Juno (NPC & example PC-level character)

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Wyvern
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Juno (NPC & example PC-level character)

Post by Wyvern »

Juno is a lanky young woman, fair-skinned with freckles, short black hair, and pale brown eyes that - in the right lighting - seem almost yellow. Or she's a wolf, larger and heavier than most but still too small to merit the appelation 'dire', with sleek black fur. Or she's somewhere inbetween - though she doesn't always understand why "human with wolf ears and a tail" is considered cute, but "wolf with a human face" typically comes off as creepy. Her colors are black and gold and brown, and her banner is a snarling wolf's head - gold eyes and teeth, black wolf, brown background.

High Concept: Scion of Julian's Folly
Juno is the child of Julian and 'Lady' Ylva of Mistwyr, and possesses the full heritage of both - though as yet she only suspects her Amberite parentage, and no-one is too eager to invite her to try the Pattern. [OOC aside: the base Amber RPG rules says 'you don't get to pick your parents'; however, I'm willing to make exceptions if someone has a request and a particularly good idea. Especially given that aspects referring to Amberites offer some powerful options for invokes and compels. Were this an actual submitted character, the references to a "Lady Ylva" would also be a good touch, establishing an additional NPC for the setting.]
Invoke:
  • To know the paths and dangers of Arden, especially its darkest corners... places like Mistwyr. (To a lesser degree, to know and be able to navigate any forest - though Arden is where she is most at home.)
  • To be accorded respect by monsters that recognize the scent of her mother's bloodline.
  • When doing things in a werewolf-y way - attacks with claws and teeth, pack tactics, fights for dominance, scaring someone off with a growl and a baring of fangs, hunting and running down prey, tests of endurance, and so on and so forth.
  • To involve Julian or Julian's allies in a matter - though usually with some subtlety; he has not acknowledged his daughter, and would prefer to avoid even raising the question.
Compel:
  • For negative reactions (and actions) related to being a werewolf - fear from those who know (or even merely suspect), being the 'natural' suspect when a string of brutal murders crops up, picking the wrong response for the current context (like trying to intimidate a noble with a growl instead of employing subtly biting wordplay), etc.
  • To be out of place and uncomfortable in cities, drawing undesired attention or having to leave a crowded room before she does something she'd regret.
  • To be targeted by Julian's (or, less commonly, Ylva's) enemies.
  • To be asked for help by canids of any sort, or allies of either of her parents.
  • To be accorded respect by monsters that recognize the scent of her mother's bloodline - because sometimes it is not a good thing when your opponent decides that you are a serious and credible threat, or your allies start to wonder why the creatures attacking them are going out of their way to not hit you...
[OOC aside: There are some very obvious options for trouble aspect that I decided not to go with. For example, "The Beast Hungers" would play up the disadvantages of being a werewolf, or "Outcast of (Polite) Society" would play up the disadvantages of a nearly-feral upbringing in Mistwyr and how the public looks down on a werewolf. However, neither of those aspects would have added anything new to the character - her high concept already allows compels along those lines, so wasting an aspect on a duplicate effect seemed like a poor use of limited resources.]
[Edited second OOC aside: I've come to re-think my beliefs on what makes a good 'Trouble' aspect. Instead of just 'What causes problems', I prefer a trouble that represents the character's call to adventure - something that doesn't just hinder or limit the character's choices, but also propels them to take action.]
Trouble: Puppy's Enthusiasm
Juno has a seemingly limitless reserve of cheerful enthusiasm, and the canine loyalty to go with it. She'll gladly step in front of an attack for someone she just met, try to help anyone and everyone, and generally manages to come across as, well, an enthusiastic puppy.
Invoke:
  • When trying to make new friends or be friendly.
  • When trying to help her friends, newly-made or otherwise.
  • When being cheerfully optimistic offers some actual advantage.
Compel:
  • To be overly trusting of... well, everyone, really.
  • To try to help people when she'd be better served by keeping her nose out of trouble.
  • To be distrusted by scheming elders that assume everything anyone does is an act.
  • When being naively optimistic offers some definite disadvantage, such as not having any backup plans because of course it will all work out.
A Ranger's Cabin on Kolvir
Juno's home, and personal retreat when she's tired of dealing with people - or just tired. This aspect also includes her responsibilities & training as a (somewhat honorary) member of Julian's Rangers, as well as her love of Amber.
Invoke:
  • To receive aid from the Rangers (most notably, Mr. Pendleton, a crabby old repair-man who taught her reading, writing, and arithmetic), or (with some grumbling), from Amber's city guards or other allies.
  • To take advantage of the social benefits of her position, flashing a badge to aid in an intimidation attempt against a criminal, or using her post and the political pull associated with it to (metaphorically, we hope) bludgeon her way into an event meant for nobles.
  • To turn up for a scene on the slopes of Kolvir, in the forest of Arden, or anywhere along the Dragon Lines.
  • When taking action that supports the interests of Amber.
  • To gain an advantage in a criminal investigation, small scale or guerilla combat, Line repair, or otherwise be competent at the responsibilities of a Ranger.
Compel:
  • To be called upon for aid by the Rangers, or (with some growling) Amber's city guards or others.
  • To be required to live up to the social expectations of a post that is effectively (very) minor nobility, such as attending social events when invited, to be polite to high class jerks even when she'd rather slug them in the face (until or unless she can find cause to challenge them to a duel), etc.
  • To turn up for a scene she didn't want to be in on the slopes of Kolvir, in the forest of Arden, or anywhere along the Dragon Lines.
  • To take actions that support the interests of Amber.
  • To have to spend time investigating crimes, skirmishing against Amber's enemies, repairing the Lines, or otherwise dispatching the responsibilities of a Ranger.
Two other aspects left blank, to allow for connections with other PCs. Perhaps someone was a (former?) lover? Perhaps a rival? Maybe Juno's used to getting a tip-off from a shady message-runner, or maybe she works on the side for a perfectly respectable book-dealer (really we swear there's nothing suspicious here)... Plenty of options, but does require keeping a few aspects open rather than spending them all on defining yourself.

