Character Help

[WriterApprentice]

Unsure of where and how to start with your character? Have a character but don’t know how to assimilate him, or her, into Temecula? No worries, you’ve come to the right place. ^_^

Simply tell us what your issues are and, if you have it, your character’s information. Ranging from brief to descriptive, all of them are accepted as we’ll work to mold your character for the RP.

[Frappe]

I need help with my character. I planned to turn her into a druid. What are druids like in temecula?

[WriterApprentice]

It would depend on a few things.
For one, Temecula is slightly based off and inspired from the Fire Emblem lore and world. In FE, Druids are a class that can use Dark magic and Staves.
Usually in many RPGs, the Druid class is a person who can wield the powers of Nature and whose many attacks and spells are Nature-based.

We haven't developed much on the class list of Temecula, but this would be a good start for you Druid class. First question would be; what do you envision the Druid class to be like?

[Wicked]

Hey- this might sound a bit boring, but I was thinking about making a human character (it's always nice to have at least one, right?) and was wondering what the humans are like in Temecula.


Also, I wanted to ask about the potential for making fire mages. I noticed in the unofficial class list that the fire mage class is only really an option for evil characters... (I'm not really looking to make this character evil but I'm not planning on them being lawful either. More like a chaotic good or neutral?)

Next, can a mage be good with a sword, or be a multi-class/hybrid style fighter? I'm not sure if I will, but it's something I've been curious about.

In relation to the previous two questions, I was wondering your opinion about a character using magic to enhance their weaponry, for example, flaming swords or fire-tipped arrows.

Lastly, just to confirm, is all magic in Temecula through tomes and scrolls, or is some of it innate/learned power that can be channelled through a focus like a staff or wand?

Hope that's not too many questions. I'm still sifting through ideas in my head about what kind of character to make...

-- Wicked

(P.S. Just occurred to me- In Temecula, are there any biases or stipulation differences between genders? Stereotypes? Or is it only between races?)

(P.S.S. Are we able to directly use our surroundings/everyday items in a battlefield to our advantage in a fight? For example, flipping over a table to knock a group prone or smashing a bottle over a head in a bar, or maybe tripping someone with a vine in the woods, reflecting sunlight on a mirror to temporarily daze an enemy, throwing a torch on oil to create an explosion, using a piece of clothing to strangle someone unconscious, using a bracelet to (attempt) disarm a sword etc. etc.? Would it count for damage or just other effects? Just curious...)

[WriterApprentice]

Well, humans, in Temecula, are like the orthodox humans you often see in many RPG games. They're the most adaptable and proficient race on Temecula. This can be easily seen by the high population of humans that inhabit all of Temecula.

Oh, where did you see that? O.o
Well, to clear things up, fire mages are not inherently evil. The same goes for the dark mages. It's the person, not the magic, who sets the boundaries between benevolent and malevolent. Besides, your character is whom you want him, or her, to be. ^_^

Hybrid classes are something we've approved since one of the character in Temecula is a warlock, a magic class that can use a dagger. As of now, we're still developing the class list and would love to hear your ideas. :3

Enchanted weapons are something waiting for approval. We just have to see how we'll plan things out. But don't scrap that idea, keep it reserved till later.

We haven't gone that in detail with magic. So far it seems that magic is a learning process, but not everyone can do it/choose to learn it. It is a possibility that some people in Temecula are more gifted than others in the arts of magic. But, we're in the developmental stage those this tidbit of information can change over time. If you have an idea, please don't hesitate to share it with us. ^_^

Yes, in Temecula there are some racism between the races. Between genders... we haven't touched on that, yet. But thanks for bringing it up. :3

Yes, we are making the world of Temecula fully interactive for a character to use any object within their reach. About the damage and affect aspects... we, somewhat, scrapped the stats and battle system of Temecula but are trying to revive it. If we do, then effects and damage can be implemented.

Thanks for giving us all these questions, gave us something to do and we were more than happy to answer them. ^_^
Hope we answered them correctly. :3

[Wicked]

Thanks, Writer... and everyone else under the title of 'we' ^_^

And now... I've got a whole new slew of questions... (*muhaha*)

Creatures of Flight (shapehifters, minstrels...) flying in battle? Are there certain limitations? Would a diving flight melee attack do more damage because it came from up above and had help from gravity?

Also, how much can a flying creature lift (flying-wise)? Can a minstrel character's wings support the weight of another player if the need arose for a quick retreat or perhaps a short flight over a raging river?

