Ansalon Thelanin

[AlHazred]

I'm going to be playing in a new Fantasy campaign in the near future. It's generic fantasy, which bores me to tears, but the GM tells me he wants to punch it up a little -- he wants to intermingle superheroes and fantasy heroes, on par with characters in Buffy or the new Legend of the Seeker.

 

I gave it a lot of thought, and remembered a bit about Aeolus, Hercules' pal, at the beginning of the Legendary Journeys. Aeolus explains he'd been away to the Far East, and picked up a few moves, then proceeds to be a martial artist in the very generic fantasy setting.

 

I brainstormed from this character germ for a while, and came up with a kind of Jackie Chan-ish guy. I'm not sure if he's going to be at 150 or 200 points, so I'm posting two version of him.

 

First his background:

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A pair of twins was born to the noble Thelanin family, distantly related to the Royal family, many years ago. As Sir Avram brought his sons into the courtroom for his courtiers to fawn over, a messenger brought word that three strangers had arrived at the gates to pay their respects. Avram felt a chill as he considered the tales he had learned, where oracles and seers came to prophesy at the birth of people who later became important in history, for good or ill; but he was not one to pay disrespect to strangers, and so bid his man go and make them welcome to his home. Meanwhile, he had his courtiers put his newborn sons in a crib on his dais.

 

The first soothsayer to enter the courtroom was a youth, wearing only a loincloth of leaves and bearing a short staff crowned with a pinecone. Music wafted through the open windows of the courtroom as the youth danced his way up the aisle to bow before Sir Avram. He then turned and bowed to the crib, before placing two toys therein: a blue bear and a red lion. As the courtiers craned forward to see and the boys each took one of the stuffed animals, the creatures seemed to shift into a blue dog and a red serpent, who then animated and began to battle. They tore great pieces of stuffing from each other, which threatened to overwhelm the boys in the crib. Old Thranin, Sir Avram's wisest and canniest courtier, drew the boys from the crib to find them unwounded but covered with blood. Startled, the courtiers looked to the youth but he had already disappeared, as had the toys and the stuffing; the blood remained, and Avram summoned a woman to wash the boys and put them back in their crib. Avram, meanwhile, felt his first misgivings.

 

No sooner had she finished than the courtiers became silent upon the entry of the second seer, a middle-aged woman veiled and robed in sombre black. She bore a scale in one hand and a sword sheated at her belt. When she had bowed once to Avram and once to the crib, she raised the scale and, in a loud, melodious voice, recited a prophecy: "Two journeys here begin, tangled and worn; / their fates intertwined, two princes now born. / One comes to conquer, by blood and by sword, / a warrior king leads a ravening horde. / The other, peacemaker, brings weal and joy; / which will become this precocious boy?" With that, she turned and, before any could react, drew the sword and drove it into the crib between the two boys as a bright flash erupted. When the court could see once more, she was gone. As he bade Thranin remove the weapon from its place and bring it to his side, Avram felt within him the stirrings of fear, both for his family and his future.

 

The last sage turned out to be an old man, with a sky-blue robe and hat worked with mystical signs and a tall staff crowned with a lantern which burned with an eerie red light. He strode to the dais and bowed only to the crib, then chanted a quick spell as he waved his staff in the air. A kaleidoscope of colored lights erupted from the implement, then coalesced into a lush hemmed robe. As the court watched, the robe tore itself into two pieces, one a royal purple and the other the violet of the wise fool. The halves twisted and formed serpentine dragons which writhed and attacked each other, swirling about themselves until none could see where one dragon ended and the other began. One wyrm finally tore a great wound into the other, then turned and tried to flee, at which point it became obvious that they had become a true amphisbaena, a serpent with one body and two heads. The wounded serpent drew the other to itself, breathed a gout of flame, then began to consume the other; it worked its way down its own body until it had become but the merest point of blackness in the air. The point suddenly swelled, compressed, then swelled again, seeming to be formed of writhing black tentacles battling shining rays of white light. The ball blossomed until it suddenly exploded into a blinding flash of light. When the light cleared, all trace of the three seers was gone, but for the sword.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

As the boys grew, Avram and his wife became more and more concerned, feeling the weight of the dire portents coloring their perception of their two fine sons, who were as opposite in temperament as they were alike in appearance. At ten, the eldest, Ansalon, was agile and quick, ever mischievous and disrespectful of authority; Arkon, the younger, was quiet and studious, always respectful to his elders and forever deep in thought.

