More Kith and Kind: Continued Brainstorming on Changeling the Lost

Some thoughts on new Kiths- part one here.

DARKLINGS
Darklings always feel to me like the catch-all Seeming in Changeling? Why is there an Antiquarian as a kith here, rather than under the Wizened, who seem to be more about professional tasks and roles. The distinction I have in my mind is that Darklings are about isolation and loneliness. I think a Wizened Librarian would exist in a desperate, swarming community of archivists- all desperately trying to catalog all of the details of a jar of beans or creating a revised travel guide to Uqbar. TheY fight, compete and join together in the face of other professions. On the other hand, the Darkling Antiquarian lives alone in the wing of a dimly lit library. Perhaps he hears movement in other sections, but his dread keeps him from going there. Anonymous requests come down- are they from the Keeper or something worse? At night they fold themselves up and hide in the pages of a book, like a silverfish. Rules are not taught by peers for the Darkling, instead they have to guess them- subject to constant lessons from an awful and arbitrary universe.

Hider: I imagine this as being the product of some horrible, continuous game of Hide and Seek. They’d perhaps gain a bonus for locating obscure places of concealment- to find things and to hide themselves. I imagine these Darklings constantly observing their surroundings. Alternately, perhaps they can stand very, very still- desperately quiet and silent in hopes that they won’t be seen by the Terrible Seekers. Could they hide in plain sight?

Assemblyman: I find the idea that the Keepers echo cultural concepts (or perhaps cause them...?) particularly disturbing. The notion of a Keeper realm that looks and feels like a Grey abduction center out of a Whitley Strieber story makes me nervous. That whole ‘greys’ as a nightmare fiction gets under my skin (wasn’t there a movie recently with them as owls or something?). An Assemblyman’s a Darkling raised and built in some kind of facility- lab, factory, whatever. They’ve been built out of the leftover parts of other Changelings. They contain many memories and identities, which may mean some real problems for later real world issues with clarity. I like the idea that they have to create an identity for themselves, they don’t have enough of any single past to rely on. I would think that they would be excellent pledgecrafters, able to weave together disparate elements into a unified whole.

Undertow: Have you ever walked out into mucky water and felt your feet sinking? Was there ever a moment when you imagined something under that mud and dross reaching up and grabbing your bare feet. Being pulled and dragged under and then the water going still. That’s what these Changelings had to do to survive. They hid away there among the kelp and garbage in the murk and dim light. This could be done as a kind of Darkling/Elemental as well. You already have a couple of kiths with living underwater as an ability. Perhaps these changelings would have the ability to maintain a grip underwater. Or perhaps they have the ability to sieve through muck and mud to find lost things.

Middle Child: I have no idea what this would be, but I love the name. It suggests the ignored and forgotten member of a family. Perhaps this would be better as a spooky supernatural adversary...

FAIREST
I find the Fairest some of the most difficult of the Changelings. More than the other Seemings they carry over the in-fighting and power struggles of their durance to the real world. Or at least that’s the read I get on them. I think they have a difficult position- and one has to wonder how other Changelings view them, knowing their access to social abilities and manipulation. They also have a problematic drawback in the form of increased susceptibility to Clarity loss. That disadvantage has a significant mechanical cost- it takes experience points to buy it back up. So GMs may be a little gunshy about imposing that. It is also a disadvantage requiring the GM to legislate morality, an area which can put players on edge or make them feel put upon. Players who run Fairest need to be thicker skinned because they will be tangling with social plots and have the risks of clarity loss hanging over them. Some of my negative reaction does come from seeing them in play as a player and a GM. I suspect seeing a good player work with their ideas could rehabilitate them for me. I’d note that given that some of the drawbacks for the Fairest as presented in the book rely on player judgments, a low-empathy player can probably exploit them. In contrast, a high-empathy player may find themselves frozen because of that.

Gladhander: I like the idea of a Fairest who desperately had to make sales in their durance. They found themselves stuck in a nightmare Glengarry Glen Ross Hedge domain. In the real world, they’d present themselves as the ultimate smooth sellers, trying to cover over their own nervousness and need to win. I imagine they’d either have a bump to tests involving sales or else have some sixth sense leading them to likely marks. It isn’t a great idea but could make a decent NPC kith- someone who wants to supply things to the players and could tie in with an existing Goblin Market. One thing this idea does remind me is that players should know why their durance was horrible. In a couple of cases I had players who glorified their durance, creating some play problems. I’ll probably come back to that in another post.

Piper: Again, perhaps too on the nose? The Pied Piper as a classic myth figure would obviously be a Keeper. What would he make of his subjects- perhaps they would be literal instruments? Perhaps they would be smaller echoes of him, also able to lead people along and draw them in certain directions. I imagine this kith ability would revolve around leading a certain group or class of people towards something. And not necessarily a social leading, but an actual leading- playing a haunting tune that only those people can hear (like Nurses, Barristas, Hipsters, etc). (Image from Jana Schirmer on deviantart)

Clotheshorse: We have the Manikin among the Elementals and the Treasured among the Fairest covers a lot of ground. I’m imagining someone who played dress-up, who had to take on and disguise themselves, bury themselves in a uniform or costume. They’d have the inherent ability to make anything they wear, no matter how shabby, look good on them. They’d also have the Contracts of Uniform as an affinity. That’s new contract set we have for our game I’ll post up later.

Sock-Puppet: I need a better name for this kith. These Changeling fairest have the ability to weave a story in the minds of their targets. They make them believe that the Changeling is lovely, wonderful, handsome, beautiful, whatever. They’re able to convince them to do things for thing. The trick is that they can only do this at a distance and through a medium- via letters, over the phone, through texts, over the internet, etc. The target desires the Changeling, and that pull has to be carefully balanced- as the target will try to find the Changeling. If they do actually see them, the illusion is broken and reversed- making them loathed and hated. It echoes Cupid and Psyche a little bit, but I have to think of how a Changeling like this would balance their clarity with the exploitation.

OGRES
I have a fondness for the Ogres, I think they get short shrift- written off perhaps as the dump brutes of the game. Their Seeming disadvantage of poor impulse control doesn’t have to be violent or make them stupid/gullible. We have an Ogre NPC in the campaign who considers himself a Buddhist- and he can’t help but proselytize and comment on other people’s choices in light of that. He also casually says the most obnoxious things in the name of "just speaking the truth." He’s a difficult NPC and a mix of helpful and irritating to the players. We have another Ogre who’s poor impulse control extends to bad decision-making in regard to the object of their affection. Ogres do pick up some other interesting Seeming details- the idea of them being the noblest and the ones given over to hunting down oath-breakers. That reminds me a little of the old Changeling the Dreaming approach to them. On the other hand, it also reminds me of the way in which colonial authorities would choose one tribe to rule and become the bully-boys in areas- inciting local hatreds over general resistance. They also have the Witchtooth seeming, once which suggests some other approaches, tied up with Curses and general witchery. That reminds me of Baba Yaga and Yubaba (from Spirited Away).

