# ry and Insight's Legacies (E6 - character creation)



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

OK, this thread is for character creation for the 1 on 1 Legends game I'm having with Insight, set in the Legacies setting.

First of all, what you have to know about the Legacies setting is that it is very, very old.  Even the Living Gods, who have lived on the earth for 2000 years, is a fleeting moment in the history of the world.  Empires rise, fall, and pass into history to be forgotten.

Before we start on rules, choose a theatre:

1)  The Halcyon Sea Region 
Daring, and intrigue among the dozen stars: The Halcyon sea region is home to many city-states, each devoted to a Living God.  This region is full of strife, but also home to several distinct cultures.

2)  Zeium Dalat
Exploration, daring, and intrigue in a vast, multi-ethnic empire.

3)  The Wastes
The world is vast, and old, and there are many spirits and sights beyond belief.  It is said that those born in the wastes are born to wander.


----------



## Insight (Jun 18, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> OK, this thread is for character creation for the 1 on 1 Legends game I'm having with Insight, set in the Legacies setting.
> 
> First of all, what you have to know about the Legacies setting is that it is very, very old.  Even the Living Gods, who have lived on the earth for 2000 years, is a fleeting moment in the history of the world.  Empires rise, fall, and pass into history to be forgotten.




When you say 'earth', do you mean 'Earth', or 'generic planet'?



> Before we start on rules, choose a theatre:
> 
> 1)  The Halcyon Sea Region
> Daring, and intrigue among the dozen stars: The Halcyon sea region is home to many city-states, each devoted to a Living God.  This region is full of strife, but also home to several distinct cultures.
> ...




Hmmm... they all sound interesting for different reasons.  I think I like the "Exploration, daring, and intrigue in a vast, multi-ethnic empire", so let's go with Zeium Dalat.


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

By 'on the earth' I mean 'not in the sky', actually.  The ten Living Gods of the Halcyon Sea Region dwell among mortals, acting as their custodians and kings (or despots and maniacal overlords, you know how it is).

OK, so for Zeium Dalat, choose a timeperiod:

1.  The Four Emperors Period (Early empire, establishment of Zeium Dalat over the first four generations of its Empire)

2.  The Paiogun Wars (Empire's first major war with an external force, the nonhuman Paio)

3.  Eastward Expansion (Colonization across a sea in the East)

4.  Days of Madness (Civil Wars)

5.  Sky (Empire's Renaissance, age of philosophy and exploration)

6.  Slumber (Decline, or just the illusion thereof?)


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

The setting is definitely NOT Earth, just to clarify.


----------



## Insight (Jun 18, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> OK, so for Zeium Dalat, choose a timeperiod:
> 
> 4.  Days of Madness (Civil Wars)




I like this period best.  One of the things I'm looking for is to have a lot of options for my character, both in terms of his ability, and also in what he might do.  I believe a civil war setting would give my character quite a bit to do, and possibly some different options for the character's abilities.


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

The Days of Madness lasts approximately 150 years; 

choosing a point from 30 years before the beginning of that period, to 30 years before the end of that period, when is your character born?


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

None of this historical stuff restricts your character's impact, btw, just to give it context.  Social forces say the empire is going to exist in some form for another 2 periods after the Days of Madness, but it's still completely possible for your character to change the course of history.  What you're seeing here about the future, relative to your character, is just what the social forces are pushing towards.


----------



## Insight (Jun 18, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> The Days of Madness lasts approximately 150 years;
> 
> choosing a point from 30 years before the beginning of that period, to 30 years before the end of that period, when is your character born?




I think I'd like to have my character born while the civil war is in full throat, so somewhere near the middle of the historical period.  We'll say year 80 of the era.


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

The next stage is your character's earliest life - I'd like your character to have some kind of auspicious birth, lineage, or infancy.  This will have a lot to do with where your character is born, and the circumstances of that time and place.  So toss out some questions (1 at a time) and I'll answer them, and we'll keep going until you have a feel for Zeium Dalat in the Days period. While we go through this, think about what those circumstances could be.


----------



## Insight (Jun 18, 2007)

The first question -

This is an empire at civil war, right?  What are the factions involved, and why are they at war with one another?