 

After years of casting about for an answer to their dilemma, Sir Avram became convinced that he could derail the doom in store for his sons. A wanderer had come from a far off land, telling stories of an Order of monks who swore powerful oaths to never bear arms or armor, to own no more property than they could carry. It was common practice to send unwanted children to monasteries to remove them from succession, but such children were oftentimes targeted for assassination by their siblings, and none of the monkish Orders in the kingdom had a rule as stringent as this foreign Order. With such an iron rule, even were the darker son to seize power, he would be at a disadvantage against the good son.

 

With a heavy heart, the parents decided to consign their eldest boy to this foreign Order to raise. They sent old Thranin with Ansalon, to act as guardian.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

The foreign land of Nihon had been ruled by a stable bureaucracy for generations, but it was not always so. Decades past, a dynasty of tyrants had crushed the people of the land under their heavy heel. They were toppled from power by a popular uprising, which coordinated the activities of many smaller groups of rebels and malcontents. The organizing force behind this uprising had been the Order of the Nine Unknown, a group of monks and priests who had been allowed by force of tradition to wander the land freely, from Temple to Temple, to maintain their far-flung religion. It was the wandering monks, posing frequently as entertainers, who had been able to bear communications between the different factions for the uprising to work.

 

Unfortunately, on the eve of the uprising's success, the Order was dealt a severe blow. The new overlords, jealous of their hard-won power, moved to ensure that such an uprising could never succeed again. Unable to massacre the popular monks, they instead occupied the Temples with their veteran rebels and slew the priests. They forced the survivors to swear mighty oaths to never again bear arms or armor in battle, and to own no more property individually than a man could carry. The monks took to the roads of the kingdom, forming roving bands of entertainers for their own safety. Over the generations, they had developed an alternate means of fighting. In keeping with their cover as gypsy minstrels and acrobats, they called their fighting style Drunken Clown Boxing, and taught its principles in secret to their adherents. As the troupes travelled, they put on morality plays ostensibly for the public's moral benefit; in secret, these popular entertainments were designed to foster the same sort of fighting spirit among the poor and downtrodden that had driven the previous popular uprising to the forefront.

 

---------------------------------------

 

It was into this milieu that Ansalon found himself thrust, while still only a child of ten. Adapting quickly to the life on the road, he became a Novice of the Order. He had a natural knack for Drunken Clown Boxing, and became an acrobat, enticing passers-by to come to the main tent for the featured performances.

 

After almost eight years with the monks, Ansalon (he called himself simply "Lonnie" by then) thoroughly enjoyed his life as a mendicant performer. When old Thranin died, among his effects Lonnie found a letter the old man had been writing to the boy. In it, he explained the prophecies that had surrounded Lonnie's birth; he also explained that, over the years, he had become convinced that the boy's parents had sent the wrong son to the Order! He urged the boy to seek out his home to set right what might now be wrong.

 

Collecting his belongings, Lonnie said goodbye to the troupe, and began the long journey back home.

[AlHazred]

150-point Ansalon Thelanin

 

Here's the lower power version. I had to really pinch points in a couple of places in the Skills list to get him to come out at 150, but still have an obvious talent with something beyond those of normal men. One thing I did early on in this build was to reduce his final rank in the Order to Novice; that let me justify removing a bunch of other skills he might have had.

