Character Workshop

[roryb]

Let’s use this thread to talk about your characters and anything connected to them... which also includes setting elements such as important NPCs, goals, and problems.

[Leitz]

Since this is a "workshop", maybe later we should have a "Characters" thread for the final versions. That way we can edit and keep everything in one place.

Here's the current workshop edition of Arvad and Esmarada (27 Dec 22)


Arvad, mid-20's lanky human male

High Concept: The rustic dragon riding squire unknowingly growing into his true self as the Dragon King.
- Arvad has learned the basics of dragon riding and combat.
- Arvad is teachable, dutiful, and takes responsibilities seriously.
- Arvad and Esse have a well made set of dragon rider gear, from a "secret admirer."
- Arvad can understand and speak to dragons.
- Some rookie moves in there that can get him in trouble.
- Because of Esse's small size, and their lack of "proper" background, the pair will do things other riders and dragons won't attempt.
- Grew up in the wild; a skilled woodsman and terrible city dweller.
- Knowing his rustic roots, he seeks out knowledge. Often from books.


Trouble: Deep sense of responsibility for dragons.
- Anti-dragons and their creators are an abomination to be destroyed.
- Dwarven enslavement of dragons must be stopped.
- Modern dragons are a shadow of their true nature.
- Arvad feels these things, but resists the truth of how he knows them.


Bond Aspect: Awakened by blood
- Thoughtful and compassionate father, impatient tween daughter.
- Telepathic bond: share feelings and senses, more potent than others. Continues to grow.
- This link makes Arvad an outsider among the other riders who do not understand (or may even find it creepy or unnatural).


Aspect:


Stunt: Because of my deeply-shared connection with Esse, I gain a +2 bonus to Cleverly create an advantage or overcome an obstacle if flying together as mount and rider.

Stunt: Because she is young and nimble ("and doesn't have the sense God gave a fence post" muttered Arvad) Esse gets +2 when Majestically Defending while Flying.

Stunt: Because he is the Dragon King, once per session Arvad can act Forcefully at Dragon Scale, to perform some physical feat.


Approaches (Arvad):
Careful +2
Clever +2
Flashy +0
Forceful +3
Quick +1
Sneaky +1


Esmarada

Dragon Aspect: Majestic Princess (In her own mind); Tween and Green!
- More intelligent than many of her kin, Esse has a mind of her own (sometimes she uses it before doing something).
- Smaller than average, Esse is more acrobatic and daring.
- Because she's younger and smaller, her breath weapon and physical attacks aren't as awesome.


Approaches (Esse):
# Numbers match "The Swashbuckler", FAE page 10.
Careful +0
Clever +2
Majestic +3
Stubborn +1
Impatient +2
Devious +1

[Marullus]

Assisting in Workshop-style...

High Concept: Rustic squire working hard

...working hard to be what? I suggest your High Concept include the aspirational end-state. This isn't something he as a character needs to be aware of, but something you are putting forward as a player that the GM and other players all then buy into.

Bond Aspect: Thoughtful and compassionate father, impatient tween daughter, Empathic Style
Aspect: Born for each other; Arvand and Esse occasionally have the same thought, and it goes well.

I think these two nest into a single aspect. I think "Born for each other" is excellent.

Dragon Aspect: Majestic Princess (In her own mind); Tween and Green!
Aspect: Esse has a mind of her own (sometimes she uses it before doing something)

I think the second aspect is a Fact you can just place under the Dragon Aspect. (You have one too many aspects - so that's fine anyway.)

Aspect: Arvad has learned the basics of dragon riding and combat.

That's a good fact. What's the overriding aspect it supports? You can just put it under "Rustic Squire" or are you trying to say something distinct?

Stunt:
Because she is young and nimble ("and doesn't have the sense God gave a fence post" muttered Arvad) Esse gets +2 when doing Flashy Flying to Defend.

Rewording slightly to fit the proper syntax.
Because she is young and nimble Esse gets +2 when Majestically Defending while Flying.

[Marullus]

Pulling forward from the prior thread:

For those looking to play:
The system is deliberately easy to self-define, with you creating aspect that then define the game world around you. It is very free, with useful structure. The way he described the Aspects above works, and I'll provide an example below. You spend Fate Points (a game currency) to make things happen related to your aspects.

