GM: Stras Acimovic
Players: Jahmal “Mad Jay” Brown, April Walsh, Jeremiah Frye, Sean Nittner
System: Spell and Blade
Yay, we’ve started a new game of Spell & Blade and I’m so excited about the characters we created. Before we got to game, I had 10 character concepts in mind, ranging from a Lykani thief obsessed with their ancestors to (yay, yay, yay) to Baradeen Gladiator (fun having contests over everything) a Chosen of Akta, the goddess of secrets and change.
We started the session and Stras thanked everyone for coming to play Spell & Blade and understanding the game was still in development, which meant from week to week, some things might change as they are refined.
We talked about the things we wanted in the game, to help an apprentice reach apotheosis, to find the sky cities, and to learn more mysteries about the world.
We talked about a few of the nations but when Stras mentioned Iskanard and the frozen north, I saw Jay’s eyes go wide and the whole group was clearly excited about some adventures in the northern reaches of the world.
Iskanard: The frozen north, it features a variety of very different people many of whom are fiercely independent. People there often travel with a lifelong animal companion. Arguably ruled by a scarlet haired immortal queen, they struggle with Ancient towers, massive giants, and arcane problems.
The Red Queen. Star metal. Sky Fire. Animal companions. Wyrm Hunting. Twin goddesses of the moon. HELL TO THE YEAH.
So, who are we going to play.
- Jay was ready for a wizzzard apprentice. He was excited about both binders and sorcerers, but since binders are pretty regional to Barad, he went for a sorcerer. Why would someone remove their own heart to replace it with a dragon’s? We’d have to play to find out! Jay made Kormel, and orphan in the city of Rul, who trained under a Verani Sorcerer who came to Iskarnad and made a giant tower to continue her studies. She took on two apprentices, Kormel and another orphan. The later attempted apotheosis and died in the process, clawed apart from the inside.
- April was excited by Maya, the goddess of the full moon, patron of Bards, Battle, and Blacksmithing. She dug playing a brawny blacksmith who took the Oath of Starfell, burning her eyes black and silver. I was excited about the Akta, goddess of the new moon, so we decided to have our characters connected, half sisters, akin to the goddesses. Her character is Rulgara (who goes by Gar), and she took the Guard and then Gladiator career. We thought about both being Acolytes but the Showman trait was just to exciting to pass up. Also, as a guard, she had a good connection to Jeremiah’s Wyrm Hunter.
- I created Skanya (the diminutive form of Skana, the Red Queen) a thief who stole one of the eyes of Akta and though she thought she got away with it, one of her priests visited Akta on the bar and gave her an opportunity to put her skills to a better use. Akta’s father love her very much, but he’s never been happy and Akta has done many things (brewing with him and making alchemical concoctions, stealing trinkets) to try and make him happy, but each time he would smile, it faded soon after. Now she seeks the secret of his sadness, or rather what he needs to be happy. Daughter of brewers, sister to Gar, and childhood friend of Kormel, who she convinced to help her pull off at least one heist.
- While the rest of us were all from Rul, Jeremiah created a child born in the frozen waste to Wyrm Hunters. His family line had been blessed by an owl spirit and occasionally a child would be born (like Jeremiah’s character) that was beast-touched. His character Loddi would go into Rul to trade and his family had done service for the Arcanix in the past, so he continued that work, proudly featuring his feathers and wings.
This is what I’m thinking of so far. I’m still not 100% sure of about traits and skills. I really want to have Tend, but I took Tinker instead based on alchemical brewing and lockpicking, etc. I also took Channel as an Acolyte, but now I’m on the fence about that as well. Could I pray without knowing how to channel my god’s power yet? I’d love to have Quick and Eye for Devices as well, I could trade out stealthy for either of those. These are good dilemmas to have!
Here’s Scanya so far.
Character images I’ve found on Pinterest (damn it’s hard to avoid AI these days)
