Boanerges's character sheet 2/3 (Fantasy Friday #7)

Personality: The Fifty encourage their members to be vain and swaggering, stylish bravos intimidating their opponents by means of their number, their volume, their indomitable confidence, and the panache with which they fight. Boanerges internalized all of that, seeking glory through tricks and acrobatics and flashy flourishes. Little is fully serious to him and everything can invite a joke or a wry chuckle, often tinged with the burning cruelty almost reflexive among the Fifty. That cruel streak shows itself on the scrap of papyrus he keeps on himself at all points, scribbled with the blows he taken and all the times he’s been wronged. That way he never fails to take revenge ~ vengeance is very important to Boanerges. The fire burns those who would attempt to extinguish it. A strange optimism develops from the same urge; there is no circumstance in Boanerges’s belief that can defeat him permanently. With an appropriately fancy and daring revenge, he can come back from any set-back or defeat to find victory in the fulness of time.

But Boanerges is feeling (and acting) increasingly awkward. So much of how he knew to interact with people is falling away as he fights to achieve his Destiny by ensuring that justice grows within the Fifty. He has increasingly less of an idea of how to interact with people, and he is terrified that this will expose him as no longer agreeing with the ways of the Fifty. He’s seen what the horde does to those they consider traitors, and he fears that even those he considered (before) very good friends will commit such atrocities on him. These fears are particularly intense after the beating he took for another of the Fifty recently.

Self-control is, in many ways, alien to Boanerges. If there is a pleasure to be had (or better, taken), then he gives himself over to it with a venereal devotion that might be inspirational if it wasn’t so base. Drugs, sex, combat, gambling, whatever it is, Boanerges loves to do it. However, under influence from the archangel Awi, he is struggling to learn how to turn this passion for the bodily pleasures to more exalted ends, still as strong in intensity but less conducive to his remaining powerless. Oh, yes, Awi has shown him how the leaders of the Fifty have fostered this attitude of indulgence as a way to perpetuate their power and consolidate their control ~ to keep Boanerges and those like him docile. Their names are written in large print on that scrap of papyrus.

Also alien to Boanerges is the way in which he must work towards his goals. While personal glory and shining panache were how he used to measure success, now success come when no one (or only those that need to, anyway) realizes he was ever there. Where violence was once a way of life, peaceful interventions and subtlety are now his bread and butter. Where he once sought the defeat of those he campaigned against, now his goals are to ensure that justice is done and to bring his friends to the realization that there is another way to be. Constraining the thunderous force of Boanerges’s personality into these clandestine activities is a constant struggle with himself, and discernment has a tendency to disappear into discomfort. Thankfully, however, that means planning (something neither he nor any member of the Fifty was ever good at) is replaced by his old friend and true companion, quick wits.



Appearance: Like most ifrit of the Fifty, Boanerges’s extremely dark skin shines with an inhuman polished brass sheen, against which his long, thin fingers stand out in a beautiful matte dark charcoal-grey, a color that extends up to his elbows and is matched by his calves and feet. The pointed shape of ears similarly reflects that of the horns on his brow. The ivory, brass-colored gleam of these horns against the bright red of his hair, worn in the traditional triple-crested amasunzu of the Fifty, draw the eye from his easy, dare-you grin and glinting hazel gaze. One almost never notices the seeming oddity of that gaze, not just in color but in the gentle, unflinching steadiness of it, looking at any individual thing just a beat longer than one would expect.

Built like a whip ~ tall, thin, and powerful ~ Boanerges of the Fifty wears a flapping kaftan over a relatively sparse leather armor, designed as much for breathability and heat moderation as for protection. The kaftan is in the traditional pattern of the Fifty, an akyem pattern of bright red and grey, symbolizing the glory of great deeds performed in the purifying flames of battle. Strapped to his back is a large, eye-shaped shield, its black ostrich feathers swaying above a stylized painted image of a bowl containing blazing flames and a small, lightning-like serpent escaping its confines. Boanerges’s frame drips and clatters with gaudy jewelry fashioned from the claws, horns, hooves, and teeth of a wide variety of beasts. In his hand is a gorgeously-carved whacking stick, held by default in the traditional fashion, its bulb in front of his fist and its pointed shaft alongside his forearm.

