Earthdawn: Anatomy of a Discipline 21 - Songsmith

This is the twenty-first Anatomy of a Discipline in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Overview

The Songsmith exists somewhere between a Troubadour and Weaponsmith, and could easily be considered the elf re-interpretation of a Weaponsmith. They are a Discipline of creation, like the Weaponsmith, though their creations are works of art without exception. They may have a practical function as well, but it may simply be a vehicle for the beauty of the creation (and the practicality of the item may very likely suffer as a result). In contrast, a Weaponsmith will always craft something practical, which may also be beautiful. These adepts also form the center of the communities that they live in, fostering the elf love of beauty in all things and passing down elf culture from one generation to the next.

One of the key differences between Songsmiths and Weaponsmiths is travel. While the latter prefer to be sedentary in their Forge, many Songsmiths travel the world. This where their similarities with Troubadours begin. Their travels allow them to spread beauty to the communities they visit, carrying news and stories, helping to maintain elf culture. They not only visit other elves, but all Namegivers, wishing to see what everyone has to offer and expose them to their art and culture as well.

There can be a sinister angle to those travels. Some Songsmiths (knowingly or unwittingly) serve as spies, gathering intelligence from all Namegivers. Among elves they are without reproach, holding at least the same respect as a Weaponsmith, and among other Namegivers they are innocuous. Everything about them puts others at ease and in a good mood, more than willing to talk (perhaps more than they really should). This is particularly true of Songsmiths in the service of Blood Wood.

Most Songsmiths do not start in that Discipline, but find their way there through their travels. Any adept that exalts beauty in their actions, seeking perfection for its own sake, may find the path of the Songsmith appealing. For such adepts, the important questions are similar to any additional Discipline: how does this Discipline fit into their overall philosophy? What has drawn them here and what do they hope to find? What is their art?

Discipline Violations

These are best employed not as a stick, but as a chance for the player to take a deeper look at what it means to follow their Discipline. The two most important aspects of this Discipline to a Songsmith are beauty (art) and their culture. Any betrayal of those is unacceptable. These adepts could never consider letting harm come to something beautiful - particularly if it has a special cultural meaning. This doesn't just apply to elven crafts - it could just as easily be a lovingly carved totem for a band of ork nomads that serves as their link to their ancestors. As the stewards of elf culture, they are obligated to protect that and any articles of that history. 

To a lesser extent, they are perfectionists in all of their actions. There are no half-measures in being a Songsmith. They cannot leave a project unfinished, nor can it be hurried or cast aside. Anything else would be disrespectful to their Discipline - which is a bad thing.

All of these elements can bring out conflict with the rest of the Group. The zealous defense of beauty could get everyone into trouble they wanted to stay away from. Their need to protect their culture and find new items from it can drive them and their companions to dangerous lengths, perhaps away from what their "real" goals are perceived as. Even their desire for perfection can put their friends in danger as they refuse to leave a project, or must find exotic materials to complete it. While all of these are portrayed as "problems", they are really "opportunities" for tension and grand adventure.

Specialists

While there are no canon specialists for this Discipline, in my current game I have one that feels less like a special elf Weaponsmith Discipline and more like a steward of elven culture - the Emissary (see House Rules). To be fair, they are actually the default version of this Discipline, while the canon version below is the Craftsman specialist.

The Emissary has Speak Language instead of Evaluate as a First Circle Discipline Talent; Evaluate becomes an Initiate Talent Option. Etiquette is a Second Circle Discipline Talent, while Haggle becomes a Novice Talent Option. Diplomacy is an Eighth Circle Discipline Talent, while True Sight becomes a Journeyman Talent Option. This specialist has a much stronger emphasis on social interaction and less on selling art (also, their Half-Magic already covers Evaluate for art). On the whole, this also opens up some of their Talent Option selections to support a spymaster type character. That is a role that appeals to me with regard to the position Wyrm Wood held prior to the Scourge.

Talents

Initiate
Talent Options: Avoid Blow, Item History, Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons, Speak Language

First Circle
Discipline Talents: Emotion Song, Evaluate, First Impression, Karma Ritual, Performance

Novice
Talent Options: Disguise Self, Emapthic Sense, Etiquette, Forge Weapon, Mimic Voice, Navigation, Read/Write Language

Second Circle
Discipline Talents: Durability (6/5), Haggle

Third Circle
Discipline Talent: Engaging Banter

Fourth Circle
Discipline Talent: Thread Weaving [Art Weaving]

Journeyman
Talent Options: Conceal Object, Detect Weapon, Diplomacy, Enduring Art, Graceful Exit, Inspire Others, Lasting Impression, Lip Reading

Fifth Circle
Discipline Talent: Bedazzle

Sixth Circle
Discipline Talent: Resist Taunt

Seventh Circle
Discipline Talent: Steel Thought

Eighth Circle
Discipline Talent: True Sight

One of the most unique aspects of this Discipline is that they can purchase and improve artisan skills as Novice Talents. This means the reduced cost, maximum ranks and training times of a Talent instead of a skill.

The Songsmith has an interesting collection of Discipline Talents. On the whole, they are a Discipline oriented towards social interaction (Emotion Song, First Impression, Performance, and Bedazzle), though they have some similar merchant inclinations as the Weaponsmith (Evaluate and Haggle). At Journeyman, they gain some of the more uncommon defenses with Resist Taunt, Steel Though and True Sight.

