The Campaign Builder's Guild

Quote from: Numinous
So, how would I go about hiring a ragamuffin exactly, and why can I not spend a portion of my income on hiring him?  Just trying to figure out what the difference is between a disposable mook and a piece of equipment.

If you wish to hire one in game, you'd use some of those shiny social skills to locate a mook and rp out offering him a job, settle on a pay rate, and then you have to pay him regularly or he gets annoyed and leaves (or worse, if he's the unscrupulous type).

As for how a mook differs from an item goes, disposable mook is a job, not an item.  Your mook will require monthly pay or he'll quit.  That's that primary difference, really.  He's not a slave.  Then again, I suppose I could sort out some prices for the slave market... your call there.  I guess you could spend a portion of your income to retain him, but as of right now, you have enough independent income to cover your cost of living at the standard of an average freeman.  You would need additional income to afford your mook's monthly wages.  Heck, you would hire his services for a month or some such with starting cash and have him for that length of time.  To retain him longer, he will want more money or he'll probably leave unless you really gain his loyalty in the meantime.

Would Alexander have anything else particular?  Anything special aside that list?  Considering your income and status, he'll have nice clothes, winter clothes, etc.  Does he do the outdoorsy thing at all?

Lastly, when we complete chargen, you have the option of sitting on extra points or turning them into cash (only this one time; you don't get to do it in play).  so without further adieu, here's what I've got for you, gear-wise:

[spoiler=Crunch]

Antique Violin $1,000 5 lbs.
Violin Case & Supplies – 10 lbs.
My Glimpse of the Abyss:  Memoirs of a Warlock $200 7 lbs.
Rich-hiker's Guide to Daemons and Spirits $200 7 lbs.
Herold the Lanner Falcon – 1.5 lbs.
Falcon Transport Box $75 11 lbs.
Falconry Kit (Hood, Leach, Anklet, Jessets) $100 2 lbs.
Falconry Gauntlet (DR 2*; Forearm and Hand) $19 2.35 lbs.
Brigandine Vest w. Relief Work $3,755 16.69 lbs.
Dyed Red Cloth Sleeves w. Embroidery $1,305 8.8 lbs.
Broadsword $600 3 lbs.
Small Metal Buckler $200 4.5 lbs.
Pouch $2 0.3 lbs.

Cash $344 0.34 lbs.
Total: $7,456 79.48 lbs.

[/spoiler]
It's worth noting that this brings you to 191 points of a 250 point limit.  That leaves you 59 points remaining, after spending 1 to get your falcon as a pet and 7 for cash.  I should also warn that your sword is too heavy (ST 10 req) for your Strength (ST 9).  This will result in a -1 penalty to Broadsword to use it.  I figure I'd mention it, but it sounds pretty fitting from your description of Alexander.  So if you'd like to dabble in magic, you most certainly can (and effectively, even!) with that many points left over!

Quote from: Humabout

Quote from: Numinous
So, how would I go about hiring a ragamuffin exactly, and why can I not spend a portion of my income on hiring him?  Just trying to figure out what the difference is between a disposable mook and a piece of equipment.

If you wish to hire one in game, you'd use some of those shiny social skills to locate a mook and rp out offering him a job, settle on a pay rate, and then you have to pay him regularly or he gets annoyed and leaves (or worse, if he's the unscrupulous type).

As for how a mook differs from an item goes, disposable mook is a job, not an item.  Your mook will require monthly pay or he'll quit.  That's that primary difference, really.  He's not a slave.  Then again, I suppose I could sort out some prices for the slave market... your call there.  I guess you could spend a portion of your income to retain him, but as of right now, you have enough independent income to cover your cost of living at the standard of an average freeman.  You would need additional income to afford your mook's monthly wages.  Heck, you would hire his services for a month or some such with starting cash and have him for that length of time.  To retain him longer, he will want more money or he'll probably leave unless you really gain his loyalty in the meantime.

I think I understand it now, and I think hiring one for a month out of my starting salary is totally something I intend to do, as I'm going to want a mook to defend me on the upcoming adventures.

