Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past- recruitment, Recruiting reserves Options

[Seth]

OK Since my "prerecruitment thread" became a recruitment thread, I thought I would formally open a recruitment thread. Please use your first post to keep your character description in, so that I can find it.

Please have first draft characters ready by the 1st March, and I will start running around the 7th March. I will fill the following section in by the 1st March

Current players:

Reservists:


The purpose for the recruitment thread was to get the feeling for the rules and character creation sorted. I got the view that a lot of people had problems making characters feel 10,000 years old, and the few characters I saw showed why. This is now quite a bit more powerful than I had planned on playing, but hey at least I can make the monsters tougher. The following is the current set of character creation rules, it has changed since the recruitment thread, so please read carefully. I will bold the important change (starting magic = 7)

If you have problems making your character feel powerful, please PM me, or post. A couple of characters have done this, and benefited from it.

[ Spoiler ]

General: Unless otherwise stated, the standard character creation rules are to be used except as noted below:
Build Points: Everyone has 450 Build Points and 20 bonus Karma to spend. You are not required to use all of the Karma during character creation, and may save it for future use instead. You can spend the karma on anything (even initiation at 0.6*cost)
Knowledge Skills: Instead of the normal allotment, you gain (Logic + Intuition)x10 Knowledge Skill points. Build Points can be spent to gain even more as per the standard rules. You also gain General History as a free Knowledge Skill at a rank equal to your Logic attribute. Other history-based skills are highly advised.
Contacts: You gain (Charisma)x4 points to use on Contacts. Build Points can be used to purchase additional points.
Relationships/Factions: You gain (Charisma)x2 points that you can use to bolster your relationships with various immortal factions. Negative values are permissible as appropriate.
Wealth: You start with (Willpower)x10,000 nuyen in addition to any other resources you purchase normally.
Availabilties & Gear: If you have access to an appropriate skill or ability to explain how you created or obtained the item, you can exceed the normal limit of Availability 12 on a case-by-case basis.
Cyberware and Bioware: All cyberware and bioware that you have is deltaware, but costs the same price as standard.
Initiation: Everyone begins as a Grade 4 Initiate, and as an immortal elf/drake/weird thing you start with magic 7. You may also be completely mundane if you so choose, gaining +100 Build Points in compensation. Technomancers may instead submerge four times,and start with resonance 7.
Metamagic: Everyone starts with 3 metamagic techniques plus Masking. You may exchange a metamagic technique for either one additional Power Point or Magic point, for a maximum of +3 of either. If you are a free spirit you can get a metamagic as a spirit power for 1.5 spirit points. This means you can use edge instead of initiate level

Racial rules
Drake:
This will cost 30 build points, the armour (hardened and mystic) will be raised to 6 points. The drake stat bonus's increase maximum stats by 1.5*the bonus.

Immortal Elf:
This costs 0 points. Same bonus's as for an elf + immunity to age

Free spirit:
This costs 30 points. You buy attributes exactly the same way that all other players buy attributes. All attributes start at two. Your natural maximum for attributes is your force, which is capped to 6 + initiation level, and is also capped to 5 + minimum physical or mental attribute. Remember to raise an attribute to the natural maximum costs 25 points. Note that in many historical places there will be a background count that is negative, and this will affect your force, and hence your natural maximum. You gain karma like regular characters. You cannot gain karma by selling spirit pacts.
There are two new spirit powers. 1: "Resist background" costs 1 spirit point, lets you ignore 1 point of background. 2: Metamagic, you can select a metamagic that you would be normally allowed to learn, and learn it as a spirit power. Cost 1.5 spirit points, but you use your edge not your initiate grading.

Choices I would like you to make:
How did you survive the last horrors?
What roll did you take in the Egyption period?
What roll did you take in the Greek period?
What roll did you take in the Mayan/Aztec period?
What roll did you take during the reformation, and the growth of technology?
Where were you during world war II
What is your view on technology?
What is your view on Monarchy vs rule of the masses in a world where the monarch is immortal

Rule system modifiers: hopefully short

[ Spoiler ]

Clarifications / Optional rules

• Mostly RAW: SR4A, Unwired, Augmented, Arsenal, Streetmagic, Players companion, Digital grimoire. If you want something from War! flag it to me
• Extended tests: each extra roll is at -1 die
• Shapeshift clarification: You can turn into a normal critter. Your natural maximums don't change. Your equipment mostly falls in a heap on the ground
• The attribute used with the Arcana skill is the same as your traditions drain resistance attribute
• A physical quickened spell stays on the body it was cast on

Modifications

• Martial arts are not qualities
• Watchers don't suck at watching. Not sure how this will work, would appreciate advice
• Empathy software doesn't exist
• Resisting possession is willpower + highest mental stat.
• Possessing creatures add half their force (or for free spirits half their attribute) to the hosts, and the augmented max physical attribute of the hybrid creature is that of the host
• Damage spells do your magic stat as damage. Removed
• No multicasting of spells
• Quickened spells that have been dispelled a bit (successes reduced) can be repaired by recasting the spell (successes in spell casting will add to existing successes). If the spell is reduced to 0 successes by dispel its gone though
• If a quickened spell goes into an area with a very high background (more than its force), it is not dispelled, its just operating at 0 successes until it comes out of the area.

Relationships:

[ Spoiler ]

You have Charisma*2 points of relationship (you can spend 1 bp for 1 extra pt) for the following factions:

• Queen Alachia
• Harlequin
• Ehran the Scribe
• Prince Sean Laverty
• Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra
• High prince Lugh Surehand
• Dunkelzahn
• Hestaby

Rating 0: They don't like you, and will occasionally go out of their way to cause unpleasantness
Rating 1: Neutral-mild dislike
Rating 2: Neutral
Rating 3: Neutral-mild like
Rating 4: Mild friendship
Rating 5: Mild friendship + respect
Rating 6: You can knock on their door, and if they are in a good mood and not busy, they will invite you in for a chat.

A brief history

[ Spoiler ]

All of you were alive during the peak of the last mana surge. You need to decide how you survived the horrors:

• In a dwarven kaer
• In the elven wooden kaers, which became the blood woods. This means you lived around 500 years in agony
• In a secret dragon lair as a dragon servitor (need relationship 4+ with that dragon)
  Some other way that you think is credible

Just before magic left the world, you all took part in a ritual of hiding. You vaguely remember something went wrong with the ritual, but it was so long ago, you cannot quite remember what. Elves and drakes morph into human appearance (duration: until magic returns). The free spirits hide in jewels. While in the jewels they are protected from the worst effects of the mana loss.

Although magic mostly left the world during the 5th age, there were places in the world where magic did not totally leave. In game mechanic terms, the 5th age varied between -10 and -5 mana. Some places are +/- around 3 on this scale. Most of the remnants of the 4th age naturally gravitated to the most mana rich places (or more specifically the least mana poor places).

During the period -5000 to -2000, magic decayed from -5 to -10 average it was highest in some parts of Egypt, but even there it was was pretty low.

From -500 to 500 magic was strongest in Greece and Italy. There was a temporary 100 year blip in mana around -400 AD, taking magic levels to average -5, and in parts of the greek islands, -2.

From 500 to 1500 magic was strongest in south and central america. The average level was -10.

During 1500-2000, magic was highest in Germany and the UK. The magic level started climbing in 1900. By world war 2, it reached -6, and stabilised there until the dawn of the 6th age. World War II was a particularly disturbing time. The Nazi party came out of nowhere (to Elven eyes), and Hitler was a being of vast magical, charismatic and technological might. The Nazi search for occult treasures was real, and scary. Many of the greatest magical treasures were stolen by the Nazi's and have not been recovered. Many people feel that Hitler was a rogue elf or drake. A few claim it is Queen Alachia, but she refutes this, and no proof has ever been recovered.

From the point of view of the remnants of the 4th age, the years up to 1500 were mostly the same. It was something of a surprise to them, that from 1500 onwards, change started and kept happening faster and faster. The two important themes during this time were the movement of power from monarchs to the masses, and the rise of technology. Some of the elves (led by the queen) generally opposed these trends. Although their magical powers were dramatically reduced, most of the remnants maintained a very small amount of magic which gave them an advantage over mortals. In addition they had a very high level of skill compared to most mortals. Technology basically reduces the advantage they have over normal mortals, and the movement of power from Monarchs (themselves) to the masses was not very palatable. Others (a minority) elves saw the rise of technology as a way to eventually destroy the horrors. Despite everything the Elves could do, tech kept getting more powerful. By the end of the victorian age even the Queen felt that it wasn't really possible to put the genie back in the bottle. With the atomic bomb and the promise of powerful augmentation for the masses, the dream of killing the horrors seems plausible. Other elves remember the dreams that the wooden kaers would hold out against the horrors, and think that this tech is just another crazyness like that.

You are all aware that the Horrors may be returning early. Harlequin has placed the voice of Theyla to stop the enemy, but Theyla has failed before, and may fail again. Dunkelzahn has done something clever to stop them, but even so the horror may be back soon. It is not clear that the kaers will work this time. Technology is good at finding things and at breaking through magical wards. Even the dragons may not survive, as technology is capable of finding their lairs

A few notes on the nature of the world

[ Spoiler ]

Power level is the cap of the number of BPs that you can easily gain. After you meet this cap, in order to gain stuff you have to loose stuff. i.e. in the 15th centuary you were probably a dab hand bladed combat. Today you have forgotton those skills, but learn Electronics.

Tier 1 creatures: The great immortals (Harlequin, Ehran, Queen Alachia) have 800-1500 bps.
Tier 2 creatures: You. Have settled at your current power level and have been at this very respectable level for around 10,000 years.


A basic premise of the game is that for sentient beings memory fades with time: 100 years ago is a long time, 200 is a very long time, and 1000 years is so far back that mostly you remember once remembering things about it.

Fortunately there are two ways for you to recall long ago times: you can write things down (I suspect most of you will be avid diary keepers) or you relive the memories using a varient of astral questing. This varient means that you literally relive the experience: you (with companions) project into the past and reenact the events. You remember you are from the "future", but you also remember things from that time. Mostly the reenactments follow the same line as they did originally. You can get hurt there, and if you die in the past, it is very bad for you in the present.

When you go into the past, you can shuffle all of the BP that you spent of skills around. Please do it in a sensible way and stay recognisably the same. In the past there will usually be a different base mana level. Cyberware will probably not be there (you almost certainly were not cybered when you were there).

You can be opposed in your search for memory. Other people reliving their memories may well be in the same astral quest as yourself, especially if they are trying to hide memories.

How many remnants from the 4th age are there?
A few hundred. The skill 4th age remnant is useful if you want to identify some of them. The problem with memory again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Killing immortals
No one wants a blood bath. Kill one immortal (which is often harder than it looks), and they have friends who will take revenge. Anyway its much more satisfying to embaress and fool.

The first post will look something like this:

[ Spoiler ]

Location: Somewhere in south America. Underneath Aztechnology research pyramid code name Huitzilopochtli.