I've also heard ideas of a mutant or something shapeshifter bird type that are unable to shift completely into their ancestor animal (or whatever you want to call it) but retain animal-like features in human form and keep things like wings and such... In this case, how would a shapeshifter bird/human hybrid compare with that of the winged Minstrels? Is one stronger than the other? Or does it balance out in which shapeshifter bird/humans often deal more physical damage while minstrels might be more adept with magics?

Which, by the way, is another thing I'm curious about. Is Minstrel song considered a magic of sorts or is that separate from some sort of bard class? If it is a magic, what group of magic would their music be classified under?

Next, I'd like to ask what kinds of magic attacks a dark mage has access to. Can they call or talk to spirits? Raise undead? Or am I thinking of something else?

For that matter, can any of the magic groups actually summon monsters/minions/familiars to fight for them?

Also, I was once again wondering your opinion on characters possibly combining their abilities to make one fortified attack (when it works out). Some examples might be a wind mage launching a fighter into the thick of battle with a strong gust of wind... Possible?

And can players have mounts or packmules? What are your thoughts on that?

Are there different languages or dialects in Temecula that might make communication harder or... something...

Skill checks aren't a factor, right? Like if I mentioned my character tried to climb the wall, there wouldn't be a failed check the next post saying I slipped and lost my footing or something, right? …

Can our characters die? Is there a way to resurrect them from death? Or is it just a tragedy?

Lastly (for now, at least), is there any bonuses to be granted if we somehow surprised our enemies or somehow caught them unawares in an ambush attack?

--Wicked (who is still sifting through ideas in the new brain...)

[Frappe]

@writer: I have a follow up question ^^ Is it possible that a druid can do dark magic and nature based magic at the same time. If not, then, I suppose i would have to choose one... Is it also possible for a druid not to need a stave to summon magic?

I actually based my character from Sophia, a FE character. I searched about her a little, and i learned that she can see the future though vague. I would like to apply this skill on my character, too. I don't want her to be a sue so I won't make her very accurate in her predictions and then i won't make her magic too powerful. Is that acceptable?

[WriterApprentice]

Oh my… that is a lot of questions. XD
Well… better start cracking. *flexes hands*

Not really, we’re trying to keep the battle system as simple as possible so we don’t drive people away because of its complexity. The stats and calculations themselves were enough for people to run the other way, so we might not implement this much detail into our attacks. However, this doesn’t mean we’ll completely scrap this idea. I’ll bring it up with the others once we have time.

Ah, yes, this would be useful feature to have in the RP. Thanks for bringing it up. ^_^
Well, as I’m imagining it, rescuing another player’s character might depend on the rescuer’s strength plus the weight of the one being rescued. Minstrels, as I imagine, are not an offensive class and prefer to support their allies rather than throw a punch. Anyways, we haven’t talked about a Rescue feature, yet, but I’ll bring it up when the GMs meet and we can discuss about it.

Yes, I imagine the Minstrels being more adept in their form of magic. The Shapeshifter race tend to lean toward physical strength and using their beast forms to heighten their powers. Plus Minstrels might be a peaceful race that abhors violence. As such, they do not and will not raise a fist, but they will gladly use their supportive magic to aid allies and make their enemies weaker.

Song magic is mostly used by the Minstrel race (I should write up their bio soon to disperse anymore confusion >_>) and, like healing magic, does not fall into any of the magic elements. It’s more of a neutral element of magic. It still draws from the arcane energies of magic, but does not lean toward any of the six. For now, that is… will have to talk about that as I can see an idea of song magic falling under the categories of the six elements.

Totally different, sorry. ><
Dark magic, as I see it, is simply a form magic can take. It is, by nature, the opposite of light. Dark cannot raise the dead nor does it have any affiliation with necromantic powers. But if you do have an idea for necromancy in Temecula, feel free to create your own discussion thread. ^_^

Believe it or not, there is a Summoner class in Fire Emblem. Because of this, a Summoner class and summoning magic are a possibility for Temecula. =D
We just need to develop it.

Yes, that could be a possibility, but that might be related with our currently developing stats and battle system. Is it okay if I ask you to set up a thread and write down all of your ideas for us to see? It would be wonderful to contribute to the Discussion thread. ^_^

Yes, players can have mounts and pack mules, would add some realism to the RP. ^_^

Hm… haven’t really touched on that. Would have to depend on what the others say as we develop the races.

