Weightless, silent, deep, dark, and endless. Oh, how he wished it could have truly been endless, sparing him the burden of wakefulness. His slumber was abruptly disturbed by the creaking of the door, followed by the placement of something atop his suit. Given his stance, he probably resembled nothing more than a glorified coat rack. Holding a staff in each hand, and with his armor shorter than most, it was easy for others to mistake him for unique furniture. At least he wasn't snoring—that would have been truly embarrassing.
Once more, darkness enveloped him as he drifted between sleep and semi-awareness of those around him. Each opening and closing of the door brought a grimace, though unseen by others, the pain still coursed through his body like a fireworks explosion. How he longed for the door to be a solid wall, allowing him to slumber undisturbed. Despite his exhaustion, snippets of conversation filled the room, yet they sounded like gibberish to his groggy mind. The intensity of his pain made focusing on anything else nearly impossible.
Noticing Dorian, the host of the event, amidst the crowd, he began to rouse himself, attempting to shake off the lethargy. Events unfolded rapidly as information circulated. His suit hummed with energy as he unlocked its mechanisms, granting him freedom of movement. Arcane symbols shimmered along its seams, releasing a soft ethereal mist from various joints. With a grunt of effort, he maneuvered, noting the cloaks and paraphernalia that had been draped over him in his slumber. As he moved, the coat rack behind him was soon laden with his collected items.
Only then did he realize the folly of sleeping directly in front of the door. Yet, it mattered little as he navigated toward the illuminated area. Tensions lingered in the room, though their source remained elusive to him. Undeterred, he approached the table and retrieved an old ceramic jar, extracting its contents into a wooden tankard that seemed to materialize out of thin air. After securing the jar, he stowed it in a small pouch, marveling at how such a sizable object fit so snugly.
Another mystical resonance heralded the appearance of a small rift at the bottom of his helm. Taking a straw, he began to sip his drink, opting to squat rather than take a seat. A strange suction and metallic clicking accompanied his action, but it didn't seem to faze him. His unconventional seating mirrored the diverse gathering of species in the room. Raising his tankard in acknowledgment to Dorian and the others, he observed their varied forms with a nod, grateful for the beverage's gradual alleviation of his pain.
With his suit now on full display, its dark purple hue and copper accents caught the eye. Intricate silver and gold filigree adorned the armor, with a shield strapped to his back and a sword at his side. Despite their size and apparent incongruity, they seemed to harmonize with him effortlessly. The shield, worn with signs of use, sat sideways on his back to accommodate his seated position, yet it shifted noiselessly. The sword, though seemingly new, carried an aura of mystery.
He remained silent, acknowledging the room's occupants in his own way. With each sip of his drink, the pain ebbed, clarity returned, and the tension dissipated. Yet, amidst the gathering of seemingly flawless beings, he couldn't help but feel out of place. Recalling the peculiar coin he had given to Dorian, its intricate designs resonated with him, featuring ancient runes and symbols that seemed uniquely attuned to him.
Nothing about his true appearance has been seen by anyone other than his mentors. Usually, he could be found in one of two suits of armor. The first set of armor, known as the Arcane Guardian suit, stands at a towering seven feet tall. Its bulkier appearance makes it stand out in combat, resembling a formidable guardian on the battlefield. The helm of this suit resembles the fearsome visage of an owlbear.
His second appearance is in his infiltrator suit, crafted for stealth and agility. Made from special metals, leathers, and cloth, this suit minimizes noise during rapid movement. The helm mirrors the Displacer Beast's cunning appearance, aiding in his covert operations.
Both suits feature a black metal base with copper highlights and intricate arcane dust filigree. Blown glass lenses serve as eyes, with the infiltrator suit sporting dark purple lenses while the guardian suit opts for a green setup. Each suit includes a special compartment on the forearms for quick access to tools, weapons, and shields, though the guardian form often accompanies a massive tower shield during his travels.
The filigree adorning the arcane suits manifests as intricate patterns etched into the surface, each segment depicting a different mythical creature with remarkable detail. The line work is delicately crafted, giving the impression of fluid movement and lifelike features.