Quote from: HumaboutWould Alexander have anything else particular?  Anything special aside that list?  Considering your income and status, he'll have nice clothes, winter clothes, etc.  Does he do the outdoorsy thing at all?

I thought heavy winter clothes and my general wardrobe came with my house.  If that is not the case, I'll dump a bunch of my money into an impractical wardrobe for all occasions along with a carriage.  In fact, I definitely want a carriage, especially because it is impractical.  It might have to be a tiny carriage though.

Quote from: HumaboutLastly, when we complete chargen, you have the option of sitting on extra points or turning them into cash (only this one time; you don't get to do it in play).  so without further adieu, here's what I've got for you, gear-wise:

[spoiler=Crunch]

Code Select Expand


Antique Violin $1,000 5 lbs.
Violin Case & Supplies – 10 lbs.
My Glimpse of the Abyss:  Memoirs of a Warlock $200 7 lbs.
Rich-hiker's Guide to Daemons and Spirits $200 7 lbs.
Herold the Lanner Falcon – 1.5 lbs.
Falcon Transport Box $75 11 lbs.
Falconry Kit (Hood, Leach, Anklet, Jessets) $100 2 lbs.
Falconry Gauntlet (DR 2*; Forearm and Hand) $19 2.35 lbs.
Brigandine Vest w. Relief Work $3,755 16.69 lbs.
Dyed Red Cloth Sleeves w. Embroidery $1,305 8.8 lbs.
Broadsword $600 3 lbs.
Small Metal Buckler $200 4.5 lbs.
Pouch $2 0.3 lbs.

Cash $344 0.34 lbs.
Total: $7,456 79.48 lbs.

[/spoiler]
It's worth noting that this brings you to 191 points of a 250 point limit.  That leaves you 59 points remaining, after spending 1 to get your falcon as a pet and 7 for cash.  I should also warn that your sword is too heavy (ST 10 req) for your Strength (ST 9).  This will result in a -1 penalty to Broadsword to use it.  I figure I'd mention it, but it sounds pretty fitting from your description of Alexander.  So if you'd like to dabble in magic, you most certainly can (and effectively, even!) with that many points left over!

I'd like to cap my points using magic skills as long as that leaves me enough money to pay a month's wages for a mook and have a sizeable wallet to indulge my compulsive spending habit.

Quote from: NuminousIt might have to be a tiny carriage though.

You should totally have people carry you around in a Sedan Chair.

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium

Quote from: NuminousIt might have to be a tiny carriage though.

You should totally have people carry you around in a Sedan Chair.

I was going to, but I didn't know where I would put my luggage.

Quote from: Numinous
I was going to, but I didn't know where I would put my luggage.

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium

Quote from: Numinous
I was going to, but I didn't know where I would put my luggage.

You appear to have mistaken me for you.

Haha!  Dude, it will be awesome once you get some income going on (or just come into some serious money).  I'd love seeing you with an entire army of servants and such.

As for winter clothes and that sort of thing, yeah, you're assumed to have some nice cloths suitable to a Status 1 person (you don't really have enough wealth to be too extravigant at the moment), winter clothes, etc.  I was asking about actual outdoors equipment, like a tent, bedroll, canteen, personal basics, etc.  The sort of thing you'd need to go hiking through the woods or mountains.  It's not necessary, and with the cash you'll likely have lying around, you will probably be able to just buy what you need when it becomes necessary.

As for a carriage, those require horses.  And horses are very expensive to own and to care for.  I'd suggest hiring a couple bums to carry your ass around along with all your stuff.  A sedan chair costs less, and you don't necessarily have to feed hirelings (though you should probably pay them enough to not starve to death or toss you and your chair over a cliff :p).

All of that said, I could look the other way if you want to own one horse, quite possibly a pony.  You should have the wealth for that much.  A rouncy horse - not a courser or a destier.  You'd have a suitable riding (not war) saddle, as well.  Between feed, stabling, a groom, and a farrier, such a horse would cost around $330 per month to keep and care for.  Again, you can pay for a month of care out of your starting cash, if you like.  Same if you want to pay some people to port you around in a chair and carry your things for you.

