[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Isikais on April 22nd, 2010, 2:32 am

Ok, so as per Tarot's suggestion, here's one of the NPC ideas I had for Sahova. Let me know what you guys think. I tried to make him fit the general tone of the island, but also thought it might be fun to add some info in about his past in Alahea...since y'know, I like that sort of thing, and I'm a big dork. Ok, without further ado, Urias Caerwyn:

Urias Caerwyn

ImageBasic Information
Race: Nuit (Originally Human)
Birthday & Age: Circa 140 BV, about 650 yrs old
Gender: Male

Physical Description
The only common feature of Urias' hosts is that they are always male and human. Over the centuries he has inhabited men of nearly every proportion and description. Usually Urias adheres to a careful regimen of maintenance and upkeep on his vessels. His current host is a human male, seemingly in his late 30's, brown hair and severe features. Always identifiable by his iconic grey robes with gold and black rune borders, Urias is ialso usually adorned with a variety of rings and necklaces, the purpose of which varies from day to day depending on his duties.

Character Concept
Somber and intense, Urias is the quintessential immortal student of the arcane. Always conducting some obscure experiment, or researching some piece of long forgotten lore, Urias is one of the most focused mages on all of Sahova. Because of this, however, he wastes little time on politics or prestige. If even a portion of the knowledge Urias has accumulated over his time at Sahova were to become common knowledge, he would rapidly find himself touted as one of the islands leading mages. Because of this the more politically minded among the Nuit cater to his needs, while siphoning off the resulting products as their own, whenever possible. Uninterested in the distraction that recognition would bring, Urias rarely ever resists the fame-seekers "manipulations".

Character History
Before the Valterrian, before even the creation of Sahova, Urias Caerwyn was a mage of respectable standing. He spent his younger years studying rigorously, in hopes of some day becoming a candidate for the role of Court Mage. In his adult years, however, his research began to stray from the typical. An avid student of the obscure and arcane, Urias felt a natural kinship to the Goddess Eyris. Because of this, he spent a great deal of time searching out her followers to learn what they would share. Despite his overtures to those who bore the mark of Eyris and the blessing of Lykata, Urias was always treated with caution and given only snippets of knowledge.

Unwilling to be denied his overwhelming desire to learn, Urias' quest for knowledge became an obsession. It was not the followers of Eyris, however, that would provide Urias with what he sought. Instead it was a secretive and mostly unknown group of mages called "The Keepers". Having noticed Urias many years earlier as he scoured Treval for those with skill in Lykata, the dark network of scholars and mages selected him as a candidate for the order. It was an easy decision for him, once offered. Without hesitation he joined the group, hoping to learn of the secrets they kept.

Interested only in the acquisition and safeguarding of the most powerful of obscure and arcane knowledge, Urias found a home in the Akajia-centric circles of the Keepers. When Archwizard Mashaen announced the creation of "Project Forever", Urias, seeing an opportunity to position himself in a wellspring of magical secrets, volunteered almost immediately. The network of "The Keepers" went to work, rapidly, assuring him a position on the island, without revealing his association with or even the existence of their order.

More than half a millenium has past since then, and with the destructive ravages of the Valterrian, The Keepers have all but vanished. Whatever secrets they held, now lay lost or hidden throughout the continent of Mizahar. To his knowledge, Urias is the last surviving member of his order. Having left to Sahova so soon after joining, he never had the opportunity to learn of many other members. His only contact in Alahea, however, died centuries ago, and with him went all news of the order. At last telling the Valterrian had thinned their ranks to nearly nothing, and with the lack of a new contact, Urias believes, none now remain.

Urias, however, remains on Sahova, focusing his work on delving through the secrets held therein. Working alternately as the islands Lorekeeper and Vault Caretaker as the whim suits him, he has been an invaluable asset to the workings of the Nuit. Still, he holds the values of a Keeper, and is careful to purposefully limit the amount of knowledge he shares with his ever curious immortal colleagues.


