Agreed. Distractions are good. Alice would make a great distraction--Alyce, Alyce, burning bright/In the forests of the night would be visible yet protected by all those trees.
Blake is one of my favorite poets. You get a gold star GWG.
Character:Name: Fellsoil Dreamender??? the Male Night Troll "Hrrrmm. This name will take some getting used too. If I decide I don't like it, I can ignore it until it goes away, or terrorize another settlement in hopes of getting a better one."
Physical Traits:
Arrow Lodged in Shoulder, Fractured Thumb
Tattooed Arms "Prevents me from getting magic fatigued as easily, and even helps out a bit with casting. Also: Fashionable."
Springy Legs "I wish I could fly, but being able to jump like a flea and kick peoples ribs in is the next best thing."
Camouflaged Body "I can be invisible... at a glance or at a distance."
Hypnotic Gaze "I'm good at disabling a mortal's self preservation instinct... not so good at predicting his actions once I do."
Skills:
Eon Manipulation (+5) "Eon Manipulation is a family tradition. I hope to someday be as good as my father..."
Stealth (+4) "They can't escape what they can't see!"
Dark Manipulation (+2) "The night is my birthright and my greatest ally..."
Communication (+2) "Even for one as hideous as myself, a silver tongue goes a long way!"
Night Creature Empathy (+1) "Because it pays to be friends with other night dwellers."
Fire Manipulation (+1) "Fire is one of the few things capable of scaring mortals as much as I do. It makes sense that I should master it."
Plant Empathy (+1) "I can use this skill to navigate the forest... among other things."
Inventory:
A cursed bracelet of plant reading [+1 when listening to plants] (Worn, right arm, boosts Plant Empathy in some situations)
Steel Buckler (Wielded, left arm)
An Elf-Tooth Charm Necklace of Healing (Worn)
Alchemist's Work Outfit [Shirt, Apron, Pants] (Worn)
-A Soul Catcher Necklace (Worn)
-3 Full Coin Purses [Unsorted] (In pocket)
-28 Lockpicks (In pocket)
-1 Handheld mirror (In pocket)
-2 Large Rubies (In Pocket)
-2 Platinum Ingots (In Pockets, Straining Garmet)
-1 Human Brain of Phyros [Magically Preserved] (In pocket)
-1 Small Sack of Grey Powder Labeled 'Phoenix Ash' (In Pocket)
-1 Small Sack of Assorted Dragon Bits [Small Bones, Scales, Teeth, Ect] (In Pocket)
-1 Small Sack Labeled 'Warning: Gunpowder' (In Pocket)
-1 Book Titled 'Intro to the Inferno: The Scourge's Guide to Flame Manipulation' (In Pocket)
-1 Book Titled 'The Devil's Cookbook: Alchemy for Those Lacking in Moral Fiber' (In Pocket)
Thick Belt (Worn)
-Scorchedjade, An Artifact Rose Quartz Spear [Unknown Enchantment(s)]
-1 Large Knife (Sheathed, Hanging from Belt)
-1 Saber (Sheathed, Hanging from Belt)
-1 Steel Dagger (Sheathed, Hanging from Belt)
"I'm well equipped to handle any situation!"
Perks:
Magic Perks
Budding Animal Empath: You will gain the animal empathy skill if you succeed in 1 animal empathy actions, or successfully study it in a book
Improving Communicator: Your Communication skill will increase if you succeed in 1 communication actions, or train extensively under a superior communicator.
Time Displacement Specialist: Take a +1 to any attempt to send something foward in time.
Budding Fire Manipulator: You will gain the fire manipulation skill if you succeed in 2 fire manipulation actions or train with somebody who has it
Budding Lore Keeper of Notcheclaw: You will gain the loreminder [Notcheclaw] skill if you study her scripture or train with an instructor 4 more times.
Budding Priest of Notcheclaw: You will gain the Invocation [Notcheclaw] skill if you study her scripture or train with an instructor 2 more times.
Aspiring Water Manipulator: You will gain the water manipulation skill if you succeed in 6 water manipulation actions, or train extensively with somebody who has it
Aspiring Swordsman: You will gain the Armed Combat [Swords] skill if you succeed in 6 sword combat actions, or train extensively with somebody who has it
Bug Speaker: You do not suffer an untrained skill penalty for using animal empathy on bugs
Bird Speaker: You do not suffer an untrained skill penalty for using animal empathy on birds
Youth Speaker: Take a +1 to any attempt to communicate with a mortal who is under 30 (Or equivilant to being under 30 for non humans)
Reproductive Perks
Mature: You are physically and mentally capable of converting and impregnating mates. To do so you must spend a "Gift" perk. "Gift" perks can be gained by rolling very high, learning new skills, or through other supernatural means. If you create a child it may be born with some traits of it's mother in addition to whatever gift you use to conceive it.