[EDIT]
I'm trying not to double-post so much.  Numinous, I've added the following to Alexander, which leaves him with 40 points to spare:

Advantages: Magery 0 [5].
Skills: Thaumatology (IQ/VH) IQ-2 [2]-10; Path of Mind, Spirit, and Undead, each (IQ/VH) IQ-2 [2]-10; Path of Body, Chance, Crossroads, Energy, Magic, and Matter, each (IQ/VH) IQ-3 [1]-9.

This will give you amateurish skill with Mind, Spirit, and Undead and leave you capable of using the other paths, albeit with a less than 50% chacne of success.  Of course, you can use astronomical alignments, sympathies, contagions, and such to give you bonuses to these skills when casting a spell, if you take the time to really get into it.  So you're not so much a bad wizard as you require a lot of effort and preparation to perform significant magic.

A couple of thoughts I had were to either expand his social ties more, perhaps buying your household as Allies who feel a dedication to you.  Alternatively, you might consider not having lost so much of your money and increasing your Wealth level.  It strikes me that you want to live like a lord but you've got the money of a stonemason.  Of course, you are free to blow all 40 points on $40,000 in starting cash.  Personally, I'd feel that rather unwise, since once that money is spent, those points are just gone.  Even if you buy things with them, those possessions aren't plot-proof.

Quote from: Humabout
<snip>

I'll take a rouncy pony to carry my belongings, a two-pack of rapscallions to carry my failing dignity and its trappings, as well as my extended household for allies who want to backstab me to claim the non-existent fortune of my ancestory, with one wealth status upgrade to garnish.  I want these points gone!

Ok Numinous, I have your PC sheet completed now.  I've added in another 16 people worth of allies to represent the whole of your household - servants, a groom for the horse, house guards and their captain, cooks, housekeepers, and porters.  The estate and staff costs a total of $6,800 per month to maintain, and you receieve $2,000 per month from what is left of your family's holdings.  This leaves a difference of $4,800 a month that you have to make up.  After paying for all of your gear, plus a sedan chair and upgrading your broadsword to a higher quality one (+1 to skill of the user because it's very well balanced), you have $6,894 in starting cash.  I was thinking this could be what remains of the spoils from your last adventure, and it will run your household for another six weeks.

To represent your household trying to screw you out of what fortune they think you have, the entire household is also an Enemy.  Periodically, they will try some scheme that shouldn't result in your death but will be aimed at completely ruining you.  If successful, this could result in financial ruin, public embarassment, or further loss of social standing.  Such things will be roleplayed out, so don't worry about getting randomly screwed - you will get a chance to foil their plots.

----

Ok guys!  I will start making your actual PC sheets and PM them to you.  They will look like a mess, but they will also have all the information we will need to play.  In terms of adventure, I'm considering something of a social-polital intrigue with supernatural ties, but I won't railroad you into it.  I prefer to run more of a sandbox game than the B&O.  So feel free to ignore any hooks that get dropped and do your own thing.

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium
Is my strength currently too low to use the mace without penalty? Well in that case I do think that should be fixed.  I didn't think he should be super-strong, but definitely strong enough to use his weapon appropriately.  

I am leaning towards the former option as well. I am willing to forgo brigandine to avoid penalties on DX and my Axe/Mace skill.  

If this results in my having $515 in spending cash, is there anything that you would suggest I add to my equipment?

Crap I think I missed this post earlier.  Sorry SH!

Yeah, maces and axes alike are beasts of weapons that require a lot of ST.  That said, they inflict horrific amounts of damage, and maces being crushing weapons, have a lot of nasty side effects that accompany them (knockback, blunt trauma, reduced protection from many armor types, etc.).