On the helm, a fearsome alliance unfolds as a Displacer Beast and an Owlbear stand side by side, their fierce visages belying their otherworldly origins. The Displacer Beast snarls with ethereal menace, while the Owlbear glares with primal fury, their forms intertwined in a deadly dance of combat as they attack otherworldly entities, covering each other's backs. The filigree dust outlines their forms, capturing the intricate details of their feline and avian features alike.
Down the chestplate, dragons soar over jagged mountains, their forms outlined in copper accents that gleam against the dark purple backdrop. Flames erupt from their mouths, engulfing their enemies in a fiery inferno. On the back of the chest plate, the majestic phoenix rises from the ashes, its plumage ablaze with golden hues that contrast against the deep purple of the armor.
As the wearer moves, the filigree dust reacts to the activation of magic within the suit, emitting a soft, pulsating glow that shifts in color depending on the nature of the spell cast. From shimmering blues to radiant greens or even pulsating purples, each hue adds to the mystique of the arcane suit, evoking a sense of wonder and awe in those who behold it.
Bio History:
Life was simple. Well, simple enough. Usually, he would spend his time reading about Biomechanical engineering, alchemy, cooking, healing, or glasswork. Until he felt confident about the theory behind what he wanted to do, he would wait to save on material costs. This was because of his body and limitations tied to it. He was usually seen in an Arcane suit. This was something one of his mentors created for him and was the only reason he was still alive to this day.
His mentor or mentors were more like his parents as he was abandoned as an infant. His current parents/mentors told him that they found him in the wilds. That his parents were nowhere to be seen and they had no clue where they went or who they were. Over the years his mentors had assisted him with their connections in trying to find his parents. However, as the information was limited, they have had no luck.
He is usually extremely focused while crafting. This includes making food or alcohol. The skills he picked up over the years were thanks to his mentors' connections. They wanted to fuel his curious nature and supplied him with an environment that would help him grow. His mentors knew other masters specializing in different branches of craft. Because of this he holds the knowledge but lacks trained muscle memory as someone who has been doing the trade for their entire life. This isn’t to say that his creations are bad, however, they are not of magnum opus level.
Likes:
Reading
Helping others
Helping himself
Crafting
Cooking
Brewing
Money
Anatomy of all species
Anatomy of all animals
Anatomy of all insects
Anatomy of all plantlife
Dislikes:
Whoever cursed him
People who take their situations for granted
Rich and powerful nobles who look down on others
Manipulative people who harm others for their own profit
Whoever cursed him
EVIIILLL
Unwinnable scenarios - It is more like he doesn’t believe in them.
Entities that believe that people are less than.
Skills and Abilities:
Abilities:
You must have three abilities and give a short description of each ability.
Arcane Plate Suit - The Suit has different modes and can transform between two modes. Each holding different special abilities.
Ironshield - Massive shield is placed in the way of incoming attacks.
Alchemy - potions, explosives, enhancements; yes, we have them.
What are the drawbacks of those abilities?
It takes time and effort to shift the suit between the modes. Depending on the transformation it can take up to an hour to change the mode.
With enough heat the shield can fail over time. The shield is speared into the ground partially and locks the user into place.
Alchemy requires materials, money, time, and a workplace
Skills:
Three basic skills that your character contributes to the group with a short description.
Arcana - a few spells to assist in his daily life. He has yet to gain too many but still dabbles.
Craftsman - Creates items needed for himself as well as those he deems worthy of services.
Union - This is a special technique that allows him to infuse, enhance, or modify existing crafts.
Wealth of Knowledge - Based on his upbringing he has gained vast knowledge based on crafts, trade, cooking, and so on. The only downside to this is his inexperience.
[center]
Extra Information:
Nothing found here. Find out in character.[/hider]
Nothing about his true appearance has been seen by anyone other than his mentors. Usually he could be found in one of two suits of armor. The first set of armor is listed as the Arcane Guardian suit. It is a much bigger suit that stands at seven feet tall. The bulkier appearance makes it stand out in combat as either the thing to gang up on or run away from. The helm resembles an owlbear head.
His second appearance is his infiltrator suit. It has less mass and is made for infiltrating. Special metals, leathers, cloth and so on were put into the creation of this suit. This helps keep the plates from making metallic noises when moving quickly. The helm resembles a displacer beast head.