Whose crazy idea was it to arrange for us to be arrested and shipped out as prisoners to Tzetlan camp 23? Well the idea had worked, and both the prison camp and the pyramid were inside the extremely challenging security cordon.

No one was absolutely sure why Tzetlan camp 23 was so close to the Aztechnology research pyramid, but statistical analysis had shown that for the last three months over 10,000 prisoners had been moved into the camp, and satellite imagery suggested there was probably only space for a few hundred. Ehran’s “guess”, and he was rarely wrong, was that the prisoners were being fed to a horror. Well he probably had some other information, and wasn’t going to share it with us!

Being blackmailed by Queen Alachia was nothing new. You remember her saying “Just pose as prisoners, tunnel into the pyramid, and then you have three tasks. I trust you will be adequate for this simple job:
1> Kill the occupant of room 5
2> Deny any occupants access to storage room 27a”
3> Hold until we capture the place”
“Why us” you asked. “Whats in room 27a” you asked. “What is the source of your information” you asked. “Need to know…and you don’t” was the answer. You considered protesting, but you suspect it would be futile. The phrase “control freak” was invented just for her. You have to wonder where the council gets their information from. The only good thing about this mission is working with the group again. That doesn’t happen often enough. The last time this happened must have been over 120 years ago.

At least you have been promised good Matrix cover, and a hot backup if you ask for it. The Queen may be a bitch, but you’ve never known her go back on her word. The external matrix will be controlled by her, but you will have to deal with any disconnected systems. You will be very surprised if the internal security is not on a separate isolated system.

At midnight on the 27th, the dark of the moon, you started tunnelling. 10 minutes later and here you are. The inner wall of the basement of the pyramid is shattered in front of you, the darkness of the reactor room only lit by the light of the two torches that you smuggled with you. If Ehran is right, and there is a horror here, it will be the first time you have been near such a thing in over 5000 years. You hope you are ready.

Things to think about for the start:

[ Spoiler ]

You will be wearing prison fatigues. You were not heavily searched so items with good concealability / collapsability can be taken. Quite a bit of the game will be in flashbacks, so it is worth working out what sort of armour/equipment you normally wear.

I would like you to think what hold the Queen has over you. As an example, if you are a free spirit it is probably a copy of your formula that she will give back to you.

You have the first approximate post in the above spoiler, and I recommend you think about flashbacks in which you remember chasing down information and doing stuff. The council is Ehran, Lugh Surehand and Queen Alachia (I know this isn't the public facing Council of Princes, but you are fairly sure you know who holds the real power in Tir). Harliquin and Hestaby (in full dragon form) were present (but silent) for your briefing (short though it was) and you had the distinct impression that you were not the only group involved in this operation.

Your last three days looked a bit like this:

• You had about 12 hours notice to get to the council, which was in Tir Tainglire
• The council meeting lasted about 10 mins
• One of you (probably the troll enchanter) is given a magic ring that enables magical tunneling. You thought this type of magic couldn't work at this level of magic: well you learn something every day.
• You were taken straight from the meeting with the council to Aztlan, by a Nape of the earth helicopter
• You had 6 hours to get arrested
• 24 hours after being arrested you were in the train on the way to Tzetlan camp 23
• You arrived at dawn
• During the day three bus loads of 20 prisoners each were taken to the research facility. The prisoners were selected at random it seemed. The prisoners didn't come back. If that's blood magic involved...its a lot of power.
• Lights out at 8pm
• You started digging at midnight

If this feels a bit like a railroad: it is. Some seriously powerful people want to use you as pawns and you don't have to like it, or just lie down. You do all end up in the tunnel though: the nice thing about a GM is that you can pick where to start the story.

Posting guidelines

[ Spoiler ]

I will be following the post or die rules.
If 7 days elapse from the date of your second to last post, your character dies! and someone from the bench moves up. You can always make a new character and get back on the reserve list. Rule 2. If the GM fails to post in the same timeline, a reserve GM can step up and take over (anyone can get on the GM list too). Sign up now!
Unlike post or die if you say "I cannot post for two weeks because..." that will be ok.
I will try and do the GM posting at least three times a week

Your initial security briefing

[Halinn]

Here's my formal sign-up.
I will be playing a Pixie/Windling, who has made a free spirit pact back in the day. I am taking this as a 10 pt. disadvantage, like you suggested in the prerecruitment thread.

Name: Arren
Street nick (since around 2003): Sprite

Sheet, so far:

[ Spoiler ]

14 Karma left.
Pixie
Adept

Body: 2
Agility: 7 (8 )
Reaction: 5 (7)
Strength: 2
Charisma: 7
Intuition: 5
Logic: 5
Willpower: 5
Edge: 5
Magic: 9

Qualities:
Allergy (common, mild, Pollutants)
Spirit Pact (Immortality)
Concealment (self only)
Astral Perception
Sapience
Vanishing
Bought off uneducated

Skills:
First Aid 2
Blades 4 (+2 Knives, karmaspec)
Influence group 4
Stealth group 4
Assensing 3
Artisan 3 (+2 Flute, karmaspec)
Perception 3 (+2 Visual, karmaspec)
Electronics group 1

Languages & Knowledges

[ Spoiler ]

Native Sperethiel
English 4
German 3
Egyptian 1
Greek 2
Mayan 1
Italian 2
Latin 2
Japanese 3

General History 5
4th Age Remnant 1
Earthdawn History 1
Egyptian History 1
Roman History 1
The Dark Ages 1
The Reformation 2
Modern History 2
Safehouses 2
Geography 2
Music Theory 3
Drawing 1
Magic Knowledge 3
Parazoology 3
Gambling 2
Fine Cuisine 1
Shadowrunner Hangouts 2
Security Systems 2
Security Procedure 2

Powers: (12 points)
Improved Reflexes II
Improved Physical Ability (Infiltration) 2
Improved Physical Ability (Palming) 1
Nimble Fingers
Improved Agility 1
Sustenance
Kinesics 3
Improved Social Abilities (Con, Negotiation, Etiquette) 2
Combat Sense 9

Metamagics:
Masking
3x Power Point

Contacts & Relationships:

[ Spoiler ]

Fixer (loyalty 4, connection 3)
Antiquities dealer (loyalty 3, connection 2)
Hermetic Academic (loyalty 3, connection 2)
ID Manufacturer (loyalty 3, connection 3)
Talismonger (loyalty 3, connection 2)

Queen Alachia 3 (neutral-mild like)
Harlequin 1 (neutral-mild dislike)
Ehran the Scribe 1 (neutral-mild dislike)
Prince Sean Lafferty 1 (neutral-mild dislike)
Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra 1 (neutral-mild dislike)
High Prince Lugh Surehand 2 (neutral)
Dunkelzahn 3 (neutral-mild like)
Hestaby 2 (neutral)

Equipment:

[ Spoiler ]

Armored Clothing (4/0)
2x Small Nanopaste Disguise Kit
Autopicker, r6
Keycard Copier, r6
Maglock Passkey, r4
Sequence, r4
2x Fake SIN, r4
2x Fake Licence, r4 (my gun, for both identities)
Medkit, r6
Respirator, r6 (to deal with pollution)

Commlink:
Transys Avalon (4/4)
Custom OS (4/4)
Analyze 4
Browse 4
Rumpelstilskin pre-programmed IC, r3

Weapons:
Chameleon Coated Ceramic Knife (14d to attack, 2P damage)
Chameleon Coated Morrisey Elan with laser sight (8d to attack, 4P damage) - 20 rounds of Hi-C Plastic bullets

Lifestyle (1 month paid):
Comfort: 1
Entertainment: 1
Necessities: 2
Neighborhood: 2
Security: 4

5575 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) left from starting money (i.e. the Willpower cash), to have gear fitted to pixie size

Prison wear will just be the respirator mask and the weapons.
In the past, I would go light on equipment. A knife for defense, some lockpicks and a bit of cash. Possibly a leather armor if appropriate for the age.

[sabs]

I'm playing a Dwarven Wizard who has been staying alive through the ages with the use of Life Magic Rituals™

Born: Marduk of Throal
Legendary name: Marduk The Mad Scholar
Current Name: Mark "Mad Professor" Vladisnov
Dwarf
Mystic Adept

Stats:

[ Spoiler ]

Body: 4
Agility: 2
Reaction: 3
Strength: 3
Charisma: 4
Intuition: 3
Logic: 5[8]
Willpower: 7
Edge: 2
Magic: 10 (9) Adept: 3 Magician: 6
Essence 5

Skills:

[ Spoiler ]

Athletics(g) 1
Close Combat(g) 2
Sorcery(g) 4
Arcana: 4
Artisan: 4
Assensing: 6
Con 4 (Fast Talk)
Data Search 2 (Magical Formulae)
Etiquette 2
Infiltration 2
Negotiation 2
Shadowing 2

Languages:

[ Spoiler ]

Throalic N
Russian: 4
German: 2
English: 4
Farsi: 1
Aztlaner: 1
Mayan: 2
Egyptian: 4
Lation: 1
Italian: 2

Knowledge Skills:

[ Spoiler ]

General History 5
4th World 1
Magic Theory 6
Mapping 3
Chemistry 4
Matrix Theory 2
Economics 3
Spell Theory 4
Architecture 4
Mathematics 4
Philosophy 2
Poetry 2
Russian History 4
Mayan History 4
Biology 3
ParaZoology 2
Zoology 2
Geology 2
Minerology 4
Archeology 4
6th World Politics 4
Secret Societies 4

Contacts: Sigh, I could have spent 400 points on contacts..

[ Spoiler ]

Fixer 2/4 "Nedan the Hand" Dwarf, Moscow Fixer, relationship management services
Hacker 4/2 "Fractals" ???/Hacker in Hong Kong owes Mark some serious favors.
University Professor: 3/1 Michael Von Neederlander Professor of Archeology in Denmark.

Relations:

[ Spoiler ]

Queen Alachia: 0
Harlequin: 1
Ehran the Scribe: 2
Prince Sean Laverty: 1
Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra: 0
High Prince Lugh Surehand: 0
Dunkelzhan: 1
Hestaby: 5

Qualities:

[ Spoiler ]

Linguist
College Education
Restricted Gear(Cerebral Booster)
Allergy (U/S.Gold)
Media Junkie (Moderate)
Blood Price

Magic:
Initiate Level 4
Tradition: Hermetic
Drain: Willpower + Logic

[ Spoiler ]

MetaMagics:

[ Spoiler ]

Masking
Sensing
Great Ritual
Centering
Psychometry

Powers: 3

[ Spoiler ]

Analytics 3 (.75)
Astral Perception (1)
Eidetic Sense Memory (.5)
Enthralling Performance (Con) (.5)
Linguistics (.25)
Item History

Spells:

[ Spoiler ]

Analyze Device
Analyze Magic
Analyze Truth
Armor
Combat Sense
Detect Magic, Extended
Levitate
Manabolt

Bound Foci:

[ Spoiler ]

Spell Casting 3
Shielding 2

Cyber/Bioware

[ Spoiler ]

Cerebral Booster 3
Mnemonic Enhancer 3
PuSHeD

Background:

[ Spoiler ]

When not doing something with the group, Marduk spends his time studying, and then teaching in what ever paces for Greater Learning in the time period. Marduk loves knowledge, and searches for it always. Unfortunately this has brough him into conflict with Queen Alachia on more than one occassion.

