World of Warcraft - Interbellum (OOC Thread)

[Plaids]

I'm voting for the following.

3. Seraphis Starshadow, Secretary and Majordomo:
Having someone else worry about payrolls, schedules, deeds, and the like is good to have. Also being a translator for languages he does not know is just what Jakk'ari wants.

9. Sister Tylia McBarret, Healer and Priestess (Forsaken Human):
Having representative of the light is important since that is one field of magic the group lacks. The group has fell, elemental, and arcane but not a representative of nature or the light. Given Jakka'ari's background as a shaman advisor he would value having as many magical domain perspectives Also having a healer is really useful.

2. Aglet Glyphtoggle, Magical Autodidact or 5. Nodrick Glitterthumb, Quartermaster and Requisition Expert (Goblin):
Having someone who knows the local higher ups in town, having a skilled haggler, and a quartermaster is good. But the group is already good at negotiating, some of his duties could be covered by Seraphis, and knowing locals can be covered by Schlep. Overall, Nodrick is a good choice but not an automatic inclusion.

It would be good to have some refined magical expertise and capability to study magic. Aglet would likely be most appreciated by Isaera, Marion, and likely Mor'Lag. Aglet would fill the role nicely if we wanted to expand our magical repertoire.
I think it depends on how well the party can study magical matters on their own in their downtime or not.

4. Felix Dunfield, Fighter of Demons:
The group is concerned with security and Felix could provide that if paired with a partner or trained further in fighting. Felix could also help fulfill the odd jobs around the guild if need be. Also, Jakk'ari is biased and wants to see him grow as an individual after questing with him.

10. Schlep, Groundskeeper and Gardener (Murloc) or provided Nodrick is Glitterthumb is hired:
Schlep is a possible interface to the local populace by being a kind of folk hero, he can garden herbs, and can manage a dock which is useful in a port town. Overall, a solid package.

Nodrick seems to be service specialist who would do a good job at keeping #3, #2, #9, and #5 from storming off due to abysmal work conditions. I think he could supplement security as well due to being a Tauren and not a Murloc. If someone with local connections is hired then Nodrick beats out Schelp. I think Schelp could keep do some housekeeping work to keep people happy but wouldn't be as good at it as Nodrick.

As for complications I think Jakk'ari would only be concerned about arrogance and a "that's not my job" attitude and would one of the more forgiving members of the party.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: Potential Guild Staff

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Spoiler: 1 - Aleeana Runescribe

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1. Aleeana Runescribe, Aspiring Farstrider
Generalized Arcane Magical Talent
Actively Developing Ranger Skills
Complication: Young And Restless
Costs 1 Staff Point

With hair raven-dark and eyes like the green fires of Fel, the young Blood Elf radiates an air of self-assurance and playfulness that is undeniably magnetic. She has the same aesthetic proportion and symmetry that apparently makes all Runescribe women difficult to ignore or forget.

“Well, I’m planning on moving up to Ratchet either way; I figure I’m either doing scout work for your little operation, or I’m sabotaging Venture Co. rigs for Gazlowe,” the elven woman says with a profusion of confidence. “I don’t mind taking requests to go places, if you’re trying to track down some particular expert halfway across the world or if you just want me to keep an eye on the movements of people around the guild hall. Tracking, stalking - even light hunting, though I’m not ready to start shooting at things that can shoot back, just yet. But I’m ready to go places and get results, if you’re ready to finance me.”

Aleeana doesn’t confess it, but Isaera knows that she’s more than a little reckless and thrillseeking. While this is unlikely to affect her reliability, she brings with herself an inherent possibility of generating problems for herself, as well as solving them for you.

Spoiler: 2 - Aglet Glyphtoggle

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2. Aglet Glyphtoggle, Magical Autodidact
High Level Academic Arcane Knowledge
Significant Additional Disciplines include Demonlogy, Engineering, History
Complication: Old And Tired
Costs 1 Staff Point

He might be tall, by gnome standards (still short to all of you); but he possesses the same larger-than-life personality that comes with so many gnomes, only tapered off a little with the wisdom of age. His hair was probably vibrant blue, once; but now the trimmed, spade-shaped beard and moustache combination are a steel-grey, and the top of his bald head gleams a little as he holds a collapsed pointed wizard’s hat in his lap. Old though he may be, his eyes shine with undiminished intellect through the copper tinted lenses of his spectacles.

“When Gnomeregan fell, I lost a great deal; and it occurred to me that I’d spent most of my life with my face in books, and my hands set to work on one project or another; but I’d breathed so little fresh air, and seen so few sunrises. I came to Kalimdor because I heard the sunsets over the Barrens savannah are the best in the world. They haven’t disappointed!” He gives a grandfatherly smile, with a twinkle in his eye; but then flusters a little as he had gotten well off the question he was asked. “But, ah, yes; I was an accredited scholar in Gnomeregan, so I can perform arcane research to professional levels, as well as teach theory. Mostly arcane; but, ah… other disciplines as well."

Aglet is definitely skilled enough to be a source of arcane knowledge for a long time, and even fel magic theory even if Marion’s expertise outstrips his by dint of her dedication to practise - but he’s acquired his knowledges over a long life in which he presently experiences the twilight. Intense periods of reliance on him are likely to tire him out.

Spoiler: 3 - Seraphis Starshadow

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3. Seraphis Starshadow, Secretary and Majordomo
Exceptional Organizer of Staff, Correspondence, Functional Matters, Translation
Solid All-Round skillset to compliment expertise.
Complication: Perfectionist
Costs 1 Staff Point

You expect Kaldorei to be tall; but it’s the perfection of her posture that is almost uncanny. Long white hair, lavender skin, and the distinctive facial markings that Kaldorei women adopt according to their own shrouded internal sisterhoods. Her sentinel training gives a distinctly militarized and professional air to all of her actions, even when assured of how informal and relaxed the situation might be designed to be. She has the long legs and amazonian cast that matches the stories of such women-warriors exploding through the trees in Ashenvale, raining steel and savagery on the Warsong invaders; but in long black breeches and white blouse, she seems to prefer to leave that martial history behind. Her common is so crisp and formal it suggests an affinity more common in diplomats than sentinels.

“As I’m sure you read in my letter, I was the majordomo for the Moonstrike family, managing holdings in Hyjal, Ashenvale and Darkshore, for a hundred and thirty years. The family nearly bankrupted themselves in the recent war, and decided to release me from service. I was… Compelled…” She chooses that word apparently with difficulty, “...To seek for myself an employment of a less sprawling and intense nature. I had come to Theramore expecting there to be a more formalized nobility distilling in the fledgeling kingdom, but I’ve been thwarted by the human spirit, I’m afraid. Everyone in the town is so devoted to ideals, and hopeful for a less class-bound future for the city. No one has designs that require a woman of my skills, just yet; but the idea of working for a new branch of the Opal Collocation seemed promising enough.”

Seraphis is neat, precise, skilled and useful. In addition to her management talents, she possesses a strong military background that suggests she’ll be no pushover in the event that someone aggresses directly against your holdings. But you detect a soul wound tight as a steel spring; this woman is used to managing large, complex dynastic matters and is just now learning to adapt to the small, slipshod, near-enough type work that a guild operation this small requires.