Training (Skills, Arcana, Gnosis, Lore)

Skills :
Skill Name Skill Level
Research
55
Stealth
35
Investigation
70
Cryptography
40
Embalming
10
Philtering
25

Magic :
Magic Type Skill Level
Auristics
20
Projection
55
Reimancy
35
Voiding
30
Glyphing
60
Magecraft
65
Webbing
30
Malediction
40

Lores :
Urias is a wellspring of Lore. Few are the subjects that he does not know something of. Few also, however, are the subjects of which he is a master. An unusual side-effect of his studies, though, is that he is more likely to be familiar with something the more obscure and poorly known the subject is in the general population. For this reason he guards his knowledge fiercely.


Ok guys, hit me. What do you think?

Some questions I have to consider:
To powerful?
Uninteresting?
Did I cross a line by creating a whole secret society for his background?
Does it need something more?
Does it need something less?
And most importantly: Is this a character you would want to read about/interact with?
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Isikais
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Tarot on April 24th, 2010, 8:20 pm

Thank you for developing this NPC. :) I'd tone him down a little, if anything because I think the infobox in the wiki has a limited number of skill slots. In addition, Sahova was only created about 10 years before the Valterrian, when this person was about 130 years old. Was he already a Nuit back then?

I am not against making up a wizard society, though the Keepers really sound a bit generic to me. In the article about Kovinus, I refer to the ultra-conservative mage wing as the "Uplifted". Maybe them or one of their sub-groups?

This NPC needs a job (why would a PC approach him?) and more plot hooks (what could he want from a PC?) As they exist because of PCs, NPCs should always have something to offer. A secret is cool, too. :) I can't think of anything else at the moment.
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Isikais on April 24th, 2010, 8:35 pm

Thanks for the awesome advice.

I'll tone him down in the re-draft. Only after posting did I look at some of the other characters in the wiki, and see what their "skill set" looked like. I don't know why, but I also read decade as century in the Sahova article...mostly because I'm a git. I'll fix his age, too. He wasn't intended to be a Nuit before Sahova...so I can just adjust it to fix that error.

As to his job, I mention that he is Sahova's Lorekeeper (read as librarian) and also works as the Vault Caretaker on occasion. I didn't know if there were people doing this already, so I didn't want to have him married to either, but if there's one in particular you think is best, let me know.

As to possible plot-hooks, there's a couple of options, ranging from attempting to acquire a particular piece of information/artifact for research, to searching out the remaining Keepers, and previously existing caches of information and items.

The Keepers - I didn't flesh them out much here, hoping first to get an idea as to whether or not a group like this would make sense in the context of what you guys already have planned for BV Alahea. The idea I had was that they were a loosely connected network of people, that secreted away some of the most obscure, powerful, and arcane knowledge in Mizahar. Their group was a pseudo-religious organization that operated below the radar in order to prevent the obvious inquiries that would come with public knowledge of their operations. Because of this Akajia seemed a sensible patron, as goddess of darkness and secrets.

All of that having been said, it would make sense for them to be a part of the Ultra-Conservative wing of the Wizards in Alahea. So you let me know if you want me to work anything further out with them...in truth I had hoped that discovering their true history would make for a GREAT group adventure.

H'okay, now to the rewrite! Thanks again.
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Isikais on April 24th, 2010, 8:47 pm

Ok, rewrite attempt #1. Toned down, slight modification. The stuff with plot hooks and the keepers is really the domain of DS/AS's, and comments (Plot hooks) and another development thread (Keepers). As a side note, Urias might be a good starting point for a Nuit klike Jilitse, who may soon be embarking on a quest to find some rather obscure and well hidden info on an elusive god and his champion.