----------



## Ry (Jun 18, 2007)

This is going to create more questions than it answers, but rather than continue with the deluge I think I'll let you read this and illuminate more with your questions:

The Days are actually a _series_ of civil wars, with the object being not only dominance, but the completion of the Thrice Coronation as well (the Thrice Coronation is a kind of imperial pilgrimmage that must be completed before the emperor is crowned).  Zeium Dalat is, as was said, a vast and multi-ethnic empire, normally stitched together by a common acceptance of a cross-cultural caste system (Zalai) that determines a hierarchy of respect and politesse in all corners of the empire.  This hierarchy commanded courtesy in different degrees, even between such stranger as Oji shamans, Pon Warlocks, Nubal merchant-princes, and Kittsan freemen.  Moreover, Zalai placed rights and obligations on the many castes, from slave to Emperor - these rights, enshrined in Dalati law, had preserved the Empire through sixty generations.

But rivalries between the groups, and within the imperial cities, had gone unchecked by generations of inept and careless Emperors.  Zalai itself was eroded by their decrees, and factions began to plot both near and far from the Emperor's throne at Padalat. 

Thus, it was inevitable that a struggle for imperial succession would flare outward.  The death of Emperor Iparn IV Dalat left behind eleven sons, the eldest Iparn V.  But most of the sons had been raised apart, exchanged with distant province-kings and raised among far-off people.  Meanwhile, Abish, a bastard heir disowned by Iparn IV, had secured the allegiance of the Jemesh (warlock) and Maiic (warrior) Imperial Guards.  

Before long, both the Heart-city (Dalat) and capital (Padalat) were in flames, and two Aspirant emperors became four, then eight, then five, then two, then seven, as armies from every corner of the empire were recalled only to lay siege to the capitals.  

By this point, the entire Empire was in chaos, with some provinces marshalling their forces to dominate the Empire, others withdrawing in an attempt to avoid the conflict by establishing some autonomy, and the best-off simply not having any Empire to answer to.  Sensing weakness, barbarians of the Wastes struck from the empires edges, sometimes even carving out fiefdems of their own from Imperial soil.  In the furthest provinces, forced conscription made a mockery of once-disciplined armies, and in the absence of leadership, trade, and prosperity, they often turned on the people they were created to protect.

Thus, the first three decades of the Days of Madness were filled with senseless violence, and short-lived victories.

By the 51st year of the Days, Aspirant Yushia Dalat-Ma, the "Witch-Empress", secured Padalat (the modern capital) while Dalat Yur (the traditional capital) dissolved into anarchy.  Over the next twenty-five years the Empire was again, largely subjugated or bribed back into coherent form.  The land of Kitts in the east remained intractable, denying that they need answer to any Aspirant, and Aspirant Prince Wesh of Nubal tenaciously held to his lands on the southern continent.  Aspirant Yushia, becoming more and more secure in her political power, and possessing the allegiance of formidable spirits, began the Thrice Coronation to become Empress.  

In the 79th year of the Days, having completed two of the three Coronations, Yushia was planning her ascent to petition the Dragon of Te Zeium, Yusal, for that final coronation.  She was slain by an unknown assailant within yards of taking her first step upon the Path of the Dragon.


----------



## Insight (Jun 19, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> By the 51st year of the Days, Aspirant Yushia Dalat-Ma, the "Witch-Empress", secured Padalat (the modern capital) while Dalat Yur (the traditional capital) dissolved into anarchy.  Over the next twenty-five years the Empire was again, largely subjugated or bribed back into coherent form.  The land of Kitts in the east remained intractable, denying that they need answer to any Aspirant, and Aspirant Prince Wesh of Nubal tenaciously held to his lands on the southern continent.  Aspirant Yushia, becoming more and more secure in her political power, and possessing the allegiance of formidable spirits, began the Thrice Coronation to become Empress.
> 
> In the 79th year of the Days, having completed two of the three Coronations, Yushia was planning her ascent to petition the Dragon of Te Zeium, Yusal, for that final coronation.  She was slain by an unknown assailant within yards of taking her first step upon the Path of the Dragon.




This seems like a good jumping-off point.  I'd like to have my character be involved with Yushia somehow.  The nature of this involvement depends on Yushia's background and details.  What more can you tell me about Yushia, and especially the circumstances surrounding her would-be rise to the throne and subsequent death?