Spoiler: 4 - Felix Dunfield

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4. Felix Dunfield, Fighter of Demons
Good Lad with a Debt of Gratitude
Solid physical skillset with no real expertise
Complication: Trauma
Costs 0.5 Staff Points

Felix sits across from you, smiling faintly with adoration. His mop of hair has been trimmed and oiled down for this interview - it strikes you as less becoming than his normal rough-edged, youthful charm. The rings under his eyes suggest he hasn’t slept well since you last saw him, however.

“I guess I can keep an eye on the place when you’re gone. I can run errands, and I can… Get involved in the town, you know? Learn the gossip. Whatever you need, really.” The youth realizes he is compulsively smoothing the wrinkles in his trousers, and folds his hands behind his back to stop himself. “I’m just… Really grateful for what you did. You don’t have to pay me much, honestly - I just want a chance to return the favor. We all got suspended from the Marines for six months, anyway. I can’t just sit around. I need to be doing something, you know?”

Felix isn’t the most skilled possible hire, but his loyalty is without question and you’ve seen him charge at demons rather than falter to self preservation - he’d die before he sold you out. But he has nightmares about his experience in the Marsh and his guilt about the friends who didn’t make it; it’s hard to tell how that trauma will impact his performance, affordable as it is.

Spoiler: 5 - Nodrick Glitterthumb

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5. Nodrick Glitterthumb, Quartermaster and Requisition Expert
Excellent financial skill
Ratchet Native with many connections
Complication: Pacifist
Costs 1 Staff Point

Nodrick is possessed of contradictory features that even out to a reasonable average. He’s better groomed that most goblins, with a quaff of black hair low to his scalp and a neatly trimmed patch of beard on his chin. But there’s also a fascinating constellation of facial imperfections - ear notches, lip scars from deep splits, and a couple of teeth that rest just over the lip on the left side speaking not so much of bad dental history as an upper mandibular fracture that healed badly. All of these speak to a violently misspent youth before this smoother middle age.

“...So I tell the guy, ‘Hey, this ain’t Darnassus, pal. If you wanna bid, you don’t raise your hand, you shout a number. This ain’t elf rules. So put your money away, and wait for the next Brawler’s Harness to come under the hammer.’” Nodrick has been rather animated telling the story, punctuating this final confrontation by jabbing his index finger down at the table between you as if referencing some invisible document validating his ruling. He leans back with one arm over the rear of the chair, and flaps the other arm in dismissal. “The Auction House Board of Directors felt I’d breached our operational standards - specifically, the idea that I should have taken the later bid with the higher number even after I’d called it sold to the other guy. Which is crap, so I packed up my gavel and said buh-bye to those schmucks. Auction work is cushy, but I’ve worked at a lot of places handing a lot of money for a long time now. And you know the lesson I learned?” He lifts a hand and looks down the barrel of his index finger at you one at a time, pausing to allow you to prepare for the gravity of his wisdom. “You can trade coins, you can fence jewels, and if you know the right people you can move cargo knocked off someone else’s ship. But integrity is the least fungible asset anyone has. So don’t funge it.”

Nodrick is a successful story of a life reformed; which is admirable in many ways, but troubling in others. Once a brawler, thief, smuggler and crook, Nodrick had a life changing experience and left that all behind. Having taken a vow on his mother’s ashes to never raise a hand in violence again, he’s honestly anti-help in a combat situation.

Spoiler: 6 - Sheila Grayfeather

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6. Sheila Grayfeather, Stablemistress and Beast Trainer
Wide range of husbandry skills to accommodate all creatures
If you have a Stable, can arrange affordable purchases of mounts immediately
Complication: Almost Incomprehensible
Costs 1 Staff Point

The dwarven woman, who the page infront of you assures you is Sheila Grayfeather but who introduced herself, you’re pretty sure, as Shilla-Greefthr, is everything you might have expected of a Wildhammer lass. Red hair tied back in two braids over her shoulders, bright and keen brown eyes that track attentively to little shifts in body language, and a series of green-blue tattoos that swim down her right arm, under her leather jerkin, and up over her neck and lower jaw. Her submission on paper tells you she grew up handling gryphons with her father, and branched out into creatures more and less exotic; capturing, rearing and training. She has been telling you a story about one such hunt and catch for fifteen minutes. You think.

“...An’ wh’tdy’ th’nwe speeboot t’ weebegger parch’ ati’ ‘f t’ bluhdee rawk w’ p’ss teerty min’ ‘go bk’en w’ lapped t’ reeg’n on t’ kodoss! J’s suttn’ tere peerin’ ‘tus loik w’re a greeht ‘ld shoh, loik e’s b’n wootchin’ us t’ whool toim j’s trin’ t’ f’gre wh’tw’re goon t’do nehx loik s’me bludhee steeg pr’dct’n r’wh’tn’t ‘ceept f’r weewy’rns. T’fcerse b’th’s poin’ w’d lehf’ th’ bleedn’ nehts bck’t’t cahmp, ‘n’ll w’d w’re roops whch’ thowt’I t’might knawt ‘t’ neht ‘n t’spawt ‘n tht’d d’t’ truhk ‘f w’js dan’ sceer t’ begger oof, s’ tld’I t’bouys…”

She’s definitely skilled, and she could absolutely arrange for quality mounts at an affordable price well within your operating budget - horses and hawkstriders for the humans and elf as preferred, a nice cooperative raptor for the troll and since the handful of Clefthooves that came through the dark portal are well extinct, a nice big kodo for Mor’Lag. But for anyone who can’t converse to her in her highland dialect of dwarven, extracting precise information from her about anything is a slow and painstaking process, even if she seems to have become used to repeating herself.

Spoiler: 7 - Nadia Tarnadel

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7. Nadia Tarnadel, Security Chief and Bodyguard
Wide and proven martial skillset means excellent security
Can provide physical combat training to PCs and other members of staff.
Complication: Part-Time Misanthrope
Costs 1 Staff Point

Nadia doesn’t look like a middle aged human woman. Her youthful features are also relatively unscarred and well appointed, framed in a riot of auburn hair that falls well past her rounded, athletic shoulders. By most standards, she’s very pretty, maybe even beautiful; but all the power that comes with that gift is brutally undercut by a palpable air of… not rudeness, exactly. Brusqueness. Roughness. And not a rugged, complementary kind; it’s an air of unpleasant tension that seems to impress upon everyone around her that this is the interval between one vicious encounter and another; and staying near her too long is an invitation to be part of the next one. She folds her arms beneath her chest, rarely holds eye contact, and speaks minimally, referring to her paper submission as often as she can as if afraid her spontaneous words will damage her chances of success.

“Yeah. I, uh. Served with the Stromgarde Wallbreaker battalion for thirteen years; all the way up until after the capital fell after the Third War. After that, I wound up working the arena circuit for five years, until I felt myself starting to slow down during the last season of Gadgetzan cage fights. The… conventional wisdom is to get out before you get hurt, so I did. I understand compound security and managing a team of professionals, as long as everyone is there to do the job. I just can’t…” She begin, her expression tightening and darkening the crow’s feet around her eyes before she gives up scraping the bottom of the barrel of her perspicacity. “I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

Nadia is extremely physically capable with just about any steel, wood or leather instrument designed to inflict pain or damage. She has small unit leadership experience, and would be an excellent candidate to personally guard your guild’s interests, or manage a team doing the same. But her people skills… are poor. She has alienated anyone she could have called a friend, and has a habit of getting into confrontations in her own recreational time. While all her references seem to indicate she’s able to do her job with consummate professionalism, it’s a risk bringing on board someone whose personal life is so damaged.

