Monique Rousseau, Adventuring Academic

[dalamb]

Status: fluff done; mechanics mostly drafted; no equipment yet

Monique Rousseau "Knowledge is power, and you know more if you learn to listen." Scholar (Doctor) // Hedgewitch (Triple Goddess, Spiritualism) Primary Role: Support (healer, scout, face) Secondary Role: entertainer, cook   Personality Monique is outgoing and personable, one of the reasons she is a popular teacher. Her insatiable “need to know” leads her to start each new interaction with the intent to learn something interesting about whom she has just met; she is good at drawing people out, and rarely finds anyone completely boring (except a rare few of her stuffier fellow academics). With a Guild team, she participates eagerly in the planning but is quite willing to subsume her ego to the needs of the group. Appearance Monique has flaming red hair, usually pinned in a bun when in public, but down to just below her shoulders otherwise. Her eyes are green, with faint crows’ feet when she smiles, the only sign of her middle age. In the city, and especially in the classroom, except on the warmest days she wears thigh-high boots, and a color-coordinated wardrobe consisting of a dress she embroidered herself that just reaches the top of the boots, and a jacket that reaches to her knees. While travelling with a Hunters’ Guild team, she wears practical shirts, trousers, and tunics in muted colours, with shorter boots that don’t restrict her knees.

Background

Monique Rousseau was born in Vesant, the Duchy of Dinsburg’s second-largest city, to a well-off family of merchants. She was raised in the family compound with her parents, maternal grandparents, two aunts and an uncle, and several cousins. They could afford the best governesses, and, with upward mobility in mind, worked to mold their first daughter into the sort of woman who would attract a husband from the gentry, perhaps even someone with a title of nobility, or at least a younger son of one. They encouraged her to develop a wide variety of skills expected of young noblewomen, and learn enough about different subjects that could help her to engage in witty conversation. Monique enjoyed the process, studying subjects even more diverse than her parents intended.

 

For a while it looked like their plan was succeeding. Unfortunately for her parents, but fortunately for Monique and the rest of the Duchy, at puberty Monique began to hear faint voices in her mind as she was falling asleep or waking up, whispering to her of abilities she could gain if she accepted their guidance and aid. She didn’t tell her parents, but did speak to one of her former governesses, a nun, who took her to her convent where the Mother Superior diagnosed her as one with a gift for hearing benign spirits, and affirmed that they would give her the sort of powers few people could learn. She taught Monique how to embrace the spirits’ help. She was delighted when Monique manifested her first talent, the ability to heal minor cuts and bruises. She (and the spirits) encouraged Monique to focus on advanced subjects more suited to an academic than to an upper-class wife.

 

The Rousseaus took her new direction badly at first, but the Mother Superior convinced them that a reputation as a scholar could attract the attention of higher-level nobility. They could afford an excellent education at what citizens call the University of Vesant but the residence of the distant capital call the University of Dinsburg, Vesant Campus. She was a prodigy, entering the University at 15, but despite her initial promise took six years to graduate because she spent her time studying every subject for which Vesant offered lectures, and some only found in its libraries. She again proved a disappointment to her parents, staying on for a Doctorate. They declined to pay for it, but she won three scholarships and in four years wrote a dissertation on Alchemy and monographs on three different specialized subjects.

 

One of those subjects had involved interviewing adventurers about identifying strange creatures they encountered. This brought her to the attention of the Monster Hunter’s Guild; the Vesant Grand Master suggested she could do her research more effectively by joining the Guild, training as a scout, and observing monsters in the field. Some of her professors chided her for delaying her studies, but despite spending half her time adventuring, she still managed to defend her thesis towards the end of her fourth year. The average was five for those not “distracted by irrelevancies,” in the words of Professor Raoul LeClerc, the head of the Alchemy department. Nevertheless the Chancellor and the Trustees were so impressed by the recommendations of her undergraduate professors that they offered her a tenure-track Lectureship in Alchemy, instead of expecting her to go through the usual servitude as an untenured Tutor.