Gift of Hideousness: Can be spent to convert or impregnate a mate. The night troll created will appear so unatural and ugly that it will almost always elicit a powerful emotional response (typically fear, disgust, or anger) in any mortal who lays eyes on it. Bun in the Oven
Gift of Inferno's Embrace: Can be spent to convert or impregnate a mate. The night troll created will be able to make itself as one with any sufficiently large blaize. While merged with a fire a night troll is nearly invincible, has the ability to materialize anywhere near it, and exert some control over the direction and rate of it's spread.
Gift of Withering Touch: Can be spent to convert or impregnate a mate. The night troll created will have the ability to cause mortal beings to age upon physical contact. Humans can be brought from infancy to natural death in about 30 minutes. Dwarves take about three times that much. Elves and Goblins can be aged to physical maturity, but not beyond that point.
Gift of Amnesia: Can be spent to convert or impregnate a mate. The night troll created will have a hypnosis power capable of removing the last few minutes of a mortal's memory.
Gift of Battlelust: Can be spent to convert or impregnate a mate. The night troll created will have thick natural armor and the ability to enter into a martial trance when cornered.
Gift of the Left Stone: Can be spent to convert a female or impregnate a mate. Instead of producing a son or a consort, this gift creates a fully functional female night troll. The traits gained depends on the female converted or consort impregnated.
Recipes:
Drought of Perception Blotting: Causes the drinker to become invisible to members of a single sentient race unless the drinker tries to get their attention or is pointed out to them.
-1 Brain of the Race you wish to be not noticed by
-1 Fistfull of ash from burned oak
-1 1 Large Mug of digestive juices from a mammal
Other Party Members:
Gwendolyn, the Night Troll Consort (Recovering From Birth)
-Loincloth
-Steel Sword
-Steel Sword
-Wood Shovel
Cherlyn, the Night Troll Consort (Healthy, Unfamiliar with her own body)
-Black Thief's Clothing
-Diamond Studded Gold Necklace
-Pair of Ruby Studded Bronze Earings
-Obsidian Dagger (Enchanted)
-23 Iron Lockpicks
-Oak Wand
-Coin Purse [5 Dawnmaiden Gold Coin]
Jimma, the Night Troll Consort Puppet (Healthy, Unfamiliar with her own body, Pregnant 0/?? Fear for Baby)
-Scrap Cloth Loincloth
-Steel Battleaxe
-Set of Steel Chain-mail
Alice, the Night Troll Consort (Healthy, Unfamiliar with her own body)
-Steel Combat Knife
-Steel Workman's Ax
-Bow of the North Wind
-Coin Purse [33 Dwanmaiden Silver Coin, 3 Foghorn the Vile Aluminum Doubloons]
Unamed Baby Night Troll (Hypnotic Gaze, Tattooed Arms, Camouflaged Body, Springy Legs, Tumors of Blinking)
Family time takes place outside, as Gwendolyn is frantically trying to get used to her new metal swords before the raid. She is too stressed over her weapon to make small talk, and after she fires off a few statements implying her resentment of unenchanted weapons you decide to take the baby back inside before the discussion gets heated.
1d20 = 2 + 3(Gwendolyn is your consort) + 2 = 7The baby seems to have picked up its first words since you last saw it. It now recites what you assume to be several short verses of the scripture Kelpmier is teaching it. You decide to get in on the act and teach the kid how to announce itself as your son.
Sadly the child refuses to go along with the lesson and ends up biting you on the thumb - hard. You hear bone break and are rather glad that you are wearing your regeneration necklace.
1d20 = 1 + 2(Skill) + 1(Perk) = 4 OUCH!You wait a few hours to give Foghorn ample time to return to his tower before calling him up on the mirror.
"I've been thinking sir. I was wondering if you could provide a distraction of some sort to cover for me at the start of the raid?" 1d20 = 18 + 2(Skill) = 20The wizard twirls his mustache.
"I'll have my son whip up a quick and dirty ritual to screw with the weather or something. Distractions don't have to be fancy, so we should be able to pull it off without a huge sacrifice. Just let me know when you need it ready."Cherlyn isn't back yet, but she hasn't been gone long enough for you to be worried yet.