Spoiler: 8 - Voxombis Staggerhorn

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8. Voxombis Staggerhorn, Housekeeper and Butler
Cooks, Cleans, Makes Beds, Cuts Firewood, Creates Comfort
Pleasant demeanor with a wide variety of useful non-combat skills and knowledges
Complication: Wanted Man
Costs 0.5 Staff Points

The tauren is a dominating physical presence in the room; nine feet tall from hoof to hump and proportionately thick with muscle as most of his kind tend to be. But his demeanor shaves off much of that intimidating power; shoulders crowded forward, hands folded in his lap, an expression of patient intelligence populating the bovine arrangement of features. He wears a faded but still colorful druid’s robe, though he confesses he boasts none of the associated natural prowess.

“I was an initiate to the Circle, once. I had raised my children alone, and once they no longer needed me, I found another half of my life waiting for purpose. I joined the Circle, and a Lodge within the circle of Tauren and Kaldorei who sought to repair so much of the land blighted by Scourge, and Legion. But… I discovered too late that the Lodge was a front for something more sinister. I did not delay in drawing attention to this matter, and they were hunted and incarcerated by the Circle’s leadership… but not before I was vengefully afflicted.” He pulls aside the robe to reveal a blackened brand over his heart; a glyph that might be a stylized tree, or a blazing torch. His smile becomes pained. “I can no longer hear the voice of the Earth Mother. But I am not selling my services as a druid - just a humble Tauren, who was a nomad so long he knows the value of warm, clean, and welcoming home.”

Voxombis is a housekeeper, which is a fine thing to have if one has no time for a chore list and bullying others into fulfilling those obligations. He’s also reasonably full of homespun wisdom and good judgment, neither of which is bad to have on staff. But his actions exposing the tendrils of a cult that had at least a presence in the Cenarion Circle have marked him for death by an enemy unseen, whose motives are unknown. There’s no way of knowing what resources such a nebulous group could, or would, marshall to kill the tauren - and possibly any witnesses.

Spoiler: 9 - Sister Tylia McBarret

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9. Sister Tylia McBarret, Healer and Priestess
Excellent medical skill, both with divine magic and conventional physicianship
Strong Theological, Historical and General knowledge.
Complication: Dead and Honestly Not Super Thrilled About It
Costs 1 Staff Point

In your experience, some Forsaken flaunt their repulsive attributes; like a gang flaunting its wild hair, or profusion of tattoos, to spite the expectations of those around them. Sister Tylia is not at all one of those. Whoever embalmed her did so with care and love - she’s easily among the most aesthetically pleasing corpses you’ve seen. Blonde hair is kept pinned up behind her head, and the dead-glaze of her eyes is concealed completely by the dull yellow glow that emits from them. She covered almost every inch of her skin with black and purple robes and gloves, leaving only her neck and face unclothed. Impressive use of makeup does yeoman’s work on these areas; her skin is a uniform powder white, lips stained dark purple, eyes shadowed and lined and cosmetically accented with lashes and brows that would pass for real on someone you would reasonably believe had the capacity to grow them. Her voice is a pleasant and sonorous contralto, with an edge of hoarseness that could almost be mistaken for huskiness, and not what it is - the rasp of a throat that is dry, and will never be anything but dry again.

“I was struck in the back by something during the battle for Hearthglen, early in the Third War. I don’t know what it was, and no one has ever been able to tell me; but it pierced my heart, and that was that. My next conscious memory was the Dark Lady’s rallying cry, and suddenly I remembered who I was, and how I had died; but not what I had done. It’s been…” You notice her eyes dart left and right as if seeking the word in the air, “...Difficult to adjust to this life. I know many brothers and sisters of the church who lost their faith entirely, or destroyed themselves rather than carry on this way. But the duty of a brother or sister of the Light is not just to dispense miracle healing to the body, but also to soothe the suffering, and give comfort to the afflicted. The afflicting facing my people today is manifold, but once face of it is the inability of the world to accept our existence. I understand; I barely accept it myself. But if you permit me, I would be honored to be part of your operation, and what it stands for.”

Sister Tylia is a priestess of the Light, which means a certain authority to draw and manipulate the supernatural energies that come from the Light itself, constrained and produced according to certain clerical teachings; as well as a certain amount of authority over shadow magic that is intuited from the negative spaces in those teachings. She’s highly knowledgeable on matters planar and historical, and a trained physician and surgeon to boot. She is also Forsaken - an undead human operating on remnant, self-sustaining energies unlocked by the Traitor Arthas Menethil, and wrested from his control by the Dark Lady Sylvannas Windrunner. This carries with it a variety of social troubles particularly with the Alliance, though these can be navigated with care. What’s apparent to the keen minds in your party is that the sister herself is in a certain amount of denial, or atleast structured coping; her compulsive routine to make herself as presentable and to conceal the physical signs of her deadness speak of a level of shame that is perfectly understandable, if potentially disruptive to someone whose duties will not necessary afford them the hour and a half they need to prepare themselves for presentation.

Spoiler: 10 - Schlep

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10. Schlep, Groundskeeper and Gardener (Murloc)
Competent Groundskeeper, Gardener, Fish Farmer and Dockkeeper
Innocuous but popular amphibious ‘mascot’ of Ratchet working class
Complication: Sharp As A Sack Of Fish
Costs 0.5 Staff Points

Schlep sits across from you - or rather, squats across from you on the seat, since his legs are not hinged in a way that anticipates sitting. He is bright green with white belly scales, and reddish-yellow hands, raised fins, and eyes. It’s obvious that someone helped him with his written submission to you, since his big clumsy digits do not lend themselves to this detailed, small script. It explains his origin story, such that it is. Pearl divers from Ratchet found him alone, immersed in a reef further up the coast to the north. His feet were encased in a block of concrete, and hands shackled to the same; a discrete execution method for air breathers, but apparently a cruel condemnation to starve or be picked off by an aquatic predator, for murlocs. The divers fished him up, and worked out his story: the runt of his spawning, he had finagled a job on a vessel which, by context, seems to have been a Southsea pirate vessel, under a goblin captain named Shrapnel. They had coerced the murloc into cooking for them, then interpreted that cooking as an attempt to poison them; and the inventive captain had devised this punishment. Once back in Ratchet and set free, the murloc who been given no clan name, and was known as Fins to the pirates, made a name for himself tirelessly hauling by handcart goods to various construction sites around the booming colony. Schlep is a goblin word for thankless pursuit of a necessary task; someone appended the name, and it stuck. Ever since, the goblins of Ratchet have seen him as an icon of what it means to ‘Go Legit’; honest labor that demands recognition. He is regularly invited to card games and allowed to win. He has adopted what he considers the tribal garb of his new people - pants and suspenders - and is fascinated by hats, though forever unable to wear them correctly on account of lacking the distinct head-neck-body configuration they demand.

“Mrglllglglrrrlglm,” he offers conversationally, “mrgmlgllgmg. Grrglgmglglrr?” This seems to be an important question; but fortunately, when you do not answer, he gives a thoughtful whole body nod like your silence is the wisest and most profound answer he has ever heard. He produces his prized possession - a magical, waterproof notebook and an enchanted carpenter’s pencil he can hold in his fist. He scribbles laboriously on the first page, jaw opening to reveal the rows of piranha-frog teeth and to permit his huge tongue to poke out one side of his mouth. He rips the page from the notepad, and slaps it down in front of you on the table.