Overall, this Discipline is poorly equipped to deal with combat. Even Talent Options offer the absolute minimal selections. The defensive Discipline Talents they receive are helpful, but unfortunately the Songsmith doesn't have anything else to back them up with. That being said, there is a Talent Knack for Art Weaving that is impressive. Just don't tell Garlen about it, apparently. 

In a traditional adventuring campaign, these adepts may struggle for relevance among their more versatile (and combat ready) companions. In a kaer-crawling game, they may not find any way to meaningfully contribute. It is a socially oriented game where artisan skills are common, they will be a key member of the Group. This is a Discipline where it is vital to know the direction of a game before you jump in.

My recommendations for this Discipline are for use as an additional Discipline. They can build on pretty much any character's capabilities in some fashion. Adding an entirely new dimension to an Elementalist or Woodsman, or building on the social capabilities of a Swordmaster or Troubadour. There is quite a bit to like here, but it can also be a pitfall if you aren't certain about what you are getting into.

Initiate definitely has some good Talent Options, and it is unlikely you will be able to take everything that you want. This is a theme that will repeat itself throughout the tiers for this Discipline. For now, I would suggest taking Talents that you know will be useful and won't regret later:

• Avoid Blow - Like all of the other instances, I just do not like active defense Talents when the aren't a Discipline Talent. I see them fail often enough when Karma is spent on them.
• Item History - If no one in the Group has this Talent, it is a virtual certainty someone will need to take this. There is a Karma cost associated with it, but it is negligible given the daily free Karma and the timescale this operates on (a week).
• Melee Weapons - You are going to want a combat Talent of some kind. This is a solid choice, and the more offensive selection. It will need to be improved at every Circle to remain competitive.
• Missile Weapons - The other option, and a good one. A high Dexterity will be important to use a war bow. This is the more defensive selection. It will need to be improved at every Circle to remain competitive.
• Speak Language - Odds of you being the social character of the Group are reasonably high and this Talent will help. However, the skill is a solid investment as well, so consider this only if you have an open Talent Option choice. If you do, then this is a great pick.

More excellent Talent Options to be had at Novice. Again, there are more Talents you are likely to want than you will be able to select. It is important to know what your role in the Group will be, and what kind of campaign you are playing in to plan accordingly:

• Disguise Self - While a fun Talent, there may not be enough selections to really take advantage of it. In a game that emphasizes espionage, or capers, this is a great selection for a social character.
• Empathic Sense - For the role this Discipline plays, this is a great Talent. It aids in social interaction, as well as a general awareness of the Group.You never know when that last part will come in handy.
• Etiquette - Another excellent choice for these adepts. It adds to the social Talents at your disposal, and the more you have, the better off you will be in that department.
• Forge Weapon - This is an interesting Talent Option because of simply how rare it is. Normally the exclusive purview of a Weaponsmith, if your Group doesn't have one of those, this may be worth investing in. Keep in mind, that at a certain point it won't be as useful once everyone has switched to Thread Items, unless you are also a magician and interested in crafting your own Thread Items.
• Mimic Voice - If you took Disguise Self, consider this Talent as well. You will get the most mileage from it in a game where Disguise Self is a valuable asset. Otherwise, it can be safely passed on.
• Navigation - In an exploration campaign where no one else has this Talent, it may be useful. Otherwise, there are reasonable odds you can find something more useful.
• Read/Write Language - Similar to Speak Language, though to a lesser extent in general. However, Read/Write is a little less common.

There are more solid Talent Options at Journeyman than there are openings for Talents. This is a place of hard choices, where you need to think about the role this adept has played and what you would like to build into are important:

• Conceal Object - If you have Disguise Self, this is a natural addition to that suite of Talents. In a high drama game where you have access, this can still be useful even without Disguise Self. Who would suspect the Songsmith? 
• Detect Weapons - There isn't a lot of use for this Talent compared to all of the others at this tier. It's best to just move along, in all honesty - you will find something better.
• Diplomacy - Another social Talent that will build on the others. I would consider this a must have.
• Enduring Art - This is a neat Talent to give some somewhat unique benefits to your Group (it's in the Player's Companion). I would suggest taking it, simply because it is that fun. Who doesn't like magical tattoos?
• Graceful Exit - Given how lackluster a Songsmith is in combat, this may be a viable choice. Still, I have never seen a PC use it - it is effectively investing in running away.
• Inspire Others - As far as I am concerned, the Karma requirement on this is a good thing as a Talent Option. The higher the result, the better off everyone in your Group is. Oh, yeah - you want this Talent. It is amazing, particularly given the limitations of this Discipline in combat. It also works in other situations as well.
• Lasting Impression - This may be the best social Talent out there. You will want this.
• Lip Reading - Given the role that I typically have Songsmith's play, emissary, this is a natural choice. In a dungeon-crawling campaign, it is unlikely to find a great deal of use. That same critique would apply to this Discipline as a whole, however.

Equipment

Given that there is absolutely nothing that requires initiative here, you will want to stack up on all the armor you can wear and still act. There is absolutely no reason to not do this, and the odds are reasonable you will want all the protection you can get. For weapons, it depends if you chose Melee Weapons or Missile Weapons. If the former, a one-handed weapon and a shield will likely work out (having the Strength to make a two-handed weapon worth it is unlikely). If the latter, an elven war bow is the go to missile weapon. Just make certain you have the required Dexterity, which shouldn't be a problem for an elf.