And yes, I'm trying to recreate the Wizard Adept from Earthdawn (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) it's.. not easy.

Past Marduk
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...t&p=1091735

Dream Manipulation points:
Roll: 5
Total: 5 + 5 : 10
Used: 2

[Aria]

Profile

Name: Kirylle (Ryl) deBathayre
Alias: eTher
Metatype: Human (Drake)
Sex: Female
Age: Unknown
Nationality: Unknown
Matrix Icon: Celestial Dragon
Reality Filter: Ancient / technological forest
Lifestyle: Medium
Nuyen: 430¥
Karma Earned: 20
Karma Spent: 19
Street Cred: 2
Notoriety: 1
Public Awareness: 1.0

BPs Spent

[ Spoiler ]

Metatype 30
Attributes 220
Edge+Magic/Resonance 30
Qualities -25
Skills 140
Spells/CFs/Foci etc 0
Resources 50
Contacts 5

Attributes

[ Spoiler ]

Natural Final
Body: 3 ( 3 )
Agility: 5 ( 5 )
Reaction: 2 ( 3 )
Strength: 2 ( 2 )
Charisma: 5 ( 5 )
Intuition: 5 ( 5 )
Logic: 3 ( 3 )
Willpower: 5 ( 5 )

Drake Body 7 Agility 5 Reaction 3 Strength 7

Edge: 3
Magic/Res: 9 ( 7 )
Essence: 4.08
Initiative: 7 ( 8 ) [Reaction+Intuition]
Matrix Intiative: 11 ( 18 ) [Response+Intuition +1IP / +1&+2IP for Hot Sim +1IP Accelerator]
Initiative Passes: 2 (2 or 4 matrix)
Phys CM: 10
Stun CM: 11

Qualities

[ Spoiler ]

Drake [Dual Natured, Elemental Attack, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell, Thermographic Sense), Hardened Armor 6, Mystic Armor 4, Natural Weapon (Str/2+2)P, AP 0, +1 Reach, Flight]
Adept
Restricted Gear [Dermal Sheath R:3]
Media Junkie [Moderate - Online min 4hrs / day]
Big Regret
Enemy [One of Lofwyr's drakes] + Vendetta
Day Job [Celedyr's personal quorum 10hrs / wk]
SINer

Active Skills

[ Spoiler ]

Cybercombat 5 vs. Spiders (karma) +1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed +2 Adept Power [LA: Logic T:8]
Electronic Warfare 4 +1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed+2 Adept Power [LA: Logic T:7]
Hacking 6 Exploit (karma) +1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed +3 Adept Power [LA: Logic T:9]
Electronics Group 4
Computer 4+1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed +2 Adept Power [LA: Logic T:7]
Data search 4+1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed [LA: Logic T:7]
Hardware 4+1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed [LA: Logic T:7]
Software 4+1/+2 encephlon +1 PuSHed [LA: Logic T:7]
Dodge 3 [LA: Reaction T:5]
Exotic Ranged Weapon 4+2 Adept Power [LA: Agility T: 9]
Perception 3 +3 adept power + 3 cyber [LA: Intuition T:8]


Hacking on the Fly 18D +2 Exploit +2 Hot SIM +1 Jonathan’s
Cybercombat 16D +2 vs. Spiders +2 Attack Option +2 Hot SIM
Matrix Perception 15D +2 Hot SIM
Matrix Stealth 20D +2 Hot SIM

Perception 11D +3D Visual

Breath Weapon 12D + Attribute Boost [8P, AP-, Elemental Effect: Fire ½ Impact Armour]
Dodge 8D + Attribute Boost

Knowledge Skills

[ Spoiler ]

Draconic N
Speretheil 4
Barsavian 1
Theran 1
English 4
Celtic / Gaelic 3

General History 3 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
History of the Fourth Age 2 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Fourth Age Remnants 1 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Cycles of Magic Theorem 4 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
The Ancient Fifth World 3 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
20th Century Events 3 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Sixth Age History 3 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Physical Sciences 2 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Political Science 2 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Philosophy 2 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Wireless Matrix Protocols 4 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Matrix Security Measures 4 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Shadow Nodes 6
Matrix Entities 3

SOTA Technologies 6 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed
Surveillance Techniques 4
Criminal Psychology 3 +1encephlon +1 PuSHed

Visual Arts 5
Immortal Etiquette 4
Dragons of the Sixth World 6

Adept Powers

[ Spoiler ]

Always Available

• Attribute Boost Agility & Reaction [1] 0.5
• Heightened Concentration 1
• Enhanced Perception [3] 0.75
• Improved Reflexes [1] 1.5
• Eidetic Sense Memory 0.5
• Mystic Armor [4] 2

Human Form [Geas] (2.5 Power Points)

• Analytics [2] 0.4
• Multi-Tasking 0.4
• Improved Hacking [3] 0.6
• Improved Cybercombat [2] 0.4
• Improved Computer [2] 0.4
• Improved Electronic Warfare [2] 0.4

Drake Form [Geas] (2.25 Power Points)

• Improved Breath Weapon [2] 0.75
• Combat Sense [2] 0.75
• Spell Resistance [2] 0.75

Metamagics

[ Spoiler ]

Initiate Grade 1: Masking
Initiate Grade 2: Dragonspeech
Initiate Grade 3: Adept Powers
Initiate Grade 4: Adept Powers
Initiate Grade 5: Adept Powers

Resources and Gear

[ Spoiler ]

300,000 ¥
Cyber & Bioware

[ Spoiler ]

Enchepalon [R:2 +1 to logic tests, +1 to cracking / electronics grps when in AR or VR]
Cybereyes [R:1 +image link +eye recorder +flare compensation +lowlight +enhanced vision R:3]

PuSHed [+1 to logic tests]
Sleep Regulator

Weapons & Armour

[ Spoiler ]

Human Form:
Teg-mentum Holowear + Hood & Gloves [4/1]
Chameleon Cloak [6/4]
+Thermal Damping [R:4]
+Nonconductivity [R:5]
Drake Form:
Hardened Armour+Mystic Armour [10/10] + Astral Armour [4+2]

Communications

[ Spoiler ]

3 x Modified Transys Avalon with Custom OS [Response, Signal, System, Firewall R:6]
Cluster Node [Effective System 9 for program load]

+Hot Sim Module
+Skinlink, Trodes, Sat Uplink
+Optimization [Stealth]
+Nonstandard Wireless Link [R:6 - increased threshold to detect node]
+Response Enhancer [R:6] +Customized Interface [+7 matrix initiative] +Simsense Accelerator [+1IP]
+Hardening [R:6]

Programs [All pirated]
+All Common Programs [R:6 Ergonomic]
+Armour [R:6]
+Attack [R:6 Targetting, Armour Piercing R:3]
+Blackout [R:6 Targetting, Armour Piercing R:3]
+Biofeedback Filter [R:6 Ergonomic]
+Decrypt [R:6]
+Defuse [R:6]
+Disarm [R:6]
+ECCM [R:6]
+Exploit [R:6 Mute]
+Medic [R:6]
+Spoof [R:6 Mute]

+Stealth [R:7 Optimised R:1]
+Tacnet [R:1]
+Facial Recognition [R:6]
+Gait Analysis [R:6]
+Noise Analysis [R:6]

+Agent [R:6]
+Agent [R:4]

+Linguasofts [R:3 pirated - Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Russian]

Programs Hacked from Jonathan
Armour 8, Exploit 8, Stealth 8, Attack (2 extra opponents) 7 [Optimised R:1 so will run at R:7]

Typical Programs Running
Analyze, Browse, Command, Encrypt, Reality Filter
Armour, Attack, Blackout, Biofeedback Filter, Exploit, Stealth, Spoof
TacNet, Agent

Miscellaneous

[ Spoiler ]

Earbuds [R:3]
+Sound Filter [R:2]
+Audio Enhancement [R:1]
Electronics Toolkit
Radio Signal Scanner [R:6]
+Tag Eraser
Respirator [R:6]
Fake SIN [R:4]

3x MCT Flyspy
+Camera [R:6]+Lowlight+Thermo+Vision Enhance [R:3]
+Clear Sight, Covert Ops, Defence [R:4]

Ford LEBD-1
+Camera R:6+Smartlink+Lowlight+Thermo+Magnification+Vision Enhance R:3 (front)
+Camera R:6+Lowlight (rear), 2 Laser Range Finders (front and back), Motion Sensor (front), Radio Signal Scanner 6
+Ares Alpha [6P –1 SA/BF/FA Rec 2 100 (Drum) Smart]
+200 rnds
+6 High Explosive, 6 Flashbang, 6 Thermal Smoke grenades
+Clearsight, Defense, Targetting [R:4]

Contacts

[ Spoiler ]

Contacts (BPs 20+5)

Celedyr (Great Western Dragon) [Loyalty 5, Connection 6]
My sire, the master artificer. I have long served him to the best of my abilities in many guises through the ages. Although I currently work outside of the auspices of Transys they have proved to be a valuable tool in the research into magic and the matrix and I long for the time when they are able to allow me to view the matrix from my natural form.

Desire (Quantum Mage, Stillwater Community) [Loyalty 3, Connection 3]
The Stillwater community is one of the hidden projects in the New World that my master has an interest in and Desire is my contact with them. They are transhumanists dedicated to the merging of magic with technology and represent a potential path for surviving the coming depredations from the Enemy. They have an extensive matrix presence as well as access to cutting edge cybertechnology and some interesting magical techniques and theorems. They were nearly decimated in the height of the anti-technomancer movements of the 70s but with our aid they have managed to cling on and begin to rebuild.

Aria (Infoseeker, Matrix Coder) [Loyalty 4, Connection 4]
She is a creature of the matrix and the source of much of my net knowledge. I met her through the Stillwater community where she is one of a triumvirate with Athena and Operator. Formally the hacker for Balefire she has experience as a shadowrunner but has since stretched her web on a much wider scale and is a source of information on the most disparate of topics.

Enemy (BPs -5)

Reynshec (Western Drake of Lofwyr) [Connection 4, Incidence 1]
My nemesis and bane. Reyn was responsible for the death of my lover during the time of the dark ages as a ploy to lure me to him so that I could not complete the plans of my sire. Since then we have crossed paths many times, usually indirectly, as we battle to upset each other’s goals. Each time the conflict escalates and there can be no forgiveness now, only Vendetta.