MAKE PLANT FOR YOU

Immediately, he is scribbling again. The letters are all big, capital, childlike; but discernible common all the same. This note ends up on top of the other.

MAKE FISH FOR YOU

He seems to think this is a very attractive deal, shuffling where he squats, smiling (sort of?) at each of you as he pauses, giving you time to consider. Time to bask in the potential gain of the deal. Time to sweat. And then, animated all at once, he scribbles a third note and slaps it down - the clincher.

MAKE GRASS FOR YOU

He folds up the notebook, and stuffs it and the pencil back into his overall; then steeples all six of his fingers in front of his big googly eyed face with machiavellian certainty.

Schlep is about as lovable as a piranha frog man can be. The Ratchet locals certainly seem to like him. You’ve seen some of the grounds he has tended, and they’re well maintained - pretty impressive honestly, in the savannah climate of the Barrens. Perhaps he knows something about plants and watering and the precision interaction of those things that others don’t? But if he does, that’s the only thing he knows - all the borrowed goblin mannerisms are stamped into a brain that must be as soft as wet clay.

Alright, here's the complete list of possible hires. These are support personnel for your party, which means they will typically operate in the background and you can call upon their expertise as a resource; though they're not really meant to be pulled along with you as full NPC's. If you have a good reason - like you're going into an warzone and decide this is the kind of special occasion that you might want to drag more folks along for - that's alright! But if it becomes clear they're being drawn on a lot in that direct way, then we have to start looking at spending points to buy them as a minion. And generally it's less fun when I'm rolling than when you're rolling! You can bring them along to locations when you're on quests, but they're not mercenaries who are hired to come fight in instigated combats, typically. If you have a Comms room in your guild base, you're all set up to be able to consult them wherever you are in the world, though! We're being pretty loosy goosy with rules here, but this seemed to me like a fun way to go, so go ahead and have a read of the final cut (it's not substantially changed, but all the entries are filled out and linked with art); see if that changes your mind about any of them. And natually, since Hand Ax isn't with us, Zachary is going to fall back into a background capacity - he's going to spend a lot of time off doing solo investigations about the cult, and the dragons.

[JoyWonderLove]

Just keep in mind that we're in a trading town where imports and exports is a really big industry. There's a bank with lots of shiny stuff to steal. Probably a dozen or so merchant warehouses, tinkerer labs, and the like, all also likely targets. And lets not forget the cargo of all the ships themselves, and the valuables 200 or some odd travelers may carelessly leave around in their rooms. We wouldn't be the only targets, and it just doesn't make any sense for anything to happen, unless it's by DM fiat.

Yeah, afraid we'll just have to disagree, because the way I see it, it is low risk, high reward. And hey, at least maybe we'll have a plot hook to follow up on?

Why would potential thieves go after these different institutions with more solid security systems and even Lawbringers closer to them than us (physically and politically), when we would also have expensive equipment but almost no staff or assests that can defend it (presuming we go with your preferred staff and base combo)? Why would the burning blade warlocks, run out of the place by our patroness, not directly target us particularly while we skimp on defense (again, assuming your preferred staff and base combo)?? Why would potential smugglers go to busy ports, instead of our undefended and inconspicuous bay with nearby expensive equipment? If nothing happens, ironically, that would be DM fiat in our favour.

Spoiler: fiat and other games

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Which I'm fine with, btw. In the other story I'm in, the storyteller (Molan) has low balled me (not even talking about the times he's done it for our group) at least twice that I can see (who knows how many I've missed???) while still keeping things narratively fun and option rich (there's over 10 organisations you can interact with). If fiat happens, as is the loosey goosey way, it can make things more fun 100%.

So said, I'm actually not philosophically bound to the security system. I simply believe it's very practical given the outlined threats (smugglers, warlorcks, thieves). But we're in a fantasy world with elves and magic so who knows if things like no defence and hot chocolate without marshmallows is not only tolerated, but acceptable.

If we're being lowballed, and you're right that there is so little threat that it's basically just a narrative issue, then, yeah, we should load up on as many installation assets that work with professional skills ASAP. Why not become power social players (which I am very open to) then? There would be so little downside that it's silly not to, I can agree.

But the only one that can really demystify it at that point is MrA himself. Is the world so benevolent we can ignore security systems entirely in our infancy? If the answer is yes, then there's no good reason for actual caution. If the answer is no, we would be pointlessly rolling dice, and a security system is wise. We're basically both right frankly; it just depends who's threat thermostat is closer to MrA's interpretation of the world.

Circles in circles, my dear WindStruck.

Spoiler: Potential Guild Staff

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Insert wonderful choices here.

My staff ideas have defo changed a bit.

I can't believe how much I love Schlep. I want to watch him make grass and cook him fish and mrgmlgllgmg. Nadia and Voxombis' complications are also aokay with me now that I see them in action. I'm happy and open to both now, with Nadia leading (but I'm concerned about safety, so none of you should be shocked). One should be protected for his good deed and the other deserves a hug she might never get. Are we allowed to get all staff eventually, or is there a cap for our operation we not know about? ("dragons swoop in and burn it all; everyone you didn't choose doesn't make it")

Plaids, WindStruck and I basically have similar ideas (we're all in a 3/4 agreement and even the 4th choices are overlapping) for characters. But I have to admit Feathersnow has the most socially savvy staff picks; we would find it really easy to navigate Ratchet with Schlep +and+ Nordrick right out the gate. Decisions, decisions.

If WindStruck wants Aleeana chosen, then I'll reluctantly leave her on my pick list. If WindStruck is indifferent? Plaids list ftw / Nadia protest vote incoming!

[Feathersnow]

Honestly, I wanted Schlep to help us farm supplies and Aglet for my own character development.
My other preferences were more nebulous. Nodrick can also get us supplies and Voxombus was cheap and we had a spare half-point.

That said- anyone who can cross a cult powerful enough to actively antagonize the Circle and live must have something going for him.

[WindStruck]

Why would potential thieves go after these different institutions with more solid security systems and even Lawbringers closer to them than us (physically and politically), when we would also have expensive equipment but almost no staff or assests that can defend it (presuming we go with your preferred staff and base combo)? Why would the burning blade warlocks, run out of the place by our patroness, not directly target us particularly while we skimp on defense (again, assuming your preferred staff and base combo)?? Why would potential smugglers go to busy ports, instead of our undefended and inconspicuous bay with nearby expensive equipment? If nothing happens, ironically, that would be DM fiat in our favour.

I'm rather tired of this argument. MrAbdiel, would you mind stepping in and giving us your professional opinion on the matter?

Does what we have actually count as "expensive equipment", being both a lucrative target and far beyond what can't be easily replaced?

And does anything JWL imagines happening have any actual basis in reality?

[Feathersnow]

I am not sure it would be helpful to put in Mor'Lag's opinion, and, as a player, I admit to being curious as to more information.

But- Mor'Lag comes from a situation where burglary just doesn't happen. No one robs the powerful for fear of reprisal. People would rob the powerless, but they typically have nothing unless they are vassals to someone powerful, in which case they are basically powerful, too. Also, Ogres are bad at stealth, so they have very little occasion to worry about it being used against them in their own communities. Thus- the idea of hiring guards is one that is outside Mor'Lag's frames of reference.

Also, they see themselves as the weakest and least important members of the party and won't interject beyond advancing their personal preferences, the most important one, Schlep, seems pretty popular with the others.

