Lily Character Sheet

From Ars Magica

Revision as of 12:13, 23 February 2006

Characteristics

Intelligence 0
Perception -2 (near-sighted)
Strength +2 (well-toned)
Stamina +1 (conditioned)
Presence +1 (noble)
Communication +1 (well-spoken)
Dexterity +3 (nimble)
Quickness +1 (spry)

Statistics

Age: 19
Warping: 5 (divine)
Decrepitude: 0

Virtues & Flaws

Virtues

• Landed Noble (major, social)
  
• Wealthy (major, general)
  
• Privileged Upbringing (minor, general)
  
• Well-Travelled (minor, general)
  
• Unaging (minor, supernatural)
  
• Improved Characteristics (minor, general)
  

Flaws

• Raised from the Dead (major, story, supernatural)
  
  • Flaw from warping: Visions (minor, supernatural)
    
• Lost Love (minor, personality)
  
• Oath of Fealty: English crown (major, story, required)
  
• Compassionate (major, personality)
  

Personality Traits

Compassionate +3
Circumspect +1
Strong-willed +2

Abilities

General:
Speak Middle English: 5
Area Lore (Shropshire): 2 (15)
Awareness (alertness): 2 (15)
Charm (quick wit): 2 (15)
Craft (knitting): 2 (15)
Etiquette (nobility): 2 (15)
Folk Ken (common folk): 3 (30)
Hunt (tracking): 2 (15)
Leadership (inspiration): 2 (15)
Living Language: Welsh (conversational): 3 (30)
Ride (speed): 2 (15)

Academic:
Artes Liberales (grammar): 3 (30)
Civil and Canon Law (church): 1 (5)
Common Law (local laws): 2 (15)
Dead Language: Latin (academic): 4 (50)
Living Language: Greek (academic): 3 (30)
Theology (history): 2 (15)

Martial:
Bow (English longbow): 4 (50)
Single Weapon (longsword and shield): 4 (50)

Combat Information

Burden=9, Encumbrance=1
Armor: Partial chainmail suit; Soak=7
English Longbow: Init: -3, Atk: +12, Dfn: +6, Dmg: +10
Longsword and heater shield: Init: +2, Atk: +12, Dfn: +9, Dmg: +8

Approval Notes

Education

...but it was not unheard of for wealthy nobles to educate their daughters ... educating women (even nobles) had very little benefit at very high cost.

House Jerbiton has set up a small number of academic schools where ladies may study mundane subjects, and this could work well for Lilly.

--I could see the girlhood friend of a Quaesitor being able to get into one of those schools, although I'd have to re-think how Lily and Mnem met, then.

Greek

--The older texts (the ones she'd be pulling in huge favors to be able to look at) would be scribed in Greek though. Seems a bible-nerd would really want to be able to read the new testament in its untranslated form. If that's not the case I can drop the secondary academic language altogether.

Greek is fine.

Manors

• can be the noble for one, possibly two local manors, neither of which can be Stretton. At this time, Church Stretton is a Royal Manor.

> Just pick them then, please?

You can have a single manor in the same part of Shropshire as Church Stretton, or two which are further afield. I'll need to go and rifle through my research...

Skills and Virtues

• Needs to lose the Wealthy Virtue. This won't be a problem, skillwise, as you already recieve 100 extra points from Priviliged Upbringing and Well-traveled.

> Skillwise, that *is* a problem, as it removes 70 points of skills; no small amount of re-allocation.

As Lily has Unaging, and is 19 years old, she can very happily afford to be three or four years older, and thus gain 60 or 80 experience points. Her apparent age is yours to freely choose with that virtue.

She doesn't need to be particularly youthful, as in order for her to be a female heir, I require her to be a widow, rather than unmarried. As a widow, she has the right to re-marry, so this doesn't affect gameplay, and merely adds one more body to the conflagration in your background.

--Unaging doesn't make her lifespan get any longer, she just doesn't *look* any older-- the reason I chose that virtue was to make her forever appear the same as she was at the time of her death. She's still going to die of old age at the same time she would otherwise. As far as the widow thing goes, I addressed this further down.

