. If it is easier to drop the Devreaux name, then I am totally fine with that. Obviously it wasn't important enough for me to remember! On the other hand, being a cadet branch that straddles both Antagonia and Generica, as Rigil suggested could be kind of cool, and may make for a richer campaign with more options. If anyone has a preference, then let me know. I'm fine with either. The marriage is matrilineal and their offspring would be of her house (in which case, most likely, Lucian's family is not nobility That is what I was going for. Lucian's family were very wealthy but not nobility. Starkweathers needed money and a continuing line. It wasn't perfect but it suited both parties enough to strike a deal. How to revive the house... This was really difficult for me to figure out as well (maybe I should have played a guy, which would have made this a LOT easier in terms of logistics ) That is why the idea of Rigil's character being her half sibling does hold a lot of appeal and will ultimately be a goal that both of them could work on. Was also thinking about the chain... The chain does have a background story earlier in the thread. Her father named it SoulSunder, and they were originally chains that bound him when he was set upon by some sort of ilk. Eventually he escaped and made a weapon out of the very thing that bound him. Aria now uses it to honor him.
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 14, 2015 9:04:54 GMT -6
Why don't we start over a bit, here? Which name do you want to use: Devreaux or Starkweather? Either works for me. Though Starkweather fits the setting a bit better, on the surface, both have some implied flavor. I think we have enough of an understanding of the fall of the house, though we might need to massage the house's current status a bit (land or no land, title or no title, etc.), so we end up with something logical and manageable—I think the details are less important than the overall feel of the situation.
I was thinking of the Highlands before: the Crownlands do share borders with Antagonia a bit and puts the family lands closer to the Capital (campaign HQ), but the Highlands are more likely to be "disputed." Depends on what you want to end up dealing with at home, really. I vote Highlands, to the extent it matters.
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Post by LabRat on Jul 14, 2015 10:08:29 GMT -6
Why don't we start over a bit, here? Which name do you want to use: Devreaux or Starkweather? Either works for me. Though Starkweather fits the setting a bit better, on the surface, both have some implied flavor. I think we have enough of an understanding of the fall of the house, though we might need to massage the house's current status a bit (land or no land, title or no title, etc.), so we end up with something logical and manageable—I think the details are less important than the overall feel of the situation. I was thinking of the Highlands before: the Crownlands do share borders with Antagonia a bit and puts the family lands closer to the Capital (campaign HQ), but the Highlands are more likely to be "disputed." Depends on what you want to end up dealing with at home, really. I vote Highlands, to the extent it matters. Starkweather, and I agree with the hammering out of the story sans nit-picky details. I don't have too much of an opinion as to where the lands are, tbh. For the sake of story, it would make more sense for the Highlands since they are more disputed, and therefore more chaotic of a setting. I see Highlands more of a the "wilds" compared to Crowlands, so it would contribute to her personality and why she isn't the typical Lady. It also may give her a bit of an 'outsider' stigma. It is a flavor I like.
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 14, 2015 10:13:19 GMT -6
So, let's put her in Westmark, which makes the Starkweathers bannermen to Duc Robyn of the Highlands and House Wolfrey
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Post by LabRat on Jul 14, 2015 10:16:01 GMT -6
So, let's put her in Westmark, which makes the Starkweathers bannermen to Duc Robyn of the Highlands and House Wolfrey Perfect
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 14, 2015 11:30:51 GMT -6
So, let's put her in Westmark, which makes the Starkweathers bannermen to Duc Robyn of the Highlands and House Wolfrey Hmm. The most eligible bachelor. Why do I foresee him falling madly in love with Aria upon first sight?
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 14, 2015 20:02:35 GMT -6
Idea: If Starkweather is on the border of Antagonia, it might make sense that the ... keep? Town? Is currently under Antagonese control so Aria's initial objective with being part of the Heroes Guild would be to earn enough money to hire a sufficient number of mercenaries to retake the land. The arl of the region could be refusing to aid because he's in Antagonese pockets, or he wants those lands for himself, or he's tired of seeing good men sent to their deaths, or some other reason entirely...
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Post by Gigermann on Jul 15, 2015 8:17:32 GMT -6
Starkweather lands=Guffinhall
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