Factions (BPs 10)

Queen Alachia, High Prince Lugh Surehand, Ehran the Scribe, Prince Sean Lafferty, Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra 0 (dislike)
My attitudes towards the rise of technology has hardly endeared me to the elven immortals. I have ever served the cause of the dragons above all else and their machinations has occasionally led to conflict with the plans of these other elders. I find them to be arrogant, which is to be expected, and full of their own self importance. I am not one to demand that they accept the Dragons as their superiors, although I know there are those of my kind who do, but I despair at their short sightedness and desires to cling to the past.

Harlequinn 3 (neutral-mild like)
Caimbuel is the exception to the rule, as ever, and his anarchic nature and general disregard for the rules of the game have meant we have found common ground on occasion. Although I don’t really recall the time now I know that I served under him as a Lightbearer during the fourth age and I look forward to working with him occasionally on whatever obscure plan that he is following at the time.

Dunkelzahn 4 (mild like)
Mountainshadow was ever the most progressive of the Elders and I have great respect for his vision, as does my master. We were greatly moved when we learnt of his monumental sacrifice to hold the Enemy back.

Hestaby 3 (neutral-mild like)
I believe my master has a fondness for the Orange Queen and I have visited her lair on a number of occasions and been impressed by her gravitas.

Character Sketch: Drake
Character Sketch: Human Form

Background Story

[ Spoiler ]

Although names are less important in these times, let us just say that you may call my Ryl for now, or eTher as you are talking to my matrix persona. Despite my appearance I was born many many years ago but thanks to the miracles of science I have aged extremely well. I am of average height, slim build with silvery grey eyes and dark hair. My matrix icon as you can see is a celestial dracoform made up of swirling galaxies and nebulae. Yes, thank you, the resolution is impressive, but no I am not one of those technomancers, I merely have access to some bleeding edge technology.

The rest of what I am going to tell you you will forget, don’t worry, the laes will take effect shortly but I assure you it won’t hurt in the slightest. I feel the need to unburden myself to someone without the risk of my past haunting me, or indeed you... I can’t find it in myself to talk to the other immortals about this, yes I did say immortals, if you keep interrupting we’ll never get through this in the time we have...they know too much of our shared history and my pain.

I am a drake, sired, or created if you will, by the mighty Celedyr around ten millennia ago, before the great fall of civilisation into the horrors of the incursion. In my natural form I am a beauty of strength and power, with black scales flecked with silver, much like the constellations in my icon that you so admired.

From the Isle of Lyonesse I was sent to be my master’s eyes and ears in the realm of Barsaive, somewhere near Eastern Europe in this age. I was adopted into the house of a merchant Prince near the Kingdom of Throal and watched and waited as the Therans rose to power. There is much history here, far too much to tell you now. Suffice it to say that when the population retreated into the kaers I returned to my master to sleep away the fall in his presence.

As the mana levels dipped and it was safe, or safer at least, to return to the world I was sent back to Barsaive to see what had become of that cradle of humanity. They had more or less survived, although at great cost, particularly amongst the elves who did some terrible things to themselves in order to escape attention of Them. It was during this time that I joined a group, no, their name doesn’t matter, names have power, and we strove to further the goals of the immortals that we each represented. As the mana finally began to fade from the world we prepared ourselves with a ritual that would allow us to live out the coming cycle in human form.

Although ancient, our histories begin to coincide with the information fifth and sixth age scholars have been able to piece together and so may be more familiar to you. It is in our nature to meddle in the lives of others and we each took positions in the society that we found ourselves in. We changed as our natures dictated and the needs of the time, all in the name of staying hidden from the masses and preparing the world to survive without the magic that had been such an integral part of our lives. From a troubadour and light bearer in the fourth age, I have been a dancer, a warrior, philanthropist and spy, many many things across the span of time, far too many to recount now.

In each incarnation of myself I have foolishly fallen for a mortal like yourself...I have had many lovers, both male and female, and each time I feel the pain of their passing. The other immortals see me as foolish for my attachment to your kind but if we do not work for your benefit what is the use of our great power? There is little point in being Queen if all your subjects have died and I see myself in a far more intimate relationship with mortals than that analogy represents. That attitude has also won me the attentions of my nemesis, no names, a drake of Lofwyr’s who I have sparred with through the ages. We have battled on many fronts and the rivalry may have stopped there but has become something more when he killed Garyn just to pain me...now it is Vendetta!

But enough of that, I don’t want to talk about those parts of my past with you. I recognise the signs in myself already and perhaps you will be the one who I spend the next part of this great age with. You are young yet but your beauty and innocence has captured my heart...Enough, on with my tale...

Throughout the cycles technology has been on the rise, evening the gap between those of us with magic and your mortal brethren. Although it will never be a substitute there are those of us who feel that through it we have a hope of surviving the terrors that await us. I have long been fascinated by the potential of technology, and particularly the applications for merging the two to make a greater whole.

This post has been edited by Aria: Jun 1 2011, 01:32 PM

[Ol' Scratch]

AMBROSE
Immortal Troll Alchemist

Relevant Links: Character Portrait, Invisible Castle History

Birthname: Ambran of the Deepwood Trbe
Birthplace: Vasgothia, in what is now known as the Black Forest
Legendary Name: Ambran the Seeker
Sixth World Name: Dr. Ambrose Bellsario, M.D., Th.D.
Other Names Used Through History: Ambroset (Egyptian), Ambrosius Basilides (Classical), Ambrolio d'Bellsario (Reformation), and Dr. Bertram Ambrosdt (WWII).
Current Residence: Cardiff, Wales, in a loft he converted from an old warehouse.

Description: Ambrose is a surprisingly pleasant troll to be around. He's nowhere near as large or menacing as other members of his race and, while uncomfortable and shy around strangers, he's always easy to smile and quick to laugh. He's not quite as rugged and calloused as you remember him from the old days, and his demeanor is more of a learned scholar than the disciplined warrior of yesteryear. Which in and of itself is quite remarkable considering his personality back then; he used to be quite reckless and brazen and always willing to lead the charge into battle with shield and hammer held high if the cause was just. These days he's a stoic academic, more at home in a workshop than the battlefield. When asked, he claims that in this day and age where technology has become the great equalizer, he'd rather out-think his opponents rather than risk losing to the ubertech of the modern era in a direct confrontation.

Race & Qualities

[ Spoiler ]

RACIAL TRAITS

Race: Troll (Fomori Subspecies).
Racial Perks: Arcane Arrester, Metagenic Improvement (Body), Reach +1, Thermographic Vision
Special Perks: Partial Immunity to Age
Every 100 years, Ambrose must quaff an Elixir of Life in order to maintain his Immunity to Age. The elixir also imbues him with a stronger but scientifically intangile resistance to pathogens and diseases.

POSITIVE QUALITIES

Analytical Mind
Few can argue that Ambrose is a genuine prodigy. He spent nearly the entirity of the Fifth World in seclusion with little more to do than exercise his mind with intellectual, creative, and scientific pursuits. To help reflect his natural genius, he gains a +2 dice pool modifier for any Logic-based tests involving pattern recognition, evidence analysis, clue hunting, puzzle solving, or uses of skills such as Data Search and Software.
Home Ground: Workshops & Laboratories
As eluded to above, Ambrose has spent most of his life in workshops and laboratories of all types. He is never quite as comfortable as he is when in such environments. As a result, he gains a +2 dice pool modifier with Active Test and a +4 modifier with Knowledge Tests made while he is in such locations.
Inspired
Amongst the immortals, Ambrose is well known as an artist and craftsman, particularly when it comes to foci and weaponsmithing in particular. He has been approached numerous times over the millenia for advice and assistance in the creation of magical paraphernalia. His Street Cred increases by 2 when dealing with these individuals or anyone else familiar with his talent, and he gains a +2 bonus to his Artisan skill as well.
Master Alchemist (Mentor Spirit Variation)
As a student of gnosticism, Ambrose doesn't believe in higher beings in quite the same way as others do. But while he may not believe in mentor spirits, he is clearly inspired by something whether it be an intuitive connection with the Akashic records or simply a lifetime of experience in his preferred field of study. Whatever the case, he gains a +2 dice pool modifier with all Enchanting tests as well as when dealing with Task Spirits. Unfortuantely, these perks come with a downside; whenever he is faced with something he has never seen before or a problem he cannot easily solve, he must make a Willpower + Logic (3) Test to resist examining the situation in detail. He won't put his life or others at risk to do so, but he will take the next safe opportunity to investigate it.
Mystic Adept
Like most of the Awakened from the Fourth World, Ambrose is a mystic adept. Originally a Weaponsmith of no small renown, his focus has slowly shifted towards different but related fields of study over the course of his 10,000 years on this earth. He is a follower of the Gnostic tradition and walks down the Path of the Scholar.

NEGATIVE QUALITIES

Day Job 1
In exchange for Celedyr's protection, Ambrose works as an occasional consultant for Transys Neuronet. Besides legitimizing his position in society, this arrangement allows Ambrose to help the corporation in their creation of draconic cyberware while simultaneously giving him an outlet for his own alchemical research. He works maybe ten hours a week and only earns 1,000¥ a month, but this is all supplemented to his true resources. Nonethless, he does have obligations that occasionally interfer with his personal life.
Flashbacks 1
Ambrose occasionally becomes overwhelmed with disjointed and random flashes when he encounters serpents and naga in particular. These memories are interlaced with feelings of dread and regret, but they are oddly not directed at the triggering creatures whatsoever. Regardless of the reasons, Ambrose must succeed at a Willpower + Intuition (3) Test or become incapacited for 1D6 minutes.
Incompetent: Spellcasting
Ambrose was never a student of sorcery, preferring to focus his magical talents in more creative and intuitive fields such as weaponsmithing and conjuring. He is wholly unable to learn the Spellcasting skill and is considered "unaware" for all intents and purposes thereof.
Permanent Infusion
Early in the height of the Egyptians, when he was still new to the principles of alchemy, Ambrose accidentally stumbled upon a true breakthrough in his field. The result was a potion that imbued him with abilities similar to the modern day infusion Sideways. Unfortunately, the potion had unforseen side effects as well, causing Ambrose to black out as he collapsed and hit his head. When he awoke several days later in his lair, his lab was in shambles and he could not remember anything about had occured or even how he created the potion to begin with. For decades he would try to reproduce it, and while he made strides in numerous other areas, he was never able to recreate the original potion. As a consequence of his own frustration as well as the physical deprevation of the infusion, Ambrose developed a moderate addiction to alochol which persists to this day.
SINner
After emerging from the Mist of Brittany in the mid 20s, a confused and disoriented Ambrose was picked up by the authorities. He was diagosed as an amnesiac (which he simply played along with) caused either by the Mist itself or possibly his goblinization. Regardless of the exact nature, the French authorities eventually assigned him a legal SIN which he's been using ever since. His lack of aging has been dismissed by (falsified) records of Ambrose undergoing Leonization treatments, paid for in no small part by the various alchemical work he's done over the years.
SIN Details: Dr. Ambrose Bellsario, M.D., Th.D. He possesses dual citizenship in France and Wales and is currently employed by Transys Neuronet in addition to being a licensed enchanter. He is also a graduate from Charles University in Prague where he earned doctorates in Applied Enchanting and Holistic Medicine. He is currently residing in Cardiff, Wales.