The overall look of both suits are a black metal with copper highlights and some golden filigree. The eyes are blown glass lenses. Infiltrator suit has a dark purple lens setup while the other has a green lens setup. Each has a special compartment on the forearms allowing quick access to tools, weapons, and shields. That is if the suit isn’t in the guardian form. Usually, he walks around with a massive towershield.
Bio History:
Life was simple. Well, simple enough. Usually he would spend his time reading about Biomechanical engineering, alchemy, cooking, healing, or glasswork. Until he felt confident about the theory behind what he wanted to do, he would wait to save on material costs. This was because of his body and limitations tied to it. He was usually seen in an Arcane suit. This was something one of his mentors created for him and was the only reason he was still alive to this day.
His mentor or mentors were more like his parents as he was abandoned as an infant. His current parents/mentors told him that they found him in the wilds. That his parents were nowhere to be seen and they had no clue where they went or who they were. Over the years his mentors had assisted him with their connections in trying to find his parents. However, as the information was limited, they have had no luck.
He is usually extremely focused while crafting. This includes making food or alcohol. The skills he picked up over the years were thanks to his mentors' connections. They wanted to fuel his curious nature and supplied him with an environment that would help him grow. His mentors knew other masters specializing in different branches of craft. Because of this he holds the knowledge but lacks trained muscle memory as someone who has been doing the trade for their entire life. This isn’t to say that his creations are bad, however, they are not of magnum opus level.
Likes:
Reading
Helping others
Helping himself
Crafting
Cooking
Brewing
Money
Anatomy of all species
Anatomy of all animals
Anatomy of all insects
Anatomy of all plantlife
Dislikes:
Whoever cursed him
People who take their situations for granted
Rich and powerful nobles who look down on others
Manipulative people who harm others for their own profit
Whoever cursed him
EVIIILLL
Unwinnable scenarios - It is more like he doesn’t believe in them.
Entities that believe that people are less than.
Skills and Abilities:
Abilities:
You must have three abilities and give a short description of each ability.
Arcane Plate Suit - The Suit has different modes and can transform between two modes. Each holding different special abilities.
Ironshield - Massive shield is placed in the way of incoming attacks.
Alchemy - potions, explosives, enhancements; yes, we have them.
What are the drawbacks of those abilities?
It takes time and effort to shift the suit between the modes. Depending on the transformation it can take up to an hour to change the mode.
With enough heat the shield can fail over time. The shield is speared into the ground partially and locks the user into place.
Alchemy requires materials, money, time, and a workplace
Skills:
Three basic skills that your character contributes to the group with a short description.
Arcana - a few spells to assist in his daily life. He has yet to gain too many but still dabbles.
Craftsman - Creates items needed for himself as well as those he deems worthy of services.
Union - This is a special technique that allows him to infuse, enhance, or modify existing crafts.
Wealth of Knowledge - Based on his upbringing he has gained vast knowledge based on crafts, trade, cooking, and so on. The only downside to this is his inexperience.
Extra Information:
He has a small flying mechanical pet. Its name is Flitz.
As mentioned in my post it would be a soft/hard system. This way people can have something to use, and others have freedom to make things up. I was just throwing out concepts as to how those system may have worked or been established. It wasn't meant as a way to step on toes. Just trying to help fill in the gaps as someone who has DM/GMed before; I know that it can be hard balancing many aspects of an RP or TTRPG. Especially when a game session lasts for an entire 24 hours. Having someone help fill in some of the blanks does help. While not always wanted. That is why it was a suggestion. A very big one or several. However, still just a suggestion.
Don't apologies for questions! I'm happy you're interested enough to ask them! I haven't considered too deeply the limitations of magic. I was hoping we could just sort of do what feels right story-wise. But I am following DnD 5e ideas so to speak for the actual magic. I could, alternatively use rules like Fire Emblem where literally all the character needs is the spell book and possibly some components or maybe the spell book has limited uses? I just wouldn't be sure how that would work realistically? Hmm...
I'd be interested to hear your take on how magic should be handled! I just don't want to get bogged down in all the nitty gritty details that we miss the "cool/fun" factor of our story.
