Character Creation Challenge 2024 - 14: Surrak son of Harjoon son of Talkil [Runequest Glorantha]

 Third Runequest Glorantha character of the 2024 Challenge [Fourth Overall]

This one and one more and I have the standard group size...


Fundamentals/Concept

So the idea has become to not do duplicate homeland, cult and occupation. So far homeland has been Sartar, Esrolia and Grazelands. Cults has been Humakt, Ernalda and Yelm. Occupations has been Farmer, Healer and Light Cavalryman. Still a lot to to pick from... Should at least have one character in the Orlanth cult before this ends, as it seems to be a god one should know about.


Step 1: Homeland

Going in listed order still, it's time for Prax. Since a Light Cavalry character has been made, go for Bison Tribe to be Heavy Cavalry. Prax gives the following Passions:

  • Hate (Chaos): 60%
  • Love (Family): 60%
  • Loyalty (Bison Riders): 60%

 

Step 2: Family History

Pick father and grandfather again for close family.

1561: Grandfather born.

1582: Father born. Normal year for grandfather.

1597: Grandfather fought in the Holy Country, survived.

1602: Grandfather fought in the Boldhome campaign, was killed in battle. Gain Passion: Honor 60%.

1603: Character born.

1608: Father had a normal year.

1610: Father killed by Trolls. Gain Passion: Hate (Trolls) 60%.

1622: Nearly frozen to death, but saved by the love of another. Gain Passion: Love (Individual) 60%.

1623: A normal year.

1624: Acknowledged Argrath as the White Bull. Gain Passion: Loyalty (White Bull) 60%.

1625: Participated in the Liberation of Pavis. Acclaimed Agrath as King of Pavis. Gain Passion: Loyalty (Argrath) 60% and +3% reputation. +10% to Battle and 400 L in War Booty.

 

Step 3: Rune Affinities

Typical Bison Rider cults are Waha, Daka Fal, Eiritha, Storm Bull and Orlanth. Storm Bull and Orlanth are the obvious Warrior Cults, while the others feel more like rounded cults. I don't like Storm Bull much as a concept, so I'll just pick Orlanth. Orlanth wants Air and Movement.

Bison Riders gets +10% Air Rune to start with.

 

Elemental Runes

  • Pick Air at 60%. With the Homeland bonus this becomes 70%.
  • Pick Earth at 40%.
  • Pick Water at 20% 


Power | Form Runes

  • Stasis 25% | Movement 75%
  • 25% Man | 75% Beast


Free Additional Points

  • Put 5 points into Air, for a total of 75%.
  • Put 35 points into Earth, for a total of 75%.
  • Put 10 points into Water, for a total of 30%.


Bit hard to pick between Earth and Water for second rune. After making the Light Cavalry character that didn't have the stats to use a Composite Bow, so having contingency plans to be able to use at least some of the culture/occupation weapons (that needs some combo of STR and DEX) is important. But a hopeless CON might be horrible too, so had that as second high one. Ie. can put low stat roll points in dex, major rune in STR or CON, depending on if something is really low.


Step 4: Characteristics

Rolling

  • STR: 16
  • DEX: 8
  • CON: 10
  • POW: 5
  • CHA: 13
  • SIZ: 13
  • INT: 13

 So here we are, with STR being more than good enough, while DEX is a bit fishy. Bit of a regret Water is not one of the top runes now, could've had 13 in it.

Modifications

Nevermind getting 13 in DEX if I had chosen another way... Bison Riders has stat modifications, namely +2 SIZ and -2 DEX! Crisis...

The sum rolled is lower than 92, so I get 3 free points. I put all of them into DEX.

Next up is runes. My highest runes are Air and Earth. STR is already good, so pick Earth as best rune. Take +2 CON and +1 STR as the rune bonuses.

Starting characteristics then become:

  • STR: 17
  • DEX: 9
  • CON: 12
  • POW: 5
  • CHA: 13
  • SIZ: 15
  • INT: 13

Attributes

  • Magic Points: 5
  • Hit Points: 13
  • Healing Rate: 2
  • Damage Bonus: +1d4
  • Spirit Combat Damage: +1d6
  • Maximum ENC: 14,5
  • Dex Strike Rank: 3
  • SIZ Strike Rank: 1
  • AGI Skill Modifier: +5%
  • COM Skill Modifier: +5%
  • KNO Skill Modifier: +5%
  • MAG Skill Modifier: -5%
  • MAN Skill Modifier: +10%
  • PER Skill Modifier: +5%
  • STE Skill Modifier: +0%

 Massive skill category modifiers this time! Not going to be big on spirit magic and stuff, this one. Some stats do make a bigger impact than others on the skills I suppose.

The POW of 5 is just crippling... Could have sorted that out if the combo of Bison Rider and low roll on DEX would have been crippling for weapon choices.


Skill base chances

Bison Rider Praxian adjusts the base skill chances like this:

  •  Ride (Bison): +35%.
  • Customs (Bison Tribe): 25%
  • Herd: +35%
  • Peaceful Cut: +15%
  • Spirit Combat: +20%
  • Dagger: +10%
  • Lance: +15%
  • Broadsword: +10%
  • Javelin: +10%
  • Medium Shield: +10%
  • Speak Own (Praxian): 50%
  • Speak Other (Trade Talk): +10%
  • Survival: +10%

Doesn't look like any cultural weapons that would require more than 9 DEX, but we shall find that out later.