 

This was despite her having mastered only a few of the esoteric alchemical recipes known to specialists. She had proved a brilliant lecturer; her students had great success as conventional alchemists, but the Chancellor found her even more valuable because of what others had criticized when she was a student: She was interested in just about everything, and could take over a course in almost anything on short notice and often out-perform the original lecturer.

 

She continued “moonlighting” with the Hunters’ Guild. They encouraged her to broaden her skill set, and were delighted at her affinity for magical healing. At first her “extra-curricular travel” took place between terms at the University, primarily in the summer, but gradually she began to take short leaves, then longer leaves. She finally made arrangements with the University to change her schedule so that she gave intense but short sequences of lectures in many different subjects, a role that was rare but at which she excelled, attracting many wealthy students to the University to hear its most entertaining and effective teachers. She finally spend the entire year of her first sabbatical with a team primarily hunting aberrations. The Chancellor had been skeptical at first, but she returned with a nearly-complete manuscript “On the Identification of Creatures of Madness” that became the definitive encyclopedia on distinguishing one aberration from another.

 

At twenty-eight she finally reconciled with her parents by marrying Phillipe LeBrun, fourth son of the next-younger brother of the current Lord Mayor, Jean LeBrun, Count Vesant. Phillipe was close enough to the local seat of power to be syled “Lord Phillipe LeBrun,” but Monique insisted on being called “Doctor Rousseau” instead of “Lady LeBrun.” There was a minor controversy over her keeping her maiden name, but she held that she was already well known in her field under that name and would lose considerable prestige for the University if she switched.

 

Over the next four years Monique took a hiatus from her work with the Guild to bear three children. Phillipe was sufficiently wealthy that she had the best nurses and governesses in the city, which let her manage to keep up lecturing albeit at a much more subdued pace. At the unheard-of age of thirty-four, the University granted her a newly-created Professorship in General Studies, getting her out from under the disapproving glare of the aging Professor LeClerc. She promptly signed on with the Hunters’ Guild again, and resumed her life as part-time teacher, part-time adventurer.

 

Monique is now forty, her children Sylvie, Phillipe junior, and Justine being 12, 11, and 9 respectively. During their childhood her missions with the Hunters’ Guild kept her away from them for what added up to three or four months each year, but it was almost always broken up into stretches of two or three weeks. The whole family was worried about her going on this most dangerous quest, but when she explained that the whole Duchy was in danger, they dried their tears and put on brave faces.

 

[dalamb]

Quick-Access Mechanics

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Martial Talents Martial Tradition: Crossbow Scout Equipment: Mechanical Training, Expert Reloading Scout sphere, 1 Scout talent Count: 20/20= 2 (martial tradition) + 7 (scholar levels) +9 (studied technique) +2 (FCB)  Talents Alchemy-Formulae (4, + free sphere + 1 free talent): Focusing Formula, Improved Alchemist’s Fire, Improved Smoke Bomb, Improved Tanglefoot Bag, Salve Equipment (3) : Expert Reloading, Mechanical Training, Unarmored Training Scout (13, + free sphere +1 talent): Active Camouflage, Advisory Scout, Discern Illusions, Find the Gap, Great Senses, Heightened Awareness, Hidden Focus, Identify Rhythms, Lurker, Piercing Eye, Track the Scene, True Sight, Vanish, Walk Unseen; temporary: Detect Surface Thoughts. Magical Talents Casting Tradition (caster level 11) CAM Int (15) Emotional Casting(needs logical spell) Focus Casting Mental Focus Somatic Casting x2(needs still spell) Talents by Sphere (29/2911 (hedgewitch levels) +2 (first-level caster) + 9 (Arcane Studies) +2 (FCB) +5 (oath boon)) font effects meaningItalics; free from Sphere Virtuoso red: obtained as needed via spiritualism power CreationCaster level = 15 (hedgewitch: transmuter path benefit) (4) : sphere, Distant Creation, Divided Creation, Expanded Materials, Lengthened Creation, Object of Force, Sustenance; temporary: Exquisite Detail DeathCaster level = 15 (Triple Goddess) (1, free sphere) : Bleeding Wounds, Mass Death Magic, Ranged Death FateCaster level = 15 (Triple Goddess) (4, free sphere) : Bargain, Echoing Word, Freedom, Resounding Word, The Hanged Man, The High Priestess LifeCaster level = 15 (Triple Goddess) (10, free sphere) : Break Enchantment, Deeper Healing, Greater Invigorate, Mass Healing, Ranged Healing, Restore (all 4), Resuscitate; temporary: Make Whole (CL 10), Resurrection (CL 10) Time (3) : sphere, Improved Haste, Mass Time, Ranged Time, Temporal Haste; temporary: Past Sight WarpCaster level 13 = 11 (hedgewitch) + 2 (origin bonus) (7) : sphere, Distant Teleport, Emergency Teleport, Mass Teleport, Ranged Teleport, Teleport Beacon, Unseeing Teleport; temporary: True Teleport (CL 10) Spell points 60 Hedgewitch 4515 (class level + 15 (casting tradition boon: levels in casting classes) + 15 (CAM) Scholar 15CAM