When you roll dice in the game, you add +0 to +3 for your approach, and if applicable, a +2 for a Stunt.

Everyone then has six approaches: Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, Sneaky.
You put them in order and assign them +3, +2, +2, +1, +1, +0

Stunts are narrowly defined (per quote below). A character can have up to three without cost, but the GM probably wants us to start with 1 or 2 while we learn the game for the first session.

Because I [describe some way that you are exceptional, have a cool bit of gear, or are otherwise awesome], I get a +2 when I [pick one: carefully, Cleverly, Flashily, Forcefully, Quickly, Sneakily] [pick one: attack, defend, create advantages, overcome] when [describe a circumstance].
or...
Because I [describe some way that you are exceptional, have a cool bit of gear, or are otherwise awesome], once per game session I can [describe something cool you can do].

For Dragon Approaches:

Furious, Majestic, Haughty, or Dreadful (Flashy)
Indestructible, Ferocious, Mighty, or Stubborn (Forceful)
Soaring, Swift, Precipitous, or Impatient (Quick)
Perceptive, Guileful, or Cunning (Clever)
Calculating, Sly, Devious, or Secretive (Sneaky)
Paranoid, Enduring, Guarded, or Provident (Carefully)​

Choose those that fit your dragon and apply them in the same order as the standard approaches you chose for your character:

Careful +1 Paranoid
Clever +1 Perceptive
Flashy +3 Furious
Forceful +4 Indestructible
Quick +1 Soaring
Sneaky +2 Calculating

[Marullus]

Current draft for discussion...

Lukkur Ashforge

Lukkor-Small.jpg (43.1 KiB) Viewed 4375 times

High Concept: Grizzled Veteran of Queen Sibbe's Company
o Personal relationship with Queen Sibbe
o Experienced warrior in combat and battle
o Experienced in squad tactics and aiding the maneuver of companions
o Experienced in strategy to win wars
o Has personal experience of the history of the Fangorim
o Has personally watched the dimming of the world affect dragons, giants, and dwarves alike

Trouble: Age and wisdom make men and dragons alike prefer the comfort of fire-lit mountain halls filled with what we treasure.
o Has an underground mountainhome which is always kept stiflingly warm, especially in winters
o No treasure is as great as that of Astrid, the jewel of his love, and eventually grandchildren through her
o Possesses collection of books and knowledge of esoteric lore
o Possesses highest quality forged goods, kept in excellent condition
o Possesses a breathtaking room of priceless faceted jewels, preferred nesting place of Ridris
o Neither dwarf nor dragon ever part with a treasure acquired – the best to hope for is a “loan”
o Both Lukkor and Ridris are only coaxed out of this home under duress

Ridris - Freed Ancient Forgebreather - Small.jpg (48.23 KiB) Viewed 4375 times

Dragon Aspect: Ridris, a Freed Ancient Forgebreather
o Ancient scales are thick and strong against physical damage and impervious to fire
o Unending supply of flame; super-hot white-flame can melt stone, ore, and metal
o Mastery of subtle applications of flame and heat
o Comfortable underground, consumes rock and mineral diet
o Understands the dwarvish language fluently
o Bears physical and mental scars from centuries of captivity
o Hates cold and ice

Free Aspect: I plucked out one eye to earn the Fabled Secrets of the Futhark Runes.
o Rode with King Fundil against the Frost Giants, final obstacle to peace in the north.
o Travelled to the well at the roots of the world, earning the respect of Mimir and giving his eye.
o Can perceive the threads of Fate and has spent his long life trying to understand them
o Loss of depth perception worsens his ranged combat
o Can carve and place runes to influence Fate and things to come
o Can read the prophecies the Giants have been carving into stone since the world’s foundation
o Combining giant’s runes with dwarven crafting, can forge miraculous items at a cost to the bearer (Gain a Fate/Lose a Fate)

Free Aspect: I am a Dwarf born of Fire and Stone, but freeing Ridris means we can never go home.
o Naturally impervious to heat and mundane fire; resistant to dragon flames
o Knows the history of stone empathically by touching it
o Able to see in darkness and navigate underground
o Raised in the Dwarf Forges; a Master Smith and Craftsman (Maskbearer a mark of status)
o Old as Stone, Lukkor was a forgesmith during the reign of Fingol the Tall and has lived among Men for 900 years
o His Kingdom was defeated by Fingol the Tall, showing the new relationship possible with dragon partnerships and establishing peace between kingdoms but creating a festering resentment towards Men in the hearts of the long-lived dwarves
o As part of subjugation, Fingol demanded the release of all dragons by the dwarves and barred them from keeping any further. Now aware of his bond, Lukkor freed Ridris and went with Fingol to learn their ways.