Attributes

[ Spoiler ]

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Body 6
Agility 2
Reaction 2
Strength 5

Cyberforearm: Body 6, Agility 3, Reaction 3, Strength 5

MENTAL ATTRIBUTES

Charisma 3 (6)
Intuition 4
Logic 4 (7)
Willpower 5

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

Edge 2
Essence 5.36
Initiative 6
Initiative Passes 1
Magic 9 (Magician 6/Adept 3)

ATTRIBUTE TESTS

Composure (WIL+CHA) 8
Judge Intentions (INT+CHA) 7
Lifting/Carrying (STR+BOD) 11
Memory (LOG+WIL) 9 (12)

KARMA & REPUTATION

Karma 0 (20 total)
Notoriety 0
Public Awareness 0
Street Cred 2

SPECIAL MODIFIERS & NOTES

Agility: Can be boosted by an average of +6 for short durations (Agility Boost).
Charisma: Increases to 6 whenever his physical appearance is relevant (Biosculpting).
Logic: +1 dice pool bonus with Logic-based tests if his Pearl of Wisdom is active (PuSHeD). Gains another +2 bonus if if Analytical Mind is applicable.
Magic: +4 dice pool bonus on all uses of Magic (Power Focus).
Reaction: +2 dice on all defensive Reaction Tests (Sideways).
Street Cred: +2 when dealing with immortals, professional enchanters, or others who are familiar with his reputation as an alchemist (Inspired).

Skills

[ Spoiler ]

ACTIVE SKILLS

Arcana (Occult Knowledge) 6
Armorer (Weaponsmithing) 3
Artisan (Metalworking) 3
Assensing (Psychometry) 4
Biotech Skill Group
Cybertechnology 3
First Aid 3
Medicine (Holistic) 3
Conjuring Skill Group
Banishing 4
Binding (Task Spirits) 4
Summoning (Task Spirits) 4
Clubs 1
Counterspelling 3
Dodge 1
Enchanting (Alchemy) 6
Etiquette 3
Longarms (Shotguns) 1
Negotiation (Spirits) 1
Perception 3
Ritual Spellcasting (Ouroboros) 1

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

Ancient Weapons & Armor (Design) 4
Archaeology (Fourth World) 4
Botany (Parabotany) 3
Chemistry 4
Current Events 2
Cutting Edge Technology (Medical) 4
Esoteric Trivia 2
Forensics (Alchemical) 3
Fourth World Remnants (Artifacts & Relics) 4
General History (Personal) 3 (6)
Humanities (Anthropology) 4
Magical Background (Enchanting) 6
Magical Theory (Enchanting) 6
Modern Medicine 4
Modern Technology 4
Philosophy (Analytic) 3
Physics 3
Spirit Lore (Named Spirits) 3
Talismongering (Metallurgy) 4
Theology (Christian) 3
Zoology (Parazoology) 3

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Dwarven (Throalic) 3
English (Techno-Jargon) 3
Latin 3
Or'zet (Ancient) 3
Sperenthiel (Ancient) 3
Theran 1
Trollish (Lowlander) N
Windling 1

Linguistics: Arabic 1, Egyptian 1, French 1, German 1, Hebrew 1, Italian 1, Japanese 1, Russian 1, Spanish 1

SPECIAL MODIFIERS & NOTES

Active Skills: +2 dice pool bonus if working in a lab or workshop (Home Ground).
Artisan Skills: +2 dice pool bonus on all tests (Inspired) and another +3 if working from his home (Feng Shui).
Combat Skills: +1 dice pool bonus on all tests (Sideways).
Clubs: +1 dice pool bonus when using his shotgun (Personalized Grip).
Longarms: +2 dice pool bonus with hsi shotgun (Smartlink).
Knowledge & Language Skills: +3 dice pool bonus if his Pearl of Wisdom (Mneomic Enhancer) is active, and +4 if working in a lab or workshop (Home Ground). If exposed to a new language for (10-Magic) hours, he gains a rating 1 in that language for free.
Perception/Assensing Skills: +1 dice pool bonus (Sideways). Additional bonuses from technology/sensors on a case-by-case basis.
Technical Skills: +3 dice pool bonus if working from home (Feng Shui).

Magic

[ Spoiler ]

MAGIC

Tradition: Akashic (Unique)
Initiation Grade: 4th
Metamagic: Enlightening, Invoking, Masking, Psychometry
Group: Ouroboros
Ordeals: Oath. Likely others, but he has forgotten what they were.
Geasa: Talisman (linked to adept powers).
Grimoire: Alter Memory and Heal
Adept Powers: Agility Boost 2, Astral Perception, Eidetic Sense Memory, Heightened Concentration, Linguistics, Multi-Tasking, and Nimble Fingers
Mentor Bonuses: +2 dice with Enchanting and Task Spirits.

FOCI & OTHER MAGIC ITEMS

"Dragontail" (Talisman)
This amulet, exactly five inches in diameter, is the physical manifestation of Ambrose's dedication to the alchemical arts. It is crafted from the same material as Earthwarden (see below) and shares a similiar ouroboros-inspired shape as the ring. The main difference is that the center of the amulet bears a small pool of solidified aqua regia; something most alchemists of the Sixth World would claim was impossible to produce. The talisman is not magical, per se, but Ambrose has a psychological dependency upon it, probably as a reprecussion of the foci addiction he suffered through the Fifth World. It is treated as a Talisman Geas for his adept powers.
Secondary Stats: Highly concealable, using the same rules as Plasteel/Ceramic Components 3.
"Earthwarden" (Power Focus, Force 4) [Bound]
Named in honor of his friend and mentor, Celedyr, this ring is shaped in the form of a vaguely Western Dragon-style ouroboros wrapping itself around his finger. It is crafted from a quartz-like material that's as hard as steel but looks and feels like platinum; a by-product of the orichalcum refinement process, and very similiar to the substance Celedyr is hoarding in Snowdonia. Strangely enough, they seem to be the only individuals interested in the substance; it just seems to be worthless slag to others.
Secondary Stats: Highly concealable, using the same rules as Plasteel/Ceramic Components 3.
"Heartsong" (Banishing Focus: Toxic Spirits, Force 5) [Bound] [Lost]
This impressive wooden shield was rumored to have been crafted from the Tree of Life itself. Whether true or not -- and only Ambrose would know for sure (despite having long since forgotten) -- the deeply bronzed wood used in its crafting is truly beautiful to behold. Like Thunderstruck below, Heartsong is a relic of the Fourth World that was more powerful in its heyday. The various symbols around its edge were sacred to the Lightbearers of old, hinting at the types of powers it may have one possessed, and while most of that power has long since faded it is still a sturdy defense against the most toxic of spirits.
Secondary Stats: Effectively a Riot Shield with the Custom Look 2, Personalized Grip, and Troll Customization modifications. Heartsong was lost during Sirrurg's attack. It's current location remains unknown despite several attempts to track it down. Ambrose can still feel his connection, however.
"Thunderstruck" (Weapon Focus, Force 4) [Bound] [Lost But Found]
As Ambrose's heartblade, this ancient warhammer is as much a work of art as it is a weapon of war. Far more powerful in the Age of Legends than it is today, it was once capable of producing devastating blasts of wind and roaring thunderclaps as well as warning its master of impending danger. Unfortunately, many of the threads woven into it to produce these effects have unraveled over the many thousands of years since its forging, but despite that it is still a potent weapon in its master's hands.
Secondary Stats: This weapon should be treated as a Mace with the Custom Look 2, Personalized Grip, Sling, and Troll Customization modifications. Having lost it during Sirrurg's attack of Flight 421 along with other relics, Thunderstruck has since fallen into the hands of Queen Alacia who is using it to blackmail Ambrose into action. Even though it is nowhere near as powerful as it once was, as Ambrose's heartblade it bears incredible spiritual and emotional significance to him.

Other foci were lost during the crash, but while Ambrose has been unable to invest the time and effort into tracking them down, he can feel that he has lost his connection to them (signifying that they have become bound to others).

ALCHEMICAL RECIPES

Elixir of Metamorphosis (Shapechange)
Incense of Rejuvination (Healing)
Oil of Ghost Touch (Dual-Natured Tools)
Out of Body Spirits (Astral Projection)
Philosopher's Stone (Immortality+)
Potion of Telluric Replenishment (Essence Repair)
Similiar to the gene therapy treatment that metahumanity has been toying with over the last few decades, Ambrose developed a potion that put an individual into a light torpor to faciliate his natural telluric currents (Essence) to repair itself whenever a 'hole' occurs, such as by having implants removed or being drained by the Infected. The process takes approximately one week per point of Essence (rounded up), during which time the imbider is effectively comatose.

Note: More details coming soon. These are the recipes that Ambrose has used consistently over the years. It's almost a certainty that he had developed a plethora of other alchemical compounds, but he has either forgotten or abandoned them as the years rolled by.

MISCELLANEOUS

ENLIGHTENING (Advanced Metamagic)
Prerequisites: Psychometry.
Crunch: Can access Knowledge, Technical, and Build/Repair skills. Make a Magic + Arcana (Occult Knowledge) Test for each skill (maximum of one per initiate grade), with the hits determining the level of skill obtained (max of 7). If the adept possesses the skill naturally, or one closely related to it, he gains a dice pool modifier equal to the skill level. There are a number of repercussions involved with this power, and they will be included in the proper description at a later time.
Description: [Details Coming Soon]

AKASHICISM (Magical Tradition)
Concept: The akashic records are thought to be a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a distant metaplane hidden deep within the astral plane. These records contain all knowledge of metahuman experience and the history of the cosmos. Practioners of this tradition believe that they subconsciously weave threads from these records into the ethereal substance of the astral, bringing form and purpose to the raw essence of consciousness. Spirits and even spells are simply thoughts, dreams, and distant memories forged into a more tangible form with a life all its own, be it physical or metaphysical in nature.
Combat: Guardian
Detection: Guidance
Health: Plant
Illusion: Man
Manipulation: Task
Drain: Willpower + Logic
Note: Akashicism is a Possession Tradition
Truth be told, Ambrose has never met another follower of his tradition, largely because its one he's slowly developed over thousands of years of contemplation and self-exploration. He doesn't really even have a name for it, or associate it as something other than the way of the world; it's simply the way he believes magic to work. While he is a student of many faiths and a believer in the Passion Prima, these are in his mind separate from his magical beliefs.

