Originally published at: https://ackerlygreen.com/2021/01/22/nnrpg-thornmouth-reveal/
If you haven’t already, check out the Weatherwatch, Gossmere, Flinterforge, and Ebenguard reveals to share your thoughts and read about how and why we structured guild skills and archetypes the way we have.
Next up, the Scholars of Thornmouth!
Thornmouth was a bit of a challenge, though I always knew what Umbranor would be. The challenges were that:
- I approached the bearings in chronocompass order, so by the time I got around to bearings 13-18, I was struggling a little to come up with differentiations that didn’t leave the later guild bearings feeling like retreads of earlier ones.
- Balimora is easier because it has a lot of crossover with more classical types from other RPGs. I could already imagine wild Briarversian Rangers, Druids, Rogues, etc. But coming up with three bearings centered around academics, knowledge, and thought without making them all stereotypical wizards, proved to be a tall order.
Having said that, I’m SO happy with how they turned out, and some concepts I came up with at the last minute to further fill them out has given me new ideas for some of the earlier bearings, like Ardeonaut. Anyway, here’s Thornmouth!
Thornmouth: The Scholars
Academics, Connections, Investigate, Lore, Notice, Will
Guild Skill Focus: Academics
Luminast – The Magimentor:
Bearing Skills: Academics/Connections
As Thornmouth’s sun-bearing Magic class, the Luminast is as close to a traditional “wizard” as you’ll find in the Briarverse, but they are seldom found locked away in solitary towers poring over ancient tomes: They prefer the joyous exchange of information and history to solemn, solitary study, and their willingness to enkindle the minds of others also expands their own knowledge and empowers their already impressive Abilities. With Academics and Connections as their augmented skills, their Affinities are more complex, more powerful, and further augmented by the relationships they make with others, for what is the good of wisdom, if it isn’t shared? Luminasts are the only bearing able to reorganize their allotment of Magimystic Abilities every session instead of every Milestone, making them a helpful and ever-evolving encyclopedia of magimystic knowledge and power.
Umbranor – The Subtextual Sorcerer:
Bearing Skills: Investigate/Notice
The moon-bearing Umbranor is Thornmouth’s Mystic class, and it’s not an exaggeration to describe them as the magimystic equivalent of Sherlock Holmes. All magic is born from thought, and the Umbranor’s unique connection to that primal element is enhanced by augmented skills Investigate and Notice, making them shrewd and sharp-eyed detectives, in addition to their unique ability to sense, manipulate, and even negate magimystic energy, all by dissecting the intention behind it. They can use their innately heightened senses and voracious hunger for hidden truths to unravel mysteries, dismantle deceits, find the source of supernatural barriers, counter the force of magimystic attacks, or strip a combatant of magic altogether. Dazzling displays of the magimystic hold no interest for the perceptive Umbranor. They are more intrigued by the secret purpose and unseen intent waiting just below the surface of the spectacle.
Lunivox – The Intellikinetic:
Bearing Skills: Will/Lore
The eclipse-bearing Lunivox is a nuclear reactor for knowledge. As Thornmouth’s Melee class, their bodies are able to transmute the potential energy of information, converting lore, ancient histories, and the stories of those who lived them into pure magimystic force. Information remaps their nervous systems, constructs new memories in their muscles, and even ripples on the surface of their skin, not only giving them instantaneous insight into newly attained wisdom, but they can also repurpose that power into physical force, using abstract knowledge as an actual weapon. Their bodies are so in tune with the conversion of thought into energy that flickers of the Mindflame manifest on their physical form. They may have a halo of flame circling their head, hands that smolder like coals, eyes made of pure fire, or even tattoo-like flames illuminating their skin. With the augmented skills Will and Lore, the body of a Lunivox is a furnace fueled by ideas.
Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Reply below!
Tomorrow, the Empaths of Balimora, and next week we’re going to start creating spells together!
right about “magic x-men!” I really love the physical representation in Lunivox, but I’m glad you clarified it re: the mundane world.
however could we use our “rapport” skill more like a “provoke” to amass our army of not-so-adoring fans??