As for equipment, I don't see a lantern or lantern oil, or at least torches.  Undead and darkness kind of go hand in hand.  I'm as much a n equipment whore as a skill whore, so I'd probably try to buy one of everything in every book, but while I could list a bunch of climbing gear, ropes, traps, a spyglass, etc., you're probably better off just sitting on the cash, acquiring an adventure, and then buying what you need for it.  But yeah, light is a must.

[EDIT]
By the way, I just realized you have 2 points remaining and are currently illiterate.  Full native level fluency costs 3 points, but you can have slightly deficient literacy for 2, if you want.  It's not crucial, but I don't know if you were assuming you could read or not.

Hi to all,

I'll probably be joining this game.

My character concept would be a magic artificer; basically the concept of a confused, obsessive inventor transcribed in a fantasy setting.

I'll be making a character sheet until some time tomorrow, maybe day after.

Quote from: Humabout

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium
Is my strength currently too low to use the mace without penalty? Well in that case I do think that should be fixed.  I didn't think he should be super-strong, but definitely strong enough to use his weapon appropriately. 

I am leaning towards the former option as well. I am willing to forgo brigandine to avoid penalties on DX and my Axe/Mace skill. 

If this results in my having $515 in spending cash, is there anything that you would suggest I add to my equipment?

Crap I think I missed this post earlier.  Sorry SH!

Yeah, maces and axes alike are beasts of weapons that require a lot of ST.  That said, they inflict horrific amounts of damage, and maces being crushing weapons, have a lot of nasty side effects that accompany them (knockback, blunt trauma, reduced protection from many armor types, etc.).

As for equipment, I don't see a lantern or lantern oil, or at least torches.  Undead and darkness kind of go hand in hand.  I'm as much a n equipment whore as a skill whore, so I'd probably try to buy one of everything in every book, but while I could list a bunch of climbing gear, ropes, traps, a spyglass, etc., you're probably better off just sitting on the cash, acquiring an adventure, and then buying what you need for it.  But yeah, light is a must.

[EDIT]
By the way, I just realized you have 2 points remaining and are currently illiterate.  Full native level fluency costs 3 points, but you can have slightly deficient literacy for 2, if you want.  It's not crucial, but I don't know if you were assuming you could read or not.

Oh right, torches and so forth. Duh.  Ok, so a lantern and oil sound good.  And I figure if anything happens to the lantern itself, I could use some oil on a wadded up cloth wrapped around a stick or a bone for a makeshift torch.  I suppose I'd also need flint & steel or matches or something to actually LIGHT those too.

And yes, I figured he would be able to read at least somewhat, but "slightly deficient" sounds about right.  I imagine, being low-born he would not have been taught to read when growing up.  He would have been taught while training with the Church, enough to read the ecclesiastical texts and generally make use of the library, but I can imagine it taking him a while to read, and needing to consult for help sometimes, or getting caught up on more elaborate passages.  And there would be gaps in his ability (and  vocabulary) for things that are not in his field of expertise.

Flint is in cluded in personal basics (also includes a small knife and ten yards of chord). So with broken literacy, your character is complete!

Quote from: kreios
Hi to all,

I'll probably be joining this game.

My character concept would be a magic artificer; basically the concept of a confused, obsessive inventor transcribed in a fantasy setting.

I'll be making a character sheet until some time tomorrow, maybe day after.

Cool!  Good to see another participant!  I am fond of the kind of character you describe too, so I look forward to seeing it in play.

I've begun building a character for this. The premise is "Gnome inventor, alchemist, magician, mechanist...", basically a mash-up of Mad Scientist. After all, there's a reason for clichés...
[spoiler]
Attributes   +110   -50 / +160
   St      8      -20
   Dex      13      +60
   IQ      15      +100
   HT      9      -10
   HP      9      0
   Will      15      0
   Per      13      -10
   FP      9      0
   Basic Speed   5      -10