Kickstarter: Toolcards

As mentioned previously, three Kickstarter projects seeking to fund sets of gaming accessory cards were launched at the beginning of April. I decided to do a review of each of them, to see what each of these similar, but different, projects were bringing to the table. Short Order Heroes and Character Cards have been reviewed, which leaves the last project: Toolcards.

Toolcards, by Jim Pinto, is a crowdfunding project on Kickstarter that is currently ongoing (though not for much longer) and closes on 09 May 2013.

The basics: For $25 you get 104 double-sided cards on standard playing card paper; for $30 the paper is upgraded to premium. Every $12 after that gets you an add-on deck (for the first two); the third is $10, the fourth and each subsequent is $8. The cards look clean, the information is easy to pick out, nothing is cluttered.

What you get on a card is a series of cues, each for a particular area, noted by the associated symbol. Reading down the card, they have a name and job, a legendary story or location, a monster, a special item, a scene element, and a question (or statement, depending on the side). At the bottom of the card are two numbers, one goes from 1 to 20, the other from 1 to 100. Finally, at the base is a mood to describe a scene. For the base deck, there are 100 standard cards, as well as one Doom, one Potion, one Ward and one Trap.

As mentioned above, the cards are doubled sided. The primary difference between the side is the question/statement, and one side seems to support high fantasy more, while the other supports low fantasy more. There are also a number of 30 card expansions that follow different themes and, accordingly, feature different information appropriate to that theme. These include Wards, Dooms, Potions, Traps, Undead and Interrogation. Quests and Cults are currently stretch goals.

The premise here is pretty straight-forward: a lot snippets that can be used to flesh out an idea, or as a place to start. Any GM can use these to help with putting an adventure together - it is a big stack of places to start. If you're quick on your feet, these can be an excellent tool during a session to keep things rolling forward. I say that because some of the information may be difficult to incorporate on the fly and then develop as you continue forward with it.

Where I see these having the biggest value is in support of a Dungeon World game. The free-wheeling nature of that game in conjunction with the flavor of these cards is almost a match made in heaven. These are all about taking advantage of open spaces and can directly support any hard move you want to make - they are the moves. Need to show signs of an approaching threat or reveal an unwelcome truth? Scene elements and questions/statements have you covered. Even better? There is a 30 card deck of Dooms.

Secondary to Dungeon World is a Fate game of the fantasy genre. There is all the information you will need to build and populate a scene on the fly. Since mechanics in Fate are easy to sort out as you go along, this can be a great tool to add some traits to a scene, or create entire plots as needed.

These cards have about the perfect amount of information on them for me to easily assimilate into a game. I would mostly use them when putting things together initially, but they are a great place to reach when plans (inevitably) go off course. The specific nature of the expansion decks allows you to tailor them to your game. For example, I know I would never get much mileage out of Traps - they're just not my thing, not really. Wards, maybe. Dooms, on the other hand, are definitely my thing. Interrogations sound interesting as well - ways to create characters (almost certainly useful for Fate-style games) and questions to drive game dialog.

Honestly, there are no real criticisms that I have to offer for this product. The only minor one that I would have is the symbols used to indicate a particular category aren't always evocative of what it is supposed to represent. However, the information contained makes it so that distinction is not difficult to figure out from context. See, minor, not a real criticism. Toolcards are either a thing that you are going to want at your table to help you build a scene or plot on the fly, or they aren't.

Kickstarter: Character Cards

At the beginning of the month, three different playing card game aids were launched within a very short time frame. Clearly there is an unmet need for a deck of cards at the table with descriptions to help the GM (or players) out. Particularly when running off script (otherwise know as: most of the time). The three projects are Short Order Heroes, Character Cards and Toolcards. I've already reviewed Short Order Heroes and  was asked if I was willing to do a review of Character Cards. Based on that, it seemed like a good idea to cover all three of them, as each brings something different to the table.

This review will focus on Character Cards, by Stephen Coffey and Laurence Hensel, a crowdfunding project currently ongoing on Kickstarter (closes 17 May 2013).

The basics: For £9, which is $14, you can get a deck of Character Cards. Shipping is free to the US and UK. That deck is a standard 52 card deck with 2 jokers. Stretch goals may expand those numbers, but not yet. You can get the deck in tarot sized cards for £17, and additional standard sized decks are £8.

What you get on each card is an entire, but brief, character. Explicitly, a fantasy character. Each character is based on the suit of the card, with the four suits representing vague attributes:

• Clubs: Social - connections, charisma, etc.
• Diamonds: Physical - beauty, fitness, strength, etc.
• Hearts: Desire - drive to achieve, willpower, etc.
• Spades: Profession - skill, money, etc.

The number and suit determine the primary defining character of the card with a description to match. Each of the other three suits is represented as well, having a specific trait associated with it and a description of the trait. Everyone also has a secret that modifies one of the suits.

Aces and Jokers have a special roles. The Aces modify other cards. So each Ace would have another card associated with it. The Masked Vigilante would have their other persona with its own attributes. The Jokers each modify cards in a similar fashion. One of them will switch the number of a suit from low to high, or high to low. The other will change the suit that defines the character, so the King of Diamonds may be defined by Hearts instead of Diamonds, making his defining characteristic a glory hound instead of a perfect physical specimen.This is an interesting way to mimic the role that Aces often hold in card games, being simultaneously the highest and the lowest card in the deck, and Jokers which change the nature of the game itself.