What I'm thinking here is one of two things: either my character was born a relation to Yushia (if that's possible), or that the "auspicious birth" has something to do with Aspirant Yushia (possibly that my character was born at the exact moment of Yushia's assassination, bears some birthmark or something indicating my character could be Yushia reincarnated, or something along those lines)...


----------



## Ry (Jun 19, 2007)

Yushia is kind of complex, so how about I start with her family?  She was the eldest child of the Dalat-Ma, a lesser noble house that had become in its latter years part of the Imperial Guard caste.  The Dalat-Ma had some kind of tenuous claim to the throne dating back to the Paiogun Wars but had not contested the ascent of other, stronger families to the throne in that era, and few outside of the family recalled it.

Her mother was a Pon witch, and her father was Yushim, the highest-ranking member of the Jemesh (warlock) Imperial guards caste after the mass assasination of Abish (bastard-Aspirant) and his retinue in the tenth year of the Days.  

Wisely, Yushim (Yushia's father) convinced the remaining members of the Jemesh (warlock) and Meiic (warrior) castes to withdraw from the conflict, choosing to preserve the Imperial Guards castes, and thereby Zalai, over backing a particular Aspirant.  

Their forces gathered, they secured a safe exit of the region from the other factions that were more than happy to be rid of them.  So a long train of Meeic and Jeresh - once the mightiest force of the empire - passed through the Arches of Padalat (gates of the capital city).  As she walked beneath the last arch, Yushia's mother gave birth and suddenly died.

Yushim's forces retreated to the ramparts of Hune, a sprawling fortress built deep in the Wudal mountains northwest of Padalat.  Yushim brought with him certain loyal Imperial vassals who like him, no longer had a lord to serve, and thus made a tiny, self-sufficient enclave that was sheltered from the early Madness.  

Thus it was at Hune, surrounded by warriors, warlocks and men of state that Yushia was raised.


----------



## Ry (Jun 19, 2007)

Yushia left Hune under mysterious circumstances at the age of 20 (30th year of the Days).  At the age of 29 (39th year of the Days), she returned to Hune and deposited her four children with Yushim.  Their father is unknown, and in appearance they resemble Yushia's Dalati blood only.  From this day onward she was never remarked upon as having any outward sign of aging.  Over the next 12 years she would return occasionally, while rumours from the East spoke of a mighty Witch gathering forces and spirits to her side.  At the age of 41 (51st year of the Days) she conquered Padalat independent of the support of the Meiic and Jeresh loyal to her father, and sent for them to secure her imperial guard.  She would spend the next 28 years securing larger and larger portions of the Empire, until her death.


----------



## Ry (Jun 19, 2007)

Next question?


----------



## Insight (Jun 19, 2007)

Could my character be one of Yushia's mysterious children?


----------



## Ry (Jun 19, 2007)

Sure - but if you are, your character would be 40 in the year of her death, and 41 in year 80 of the Days.  Then again, I hadn't decided whether they inherited their mother's agelessness, but it's certainly possible.  What do you think?  Do you still want to start the campaign at the 80th year?


----------



## Insight (Jun 20, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> Sure - but if you are, your character would be 40 in the year of her death, and 41 in year 80 of the Days.  Then again, I hadn't decided whether they inherited their mother's agelessness, but it's certainly possible.  What do you think?  Do you still want to start the campaign at the 80th year?




Hmm... well, I think it would be better if my character were an adult at the time of Yushia's assassination.  But in terms of the chronological age vs. the physical age, yeah, it'd be cool if my character inherited some form of the agelessness or maybe a slowdown in the aging process.  Perhaps the father didn't have the timeless quality, so the children would have a lesser form of what Yushia had.  Or, as an alternative, perhaps my character would grow normally to maturity, then starting being ageless.  Since I don't know how Yushia became ageless, I guess it depends on whether this trait is something Yushia can pass on to her offspring.


----------



## Ry (Jun 20, 2007)

Let's just say this: Yushia was ageless.  Her children have remarkably good health, have kept a youthful appearance.  Yushia never chose to reveal the reason for her agelessness, and whether she passed it to her children is debatable.  Certainly they do not exhibit the exact same fixedness of appearance as their mother.

Is your character Yushia's first, second, third, or fourth child?  Feel free to pick the genders of the whole brood, and even personalities if you want.  That's open.