Trolls: Again, one of the interesting things about the Keepers of Changeling is that they can adapt more modern conceits. Not that they have to, this could be just a kind of bad pun. The Troll Ogre possesses the uncanny ability to irritate, annoy and enrage a target. They do this through naysaying, snide comments, passive-aggressive behavior and playing the martyr card. Trolls are among the smallest of the Ogres, but typically wear glasses which they can push up when correcting someone. Again, not a great PC kith, but could make for an excellent NPC, especially an adversary. (And yes, I do know that "trolling" as a term comes from fishing, but it just works so well here.)

Minotaurs: A classic mythic creature, they have a kind of subtle and sinister kith ability. If they set up a location, a kind of den (but not in the Hollow sense) they can make their own labyrinth. When anyone enters into that maze they will either find their path difficult to navigate or else be drawn towards the center. I’d imagine the Minotaur wouldn’t be able to separate people using this ability, but would affect a group. Minotaurs would be hermits, as I imagine many of the Ogres are. Their durance would have been spent living isolated and having to defend themselves against interlopers.

Watchmen: You know the old man in the woods, the strange lighthouse keeper who lurks around the fringes, the big homeless vet who cleans up the park? They’re the gruff and grizzled Ogres who have attached themselves to a place and keep it intact. They make a kind of pledge with a location, that if they can keep it secure and free from interlopers, they can gain glamour from it and have an anchor for their clarity. Some of them might actually take up jobs as security, park rangers or even winter caretakers for hotels.

Ahabs: These Ogres would be monsters, misanthropes in the Romantic tradition. They would live in pursuit of some goal or quest which would drive them, regardless of cost or question. Contracts of Oath and Punishment might be an affinity, as might Contracts of the Seeker (another one I have to post). Again, I think these would make a better NPC kith. An Ahab Ogre might roll into town seeking their Great White Whale (perhaps even their Keeper). He might drag the PCs into his quest. The narrative line would probably be obvious, but could be good fun for an arc- especially with a good twist about his target. There’s a great fantasy version of this plot in the classic module Strangers in Prax.

Musclebound: So some of the Keeper-imposed durances clearly have a karmic aspect to them- the "be careful what you wish for" that lures someone into the Hedge. There’s been a focus on physical perfection in the last half-century that revolves around excessive development, hence the problem with steroids. These Ogres would be those people who sought an even better, stronger means to gain that body. Perhaps they answered one of those comic-book Charles Atlas adds (and didn’t end up as Flex Mentallo). Now they’re hulks, with heads and hands buried beneath masses of muscle. I imagine that they can lift a weight vastly beyond their normal means, plus they might be able to flex and throw off anyone grappling or holding them. I like the idea, but I hope it doesn’t sound too jokesy- it’s actually kind of awful when you think about an Ogre who walks around carrying all of that extra weight and muscle on them- lumbering slowly through the Freehold.

Death and the Play-Den (Again)

Hand Me Your Character Sheet...
I've killed off characters. And characters have been killed in my games. I think there's a distinction. I have some brief thoughts today about dead PCs, dying in games, and absent PCs. This is to compliment an odd little geeklist I put together:

Dead PCs- a magnificently obscure geeklist

That list covers games or supplements in which the PCs are dead or consider how GMs deal with dead PCs. I thought there would be more, but White Wolf does seem to have a major chunk of the Dead PC market. I'm not sure what to make of that.

This is a repost as Blogger appears to have deleted yesterday's post and comments.

Killer vs. Care Bear
I don't like killing active PCs- for a couple of reasons, and I think it is worth being explicit about that. First, if someone's invested time in a game, more than a few sessions, I think the GM owes them some kind of payoff. That means that if they do die, that death ought to mean something and ought to come from their own choices. If the player has been pushed into the situation at all by me, then death isn't probably on the table. If they've had choice and made them to go in this direction, then it is. Second, death's too easy. You have a number of other consequences you can impose: wounds, losses, deaths of secondary characters, stolen stuff, bad guys escaping, and so on. There ought to be something at risk in any scene- even if it is a little thing. Third, players are human beings and get irritated. They don't like penalties, they don't like lost turns and they don't like losing their character- especially if they go out in a crappy way. That's a situational fact- and we can rail against it- that players ought to be prepared for that, but that's more in the ideal than the actual. A player who is smiling at the table when the GM punks his character isn't someone who is going to be as enthusiastic to come back and play again.

That's not to say I want to be gentle with the players- I just want character death to feel like something significant. As a GM, you have all the points. You can do anything.

Critical!
I alluded above to the social contract at the game table- which of course varies from table to table. Different groups have different expectations. I think just as the GM should consider the meta-consequences of death, based on the player's time investment- players also need to consider and weigh the GM's contribution of time and effort before raising a stink. That social contract, of course, changes for one-shot and short-run campaigns. I want to be lethal in those- it should be tense. The later the session gets, the more lethal it should be. Things which might have caused a stubbed toe at the start of the game ought to lop off arms by the final scene. The social contract we have at the table is probably fairly different from game tables where fidelity to mechanics, prepared encounters and dice rolls is important. It think those rpgs, which focus on the game as game and a completely objective system for resolution can be quite fun. I think that its great that we can have a hobby that runs the spectrum from story-telling, narrative centered approaches to combat-focused, rules-heavy tactical simulations. There's been some discussion on this coming out of the question of the GM fudging his dice rolls on the RPG Geek boards. I'll steer clear of that- except to say that if everyone's enjoying themselves then you're probably handling things well.

The Worst Kind of Death
I have never seen anything good come out of one PC killing another at the table in a campaign. And here I'm talking about two active players at the table. Let me preface with exceptions- games like Paranoia, Amber, or short-run games. The former build that as a part of the setting, the latter mean less connection for the players to their characters. That being said, too much play in these kinds of games has a high risk of bleeding over into other games.

I believe there should be tension, strife and drama between players- so long as it doesn't cause arguments in the real world. And the only way you learn where that line is to learn over time and many plays. Some players have hang-ups- not liking certain kinds of characters, paranoia about their stuff, hostility to NPCs. As a GM I don't want to stomp on anyone's autonomy, but a player's right to expression and character ends when it negatively impinges on another player's rightful feelings. Note the phrase rightful- I've had some bad players in the past. In particular they could dish it out, but couldn't take it. They stomped on other player's scenes, plots and ideas, but became petulant and upset if the reverse happened. I've seen them run and hide behind the skirts of other players, yell at the table and generally work to undercut other players enjoyment.