[MrAbdiel]

I mean, I wouldn't have called it an argument; but you're both correct in that I've probably given insufficient information to know the repercussions for choosing or not choosing certain NPC's here. So I'm happy to try to illuminate.

1. As for how realistic is it to expect an incident that would require security at the beginning of your operation, the answer is low. I'll be rolling dice per arbitrary narrative increment of time you're away from the guild house (and I suppose while you're there). There may be three or four such rolls per 'adventure', with a 5% chance for your base team to have to navigate some kind of security issue. The bottom end of those issues is a local sneak trying to pilfer your Peacebloom. The upper end, at the beginning of your time there, is something like a small group of thieves noticing people have moved into the empty house and take a crack at stealing from it. So there's a quite low chance of incurring a low threat engagement early on.

2. That said, even such engagements are there to make the story more interesting. With a very bad couple of rolls, some goons might descend on the tower while you're away. If you've chosen Felix to be your chief of security, you'd come back and he'd be there with his arm in a cast and a black eye telling you how he fought them off but they got away with some stuff. And if you have someone like Nodrick on staff, you'd have an easier time tracking them down and kicking their asses for it. If you had Nadia on staff, you'd come home and she'd tell you that she whooped them and bowled them down the main street. And if you had a defense system - say, a communion of Earth Elementals that Jakk'ari befriended that watch the place, they'd do a similar job. You might reasonably expect that over time as you make more powerful enemies you'd be well served to progressively increase your investment in these defensive measures. But to explicitly answer the question about whether there is a substantial early threat that might need countering, the answer is no. There is a low chance of a low threat. Altering that basic formula will change those likelihoods. Taking in Voxombis adds some more enemies with incentives to mess with you. Adding tough staff and security facilities increase your capacity to deflect those threats more easily.

3. None of these choices are going to throttle your basic character advancement options; though they are there to offer narrative justification for them. For example. Mor'Lag is looking to understand the Fel better. You might take on Aglet as a tutor for that. Alternatively, you might prefer to say Marion is teaching her, accruing a debt of gratitude for later use in her own nefarious schemes beneficent purposes. But, if it's decide that Marion wouldn't do that, or that her school of Fel wizardry doesn't have enough point of contact with the ogrish ways Mor'Lag is inheriting, I'm not gonna ban Mor'Lag from gaining powers. I'll just be hoping that Mor'Lag RP's as frustrated in finding answers, craving fel artifacts, etc. So Aglet is not a mandatory acquisition for that ambition, but does make narrative sense.

4. Over time, you'll get enough resources to hire all these folks if you indeed want them all. Since I have no way to make you all replay the game choosing different characters for their dialogue options, I mean.

I am happy to answer more things.

[JoyWonderLove]

I mean, I wouldn't have called it an argument; but you're both correct in that I've probably given insufficient information to know the repercussions for choosing or not choosing certain NPC's here. So I'm happy to try to illuminate.

1. As for how realistic is it to expect an incident that would require security at the beginning of your operation, the answer is low. I'll be rolling dice per arbitrary narrative increment of time you're away from the guild house (and I suppose while you're there). There may be three or four such rolls per 'adventure', with a 5% chance for your base team to have to navigate some kind of security issue. The bottom end of those issues is a local sneak trying to pilfer your Peacebloom. The upper end, at the beginning of your time there, is something like a small group of thieves noticing people have moved into the empty house and take a crack at stealing from it. So there's a quite low chance of incurring a low threat engagement early on.

2. That said, even such engagements are there to make the story more interesting. With a very bad couple of rolls, some goons might descend on the tower while you're away. If you've chosen Felix to be your chief of security, you'd come back and he'd be there with his arm in a cast and a black eye telling you how he fought them off but they got away with some stuff. And if you have someone like Nodrick on staff, you'd have an easier time tracking them down and kicking their asses for it. If you had Nadia on staff, you'd come home and she'd tell you that she whooped them and bowled them down the main street. And if you had a defense system - say, a communion of Earth Elementals that Jakk'ari befriended that watch the place, they'd do a similar job. You might reasonably expect that over time as you make more powerful enemies you'd be well served to progressively increase your investment in these defensive measures. But to explicitly answer the question about whether there is a substantial early threat that might need countering, the answer is no. There is a low chance of a low threat. Altering that basic formula will change those likelihoods. Taking in Voxombis adds some more enemies with incentives to mess with you. Adding tough staff and security facilities increase your capacity to deflect those threats more easily.

3. None of these choices are going to throttle your basic character advancement options; though they are there to offer narrative justification for them. For example. Mor'Lag is looking to understand the Fel better. You might take on Aglet as a tutor for that. Alternatively, you might prefer to say Marion is teaching her, accruing a debt of gratitude for later use in her own nefarious schemes beneficent purposes. But, if it's decide that Marion wouldn't do that, or that her school of Fel wizardry doesn't have enough point of contact with the ogrish ways Mor'Lag is inheriting, I'm not gonna ban Mor'Lag from gaining powers. I'll just be hoping that Mor'Lag RP's as frustrated in finding answers, craving fel artifacts, etc. So Aglet is not a mandatory acquisition for that ambition, but does make narrative sense.

4. Over time, you'll get enough resources to hire all these folks if you indeed want them all. Since I have no way to make you all replay the game choosing different characters for their dialogue options, I mean.

I am happy to answer more things.

Yeah, I didn't really see it as an argument (what kinda pleasant arguments do you have where a total stranger agrees with you multiple times?); I wasn't upset or anger at Windstruck or w/e. But I'd also rather not...argue over if we were arguing?

The important point is that WS' threat level idea of the area was much closer to MrA's, so it's totally reasonable to go for...any base combo we want, really. As I mentioned above, (and on the previous page...) I'm actually pretty okay with us investing into the other stuff if it's safe. Which it is. So... let's do it?

@Windstruck, now that the base thing is obvious and you're correct about the threat level, are you happy or indifferent to Aleeana getting chosen among our first choices? If indifferent, I'll change my vote. If she's a first round vote for you, I'll stick to my vote for her too. I basically want everyone to get at least one character in that's ideal for them sooner rather than later.

[Feathersnow]

To clarify- Mor'Lag is actually more interested in the arcane than the Fel. Her first power is counterspell, which is a Mage interrupt, and her second, the punch-dispell, has no direct analog.

Channeling fel is the easier discipline, I would imagine, at least to start with. And she still failed. If she now shows arcane aptitude, it is more likely that us what will grow.

[WindStruck]

I'd be happy to have Aleeana on the official roster. However, even if she isn't, she could still share her room with Isaera. So she's still there, in a way! I think, to be honest, it might be best to add Aleeana on later. As some of the other choices are very good mechanically or story-telling wise as well.

As an aside, even if we do not pick up Voxombis right away, I think simply trying to follow up on his story and quell that cult would be a worthwhile activity. And it could (maybe?) reduce his staff cost.

[Plaids]

Spoiler: Previous candidate points

Show

3. Seraphis Starshadow, Secretary and Majordomo:
Having someone else worry about payrolls, schedules, deeds, and the like is good to have. Also being a translator for languages he does not know is just what Jakk'ari wants.

9. Sister Tylia McBarret, Healer and Priestess (Forsaken Human):
Having representative of the light is important since that is one field of magic the group lacks. The group has fell, elemental, and arcane but not a representative of nature or the light. Given Jakka'ari's background as a shaman advisor he would value having as many magical domain perspectives Also having a healer is really useful.