----------



## Insight (Jun 20, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> Let's just say this: Yushia was ageless.  Her children have remarkably good health, have kept a youthful appearance.  Yushia never chose to reveal the reason for her agelessness, and whether she passed it to her children is debatable.  Certainly they do not exhibit the exact same fixedness of appearance as their mother.
> 
> Is your character Yushia's first, second, third, or fourth child?  Feel free to pick the genders of the whole brood, and even personalities if you want.  That's open.




My character was Yushia's youngest son, the second of two sons she bore.  My character would thus also have two older sisters.  I imagine that, being the youngest, my character would feel he had a lot to prove, and might begrudge some of his siblings some of the attention he never received growing up.  Perhaps no open hostility or animosity, but my character probably harbors some resentment towards his older siblings.  I think one of his older sisters ended up raising my character, so that's one sibling he probably doesn't resent.  The other siblings probably don't even know how my character feels about them, as he's not really all that open to talking about his feelings.


----------



## Insight (Jun 20, 2007)

At what point should I start using a name instead of 'my character'???


----------



## Ry (Jun 20, 2007)

I was just about to ask that.  You've seen enough words I'm sure to pick one.  Go nuts.


----------



## Ry (Jun 21, 2007)

My responses will be a bit sparser for the next few days, I have been chosen to be our line of business's martyr before the forces of exhaustive audits... sigh...


----------



## Insight (Jun 21, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> I was just about to ask that.  You've seen enough words I'm sure to pick one.  Go nuts.




MMM.... well, I've seen a few names, and I'm aware of the general flavor of the naming of this part of your setting, so I'll come up with six.  Let me know if these are keeping with the spirit and such:

Cathmat
Erdal or Irdal
Kaan
Thalin
Varul
Ystani or Estani

If these all seem OK to you, I'll pick a name from the list above.


----------



## Ry (Jun 21, 2007)

Choose from:

Irdal
Varul
Estani

(varied)

Cathemat
Kan
Thalim


----------



## Insight (Jun 21, 2007)

Trying to decide between Cathemat, Kan, and Varul... part of me wants to know what sort of character I'm going to be playing, but in reality, people are named long before anyone knows what sort of person they will become.

So it comes down to what name I like the best, what flows best.  

Kan is short and to the point, but reminds me of Kal-Kan dog food, so that's out   

Varul.  I like this one... hard to decide.  Could pronounce VEHR-OOL or VAR-UHL, with emphasis on either syllable either way.

Cathemat, also sounds cool.  More complex (three syllables as opposed to two, if I pronounce as CATH-UH-MAT).

I think I'll go with Cathemat, pronounced as above, emphasis on the first syllable.


----------



## Insight (Jun 21, 2007)

*CHARACTER SUMMARY SO FAR -*

This is going to be a compilation of the questions and answers thus far, also to make sure we are on the same page going forward.

*Character Name*: Cathemat (not sure if he has a surname)
*Role in Society*: A Dalati noble, youngest son of the late Aspirant Yushia Dalat-Ma.
*Game Theatre*: Zeium Dalat
*Time Period*: Days of Madness (Civil Wars), currently Year 80
*Birth & Significance*: Cathemat is the youngest son of Aspirant Yushia Dalat-Ma, who nearly ascended to the throne in Year 79 of the Days.  Born some 30 years before Yushia's assassination, Cathemat appears to have retained some of his mother's ageless quality, and appears to be around 18 years old.
*Family & Siblings*: Yushia Dalat-Ma is Cathemat's mother, but the father is unknown.  Cathemat has two older sisters, Irda (age 39) and Tania (age 34), and a brother, Varul (age 36).  Yushia Dalat-Ma was assassinated a year ago; the rest of the above are living.
*Early Life*: Cathemat grew up in his grandfather Yushim's household.  He rarely saw his mother as she was off on one quest or another in her attempts to ascend to the throne.  Cathemat's relationship with his sister Tania was strong; he and Tania were very close, and the elder sister acted as a surrogate mother in many cases.  In terms of his brother, Varul, and his other sister, Irda, Cathemat resented the vast amount of attention they received from Yushim and other Dalati nobles.  Cathemat always felt himself an afterthought, with no real chance to ascend to the Imperial throne.