That being said- inter-party fighting, in the lethal sense, is a excellent choice if you want to pare down your gaming group. And I've seen a lot of PvP at the table, each time with bad feelings and the poisoning of the game. I talk a little bit more about that in another RPG Geek thread. I've killed other PCs myself as a player. And while it was satisfying in the short term, it always cost me in the long run. Killing here can be not just death of a character, but also forcing significant changes on another player's character without their input: mind-control, changing personality, killing loved-ones, negating their options without alternatives.

Two last notes: 1. If you're going to have interparty fighting in a campaign, you'd better have a tremendously objective and mechanics-rich system. 2. Anything which happens at the table is ultimately the GM's responsibility. Always- no excuses.

PCs Who Leave
A trickier question is what to do with the characters of players who leave. If they left under reasonable circumstances and left behind a group of players who enjoyed playing with them then the question is relatively easy. Generally I resist the urge to continue playing those characters as NPCs. On the one hand it creates an expectation about that NPC's power and interests. On the other hand, there's always the risk that you'll diminish the character. You don't want a player coming back to find that something awful has happened to their character- or that they've done something they never would have. I've had that happen a couple of times and learned my lesson. As a GM you're in a lose-lose situation here. Your best bet is to simply retire the character, far off-screen so they don't become an issue.

More difficult would be player who leave behind a table where they've burned bridges with the players, GM or both. If the campaign's early enough along, you can simply excise them out of the story: they never existed. If I can do that, I do. It does have some risk- especially where the group has been forced into choices by that problem player and now have to live with them after the player has left. Other players at the table may want revenge or even just a measure of satisfaction. I played in a game where we spent many sessions absolutely focused on one players plots and details, to the exception of any other players wishes. Once that finished up, the player wasn't interested anymore and quit. We then had wasted a half-dozen sessions with no progress. I think the GM has to avoid having players "finish off" remaining characters. That can set a bad tone for the game.

You have three decent choices. 1. Simply retire the character and not address them again. This can be done by GM's fiat. It takes them off the table and doesn't make it an issue. 2. Continue to play the character as an NPC, but in a distinctly different way. Make clear that this is your version of the character- a kind of do-over for them. If a character had plot lines invested in them, this may be the best option. 3. Kill the character- do it before the players can. Do it coldly and quickly, without dwelling on it. If you as a Gm do gain pleasure from it, don't let it show. In my experience, playing out former PCs characters in anything but a cursory way can create group dynamic problems- even with the worst of players.

Any Final Words?
1. I talk about not liking death, but in a couple of campaigns, we played pretty heavily with it. In both cases we were playing Rolemaster (or its little brother, MERP) and we opted to play as strictly by the rules and rolls as possible- no rerolls, no fudging, no additional options. Needless to say, we went through characters at an unparalleled speed. A player would be lucky if they could gain a level or two before dying. It was gruesome. In one game, the final fight was against all the PCs who had died during the course of the campaign (the GM had picked up the character sheets of the dead throughout).

2. Has anyone ever really gotten away with the "This is my late character's twin who has all the same equipment and stats" gambit?

3. In my fantasy games, I don't usually allow resurrection. Dead is dead. Perhaps they'll revisit as a ghost, and you can say goodbye. That's allows me to make objects which do raise the dead important plot items and McGuffins. It does mean that when I adapt materials over from Glorantha, I have to be careful. That setting has easy, cheap resurrection, a detail with wide-ranging consequences for the campaign.

4. Some of my favorite moments from campaigns have been character deaths. They're often talked about and recalled fondly. A cheap death in a game irritates, but a great and heroic death is a story you'll hear about for years.

5. The best killing session I had was late in a campaign. They'd fought, had close calls and lost a couple of players- but generally it was a low-death fantasy campaign. Then they got into a big fight, and I started gakking them left and right. The first couple of players had their jaws drop when they took the full brunt of a heavy Rolemaster critical. By the time we got to only one player left, they knew something was up. Essentially it had been a magical ritual to get them to cross over to another place. They went through some stuff there, then returned and replayed the fight with better strategy, knowledge of the situation and extra weaponry. But the shock I got from the PCs in the first fight...that was delicious.

Death and the Play-Den

Hand Me Your Character Sheet...
I've killed off characters. And characters have been killed in my games. I think there's a distinction. I have some brief thoughts today about dead PCs, dying in games, and absent PCs. This is to compliment an odd little geeklist I put together:

Dead PCs- a magnificently obscure geeklist

That list covers games or supplements in which the PCs are dead or consider how GMs deal with dead PCs. I thought there would be more, but White Wolf does seem to have a major chunk of the Dead PC market. I'm not sure what to make of that.

Killer vs. Care Bear
I don't like killing active PCs- for a couple of reasons, and I think it is worth being explicit about that. First, if someone's invested time in a game, more than a few sessions, I think the GM owes them some kind of payoff. That means that if they do die, that death ought to mean something and ought to come from their own choices. If the player has been pushed into the situation at all by me, then death isn't probably on the table. If they've had choice and made them to go in this direction, then it is. Second, death's too easy. You have a number of other consequences you can impose: wounds, losses, deaths of secondary characters, stolen stuff, bad guys escaping, and so on. There ought to be something at risk in any scene- even if it is a little thing. Third, players are human beings and get irritated. They don't like penalties, they don't like lost turns and they don't like losing their character- especially if they go out in a crappy way. That's a situational fact- and we can rail against it- that players ought to be prepared for that, but that's more in the ideal than the actual. A player who is smiling at the table when the GM punks his character isn't someone who is going to be as enthusiastic to come back and play again.

That's not to say I want to be gentle with the players- I just want character death to feel like something significant. As a GM, you have all the points. You can do anything.

Critical!
I alluded above to the social contract at the game table- which of course varies from table to table. Different groups have different expectations. I think just as the GM should consider the meta-consequences of death, based on the player's time investment- players also need to consider and weigh the GM's contribution of time and effort before raising a stink. That social contract, of course, changes for one-shot and short-run campaigns. I want to be lethal in those- it should be tense. The later the session gets, the more lethal it should be. Things which might have caused a stubbed toe at the start of the game ought to lop off arms by the final scene. The social contract we have at the table is probably fairly different from game tables where fidelity to mechanics, prepared encounters and dice rolls is important. It think those rpgs, which focus on the game as game and a completely objective system for resolution can be quite fun. I think that its great that we can have a hobby that runs the spectrum from story-telling, narrative centered approaches to combat-focused, rules-heavy tactical simulations. There's been some discussion on this coming out of the question of the GM fudging his dice rolls on the RPG Geek boards. I'll steer clear of that- except to say that if everyone's enjoying themselves then you're probably handling things well.