Augmentations

[ Spoiler ]

MODERN IMPLANTS

Cyberforearm, Obvious (Left Arm)
Attributes: Body 6, Agility 3, Reaction 3, Strength 5, Armor 0, Capacity 0
Components: Auto-Injectors (6 Doses) (Reusable) [x4], Biomonitor, Bulk Modification 1, Casemod: Smooth Bronze, Commlink (see gear listing below), Datajack, Large Smuggling Compartment, Olfactory Booster 6, Orientation System

ALCHEMICAL AUGMENTATIONS

Biosculpting
Description: Over the years, Ambrose has slowly toyed with his physical appearance. Smoothing his skin, regrowing his horns, and otherwise making himself more symetrical and appealing to others.
The Analytical Engine
Equivalent Components: Math SPU
Description: During the Reformation Era, Ambrose became intensely obsessed with clockwork mechanisms and similar technologies. Over the course of his self education and years of experimentation combining it with his alchemical and medical knowledge, he succeeded in creating this masterpiece of Victorian science which is imbedded in his chest. If you listen closely with a stethoscope, you can hear the many whirliing and clicking sounds it continues to produce to this day.
The Pearl of Wisdom
Equivalent Components: Cerebral Booster 3, Mnemonic Enhancer 3, PuSHeD
Description: Ambrose's interest in both alchemy and anatomy reached its peak in the Egyptian Era. Fascinated with the idea of combining the two sciences without the need of blood magic, he perfected a means of doing just that. Once imbedded in a person's brain stem, this tiny pebble enhanced the natural connection everyone has with the akashic records, allowing them to reach in and pluck pearls of wisdom from that enigmatic realm; hence the origin of its name. Well, this is at least how Ambrose understands it to work.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

During the Fifth World eras in which they existed, Ambrose's alchemical augmentations have a maximum rating of 1 and include the Gremlins 1 quality for any actions involved with their usage. This reflects the random quirks they exhibited due to the lower mana levels. Note that he can deactivate them at any time as well, removing both their benefits and their flaws. His cyberarm, on the other hand (pun not intended), was replaced in the Sixth World, and was originally a clockwork prosphetic he was forced to create after a terrible incident that cost him part of his arm during the Reformation. Up until he had it replaced, however, it merely functioned as a regular prosthetic with minimal sensory feedback and a small Smuggling Compartment.

Oddly enough, the same "telluric currents" (the term Ambrose dubbed for it) that he tapped in to power these augmentations ended up being discovered by metahumanity soon after the Awakening. While they refer to it as "essence," it seems to be exactly the same thing; a fact Ambrose finds absolutely fascinating about the Younger Races of today.

Contacts, Enemies, & Relationships

[ Spoiler ]

CONTACTS

Celedyr (Great Western Dragon) [Connection 6/Loyalty 5]
Description: The protege of Earthroot and a master of earth magic and artificing, Celedyr is a great dragon of no small renown. He is the primary shareholder of Transys Neuronet and is heavily invested in finding a means of safely installing cyberware into dracoforms. More information can be found in Dragons of the Sixth World.
Relationship: Ambrose has known Celedyr since the Age of Legends, having apprenticed under him after being introduced by Jaron the Everliving. He was a good apprentice and treated his mentor with the respect and admiration he was due. While they shared little contact during the Fifth World, their relationship was renewed soon after the Awakening when Ambrose sought him out and petitioned for refuge against the vile Sirrurg's vendetta. In exchange for Celedyr's protection, Ambrose agreed to aid the Earthwarder in his company's pursuits and has been working as a consultant for TN ever since.
Favorite Meeting Places: Wherever the great dragon so desires.
Friends of Friends: The Knights of Rage, Transys Neuronet researchers and employees, and countless others.
Diego Vasquez (Western Drake, Vatican Occultist) [Connection 4/Loyalty 4]
Description: In his metahuman form, Bishop Vasquez is a pious human in his mid to late 40's. He is a lead historian and protector of holy relics in the Vatican with strong ties to the Knights Templar. He is also the Voice of the great dragon Mole Skin, serving as the reclusive wyrm's translator and intermediary in the material world.
Relationship: In the Fourth World, Ambrose was a devote follower of the Passion Prima as lead by Mole Skin. He witnessed its evolution through the Dark Times as it blossomed into Christianity and spread to influence the entire world, with the troll helping that message spread whenever he could. Now that magic has returned, Ambrose has attempted to reconnect with his spiritual leader. Unfortunately, Mole Skin is reluctant to leave his lair and all interaction with him has been through Bishop Vasquez. Sharing many of the same interests, Ambrose and Diego have begun developing quite the friendship over the last several years, the majority of which has taken place through Matrix correspondence.
Favorite Meeting Places: The Matrix, the Vatican, and places of higher learning.
Friends of Friends: Mole Skin, Scholrs, the Knights Templar, Vatican Officials.
"Jolly Rotten" (Fomori Combat Mage, Talislegger) [Connection 3, Loyalty 1]
Description: Imagine if Sid Vicious had goblinized into a troll. If you can do that, you have a close approximation for Jolly's overall demeanor. Jolly grew up on the mean streets of the London Sprawl and was running with wiz gangs for as long as he could remember. When his gang was wiped out by a rival, Jolly got involved in the talislegger business after learning just how lucritive his talents as a combat mage could be on the open market. Since then, he's been slowly making a name for himself as a tracker and purveyor of anything you need in the magical world, legal or otherwise...
Relationship: As far as Jolly Rotten is concerned, Ambrose is just another on-again off-again client. The truth, however, is that Ambrose attempted to keep records of his family over the millenia. While he lost track of nearly all of them as the years went by, he has reason to believe that Jolly is the direct descendent of his twin brother, Goram (a troll sky raider who died years before Ambrose learned the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone). Unable to simply tell Jolly that he's his great-great-great...great uncle, he is nonetheless trying to build a relationship with this wild child. It's going slow, however. But there's certain advantages to being immortal...
Favorite Meeting Places: Biker bars, whorehouses, and talismonger shops.
Friends of Friends: Antiquitiy Dealers, Paranormal Hunters, Smugglers, Talismongers.
"Wily" O'Rilley (Clurichaun Free Spirit, Fixer) [Connection 5/Loyalty 3]
Description: Wily's favored form is that of a surly Irish dwarf with mutton chops, a bowler, and a splash of green in his scarf. He otherwise dresses like a casual businessman with just a hint of surprisingly tasteful gold jewelry. Wily is one of the movers and shakers of the Korrigan fey in Brittany, though he prefers to stay in the shadows unlike some of his more public brethren. He is also a notorious gambler and heavy drinker, and he seems to have a vested interest in seeing Ireland free of elven tyranny.
Relationship: Ambrose doesn't truly remember meeting Wily, thanks in large part to his exposure to the Mist, though he knows the two were involved sometime before his official introduction to the Sixth World. He suspects that he may have had something to do with the creation of the Mist, aiding the Korrigan in securing their own little piece of the world. Regardless, Wily has tracked Ambrose down on numerous occasions and since those early days of the Sixth World, they have developed quite the give-and-take relationship. Ambrose helps the Korrigan with various odds and ends, and Wily helps Ambrose get his hands on information and assorted sundries and grimcracks he uses in his research.
Favorite Meeting Places: Irish pubs, gambling halls, Ambrose's house, open areas in the Brittany countryside.
Friends of Friends: Arms Dealers, Druids, Fences, Fey, French Nobility, Knights of the Red Branch (IRA), Johnsons, Smugglers, Street Wiches, and God knows who else.
Special Note: Ambrose has been too busy trying to rebuild his alchemy lab and protect himself against Sirrurg to focus much on his social life, let alone build a network of contacts and business associates. The above contacts are nearly the only people he's had regular contact with, save for a handful of FoFs when the need arose.

ENEMIES

Sirrurg (Great Western Dragon) [Connection 6, Incidence 1]
Description: Sirrurg, called "the Destroyer" by Dunkelzahn himself, is one of the three great dragons that helped found Amazonia. He was also the dragon responsible for the terrorist attack on Flight 329 back in '41, and is suspected of many other similar attacks since. He's not at all fond of metahumans, and his personal lair in the rain forest is rumored to be populated only by Awakened beasts. Any metahumans who wander in are eaten alive. More information can be found in Dragons of the Sixth World.
Relationship: Up until the first attack on Flight 329, Ambrose had no conscious awareness of a relationship with Sirrurg. But after nearly dying during that encounter, he has since learned that Sirrurg is seeking revenge for the death of his brother that allegedly took place during the Mayan era... and the vile wyrm is of the opinion that it was Ambrose himself who landed the killing blow. Ambrose, of course, has no memory of these events whatsoever, and while he knows that he had his memories erased for a reason, he can't imagine himself ever killing another immortal in the fashion that Sirrurg has described. He's a man of God, for Christ's sake, and had given up his warrior ways more than a thousand years before that time.
Additional Notes: Ever since Celedyr agreed to take Ambrose under his protection, Sirrurg has reluctantly left the troll alone. His threat still looms, however, and Ambrose knows that the Destroyer will be coming for him again...

RELATIONSHIPS

Dunkelzahn & the Draco Foundation - 2
Aside from the occasional involvement with him during the Age of Legends, Ambrose has only had brief encounters with Mountainshadow. The most notable occured in the Sixth World when Big Blue tracked him down and commisioned his assistance in the creation of a powerful and unique focus. A few weeks after he completed his work, Ambrose learned of the President-Elect's "assassination" and put two-and-two together. Suspecting the purpose of the focus, he was both proud for contributing to such a noble sacrifice but still heartbroken for facilitating the passing of such a great dragon. Since his passing, the Draco Foundation has tracked Ambrose down from time to time for consultation work, apparently at Dunkelzahn's post-mortem bequest.
Ehran the Scribe - 0
Once upon a time, Ambrose admired Ehran a great deal. The two bumped into one another quite often during the Fifth World seeing as how they ran in similar circles, and Ambrose was often impressed with the intellectual discussions that would occur during those encounters. That respect was all washed away, however, in 2051 when Ehran made his speech to the Elven Technologists. Why? Because the theories he introduced to the world that day, almost verbatim, came from Ambrose himself back in the Classical era. Normally this wouldn't have bothered Ambrose; God knows he would often share his wisdom and research with humans over the years and was more than proud to see it spread to the rest of the world through them. But this was Ehran, another immortal. He didn't need to steal Ambrose's work, yet he did so and in such a grandiose fashion. Their relationship has been more than a little strained ever since.
Hestaby - 1
Ambrose has never had any direct contact with the Orange Queen to the best of his knowledge. Even as a fellow immortal, however, its doubtful that he'd be welcome in her domain uninvited.
Harlequinn - 3
During the Fourth World, Ambrose was a Lightbearer and, as such, served under Caimbuel's command on more than one occasion. While no longer a bearer of the Light -- having given up his warrior ways long, long ago -- he has encountered Harlequinn a few times over the years. Those encounters usually consisted of spending a night or two in drunken revelry, reminiscing over the "good old days" before going their separate ways.
High Prince Lugh Surehand - 1
Ambrose has had limited contact with the High Prince. Most of his interaction with the Tirs has been through Sean Laverty instead. As far as he knows, however, Surehand is just as racist as most of the Great Elves are, thus he (even if knowingly ignorant of the truth) is biased against him.
Prince Sean Laverty - 5
While Laverty is anti-technology and Ambrose is most assuredly pro-, both of these immortals share a mutual appreciation and respect for each other's intellectual pursuits. They have aided each other in their work on quite a number of occasions throughout history.
Queen Alacia and Princess Jenna Ni'Fairra - -1
As a troll, and an immortal one at that, these racist slags are not at all fond of Ambrose and, not surprisingly, neither is he of them. He remembers well the way he was mistreated in the Blood Wood and is outright disgusted by the bigotry and hatred they encourage in their elven followers.