----------



## Ry (Jun 22, 2007)

We're on the same page 100%.  I can answer some more questions, and I have one to ask:  What are Cathemat's aptitudes?  In general, non-rules terms, what is he good at?


----------



## Insight (Jun 22, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> We're on the same page 100%.  I can answer some more questions, and I have one to ask:  What are Cathemat's aptitudes?  In general, non-rules terms, what is he good at?




Yeah, that's the obvious next step.  I'm not sure, what are my options?  I assume this is some kind of fantasy game, so I guess some fighting skills/abilities, sneaky type skills/abilities, spellcasting, etc are options on the table.  

What are the chances that Cathemat could be skilled in more than one area?  I think based on what I've read thus far that Cathemat should be skilled in magic.  I think I'd like to have him have been (or still be) in the military.  This would be a good option for a noble who has little chance to ascend to the Imperial throne, especially given the civil strife going on.  Alternately, Cathemat could use his skills behind the scenes, perhaps even as a spy against a competing faction.  Based on our own world, nobles in the third or fourth (or lower) position in terms of birth often join the clergy, so maybe that's an option as well.

I really don't have a preconceived notion of what I want to do in terms of Cathemat's abilities.  Magic use is something I'd like to add to whatever else he'd be able to do.  I guess that would depend on his "profession".


----------



## Ry (Jun 22, 2007)

Just to make the ages we've listed here work, I'm going to push Yushia's birth to 20th year of the days, and keep the rest as-is.  So she was ~ 59 at the time of her death.  That works to make your character 30, since Yushia returned to Hune at 29 (with your character as a newborn).  This way his older siblings can stay the ages you mentioned above.


----------



## Ry (Jun 22, 2007)

You know, the early life of Cathemat is really interesting to me, and I think providing some concrete situations would really help get a sense of how he developed and what his aptitudes are at adulthood.  I think I'd like to back up the timeline a bit ... what do you think of doing some flashback period roleplaying knowing that we're heading towards Yushia's assassination as our real "start"?


----------



## Insight (Jun 22, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> You know, the early life of Cathemat is really interesting to me, and I think providing some concrete situations would really help get a sense of how he developed and what his aptitudes are at adulthood.  I think I'd like to back up the timeline a bit ... what do you think of doing some flashback period roleplaying knowing that we're heading towards Yushia's assassination as our real "start"?




That's a great idea.  Depending on when we start the "flashback', Cathemat's abilities can be fairly _mundane_, such as basic literacy, perhaps some rudimentary combat skills, language skills, perhaps some basics in spellcasting.  I figure if he's around chronological age 15, he would have been trained in the basic skills that nobles tend to have.  I'm assuming that nobles in this setting are somewhat similar to those found in medieval Europe.  If not, let me know and I'll amend my assumptions.


----------



## Ry (Jun 22, 2007)

OK, rank the following (feel free to ask any questions, they're a slightly different list than in the .doc file for the playtest).

Agility
Athletics
Brawn
Command
Convince
Devices
Finesse
Fortitude
Intuition
Knowledge
Stealth
Will
Wits

Think about these as well, what's Cathemat most interested in?

Agriculture
Animals
Craft
Crime
Sail
Ride
Soldiery
Spirits


----------



## Insight (Jun 23, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> OK, rank the following (feel free to ask any questions, they're a slightly different list than in the .doc file for the playtest).
> 
> Agility
> Athletics
> ...




1. Wits
2. Intuition
3. Command
4. Knowledge
5. Will
6. Convince
7. Brawn
8. Athletics
9. Fortitude
10. Agility
11. Stealth
12. Finesse
13. Devices




> Think about these as well, what's Cathemat most interested in?
> 
> Agriculture
> Animals
> ...




Cathemat would be most interested in Soldiery, Spirits (is that drinking or ghosts?), Ride, and Sail in that order.


----------



## Ry (Jun 23, 2007)

Ghosts, actually.

PS: expectation of sparse posts must remain.  Short answers more likely.


----------



## Ry (Jun 26, 2007)

OK, I figured out how I'm going to construct situations for Cathemat's youth (I've got some good tables in the Saga Companion from the good ol' days of the mid-90s).  His first 12 or so years of life were lived in the Hune valley, mostly in the citadel itself.  The first time he came to Padalat it was when his mother had conquered it; there was a HUGE parade but Cathemat wasn't the centre of attention - Irda and Varul were, as Yushia welcomed her children to the city at the palace steps.