Approaches:
o Forceful +3 Indestructible
o Careful +2 Guarded
o Flashy +2 Dreadful
o Clever +1 Perceptive
o Quick +1 Soaring
o Sneaky +0 Calculating

Stunt: Because I am a Maskbearer, I get a +2 when I Forcefully defend by using my Mask or Shield against flame or projectiles.
Stunt: Because I see the flow of magic with my missing eye, I get +2 when I carefully create advantage by scribing runes to influence Fate.
Stunt: Because he has the rage of millennia, Ridris gets a +2 when he Indestructably attacks by with his gargantuan maw's teeth or white fire.

 

[roryb]

Looking over Arvad first. Some good stuff here. I agree with Marullus that some of those can be cleverly wrapped together to save you some slots and say even more.

For Concept, how about something like "Rustic Squire New To the Skies", implying that he's learned the basics of riding and some combat? And as a downside, there may be some rookie moves in there that can get him in trouble. (Remembering that aspects, even a High Concept, can be good and bad.)

The Bond says quite a bit, and that's good. Often people enjoy making their aspects sing a little bit, but a cunning turn of words is not required. I might add a little bit of mystery surrounding empathic link. Some ideas: "Unexplainable Link Between a Thoughtful Father and an Impatient Daughter Type", or "Pressed by a Dream To Father a Two Ton Tween", or something of the type. It speaks a bit to what is the nature of the bond. In both cases, I was going for a poorly understood phenomenon, and one that has some depth of story and problems behind it. Why was this unlikely couple thrust together? Maybe this unexplainable empathic link will make Arvad an outsider among the other riders who do not understand (or may even find it creepy or unnatural).

"Esse Has a Mind of Her Own", like Marullus said can be implied under that Dragon Aspect.

The last aspect sort of gets wrapped up in the same bond aspect, so it can be implied as a fact, which means you really have 3 aspects there. Room for more! Think of other things you can say. You've devoted those 3 to your role, your dragon, and your bond, which is quite a bit that still offers some overlap. These are clearly important foci for your character. What about outside relationships? Is Arvad hunted for some deed that inadvertently created an enemy? Is his standing in his clan troublesome or unique? Does he have a unique creed or belief that can drive him to deeds or create big problems for himself? I particularly like belief-type aspects because they can be relevant quite often.

Just some ideas. And remember, whatever you set can be changed later. Nice stunt, by the way!

[roryb]

Now for Lukkur (nice name, BTW)...

Concept: check!
Trouble: good, and love the facts. My only thought about this is you have a trouble that rewards you for inactivity, but that's my first impression. Can you think of some more ways this can be troublesome in play?
Dragon Aspect: Great! And love all the facts (everyone, please take note of how this dragon's abilities are clearly defined). Maybe Ridris needs a motivation-type of fact?
Free Aspect 1: great! So much flavorful story here and grants some very interesting powers.
Free Aspect 2: some good complications can arise from this. This is a good example of how much meaning can be shoehorned into a single aspect.

Approaches and stunts all look good. My only concern is your last stunt, just because that will be almost every attack he'll make. Indestructible also speaks more to defensive or intrinsic qualities, rather than what one can impart upon another. I would think Dreadful would be more apt, and maybe some other limiter such as "when outnumbered" or "when the aspect, 'Rage' is active upon me."

And, yes, I can create a thread for your final versions.