The Worst Kind of Death
I have never seen anything good come out of one PC killing another at the table in a campaign. And here I'm talking about two active players at the table. Let me preface with exceptions- games like Paranoia, Amber, or short-run games. The former build that as a part of the setting, the latter mean less connection for the players to their characters. That being said, too much play in these kinds of games has a high risk of bleeding over into other games.

I believe there should be tension, strife and drama between players- so long as it doesn't cause arguments in the real world. And the only way you learn where that line is to learn over time and many plays. Some players have hang-ups- not liking certain kinds of characters, paranoia about their stuff, hostility to NPCs. As a GM I don't want to stomp on anyone's autonomy, but a player's right to expression and character ends when it negatively impinges on another player's rightful feelings. Note the phrase rightful- I've had some bad players in the past. In particular they could dish it out, but couldn't take it. They stomped on other player's scenes, plots and ideas, but became petulant and upset if the reverse happened. I've seen them run and hide behind the skirts of other players, yell at the table and generally work to undercut other players enjoyment.

That being said- inter-party fighting, in the lethal sense, is a excellent choice if you want to pare down your gaming group. And I've seen a lot of PvP at the table, each time with bad feelings and the poisoning of the game. I talk a little bit more about that in another thread on RPG Geek. I've killed other PCs myself as a player. And while it was satisfying in the short term, it always cost me in the long run. Killing here can be not just death of a character, but also forcing significant changes on another player's character without their input: mind-control, changing personality, killing loved-ones, negating their options without alternatives.

Two last notes: 1. If you're going to have interparty fighting in a campaign, you'd better have a tremendously objective and mechanics-rich system. 2. Anything which happens at the table is ultimately the GM's responsibility. Always- no excuses.

PCs Who Leave
A trickier question is what to do with the characters of players who leave. If they left under reasonable circumstances and left behind a group of players who enjoyed playing with them then the question is relatively easy. Generally I resist the urge to continue playing those characters as NPCs. On the one hand it creates an expectation about that NPC's power and interests. On the other hand, there's always the risk that you'll diminish the character. You don't want a player coming back to find that something awful has happened to their character- or that they've done something they never would have. I've had that happen a couple of times and learned my lesson. As a GM you're in a lose-lose situation here. Your best bet is to simply retire the character, far off-screen so they don't become an issue.

More difficult would be player who leave behind a table where they've burned bridges with the players, GM or both. If the campaign's early enough along, you can simply excise them out of the story: they never existed. If I can do that, I do. It does have some risk- especially where the group has been forced into choices by that problem player and now have to live with them after the player has left. Other players at the table may want revenge or even just a measure of satisfaction. I played in a game where we spent many sessions absolutely focused on one players plots and details, to the exception of any other players wishes. Once that finished up, the player wasn't interested anymore and quit. We then had wasted a half-dozen sessions with no progress. I think the GM has to avoid having players "finish off" remaining characters. That can set a bad tone for the game.

You have three decent choices. 1. Simply retire the character and not address them again. This can be done by GM's fiat. It takes them off the table and doesn't make it an issue. 2. Continue to play the character as an NPC, but in a distinctly different way. Make clear that this is your version of the character- a kind of do-over for them. If a character had plot lines invested in them, this may be the best option. 3. Kill the character- do it before the players can. Do it coldly and quickly, without dwelling on it. If you as a Gm do gain pleasure from it, don't let it show. In my experience, playing out former PCs characters in anything but a cursory way can create group dynamic problems- even with the worst of players.

Any Final Words?
1. I talk about not liking death, but in a couple of campaigns, we played pretty heavily with it. In both cases we were playing Rolemaster (or its little brother, MERP) and we opted to play as strictly by the rules and rolls as possible- no rerolls, no fudging, no additional options. Needless to say, we went through characters at an unparalleled speed. A player would be lucky if they could gain a level or two before dying. It was gruesome. In one game, the final fight was against all the PCs who had died during the course of the campaign (the GM had picked up the character sheets of the dead throughout).

2. Has anyone ever really gotten away with the "This is my late character's twin who has all the same equipment and stats" gambit?

3. In my fantasy games, I don't usually allow resurrection. Dead is dead. Perhaps they'll revisit as a ghost, and you can say goodbye. That's allows me to make objects which do raise the dead important plot items and McGuffins. It does mean that when I adapt materials over from Glorantha, I have to be careful. That setting has easy, cheap resurrection, a detail with wide-ranging consequences for the campaign.

4. Some of my favorite moments from campaigns have been character deaths. They're often talked about and recalled fondly. A cheap death in a game irritates, but a great and heroic death is a story you'll hear about for years.

5. The best killing session I had was late in a campaign. They'd fought, had close calls and lost a couple of players- but generally it was a low-death fantasy campaign. Then they got into a big fight, and I started gakking them left and right. The first couple of players had their jaws drop when they took the full brunt of a heavy Rolemaster critical. By the time we got to only one player left, they knew something was up. Essentially it had been a magical ritual to get them to cross over to another place. They went through some stuff there, then returned and replayed the fight with better strategy, knowledge of the situation and extra weaponry. But the shock I got from the PCs in the first fight...that was delicious.

What the Elder Told Me: Two Cultures for The Last Fleet

Last of these I'm going to post- the last two player-created cultural backgrounds for the upcoming Last Fleet campaign.

What the Elders Told Me: A Personal View of Namir Culture

Who are you?

My name is Lira Moondawning. I’m 23 years old. I was born to Lorcan and Jasira. I have 2 older brothers, Jakir and Aden. Aden went to the city of Kuval to study magic with the shamans there. Our mother is an ambassador of the council who travels to the different cities. Our father, part of the shadow dancers, was once hired as her personal guard. He still travels with her and protects her. Jakir became a knight, guardian of the council..

Though we do not see each other often, Aden and I are quite fond of one another. Jakir and I do not get along well, though since he has married and blessed our family with twin little girls, things have improved. I do so adore my nieces, Kiele and Donae.

My mother had hoped that since I was a single born that my role in life would be important, perhaps eventually become a part of the council. My true destiny has not yet been revealed to me. After a few tests at a very young age, I was welcomed with open arms to the shadow dancers. I’m at the top of my class physically and I’m the youngest to have passed the magic trials. I have been given an honorable gift of a small curved blade, imbued with soul magic. My father is very proud.

Who are we?

We are the Namir. An upright, willowy, and graceful race attributed with feline facial features, tails, pawed feet, and tall ears. We enjoy lofty areas, art, music, and theatre. Once a private tribal people… the great kraken pirate fleet war brought them alongside other races. They have evolved to be a communal city of many various professions.