At such a big even, what would Cathemat be doing?


----------



## Insight (Jun 26, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> OK, I figured out how I'm going to construct situations for Cathemat's youth (I've got some good tables in the Saga Companion from the good ol' days of the mid-90s).  His first 12 or so years of life were lived in the Hune valley, mostly in the citadel itself.  The first time he came to Padalat it was when his mother had conquered it; there was a HUGE parade but Cathemat wasn't the centre of attention - Irda and Varul were, as Yushia welcomed her children to the city at the palace steps.
> 
> At such a big even, what would Cathemat be doing?




When Cathemat was 12, he would probably have fallen right in line with what was expected of him.  I expect Cathemat to develop a bit of a rebellious side later during his teenage years, but probably not when he was 12.

I figure Cathemat was fascinated by armor and weapons at that age, or in any display of magic, so if there was an opportunity for Cathemat to visit with soldiers, cavalry, knights, imperial guards, etc, he would take it, even if it meant straying a bit from the imperial retinue.  This would go double for any warlocks or spellcasters that he spotted.

If Cathemat wasn't needed (or specifically told what to do during this ceremony), he might wander off, and would gravitate towards spellcasters or people wearing armor and weapons (in that order).


----------



## Ry (Jun 28, 2007)

Imagine that Cathemat could walk up to any magic-using class from any source (let me know the source).  They're all standing there: spirit shamans, warlocks, illusionists, favored souls of exotic gods, and so on and so on.  Who would he gravitate towards?

How would Cathemat react to some kind of spiritual visit from his grandmother, (Yushim's wife, Yushia's mother)?


----------



## Insight (Jun 28, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> Imagine that Cathemat could walk up to any magic-using class from any source (let me know the source).  They're all standing there: spirit shamans, warlocks, illusionists, favored souls of exotic gods, and so on and so on.  Who would he gravitate towards?




At age 12, Cathemat would gravitate more towards magic users that have more of a showy side, so things like Diviners, Enchanters, and Abjurers would be out.  To use D&D parlance, I'd say he'd be looking for Warlocks, Evokers, Illusionists, Warmages, Conjurers, those would be the most attractive.  Of those, Cathemat would be the most interested in Warlocks and Evokers... he has a bit of an attraction to FIRE!!! 



> How would Cathemat react to some kind of spiritual visit from his grandmother, (Yushim's wife, Yushia's mother)?




Being around priests and spellcasters most of his life (perhaps all of his life), I don't think Cathemat would be all that freaked out.  If spiritual visits were fairly common in the culture, I think Cathemat would feel honored by such a visit.  Some of Cathemat's reaction would depend on the content of their conversation.  

It might well be a life-changing event for young Cathemat.  Later on in life, Cathemat respects his ancestry and place in society.  I'm not sure how much of that Cathemat would have at age 12 (or whenever this visit takes place).  I'm picturing young Cathemat as a bit of a petulant youth, somewhat disrespectful of those below his station, living in his own little world, until some event drags him kicking and screaming into the 'real world'.


----------



## Ry (Jun 28, 2007)

Once again, we're on the same page 100% - I'm on a much needed vacation with limited access to screens as of this evening.  I'll see if I have a chance to post some more situations / details / questions before I go, but it might be mid-next-week before I can really respond.  Sorry about the inconsistency in the timing; we were really going, and we will do so again.


----------



## Ry (Jun 29, 2007)

Rain has placed me at the excruciating laptop-dialup setup at the cottage.  

The first time Cathemat's grandmother visited him, the visit was brief - cut short by her fear of the Imperial shamans nearby, who she said were trying to capture her spirit.  She had already battled one spirit to reach Cathemat, and her speech became broken up, as if someone shouting over high winds.

She warned Cathemat that Yushia, in her quest for power, had become something terrible.  She could not say more, nor was it clear whether she could hear Cathemat.  But as she faded, and her speech was more broken, he clearly heard the phrase "Gods of the West"


----------



## Insight (Jun 30, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> She warned Cathemat that Yushia, in her quest for power, had become something terrible.  She could not say more, nor was it clear whether she could hear Cathemat.  But as she faded, and her speech was more broken, he clearly heard the phrase "Gods of the West"




In that case, Cathemat would have spent quite a lot of time researching these 'Gods of the West', if indeed the imperial libraries had information on such things.  In addition, Cathemat would, when and if the opportunity presented itself, try to question Yushia about the subject, not mentioning the grandmother's spiritual visit.


