Pack of Troubles

[Simple Wordsmith]

Actually.. if each of the 5 wolf blooded members puts in a point of totem, kaitlyn puts in 5 points, and the other 4 members of the pack put in 1 point each, that's 14.. if one werewolf would put in 2 points, that would bring us to 15.. and if every werewolf considers putting in at least 2 dots of totem, and two of them putting in three, we'd have 20 points in our totem, which is a very powerful totem.

 

I am pretty sure that our NPC wolf-blooded don't automatically get a free point in Totem. Now that I have a sense of how things are shaping up, I'm doing a last pass over Mavuto's character sheet and finishing up his CCD. I can make sure to spend at one of the extra XP from the CCD on Totem, bringing Mavuto's total contribution up to 2 though. I'm relatively okay with us starting with totem at a moderate level and building up from there, unless folks want it to start strong (keeping in mind that it'll mean a stronger ban on all of us).

[Kaoleth]

I've got everything laid out. I just have to wait back on a single mid approval and Glint should be good to go. Though I do need to through stuff together for me Wolf Blooded and Hoo-mans.

[Wing]

I am pretty sure that our NPC wolf-blooded don't automatically get a free point in Totem.

They do not.

They get five free merit points. They may use a maximum of one merit point to buy their maximum one point of totem.

Now that I have a sense of how things are shaping up, I'm doing a last pass over Mavuto's character sheet and finishing up his CCD.

That's fine. I'm actually still in the post-operative recovery phase, not the "now I get to go home and take the <sarcasm>super happy fun time</sarcasm> Tylex pills for a week. So the Spirit will be very ell devellopeed.

I can make sure to spend at one of the extra XP from the CCD on Totem, bringing Mavuto's total contribution up to 2 though. I'm relatively okay with us starting with totem at a moderate level and building up from there, unless folks want it to start strong (keeping in mind that it'll mean a stronger ban on all of us).

Now. My PC is currently not sanctioned. Which means my wolfblooded (who has a point of totem) cannot be placed at pack disposal and you can't count my two points of totem yet. I'm sorry, it's tied up in the cross venue above dawn's level.

My PC is not an ST PC. It is a PC that is being played in a different venue primarily who happens to be played by the ST of this venue. I have applied to play in another venue, but until I get that approval I'm not mentioning officially what or why. If I don't get the global approval then he will actually be a character only in this venue who is off fighting solo against the azlu or besshies.

I can't ST for myself; I've always personally found the idea repellant. But if I don't get that approval, his wolfblooded will be at the pack disposal too because he's not taking them off web or tail hunting.

It's not a great fallback position for Aaron, as a player, but it's all I can do.

[Wing]

So either way you're getting three extra points of totem.

Two from Aaron who will be

*around in times of emergency and won't talk about where he's been

or

*off fighting the besshies or azzies somewhere for a character story appropriate reason you will all know because I'll tell you

One from Okpere because he'll be part of the pack regardless of where Aaron is.

[SalmonMax]

So....any word on this?

[Nina]

wing has not been on since he posted the above message...:(

[SalmonMax]

Odd. His profile shows he's been online as recently as the 19th.

 

Hope everything's okay.

[Mavuto]

I assume that Wing is taking the time he needs to get back upright and operational.

On other matters - I filed Mavuto's "extended Pack" stats for his wolf-blooded daughter and two human affiliates a few weeks back.

I believe that the following Totem points are confirmed:

• Mavuto: 1 (+more once CCD is approved)
• Glint: 1
• Kaitlyn: 5
• Aaron: 2
• Okpere (Aaron's wolf-blooded): 1

Are there more or should we spec it out with that? I don't think we'll get Cape Doctor itself, but were one of the other ideas appealing?

Also, I'd be down with our totem being in the Cape Doctor's ilthum. Building off of real and established senses of things can be a lot of fun here. I sort of expect that we won't be able to have enough Totem points into it for it to be the Cape Doctor, but something tied to it would be fine. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Given the associations of the Cape Doctor, I could see a ban that in some way deals with disease or illness. Probably an action that must be performed rather than must not be performed under certain circumstances. Assuming we aren't going to have Cape Doctor itself, we could have something like The Wind that Sweeps the Tabletop (cleansing and natural) or The First Wind of Summer (hot and dry) or even The Winds Where Spring Meets Summer (more storm-associated, tied to the occasional fierce storm from south-easterns.)

My inclination would be The Wind Where Spring Meets Summer if no one else has a preference. Its ban could be something to do with liminal states or living in the moment. When passion seizes you, don't hold back or the like. Or something about storms themselves. I'm not entirely sure. Thoughts? Alternative proposals?

[Darrik Reynolds]

There's only the free dot for Darrik.

[Simple Wordsmith]

That places us with 11 points confirmed:

• Mavuto: 1 (+more once CCD is approved)
• Glint: 1
• Kaitlyn: 5
• Aaron: 2
• Okpere (Aaron's wolf-blooded): 1
• Darrik: 1

Below is an initial write-up. Please give feedback.

Name and Concept

The Wind Where Spring Meets Summer (TWWSMS (SMS for very short)) is one of several spirits in the Cape Doctor's ilthum. SMS is associated with the occasionally violent storms that rage through on South Easter winds during the transition from Spring to Summer as warm and cold fronts clash along the Cape. SMS is quick-moving and forceful, proud and fickle. It is the most combative of Cape Doctor's ilthum, driving out things it perceives as illnesses upon the land with force.