All together, this is an interesting package. It could be used to generate characters on-the-fly, between sessions when trying to fill out a cast, mix-and-match to create unique characters not in the deck, or as a game unto itself. It should be noted that it can be used for a trick-taking game, but I have a special dislike for trick-taking card games, so let us not speak of that anymore.

Honestly, I don't really see myself using this during a session. There is simply too much information of a specific nature to process and include on the spot without things slowing down more than I would like. It is a similar scenario with taking a single trait from five cards (including the secret) - I simply don't think I would use them in that fashion. Which is not to say there is something wrong with it, I've just met myself before and don't see that happening. The most common use I would get out of it is to add some more color to a setting. Just need more warm bodies with a little character. It is perfect for that. 

However, the more compelling use, as I got to thinking about this project, is to generate a complete setting using only the characters in the cards. All NPCs have already been written, and simply shuffling and drawing can easily populate a scene. While it would work for only one game, it is an interesting idea to pursue.

Physically, the layout of the cards is clean and easy to read. The new suits, see Update #10, look much more compelling than the standard suits, which also have the downside of not necessarily being intuitive for what is associated with them. While not entirely indicative, the simple fact that are more memorable and unique, while still being familiar, should make the associations easier to create. At least for me.

My biggest criticism, perhaps only, with the card layout is the upside-down text for the secret. While I understand the explanation, that displaying the card to players makes it harder to read the secret, anyone that wants to will find it simple to read the text while upside-down. It just makes me, as the GM, a little irritated to either read it upside-down constantly, or turn the card. A little thing, but even little things can negatively impact the tempo of a game.

In the end, I think that the strongest uses of these cards (for me) are to either flesh out a scenario, scene, or setting with some premade characters, or to use the deck to build a setting around. The nitpick above regarding formatting is minor and doesn't detract from the ability to use the cards at the table. While it would be awesome to have tarot cards with the game text at the bottom and art in the top half, art is expensive. Perhaps a successful run would allow a reissue down the road with that inclusion. Right now, I'm contemplating how to implement a campaign built around a deck of characters that I didn't create.

Kickstarter: Part 11 - Lost Projects

This is the eleventh part in an ongoing series about crowdfunding. Overview and Index.

As I indicated previously, there were a number of projects that I backed, but never got around to covering. Some of them raised their funding, others did not. While it doesn't help those campaigns specifically, there may still be some useful information here. Perhaps a game to be on the lookout for when it goes to retail, or even some lessons to be learned from a failed project.

Ended Projects

1879

Funded: No [$2,354 of $325,000]

This ambitious project was from FASA, returned from being more than just an IP holding shell. The goal was to fund a world, a steampunk world (though I doubt there are any actual punk themes, just some trappings - I digress). There was a neat premise: British scientists accidentally open a portal to another world, and decide to claim it in the name of the Queen (god save her and all that).

However, the biggest problem with all of this was the sheer scope of what they were trying to accomplish. The N.R.G. project faced something similar earlier (and we haven't seen the last of those writers, see below), where the direction of the project isn't clear - there is just too much going on. In this case, it was an RPG, iPad app and a miniatures game. Also a freakishly large goal. There are not that many games which could make that goal, and if they started there, instead of building towards it, probably even less.

Even when I backed this project, I knew it was going to fail, but I was just too happy to see a new setting come out of FASA. Hopefully we haven't seen the last of this and it can come back just as an RPG.

Through the Breach

Funded: Yes [$243,945 of $30,000]

An RPG based on the unique world of the miniatures game, Malifaux. I always enjoyed the setting and unique style of that game, despite not having the inclination towards a minis game anymore. This project was very exciting for me and not only based on the final totals. Pledges started at $60 and only went up, but there is enough of a fan base for this setting that it was hardly a barrier. In fact, that pledge level received by far the lowest number of supporters, with over a thousand pledging over $100, and 451 pledging at least $225. This is a project that really did well with expensive rewards.

Fate Core

Funded: Yes [$433,365 of $3,000]

The initial goal for this project is laughable. Of course it is going to be funded. Even with that, I don't think that anyone could have predicted the final total. That is amazing, the second most successful RPG project ever (right behind Numenera). There isn't much more to be said here; this was less a project and more an event from the fine people at Evil Hat.

ICONS: Great Power

Funded: Yes [$8,441 of $2,500]

An update to the original ICONS, a Fate-based superhero game. Since the first edition hit enough things that I like, superheroes, Fate, and a fun random character generation, I don't really think that I can lose on this one.

The World of Synnibarr

Funded: Yes [$7,710 of $3,500]

Back with a much more reasonable goal, this was funded. Numerous drafts have been sent out, often with messages that are difficult to decipher at times. When the book is in my hands, expect to hear about this one.

The Legends of Sinbad

Funded: Yes [$2,433 of $1,000]

The next project from Game Smiths, the people behind N.R.G. and Dragon Star. I have always enjoyed settings based off of Sinbad, and think that it is criminally underused in general. However, it's for Savage Worlds, which is not for me. Even though it is only available in a system that I am not interested in, I supported this because I want to bring back N.R.G. and Dragon Star. Also, backers from that project got a great deal on the electronic rewards.