Yup, this is something entirely up to the players. Please be realistic, we’re putting our trust on your guys. If your character can’t, in the realm of possibility and logic, climb up a mountain or something, don’t force them to. Doing so would make the RP unrealistic and might set a bad example for other players to break the basic rules of RP’ing.

Your character’s death, or time of death, is entirely up to you. If your character is defeated in battle, don’t worry about them dying. We are giving you the freedom of having them retreat from battle because of their wounds, getting knocked unconscious, or, if their time is up, die. Your character is your creation, thus you have complete control over them. ^_^

Yes, a bonus is a possibility, maybe. In FE, it doesn’t matter if you attacked you enemy from behind or from far away, no bonuses are implemented. We may, or may not, develop this as we’re striving for simplicity, but fun and engaging at the same time.

Now to Frappe! ^_^
Well, for that, we might create a whole new class just for you. ^_^
Heh, don’t worry, we like doing this kind of work. ^_^
We might call it a Witchdoctor or Shaman class, or something related with the dark aspect of nature.

Yes, I think that would be enough for her not to be a Sue. Thank for bringing that up. Do you have her profile written up? I would love to see it. ^_^

I hope I answered both of your questions well. If not, just tell me. ^_^

[Wicked]

Thanks again Writer. ^_^

This time, I only have a few quick questions...

In Temecula, is there a class that is a Wizard-Generalist? A class where the mage doesn't specialize in any one branch of magic, but shows a little aptitude in a little bit of everything? A Dabbler? Of course, I would presume their spells wouldn't do as much damage as a specialist performing the same spell, but... it would be interesting if there was a class that exchanged a portion of spell power for variety. Your thoughts?

And what kinds of spells can you do with dark magic? And can a good player use dark magic, or do you have to be of a certain alignment (evil...)?

Can there be half breeds of any sort in Temecula? Are there different races that are compatible with one another? (just another thought that occurred to me randomly to torture you with... *muhahaha*)

--Wicked

[WriterApprentice]

I would say such a class would exist and yes, their proficiency in the other branches of magic would be slightly lower than their main element. In Fire Emblem, all Mages (the 1st tier in the magic class) could only use a single element. When they promote to a Sage, or even Archsage, they are able to wield all the elements of magic (aside form Light and Dark). Seeing that Temecula is inspired from Fire Emblem, I would say that there are magic-users who are skilled enough to use more than one element of magic.

Like I said before, it is the person, not the magic, who defines the borders of good and evil. Magic, by nature, is completely neutral and does not take sides. An honorable and noble person can wield dark magic as much as a corrupted and sinister person can use light. It is simply out of ignorance and superstition that the people of Temecula frown upon and fear dark magic practitioners. And given that people of the religious order condemn dark magic as a heresy against the goddess, you can see a cycle of distrust and hate snowballing toward dark magic.

We haven't really touched on the spells, yet, but I imagine that dark takes on the form similar to a thick and ominous cloud/fog/mist of black and dark violet.

Yes, half-breeds are acceptable in Temecula RP. :3
But be wary as there might be prejudices against "half-breeds" in the Temecula world.

[Frappe]

@writer: Thanks! I guess she wouldn't really fit in any other class, so naturally we have to create one that would. No, I haven't created her profile yet. I change my ideas about the character too often so it takes so much time creating one.

I will let you know when i do finish. Thank you so much for the help! ^_^

[WriterApprentice]

Alright, can't wait to see it!
And you're welcome! ^_^

[Minion]

What do Minstrels generally look like? Do they look similar to elves or humans? Or do they have any other distinct characteristics that obviously sets them apart appearance-wise (minus the obvious; wings)?

[WriterApprentice]

Well they're usually fair-skinned and have graceful features. The most obvious distinction of their appearance are their wings. I believe they are the only race that have them on Temecula.

[Minion]

Okay. Well. I have this idea for a minstrel that I'm trying to work out.

His name is Avery and his voice is Tenor.

Anyways, without (or trying not to) going into massive detail, I had this idea that Avery (who liked to travel to new places) saw the violence of human-kind and other races so unlike his homeland that he decided to make it his own personal mission to try to spread the peaceful ways of non-violence to other races in his travels around Temecula. Except, that he was too trusting in people, in the idea that people would want to change and he was merely showing them way or option.

Things like greed, ambition, power-hungry, envy, hatred, sadism, enslavement... he never really experienced a lot of it back home. I suppose you can call a bit sheltered. Part in fault I would say is the somewhat isolationist quality of his people similar to that of the elves (or so I presume).