----------



## Ry (Jul 2, 2007)

There was no library at Hune, so the only texts where you could investigate were the private collections of those who dwelled there.  Essentially Cathemat was limited to consulting his grandfather, or the Jemesh (magic using ex-imperial guardsmen) or Meiic (warrior of the same function).

Key members of your grandfather's house could be approached about the Gods of the West.  

Sands, a Pon warlock.
Mishat, a Dalati Wizard.
Proudeye, a Spirit Shaman with a scarred face and unknown ethnicity.
Ekilar, a Nubalese mystical lyricist.

If you want to talk to someone else, just make them up.  

I'm veritably (though happily) bombarded in the E6 thread right now, and given how much time I'll be sinking into that ruleset would you mind if we used E6 instead of Legends for the system?  That way at least it's stable and my energies are all in the same place, and we can work feats in that give Cathemat whatever kind of customization we want.


----------



## Insight (Jul 3, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> There was no library at Hune, so the only texts where you could investigate were the private collections of those who dwelled there.  Essentially Cathemat was limited to consulting his grandfather, or the Jemesh (magic using ex-imperial guardsmen) or Meiic (warrior of the same function).
> 
> Key members of your grandfather's house could be approached about the Gods of the West.
> 
> ...




OK that's all fine.  Cathemat would consult whomever he could regarding the Gods of the West.



> I'm veritably (though happily) bombarded in the E6 thread right now, and given how much time I'll be sinking into that ruleset would you mind if we used E6 instead of Legends for the system?  That way at least it's stable and my energies are all in the same place, and we can work feats in that give Cathemat whatever kind of customization we want.




Yeah, that's fine, although I was interested in checking out your new system.  But sure, I'll try out the E6 thing.

BTW, I'm going to be at Origins starting Wednesday, July 4, and won't be posting again until 7-11.


----------



## Ry (Jul 3, 2007)

Insight said:
			
		

> OK that's all fine.  Cathemat would consult whomever he could regarding the Gods of the West.




Which person do you talk to first?  (This question has consequences for young Cathemat)


----------



## Insight (Jul 3, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> Which person do you talk to first?  (This question has consequences for young Cathemat)




Mishat seems like the most likely candidate.


----------



## Insight (Jul 8, 2007)

I'm basically back from Origins if you wish to continue this project.


----------



## Ry (Jul 8, 2007)

The Legends ruleset is in limbo right now (needs revising, no time for it, affected by constant exposure to raw chaos, likely in danger of being eaten by a slaad) because of these people knocking on my door to run or write E6.  

But the Legacies setting has massive appeal, so let's keep it up even if it's a little slow.

Let's make the stats of 15-year-old (i.e., level 1) Cathemat.  Since Cathemat is a 1 PC situation, and we've established that the story is about him, let's use gestalt, 32 point buy, and any wotc sources you want (base human for the race).


----------



## Ry (Jul 8, 2007)

You can use psionics as well if you want; that represents another form of magic.


----------



## Insight (Jul 12, 2007)

Do you have any preferences in terms of what I make, class-wise?  I kinda got the impression that maybe you did, or was it my imagination?

Am I restricted to core SRD base classes, or can I get into classes from the complete books such as swashbuckler, warlock, etc?


----------



## Ry (Jul 12, 2007)

Any WotC is fine.


----------



## Insight (Jul 12, 2007)

*CATHEMAT*
Human Gestalt Fighter 1/Psychic Warrior 1
Lawful Neutral

*ABILITY SCORES*
*STR* 15
*DEX* 14
*CON* 12
*INT* 12
*WIS* 17
*CHA* 15

*SECONDARY ABILITIES*
*BAB*: +1
*Manifester Level*: 1
*HP*: 18
*AC*: 20 *Touch*: 12 *FF*: 18
*Fort*: +3
*Ref*: +2
*Will*: +3
*Base Move*: 30ft (20ft Modified by Armor)

*ATTACKS*
*Melee - Longsword*: +4 atk, 1d8+2 dmg, Crit 19-20/x2.
*Ranged - Comp Longbow*: +4 atk, 1d8+2 dmg, Crit 20/x3, RI 110ft.