Mummy: The Curse

Funded: Yes [$104,831 of $30,000]

I am an unabashed fan of the new World of Darkness (the old World of Darkness was a little more hit-or-miss for me, which may or may not be blasphemy, but that is neither here, nor there). This is White Wolf's most recent - I'm sorry: Onyx Path's first crowdfunding project, a game of the Deathless. They are immortal entities that wake periodically to serve their judge's will in an unfamiliar world. Honestly, I'm down for any game where you get to have your own cult and I know I can find players for this.

Ehdrigohr

Funded: Yes [$18,749 of $4,500]

This Fate Core-based game is... it's awesome and bizarre in all the right ways. I'm not entirely certain what is going on, but I have always been a sucker for unique settings with good art. There's a size chart of spiders compared to a person! A city on the back of a tortoise! It takes a look at fantasy from a different perspective, and I wanted to know more about that.

Sorcerer Upgrade

Funded: Yes [$26,792 of $5,000]

It's a new edition of the classic Sorcerer game by Ron Edwards, along with all three of the supplements bound into a second book. For whatever reason, I never had the initial releases, so this was my chance to fix all of that.

Shroud of the Ancients

Funded: Yes [$6,873 of $5,000]

Post-apocalyptic fantasy set in a dystopian city? A moon crashed into the world, huh? Yeah, I was down for that.

Kingdom

Funded: No [$4,636 of $6,000]

To be honest, the fact that this project failed to reach its funding is a little baffling to me. None of the usual suspects are at play here: the art is decent to good, the goal is entirely reasonable, and there is considerable information on what the game is about. Perhaps there is too much information and it unsold people - the system appears on the involved side of things with some fiddly bits. There is probably a good lesson to be learned from here, but I'm not certain what it is.

Cortex Plus Hacker's Guide

Funded: Yes [$43,775 of $15,000]

While not a fan of the original Cortex releases (e.g. Serenity), ever since Smallville, they have been making some very interesting things come of that engine. Reaching something of a new zenith with the tragically short run of Marvel Heroic, I was curious to see what other things were cooking with that system. Additionally, one of the stretch goals was Fantasy Heroic, a fantasy hack of Marvel Heroic. There was a lot of different things going into this project, and there was bound to be some absolute gold to be found.

Alas Vegas

Funded: Yes [24,061 pounds of 3,000 pounds]

Confession time: I don't know how to do the pounds sterling symbol in Blogger - it doesn't like a number of my attempts at doing my own HTML, and the amount of time I spend debugging it just isn't worth trying. So, long story short: this project is funded in British pounds.

There was so much to love in this project. It hit a lot of notes that I enjoy, then mixed them together. Surreal mystery, amnesia, and existentialism. Designed to be run as a mini-series; which is convenient in my old age given time commitments, but I find one-shots difficult to sink my teeth into. Hopefully this game will live up to my hopes when it arrives.

Legion

Funded: Yes [$10,081 of $10,000]

Barely funded at the 11th hour. This is a military-based sci-fi game. They say fantasy a lot, but I'm not entirely certain in what context; is it fantasy as in "sci-fi/fantasy", the generic genre (I apologize for that redundancy), or as in "sci-fantasy"? I suppose I will eventually find out.

Time to do a little comparison: This game got funded with significantly less information and art than Kingdom, above. The latter had a more reasonable funding goal as well. Both had .pdf's at the same level ($10). Both had hardcovers at $50, though Kingdom also offered a softcover at $30. Kingdom had some pledge levels that were on the confusing end of the spectrum, but what almost certainly made the difference is with the ultra-high pledges: 4 backers at $250, 2 at $1000 and 1 at $2000. That is half the goal right there.

In the end, there is almost certainly some subtle, but important lessons to be learned in contrasting these two projects.

RAYD Watchcode Xeno

Funded: No [$1,676 of $3,000]

A dystopian corporate future combined with X-Com. I thought this was going to be a slam dunk. Turns out I was quite wrong. I'm not entirely certain what went wrong here, perhaps something as simple as: the word never got out. The goal was very modest and there was actually some information out there. Tragically, I didn't really have the time to look into it that I would have liked - work and all that. Maybe the answer is in what was made available.

Earthdawn: Anatomy of a Discipline 20 - Messenger

This is the twentieth Anatomy of a Discipline in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Overview

Messengers aren't just magical postmen, they are more like a freakishly determined Pony Express with magical powers built around delivering vital information in a land fraught with peril from beyond our world. There may be no Discipline with the same level of commitment and determination. When these adepts set their mind to a task, they can become like a force of nature in accomplishing it.

Through their tasks they also see the world. Often traveling to far corners and back - if the task was simple or cheap, there are plenty of non-adepts willing to deliver a message for coin. Those that are dangerous, private, or absolutely must be delivered that require these adept's special touch. While they would never travel the world just to see it, that isn't an objective or goal, it is certainly a perk. And few adepts are better suited for wandering the land.

Far from being a loner, Messengers prefer to travel with company. Perhaps it is the temporary company of a caravan, or the constant company of a Group. Additional Namegivers mean greater safety as well as a chance to share stories, tales of other places, information on destinations, etc. Messengers know all too well that knowledge is power.