It basically makes her immune to the debilitating effects of aging, which prolongs her adventuring life and makes her more likely to survive adventures.

So, I take it then that you have no objection to being older. As you say, you can choose any apparent age you wish, so it doesn't have to affect the story in anyway. Of course, if you want to have a younger character in order to gain the benefit that she will live longer, then you will have to have a less experienced character, which is the counter-balance that must be weighed.

Noble Rank

--She's not supposed to be the Lady of all Shropshire. Perhaps this is where we're having a misunderstanding. I listed her name as "Lily of Shropshire" because the common surnames folks chose back then was based on what they did or where they were from, but mostly because I hadn't really been able to sit down and pick a good Norman name.

In your last email to me, which I have just gone and checked, you clearly stated that you would like Lily to hold the title of "Lady of Shropshire", which you informed me, was an Earldom.

I don't have a message subsequent to that saying that you chose a smaller title for Lily, and the preceding title was for the Earldom of Chester.

At any rate, I am glad that she is on a par with the local nobles.

Wealthy and Landed Noble Virtues

Well, Landed Noble or Wealth, on their own, entail two seasons of 'work', and I'm happy for you to propose whatever mode of employment you like, given that her lands are administered for her by a representative of the King who doesn't have your best interests at heart. It isn't as though you have gained the benefit of an NPC properly managing your domain for you.

You can spend it visiting other nobles, knitting with your ladies, etc. As a noble, you at least get some choice over where to place your exposure points.

--Wealthy non-nobles have three seasons free, not two. The benefit of NPCs properly managing her domain is one of the large factors in why I wanted Wealth in addition to Landed Noble. I wanted her to be available for adventuring at any time of the year. As a non-wealthy noble, she can't go anywhere in spring or autumn, because she has to be overseeing planting and harvest. That may seem fine to you, but it doesn't to me.

The value of wealth

--I really think you have a much higher opinion of how Wealth interacts with Landed Noble than the 5th edition book indicates. More than one feif, free time,

True, though don't also forget that she will be far wealthier than is normal for even a wealthy noble of her status.

and can afford expensive tutoring and equipment.

A character with just the Minor Noble virtue can do that. A character with Landed Noble can also do that. Any non-poor noble has access to expensive tutoring and equipment.

I want Wealth so that the character can have the leeway to learn what she wants, better the standard of living for the commonfolk, and have the freedom to adventure however much she wants.

Certainly, if you want to be able to lavish big sums upon a community , and have an extra free season a year for study, then that is understandable. She would still have access to the same academics at a lower level of wealth.

The book seems craply written with regard to the wealth virtues, so I have tried to explain it on the forum. A character who has Wealthy or Landed Noble on their own, has plenty of cash to splash around.

--It looks pretty straightforward to me.

You managed to miss the fact that Wealthy and Poor merely modify the level of wealth that is normal for a person of your status. A noble requires no Wealthy virtue to be able to afford personal tutors. All nobles toss money to the church.

If you'd like to work out a new homemade virtue which works some way that would make both of us happy, that'd be fine with me. The main things I want are:

• at least three seasons per year free
• to be able to toss a lot of money at the church
• to be able to buy expensive equipment and have access to learning
• to be able to hold festivals a few times a year where the smallfolk are treated to great meals and have fun
• to make sure that the peasants who owe her fealty are treated very well.

Oh, and were it to allow twenty points per year at character creation, that saves me from having to either rebuild the character or tick down her lifetime.

Her lifetime is readily tickable. She is only 19, and will be vital and strong for her entire life.

The fewer people loyal to her, the better she'll be able to care for the peasants who are in her domains.

I do about her being able to afford to be very generous to the church and commonfolk (without having to worry about impoverishing the place), have free time, and afford education, training and equipment.

Wool

--All right, she'll know some wool-working, but she's going to hate it. I may have to minorly plagiarize my favorite author and have her name a pair of swords her "knitting needles"...

Eh? You don't need to... if you take knitting, then it is automatically assumed that you can do other things with wool, besides.

• I'll need to reassess the character once you have made changes.

The skills look good, though I'm finding it hard to imagine why she would be skilled in tracking :D. If you want to change it, I would suggest a speciality in hunting a specific animal, and if you don't, then I shall assume it is something you picked up once you began accompanying Mnemosyne (unless your background states otherwise).