2. Aglet Glyphtoggle, Magical Autodidact or 5. Nodrick Glitterthumb, Quartermaster and Requisition Expert (Goblin):
Having someone who knows the local higher ups in town, having a skilled haggler, and a quartermaster is good. But the group is already good at negotiating, some of his duties could be covered by Seraphis, and knowing locals can be covered by Schlep. Overall, Nodrick is a good choice but not an automatic inclusion.

It would be good to have some refined magical expertise and capability to study magic. Aglet would likely be most appreciated by Isaera, Marion, and likely Mor'Lag. Aglet would fill the role nicely if we wanted to expand our magical repertoire.
I think it depends on how well the party can study magical matters on their own in their downtime or not.

4. Felix Dunfield, Fighter of Demons:
The group is concerned with security and Felix could provide that if paired with a partner or trained further in fighting. Felix could also help fulfill the odd jobs around the guild if need be. Also, Jakk'ari is biased and wants to see him grow as an individual after questing with him.

10. Schlep, Groundskeeper and Gardener (Murloc) or provided Nodrick is Glitterthumb is hired:
Schlep is a possible interface to the local populace by being a kind of folk hero, he can garden herbs, and can manage a dock which is useful in a port town. Overall, a solid package.

Nodrick seems to be service specialist who would do a good job at keeping #3, #2, #9, and #5 from storming off due to abysmal work conditions. I think he could supplement security as well due to being a Tauren and not a Murloc. If someone with local connections is hired then Nodrick beats out Schelp. I think Schelp could keep do some housekeeping work to keep people happy but wouldn't be as good at it as Nodrick.

As for complications I think Jakk'ari would only be concerned about arrogance and a "that's not my job" attitude and would one of the more forgiving members of the party.

As for the others I think they are pretty good as well.
Aleeana Runescribe would be useful for some added magical prowess. Though not as experienced as Aglet the added ranger skills for scouting and hunting would provide extra materials, surveilance, and intelligence.

I discounted Sheila Grayfeather but animal training is really useful. Some guard dogs would help with security, messenger pigeons would be good for communication, pets for therapy, bees for finding landmines, mounts for transportation, and hunting companions for gathering materials would be very useful. Overall good material gathering, security and odd job utility.

Nadia Tarnadel is pretty much the security chief and would be the first person hired if security is the highest concern. Pretty simple.

I'm seeing material gathering, magic, security, local contacts and knowledge, organizational skills, and misc. utility emerging as the most prominent categories.
I'm still thinking who to select. Any idea on when I need to submit my final choices?

[MrAbdiel]

That's a good question. Honestly, I just kind of threw the list out there with no plan to help generate a consensus, but I had no reason to expect that would happen. You have atleast until we know BananaPhone's thoughts as well! If we were all around the same table, we'd RP out the interviews and I'd let you chat IC amoung yourselves to pick your cantidates. But since we're all just squinting through the radiation at our separate monitors, a more direct method of arriving at agreement is required. So far, the landscape looks like:

Mor'Lag wants: Aglet, Voxombis, Nodrick, Schlep.
Mor'Lag does not want: Sister Tylia.

Isaera wants: Aglet, Felix, Nodrick, Tylia, Schlep.

Jakk'ari wants: Aglet, Seraphis, Tylia, Voxombis, Schlep.

Emelia wants: Aglet, Seraphis, Felix, Tylia, Schlep.

Marion's preferences pending.

I've tried to everyone's current leanings from the last battery of posts, but if I've missed a strong inclination or disinclination, let me know and I'll edit this post. Provided the above is accurate, unless Marion has a previously undescribed allergy to gnomes, Aglet looks like the first sure-thing, with Schlep mrgling behind. There's a fair amount of interest in Tylia, but she's the only one that anyone in the party proper is likely to butt heads with. And two heads are better than one.

With Aglet and Schlep secured, you have two "full" picks left and one "half" pick. The half pick obviously is going to be Voxombis or Felix, but we'll wait for Marion's preferences before anything is presumed strongly. The two "Full" picks seem likely to be out of Nodrick, Seraphis, or possibly Tylia with that big red asterisk over her head. Aleeana and Nadia seem to be sliding towards the Next-Time shelf; with Sheila proving to be lowest priority so far. No one wants mounts, then; I see how it is. Fine. FINE! Pay for mounts out of your own XP then! SEE IF I CARE. But honestly, you gotta make cuts somewhere. Unselected cantidates will still be in Ratchet; just not working for you!

Pending Marion's preferences and everyone's thumbs up or down for my summary, your support staff seems likely to be Aglet, Seraphis, Nodrick, Schlep, and someone with an X in their name. Once Bananaphone gets a moment to post some thoughts, I'll do another roundup and we'll be just about ready to nail it down.

In the time between, I'm going to boot up the scene where the party reconvenes (theoretically) back at Janene's. I'll also boot up a scene in Ratchet for you JoyWonderLove, to solo a little and give the others an impression of your character. When the Janene's stuff is done, I'll timeskip them ahead to show up in the Ratchet scene, which will be the first time you meet each other.

Edit: Clarification: I'll boot up those scenes about three hours from this edit!

[BananaPhone]

This is really a huge amount of content to process before posting lol.

[MrAbdiel]

I'll try not to add to it, then! Happy to have you catching up, though!

[JoyWonderLove]

MrA summed up the staff choices nicely. Staff wise, the fourth choice is very 50/50 to me. Schlep is basically worth his own staff point to me; I don't see anyone else volunteering to Make Grass for us. But is Schlep better than Nadia...? Plaids also opened my eyes to how useful Shelia really is (I can't be the only one that paused at that bee idea), but I wouldn't want her so much without a stable, so the dwarf is more a next round pick for me. A fancy horse sooner than later would be great (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KfD0Xyc-rIU ) ! Practically speaking, with Seraphis skilled at guiding large numbers, it's better to have both The Adorables (Schlep/Felix) from the start. But I'm not in a practical mood, so......Schlep or Nadia me. Alternatively, now that I see people aren't as pro Tylia as I assumed they would be, I'm not above throwing Tylia's undead ass under the bus for Nadia to come aboard! Hm? My bias from that ghost in the Gotham game is bleeding through here? Oh you.



time for random musing a loud on warcraft professions

Spoiler

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Cooking + Artificer + materials (...food) = fun utility. It works, I love it, awesome. Let's go!

Expertise: Magic (understand, supervise & sell skill) + Artificer (make things with understanding & material) + materials (clothes, metal to make stuff) = eat, sleep & bath in subtly enchanted noble worthy gear. Alright!

omg what if I took...both?!

Meanwhile, in the mind of JWL:

Enchantment skill: *looking miserably through the rainy window sill at all the exciting character points being thrown around inside* Hey, uh. You really liked me before! Can...can I come too?

MrAbdiel: Aw, he thinks he's people.

JWL: *trying to shove four barely overlapping ideas into one PL 4 noble "paladin" and getting none of them; suitcase of choices explodes incoherently*

OKAY, GEE, GREAT. THANKS A TON, ENCHANTMENT. Here I had no clue what you did before, but you know what? Now I do. You're distracting! You don't do anything your big brother Expertise: Magic can't with his friend Artificer, and probably much less! Everything I read says putting points into Presence is stupid, and I'm still going to do that rather than take you. In fact? I DON'T CARE IF I CAN COOK; NO DINNER FOR YOU.