Equipment

[ Spoiler ]

ARMOR

Vashon Island Steampunk Line (Ballistic 9/Impact 11)
Components: Overcoat, Shirt, Slacks, Vest
PPP Accessories: Forearm Guards, Leg & Arm Casings, Shin Guards, Vitals Protector
Modifications: Chemical Protection 6, Fire Resistance 5, Nonconductivity 6

COMMLINKS

CMT Clip with Vector Xim OS (Carried)
Transys Avalon w/ Irish Orb OS (Installed in Cyberlimb)
Accessories: Printer, Sim Module
Software: Virtual Surround Music Collection (500 chips), Virtual Weather, Wall Space

Note: Ambrose, slightly paranoid about security since learning of Sirrurg's wrath, keeps all wireless connections on his Transys Avalon disabled at all times. Its sole purpose is to maintain his PAN. The CMT Clip is what he uses to communicate with others and transmit his SIN (or fake SIN) when appropriate. It is likely loaded with tons of adware, trojans, worms and other nasty programs, but he doesn't really care; it's pretty much just a cellphone for him. Additionally, he never keeps any names or numbers recorded on the Clip, preferring to rely on his perfect memory or records them into his Avalon, and all interaction with the CMT Clip is done manually so that it never interacts with his PAN.

DRUGS, CHEMICALS, & REAGENTS

Elixir of Life (2 Doses) (Loaded in Auto-Injector)
Elixir of Metamorphosis: Idealized (2 Doses)
Incense of Rejuviation (2 Doses)
Out of Body Spirits (2 Doses)
Raw Reagents (Assorted) (40 Units)
Rock Lizard Blood (3 Doses) (Loaded in Auto-Injector)
Savior Medkit Supplies (6 Doses) (Loaded in Auto-Injector)
Trauma Slap Patch (4 Patches)

ELECTRONICS

Contact Lenses 3
Accessories: Skinlink
Modifications: Flare Compensation, Low Light, Vision Enhancement 3
Earbuds 3
Accessories: Skinlink
Modifications: Audio Enhancement 3, Select Sound Filter 3, Spatial Recognizer
Monocle 4
Accessories: Skinlink
Modifications: Image Link, Microscopic Vision, Smartlink, Vision Magnification

LIFESTYLE (HIGH)

Location: Cardiff, Wales
Categories: Low Comforts, Low Entertainment, Low (High) Necessities, Low Neighborhood, Luxury Security
Qualities: Feng Shui, Homegrown Farming, Network Bottleneck, Workplace
Vehicles: A leased Porsche Winter (Ford Spiral)
Lifestyle Points: 20 (10,000¥/month)

MAGIC

Magical Lodge (Rating 6)
Power Focus, Ring (Rating 4)
Talismans (x2)

MISCELLANEOUS

Fake SIN (Rating 4)
Fake Licenses: Magic License (Rating 4), Medical License (Rating 4), Passport (Rating 4), Talismongering Permit for Gathering & Transport (Rating 4)
Random Household Items Often Carried Around:
Bottle of Aspirin, Bottle of Super Glue, Chewing Gum, Cigarette Lighter, Deck of Cards, Dental Mirror, Little Black Book (filled with random addresses and cryptic clues), Matchbook, Mechanical Pencil, Notepad, Pack of Condoms, Silver Liquor Flask (filled), Tin of Altoids, Twine, Visine, Ziplock Baggies

TOOLS

Toolkits: Lockpicking Kit
Workshops: Armorer, Chemistry, Enchanting, Mechanics, Medical, Microtronic

WEAPONS

Boyd & Richards Desperado (Shotgun)
Accessories: Skinlink, Smartgun (Underbarrel), Spare Magazines (x2)
Modifications: Custom Look 1: Steampunkish, Easy Breakdown, Melee Hardening, Personalized Grip, Sling, Troll Customization

Current Wealth: 3,280¥

[More Descriptions Coming Soon...]

[pbangarth]

Reserved for Mandala -- Free Spirit of Buddhist Tradition

*** All below are subject to change ***

Story and Character Description

[ Spoiler ]

MORE TO COME
Queen Alachia has hold over Mandala because she has a copy of his spirit formula. The first mission allegedly will rectify that situation.

Mandala has spent much of the 5th Age travelling Asia as an itinerant actor. Lots of new scenery, languages and customs, and continual exposure to the development of humankind. Never boring. The philosophies of the East have had an indelible effect on his view of the universe and his role in it. He has yet to reconcile the idea of continual reincarnation till enlightenment with the fact of his own immortality.

He travelled into Europe during the Middle Ages and ended up in Elizabethan England, working for Shakespeare, Mallory and others. In recent times, he gravitated to L.A. and Hollywood, the mecca of acting in the new technologies of film and later trideo. Part-time acting allowed him to explore the shadows as they developed, and the deep as it inundated the city after the twin disasters. His first work was for Gnarley, a dwarf who sent vault-divers down for lost treasures in the drowned portions of L.A. The first new spells he learned in hundreds of years helped him and his teammates deal with the radiation in the water.

[450 BP] + {20 Karma}

Free Spirit [30]

Qualities [-20]

[ Spoiler ]

Magician *
Distinctive Style * - (See RC p. 103) but this must apply only when not masking/disguising, no?
Computer Illiterate -5
Pacifist (1) -5
SINner (1) -5
Day Job (1) -5
Gremlins (3) -15
Lightning Reflexes 15

Tradition

[ Spoiler ]

Buddhist
Combat: Air
Detection: Guidance
Health: Earth
Illusion: Fire
Manipulation: Water
Drain: WIL + INT

Attributes [220]

[ Spoiler ]

BOD 3
AGI 3
REA 2(4)
STR 3
CHA 8
INT 8
LOG 4
WIL 7

INI 12 2IP / 16 3IP

Special Attributes[80]

[ Spoiler ]

ESS=Force 9
MAG=Force 9
Force 9
EDG 8

Initiations

[ Spoiler ]

Shielding
Centering
Absorption
Cleansing

Spirit Powers

[ Spoiler ]

Sapience
Banishment Resistance
Astral Form
Materialization
Immunity to Normal Weapons
Spirit Pact (Power Pact) - talk to me, buddies
#####
Aura Masking
Mutable Form
Realistic Form
Movement
Guard
Accident
Psychokinesis
Resist Background (1)

Spells [24] {10}

[ Spoiler ]

heal
decontamination
radiation barrier- Hey! He's based in L.A. and has done some vault-diving
stunbolt
stunball
shattershield(ranged)
spatial sense (extended) - note: good for mapping of facilities without scouting
detect enemies (extended)
mindnet (extended) - note: useful if no comm gear
chaotic world

Active Skills [96] {10}

[ Spoiler ]

Spellcasting (detection) 3(5)
Counterspelling (combat) 3(5)
Ritual Spellcasting 1
Assensing 2
(auras) (+2)
Perception 2
Disguise 2
Artisan (acting) 3(5)
Influence Group 1
Arcana 1
Pilot Groundcraft 1
Astral Combat (unarmed) 1(3)
Unarmed Combat 1
Dodge (ranged) 1(3)

Knowledge Skills (120 pts.)

[ Spoiler ]

4th Age Remnants 3
General History = LOG = 4
Earthdawn History 1
Ancient Chinese History 3
Ancient Indian History 3
Ancient Mesopotamian History 3
Renaissance European History 3
Buddhist Philosophy 4
Hindu Philosophy 3
Taoist Philosophy 3
Music Theory 3
Acting Theory 5
Contracting Business Operations 2
Carpentry 2
Cabinetmaking 2
Stage Design 2
Masonry 2
Fashion Design 3
Electrical Engineering 2
Acoustics 2
Painting 3
Guitar Playing 2
Flute Playing 2
Puppetry 2
Kama Sutra 3
Natya Shastra (Ancient Indian treatise on performing arts) 2
Tang Dynasty Theatre (primarily musical theatre) 3
Han Dynasty Theatre (shadow puppetry) 2
Noh (Japanese theatre) 2
Bunraku (Japanese puppet theatre) 2
Ta'ziya (Medieval Islamic theatre) 2
Shakespearean Theatre 3
Trideo Trivia 3
Draco Foundation 4
monastic order organization 2
L.A. alcherae 3

Mandarin 4
Cantonese 4
Tibetan 3
Hindi 4
Arabic 3
Hebrew 1
English 3
French 1
Spanish 1
Nahuatl (modern) 1
Japanese 3
German 1

Contacts (32 pts.) [16] - details to be fleshed out

[ Spoiler ]

Buddhist Monastery in LA (Group) 2( 8 ) connection / 4 loyalty
Draco Foundation 6(24)/4
fixer in LA 3/1:
Gnarley- dwarf- got started in the shadows in L.A. doing some vault-diving
-graduated to sending other fools down there
-first used Mandala in that capacity, amazed at M's ability to deal with the dangers down there
trideo studio exec in LA 3/1:
Guy Smiley - elf - "discovered" Mandala in a diner in L.A. - M. was showing a child his languages and acting ability
- would like M. to work more - has idea of being able to do whole story with one actor... Mandala
-M. has resisted staunchly

Relationships (16 pts.) [4]

[ Spoiler ]

Queen Alachia 0
Harlequin 1
Ehran the Scribe 5
Prince Sean Laferty 2
Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra 1
High Prince Lugh Surehand 2
Dunkelzahn 6
Hestaby 3

Wealth 70,000 Nuyen

Latest Edit: 28 Feb 2011 21:16 EST

[Sephiroth]

Name: Fearghas
Metatype: Immortal Elf
Sex: Male

Attributes

[ Spoiler ]

Body: 2
Agility: 5 [7]
Reaction: 2
Strength: 2

Charisma: 6 [12]
Intuition: 5 [9]
Logic: 3 [4]
Willpower: 6

Edge: 3
Magic: 10 [9] [6/3]
Essence: 5.5
Initiative: 7 [11]
Matrix Initiative:
IPs: 1

Qualities

[ Spoiler ]

Mystic Adept
Astral Chameleon
Restricted Gear X2

Uncommon Mild Allergy to Silver
Bad Luck
Distinctive Style 1

Active Skills

[ Spoiler ]

Spellcasting 6
Counterspelling 3
Enchanting 4
Blades (Spears) 4 (+2)
Summoning 2
Binding 1
Dodge 1
Perception 2
Con 1
Negotiation 1