To keep the Cool/fun factor in the game I suggest a soft and hard magic system. What I mean by this is having a soft system for creative purposes, while having a hard system as the system of "spells known" and shared to those who show aptitude in magic. Most spells can be added to a list of forgotten spells as some are very powerful. I'm looking at you, silvery barbs. If possible, we could pull some elements from BG3 making some spells rituals that last all day. This way it can be like a ritual for some to cast a few protective spells. I mean it could be something suggested by the teachers for 1st year students. As it looks like there are gunslingers and runecrafters, it made me think of "casters" from Outlawstar. Ancient and/or forgotten spells placed in scroll like bullets. These are then loaded into the caster and used. Some work, some don't, and some have backlash on the person using them.
Making it so that players have to open and read grimoires in order to learn hard magic spells or spell theories. These are one time use consumables and imbue the reader with the knowledge required to cast specific types of spells or learn the basics of another school of magic. These limitations allow control over what could be considered overpowered spells, which allows the GM less room to worry. If you aren't worried, then this isn't required. It could also be a reward or choice for 1st year mages. This doesn't mean that players or NPCs can't learn magic by study. Study takes longer and helps the user to gain actual experience with the magic they are using. Muscle memory is a thing. Having Magic streamed into your mind is different than living and learning the experience yourself.
To the topic of how I think it should work; doesn't mean it will be the way. Would be having spheres of mana. While these spheres of mana are usually unspecified, a user can specify them as one of the schools of magic. This would be something that most of the players have already done. Mainly they would be trained by their family's techniques, have magical potions, tutors and the like while growing up. Usually, the wealthier one is the higher the base sphere value. This does create some unfair points, but privilege and wealth are usually shown as unfair to those without as much. This could create the atmosphere that some players have to do more to catch up. That some have innate talent while others have to work hard. It helps create drama between students and allows growth as well. However, I digress from my point.
Spheres of mana, mana is converted into a type of magic or teaching, and then the caster can cast spells specific to that school of magic. Conjuration = I make things appear from somewhere/nowhere? Evocation = I make things go boom! Transmutation = I make things into other things. Necromancy = I unalive people and make them my people. Divination = I see all but can do nothing about it?! Abjuration = I make us safe and can marry people! I mean marry them to one another not to myself! Enchantment = People just love me! You do as well... Schrödinger's School of Illusion = I make others believe something either exists or doesn't. Summoning = I call forth an army of creatures to tank damage for me! Mind you these are all loosely related and do not cover the actual power behind each one. I hope I hit all the points.
It is hard to make a hard/soft system. The difficulty arises from the definition of each school. Some spells could technically belong to 2 or more. Depends on how the user is using the spells. As for spell components, I recommend against them. Mainly it is because that is based on the perceived value of an object. While casting a spell that costs 1000GP worth of Diamond dust and the spell goes through. At the time if the Value of the object went down in the world, then the spell should have failed. However, it was the belief in the value that made it work. In another realm the spell fails thus making the user need to carry more than what is usually required just in case the value fluctuates. This goes into another conversation about locations and the different types of animals located in each. A chicken feather from one area could help the user cast levitation but from another area it could make them cast fly. If everyone is alright with going into magical theory and detail when they cast spells, I don't see this being an issue. However, I recommend that if you are going to use a single substance. In Critical Role's book, they have a substance harvested from the remains of a calcified Titan? Maybe that was something my brother added to the game. I can't recall 100% I think it was in the City of Whitestone.
Options. I hope this helped. I know it is a bit much. Thank you for your time.
This looks interesting. Do you all have world building down? What are the limitations of magic? I did see it mentioned that it was spells and such like from 5th edition. Someone had also mentioned that the gods could be powerful mages. Sounds like Mage: The Awakening or Ascension. We did try doing some custom stuff to our game like adding the zodiac as gods chosen. If the gods are a thing are consolation other god like entities? Is this a specific pantheon or mixed?
Sorry for all the questions. I will probably read along with this one. If you would like help creating teachers and other students/families please let me know.
Updated character profile. I hope that everything makes sense. If something is missing @Poleski79 we did talk over what the character knows and can do. So, hopefully I can just add anything I missed.
Member
Ti,
WhiteAngel25,
Damo021,
rush99999,
chicken2024,
Alby47,
Single Malt,
Izurich,
Poleski79,
Gordian Nought