The messages they deliver are important, often world-changing, and they realize this importance and handle each accordingly. Some messages cannot be committed to writing, and must be memorized. Others are objects. They are equipped to handle all of these and as they raise in Circle, the messages and their destinations become more important and more dangerous. These are the couriers that carry information countless spies (Bothans?) died for, taking it out from the heart of enemy territory without getting caught.

When creating a Messenger, it may be important to consider what teachings your instructor passed along. What were their philosophies and how they approached things? These should form the foundation for how this adept goes about their duties, but this Discipline is not steeped in tradition like others. A vital question to consider is why your Messenger has chosen this path, what drives them? The answer to this may evolve over time, perhaps it should, as they discover new facets of who they are and the importance of what they do.

Discipline Violations

These are best employed not as a stick, but as a chance for the player to take a deeper look at what it means to follow their Discipline. The most significant violation that any Messenger can have is regarding their message. Losing it, failing to deliver it, betraying it; those all represent a significant crisis for the adept and reflection if they do indeed possess the determination and perseverance for this demanding Discipline.

To a much lesser extend, when "on task" Messengers are not known for their adaptability. While they can consider different routes to their ultimate goal, once a path is decided upon they are hesitant to change mid-course - it was decided on for a reason, after all. Even if not related to delivering a message, the thought of altering their destination is a difficult one to comprehend. They are goal oriented in the extreme and that laser-like focus is at times their greatest asset and their greatest weakness. It is also this area that will most likely bring friction within the Group as a whole, as the Messenger is determined to complete the task, regardless of the developing situation around them.

Talents

Initiate
Talent Options: Book Memory, Climbing, Melee Weapons, Read/Write Language, Wilderness Survival

First Circle
Discipline Talents: Avoid Blow, Direction Sense, Karma Ritual, Navigation, Speak Language

Novice
Talent Options: Book Recall, Detect Weapon, Haggle, Search, Sense Danger, Silent Walk, Throwing Weapons

Second Circle
Discipline Talents: Conceal Object, Durability (6/5)

Third Circle
Discipline Talent: Sprint

Fourth Circle
Discipline Talent: Thread Weaving [Message Weaving]

Journeyman
Talent Options: Air Speaking, Anticipate Blow, Detect Trap, Disguise Self, Gliding Stride, Mimic Voice, Trick Riding, Wound Balance

Fifth Circle
Discipline Talent: Temper Self

Sixth Circle
Discipline Talent: Resist Taunt

Seventh Circle
Discipline Talent: Steel Thought

Eighth Circle
Discipline Talent: Safe Path

Mechanically, the Messenger is a professional traveler with an emphasis on defense. They actually have one of the most versatile collections of defensive Talents available. With Avoid Blow, Resist Taunt and Steel Thought, they have an active defense for Physical, Spell and Social Defenses as a Discipline Talent. Temper Self raises all of the other defensive traits: Death and Unconsciousness Ratings and Wound Threshold.

With Direction Sense, Navigation, Safe Path and Speak Language they can go pretty much anywhere. Conceal Object will ensure that their delivery arrives at its destination as well. This is all nicely in theme for this Discipline and works well. All of their Talents are good, particularly Sprint as a Discipline Talent; which makes it free and the only Discipline to get that, which is in addition to being the only Discipline with all of the active defenses.

The broad range of Talents means they will likely be able to contribute to a variety of situations and always welcome in any Group that does a lot of traveling (which is most Groups). As well, this diversity supports the narrow focus of delivering messages, or realistically being a courier in dangerous situations as they gain Circles.

There are still weaknesses to this Discipline. The most glaring is their lack of social Talents. It is the major area which they will have to supplement in some way to contribute. A more subtle weakness is that there are not many active Talents on their Discipline list. With all of the defensive Talents and those geared towards traveling and/or transporting their package, there isn't really any room left for doing things directly. 

It may seem like a minor issue, but if this is your only (or primary) Discipline, it can build into something more problematic over time. Most Disciplines are built around the concept of doing, while what the Messenger "does" is less front and center, it is a journey composed of scenes. The scenes are what truly make the journey and that is, ironically, where these adepts have the most trouble contributing.

This can still be a great Discipline with built in flavor and plot hooks, just one that should be entered into knowing the potential pitfalls.
Messengers get one of the more interesting collections of Talent Options at their disposal. What is the "best" choice is going to depend on what kind of campaign you are playing in, for the most part. Initiate starts the process off with some difficult decisions:

• Book Memory - In a game where intrigue features prominently, or you are playing the role of a trusted courier, this could be of amazing use. In a more traditional exploration-style game, probably less useful.
• Climbing - Whereas this is likely more useful in an exploration campaign, though may still have some use for a game with intrigue. You never know when climbing may be a vital part of delivering your message.
• Melee Weapons - Let's face it, no matter what type of game you are in, you are almost certainly going to want this. The only exception is if this is a second (or later) Discipline.
• Read/Write Language - This is handy for nearly any game, but with dwindling selections, often does not make the cut. The reason is simple: there is a skill and it's nearly as good.
• Wilderness Survival - Given that this is available as a part of Half-Magic, I would give it a pass.