Hunting

--I really just couldn't think of anything other specialties. She likes to hunt game (as she's fairly soft-hearted I can't see her maintaining her bow skill unless she practices *somehow*).

Nope. She can practice longbow against a target, but she can't practice it by hunting. It isn't a sneaking about, firing while hidden, and firing while moving kind of weapon. It's a standing bolt upright, and taking careful aim, sort of a weapon.

Married or Widowed

Her virtues and flaws look okay:

• Could 'Lost Love' be her late husband?

--Her Lost Love was a Welsh noble who was killed in the same fire Lily and her family died in. I was going to write that they'd all died on her wedding night, but I thought that sounded too trite.

If, on the other hand, her holdings are to have been inherited from her late husband rather than her family, then she'd need to be a Welsh noble for the effect I was looking for. And *that* would open up a whole can of worms that I don't think would be very fun-- if a Welsh woman were holding English lands, I can't see her lasting very long before being assassinated. Indeed, her family and her betrothed were murdered by some spiteful Norman who didn't want to see a Welshman in any position of power in England. So if SHE were the Welsh one, and she were the one to have come back from the dead (not the Englishman she was marrying) she'd be assassinated (again), pronto.

Also, having her be a widow treads a bit too closely on a character from a short story by my all-time favourite author. Maybe a bit too closely for comfort. http://www.fictionbook.ru/author/martin_george/the_sworn_sword/martin_the_sworn_sword.html

I hadn't seen Lily much as a Red Widow type, but as a widow, she's starting to sound a bit like Lady Rohanne. Especially considering the specifics of her martial training.

I don't really mind what her noble background is, as long as either her husband is alive and she derives her title from her marriage to him, or her husband is dead and she has retained her title. Being the sole heir to a title is not an option.

Weaponry

Weapons approved, but being talked about anyway.

Although Lily, if she learnt to use a bow and a sword, would learn the Shortbow and 'Shortsword' (the Longbow is not used for sports or hunting, and requires years of dedicated training which caused the skeleton of the archer to become warped to the point where Archeologists can identify a longbowman by just his bones), and the Longsword is a weapon designed for mounted combat (you can't hit them if your sword doesn't reach), I am happy for you to have the larger versions of these weapons.</i>

--I picked longsword for two reasons. First, I thought that a master-at-arms of a noble house would most likely be a longsword specialist. Secondly, the longsword is a "better" weapon, so it seemed the most likely choice for someone who can afford it.

Weapon choice is situational. Knights would also take short swords into battle, regardless of whether they were Japanese samurai, or Teutonic nobles. The longsword has higher numerical damage, but it also has drawbacks.

Your point about the master-at-arms is good, though.

I would prefer to have her use a weapon more like a rapier-- a lighter, faster weapon, less likely to hack through armor, but more likely to be poked into chinks in armor (through the visor of a helm, a weak spot in one's gorget, etc). Unfortunately we're about three hundred years too early for that.

It is just something to bear in mind when writing your background. It is likely that your bow has a much lighter draw than a man's longbow, but I will keep the statistics the same, as it is still a superior weapon to the shortbow. I only know one person who might be able to fire a longbow, and it would take them time.

--I have to admit, this *really* bothers me. I'm sure you didn't mean anything by this comment, but to me it comes across as an implication that a female character of +2 strength is inherently weaker than a man of +2 strength.

Yes, just as a child with +2 strength, is weaker than an adult with +2 strength, or a Lily with +2 strength is weaker than a typical male longbowman with +2 strength.

Saying that she's not strong enough to draw a man's longbow because she's female, despite that she has the requisite strength (+2), indicates a belief that women are always inherently less strong than men.

"Women are genetically predisposed to usually both have a naturally lower amount of muscle mass than men, AND have a lower potential for gaining it, in the same way that a guy who is 4'5" will never equal his 300 lb, 6' linebacker buddy in strength. However, this is generally blown through by patterns of lifestyle - a woman who lives an active lifestyle will generally be much stronger than a man who lives a sedate lifestyle."

Did you read the article about longbows linked to this wiki?