 

[b]Ansalon Thelanin - Lonny[/b]

[b][u]VAL[/u]   [u]CHA[/u]   [u]Cost[/u]   [u]Total[/u]   [u]Roll[/u]      [u]Notes[/u][/b]
15    STR     5   15      12-       HTH Damage 3d6  END [3]
20    DEX     30   20      13-       OCV 7 DCV 7
13    CON     6   13      12-
12    BODY    4   12      11-
10    INT     0   10      11-       PER Roll 11-
10    EGO     0   10      11-       ECV: 3
10    PRE     0   10      11-       PRE Attack: 2d6
12    COM     1   12      11-
3    PD      0   3             3 PD (0 rPD)
3    ED      0   3             3 ED (0 rED)
4    SPD     10   4                 Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
6    REC     0   6
26    END     0   26
30    STUN    3   30
7    RUN      2   7"                END [1]
2    SWIM     0   2"                END [1]
5    LEAP     2   5"/7"                5"/7" forward, 2 1/2"/3 1/2" upward

[b]CHA Cost: 63[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]POWERS[/u][/b]
2     [b][i]Wall Spring[/i][/b]: Leaping +2" (5"/7" forward, 2 1/2"/3 1/2" upward), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (3 Active Points); Requires A Half Move (-1/2) - END=

[b]POWERS Cost: 2[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b]
     Drunken Clown Boxing
4      1)  Choke Hold:  1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 4d6 NND
5      2)  Defensive Fast Strike:  1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +1 DCV,  9d6 Strike
5      3)  Flying Dodge:  1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove
5      4)  Flying Grab:  1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 45 STR for holding on; FMove
5      5)  Passing Strike:  1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, 7d6 +v/5; FMove
1      6)  Weapon Element:  Clubs
16      7)  +4 HTH Damage Class(es)

[b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 41[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]SKILLS[/u][/b]
6      +2 with Martial Maneuvers
6      +2 with Non-Weapon Weapons

3      Acrobatics 13-
0      Acting 8-
0      AK: Nihon 11-
3      Breakfall 13-
3      Climbing 13-
0      Concealment 8-
3      Contortionist 13-
0      Conversation 8-
0      Deduction 8-
2      KS: Drunken Clown Boxing 11-
1      Language:  Common (idiomatic; literate)
0      Paramedics 8-
0      Persuasion 8-
0      PS: Acrobat 11-
5      Rapid Attack (HTH) 
0      Shadowing 8-
3      Sleight Of Hand 13-
3      Stealth 13-

[b]SKILLS Cost: 38[/b]


[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]TALENTS[/u][/b]
6      Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

[b]TALENTS Cost: 6[/b]
[b][u]Value[/u]  [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b]
10     Distinctive Features:  Marked By Destiny (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Uncommonly-Used Senses)
10     Money:  Destitute
0     Normal Characteristic Maxima
20     Psychological Limitation:  Code Against Killing (Common, Total)
20     Psychological Limitation:  Oath To Never Bears Arms Or Armor In Battle, Poverty (Common, Total)
10     Psychological Limitation:  Perpetually Cheerful (Common, Moderate)
5     Rivalry:  Professional (with other HTH combatants; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

[b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 75[/b]

Base Pts: 75
Exp Required: 0
Total Exp Available: 0
Exp Unspent: 0
Total Character Cost: 150

[AlHazred]

200-point Ansalon Thelanin

 

Here's the somewhat higher-powered version. Replace the last part of his background with this:

 

---------------------------------------

 

It was into this milieu that Ansalon found himself thrust, while still only a child of ten. Adapting quickly to the life on the road, he quickly became a Novice of the Order. He had a natural knack for Drunken Clown Boxing, and became an acrobat, enticing passers-by to come to the main tent for the featured performances. He'd perform a remarkable trick with the other acrobats, riding one-by-one to the see-saw they'd set up, then leaping one-by-one to form a human chain stretching up into the sky. Ansalon's skill was such that he was usually the one on top. But always, there were things going on behind the scenes that he became aware of, but didn't understand.

 

After a few years, the monks invited Ansalon to become an initiate and study with them. He trained even further, becoming one of the performers of the morality plays, the main productions the troupe put on for the locals. Extremely popular entertainments, they had deeper meanings which became clear upon further study: personal responsibility, spiritual balance, and learning how to tell right from wrong, these were the lessons he received.