Languages:   +3
   English      Native(lit.)   +3

Advantages:   +65
Racial:
   Acute Smell/Taste 2      +4
   Discriminatory Smell      +15
   Green Thumb         +5
   Nicht Vision 3         +5
   Resistance to poison (+3)   +5
   Widget Worker 2         +10
   Gnomish Gifts         +1
   Huge Weapons         +1
Other:
   Photographic Memory      +10
   Less Sleep 2         +4
   Intuitive Mathematician      +5



Disadvantages:   -73
Racial:
   Curious (12)         -5
   Reputation (-2, Inventor)   -10
Other:
   Cowardice (12)         -10
   Obsession (Make Impact)      -10
   Skinny            -5
   One Eye            -15
   Overconfidence         -5
   Workaholic         -5
   Appearance: Ugly (-2)      -8   Scars

      

Skills:      +25
   Alchemy IQ/VH         +1   IQ-3      12
   Armoury Missile Weapons (IQ/A)   +1   IQ+1      16 Talent
   Blowpipe DX/H         +1   DX-2      11
   Chemistry IQ/H         +1   IQ-2      13
   Climbing DX/A         +1   DX-1      12
   (Crossbow DX/E)         +1   DX      13
   Engineer (???) IQ/H      +1   IQ-2      13
   Explosive (Demolition) IQ/A   +1   IQ-1      14
   Hiking HT/A         +1   HT-1      8
   Hidden Lore (Magic) IQ/A   +1   IQ-1      14
   Intelligence Analysis IQ/H   +1   IQ-2      13
   Lockpick IQ/A         +1   IQ+2      16 Talent
   Mathematics (applied) IQ/H   +1   IQ-2      13
   Melee Weapons (????) DX/??   +1   ??
   Metallurgy IQ/H         +1   IQ-2      13
   Occultism IQ/A         +1   IQ-1      14
   Physics IQ/VH         +1   IQ-3      12
   Poisons IQ/H         +1   IQ_2      13
   Research IQ/A         +1   IQ-1      14
   Scrounging Per/E      +1   Per+2      15 Talent
   Smith (Iron) IQ/A      +1   IQ-1      14
   Stealth   DX/A         +1   DX-1      12
   Swimming HT/E         +1   HT      9
   Symbol Drawing IQ/H      +1   IQ-2      13
   Traps            +1   IQ+2      17 Talent
[/spoiler]
This should, unless I'm mistaken, sum up to 130points, leaving 120 for the rest. No quirks yet.

Basically, as I envision it, the yet nameless character goes on 'adventures' or wherever we'll go to test out his inventions and to gain new ideas. Plus, curious. He's extremely intelligent, and quite a bit dexterous, but small and skinny. He can read, of course, probably keeping a journal or so (maybe as quirk?). Aside from the usual gnomish advantages, he also doesn't sleep much (after all, the world is much too interesting) and both never forgets things and has a knack for numbers. A big one.
Now, as every gnome ever, he's very curious, plus people don't like... uhm... innovative people. He's obsessed with making an impact by inventing something big (which he most definitely will, according to himself), nearly as obsessed as he's with staying alive until that happens. I foresee some interesting clashes between curious and coward... The last time he had a 'great invention' (new, more effective black powder), he however happened to get a bit singed... namely, he lost his eye, and got terribly scarred. Skills are mostly a big mixture between... well... most things.
Please feel free to sanity check this part of the character sheet, as I'm not sure about anything. Especially if something turns out to be not allowed.

Now, for magic. I've looked into the monster hunter book, and was looking at the magic system there, assuming that to be what you'll use.
Now, assuming both this and ritual adept to be allowed (however, that might make magic too powerful), I'd choose Magery 4 (+45), Ritual Adept (+40), Thaumatology (IQ/VH) [+4]: 14, and Energy and Matter paths at +4 for 14, too; Chance and Mind at +2 for 13, and the rest at 1 each for 12 skill level, resulting in a total magic cost of 108. This should, I think, fit in nicely with the inventor type, with chance and mind due to the "Blue" color magic part. However, this is especially check-worthy.

That whole thing would leave me with 12 points (if I'm not mistaken), to be taken as allies, contacts and so on.