[roryb]

Looks good to me
I've come up with some more aspects;
Dragon; Igjarjuk the Savage, vicious adolescent scythe-talon
Dragon bond; Igjarjuk views everything apart from me as prey or rival; Only I am completely safe to turn my back on him.
Free Aspect; I carried the Fangorim banner through the carnage at Broken Tooth Pass (or Against the South at)

Struggling a bit with alternative approaches, here's what I've got so far;
Quick +3 (Explosive?)
Clever +2 (Cunning)
Flashy +2 (Imposing?)
Forceful +1 ()
Sneaky +1 (guile)
Careful +0 ()

I'm going to bring Spykee's post here too.

Love the evocative dragon breed. I'll look forward to seeing some interesting facts connected to that one. With the Bond aspect, that says more about the dragon's nature, which can be a weakness fact under his dragon aspect. But it does mention the troublesome nature that your character must exert near constant influence to keep Igjarjuk in check. Perhaps that can be sussed out even more, speaking to some sort of past story...but that can also just be included as facts. I can see how the nature of that bond can be invoked (help) or compelled (complicate) in two or three ways.

Free aspect #1: Very nice! I like that it speaks to an event. However, it doesn't say much other than a fact. What was the result of that? What lingering effects does it have? Do others treat your character with deference? Hostility? I might like to see that slightly re-worded so that we have an idea how it impacts the story and how it's useful or complicated. And again, facts listed under that will help with the job.

For Approaches, take a look at the set we've designed above to help you. You're on the right track!

[Marullus]

Trouble: good, and love the facts. My only thought about this is you have a trouble that rewards you for inactivity, but that's my first impression. Can you think of some more ways this can be troublesome in play?

You're right - that can stand to be more explicit. The purpose of a Trouble is to establish problems of self he needs to face and overcome.

This aspect causes trouble via three approaches - withdrawal, despair, and selfishness. Withdrawing from society into seclusion isn't meant to be a positive (except to the grumpy old dwarf). Withdrawal means that he's unaware of developments in the society and the world outside his doors. The world is passing him by, changing without his input or consent, arranging problematic surprises which he will regularly be unhappy with. He is the voice of tradition and conservative action and the increasing pace of change will always disturb him. It also means he is (at least tacitly) avoiding constantly seeing the threads of Fate in others and the responsibility he then feels from it. Great power is exhausting, and his curmudgeonliness leads to him desiring to avoid the great responsibility. (Sorry Uncle Ben!) One cause of this withdrawal is despair - the grinding sorrow of a long life. Living among humans, he's formed so many attachments just to have them inevitably die, cut off from the comfort of other long-lived beings. He was born in a mystical world and has been helpless in face of it dimming, no matter how he raged against it in his youth, the diminishing of dragons, dwarves, and giants, the end of the age of Wonder, is a heavy weight to bear. It is moreso for the gift and curse of his Fate Sight. He can visibly see the possible outcomes - he is denied the balm of false hope. His behavior in the face of these things is tinged by selfishness, despite his self-justifications otherwise. The dwarf/dragon desire to hold on to what they treasure and not part with anything they hold dear intensifies with age and is innately selfish, but is the least of his sins. Withdrawal and despair lead to him avoiding his own Fates, seeking the easier road of comfort even as he knows absolutely the greater goods he could instead be achieving (Fate sight is such a b*tch, he is clearly in denial). What he couches as love for Astrid is the most extreme example of selfishness (a la Elrond and Arwen) - the overprotectiveness of a prescient parent is a totally different thing. He sees one fate before her that serves his needs, where if he keeps her safe she will raise a passel of grandchildren and dwarves will not dim from the world -- A hope he has clung to because it is the one true hope that fights his own despair. That has nothing to do with her wants or needs, her relative happiness compared to the other Fates before her. He is willfully ignoring all possible other Fates - she could have a destiny far greater, many destinies far greater, but he won't look because they all lead to losing her, too, like her mother, like everything else.

...That's the long-form of what fits under this aspect for me. Let me see if I can distill it.