 

After almost eight years with the monks, Ansalon (he called himself simply "Lonnie" by then) thoroughly enjoyed his life as a mendicant performer. One day old Thranin took him aside and explained the prophecies that had surrounded Lonnie's birth; he also explained that, over the years, he had become convinced that the boy's parents had sent the wrong son to the Order! He urged the boy to seek out his home to set right what might now be wrong.

 

Collecting his belongings, Lonnie said goodbye to the troupe, and together with Thranin began the long journey back home.

 

[b]Ansalon Thelanin - Lonny[/b]

[b][u]VAL[/u]   [u]CHA[/u]   [u]Cost[/u]   [u]Total[/u]   [u]Roll[/u]      [u]Notes[/u][/b]
15    STR     5   15      12-       HTH Damage 3d6  END [3]
20    DEX     30   20      13-       OCV 7 DCV 7
13    CON     6   13      12-
12    BODY    4   12      11-
10    INT     0   10      11-       PER Roll 11-
10    EGO     0   10      11-       ECV: 3
15    PRE     5   15      12-       PRE Attack: 3d6
12    COM     1   12      11-
3    PD      0   3             3 PD (0 rPD)
3    ED      0   3             3 ED (0 rED)
4    SPD     10   4                 Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
6    REC     0   6
26    END     0   26
30    STUN    3   30
7    RUN      2   7"                END [1]
2    SWIM     0   2"                END [1]
5    LEAP     2   5"/7"                5"/7" forward, 2 1/2"/3 1/2" upward

[b]CHA Cost: 68[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]POWERS[/u][/b]
27     [b][i]Catch This![/i][/b]: Energy Blast 11d6 (55 Active Points); OIF (any appropriate object of opportunity; -1/2), Requires A Martial Arts Tricks Roll  (-1/2) - END=5
2     [b][i]Wall Spring[/i][/b]: Leaping +2" (5"/7" forward, 2 1/2"/3 1/2" upward), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (3 Active Points); Requires A Half Move (-1/2) - END=

[b]POWERS Cost: 29[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b]
     Drunken Clown Boxing
4      1)  Choke Hold:  1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 4d6 NND
5      2)  Defensive Fast Strike:  1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +1 DCV,  9d6 Strike
5      3)  Flying Dodge:  1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove
5      4)  Flying Grab:  1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 45 STR for holding on; FMove
5      5)  Passing Strike:  1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, 7d6 +v/5; FMove
1      6)  Weapon Element:  Clubs
16      7)  +4 HTH Damage Class(es)

[b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 41[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]SKILLS[/u][/b]
6      +2 with Martial Maneuvers
6      +2 with Non-Weapon Weapons
3      +1 with Acrobatics, Breakfall, and Martial Arts Tricks

3      Acrobatics 13-
3      Acting 12-
0      AK: Nihon 11-
3      Breakfall 13-
3      Climbing 13-
0      Concealment 8-
3      Contortionist 13-
0      Conversation 8-
0      Deduction 8-
2      KS: Drunken Clown Boxing 11-
1      Language:  Common (idiomatic; literate)
0      Paramedics 8-
0      Persuasion 8-
3      Power:  Martial Arts Tricks 13-
0      PS: Acrobat 11-
5      Rapid Attack (HTH) 
3      Riding 13-
0      Shadowing 8-
3      Sleight Of Hand 13-
3      Stealth 13-

[b]SKILLS Cost: 50[/b]


[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]TALENTS[/u][/b]
12      Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

[b]TALENTS Cost: 12[/b]
[b][u]Value[/u]  [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b]
5     Dependent NPC:  Thranin, Aged Retainer 8- (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills)
20     Hunted:  agents of a the Prophecy 11- (As Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
10     Distinctive Features:  Marked By Destiny (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Uncommonly-Used Senses)
10     Money:  Destitute
0     Normal Characteristic Maxima
20     Psychological Limitation:  Code Against Killing (Common, Total)
20     Psychological Limitation:  Oath To Never Bears Arms Or Armor In Battle, Poverty (Common, Total)
10     Psychological Limitation:  Perpetually Cheerful (Common, Moderate)
5     Rivalry:  Professional (with other HTH combatants; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

[b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 100[/b]

Base Pts: 100
Exp Required: 0
Total Exp Available: 0
Exp Unspent: 0
Total Character Cost: 200

[AlHazred]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

So, what do you guys think? Stinker or decent? Any thoughts on refinements?