The Talent Options at Novice can build on, or expand the previous selections. However, there are too many fun choices:

• Book Recall - If you took Book Memory, you are going to want this. Otherwise, it is easy to pass up.
• Detect Weapon - In a game laden with intrigue and conspiracies, this could be a winner. In a more traditional setting, it isn't likely to come up enough to be worth it.
• Haggle - There is almost certainly something better here.
• Search - Like this! This all-purpose Talent is pretty awesome, though you will really want to improve this every Circle; it is the counter to Silent Walk.
• Sense Danger - Similar to Detect Weapon, though more generally useful. That being said, the information it yields may not further the plot in a game with heavy intrigue the same way. Overall, a better choice.
• Silent Walk - The measure to go along with the counter-measure. This falls into the same category as Melee Weapons: you will almost certainly want this.
• Throwing Weapons - You took Melee Weapons already, right? Okay, good. I know, the image of a messenger throwing knives as they run, trying to evade pursuit and deliver their message is awesome. Unfortunately, the mechanics just don't support it very well.

Journeyman really sees more of the same: good Talent Options. There are likely to be some difficult decisions here:

• Air Speaking - This is a strange Talent in general, and I haven't yet found a great use for it. Which means I generally give it a pass.
• Anticipate Blow - The only static defense boosting Talent Messengers get, this may be a decent Talent Option. If you generally win initiative, it also has a offensive bonus. It will need to be improved every Circle to remain useful and you will need to have a good initiative to be able to use it at all.
• Detect Trap - Without the ability to disarm them and with how late this shows up, I would give it a pass.
• Disguise Self - This particular Talent goes very well with the overall theme of the Messenger, but particularly well for an intrigue-based campaign. In the latter case, it is almost a must-have.
• Gliding Stride - Useful and quite a bit of fun, this is a great Talent to use when making an escape. Or getting into a hard to reach location.
• Mimic Voice - Not quite as useful as Disguise Self, but makes an excellent companion to it. If you don't have Disguise Self (and don't intend on taking it), this can be ignored.
• Trick Riding - If you spend a lot of time mounted, this may be worth it. Otherwise, not so much.
• Wound Balance - While expensive at this tier, I always suggest this Talent when I see it. The investment can be minimal and it will almost certainly come up.

Races

Given the variety of competencies the Messenger has, there isn't any particular Namegiver that is a stand out for this Discipline. Only t'skrang are notable in that they won't have any specific method to take advantage of their tail combat special ability.

Equipment

If you have Anticipate Blow, you will want to keep a good initiative. Otherwise, there is no reason to not load up on weapons and armor to your heart's content.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 16 - Trilogy of Terror

This is the sixteenth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

As per usual, the information presented here regards how things exist in this particular campaign and is not necessarily indicative of the canon Barsaive. That being said, feel free to borrow any of it you like - that's why it is here.

Travar is an amazing sight to behold. It was wondrous prior to the Scourge and one of the few major Citadels to survive unscathed. This city of brilliant white towers whose golden caps reach to the sky is where fortunes and legends are made. As a nexus for trade, this is where airships and riverboats from across the province bring adepts seeking fame. A place where fortunes are made and lost. A place where legends are born.

The powers that be in Travar do all they can to attract adepts to their walls. They are exalted as heroes and many Troubadours spend countless hours researching history and legends, penning new works, and learning forgotten tales. Nearly every major city within Barsaive has a particular specialization to what knowledge can be found there; legends and heroes is the specialty of Travar.

Adepts are so important to Travar's existence that they are critical to the "election" process. Ruled by three citizens each with a term of three years (one year off to "take care of private matters", which of course means "fully exploit their position monetarily"), their position is gained the Games when one of the terms ends each year. The events in the Games are a closely guarded secret every year and truly fantastic to behold. Their draw is a powerful one to any Namegiver that can afford to attend. As well to any adept looking to build their legend - many found were catapulted to fame from a stunning showing in the annual Games. Groups with a strong track record are often courted each year by those who covet a seat.

Not only do the Games serve a political function and boost the economy through trade and increasing the status of the city as a whole, but all adepts that take part in the Games are bound to serve in the protection of Travar. The formal requirement is for a year, but it is considered poor form to shirk on the duty if there is a need. Poor form in a city with that many Troubadours looking to be noticed is dangerous (just ask the Brave Sir Robin). In the end, Travar has a fantastic, if completely unconventional military, that serves as a strong deterrent to any potential aggressor (who knows what adepts are in the city at the time ready to just wreck things) and is free, allowing them to continually invest in making Travar a destination.

At the center of Travar are a series of massive mausoleums. These beautiful structures are ringed in statues, gardens, libraries and other impressive and important buildings. Within these crypts that extend far underneath the city are the remains of heroes that have fallen in the service of Travar. Those who are truly great are immortalized in stone in the surrounding area, carefully tended so that their legend may live forever. This is part of the true currency that continues to draw adepts to the city. Here are stories of the past (Key Knowledge) and a chance to live forever in the hearts and minds of future generations.

Despite the fantastic nature of Travar, it is also a place of terrible lows. Just as fame and fortune are won, so can they be lost. For every story of success, there are more of terrible failure. While it is illegal to sell slaves within the city, it is not illegal to own them and a vast slave market exists just beyond the walls. The fickle nature of the populace ensures that what was once a thriving community within the city, may shortly become unfashionable and home to downtrodden and soon-to-be unsavory individuals. Even many of the famed tombs have been closed for a very long time.