Once a noble and honored profession, we are the shadow dancers. It was the shadow dancers who first joined in the fight against the pirates. After the war, they were named the invisible protectors of the council, they melded with the shadows, bending the darkness to suit their own needs. After time, there were those who feared the ways of the shadow dancers, and made claims that their cunning ways were too sneaky, deceitful, and certainly not noble enough to hold the position of protectors of the council. They were replaced with new guardians, glorious knights in pearl laden leather armor, shining for all to see. The shadow dancers withdrew from their former ranking, but kept their teachings. They take pride in being the best at what they do. Their symbol is seen as a black flame with jade green cat eyes.

What makes us great?

Powerful imbued weapons created with souldeath magic put the namir on the map of highly sought after goods.

The legendary stories of the heroes who risked their lives to help free us from the Kraken pirate fleet.

Where do we live?

The isle of N’dal. Most of the isle is a warmer climate of tall forests. There is a large lake toward the center and there are several rivers and streams that flow from this lake. There are places with small waterfalls. It’s a lush island with colorful birds and exotic flowers.

There are three cities. Kuval is near the lake where shaman train side by side with their water elemental allies. Notin is an aerial port city where most come and go from the island. Vines, ropes, and trained tree branches are woven to create the main city of Nadia high in the trees…

Picture this… Walking along a simple dirt path, no more than 2 people wide…Ferns, mossy rocks, and long stemmed vibrant orange and pink tiger lilies dot the edges of the path. Looking around, you’re in the middle of a forest, with tall trees that seem to go up forever. The smell of the earth is mixed with the soft scent of a fresh rain. It’s warm and humid, very tropical. The loud screech of a brilliant blue bird featured with a long feathered tail and green tipped wings calls attention to himself as he flies overhead. You come to a small area, just off the path where a handful of long ropes with small harnesses dangle from somewhere above. Slipping into the harness, you give a firm tug to a secondary rope and up you go… The trees are vast and lofty, you move swiftly up to a semi large platform, here you would get into a small swing attached to a horizontal rope with a soft downward angle… you sit in the swing, (a soft band that goes under your butt, suspending your legs in a sitting position) and tie the strap around your waist, there is a bar above you that you can use to hold onto… and once in, you drop off the platform and glide along the rope. Eventually you can start to make out the main city of Nadia… Large branches have been grown to form the mainstay of the city. It is quite beautiful. Long vines adorned with brightly colored flowers have grown around the branches of the city. You get out of your swing to climb onto a rope bridge leading to the main entrance. There are other ropes leading out in different directions, each direction has at least 2 ropes… one angled for arrival, one for departure. There is laughter as two young namirian kittens wrestle one another in the trees close by, one tumbles out of the branches and falls… she grabs hold of one of the vines and swings close to the trunk, she leaps up, claws out and springs through the branches, disappearing back into the foliage toward the laughter of the other. The city is busy with the morning hustle and bustle. The bakery doors are open, the smell of sweet flaky pastries and light sweet cream are being made. Large trays of fruits and berries are being brought in and placed in the market. Some walk by eating long sprouts of green mixed with various colors that look like petals, they walk with small bowls and grasp the plants with fingers placing the food in their mouths. A little girl runs by, sweet white cream dripping off of her whiskers. There is music, soft and light with string and wind instruments. There are several buildings, most here on the outskirts are newer with added cut branches for construction, but as you go further into the city the older buildings are an actual part of the branch woven city.

How do we live?

We are mainly a communal people. You don’t “buy a house” here. There are hammocks for beds hung under the protective canopies of the trees, while many are clustered together, there are groups of hammocks hung in different places... grouped for families, training circles, and for those who prefer to be more alone. While money is exchanged for the efforts involved, we gather together for the main meal times. Meals take place in their own section of the city, a gathering of tables, chairs, benches, and massive buffets of food. It’s almost always busy here as large groups of people come and go. There isn’t a predetermined time slot for anyone and they may not go at the same time with the same people every day.

Hunting, fishing, and gathering is also generally done in groups.

From schools of magic to cooking meals, there is one person (or two in broader, more popular fields) who earn the rank of instructor in their field of expertise and they take on the young students in training circles.

There is a lot of love for art, music, and dancing. There is a grand stage with branches woven to make stair step bench seating located on the western side of the city for various plays and performances.

What is important in my life?

To keep my people safe. Friends and family. To improve my skills.

Who rules us?

We have a governing council. There are almost always 4 members, but there have been as many as 9. There are 4 main council members who remain on the council until their death, however a large exception can be made by the people to have a person step out. The other council members are nominated by the people and the main council members to join depending on circumstances and how their knowledge pertains. If a group of people were to ask for something, say to leave the aisle for exploratory purposes or if a group of people wasn’t getting along with another group… the group (or groups) would select a member to join the council in the discussion and decision. Or if the city were in need or danger, those who could help the most by their knowledge would be selected as council members. Sometimes those people remain on the council even after the situation has been remedied. The main 4 council members are made up of 1 member from each of the other 2 smaller cities on the isle and there are 2 from the city of Nadia.

What makes a person great?

One who is brave enough to face their fear and do what they thought they might not be able to do. One who is unselfish and does what they can to the benefit of others. Exceptional skill, i.e. a great swordsmith.

What is evil?

The shadow dancers have a darker side, not afraid to use extra means to get the job done right… however, evil would be cruelty or torture to those who are weaker just because you can. They’ve done nothing to you and there is no greater cause. (I.E. animal abuse) Self-indulgence that affects others negatively with no regard for their well-being…

*The namir also use souldeath magic to imbue weapons… the death of a soul is very harsh… and the gods should be thanked as it is only them who can create a new soul, so a soul is seen as a gift from the gods… and if a person simply chooses to use their soul to do evil, then their soul is better off in another’s hands as a weapon where it will be cherished as the gift that it is.

What is my lot in life?

To protect my people.

How do we deal with others?

There is a city near the large lake on the isle. The namir live peacefully alongside the water elementals here. They are protective of one another. There are other allies… wolfen, some elves, few humans, and others… Caution is used with strangers in Nadia and the water city of Kuval, though guests are treated very well. The small aerial port city of Notin, however, is a strange city of mixed races, the namir are the highest in population, but there are a handful of other races that take up residence here.

Who are our enemies?

Those who wish to do us or our allies harm. Those who seek to do destroy our world.

Who are our gods?

Karasi – female goddess of life. She is prayed to for fertility and births as well as the life and growth of the plants and animals on the isle.

Thanos – male god of death. He gathers and takes in the half souls until their other half can be joined when he releases the paired soul to Karasi for rebirth.

*Karasi and Thanos are twin sister and brother. The souldeath magic users give their thanks and ask for both of their guidance in choosing souls.