Urias Caerwyn

ImageBasic Information
Race: Nuit (Originally Human)
Birthday & Age: Circa 45 BV, about 555 yrs old
Gender: Male

Physical Description
The only common feature of Urias' hosts is that they are always male and human. Over the centuries he has inhabited men of nearly every proportion and description. Usually Urias adheres to a careful regimen of maintenance and upkeep on his vessels. His current host is a human male, seemingly in his late 30's, brown hair and severe features. Always identifiable by his iconic grey robes with gold and black rune borders, Urias is ialso usually adorned with a variety of rings and necklaces, the purpose of which varies from day to day depending on his duties.

Character Concept
Somber and intense, Urias is the quintessential immortal student of the arcane. Always conducting some obscure experiment, or researching some piece of long forgotten lore, Urias is one of the most focused mages on all of Sahova. Because of this, however, he wastes little time on politics or prestige. If even a portion of the knowledge Urias has accumulated over his time at Sahova were to become common knowledge, he would rapidly find himself touted as one of the islands leading mages. Because of this the more politically minded among the Nuit cater to his needs, while siphoning off the resulting products as their own, whenever possible. Uninterested in the distraction that recognition would bring, Urias rarely ever resists the fame-seekers "manipulations".
Aside from his regular duties as Sahova's Lorekeeper and his work as the Caretaker of the Vault, Urias looks for every opportunity to find new obscure pieces of arcane knowledge. To his knowledge he is the last surviving member of a secretive network of Alahean mages known as "The Keepers". Unable to leave Sahova to search for himself, he is desperate to find any other potential survivors, or at very least the abandoned stores of the groups members.

Character History
Before the Valterrian, before even the creation of Sahova, Urias Caerwyn was a mage of respectable standing. He spent his younger years studying rigorously, in hopes of some day becoming a candidate for the role of Court Mage. In his adult years, however, his research began to stray from the typical. An avid student of the obscure and arcane, Urias felt a natural kinship to the Goddess Eyris. Because of this, he spent a great deal of time searching out her followers to learn what they would share. Despite his overtures to those who bore the mark of Eyris and the blessing of Lykata, Urias was always treated with caution and given only snippets of knowledge.

Unwilling to be denied his overwhelming desire to learn, Urias' quest for knowledge became an obsession. It was not the followers of Eyris, however, that would provide Urias with what he sought. Instead it was a secretive and mostly unknown group of mages called "The Keepers". Having noticed Urias many years earlier as he scoured Treval for those with skill in Lykata, the dark network of scholars and mages selected him as a candidate for the order. It was an easy decision for him, once offered. Without hesitation he joined the group, hoping to learn of the secrets they kept.

Interested only in the acquisition and safeguarding of the most powerful of obscure and arcane knowledge, Urias found a home in the Akajia-centric circles of the Keepers. When Archwizard Mashaen announced the creation of "Project Forever", Urias, seeing an opportunity to position himself in a wellspring of magical secrets, volunteered almost immediately. The network of "The Keepers" went to work, rapidly, assuring him a position on the island, without revealing his association with or even the existence of their order.

More than half a millenium has past since then, and with the destructive ravages of the Valterrian, The Keepers have all but vanished. Whatever secrets they held, now lay lost or hidden throughout the continent of Mizahar. To his knowledge, Urias is the last surviving member of his order. Having left to Sahova so soon after joining, he never had the opportunity to learn of many other members. His only contact in Alahea, however, died centuries ago, and with him went all news of the order. At last telling the Valterrian had thinned their ranks to nearly nothing, and with the lack of a new contact, Urias believes, none now remain.

Urias, however, remains on Sahova, focusing his work on delving through the secrets held therein. Working alternately as the islands Lorekeeper and Vault Caretaker as the whim suits him, he has been an invaluable asset to the workings of the Nuit. Still, he holds the values of a Keeper, and is careful to purposefully limit the amount of knowledge he shares with his ever curious immortal colleagues.