The Unseen Heart of the Flame, on the other hand, leaves the shield behind and dons a very different kaftan, much more tailored and fit to his flame so as to reduce its sound and its motion. Its pattern is the emaa da pattern that denotes uniqueness, perfection, exceptional achievement, and creative ingenuity behind several large stars patterned with the nsoromma pattern depicting the hopeful power of the people when they depend not on themselves but upon the divine powers. The green in the nsoromma, however, is instead blue, replacing the growth of crops with the growth of peace and harmony. The short raffia surrounding a mask consisting of an abstractified, circular face separated from the crescent moon a foot above it by a white rectangle painted with a blue x ~ adapted from a more northerly mask representing Destiny ~ tickles the silver dove-winged scroll bouncing on his chest.

The two giveaways that Boanerges and the Unseen Heart of the Flame are the same person are the scarred, rough-worn, coarse leather armbands whose thick leather straps clasp each upper arm and the thin, flexible cotton cord wrapped several times around his waist.

Finally! The last of the Virtues! (Design Domingo #5)

MYSTICAL (My)/WORLDLY (Wo)
Mystical people look to the spiritual world for guidance; Worldly people concern themselves with the affairs of this world -- many religions measure piety by the Mystical trait, while others measure piety by the Worldly trait, for their religion is of this world.

A mystical character often dwells on spiritual matters, and is aware of them and their implications in the material world. (This is not the same as worship, which is an action rather than a belief.) A mystical person is a spiritual person. An extremely pious person is devout or zealous, perhaps even saintly. Worldly indicates profligacy, taking great pleasure in temporal things such as fine clothes, comfortable furnishings, good music and poetry, and the best company. Do not confuse Worldly with Indulgent; the two often go hand-in-hand, but they are not the same.

Mystical is often used to make Knowledge (arcana, planes, religion), Spellcraft, and Use Magical Device rolls. Worldly, on the other hand, is involved in determining the maximum amount of weight your character can carry and in calculating hit points and is often used to make Knowledge (engineering, geography, history, local, nature, nobility), Profession, and Sense Motive rolls. Sometimes, it’s used to make Climb, Swim, Fly, Ride, Fortitude, Appraise, Craft, Linguistics, Survival, and Handle Animal rolls, as well as rolls to perform feats of strength. Both Mystical and Worldly are often used with Perception rolls.
Paladins use Mystical to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.
Mystical governs the spellcasting of clerics, while Worldly governs that of druids and rangers.

PRUDENT (Pru)/RECKLESS (Re)
Prudent people look before they leap and think things through before acting. Reckless people believe in deeds, not words and trust in their instincts and skills to preserve them.

The prudent character gives thought to what they do before they act. Such a character is called cautious, and excessively prudent people are called shrewd, circumspect, or discerning — or “slow to act.” The reckless character acts before they think things through, without concern for anything but the immediate consequences. An extremely reckless character is called careless, or a hothead.

Prudent is involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC) and is often used to make Reflex, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Appraise, Craft, Knowledge (engineering), Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival rolls. One of the common traits used to make attack rolls, Reckless is also used in Climb, Swim, and Acrobatics rolls, as well as rolls to perform feats of strength and Fly or Ride checks to charge or increase your mount’s speed beyond its wont. Both Prudent and Reckless are sometimes used to make Will and Intimidate rolls.
Barbarians use Reckless to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.

TEMPERATE (Te)/INDULGENT (In)
Temperate people restrain their appetites and eat wisely and drink little. Indulgent people party the night away and eat and drink until they are fuller than full.

Temperance means that a character takes only what he needs of food, drink, and other temporal needs. They are frugal and abstain from excess. Extreme temperance indicates asceticism, perhaps even self-mortification. An indulgent character is a gourmand: they take pleasure in food and drink, both in quality and quantity. Extremes of this indicate gluttony and drunkenness.

Temperate is sometimes used with Fly or Ride rolls to reflect the careful treatment of the mount, as well as Survival rolls. Indulgent, on the other hand, is involved in calculating hit points; it’s also often used to make Appraise rolls and certain kind of Craft (like Craft (food)) and Knowledge (local, nobility) rolls. Temperate is more often used to make Fortitude rolls than Indulgent, but sometimes Indulgent can be used to reflect a body that’s used to handling new and strange excesses. Both Temperate and Indulgent are sometimes used to make Will and Heal rolls.
Monks use Temperate to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level, while sorcerers use Indulgent.