Somewhere between our Los Angeles and Las Vegas is Travar. It is easy to miss the corruption and darkness amid the majesty and glamour, but it is plain to see if you look.

Adventure Log – 016 Trilogy of Terror

Written By: Jak’Tak

Date: 09 Mawag – 24 Mawag, 1507 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Windmaster
Jak’Tak the Weaponsmith
Sogun the Messenger
Ting the Swordmaster

We return to find Elmod stitching on his doll. He invites us to his Blood Ritual. Elmod gives life to his child and Names her Regia(1). It is good to see Elmod committing to family life(2). He researches our tools as we wait for Ting.

Ting returns from Sky Raider adventures. Elmod finds that the Semi-Charmed Life is of pre-Scourge elf make. He finds that the apron is ancient and of elf-make.

Travar sounds like a good destination. The Confederation hires some Swordmasters called the Judges. Thugs, nothing more(3). Ardanyan is having issues with the dwarfs being racist isolationists(4). Our friends are having trouble keeping the peace. The elf Weaponsmith has been abandoned by her heartless mentor.

We head to Lake Ban. We stop off at Ban for a few days speaking with the obsidimen and t’skrang.

Travar is beautiful from afar. White towers and golden roofs. The city is full of activity. Thing found a t’skrang who recognized “Graduate”. The tombs might know more, but they are sealed. We find Arthu, who has become guide for the bear men(5). We wish him luck.

The mausoleum is for the glorification of the heroes of Travar. We look for ways down. One of the statues is of a t’skrang Weaponsmith, but the Name is lost(6). There is also a windling Swordmaster. We find an obsidiman statue with a strange gauntlet.

We visit the library to research the heroes. The obsidiman is mysterious, died in the defense of the city, entombed under the city.

Tools are purchased to break into the tombs. We attempt to bribe the guard. Sogun has to smooth things over. We break down the wall and make our way down. There are sounds of movement. The denizens of the tomb attack. Cadavermen emerge, but we retreat to a choke point and construct barricades to hold them off(7).

A sphere of ancient weapons and bone joins the fray. We smash it to splinters! We dispatch the remaining cadavermen, then find the tomb. The obsidiman has a gauntlet, but his name is not listed. The t’skrang and windling bodies are not present but we find his name: Kyyven Cotagin. We stay in Travar for a time.(8)


(1) This is by far one of the creepiest things that I have ever read.
(2) I love an ork with an actual sense of humor!
(3) Very true. This is becoming a problem out there, but no one in the Kingdom wants to do anything about it. Not until it's way too late. As usual.
(4) That sounds familiar.
(5) We have been receiving some spotty reports regarding these Namegivers, first cataloged in these logs (if you want the whole number, ask Zamrica). There have been incidents with scorchers, but so far they don't seem hostile. So far. The Eye needs to watch this development carefully. Find out more about this Arthu character.
(6) That is surprising and unusual. What would cause someone to deface the statue like that?
(7) Something we have suspected for a while, but now we have confirmation. No wonder they keep it under wraps - that's incredibly embarrassing for them!
(8) Received and edited by Ela Pono

*     *     *

The title of the session was emergent during play from the revelation of what Regia had become. Prior to then, she was simply a doll off of a belt from a noose. Which was creepy. It was unanimously decided that she did not get better when ambulatory. Along with the events below Travar, there were some unsettling events taking place.

To be completely honest, this session was never really one the rails in the first place. The original intention was to continue with the mess that Bartertown and/or Ardanyan were becoming. Clean things up. Make some change. Or make it worse. Instead, the plan devised after starting was to head West. The way of Horatio Alger and the Donner Party Crossing. What actually occurred was not according to any plan.

With all of that said, it went well. Some things that I had been saving for later were rushed to the front lines for deployment. The first part was exploring a new city, I've always quite liked Travar for it's incredible highs and devastating lows. Following that was planning the caper. Even though it's the penultimate paragraph, it was more involved. In the fashion of every gaming caper ever, it went terribly wrong. In no small part because they couldn't figure out how to bribe a guard that was totally willing to be bribed. In the end, it turned out... well, it turned out really badly.

Once in the tombs, it didn't take long to figure out why the place was thoroughly sealed: Horror constructs (which are generally a strong indication of Horrors). The fight scenes were connected and involved significant movement throughout the crypt as they searched for the right tombs. It had a great pacing with holding actions and retreats once the enormity of what they were facing was clear - they couldn't just resolve this by murdering everything.

The shatterspikes (spheres of bones and weapons) added some considerable tactical elements, though they were supposed to be countered by Elmod, the Nethermancer. However he left during the majority of the combat scenes to attend other events in town. This made things more difficult than I originally intended, lacking a clutch combatant when dealing with the undead. Nonetheless, everyone pulled though, though rather bedraggled. They came out of it with Key Knowledge and a new Thread Item. Also, they may have release some undead onto the streets of Travar and gotten some corrupt night guardsmen killed as they fled the scene. Oops.

In all, it was a good session. When facing a situation with no real plans, focusing on tempo becomes the most important element for me. Ensuring that the pacing is good, nothing dragging out too long, keeping scenes tight and interesting, plays an important role in the tempo. There wasn't much in the way of metaplot this session - it was specifically avoided - but I did work on two of the major themes of the campaign: mistakes of the past and the darkness under the surface. Those were where I decided to go with this session as it unfolded.