[Eosin]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

I like him. History wise I'd cackle with glee if this sheet appeared from one of my players.

 

Now, I would ask that you reconsider sinking 1/3 of the 150 point character in Martial Arts. Dropping 2 of the DC's and 1-2 maneuvers would be about right. Even the 200 point character seems a little flat with so much sunk into the style. Still, the build is good.

 

Do you intend to use the non-weapon weapons very frequently and what is the damage expectations of the campaign (10-11 DC). You are putting up some whopping damage at 150 points. You basically knock yourself out each time you hit which leads me to believe the damage is on the high side.

 

I'd consider some of the following...

AK: City Slums and Taverns

AK: Back Trails and Thieves Dens

KS: Overlords of the Underworld

 

PS: Survivor

 

LS: Immune to stale foods/beverages

 

+2 DCV: RSR Acrobatics or Acting

 

Seduction [the friendly-personable aspect not the sexual aspect]

 

That is what I would say in my game but you know the GM and it obviously isn't me. Still, smoking background and awesome possibilities!

[bubba smith]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

great work alhazred ,way to go have some rep

[AlHazred]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

I like him. History wise I'd cackle with glee if this sheet appeared from one of my players.

 

Now, I would ask that you reconsider sinking 1/3 of the 150 point character in Martial Arts. Dropping 2 of the DC's and 1-2 maneuvers would be about right. Even the 200 point character seems a little flat with so much sunk into the style. Still, the build is good.

 

Do you intend to use the non-weapon weapons very frequently and what is the damage expectations of the campaign (10-11 DC). You are putting up some whopping damage at 150 points. You basically knock yourself out each time you hit which leads me to believe the damage is on the high side.

 

I'd consider some of the following...

 

 

That is what I would say in my game but you know the GM and it obviously isn't me. Still, smoking background and awesome possibilities!

Basically, the idea is to open up some possibilities in the otherwise-stale generic fantasy trope ("Here's Bob the knight, Sven the blacksmith, and Bubba the merchant, on the road again.") So far, one player asked me to help her create a Sentinel-type of super-sensor; I believe another is making a straight-up mage with powerful abilities. My problem is to come up with something fun to play that nevertheless has decent potential and can hold his own.

 

I figured a sheltered type like Lonnie shouldn't have too many skills relating to "normal stuff" -- he's been in a foreign land for a long time, and been relatively sheltered throughout that time. I also wasn't sure if he needed a foreign language or not, and didn't want to impose that on the GM; if need be, he could drop a couple of Damage Classes with MA to pay for that.

 

As it is, I'm expecting the fighters in the group to be doing 2 to 2 1/2 d6 KA with their best attack, on average. That translates to 6-8 DCs, and the mage will likely be able to go 1-2 DCs higher. I figured that, since my guy's attacks do normal damage and go against PD as well as the rDEF, he needed to average about 9.

 

The Catch This! power doesn't always do 11d6 -- it does damage equal to the DEF+BODY of the object I'm throwing, maxing out at 11 DC. I'm picturing throwing bar stools and wooden mugs around, which should be in the 4-7 DC range. Since I can't use "weapons," that's got to suffice.

[bubba smith]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

Basically' date=' the idea is to open up some possibilities in the otherwise-stale generic fantasy trope ("Here's Bob the knight, Sven the blacksmith, and Bubba the merchant, on the road again.") [/quote']

thank you

[AlHazred]

Re: Ansalon Thelanin

 

thank you

De nada.

 

EDIT - FWIW, in college one of the guys I played with actually made a "Bubba the Merchant." He was never one to futz with names that fit the genre. Witness his superhero, named Atomic Pigeon.