Gwydion – male god of magic, light, and the sun. He favors the elemental magic of earth and fire.

Amaiya – female goddess of magic, night, shadows, the moon, and the stars, she favors the elemental magic of wind and water.

Tarak – male god of war, protection, and order.

Linaeve – female goddess of song, dance, art, and chaos.

What is there to do around here?

Plays, music, art, dancing, food, learning, work… There are sporting games of skilled challenges. Children have toys like balls, dolls, and puzzle games. There is a library of books and maps made by various explorers. There is romance and friendship.

What the High Orc Told Me: A Brief History of the Orcs of the High Veil

Who are you?

I am Marreg Warmane, Master Hunter, son of Vuhaan and Mishraa. Brother of Riskaar and sibling to Mishreey and Iskaar

Who are we?

We are Clan Warmane, Orcs of the High Veil, seekers of the light and knowledge. We are the next generation of Orcs.

What makes us great?

Our ability to adapt. We came from a world that digests most races and have come to find our own path. We seek knowledge of the Vengmaar (red rocks) that we find in our land. And we wish to aid and learn from other races. We have power and strength, and the knowledge of the steel, this will sustain us.

Where do we live?

We live in the High Veil, a colorful land of mystery. Centuries ago Thurgen Strongjaw and his Clan ventured forth from the Fell Lands in search of a better way for the Orc race. He went through the Scar, a dangerous valley full of things and creatures that see even Orcs as food. After many weeks and many perils Thurgen and his Clan emerged. He found a new world, not perfect, but with light and hope, a new start. He found a city, complete, but devoid of people. Everything you would need to support a city was there. It was as if everyone just picked up and left. Much of the things we didn't understand, but over time we learned. We could tell that this city was here for centuries, that many races once lived here. The one thing we don't know is where they went. The city is magnificent, high towers rise out of the mountainside, while great plains stretch out at its feet. It is a great mystery to who built this place and what ever became of them.

How do we live?

Crops have been planted and the steel is pulled from the land. Herds of Brel (cows) are being bred and the heard has been large enough to trade for some time. Our steel is some of the finest in the world. We have tamed the Tyren Beasts, large winged reptiles, and use them for sky hunting and transporting goods to far reaching outposts. We trade with the Namir and the Kalais who have brought us countless new products and knowledge. Our world has grown fast in a short span of time. The Namir has taught us of magic. The Vengmaar stones now hold much more value. The Kalais have taught us of skyships and how to build and pilot them.

What is important in life?

Knowledge. For too long the Orc has been the instrument of war for others. Easily swayed to do the bidding of others and never for the betterment of the Orcs or their race. We seek knowledge to secure our independence from the other races.

Who rules us?

The Clan Council rules the Veil. Made up of members from the most powerful families in the city. Many of the Council are descendants of the original founders of the city.

What makes a person great?

Overcoming your weaknesses and making a difference in the world.

What is evil?

Those without honor. That which takes away your will to be. Those who wish to destroy. Elves (just kidding on the last one)

What is my lot in life?

To help my Clan grow stronger. To serve the Council and my Clan any way they see fit.

How do we deal with others?

Originally at arm’s length. But over time as other races have passed through they have become accustomed to our ways and us to theirs. We trade openly with all who come to our land with civil purpose. That having been said, never underestimate the Orcs will to self-preservation.

Who are our enemies?

Some of the Clans that still remain in the Fell Lands consider us a disgrace to "true" Orcs. They vowed to kill us on sight. That is why the passage to the Scar was destroyed and buried beneath a wall of rocks. That has been some time ago and we have not heard a word from them. If they ever do emerge we will purge the universe of them. Oh, and the Elves (kidding).

Who are our gods?

Tedril, father of all Orcs, giver of the flesh and steel. Mezrah, mother to all Orcs, caretaker of the earth and water. Plus we hear that other races think they have gods also, we find this humorous.

What is there to do around here?

Tend the fields, lead a hunt, work the steel, learn to use the Vengmaar, take in a show, you haven't seen Shakespeare until you've seen it in Orc!

Kith and Kind: Some Brainstorming on Changeling the Lost

SEEMINGS AND KITHS

Changeling the Lost wins for me in that it provides a lot of imaginative room. You can spin out freely a long ways before you hit against structures and details set down by the background. I especially enjoy the openness of the Seeming and Kith structure. It provides for a great range, while at the same time giving some structure. Seemings represent the broad classes, Changelings which come out of a shared tradition. Kiths provide the detail, the breed of the character. GMs can play quite a bit with those idea. I haven’t checked the WW boards for new Kiths; I wanted to do some brainstorming of my own before I did any hunting elsewhere. I like considering new kiths- mostly in terms of how those might appear as NPCs within the campaign. Below I have some ideas for the first three of the six Seemings, I’ll hit the next in another post. I’ve avoided system details since I’m running this with a homebrew and because I’m still sketching things out.

WIZENED

I think the two easiest Seemings to come up with new Kiths for are the Wizened and the Elementals. Wizened have roles- and they are their roles. I like the idea that they had to study and learn a vast number of rules and codes in their existence: some taught by their Keeper and others by their fellow Changeling prisoners. They had a community and a place- one they had to keep to in absolute perfection. On the one hand, I imagine the realms the Wizened lived in could be mockeries of real world things: their roles might be a kind of torture through the absolute extremes of those duties. One of the Wizened in our campaign is a Gameplayer, typically a kith involved with games of strategy and luck (cards, chess). In his case, the game was literally game-theory- the Prisoner’s Dilemma. He lived an existence of constant risk, wager and betrayal. On the other hand, I imagine some Wizened were part of an operation or household. So there would be many others, each learning their own roles.

Reckoner: I imagine this being something like a Wizened who keeps the counting house, an accountant or financier. They had to track every detail, every coin, every drop of sand, every drop of water- that kind of thing. For kith ability, the easy suggestion would be that they could more easily lend their skills to increase the money made by a mortal business. On the other hand, something even more amusing might be something where they “magnetize” money such that other money becomes attracted to it.

Strapper: We have Physikers in the Changeling setting, so I’m imagining there are also Orderlies- of all kinds. They lock in the Changelings, tie them down, keep them secure. They could range from the basic holding down of the injured to the more awful wardens and keepers of keys. Their kith ability would involve being able to secure bindings, and tying them so that they don’t leave marks.

