Author Topic: Stats for NagaAiravata?  (Read 2704 times)

Offline Ghoul

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Stats for NagaAiravata?
« on: March 31, 2015, 02:09:13 AM »
Hi,

I'm planing to run a session of DFRPG in a few days and want to use "Ghoul goblin" as a story.

The stats for Amber and Grindwald I can easily pick up from "What Goes Bump" (OW), but with the naga Airavata I've got problems. What kind of creature is a "naga" in the Dresdenverse? A very powerful Faerie? Just another denizen of the Nevernever?

What could be Aspects or Powers for her?

(Just in case the players will start to mess with her)

Same goes for Cedar's Qarin. Seems to be some kind of Guardian spirit with great powers and the ability to grant "sponsored magic".

Here, proposals for stats could be handy.

Thank you!

Offline Rougarou

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2015, 05:37:53 AM »
Not really sure about the Naga, but I wanted to make a comment about the Quarin you mentioned. I didn't read Ghoul Goblin, but if you're saying that it can grant sponsored magic, that means that it is Plot Device levels of powerful, so the standard rules for that apply: Anything is should be good at should be at Epic (in this case, since it can sponsor a mortal's magic, I'd guess all spellcasting skills would be Epic), any skill it seems like it wouldn't be really good at is Fair or Average, and anything in between is good or great.
"So you fought a hobo who tried to use a ritual to make himself a god?"
"We called him Hobosus."
"What?"
"Hobo plus Jesus. Hobosus."
- From a DFRPG campaign.

Offline Ghoul

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2015, 12:00:54 PM »
Hmmm. Let me tell you this about the Qarin: At the end of the story, he
(click to show/hide)

I asumed it to be a kind of sponsored magic. I'm quite certain,
(click to show/hide)

Anyway: Anyone here who could help me with the naga?

Offline wyvern

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2015, 09:59:58 PM »
The Naga is definitely plot device level*.  I'd tend to assume she presents a Great challenge in social situations - or more if it's something she seriously cares about, like maintaining the accords.  (As in, getting her to talk requires rolling against intimidate at great... but getting her to, say, break the curse herself, would need rolls somewhere above legendary.)  If it comes to physical combat, she just wins; negotiate a reasonable concession** and move on.

_____
* For characters at refresh levels of, say, 14 or lower.  Sanctaphrax would want stats for her, since she'd probably be around PC-level in his Enduring The Apocalypse game.
** Perhaps the PC is overcome by her sheer presence and flees - and she decides it's not worth her time to pursue; cue the PC running headlong into some other bad situation, or spending the next few hours holed up somewhere curled into a ball.  Perhaps her interests in maintaining balance forbid her from killing even in self defense, and the foolish PC ends up mauled and mangled but not deceased.  Perhaps she has some future use for that character, and contents herself with placing a geas upon them.  Figure something out that works for your players; but if Dresden considers fighting her to be worse than useless, it should be a safe bet that your PCs won't fare any better.

Offline jackbythesea

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2015, 11:08:25 PM »
Figure something out that works for your players; but if Dresden considers fighting her to be worse than useless, it should be a safe bet that your PCs won't fare any better.

I wouldn't say it would be useless. Michael took down a Dragon, all thanks to the Sword of the Cross. If you have the right group of PCs, with planning and timing, they could take on the Naga. The fight might be more of a gamble than an assured win. Maybe that is the climax of the campaign, the PCs spend their adventure researching and devising a means to take down the Naga and then its time to execute the plan. If the PCs just happen on the Naga, I agree, it might be better to run than fight but that doesn't mean you shouldn't stat her at all.

Naga Airavata

High Concept: Naga Arbiter of the Unseelie Accords
Trouble: Chafed by the Bond that is My Word
Older than Time, Stickler for Manners, Seen it All

Skills:
          Human Form
         +5 Rapport, Intimidation, Conviction
         +4 Presence, Lore, Discipline
         +3 Scholarship, Contacts, Empathy
         +2 Deceit, Craftsmanship, Performance
         +1 Endurance, Athletics, Might
     
         Snake Form
         +5 Fists, Might, Athletics
         +4 Endurance, Alertness, Stealth
         +3 Survival, Rapport, Intimidation
         +2 Conviction, Discipline, Lore
         +1 Deceit, Presence, Empathy

Powers:
[-2] Swift Transition
[-3] Evocation (Water, Air, Earth)
[-3] Thaumaturgy
[-3] Refinement
[-1] Beast Change
[+1] Human Form:
 [-2] Hulking Size
 [-4] Supernatural Strength
 [-4] Supernatural Speed
 [-1] Claws
  [-2] Venomous 
 [-4] Supernatural Toughness
 [-2] Inhuman Recovery
  [+1] Catch: Garuda Talons or Feathers
 [-1] Echoes of the Beast (Snake: Can see heat)