Knowledge Skills

[ Spoiler ]

Sperethiel N
Mandarin 4
English 4
Or'zet 4
Gaelic 3
Egyptian 1
German 2
Greek 1

Security Tactics 1 (Rapid Response +2) (LOG)
Military Tactics 2 (LOG)
General History 3 [4] (LOG)
Fighting Styles 5 (INT)
Combat Tactics 6 (+2 Magic) (LOG)
Magical Threats 3 (LOG)
Magic Knowledge 4 (LOG)
Military 2 (Military Magic +2) (INT)
Spirits 2 (Watchers +2) (INT)
Security Procedure 2 (INT)
Security Design 2 (LOG)
Parazoology 1 (LOG)
Ancient Chinese History 2 (LOG)
Ancient Egyptian History 1 (LOG)
4th World Remnants 2 (INT)
Dragons 4 (INT. Most appropriate as Street Knowledge given the bad blood b/w IE's and dragons, I think)
Earthdawn History 1 (LOG)
Blade Design 3 (LOG)
Clothing/Armor Design 2 (LOG)
Matrix Theory 1 (LOG)

Metamagics:

[ Spoiler ]

Masking
Extended Masking
Quickening
Centering

Foci:

[ Spoiler ]

Stacked F8 Weapon (4) & Power (4) focus - ancient spear thing
Sustaining Focus 6
Sustaining Focus 5

Spells (Spellcasting/Conjuring Magic 6):

[ Spoiler ]

Sonic Boom (F÷2) + 7
Mob Mind (F/2) + 4
Sludge [RFID Tags] (F÷2)+4
Increase [Body] (F÷2)-2
Increase [Intuition] " "
Increase Reflexes (F÷2)+2
Levitate (Physical) (F÷2)+1
Shape [Earth] (F÷2)+3
Phantasm (F÷2)+2
Increase [Reaction] (F÷2)-2
Increase [Charisma] (F÷2)-2
Physical Camouflage (F÷2)-1

Adept Powers (Magic 3):

[ Spoiler ]

Heightened Concentration
Combat Sense 3
Counterstrike 1

Cyber/Bioware:

[ Spoiler ]

Muscle Toner 2
Cerebral Booster 1
Platelet Factories
Genetic Optimization (Willpower)

Gear:

[ Spoiler ]

12 x Psyche
Agent 3
Mage Sight Goggles
Earbuds Rtg 3
Audio Enhancements
Fake SIN Rtg 4
2 x Fake License Rtg 4

Mortimer Greatcoat Suit 6/5
Aurora Overcoat 3/2
Aurora Blazer 3/1
Aurora Shirt 1/0
Reconquista Vest 1/1
Moonsilver Scarf 1/0

Contacts and Relationships:

[ Spoiler ]

Queen Alachia -1
Ehran the Scribe 1
Prince Sean Laverty 1
Prince Jenna Ni'Fairra 0
Harlequin 6
Dunkelzahn 3
Hestaby 2

Contact Connection/Loyalty
Technomancer 5/4
Hermetic Researcher 3/4
Fixer 4/4

Quickened spells:

[ Spoiler ]

F9 Levitate with 6 net hits = 54 m/turn speed
F5 Increase Intuition
F6 Increase Charisma

Me'raearth Fearghas (ED)
Metatype: Immortal Elf
Occupation: Adventurer, Lightbearer

Attributes:

[ Spoiler ]

Body: 2
Agility: 6
Reaction: 3
Strength: 2

Qualities:

[ Spoiler ]

Mystic Adept
Astral Chameleon
Magician's Way

Skills


Lightbearer Metamagics (rank 7):

[ Spoiler ]

Light Symbol and Shimmer (dunno what these do)
Light Sprite (Summons a "light" watcher spirit - redundant?)
Radiant Circle (Horrors or horror marked must overcome Rank + Willpower using Counterspelling + Willpower)
Heal Believer (Lightbearer Rank + Willpower. Essentially Heal spell. I don't know what restrictions this would have...?)
Karma Transfer (works like Edge-giving part of Twist Fate power in reverse - can only be received from voluntary targets who are also LBs - maybe only works on a dying LB?)
Ease Wounds (Pain Resistance Spell, force = Rank)
Edge of Light (adds Lighbearer Rank to the DV of any melee weapon against horrors only. Anything else, +3DV.)

Feedback welcome

[Seth]

@Halinn: Looks nice. I'm guessing your main roles are face/infiltration. Can you give me a few details on your spirit pact owner, or do you want to leave it up to me

@sabs: Cerebral booster 3 needs restricted gear. Everything else looks fine

@aria / ol'scratch / sephiroth: looking forwards to seeing them

@pbangarth: Do you want the draco foundation as a contact, given your relationship with Dunkelzahn? P

The other two (my wife is going to give pbp a try, and my son is enjoying emerging conflicts: so he will come along to) characters we'll post after we get back from New Zealand: BigFella is playing a drake. <Unknown name> is playing an elven monster hunter.

[pbangarth]

Yeah, the Draco Foundation sounds good. Now that I have the Magic thing figured out, I'll adjust some stats.

[pbangarth]

Ooookaaayyyy...

So the Draco Foundation looks like a biggy. Say up to 1000 members, so +4 connection; global influence +6; vast magical resources +6; broad reaching Matrix presence +2. SO whatever Connection rating I give it (is there anything that makes sense but 6?), I should add +18. Does that sound right?

So, tentatively, Draco Foundation 6(24) connection / 4 loyalty (Mandala has a Relationship of 6 with Dunkelzahn). Sound right? For only 28 BP! But one helluva contact!

As it turns out, with the starting Magic at 7, I have the extra BP.

[Halinn]

@Halinn: Looks nice. I'm guessing your main roles are face/infiltration. Can you give me a few details on your spirit pact owner, or do you want to leave it up to me

I think it would be more interesting to have you come up with that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[pbangarth]

With all the talk of Magic Attribute going to 10, I was wondering whether Mandala's Magic (from Force) of only 9 would be a problem (Sheesh, can you listen to that!), but I see the other two posted PCs also have a Magic of 9. I guess we have to be very careful of those -10 Voids, huh?

I just don't have anything else I want to rob for 25 BP to get his Magic up that one more point. The only thing I can see is stealing 6 Skill levels total from a bunch of Skills, and one more from Relationships. All this in the hopes that he would be able to build up those Skill levels again relatively soon. At the moment I'm not that hungry for that last point.

A few things to remember in play (writing them here as much to remind myself as to tell others):

A Free Spirit can Aid Sorcery for any class of spell, so he can add his Force to a fellow magician's spellcasting pool. So a teammate who has a special spell we really need at the moment can be bumped significantly.

With the Spirit Pact (Power Pact), he can share most of his Powers with fellow players (Seth understandably doesn't want Materialization, Possession or ItNW). The cool MetaSethMagic of Background Resistance(1) might be interesting to some.

The Cleansing Metamagic he has can clear an area (?radius (Magic) meters?) of positive background count associated with a domain, such as may be possible in a certain Aztechnology pyramid. If that room 27A is some place we have to hole up until the cavalry arrives, we may profit from clearing it of Azzie influence while we defend ourselves there.

Being Aztechnology, there may be machines pitted against us. Object Resistance doesn't work against critter powers, only spells, so Accident and Psychokinesis may be useful tools against drones and the like.

[Ol' Scratch]

Didn't Seth mention that your Force would never diminish to below 1/5th its normal rating, even in those painfully low Magic areas?

If you're really worried about it, you could try looking at Geomancy or maybe even Filtering, and just assume that he went out of his way to clear small areas to lair in when Magic dropped too far, and spent most of his time over the centuries maintaining it.

[pbangarth]

Didn't Seth mention that your Force would never diminish to below 1/5th its normal rating, even in those painfully low Magic areas?

If you're really worried about it, you could try looking at Geomancy or maybe even Filtering, and just assume that he went out of his way to clear small areas to lair in when Magic dropped too far, and spent most of his time over the centuries maintaining it.

Yes, I see that HERE. That applies for Free Spirits when their life force is infused in a gem, which may not be the case during our perambulations in this campaign, and would not apply to other PC types.

Cleansing, Geomancy and Filtering work on the positive background count of domains, not on the negatives of mana deprivation.

[Ol' Scratch]

Ah. I never really looked into them that much as I kind of like the occasional roadblocks various background counts add to a game. (I'm weird like that.)

As for the gem thing, I think that's the main point. As far as I know, we're not actually going to be taking our characters as they stand right now (their Sixth World stats) and tossing them back in time, so much as revisiting who and what we were in the past. That means our stats and abilities might be completely different in each of the eras we revisit. So what you need to do is figure out how you survived the Fifth World, and each era in particular, and go from there. Maybe you did spend some of that time in a gem, artifact, or living being with whom you Shared Life (a technique you may not even know anymore). Maybe that was enough to keep you bound to this world even if you were all but powerless except for the ability to communicate with your host (assuming the Shared Life route). I honestly think that's the best route for a free spirit to take, but I don't know if that fits in with your Buddhist concepts.

That said, I am still confused a little myself. I've seen a lot of different numbers through the other thread regarding what the effective mana levels would be at. I think -- think -- the intention is that -10 is about as low as it'll get in the eras we relive, but the areas we move to during those eras will be about three points lower, so -7 should be the most we have to worry about. But like I said, I've seen a bunch of different numbers tossed out and used in different contexts, so I'm just as lost as you are really. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Paul Kauphart]

Gunslinger Adept, Immortal Elf, you'll have the full character sheet by tomorrow evening CET.

[Ol' Scratch]

Sweet, a combat type! Now I know who to hide behind. How you doing, buddy!

[pbangarth]

Hey! Hide behind the guy with Hardened Armor of 18. Ask nicely and he'll materialize as a riot shield for you.

[Ol' Scratch]

I can handle having two buddies! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Halinn]

I can handle having two buddies! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

You may also enjoy the fact that I can dodge most bullets. Actually, it seems quite a few of our little group can survive being in combat.

[pbangarth]

You may also enjoy the fact that I can dodge most bullets. Actually, it seems quite a few of our little group can survive being in combat.

Yeah, well, let's wait to see what Seth thinks is a good test for us.

[Halinn]

Yeah, well, let's wait to see what Seth thinks is a good test for us.

I happen to like my misplaced confidence. So there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[pbangarth]

Hmmm... the four PCs for whom there are partial posts don't show any Heal spell. I better reconsider Mandala.

[Sephiroth]

You may also enjoy the fact that I can dodge most bullets. Actually, it seems quite a few of our little group can survive being in combat.

Indeed. I still have a lot to work on with him, but my IE character is also decent at combat. He can also fly. With Exotic Melee Weapon (Scythe) (Fighting while Airborne +2). And a sword that shoots lasers. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Ol' Scratch]

Well. I can identify flowers and open locks. Take that!

<suddenly feeling less of a man>