Trouble: Age and wisdom make men and dragons alike prefer the comfort of fire-lit mountain halls filled with what we treasure.
o Has an underground mountainhome which is always kept stiflingly warm, especially in winters
o No treasure is as great as that of Astrid, the jewel of his love, and eventually grandchildren he foresees through her if he can only make her stay safe
o Possesses collection of books and knowledge of esoteric lore
o Possesses highest quality forged goods, kept in excellent condition
o Possesses a breathtaking room of priceless faceted jewels, preferred nesting place of Ridris
o Neither dwarf nor dragon ever part with a treasure acquired – the best to hope for is a “loan”
o Both Lukkor and Ridris are only coaxed out of this home under duress, avoiding the changing world outside despite the consequences
o Despairs at the diminishing of the world, seeking any source of hope that Wonder might be reborn

Dragon Aspect: Great! And love all the facts (everyone, please take note of how this dragon's abilities are clearly defined). Maybe Ridris needs a motivation-type of fact?

Hmmmm. I don't have any natural motivations for him. Brainstorming from others?

Approaches and stunts all look good. My only concern is your last stunt, just because that will be almost every attack he'll make. Indestructible also speaks more to defensive or intrinsic qualities, rather than what one can impart upon another. I would think Dreadful would be more apt, and maybe some other limiter such as "when outnumbered" or "when the aspect, 'Rage' is active upon me."

Yes, I love Indestructible as a descriptor but casting Forceful as Indestructible does seem limit the use of Forceful to defensive descriptions. I was trying to inartfully get around that with his by tying the "gargantuan maw" to his indestructible form, but it deserved to be called out. It is important to my imagination that the dragon is in fact attacking forcefully, though, as that's the core of both characters. I'll swap it for Mighty.

The significant thing here is that Ridris is likely the most ancient dragon associated with the knights (i.e. that isn't still wild). If we're keeping the idea that dragons continue to grow and strengthen the older they get (common in D&D and other games - dragons do not diminish) then Ridris already had a long life enslaved to the dwarves and then almost a millennia with Lukkor, perhaps the only dwarf among the humans. That's what Mighty (or indestructible) means to me, in this context and I want to combine it with the Stunt to reflect that raw force and power. I do see it applying to most attacks he makes, because if this dragon attacks, that's severe, and I'll narrate his attacks to use the advantage whenever its feasible anyway. I limited to the "gargantuan maw" in that it only applies when teeth or white flame are the method and building on the ancient motif. It doesn't anything Forceful but a straight attack - anything more strategic than "git 'em." (I suspect the straight might-is-right combats aren't always going to be the solution; when they are, this aspect matters.) I can limit further by not having an "OR," of course, in which case I'd pick the bite for the gargantuan maw over the advantage to attacks-by-fire - at the dragon-scale for a fight I expect it is the sheer might of his ancientness that gives such intense advantage over all lesser dragons. Goading the thousand-year-old warriors out of their hole and into the fray should be a little scary.

...
Longevity as a story-point raises a fact-question about dragons. Dragons can have extremely long lives in the wild, and the GM has already posited that they wither and die if domesticated. What happens to bonded dragons?

• Can dragons outlive their riders, being inherited by a new generation of bonded riders? (a la Targaryns in Game of Thrones) Does the queen ride the same dragon as the kings before her?
• Do bonded dragons accept a mortal fate as part of the bonding process, dying when their riders die? (like in the world of Eregon?) Does taking otherwise-immortal beings and bonding them contribute to the dimming of the world in the first place?

...
Alternately, I was considering a "once per session I can" Stunt related to his knowledge of the future. I could go back to that. Given the two-scale resolution system you have proposed, though, I wanted to try to have one stunt that worked at dragon-scale, and pure attack is what is most important to Ridris.

[Leitz]

Dragon Aspect: Great! And love all the facts (everyone, please take note of how this dragon's abilities are clearly defined). Maybe Ridris needs a motivation-type of fact?

Hmmmm. I don't have any natural motivations for him. Brainstorming from others?

Given that dragons don't die of natural causes, and Ridris seems unlikely to die in battle, then whatever got him enslaved is probably a major hatred. Even a long time free would not likely erase the pain and the anger.

[Marullus]

For those interested in inspiration, here's the 10 types of dragons in Harry Potter.
https://youtu.be/ejP4OMi2Dko?t=21

Given that dragons don't die of natural causes, and Ridris seems unlikely to die in battle, then whatever got him enslaved is probably a major hatred. Even a long time free would not likely erase the pain and the anger.