Training (Skills, Arcana, Gnosis, Lore)

Skills :
Skill Name Skill Level
Investigation
70
Cryptography
50

Magic :
Magic Type Skill Level
Projection
55
Magecraft
65
Webbing
30

Lores :
Urias is a wellspring of Lore. Few are the subjects that he does not know something of. Few also, however, are the subjects of which he is a master. An unusual side-effect of his studies, though, is that he is more likely to be familiar with something the more obscure and poorly known the subject is in the general population. For this reason he guards his knowledge fiercely.
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Jilitse on April 27th, 2010, 4:59 pm

Jilitse: Bleach.

I kid, I kid. As Jilitse, I will not sought out another nuit wizard without the recommendation of Mashaen. Too cautious, does not want to die, too much politicizing, etc etc. Also, I think there is too much information about Caerwyn's past than his present. I mean, sure, everyone can have their secrets and appear ambiguous, but in his profile I think you should add more about his whereabouts, his inclinations, his alliances and affiliations (My PC would rather dig up the rest of Lisnar to find Treval than talk to someone allied to Qiao)... basically every great thing you've done in his history, only add more to his after-the-Valterrian profile.

I believe you can extend it more. It sounds summed up towards the end, and he's an NPC after all, I think it needs some additional toppings. What effin happened to the Keepers, omg, doesn't he have a new club or something? (come on, after all your effort there, let's not waste that good story, now, ye?)

And it'd be great if all us "oldies" get together and chat and gossip, or eat scones and drink tea, if that's your thing. On the plus side, any Sahova-adventuring will be awesome, let's pull all Sahova peeps together and go party.
(I still need to know if he's a neutral/works-for-himself/works-for-highest-bidder/works-for-peanuts guy).

:) Jil
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Isikais on April 29th, 2010, 3:34 am

All very good suggestions Jil, and I'll be getting to many of them in the next rewrite, although I think I will put up a separate post about "The Keepers" since there seems to be interest/questions about them. You're right that I have not elaborated on his current situation as much as his past. I think I did this subconsciously to keep from stepping on any toes, and also with the hope that if he were approved as an NPC for use in Mod threads, that the ST's would develop much of that in secret for PC's to learn as they interacted.

Then again, I'm more than happy to write more into that aspect of the character...just as soon as I manage to finish digging my way through all of the stuff I'm doing as a new AS (read as: "Some time this weekend").

Thanks again for all the helpful comments! Now back to reading Ahnatep posts and lore.
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[NPC Development - Sahova] Urias Caerwyn

Postby Isikais on May 1st, 2010, 6:38 am

Here's the newest update. I added to his bio. I hope it makes sense and addresses some of the questions. I'll be posting a separate thread on The Keepers later so people can read that info too.

~Dro

Urias Caerwyn

ImageBasic Information
Race: Nuit (Originally Human)
Birthday & Age: Circa 45 BV, about 555 yrs old
Gender: Male

Physical Description
The only common feature of Urias' hosts is that they are always male and human. Over the centuries he has inhabited men of nearly every proportion and description. Usually Urias adheres to a careful regimen of maintenance and upkeep on his vessels. His current host is a human male, seemingly in his late 30's, brown hair and severe features. Always identifiable by his iconic grey robes with gold and black rune borders, Urias is ialso usually adorned with a variety of rings and necklaces, the purpose of which varies from day to day depending on his duties.

Character Concept
Somber and intense, Urias is the quintessential immortal student of the arcane. Always conducting some obscure experiment, or researching some piece of long forgotten lore, Urias is one of the most focused mages on all of Sahova. Because of this, however, he wastes little time on politics or prestige. If even a portion of the knowledge Urias has accumulated over his time at Sahova were to become common knowledge, he would rapidly find himself touted as one of the islands leading mages. Because of this the more politically minded among the Nuit cater to his needs, while siphoning off the resulting products as their own, whenever possible. Uninterested in the distraction that recognition would bring, Urias rarely ever resists the fame-seekers "manipulations".
Aside from his regular duties as Sahova's Lorekeeper and his work as the Caretaker of the Vault, Urias looks for every opportunity to find new obscure pieces of arcane knowledge. To his knowledge he is the last surviving member of a secretive network of Alahean mages known as "The Keepers". Unable to leave Sahova to search for himself, he is desperate to find any other potential survivors, or at very least the abandoned stores of the groups members.