Emilia: But. But what about...?

JWL: Yes, obviously, cocktails are fine.

Emilia:

@MrA:

Spoiler: Professional choices, abusing the system

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I really like the professions you added so I absolutely want to bring it into the story. But Enchantment feels doomed to be the redheaded step child of the subsystem. As long as I can do full enchanting stuff with just Artificer + E: Magic, without accidentally abusing a loophole by not taking the Enchantment profession skill, I admit I might? So mostly this is a last call to make sure that's a non issue to you. If the Enchantment skill is actually the third leg of the tripod that is also Expertise: Magic & Artificer, to show what a really difficult and rare skillset it is to do properly (which is fine; there have to be a lot more Cooks around than Enchanters), I can always go half and half between Enchantment & Cooking.

[BananaPhone]

In regards to staff....

Marions Thoughts...

Spoiler

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Aleeana Runescribe, Aspiring Farstrider - Possibly. (1 SP)

Aglet Glyphtoggle, Magical Autodidact - Skilled in engineering AND knowledgeable about demonology? Yes! (1SP)

Seraphis Starshadow, Secretary and Majordomo - Marion is slightly intimidated by the towering, amazonian night elves and their...alien ways. She's also heard some rumors of a few handsome, dashing human adventurers shacking up with them instead of their own kind...that sounds like competition. Apprehensive at best, but probably a yes with supervision (1 SP)

Felix Dunfield, Fighter of Demons - Finally, someone NORMAL. And a boy too! Yes. (0.5 SP)

Nodrick Glitterthumb, Quartermaster and Requisition - I'd sooner trust a dwarf to guard the beer. I don't want one of those lecherous, stunted little perverts roaming the halls with their creepy, grasping little hands. No.

Sheila Grayfeather, Stablemistress and Beast Trainer - A babbling dwarf only good for animals. No.

Nadia Tarnadel, Security Chief and Bodyguard (Human) - Trusting a female human with security in a continent of 6'6" muscular orcs? And a human that dislikes her own kind? No.

Voxombis Staggerhorn, Housekeeper and Butler (Tauren) - Well...there is the chance for burgers on Saturday. Maybe.

Sister Tylia McBarret, Healer and Priestess (Forsaken Human) - Kill it with fire. Now. No ifs, no buts, kill it now!

Schlep, Groundskeeper and Gardener (Murloc) - *Levelling in Elwynn, Westfall and Redridge garbling flashbacks* Kill it.

[JoyWonderLove]

In regards to staff....

Marions Thoughts...

Spoiler

Show

Aleeana Runescribe, Aspiring Farstrider - Possibly. (1 SP)

Aglet Glyphtoggle, Magical Autodidact - Skilled in engineering AND knowledgeable about demonology? Yes! (1SP)

Seraphis Starshadow, Secretary and Majordomo - Marion is slightly intimidated by the towering, amazonian night elves and their...alien ways, so apprehensive at best (1 SP)

Felix Dunfield, Fighter of Demons - Finally, someone NORMAL. And a boy too! Yes. (0.5 SP)

Nodrick Glitterthumb, Quartermaster and Requisition - I'd sooner trust a dwarf to guard the beer. No.

Sheila Grayfeather, Stablemistress and Beast Trainer - A babbling dwarf only good for animals. No.

Nadia Tarnadel, Security Chief and Bodyguard (Human) - Trusting a female human with security in a continent of 6'6" muscular orcs? And a human that dislikes her own kind? No.

Voxombis Staggerhorn, Housekeeper and Butler (Tauren) - Well...there is the chance for burgers on Saturday. Maybe.

Sister Tylia McBarret, Healer and Priestess (Forsaken Human) - Kill it with fire. Now. No ifs, no buts, kill it now!

Schlep, Groundskeeper and Gardener (Murloc) - *Levelling in Elwynn, Westfall and Redridge garbling flashbacks* Kill it.

Wow, ok, so. Look. Tinkering with demons is desperate and reckless, but not loving Schlep with all your heart is just downright evil. HOW WILL WE MAKE GRASS, MARION?! HMM? YOU THINK MOTHER NATURE JUST DOES THAT FOR FREE, HUH?

The nerve of some people.

[BananaPhone]

We could make grass by turning Schelp into fertilizer.

He'd certainly be "grounds keeping" then.

*Sinister chuckle*

[WindStruck]

Pretty ironic that the most culpable among us would be the most hostile towards peoples of different backgrounds...

[BananaPhone]

She's aristocratic mountain folk . She's more indulgent toward the High/Blood elves and Gnomes because she's encountered and spent time with them during her studies at Dalaran with the Kirin Tor.

She's...okayish with the Night Elf because of their alliance with the humans of Azeroth.

But the rest? Can't trust'em. The Tauren at least could be turned into burgers for a year if he acts on any funny ideas.

[MrAbdiel]

@MrA:

Spoiler: Professional choices, abusing the system

Show

I really like the professions you added so I absolutely want to bring it into the story. But Enchantment feels doomed to be the redheaded step child of the subsystem. As long as I can do full enchanting stuff with just Artificer + E: Magic, without accidentally abusing a loophole by not taking the Enchantment profession skill, I admit I might? So mostly this is a last call to make sure that's a non issue to you. If the Enchantment skill is actually the third leg of the tripod that is also Expertise: Magic & Artificer, to show what a really difficult and rare skillset it is to do properly (which is fine; there have to be a lot more Cooks around than Enchanters), I can always go half and half between Enchantment & Cooking.

Spoiler: Why are we whispering though

Show

Well. It's a hard call. I hadn't really thought about it specifically, but I've more or less peeled out the Artificer function from Expertise: Magic and plugged it into Enchanting and Alchemy. are both ways of creating power effects. They've functionally replaced Expertise: Magic as the skill attached to Artificer; which seems find to me, because magic is a way bigger part of this setting than others, so it makes sense that knowledge of it in its various forms is more costly. Expertise: Magic governs your ability to understand and parse general magical principles, with a specialty in anything your character is particularly about - in your case, holy magic. If I don't demand Expertise: Enchanting in order to use it to do Artificery stuff, I'm sort of taxing the players who dumped points into Alchemy or Engineering without the benefit of the Expertise: Magic on top of it.

The mechanically sound choice here is to say "You can't use downtime to both cook and enchant anyway." Wisdom there might be just to roleplay as being an enchanter with your powers and actions, but otherwise not taking the Enchanting skill. Enchantments, strickly in WoW terms, are longer term effects anyway. You could have a variable power that is just "Enchantments", limited by stuff you could have on armor and weapons.

Alternatively, you might embrace the "Bad at the magic side of the job" thing you were leaning into and just not take Expertise: Magic. It's covered off pretty handily by others in the group anyway; and you could pick it up later as your character learns. Those're the best paths forward I can see.
But I need to take some time to decide how I want to do those profession skills exactly. So... Let me get back to you about that.

@everyone: Well, this has revealed to me that I might need to specifically delineate how Profession skills interact with Artificer. Since I've been unclear, some folks have spent points directly into Expertise: Alchemy, pairing that with Artificer; while also having Expertise: Magic. Strictly speaking, I probably owe Isaera some build points. Plus, Marion's got Artificer mostly for making Soul Shards and things; which is probably not required since it's not really being used for Artificing...