Specializations:
Evocation: +2 Water Control, +1 Water Power, +1 Air Control
Thaumaturgy: +2 Biomancy Complexity, +1 Biomancy Control, +1 Divination Control

Focus Items:
Twin Bracelets: +1 Defensive Water Control, +1 Defensive Water Power
Ruby: +2 Biomancy Complexity

Refresh: -30

Notes: Aspects could use some more work, but my copies of Goblin Ghoul aren't handy so that's the best I can remember. Stat wise, in human form she is a serious challenge socially and has a great deal of knowledge as well. In snake form she is a deadly physical challenge: She always goes first, attacks with 5 shifts of Weapons: 6 damage with the option of making it Venomous, very tough but a bit easier to hit, doesn't heal that fast though. Swift transition covers her disappearing trick pretty well. She might be less tough, or fast than statted, the physical is all based on how I think a giant snake would be represented.

The magic and refinement is totally speculative, she might just have some variant of Sponsored Magic. I would add a stunt or two but the refresh was getting tight. If you wanted a lighter version, replace the magic with Sponsored Magic, and reduce one or more of her Supernaturals to Inhuman.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 02:00:01 AM by jackbythesea »

Offline Theogony_IX

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2015, 05:06:00 PM »
Here is an idea I created based on the Jinni from Ghoul Goblin.  The biggest liberty I took with it was attaching a feeding dependency to his powers.  The idea is that Jinn feed on desire and so grant wishes as a means to feed themselves.  It seemed like a cool twist to add to Jinn legends, but it definitely isn't required.

The basic idea is a two form Jinni.  Human form looks like any other mortal unless using his powers which are Greater Glamours (link for exact rules is included below) and some psychometry.  The other form is his Jinni form.  Jinni form is a semi-solid state (smokeless fire) that merges with another character bestowing certain powers such as sponsorship, glamours, speed, etc.

The only part of what I have here that I think is required to fit the concept you're looking for is the Spiritual Symbiote power.  This basically makes your Jinni an item of power for whomever they merge with.  The powers they offer can be up to you.  The powers they have when they aren't merged is also up to you.  The powers I chose are what I felt best fit the Jinn legends and the character I wanted to play in the game.

The Limitation powers you see control which powers are available to the person the Jinni is merged with.


Kadeen Almunfa

(click to show/hide)


Skills
Superb +5: Discipline
Great +4: Rapport, Athletics, Scholarship
Good +3: Presence, Investigation, Stealth
Fair +2: Alertness, Burglary, Empathy
Average +1: Conviction, Endurance, Contacts
Languages: English, Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew, (Blank)

Powers
[-3] Gaseous Form (Smokeless Fire)
     Catch (Faith-Based and Holy Power)
     [+1] Limitation (Lost When Merged)
[-0] Human Guise
[-7] Variable Abilities (5 Form Points)

Total Refresh Spent: 9
Remaining Refresh: 1

Physical: OOO
Mental: OOO
Social: OOOO
Hunger: OOOO (Mild - O)


(click to show/hide)


(click to show/hide)


(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 05:08:12 PM by Theogony_IX »

Offline Ghoul

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2015, 07:17:01 PM »
Thanks for helping. I just wonder what kind of creature a naga / qarin is.

Can a naga be considered a kind of very powerful nature spirit? Is she a denizen of the Nevernever and can (generally) be summoned? Same for the qarin. Even about djinn, there's very much information in the Files.

Offline Theogony_IX

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Re: Stats for NagaAiravata?
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2015, 09:33:07 PM »
Thanks for helping. I just wonder what kind of creature a naga / qarin is.

Can a naga be considered a kind of very powerful nature spirit? Is she a denizen of the Nevernever and can (generally) be summoned? Same for the qarin. Even about djinn, there's very much information in the Files.

I'd consider jinn to be inhabitants of the Nevernever given all the lore I've read, but who knows what Jim thinks.  Jinn live in cities and have a social hierarchy very similar to our own.  Jinn vary widely in type and ability and are said to have free-will.  For example, according the Islam, Satan is a jinni spirit.  I wouldn't imagine all jinn to be on the same level as Satan though.  Qarin, on the other hand, are a kind of influencing spirit bonded to a particular individual.  They push the person to either good acts or evil acts.

With jinn in general, I think what you have is a difference in world view, rather than a distinct difference in type.  The difference in world view changes the spirit entity just like any other spirit entity (belief and perception form the creature), but there are complimentary parallels.  What this means is that a good-aligned qarin and Mouse are cousins of a sort, and that there can be a Jinni equivalent to the Leanansidhe or a fetch.  Jinni becomes a very broad term for a spirit being based in the Islamic belief structure or Middle Eastern ideology.