The Unseen Servant forums

This is for everything miscellaneous. Rules questions, random conversation, deliberation on stuff that's happening in-game--toss it here.

With the launch of this thread, consider the game officially "open". The first order of business is making characters. I'm happy to provide any guidance or feedback that's useful on that.

My advice is: for your first character especially, don't worry too much about mechanical intricacies, and especially about virtues and flaws that have mechanical impacts. Story elements will be a lot more useful, until you build familiarity with how the game plays and can better understand how all the mechanical stuff works. Similarly, it's expensive to invest in "stuff" for a starting character, and it's easy to go wrong or down a dead-end--so avoid things like extra spells, magic items, etc.

I think I figured out adding folks to the game.

Right now it should be:

AleBelly
zhym
Enoch
grognardsw

And one more in the wings, perhaps! Wildly unexpected interest.

Very cool setting. I will have some time to look at creating a character this weekend. Any guardrails here for the magus/maga we create?

I was thinking of a Perdo magus that looks to protect Genser by fighting off enemies that get too close (inquisitors), but not sure if that's viable.

No real guardrails apart from the age limit and the general advice I provide in the other thread on character creation.

I would also suggest avoiding tying the identity of your Magus/Maga too tightly to another NPC's--Magi in the Order of Hermes definitely work together to build institutions and live and work together, but at its heart it's an arrangement of convenience--the Covenant structure allows wizards the ability to band together for defense in places where strong magical auras can benefit their work and where the contract of the Code will prevent them from warring against each other for resources. As such, mast Magi owe little personal fealty or obligation to other Magi apart from respect as elder members of the Order or the covenant for doing the hard work of making it work, or due to favors owed. Getting intertwined much more can ultimately hamper your own independent pursuits.

No hard restriction on doing that--just trying to provide the in-setting context for that kind of a relationship...it would definitely be viewed as unusual.

That's helpful, thanks! Will rework the premise.

Zhym and AleBelly, it’s been years since KOTB/Expedition and Palace of the Silver Princess!

I’ve only begun to read the rules tome but I can see it’s a lush and descriptive game and world. The focus on story over time is appealing. That the GM is called a Storyguide speaks volumes.

I’m reminded of Jack Vance’s Rhialto the Marvellous (a Dying Earth novel), with its evocative society of wizards, inventive magic and lyrical language.

Keehnelf, is it alright to go with a template? Given the complexity and time constraints, I’m liking the rules suggestion for newbies to use the Templates for Magus and Companion characters. I’m leaning toward a Bonisagus or Jerbitron magi and a rogue Companion.

No problem at all going with a template!

Also, there's no super rush to finish characters fast--I just wanted to let folks know that things are ready to go as soon as you've got characters together, whenever that is.

We can probably roll into the first story as soon as one of you has a Magus ready to go, even, slowly easing ourselves into things.

Grognardsw wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 8:40 pm Zhym and AleBelly, it’s been years since KOTB/Expedition and Palace of the Silver Princess!

I’ve only begun to read the rules tome but I can see it’s a lush and descriptive game and world. The focus on story over time is appealing. That the GM is called a Storyguide speaks volumes.

I’m reminded of Jack Vance’s Rhialto the Marvellous (a Dying Earth novel), with its evocative society of wizards, inventive magic and lyrical language.

Keehnelf, is it alright to go with a template? Given the complexity and time constraints, I’m liking the rules suggestion for newbies to use the Templates for Magus and Companion characters. I’m leaning toward a Bonisagus or Jerbitron magi and a rogue Companion.

It has been awhile, but I still remember that game fondly...and you ran the first game I played on this site about 10 years ago. So it's kinda your fault I'm still here.

Right now I'm leaning towards my magus being of House Bjornaer...and from Ireland, having come to the Alsatian covenant due to lack of opportunities in his homeland and his family's travels. Is German or French spoken in the covenant? I'm trying to figure how to allot language points.

Latin is always the common language among Magi. The local populace speaks mainly French but you can get by with German and it's the primary language a day's travel east.

Bran of Bjornaer is uploaded into the character sheet folder. I modified the template a bit. He's just finished his apprenticeship at age 26. Welcome to any suggestions as I haven't played this before!

Wow quick work! I’ll take a look at the sheet tonight and make any comments in this thread. If things are kosher, are you cool with a story initiating post sometime tomorrow? (I’ll take the lead with getting it rolling).

Sounds good to me. I have a three hour flight today so will take a look at setting up the companion, but my understanding is that the companion would adventure with another maga/magus

You are correct!

Took a bit of a look at the magus and the Arts look a little lower than I'd typically expect, but it seems like maybe you put more points into the non-magical skills and abilities section--so overall it should be right.

At some point you'll want to select your starting known spells (120 levels), but they're not immediately critical and in fact you could always fill them in as we go if it feels better. It's not a huge deal.

Safe travels!

I love everything surrounding magical research, so I'm leaning toward a House Bonisagus mage. Alternately, the idea of Mystery Cults is exciting, and Merinita would probably be fun to play as well.

I love pretty much every House--the only one I'm never all that tempted by is Flambeau

Looking at the pregen for Merenita, it looks like it leans pretty heavily on faerie-related flaws and virtues. I may tweak it a little and use it nearly as-is.

Yeah, the default presentation of Merinita is faerie-focused. If you want mystery cult you could also take a closer look at Criamon.

AleBelly wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2024 6:41 pm Bran of Bjornaer is uploaded into the character sheet folder. I modified the template a bit. He's just finished his apprenticeship at age 26. Welcome to any suggestions as I haven't played this before!

One last question before I can launch a story for this magus - what is his heart beast form?