Power: 5 - Juno excels in the application of brute force to problems, whether that be physical might, willpower, or direct bludgeoning intimidation / force of personality.
Focus: 3 - Many people would not expect a high Focus from a werewolf, but hunting requires patience and perception.
Craft: 1 - The lasting legacy of her time along the Line, Juno is at least not -bad- at working with devices.
Sneak: 2 - Stealth and misdirection serve a hunter well - though Juno is much better at physical sorts of deception than she is at social ones, often failing the latter with a compel on her High Concept.
Flair: 0 - Juno tends to be blunt and straightforward, with little interest in showing off just for the sake of showing off.
Quick: 4 - As a werewolf and a warrior, Juno is quick to act and nimble on her feet. Sometimes too quick to act...
[OOC aside: While I'm providing numbers for this example, someone posting a character description for public viewing could certainly hide some or all of the numbers, leaving only the descriptions.]

Refresh: 1
Powers: Pathfinder (-1), Werewolf (-1)
[OOC aside: While Pathfinder is reasonably well defined, Werewolf is not - nor, for that matter, do all breeds of werewolves need to have exactly the same set of powers. Were Juno an actual PC, her player would need to discuss with the GM what she had in mind for the Werewolf power to entail, and make sure that meshed with the GM's plans for the werewolves of Mistwyr. As Juno is an example, let's assume that such a discussion led to the following points: Juno's shapeshifting allows rapid regeneration regardless of form, manifesting as an armor rating of 1 - except for injuries inflicted by silver or powers, which bypass this defense; this also means that mundane sorts of damage cannot inflict a 'death' result - drowning, burning, or a steel sword through the heart will all put her down for a while, but not forever. In addition, she has access to a wolf's keen senses - particularly her sense of smell, which will give her extra information in some situations without needing to spend a fate point on her high concept, such as 'seeing' through someone's disguise. And, lastly, she can - at the cost of a doom - assume a monstrous hybrid form, increasing her armor rating to 2 and weapon rating to 1; in most cases, the doom is compelled in the same scene it's acquired to induce a berserker rage.]
Stunts:
Native Shapeshifter: Juno can use her Werewolf Power in Amber at no additional cost. This counts as two stunts - one to shift the cost from "Doom" down to "Fate Point", and the second to remove the Fate Point cost entirely. [OOC aside: This sort of double-stunt represents extensive practice; it also requires GM permission. In this example, that permission is granted due to Juno's Amberite blood, Pathfinder Power, and history of time spent in Amber from her "A Ranger's Cabin on Kolvir" aspect. Well, that, and the fact that Juno's Werewolf power is both relatively weak and tightly focused. A were-dragon or sorcerer or the like might not get the same permission even if they had a similar set of justifications for it.]
Brawler's Bite: Juno gets +2 Power when making an attack using natural weaponry (claws/teeth/punches/kicks/etc). (The 'bite' is only sometimes metaphorical, even in her human form...)
Ghost On Four Paws: Juno gets +2 Sneak when making an overcome action as a wolf.
Wyvern
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Re: Example PC: Juno

Post by Wyvern »

Another quick OOC note: Part of the reason I include an explicit listing of (some of the) potential invokes and compels is that it helps keep track of 'merged' aspects.

For an example, Juno's High Concept could have been split out into at least four different aspects: her relation to Julian, her relation to Ylva, her familiarity with Arden (and forests in general), and her being a werewolf. And sometimes splitting one or two of those off might even be the right call - for example, a version of Juno whose mother expected Juno to challenge her to a fight to the death for the right to rule in Mistwyr, would probably want an aspect dedicated to that relationship. But in general, the more you can fit under one aspect, the better; five aspects isn't really all that many to work with from the point of view of a single PC (though 5x number of characters can get to be quite a bit for the GM to keep track of).
Wyvern
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Re: Example PC: Juno

Post by Wyvern »

Since it's been asked: while Juno is statted as an example PC, I'd be happy enough to leave her in the setting as an NPC if people think their characters would want to interact with her.
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Re: Example PC: Juno

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

Due to the proximity of the Hinterlands to the Mistwyr and their shared wolven natures, Shadow would certainly interact with her at some point regardless of if she is an NPC or Player Character.
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