Also important - I established that dwarves didn't know about bonding. Perhaps a method of conditioned control? Like the goblins torturing the Gringotts dragon and making it fear bells so they could move through safely by ringing them? The dwarves would have had to have more differentiation, as they needed the dragon to be trained to perform various specific tasks (usually via fire) in the Forges. They could later reward with a carrot (or rock slag, as the case may be) but first would have established a stick. Perhaps terrified or enraged by Dwarf Horns?

It's a good suggestion, the conditioning a known trigger that could re-emerge in play.

I don't have an independent motivation for Ridris; I think the dominant motivation for both he and Lukkor is brooding on their horde. Ridris values faceted gems (her horde room) which are more impervious to her heat than metals or ores. It's also a treasure she doesn't eat. After such a long life of servitude and service, I think he desires such comfort.

...but that's covered. So still open to additional ideas.

[roryb]

Just popping in to let you know I may not get a chance to respond today.

[roryb]

Okay, thanks for clarifying that bond aspect more, Mallurus. There’s a lot there to feed the plot. Don’t worry about a motivation. Since the rider and dragon are one in the same, there’s so much overlap that comes with the rider’s wants and nature. In your case, it’s more than clear, so don’t sweat on reaching any further.

And anything that limits that attack stunt so that it’s not an option in every exchange of every combat (I suspect I’ll include a good deal of combat...I’m thinking it would be fun to have some WWII type of dogfight scenes). I understand the justification and I certainly want Ridris to feel very much like the alpha dog. I might go for a once per conflict, or for the remainder of the scene at the cost of a Fate Point [or other narrative cost]. Otherwise, it’s quite the powerful stunt. Let me know what you think about that.

As for longevity and “what happens when a rider expires”, I’d pick something hopeless to fit the tenor of the game, such as they become feral and fly off, sometimes never to be seen, or sometimes carry out their rage in a misdirected fit, get imprisoned, etc. Perhaps something like Gods & Monsters could be interesting — without the balancing factor of a master, a dragon’s power eclipses and they become ‘monstrous’, threatening friend and foe alike.

[Marullus]

And anything that limits that attack stunt so that it’s not an option in every exchange of every combat (I suspect I’ll include a good deal of combat...I’m thinking it would be fun to have some WWII type of dogfight scenes). I understand the justification and I certainly want Ridris to feel very much like the alpha dog. I might go for a once per conflict, or for the remainder of the scene at the cost of a Fate Point [or other narrative cost]. Otherwise, it’s quite the powerful stunt. Let me know what you think about that.

The +2 is a standard bonus for something repeatedly applicable. If it is limited to once per session, it would use the alternative Stunt logic and require a more potent effect.

Your sample NPC has the same bonus, except a bonus at a scale higher than achievable by a PC and without any restriction (i.e. it applies to every single attack).

Forceful +4 Indestructible
Tough as Bone. Because Narghast is covered with a bonelike hide, I gain +2 to Indestructibly defend against physical attacks at the dragon scale.

My original submission (his maw applying to white flame and bite) was equally unrestricted, compared to your example.

I really do think that setting it as melee-only (applies to bite, not flame) is sufficiently restricted.

[Leitz]

I'm reading, and thinking. And struggling. Most of my gaming experience has been with X character in A environment, and I play off the relationships. Most of the fiction I write is "If G, then what if R?" Still the same, one thing playing off another. Right now I'm floundering, not sure what to play off of.

[Marullus]

I'm reading, and thinking. And struggling. Most of my gaming experience has been with X character in A environment, and I play off the relationships. Most of the fiction I write is "If G, then what if R?" Still the same, one thing playing off another. Right now I'm floundering, not sure what to play off of.

Let's adjust the perspective. You're struggling because this isn't actually game play.

A concept for this style of game is "play happens at the table." You're writing solo narratives, trying to react to relationships, and things that are part of the actually story, which is the actual game. We're not doing that yet.

All you're doing at this stage is setting up Aspects, which answer "what story do I as a player WANT to tell?" We're setting an agreement with each other and the GM about what this bigger tale is going to be about. You'll get to actually tell that story, react to each other, and play off the relationships once the game begins.