*CLASS ABILITIES*:
*Power Points/Day*: 2
*Powers Known*: 1st - Precognition (Defensive)

*FEATS*
Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Psionic Body, Psionic Weapon.

*SKILLS*
Autohypnosis (3), Concentration (4), Intimidate (2), Knowledge (psionics) (3), Ride (2), Search (2).

*EQUIPMENT*
*Wealth*: unknown
*Mundane Items*: MW Mithral Banded Mail, MW Lg. Steel Shield, MW Guisarme, MW Greatsword, MW Longsword, MW Heavy Mace, MW Battleaxe, MW Comp. (STR+2) Longbow, 40 Arrows
*Magical Items*: None
*Consumables*: None

I switched to Psychic Warrior so I could take full advantage of the Fighter abilities.


----------



## Ry (Jul 12, 2007)

Cool stuff 

I'm going to go look for a map of Hune for some context.


----------



## Insight (Jul 12, 2007)

What should I do for equipment?


----------



## Ry (Jul 12, 2007)

Pick the possessions of a small room; all of Cathemat's stuff is masterwork.  He has notably not received the kind of things that his older siblings have had - for example, his older brother brother received an enchanted cloak on his tenth birthday, an amulet on his 12th, and a sabre on his 15th.  Cathemat's room has been warded but he does not own any magical items.


----------



## Ry (Jul 15, 2007)

OK, here's what the 12 year old Cathemat learned:

From Mishat, the Dalati Wizard, Cathemat learned that the Gods of the West probably refer to the Living Gods of the Halcyon Sea Region, far to the west of Zeium Dalat.  He was surprised at the question, but delighted to fill Cathemat in on the details; each god in that region was ruler of a single city, and they were related in a complex pantheon.  Mishat had a good chuckle when he told Cathemat that people from the Halcyon Sea Region occasionally travel east to Zeium Dalat, believing it to be their fabled City of Plenty (their afterlife).  This, according to the mage, is all the proof you need of Dalati superiority. 

Sands, the Pon warlock brushed Cathemat off, although Cathemat got the sense he didn't know anything about the Gods of the West.

Proudeye, a Spirit Shaman with a scarred face and unknown ethnicity had a twitch in his eye as Cathemat asked him about the Gods of the West.  He asked, quite pointedly, whether Cathemat had spoken of this with anyone else - when Cathemat told him he talked to Mishat, Proudeye spat, then told Cathemat "whatever they are, they can't be very important, can they?"

Ekilar, the Nubalese mystical lyricist didn't know anything Mishat hadn't already said about the Gods of the West, but was able to relate a mournful song from the Halcyon city of Isra about the spirits blowing away like dust.  The memory of that song, and the sense of desolation which it evoked when Ekilar sang it, is a crystal-clear memory for Cathemat.


----------



## Insight (Jul 19, 2007)

I've updated Cathemat to Fighter/Psychic Warrior.  I was going to go Psion, but I figured that Psychic Warrior was a little closer to having the "magical powers" I wanted Cathemat to use.


----------



## Ry (Jul 30, 2007)

Cathemat looks good.  To pick this up again, is there anything you think you need to know about Cathemat from 12 to 15 years old?


----------



## Insight (Jul 30, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> Cathemat looks good.  To pick this up again, is there anything you think you need to know about Cathemat from 12 to 15 years old?




Not really.

Are you going to have time to do this?  We went more than a week with no posts and I figured you'd given up on it.


----------



## Ry (Jul 30, 2007)

I like the idea of the Cathemat campaign but I admit that I'm pretty strapped for time right now with all the E6 stuff and a weekly face to face campaign.


----------



## Insight (Jul 30, 2007)

rycanada said:
			
		

> I like the idea of the Cathemat campaign but I admit that I'm pretty strapped for time right now with all the E6 stuff and a weekly face to face campaign.




As do I, but perhaps we both would be better served by focusing our efforts on tasks that have a wider application.

Let's put this on hold and maybe if we have time later, we can pick up where we left off.


----------



## Ry (Jul 30, 2007)

Sounds good to me.


----------