Aspiration and Ban

SMS desires nothing less than to sweep the Cape clean of any magath. It perceives them as an illness upon the spiritual landscape to be eradicated. This urge has become a ban for SMS, compelling it (and those who hold it as their totem) to act to confront and destroy any magath they encounter.

Totem Points: 11 (at present) [3 experiences]

Advantages

[We don't have enough totem points right now to get +1 to Wits, which had been the key thing we had all expressed interest in. If we get 4 more totem points, that'll be a shoe-in. If not, what other things would people like to see here?]

Attributes

• Power: 5
• Finesse: 4
• Resistance: 2

Rank: 2

Essence: 11

Corpus: 2 [+ Size]

Willpower: 6

Initiative: 6

Defense: 4

Speed: 9 [+ "species" factor]

Size: ?

Influence

Wind 2

Numen

• Blast
• Speed
• Telekinesis

[Krul]

Tamara, Kaitlyn's wolf blooded adopted niece should add another point there, over all I like your spirit synopsis there, I'd consider adding a second influence though.. an maybe at dot of some combat ability at this point, until we can get the bonus to wits?

[SalmonMax]

Ah I thought he was back. My bad then.

 

As for the pack stuff, if Ariel is joining she can contribhte her free dot.

[Mavuto]

That places us with 13 points confirmed. Once Mavuto's CDD is approved, I'll put 2 more points into Totem, putting us at 15. That will get us the Wits +1 advantage and 1 experience to share. Any objections to 1 dot in the Fleet of Foot merit rounding out the gap?

• Mavuto: 1 (+2 once CCD is approved)
• Glint: 1
• Kaitlyn: 5
• Aaron: 2
• Okpere (Aaron's wolf-blooded): 1
• Darrik: 1
• Tamara (Kaitlyn's wolf-blooded): 1
• Ariel: 1

With 4 more totem points overall, I suggest the following additional adjustments:

Attributes

• Power: 5 -> 6
• Finesse: 4 -> 6
• Resistance: 2 -> 3

(w/ appropriate adjustments to derived stats)

At the 15 points mark, SMS has also upgraded to a Rank 3 spirit and gets an additional dot of Influence. Any thoughts on what that should be? SMS seems to be a kind of liminal, quick, chaotic, cleansing storm wind, so something along those lines might not be inappropriate. Purity? Change? Pressure? Conflict? Water? Lightning? I'm also opening to clarifying the default Influence as being Wind to Storms or the like if there is another idea or one that complements our interests..

 

[Mavuto]

... and we also have another available Numen. This can be used to acquire a Numen, instead increase an Influence by 1, or to purchase a new Manifestation ability for The Wind Where Spring Meets Summer. My general inclination would be to increase an Influence by 1, giving us 4 dots of Influence to identify. I am open to an alternative proposal.

Thoughts?

[Kaitlyn]

Personally, I say ether increase influence, or add another influence like weather.. I'm good with either.

As to your other idea, fleet of foot is a nice one, but you know, we could also give everyone a level one pack rite, as a pack rite, even our wolf-blooded brothers and sisters, and the humans in our pack could do it, if they knew of it. 

 

 

 

[Mavuto]

So, assuming we have 4 influence total (spending the latest numen on influence instead), how should the influence points be spent?

I tossed Fleet of Foot out there because it makes a certain amount of sense. A storm wind tends to be fast. If we wanted to pick up a level one pack rite instead, what would be appropriate? I'm entirely open to the idea. Mostly I am throwing concrete things out here and barreling along ahead to finalize this so that we have something finalized. Consider my thoughts a default answer, but one that I am happy to have overridden if someone else has a different and better idea.

With that in mind, here is my latest proposal for Influences:

• Storm 3
• Purity 1

SMS is a purifying storm spirit that sweeps away corruption and leaving the landscape cleansed with its passage. This also feeds into its conflicts with magath.

Anyone have an alternative pitch?

[Darrik Reynolds]

Seems reasonable to me.

[Kaitlyn]

I like it.. though I'd also like to add wind as an further influence, something to consider in the future perhaps.. also if one part of it's influence is purity, does that mean it can teach purity gift facets if we pass it's tests?  I'd like that idea, if it's ok, though I suspect we'd have to get Wing's acceptance of the idea..  if it goes, however, Kaitlyn here has the purity facet of the evasion gift, maybe she learned it from the pack totem, that could be part of her close relationship with the totem (aka 5 dots of totem)

If it's a purity spirit, the banish rite would be the best choice for a rite everyone in the pack knows.

 

[Mavuto]

I just re-read the Banish Rite. I think that would be excellent. I had not initially thought about having Rites. We might have to ask Wing if it is alright to have it in lieu of a merit. In the Advantages section on building a Totem (page 92) it doesn't explicitly include Rites as an option, but it makes sense.

I switched things from Wind to Storm, but have no problem switching it back. For Influences, how does Wind 3, Purity 1 sound? If you want three different influences, we could do that. I think that Wind and Storm have some kind of metaphysical overlap and lean against it a little bit.

I do think being able to potentially go to our totem for learning at least some purity facets would be great. The Purity facet of the Gift of Evasion seems like it might make sense to learn from a Wind and Purity spirit. The Purity facet of the Gift of Technology... maybe not. My $0.02 only, of course. Wing makes the call there.

I am really happy to see things coming together.

[Kaitlyn]

I like both wind and storms, to be honest, deciding which one I like better is hard.  I also like the purity aspect, so really, storms is fine.. we can add wind later.. maybe, when our totem grows stronger.

[Wing]

Sorry, I've been following this but the recuperation process for this surgery has been a little slower going than the last one and I've been frogetting to reply every now and then with "looks good" or the like.