TRUSTING (Tr)/SUSPICIOUS (Su)
Trusting people assume the best of everyone until proven otherwise; Suspicious people fear the worst of everyone until proven otherwise.

One who is trusting tends to believe information without any inclination to suspect its falsity. An excessively trusting person is gullible and credulous, perhaps even a dupe. Suspicious indicates that a person is unlikely to believe what they hear unless proof is offered. An extremely suspicious person is called a skeptic or a doubter. A naturally suspicious person might still be extremely pious, however.

In some cases, jealousy is included under the Suspicious trait. Thus when someone acts jealous, they may start making rolls with Suspicious. Furthermore, Suspicious is one of the common traits used to make attack rolls, as well as being involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC), and is often used to make Reflex, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Appraise, Will, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, Bluff, and Disguise rolls. Trusting is sometimes used to make Handle Animal rolls. Both Trusting and Suspicious are often used to make Knowledge (local, nobility), Linguistics, and Diplomacy rolls.

VALOROUS (Va)/COWARDLY (Co)
Valorous people do not shrink from honest, fair battle. Extremely valorous people do not shrink from possibly suicidal battle. Cowardly people seize any chance to avoid combat.

To be valorous means to be brave and courageous, willing to place oneself in danger for the sake of victory, friends, or the simple love of battle. Many PCs, by dint of being the protagonists in an action-adventure story, are valorous, and thus might be referred to as doughty, stalwart, or valiant. Extremely heroic individuals are often called fearless or intrepid. Valor may be exhibited not only in combat, but whenever risks to one’s health or wellbeing are involved. Cowardly means to be fearful of pain and of harm to one’s self. Someone who is extremely faint-hearted is labeled as a poltroon, dastard, craven, caitiff, or recreant.

As mentioned before, the types of stories told in fantasy RPGs tend to privilege Valorous characters, though Cowardly heroes can be a helluva lot of fun. Accordingly, these two Virtues are very often used to make a wide variety of rolls in Middens & Morals. To start with, Valorous is one of the common traits used to make attack rolls, and is sometimes used to make Fortitude and Will rolls, too. Battlefield medicine often uses Valorous to make Heal rolls, and Valorous can reveal information about your opponent when used with Perception. Cowardly is involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC) and often used with Stealth rolls and Perception rolls to detect ambushes and surprise attacks. Both Valorous and Cowardly (depending usually on the direction one is moving in relation to the enemy) are often used to make Climb, Swim, and Sense Motive rolls and feinting, ambushing, distracting, and other such tactics often use either Valorous or Cowardly to make Bluff rolls. Though swashbucklers and the like are probably using Proud or Reckless to make Acrobatics rolls, there are times when either Valorous or Cowardly will be more appropriate.
Fighters use Valorous to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.

Virtues, continued (Design Domingo #4)

GENEROUS (Ge)/SELFISH (Se)
Generous people keep only what they need to maintain their station and reward their followers well; Selfish people are stingy and accumulate wealth all for themselves beyond their station.

Generous determines the impulse, learning, or desire to share with others. It includes the largesse of barbarian chieftains, and also the famed virtue of Charity. Extremely generous persons are called unselfish, magnanimous, and big-hearted. Selfish is the desire to possess, keep, and further accumulate things for oneself. Greed is usually a component of selfishness. This possessiveness usually regards material property and wealth, with the character being known as a miser or hoarder, but it might apply to glory, so that the character always wishes to keep the most glorious tasks and duties for themself. Very selfish persons are labeled both stingy and self-serving.

Generous is often used to make rolls to perform feats of strength or Heal rolls when your character is helping someone out, or with Handle Animal rolls in general. It’s sometimes also used with Fly and Ride checks involving overland travel, where endurance and being well-fed determine your mount’s performance more than anything else. In some cases, jealousy is included under the Selfish trait. Thus when someone acts jealous, he may begin rolling with Selfish. Beyond that, Selfish is sometimes used to make Reflex rolls, especially ones to protect a character’s stuff, as well as Bluff rolls. Both Generous and Selfish see common use with Disable Device, Craft, Knowledge (nobility), and Profession rolls and, depending on what you’re doing, with Sleight of Hand and Stealth rolls, too. Selfish is more often used to make Appraise and Will rolls, but there are situations in which Generous is used instead.