Step 5: Occupation

The plan was from the start to aim for Heavy Cavalry. At first glance, the DEX of 9 is enough for everything but Rapier and Greatsword, neither of which are on the Heavy Cavalry list. Since character can use Composite Longbow, I pick the option for unit weapons that has that.

Occupational Skills

  • Battle: +30%
  • First Aid: +10%
  • Ride (Bison): +35%
  • Listen: +10%
  • Composite Bow: +25%
  • Lance: +25%
  • Broadsword: +25%
  • Medium Shield: +20%
  • Sing: +10%

Other Stuff

  • Standard of Living: Free
  • Base Income: 60 L
  • Honor +10%
  • Ransom: 500 L
  • Equipment: Heavy Scale Hauberk, Plate greaves and vambraces, closed helmet, Composite Bow, Lance, Broadsword, Medium Shield, Bison, 2 Distinctive Scars, Sleeping Roll, Good Clothing, 20 L in coin, War Booty worth 32 L.
     

Step 6: Cult

Orlanth Adventurous, go.

  • Orate: +15%
  • Speak Other (Stormspeech): +20%
  • Sing: +10%
  • Cult Lore (Orlanth): +15%
  • Worship (Orlanth): +20%
  • Meditate: +5%
  • Orate: 20% [First Bonus]
  • Speak Other (Stormspeech): +15% [Second Bonus]
  • Broadsword: +10% [Subcult]
  • Rune Magic: Leap, Shield, Lightning
  • Spirit Magic: Heal (1 pt.), Disruption (1 pt.), Bladesharp (1 pt.), Protection (1 pt.) and Mobility (1 pt.)
  • Passion - Hate (Chaos): +10%

Not the most interesting skills I thought at first, but being pretty competent in a social skill (orate) from the start seems pretty good.

 

Step 7: Personal Skill Bonuses

Four skills gets +25% and five skills gets +10%, still the rules.

  • Composite Bow: +25%
  • Lance: +25%
  • Charm: +25%
  • Orate: +25%
  • Dodge: +10%
  • Medium Shield: +10%
  • Broadsword: +10%
  • Scan: +10%
  • Worship (Orlanth): +10%

Some habits have formed here. I can copy paste previous character's personal skill bonuses and make small adjustments. Bit of social skills, and bump the weapon skills up to 70ish percent. To get away from having to spend personal points on weapons, have to be in a cult that gives weapon skill increases.


Step 8: Other Info

Name: Surrak son of Harjoon son of Talkil

Clan and Tribe: Flower Bison Clan. The Bison Riders tribe.

Birthday: Air Season, Beast Week, Freezeday

Family Heirloom: Magic POW storage crystal that can hold up to 10 MP.

Starting Reputation: 13% (Base 5, Free 5, Family Event 3).


Character Summary

 Surrak, Bison Rider Heavy Cavalry

Characteristics

  • STR: 17
  • DEX: 9
  • CON: 12
  • POW: 5
  • CHA: 13
  • SIZ: 15
  • INT: 13

Runes

  • Air: 75%
  • Earth: 75%
  • Water: 30%
  • Stasis 25% | Movement 75%
  • 25% Man | 75% Beast 

Skills

  • Ride (Bison): +70%
  • Customs (Bison Tribe): 25%
  • Herd: +35%
  • Peaceful Cut: +15%
  • Spirit Combat: +20%
  • Dagger: +10%
  • Lance: +65%
  • Broadsword: +55%
  • Javelin: +10%
  • Medium Shield: +40%
  • Speak Own (Praxian): 50%
  • Speak Other (Trade Talk): +10%
  • Survival: +10%
  • Battle: +40%
  • First Aid: +10%
  • Listen: +10%
  • Composite Bow: +50%
  • Sing: +20%
  • Orate: +60%
  • Speak Other (Stormspeech): +35%
  • Cult Lore (Orlanth): +15%
  • Worship (Orlanth): +30%
  • Meditate: +5%
  • Charm: +25%
  • Dodge: +10%
  • Scan: +10%

Passions

  • Hate (Chaos): 70%
  • Love (Family): 60%
  • Loyalty (Bison Riders): 60%
  • Honor: 70%
  • Hate (Trolls): 60%
  • Love (Individual): 60%
  • Loyalty (White Bull): 60%
  • Loyalty (Argrath): 60%

Equipment

  •  Heavy Scale Hauberk, Plate greaves and vambraces, Closed helmet.
  •  Composite Bow, Lance, Broadsword, Medium Shield
  •  Bison
  •  Sleeping Roll, Good Clothing
  • 20 L in coin
  • War Booty worth 432 L

Magic

  • Rune Magic: Leap, Shield, Lightning
  • Spirit Magic: Heal (1 pt.), Disruption (1 pt.), Bladesharp (1 pt.), Protection (1 pt.) and Mobility (1 pt.)
     

Opinions

 This ended up very samey to the Grazelands Light Cavalry character. Not that strange, maybe.

Playing

Everything has to go slow. Passionate, but everything is done thoroughly and overdone. Big lengthy boasts. Big and slow but with gravity when doing both combat and anything else.

Charging with the bison is brutal, but will not happen that often. With 8 passions, finding something to use to augment what Air and Earth cannot shouldn't be too hard.

Development

With POW 5 save money for POW increases. Use the free EXP checks on Battle, Charm and some Perception skills if some of those haven't gotten a check a season.


End note

This is just fun to do at this point. The 4 weapon characters with niche weapons (like lance and shield) feels more and more taxing.

For the last character, another non-warrior occupation character with 2 more general purpose weapons would be interesting to do again.



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