Character History
Before the Valterrian, before even the creation of Sahova, Urias Caerwyn was a mage of respectable standing. He spent his younger years studying rigorously, in hopes of some day becoming a candidate for the role of Court Mage. In his adult years, however, his research began to stray from the typical. An avid student of the obscure and arcane, Urias felt a natural kinship to the Goddess Eyris. Because of this, he spent a great deal of time searching out her followers to learn what they would share. Despite his overtures to those who bore the mark of Eyris and the blessing of Lykata, Urias was always treated with caution and given only snippets of knowledge.

Unwilling to be denied his overwhelming desire to learn, Urias' quest for knowledge became an obsession. It was not the followers of Eyris, however, that would provide Urias with what he sought. Instead it was a secretive and mostly unknown group of mages called "The Keepers". Having noticed Urias many years earlier as he scoured Treval for those with skill in Lykata, the dark network of scholars and mages selected him as a candidate for the order. It was an easy decision for him, once offered. Without hesitation he joined the group, hoping to learn of the secrets they kept.

Interested only in the acquisition and safeguarding of the most powerful of obscure and arcane knowledge, Urias found a home in the Akajia-centric circles of the Keepers. When Archwizard Mashaen announced the creation of "Project Forever", Urias, seeing an opportunity to position himself in a wellspring of magical secrets, volunteered almost immediately. The network of "The Keepers" went to work, rapidly, assuring him a position on the island, without revealing his association with or even the existence of their order.

More than half a millenium has past since then, and with the destructive ravages of the Valterrian, The Keepers have all but vanished. Whatever secrets they held, now lay lost or hidden throughout the continent of Mizahar. To his knowledge, Urias is the last surviving member of his order. Having left to Sahova so soon after joining, he never had the opportunity to learn of many other members. His only contact in Alahea, however, died centuries ago, and with him went all news of the order. At last telling the Valterrian had thinned their ranks to nearly nothing, and with the lack of a new contact, Urias believes, none now remain.

Urias, however, remains on Sahova, focusing his work on delving through the secrets held therein. Working alternately as the islands Lorekeeper and Vault Caretaker as the whim suits him, he has been an invaluable asset to the workings of the Nuit. Still, he holds the values of a Keeper, and is careful to purposefully limit the amount of knowledge he shares with his ever curious immortal colleagues.

The recent politics of Sahova have made it difficult for any of the Nuit to continue functioning with any real freedom. While technically Urias has sided with Qiao, giving due deference to the council and Qiao's regulations, his highest loyalty is always to himself and his work. While Urias enjoyed fairly wide latitude under Mashaen, the newly minted leadership has restricted the more extreme liberties he once enjoyed. For this reason, Urias maintains an interest in seeing Mashaen returned to power, while also harboring a very hidden distaste for the more authoritarian and restrictive Qiao.

In addition, while Urias never leaves Sahova, he searches out recounted tales of those who do with a fervor bordering on obsession, often rewarding the most descriptive storytellers with trinkets or pieces of obscure but useful knowledge. Each story holds the potential for a clue or a hint, a planted message in the experience of the travelers, from his lost associates among "The Keepers".

Training (Skills, Arcana, Gnosis, Lore)

Skills :
Skill Name Skill Level
Investigation
70
Cryptography
50

Magic :
Magic Type Skill Level
Projection
55
Magecraft
65
Webbing
30

Lores :
Urias is a wellspring of Lore. Few are the subjects that he does not know something of. Few also, however, are the subjects of which he is a master. An unusual side-effect of his studies, though, is that he is more likely to be familiar with something the more obscure and poorly known the subject is in the general population. For this reason he guards his knowledge fiercely.
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Isikais
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