Rogues use Selfish to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.

HONEST (Ho)/DECEITFUL (De)
Honest people are truthful and never lie under oath. Deceitful people use words as weapons to snare others with tricks.

To be honest is to deal truthfully with others, both in matters of import or triviality, no matter what the consequences. Persons of extreme honesty are said to have integrity and to be trustworthy, scrupulous, and reliable. A deceitful person is generally likely to distort truths, or to fabricate untruths, for their own ends (or perhaps on behalf of others) — or in some cases, simply for the sake of doing so. Chronically deceitful people are called liars, frauds, and false-hearted.

Honest is often used to make Diplomacy rolls, while Deceitful is often used with Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Sense Motive, Bluff, Disguise, and Use Magic Device rolls. It’s also involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC). Both Honest and Deceitful are often rolled to make Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Will, Profession, and Perform rolls and sometimes Intimidate rolls, too.

Clerics and druids use Honest to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level, to reflect the fervent nature of their faith.

MODEST (Mo)/PROUD (Pro)
Modest people play down their glory and do not ask for praise; Proud people sing their own praises and expect the accolades of others.

To be modest is to be quiet and reserved about one’s gifts and accomplishments, not seeking excessive attention in the recitation of one’s own deeds. A modest character is glad simply to perform deeds, rather than bask in the repeated glory of hearing about them. Very modest people are called humble and reserved, or perhaps even shy. The Proud trait indicates the degree to which one gets pleasure from hearing and/or boasting of their deeds. Many lifeways value Pride in a character. Excessive pride implies arrogance, and likely a boastful nature.

Proud is often used to make Acrobatics, Profession, Bluff, Intimidate, and Perform rolls, and sometimes used to make Climb and Swim rolls. Rolls to perform feats of strength, too. Modest people sometimes make interesting use of both Sleight of Hand and Stealth, so it’s sometimes used for those rolls, as well as for Knowledge (nature), Perception, Survival, and Handle Animal rolls. Meanwhile, both Proud and Modest are sometimes used to make Knowledge (local, nobility) and Diplomacy checks.

Proud governs the spellcasting of bards and also determines how many skill ranks they receive each level. They’re one of two classes which use the same trait for both (the other being wizards).

JUST (Ju)/ARBITRARY (Ar)
Just people adhere to the law. Arbitrary people do whatever they like.

A just character is capable of telling what is right and wrong (within the mores of their upbringing and their personal beliefs), and is desirous of passing due judgment based on that information. A very just person is called fair and impartial. Arbitrary means that the character has no concern for what is right or wrong, and uses other information and bases for his decision making. Very arbitrary people are labeled unjust, unfair, wrongful, and probably biased and partial.

Both Just and Arbitrary are one of the common traits used to make attack rolls and Knowledge (local, nobility) rolls. Arbitrary is sometimes used to make Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Will, Bluff, Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device rolls. Fly, Ride, and Handle Animal rolls sometimes use Just, as the animal learns more easily what a just rider wants. It’s also often used to make Appraise, Knowledge (history), Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, and Diplomacy rolls.

Just governs the spellcasting of paladins.

MERCIFUL (Me)/CRUEL (Cr)
Merciful people accept surrenders and treat prisoners well. Cruel people find it better to kill those who surrender so they can't cause you future trouble, or else to break their will through torture.

Mercy indicates a tendency to extend sympathy, pity, and aid to others. This includes sparing an enemy, giving money to the poor, helping the weak, and any other act that is not expected of one’s rank and station. A very merciful person is called compassionate. Cruel indicates a disregard for the feelings and needs of others, or lack of sympathy. High values in Cruel indicate that the character actually enjoys the discomforts and troubles of others.

Cruel is one of the common traits used to make attack rolls (especially melee attack rolls). Perception and Intimidate checks, too. Another incredibly powerful trait for combat-oriented characters, it also adds to damage rolls. Merciful sometimes finds use with Escape Artist rolls and often with Heal rolls. Depending on how you treat your mount, both Merciful and Cruel are often used to make Fly or Ride checks and sometimes both can be used with Sleight of Hand rolls to set people up or help them avoid the eyes of the law (or in similar situations, obviously).

O holy Virtue! (Design Domingo #3)

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