Judge: Life in the hedge revolves around rules- often arbitrary appearing, often hidden. So what would a Wizened, forced to be a judge of their fellows look like? It could be as innocent as a referee, or perhaps a more sinister kind of internal police in a Kafka-esque durance. The Grand Inquisitor as a Wizened. Contracts of Oath and Punishment might be affinity for them- or perhaps they’d have a gift for a certain kind of cursing, through the passing of a sentence on someone. (image found from Michael Kutsche on Deviant Art)

ELEMENTALS

I have a fairly easy time coming up with other Elementals- though defining exactly how they function is another question. I like the idea of Elementals of concepts or abstractions, which some people might not be as keen on. For example, that NPC I mentioned before who represents a mathematical idea of loops and recursion. I think I’d have the hardest time running an Elemental, to my thinking they’re the Seeming most alien to humanity and to other Changelings. I try to run my elemental NPCs a little off kilter- at least vaguely echoing their associated element.

Karmawhore: One of the things I’ve set up in the game is that there’s a Changeling locked away somewhere in the Freehold- if you go to see him, you don’t even remember leaving to go there or coming back. He’s a fallen enforcer for the former Courts which once ran the Freehold- he’s an elemental of Karma, of Payback. I don’t know exactly what that means, I’ll admit, but it sounds pretty awful. Especially once they’ve crossed him and chained him away…now they can’t let him out and they can’t kill him. I wouldn’t really want to work out the details of this for a PC, but it works as an NPC concept.

Smokemarrow: The Blightbent kith represents the kind of toxic nature of substances, but what about the roiling, swirling nature of smoke or even ashes drifting in the wind. They could even be dust or the like. They’d be a wan folk- pallid and unsolid. I imagine they’d drift along with the physical and social winds. The easiest thought would be to give them a significant discount on the Contracts or Separation- whatever kith ability they got, you wouldn’t want to duplicate that too much. On the other hand, I like the idea of them being able to once per scene avoid a wound or hit, by essentially dispersing themselves. It would be effective, but would drop all but Hedgespun off of them. They’d have to regather themselves together after that. I have to think on that.

Swarmsoul: This could just as easily be a Beast-type kith, but there’s something mindless and automatic to a swarm- at least when I watch nature footage of it. Insects would be the classic type, but I can also imagine vermin swarms- perhaps a wickerman stuffed with mice. There’s that effect, I think from one of the Angels come to destroy the world, where the characters turn into flocks of crows to fly away. Something like that could be quite interesting as well. I could imagine a couple of possible kith abilities- either the ability to sense remotely (clairvision or clairaudience through part of their swarm) or else some significant ablative damage absorption. (image found from Marc Simonetti on Deviant Art)

BEASTS

Beasts are interesting because I always picture them as having a kind of society which stands outside of other Changeling relations. Perhaps I’m simply thinking of a hierarchy. One of my goals when establishing my campaign setting was to switch up from expected structures. That’s part of why we have two non-seasonal Courts there. It is also why we have a dominant position for Beast Changleings in the community- they’re the largest single group and occupy both seats of power. White Wolf did an interesting thing in approaching the beasts by theme (hunter, friend, runner) rather than by specific animal. It allows for more freedom of combinations. I’ve been trying to think of a good kith role and place for a Changeling who has become like a moth. The idea of involuntary attraction draws me to that concept. I have to figure out what would be a balancing good stuff for something like that. I should also note, that like the “conceptual” elementals I mentioned above, I’ve been thinking about more abstract Beasts. For example, we have an NPC named Songbird Rex. He comes from domain where his keeper had some mixed up vision about change and evolution. He’s caught somewhere between a peacock and a dinosaur, from the idea that birds originated from lizards. That reflects his own mental state- caught between the thing he is and the thing he wants to be.

Dronedrone: The “hivemind” concept’s a little too easy and I don’t think it exactly works for Changeling. Part of the thing to consider is what the horror was of the experience for the Changelings when they were being shaped by their Keepers. Loss of identity could work, but only if the Changeling oculd feel that and perhaps their mind bobbed back up to the surface from time to time. The Keepers would want that to happen from time to time to make them spin out rich fear and panic. I’m imagining that this kith would have the ability to fall in and blend in to a workplace of setting- anywhere with repetitive tasks. They could easily pick those things up, in the most uncreative way and fit in. While doing that they would never receive acknowledgement or recognition, just a paycheck, shelter or whatever. It could be an interesting challenge to play something like that.

Coiltwist: You’ve got the idea of the venomous bite and the scale represented among the existing beast kiths. But what about those beasts who wrap, envelop and even swallow their prey. You could be fairly literal with this, allowing them an ability to grip, grapple and lock up a person. On the other hand, I like even better the idea of them being able to twist things around and wrap people up emotionally, such that they can extract debts, favors and promises from mortals- nothing damning, but a bump or add to those interactions.

Cagedweller: So most of the Beasts have a “natural world” sense to them- even those like the Roteater with a horrible kith aspect. So imagine something which would be almost a Darkling, but still a Beast. These Changelings would have been put through various experiments of many kinds, under the alien ministrations of Keepers. A literal testing facility in order to see their limits, a Saw-like Schroedinger Cat set-up, an infinite dog-track…or in the case of one of the NPCs, an isolation echo of the space program with Beasts shoved into devices and fired…where? Do the Keepers simply play out other versions of these stories or is there some place they want to explore that even they cannot reach. There’s another awful thought. I expect that their Kith ability would be something about physical or mental survival. (image found from Michael Kutsche on Deviant Art)

Next Time: Darklings, Fairest, Ogres and some general thoughts on Seeming society.

What My Fire Path Elder Told Me: A Personal View of the Scalebound Culture

Presenting another in the series of PC-written cultural backgrounds for the upcoming Last Fleet campaign. The first can be found here, the second here, and general notes on the characters can be found here. The Scalebound are a Draconic race created by Scott. They're espcially interesting to me in that they suffer under several constraints. The Scalebound arose as a race from the souls of defeated dragons. There was a great battle in which the dying dragons infected the souls of their enemies with their Dragon soul. As a GM, I put the number of Dragons slain at 200, just to be absolutely crazy. Since the players defined that all births are twins, I assumed that each Dragonsoul split in two to become souls among the people there.

So we end up with 400 Scaleborn to start, of varying races, but predominantly human. As an assumption, Scalebound birth from these can further divide the soul by twinning. That means the absolute maximum number of Scalebound at any one time would be 800. They can't add new souls because they lack the gods. Gods having been defined in the history as the way new (not reincarnated souls) arise. It also wouldn't work because of the nature of the Dragonsouls. A consequence of that would be that a Scalebound female can't actually have children until both halves of a twin soul have pass back into the Wheel of Reincarnation, making that a difficult and highly calculated thing for them. While there were several "breeds" of Scalebound to start, since the soul doesn't determine race, eventually the predominant race would push the others out, resulting in the Scalebound being Human as their apparent base.