So I confess, because I was very green to the system when we began this, the professions thing is a bit of a mess. I'll do an audit, codify how we're going to use it, and then reimburse anyone who is "owed" points functionally, or help rejigger things to make it a bit smoother. That's pending. Work for sometime soon, for me. But as it stands, I'm thinking that the Artificer advantage should require a specific skill like Alchemy, Enchanting or similar to produce usable doodads, since Expertise: Magic is already overloaded with power as a knowledge skill, and as the skill tied to Ritual Casting. But no one's gonna lose points, I just need to think it all through. Zzzz for now!

[JoyWonderLove]

Doesn't love Schlep...

Hires another warlo.....

Wants Felix over Nadi....!

*urge to smite evil intensifies*

Spoiler

Show

I'm slightly surprised you were for Aleeana, but I'm guessing that's more 'well, you're not worse than the rest'. Ironically even Windstruck isn't explicitly voting for her first round. This staff minigame is full of surprises.

[Feathersnow]

Everyone's choices make sense in character. Mor'Lag generally thinks Marion is our leader, but finds her choices... perplexing. They come from a completely different societies, so this is inevitable.

That said, Mor'Lag is willing to back most of her choices, provided we be allowed to keep Schlep. Not seeing his value is a bigger red flag than the racism or ostentatious humility relative to what an Ogre warlock would show I'm Marion's position.

[WindStruck]

Not really sure what's going on with "On the ridge over Ratchet..."

Is that someone talking to us?

Or is this just like some mysterious cutscene we don't interact with?

[MrAbdiel]

Not really sure what's going on with "On the ridge over Ratchet..."

Is that someone talking to us?

Or is this just like some mysterious cutscene we don't interact with?

Sorry, no; I mentioned it earlier, but it’s a scene I started up to get Joy’s character a little airtime before you show up.

[WindStruck]

Oh, right! Thanks for that reminder.

[JoyWonderLove]

Spoiler: Why are we whispering though

Show

Well. It's a hard call. I hadn't really thought about it specifically, but I've more or less peeled out the Artificer function from Expertise: Magic and plugged it into Enchanting and Alchemy. are both ways of creating power effects. They've functionally replaced Expertise: Magic as the skill attached to Artificer; which seems find to me, because magic is a way bigger part of this setting than others, so it makes sense that knowledge of it in its various forms is more costly. Expertise: Magic governs your ability to understand and parse general magical principles, with a specialty in anything your character is particularly about - in your case, holy magic. If I don't demand Expertise: Enchanting in order to use it to do Artificery stuff, I'm sort of taxing the players who dumped points into Alchemy or Engineering without the benefit of the Expertise: Magic on top of it.

The mechanically sound choice here is to say "You can't use downtime to both cook and enchant anyway." Wisdom there might be just to roleplay as being an enchanter with your powers and actions, but otherwise not taking the Enchanting skill. Enchantments, strickly in WoW terms, are longer term effects anyway. You could have a variable power that is just "Enchantments", limited by stuff you could have on armor and weapons.

Alternatively, you might embrace the "Bad at the magic side of the job" thing you were leaning into and just not take Expertise: Magic. It's covered off pretty handily by others in the group anyway; and you could pick it up later as your character learns. Those're the best paths forward I can see.
But I need to take some time to decide how I want to do those profession skills exactly. So... Let me get back to you about that.

@everyone: Well, this has revealed to me that I might need to specifically delineate how Profession skills interact with Artificer. Since I've been unclear, some folks have spent points directly into Expertise: Alchemy, pairing that with Artificer; while also having Expertise: Magic. Strictly speaking, I probably owe Isaera some build points. Plus, Marion's got Artificer mostly for making Soul Shards and things; which is probably not required since it's not really being used for Artificing...

So I confess, because I was very green to the system when we began this, the professions thing is a bit of a mess. I'll do an audit, codify how we're going to use it, and then reimburse anyone who is "owed" points functionally, or help rejigger things to make it a bit smoother. That's pending. Work for sometime soon, for me. But as it stands, I'm thinking that the Artificer advantage should require a specific skill like Alchemy, Enchanting or similar to produce usable doodads, since Expertise: Magic is already overloaded with power as a knowledge skill, and as the skill tied to Ritual Casting. But no one's gonna lose points, I just need to think it all through. Zzzz for now!

This is perfect and clearly shows me where I wasn't getting it (Enchanting being its own independent thing outside of E: Magic was probably among the biggest points). Thanks!

Spoiler: psst, we are whispering bcuz

Show

sometimes that's what friends do :3

Everyone's choices make sense in character. Mor'Lag generally thinks Marion is our leader, but finds her choices... perplexing. They come from a completely different societies, so this is inevitable.

Weirdly my original voting was concerned with getting everyone someone fancy that fit them (Alget for MorLag and Marion is the obvious 'I defo don't want you' choice). But now that I can see enough support for Alget that he's in and you're easily getting your training/development if you want anyway....I will now betray you and withdraw that vote for Alget because he's still making it in regardless. Just as planned (except not at all)! :D (Plaids, BP, and you all voted for Alget; he's safe even without me).

@Plaids: Who can I vote bribe encourage you with to make Nadia and/or Aleeana a thing? Unfortunately, my vote for Seraphis is probably staying put anyway....and I know she's kinda maybe your first choice, so I'm not very good at this. BUT there has to be a #2 or #3 you like that we can collude agree on?

Is Tylia safe on your list, or are you open to Sparta kicking her off for more Nadia and/or Aleeana action?

Time to sleep (few hours ago) good night all.

[BananaPhone]

I am so tempted to have Marion recite a summary of her childhood in response to Jarkkai's request.

[Plaids]

I'm now leaning towards different candidates after hearing some of the arguments and posts from other players and the added interviews.

New preferences:
Felix and Voxombis: Felix has proven himself in battle and Voxombis's druid experience would be highly valued by Jakk'ari and a nine-foot butler sounds like a potential bodyguard.

Nodrick or Seraphis: I am currently leaning more towards Nodrick now. I think local connections and auction house experience will be good enough for the managerial needs the guild will have. My current list is lacking materials-oriented staff. But materials can be bought in market or at the auction house. I am currently valuing the local connections of Nodrick over the combat prowess of Seraphis and both seem to be good schedulers and bookkeepers.

Aleeana or Shiela: If it's just skills I think Sheila has the edge. Sheila seems like a really good all-rounder, but reconnaissance, magic, and hunting is a good selection too. If Isaera is dead set on having her sister come along Jakk'ari would be swayed and give the edge to Aleeana. Having family watch your back is important to the troll.

Aglet or Tylia: If Jakk'ari was the only PC then Tylia would have the edge. Having some divine magic knowledge would be valued above added arcane and fell knowledge. But the party really wants Aglet so he seems to be a shoe in.

The staff now seem to be a mix of restless youths and older mentor figures. I'm liking the theming here.

@JoyWonderLove: I'll vote for Aleana if a vote for Seraphis or Tylia is changed to Nodrick. I would prefer not to have Seraphis and Seraphis overlap but maybe if the party is super successful a greater need for managerial skills will arise requiring both.
As for the relative maturity/stage of life of the party members this is the order that I have in my mind.
Jakk'ari > Zachary > Mor'Lag >= Marion > Isaera. I don't know anything about Emelia yet.

[MrAbdiel]

@Marion! Sorry I should have tagged it into the post. The party's not at that Ratchet scene yet; it's a little intro doohickey for JWL, and I'll fold you all in to it later. But feel free to chuck that text in a spoiler tag because you can use it verbatim later when you get shown the house.