This concept of shared narrative, where you and the GM both have narrative control over the overall story and what it includes IS different from many other RPGs, where the GM hands you the situation. It's an opportunity, not a stressor.

Don't sweat it too much. RoryB said he'd let you edit after you got a feel for the game, so you don't have to have it all nailed down. Get your ideas out there and riff off it.

I consolidated the comments above for you so you can continue from here. Tweak and edit so that you're happy with each statement. Think if you want to add other aspects to the story (you have two more to define). I included the quote of RoryB's suggestions. You also lost the idea of being Bookish, and of being a Dragon Veterinarian, if you want them to be aspects. Do you want some mysterious power you will discover in play? A fated sword you have/find? A link for your orphan to the Southern Necromancers? To the Northern kings? To a race of mystical beings not previously revealed? Shared narrative control means you can make that a thing.


........
Name, Appearance: Arvad, lanky human male
High Concept: Rustic Squire New To the Skies
- Arvad has learned the basics of dragon riding and combat.
- Arvad is teachable, dutiful, and takes responsibilities seriously.
- Arvad and Esse have a well made set of dragon rider gear, from a "secret admirer."
- Some rookie moves in there that can get him in trouble.

Bond Aspect: Born For Each Other
- Thoughtful and compassionate father, impatient tween daughter
- Empathic bond: share feelings and senses, more potent than others
- Bond is becoming telepathic, though neither realizes it.
- This unexplainable empathic link will make Arvad an outsider among the other riders who do not understand (or may even find it creepy or unnatural).

Dragon Aspect: Majestic Princess (In her own mind); Tween and Green!
- Esse has a mind of her own (sometimes she uses it before doing something)
-

What about outside relationships? Is Arvad hunted for some deed that inadvertently created an enemy? Is his standing in his clan troublesome or unique? Does he have a unique creed or belief that can drive him to deeds or create big problems for himself? I particularly like belief-type aspects because they can be relevant quite often.

Aspect:

Aspect:


Approaches:
Careful 2 (Guarded or Enduring)
Clever 3 (Perceptive or Cunning)
Flashy 0 Majestic
Forceful 2 Stubborn
Quick 1 (Swift or Impatient)
Sneaky 1 (Sly or Devious)


Stunt: Because she is young and nimble Esse gets +2 when Majestically Defending while Flying.
Stunt:
Stunt:

[Spykee]

Thanks for the feedback @RoryB
I've worked out which approaches I want to take, added some facts and started revising the dragon bond and banner aspects.
I'll have the revisions up tomorrow evening.

[roryb]

My original submission (his maw applying to white flame and bite) was equally unrestricted, compared to your example.

I really do think that setting it as melee-only (applies to bite, not flame) is sufficiently restricted.

Point taken! Let's rest the matter with your stunt as-is.

I'm reading, and thinking. And struggling. Most of my gaming experience has been with X character in A environment, and I play off the relationships. Most of the fiction I write is "If G, then what if R?" Still the same, one thing playing off another. Right now I'm floundering, not sure what to play off of.

All you're doing at this stage is setting up Aspects, which answer "what story do I as a player WANT to tell?" We're setting an agreement with each other and the GM about what this bigger tale is going to be about. You'll get to actually tell that story, react to each other, and play off the relationships once the game begins.

This concept of shared narrative, where you and the GM both have narrative control over the overall story and what it includes IS different from many other RPGs, where the GM hands you the situation. It's an opportunity, not a stressor.

Don't sweat it too much. RoryB said he'd let you edit after you got a feel for the game, so you don't have to have it all nailed down. Get your ideas out there and riff off it.

I consolidated the comments above for you so you can continue from here.

Well said! And thanks, Marullus. You're an invaluable resource here. This is great advice. It's really easy to get decision paralysis with Fate since you only get out of it what you put in, and there's very few guidelines to help. Not only can you change things as you go, Leitz, you can leave blank spots too and fill them in during play when the lightbulb goes off.

Thanks for the feedback @RoryB
I've worked out which approaches I want to take, added some facts and started revising the dragon bond and banner aspects.
I'll have the revisions up tomorrow evening.

Sounds good! Looking forward to seeing what you have. And, like has been said, don't sweat too much.