Oaths Total: 23 oath points Basic Oaths: 20 Oath of Honor: 2 (TBD) Oath of Candor: 1 Boons Total: 23 oath points Spell Resistance: 3 (26) Energy Resistance: 6 (all but positive energy) Bonus Feats: 5 (2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 20th) Bonus Talents: 5 (Every even level) Incredible Resilience: 1 (saves +5 resistance; nat arm +5 enhancement) Shielded Form: 1 (+4 deflection to AC) Skillful: 1 (Perception) Skill Superiority: 1 Origin Phenomenal Talents (3 Potent) Keep 1 (Practiced Magic: Warp sphere +2 caster level) Trade 2 (2x Auxiliary, 2x Utility) : Endure Level Drain, Mistsight, Telepathy x2 Regular Talents (6 Potent) keep 3: All-Around Vision, Quick on the Pickup, Unbroken trade 3 for 2 aux, 1 utility each Auxiliary (6) : Aquatic, Climber, Darkvision, Glider, First to Battle, Resist Level Drain Utility (3) : Applied Consistency, Keen Senses, Specialized Familiarity (+4 Perform: Sing) Traits Combat: Reactionary (+2 initiative) Magic: Gift For Magic (+2 CL: warp sphere) Religion: Born Healer (+1d8 cure) No drawback

 

[dalamb]

Mechanics Details

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Mundane AC 4410 +8 (dex) +8 (unarmored training) +(15+3) prescient dodger Light crossbow +19 / +14 / +9 (1d8, 19-20x2, 80') Saves: +10 (Cha from Cunning) Poor Fort (+5) Good Ref, Will (+9)

Magical AC 51Mundane +9 = +5 (natural armour) +4 (deflecction) Light Crossbow +21 / +16 / +11 (1d8+2) Energy Resistance 20 (acid, cold, electricity, fire, sonic, negative energy) Saves: +15 = +10 (Cha from Cunning) +5 (resistance:oath) Poor Fort (+5) Good Ref, Will (+9)

Common

Abilities Abl  Score Str  10 Dex  26 Con  24 Int  40 Wis  10 Cha  30

HP 22515 * ( 8 (hedgewitch) + 7 (con) ) Spell Resistance 26 Initiative: +8 = +4 (improved initiative +2 (origin) +2 (trait) Spheres DC: 32 = 10 + 7 (lvl/2) + 15 (CAM/PM)

 

Skills

• All skills class skills from Oath:Skillful

• Points/lvl 24 = 8 (scholar) + 1 (boon: Skillful) + 15 (int)

• Max’d from talents (2 skills) : Stealth, Perception

• Max’d from points (21 skills) : Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge(all 10), Spellcraft, Survival, Use Magic Device

• 45 = 3x15 left:

  • 11 point: Climb, Profession (Cook), Profession (Academic) , Swim

  • 1-point: Ride

• Bluff, Sense Motive skipped because of Versatile Performance: sing

• Background Skills 2x15 = 30

  • Perform (sing): vp Bluff, Sense Motive) 15

  • Craft (tattoo) 5

  • 1-point (4) : Appraise, Handle Animal, Linguistics, Sleight of Hand

  • 6 left:

    • 1 each (3) : Artistry (Architecture), Craft (embroidery), Craft (mixed drinks),

    • 3: Lore (Academic Culture),

• Skill Bonuses

  • Disable Device +7 (lvl/2 from Tinker: trapfinding)

  • Knowledge:

    • +22 = +15 (int: charlatanism: rogue talent: roguish know-how) + 7 (scholar lvl/2 academic knowledge)

    • Identify weaknesses + 7 (hedgewitch level/2: exorcism path) extra

  • Perception: +9 = +2 (orgin) + (Skill Superiority: 2+char lvl/2); +7 more for finding traps

  • Perform (sing) +4 (origin)

  • Bluff, Sense Motive from sing (total check mod: +29 = +lvl +4 (origin) +10 (cha mod)

 

 

[dalamb]

Level-by-Level Details (for things where level at which something is acquired might matter; TBD when everything that would go here is finalized)

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Lvl	Scholar (Doctor)	Hedgewitch (Exorcism, Spiritualism)	General Feat	Bonus Talent (Oath Boon)	Bonus Feat (Oath Boon)
1
2
3
4
5
6			Extra Scholar's Knack
7
8
9
10
11			Extra Scholar's Knack
12
13
14
15

 

[dalamb]

Draft In-Character Post

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Monique

Prose goes here. "Speech is like this."  Thoughts are like this.

OOCOut-of-character prose

Mechanics   A description of mechanical details, probably including links to and reports of rolls on OGMW.

 

[dalamb]

Reserve 3

[dalamb]

Reserve 4

[dalamb]

I've written up as much of the fluffbackground, appearance, personality as I have in my head so far, but might add more if inspired. Some of her mechanics are done but not: writing up class features, purchasing equipment, and allocating the last few talent slots.

1. How many signature skills are we allowed? I tried for 3, but I think some DMs limit us to 0 or1 if we're not unchained classes.
2. If a beholder is blinded, does that prevent it from using its 9 eye ray attacks? Monique has a pretty good chance of knowing, from a fantastically high set of Knowledge skills, +29 bonus above the 3+15 base (+47 total) to identify properties and weaknesses of creatures. (This is mostly a natural consequence of high int plus class features, but I added a gratuitous +15 from a Rogue talent to fit with her polymath background).
3. Since the AMF ray is always "straight ahead" I assume it still works if the beholder is blinded but it can't select targets.
4. The armor bonus from unarmored training applies against touch attacks; does this mean it applies against incorporeal attacks too?
5. Preparing and throwing a flashbang is a standard action. With Trick Arrows, I presume this normally means you can't full-attack and get a flashbang with each iterated attack. But what about Barrage, which is a "special attack action"? Can you get a flashbang with each, or only with the first shot, or not at all?

[dalamb]

I've decided Triple Goddess better fits my support-character goals than Exorcism, which has more of an attack-y feel to it. I hope to revise this evening. But all the questions above still remain relevant -- though on reflection I realize they probably don't need to be answered until you accept characters.

The question that is relevant: Her background is all history, and is getting rather long. But there is no in-character element to it yet; does your decision process become easier if there are a few key scenes from her life included with the basic story?

[Arklytte]

Honestly, its hard to say definitively one way or the other which is better.  Sometimes just a backstory is enough to draw me in, sometimes an IC scene does it.  Write what you're inspired to write.  That will show through best IMO.  🙂

[dalamb]

The history was what "spoke" to me most - how she got to be where she is today. IC dialogue is fun but requires more thought, and I'm also working on creating a new campaign of my own. That means I haven't converted her over to Triple Goddess yet, but her spheres will remain pretty close to what she has now. TG frees up a couple of talent slots because of the bonus spheres and 2 extra talents. So there will be some changes, but I think they fall in the category of "can be fiddle with if accepted" rather than making some major definitional change.