Anyways, in the end, he accepted the invitation into the wrong place by the wrong people. He was attacked and restrained and magicked into a an inability to really move as they held him down. Being a minstrel, he's more lightweight than the average human being due to hollower bones, and being less violent and being raised on the notes of music, he wasn't altogether what you would call physically tough or particularly strong. In the end, they didn't kill him, but took something from him that was almost as strongly valued amongst the minstrels as his voice. His wings. They were collectors of the rare and wondrous and master potion makers. So they took them. Cut them off without so much as some sort of pain killer.

Needless to say, it left him a little messed up. He hates being alone because he felt more vulnerable to another attack where something worse can happen. So he takes comfort in being around other people. But he developed moderate Haphephobia (fear of being touched) especially worse if someone touches him from somewhere outside of his vision or unexpectedly or around his back. The ordeal also left him more paranoid than most minstrels, so in other words, he also has many trust issues. So he very much feels alone in the world, cut off from his people from his shame. He's a bit of a wanderer now, except with no clear purpose and this heavy feeling of believing he would never be welcome and therefore never see his homeland again.

Just to add to the list of "issues" he developed, I suppose you could guess from his hesitance to return to the land of the minstrels, that he has a bit of an inferiority complex. Its not as strong as the other two "symptoms" he developed, but its still prevalent, especially in regards to his ability to return to his homeland with his head held high. However, it should be noted that his small measure of inferiority helped instigate his learning in wind magic. You see, because of his lack of wings, he constantly found himself trying to compensate for it and searching for ways to do so. The element of wind called to him.

As far as his military potential, besides wind magic, he sings very little, usually soft protective charms about his person. He doesn't sing as often or as loud anymore, despite him having a wonderful voice, because he doesn't feel as worthy of it anymore. (if that makes any sense). Anyways, when he finally comes to terms with his new self and reality, I'm hoping he'll start to sing more again, but for now, he uses wind magic like a crutch. He refuses to use any sort of blade. Doing so would break a vow he made as a minstrel- he doesn't want to dishonor/break anymore ties than he feels he has already with his people. However, he does carry a staff. Usually, he doesn't use it to fight however, not physically at least, and sometimes he uses it as a focus to help him channel stronger wind spells he can't simply cast through incantation successfully (because it would lack power). No, instead, he usually uses it as a tool to keep himself (he thinks subtly) a certain distance from people, or if need be, a way to interact without having to touch them...

Anyways, I'm not sure what to classify his class. Best I could come up with is a Bardic Wind Mage. His magic proficiencies include Song and Wind. His weapon proficiencies include Quarterstaves, slings, and unarmed, though he doesn't actually carry a sling with him at the moment. His armor proficiencies include cloth, leather, and hide. He feels armor with metallic components, even studded leather, is too constricting and feels awkward and therefore refuses to wear them.

Being originally (and technically is) of the minstrel class, I think because of their (my interpretation) more lightweight frames (made for flying) he is a bit more dextrous and swift than the average human being, perhaps comparable to an elf though not as much probably or not the same way. He's not as strong. He has a sort of mid range intelligence that is developing and increasing more and more, especially after the situation and his study of wind magic. His widom, knowledge through experince, is also midrange and increasing (leaving behind his sheltered past lifestyle does a lot to a person) He used to be charismatic, but after the ordeal, obviously with his developed "issues" he's not as open and carefree anymore and therefore as a low charisma. His constitution is average or maybe slightly better than what is average for a minstrel.

As far as appearance goes, most notable thing that separates him from the usual appearance of his people would be his lack of wings. You could almost say that he looked like a slightly more beautified human or mistaken as a light elf without the pointed ears. Something which distinguishes him from a regular human or elf or whatever, would be his eyes if anyone cared to look closer; (another interpretation) his eyes don't have any visible pupil. He's not blind or anything, that's simply what a minstrel's eyes appear like. His are golden. As for the rest of him, he's fair skinned like any minstrel would be. He has copper-colored hair with long parted bangs in the front framing his face (like a partial curtain to hid behind) whilst the rest of his hair is pulled back into a high-ish, somewhat layered looking pony tail between 3 to 4 inches long. He wears (as of this moment) a light brown leather jerkin with a black leather belt, Black trousers, and Brown calf-length boots (usually nowadays, at least).

Anyways, that's all I have right now. Any ideas of how I can add and improve upon him? (& sorry for the block paragraphs...)

Thanks.

~M