"The crossbow, while dating from classical times, became quite popular during the Middle Ages. While it took many years to train a longbowman, someone could become proficient with a crossbow with little training."

"Longbows were difficult to master because the force required to draw the bow was very high by modern standards. Though the draw weight of a typical English longbow is disputed, it was at least 36 kgf (360 N, 80 lbf) and possibly more than 65 kgf (650 N, 143 lbf). Considerable practice was required to produce the swift and effective combat fire required. Skeletons of longbow archers are recognizably deformed, with enlarged left arms, and often bone spurs on left wrists, left shoulders and right fingers."

The concept of a 140lb bow is somewhat terrifying to me. I used to use a 33lb recurve, for safety reasons, and thus when I read that a longbow could push an arrow so far through the trunk of a mature oak tree that the shaft protrudes from the far side...

>However, when we're defining the abilities of a character by numerical values, that value represents absolute ability, and is neither augmented nor diminished by the character's gender.

Not so. The book clearly states that age affects the value of a numerical ability, and it specifically states this regardless of the age related modifiers to abilities. I feel it was not unfair to apply this generally, but as with any rules interpretation, I'm happy to discuss it.

>insinuate that *all* women are *always* weaker than *all* men.

That's a wild statement, which I find somewhat upsetting. I've read Lily's background, and made my judgement on the basis that she is heavily focused on study - such a bookworm that you felt it worth reducing her perception, and as such, leads a fairly sedate, noble lifestyle. I don't think you really appreciate how unfeasibly difficult it is to use a longbow.

Lily doesn't get out and plow fields or swing a blacksmith's hammer, so I can see her being limited to a max of +1 strength. I just really wanted to use a longbow because none of my ArM characters have ever had any bow skill, and I wanted to play with a longbow.

I'm approving it because at the end of the day, a) I don't really care about the difference in statistics, and the negative aspects of choosing a longbow will probably make up for them anyway, and b) Lily is a martial character who will be engaging in a fair amount of combat (as per Mnemosyne's brief).

--Based on your description here, the longbow is certainly what she would use. Lily should be able to take down a deer, or stand on a crennellated wall and shoot someone trying to storm a castle. She shouldn't be able to run around like Peter Jackson's interpretation of Legolas (*hiss, groan*).

Lily should be able to take down a deer = Shortbow, you'd never use a longbow. stand on a crennellated wall and fire = Longbow.

Notes about the Character

Stuck here temporarily.

• I'm investigating the gender issues, but they could be quite severe for someone of her class, compared with, say, the grogs...

> Yes. She should have very little respect from her peers; other nobles should be polite, kind insofar as they're trying to convince her to marry them or their sons, but otherwise disdainful. She should be viewed by other nobles as being a bit of a willful child, and honestly, she pretty much is. She's more concerned with her own fun, and she doesn't realize yet that in order to really protect the people she cares about so much, she *needs* to go out and find a good husband who she might be able to convince to act in their interest. Possible adventures I was anticipating would be scenarios in which she would become painfully aware of just how horribly the commonfolk are being treated by the royal armies marching through on their way to and from Wales; she tries to fix the situation but is utterly stymied, rinse-lather-repeat until she wises up and resigns herself to having to marry some soft-hearted chump. Then going off to seek out said soft-hearted chump. Hilarity ensues.

The reaction would be that, while it's unseemly for the times, Our Father Who Art In Heaven clearly has some plan for her, and they would really prefer that whenever the time comes 'round for whatever that is, she's as inclined towards the church as possible. So long as she remains discreet about being educated, they're willing to accomodate her odd requests. When you control what someone knows, you have enormous power over them

(yet another reason for Lily to become quite fond of the magi, and for that to cause conflict with the church); the clergy's feelings for her should be about 50/50 between genuine respect and their desire to have influence over her. This could be slanted more towards the genuine respect if you're less cynical about the church than I am. (I grew up in Catholic school as a "precocious" child, and having had no small amount of "friendly debates" with priests over the natures of worship, sin, and forgiveness.) Her education would be, of course, facilitated in no small part by the Wealth virtue, as she'd be giving generously to the Church to "prove" her gratefulness.