[Spykee]

Almund Stormcaller
Aspects
High Concept; Impulsive Scion of Sibbe's Noble house
Facts
• 1st son and heir
• Rich and well equipped
• Educated
• Envied
• Figure head

Dragon; Igjarjuk the Savage, black scaled vicious adolescent Scythe-Talon
Facts
• Igjarjuk views everything apart from me as prey or rival
• Ambush predator
Power Facts
• Fearsome claws (inflict fear effect when displaying claws?)
• Razor scales (damage to anything close enough / grappling?)
•Talons like the reapers blade (inflict conditions / aspects like crippled limb, bleeding etc)
• Reaping tail blades
• Flensing blast breath weapon – hail of tiny flecks of razor scales

Dragon bond; ‘Like making a soul bond with a shark’
Facts
• Only Almund is completely safe to turn his back on Igjarjuk
•

Free Aspect: I proved my mettle carrying the Fangorim banner through the carnage at Black Tooth Pass, now Lords and soldiers both North and South know my worth as a warrior.
Facts
• Bloody but ultimately inconclusive pitched battle

Approaches
Quick +3 (Precipitous)
Clever +2 (Cunning)
Flashy +2 (Dreadful)
Forceful +1 (Ferocious)
Sneaky +1 (Devious)
Careful +0 (Enduring)

How does that look?
I'm not really sure how power facts are supposed to look / work; I can't find them mentioned in the FAE book.
I want to work something in about the dragons propensity for sudden ultra violence, 0-60 at the drop of a hat, but ill keep thinking on that.

[Marullus]

Power facts just clarify what you can do with normal rolls. We are all agreeing ahead of time that it is a normal use for your aspect and it lets us (in this virtual setting) be clearer about what you're imagining (which could otherwise be table conversations.)

When doing something in line with your power facts, you get to roll and add your approach. (Sometimes if something you are doing is OUTSIDE all your aspects and facts, the GM might make you roll unmodified, with no approach added.)

You can also spend a Fate point to get a temporary +2 on an action that aligns with your aspects/facts, so they help with that, too.

The important stuff, though, goes into your three stunts. They apply to a specific action in a specific condition, but always add +2 without having to use a fate point (or they do something really cool once per session).

I want to work something in about the dragons propensity for sudden ultra violence, 0-60 at the drop of a hat,

I suggest this from your post:

Stunt: because he is an ambush predator, Igjarjuk gets a +2 when he Precipitously Attacks when unexpected or with surprise.

You could also consider:

Razor scales (damage to anything close enough / grappling?)

Stunt: because he has razor scales, Igjarjuk gets a +2 when Cunningly Defending when the attacker is in close combat/melee.

That gives him a +5 on surprise attack, +3 on subsequent attacks with a Precipitous style, +4 to defend in Melee and +3 or +2 defend at range depending on your descriptions. That IS an amazingly violent dragon.

I would decide what special thing your human does for the third talent.

...

An interesting thing for you to consider for your character....

Breeding programs turned out not to be effective. It was discovered that domesticated dragons never lived long nor yielded the great sky lizards that were hatched in the wilds. And so, only the bravest and most worthy of warriors and dragon keepers could find young adolescents through trapping and hunting or fight the feral mother dragons that protected them. It was cruel and dangerous work, yet the Fangorim had improved the art of breaking dragons for riding and battle. Times were harder because the numbers of dragons in the wild dwindled, and signs all pointed to the dimming of the world.

You are the first born heir. The above tells me two things:
* Finding and bonding a dragon was critical, probably the most important coming of age act imaginable. It is the DEFINITION of "bravest and most worthy warrior" and established your worth to rule.
* They perfected the art over a thousand years.

Were you given every possible advantage to ensure your rule, or
Were you forced through a trial to truly test your worth and let the cards fall where they may?

You stated an aspect about how you later proved your worth as a banner-bearer, which implies to me you still had something to prove... interesting stuff to contemplate and tweak into his Aspects. (The banner bearer aspect would be stronger and more useful to you if it stated a Belief the character holds; this could help hone it.)

It also is cool that our dragon acquisition all took different routes. Arvad lucked into his by compassion, Lukkor freed his from captivity and long servitude, and you are the bastion of cultural expectations.