Now add to that the hunting by the Dragons, which have managed to kill Scalebound and free those Dragonsouls. Plus other incidents, I put the numbers at a 25% loss from that, pretty significant. So that leaves a maximum of 600 Scalebound- and I further assumed that not all of them made it through the recent events, so we'll put that loss at 33% given the cataclysm. That leaves us with 400 Scalebound or so, minus one for your Twinless nature. Plus additional losses and so on- we have the smallest race/culture in the fleet. There's also this question: if new Scalebound can't be born until both twins die, and your twin dies- who do you think has to take the lead in the next big fight?

What My Fire Path Elder Told Me: A Personal View of the Scalebound Culture

Who are you?

You are Chain Firespinner, the first Scalebound to be born with a twin not of this realm. When word of such births became known, we Elders despaired, thinking perhaps we existed in only this place, and should remain behind to guard the way so that our enemies may not follow the others to the new lands. Your birth, along with several others, has given us hope that there are others like us in new lands. It was a difficult decision, but we have decided to travel with the fleet to continue our roles as protects and dragon slayers, since dragons must exist in these new lands.

You have been assigned an important position under the Master of the Watch; it is your duty, when not called on to a hunt, to maintain watch for the fleet, and use your master of the Fire Path to signal other ships when there is a threat, or danger. You are young yet, and brash, even for our kind, and I do not feel you fully understand sacrifice yet. But I trust you will bring honor to our people in your duty. Your martial and magical skills will one day be put to the test, it is a difficult to master one path, let alone two.

Who are we?

We are the Scalebound, inheritors of the draconic essence and power in the slaying of that great enemy. We sacrifice what we were before, to become that which is necessary to defend ourselves and other people from the depredations of the dragons. We are warriors, ready to battle the most fearful of beasts, honor bound to defend one another and perform our assigned roles in the hunt. If even one of us falters in our duty, the whole hunting group will suffer death. We are the guides, and protectors of the other peoples, using the draconic essence within us to sense the weakening of the floating islands before it is too late for those that dwell upon it.

What makes us great?

Despite the grim fate of the Prison of the Scale that awaits us all, we live our lives to the fullest, with passion and enthusiasm. We advantage of the opportunities offered to us now, so that we may not waste time of regrets later, for the next hunt may be our last. We are strong warriors, whether martially, or walking the Path of Fire, and experts in working together to achieve our goals. We are skilled in crafting many things from the bodies of our great foe, especially in the use of the beast's scales to armor ourselves further against them. And when the time comes and one of our brethren is trapped in the Prison of Scale, we free them so that they may begin the cycle anew.

Where do we live?

We live aboard the great skyship the X, and several other ships that follow it. We once long ago lived on the ground, but our place was one of the first to fall away into the void and we became nomads of the skies. We now travel the skies looking for our great enemy, and other lands who fate will be changed by the sinking of their own lands.

How do we live?

We live life exuberantly, striving for success and self improvement. We do not brood upon our failures but turn our energies into improving ourselves so that we do not fail again. We are honest with ourselves and others, not hiding our joy or anger, and ask for what we need clearly and without reservation. Trust those whom you have just met, until they give you cause not to.

We are few, so it is important that your find a mate and marry as soon as possible. Love passionately. Children are rare and difficult for us, due to our nature and the draconic essence within us, so cherish them. Do not waste time with dalliances with other races, for they can produce nothing. There are many Scalebound souls waiting to rejoin us.

Fight hard, and live well, and know that when your burden becomes to great to bear, your people will release you to rejoin us again in our great battle.

What is important in my life?

The value of sacrifice, respect the sacrifices of others as well as your own peoples. Keeping your word. Performing your role to the best of your ability, and following the hunt leader's orders. Improving yourself to increase that ability so that you may serve the needs of the hunt better, and more Scalebound may survive. Protect and guide those who need protection of all races. And freeing the souls of our brethren who are trapped in the Prison of Scale.

Who rules us?

A council of elders such as I rule the clan, making the decisions to guide our peopls across the sky. I, of course, am the Elder of the Fire Path, of using the draconic essence within us...their fire, to create magic of the flames. Then there is the Elder of the Hunt, who organizes the great hunts when we find our enemy. He chooses which of our people has the honor going into battle against our foe. The Elder of the Sky guides and maintains our wandering homes, while the Elder of Scale handles the spoils of our hunts, dispersing them among our craftsmen and traders to be used for the good of the Scale bound.

Finally, there is the Elder of the Prison, the judge of those Scalebound who have absorbed too much draconic essence. He determines if a Scalebound is soon to be imprisoned within the Scale, their mind trapped now perpetually between Scalebound and Dragon, and needs to be freed and released, and reborn anew.

What makes a person great?

Loyalty and honor to your hunt mates, defending them with your life, performing you role in battle. Courage to face our face our great enemy and stand strong. Sacrifice, if necessary to save lives.

What is evil?

Dragons are evil, rapacious creatures who exist merely to destroy and plunder, they have no honor, and must be destroyed. Cowardice is evil, hunters must be able to rely on each other at work together, if one Scalebound flees, the whole hunt may be destroyed. By the same token, glory seeking is evil, a form of selfishness that also puts the hunt at risk.

What is my lot in life?

You have many difficult choices ahead of you, young Scalebound. You have chosen a difficult path for yourself in attempting to master both a martial and magical path. And, you have had a difficult path thrust upon you as well by your unprecedented birth. You are one of the hopes of our people, our guide to our peoples of this new land. Because of this, you may be called upon to make great sacrifices, which I expect you to bear.

I have seen to it that you be placed in a position with the Master of the Watch for our fleet. With your fire magics, and skill in riding the wyvern, you are well suited for watching for threats and signaling the fleet if danger should appear.

How do we deal with others?

Truthfully and honestly, until it is proven that they are not worthy of that trust. If you need something from others, state it clearly and forthrightly, waste not time on hints or innuendo.

Who are our enemies?

Our main enemy is the dragon, evil, selfish beats who we have fought since we were created. Velsha and Velshe of course, are in the vanguard of those dragons that hunt us, as we hunt them. There are those among us who want to remain behind, to prevent those two from following us to the next realm, but we Elders have forbidden it. Who knows what new dangers will face us. We will need all our strength to face the dragons of these new lands.

Who are our gods?

Since we were created after the gods gathered their races to them, we have no god to speak for us. Honor and respect all of the gods, for since we have none to speak for us, they may be apt to interfere with our duties otherwise. If at all possible, simply avoid them, and their agents. We have our tasks, and they have theirs.

What is there to do around here?

There are many things to do aboard this ship, and the other ships of the Scalebound. I have kept you too long under my wing teaching you of the Fire Path, you should go and make more friends among our people. Find a girl. Speak with the other Elders and learn their wisdom as well. Or you could fly the wyvern across to the other ships and meet with the other Watchers and their peoples. No time to waste in lounging about, now go!