WordSmith

Played by Errol Cavit. See also WordSmith

Proprietor of The Golden Ingot

Description

A short, slightly weedy dwarf, who claims to be a real Namer, not one of those warriors who cast counters. The battleaxe and shield are there for cultural reasons. Carries a lot of gold stuff, including a woven gold half-cloak.bloody wyvern
Well bugger. A mis-understanding with a wyvern required an urgent appeal to the Spirit of Change. So now a slightly weedy shapechanger (Human/Dog Lizard) real Namer. The battleaxe feels a bit odd. The one his left forearm can turn into feels odder.

Companions

Chester

WordSmith is followed around by a large (3' x 2' x 2') floating chest. Chester was found abandoned in an enchanted forest, and enjoyed the respect and attention that WordSmith showed. Chester will allow others access to his contents if they have been nice to him, and WordSmith doesn't object.
Normally Chester carries various items of non-combat use to the party (e.g. tools, food, water, camping equipment), as well as extra potions and so on. If he takes a lot of damage, he will return to the plane of 'Treasure', and re-appear in Seagate in several months (complete with contents).
Chester thinks it's great when people cast protective spells on him (yes, they do work).

Weasel

Tragically corrupted by artifacts of a Ancient Nameless One, the Weasel was destroyed under controlled conditions by the Anvil of Heat and the Hammer of Weight.
His constant guard from demonic beings and undead is a crystalline weasel. The weasel's most notable feat was finishing off a summoned Hellfire while the party was down to two badly-damaged still-conscious members.
It provides a warning if a target is within 30', and will leap on the nearest target within 15'. It is most effective in Close, and will recover life draining off Undead who have drained WordSmith. It has as much natural armour as provided by jousting armour, and regenerates in daylight.
The weasel is effectively part of WordSmith for the purposes of being a target of magic.

Abilities

Magic

WordSmith is competent in the standard Namer magics (DA rk20, Divination rk8, Remove Curse rk8 (max Major Curse MA of 33), Banishment rk7, Branch counterspells rk9). In addition, he is confident with Bane (rk12), Dispel Magic (rk17), Disjunction (rk7), Forbidding (rk9) and Mana Sense (rk8). As well as knowing the GTNs of likely adventuring companions (rk8+) and Banishment targets, he knows the unusual GTNs of Curse and Hellfire.

Unusual Magics

• Was granted Weapon of Flames by Seir (currently rk17).
• He learned the unteachable spell of Name Finding (points at something and says its GTN, gets a Location-style arrow) on Ares.
• Has a 'racial' talent that makes him resistant to his own suffering and hardship. Doesn't stun, is much less likely to fear, and harder to knock unconscious or kill outright.

Skills

A notable Military Scientist (Rk8, Ruskan campaign), competent Healer (rk5) and Navigator of Aeir Ships (rk5), as well as a Merchant of magical items, engineer and Carpenter (rk4). Also abilities in presenting himself in Court, and gathering and organising information. Trained in riding and flying, his lack of agility prevents true skill in these areas.

Game Face

Due to the effects of losing magical control in an area saturated with wild magic, WordSmith's body underwent some permanent magical mutations. These were further altered by Lord Yo Long aka Jade Dragon to make them more useful and usable by WordSmith: each change can be concealed or revealed by concentrating for a few seconds. These changes are an intrinsic part of his true nature. The changes are:

• wickedly sharp curving bull's horns, used to gore in melee or close combat, and also to charge
• large canine fangs, with a natural venom.
• his left hand transforms into a light battle-axe.

Weapons

While he is generally of more use to the party outside melee combat, he is well-trained in battle-axe, dagger, unarmed, and shield (rk 4-6), and useful with dart. He also knows how to use his magical net (which will restrain insubstantial creatures).

Stoicism

Has a 'racial' talent that makes him resistant to his own suffering and hardship. Is much less likely to stun or fear, and harder to knock unconscious or kill outright.

Items of Interest

Cockleshells of Raising All Things

The wearer activates one of these shells by throwing it to the ground and calling out the GTN of an animal or plant. Thereupon, in a single pulse, the shell changes to a full-grown specimen of that plant or animal, which is friendly to the activator, but not necessarily to their companions (if provoked or naturally vicious). The plant or animal:

• may not be "fantastic", nor a being that is naturally capable of learning a magic college.
• will be of random gender, with stats in the upper quartile.
• nine times out of ten, will appear in a state natural for the season
• an animal will NOT breed true, but the seeds of a plant may.

Each shell may be activated up to once a day. The plant/animal lasts until it is killed or has a Namer SK counterspell cast on it for the purpose of deactivating the magic (the transformed shell gets a MR roll if the caster is not the activator). After death or counterspell, the plant/animal is counter-transmogrified back into its cockleshell.

These have been useful for making a tree on a flying ship (so it could be used as an end-point for a tree-walking spell), and providing pack animals (but not their tackle!) after flying.

Namers Tools

A magical, silvered battleaxe and small round shield. The axe can store 3 SK counterspells (or 6 GK, or 2 of each) after utilising a half hour ritual - stored counters have a 100% BC, and as a default WordSmith stores Mind (rk7), Wicca (rk6) and Fire (rk6) SK counters. The shield can be fitted to the axe to generate a spherical rk12 Spell Barrier three times per day.

Net of Gold

This net of fine woven golden mesh will work as a normal net in combat, with a magical +20% SC bonus. It will effect any creatures, including insubstantial and spectral. A creature of more than PS 50 will shred the net beyond repair as they escape from entanglement. WordSmith normally carries this around his waist.

Jade Egg

If held by an Adept while undertaking a ritual which is primarily of divinatory, information-gathering or communication-based nature, each minute spent counts as three minutes towards the cast time. Also applies to similarly appropriate ritually-prepared spells.

Other Items of Interest

• Medallion of Mind protection (+30 MR vs Mind, non-stacking)
• Some Mana Pots (can discharge mana to those next to them)
• A chunk of Amber (10 magic FT)
• Invested Trueform

History

Adventure List

• ??? 1993 Mishrak/Nadrak
• April 1994 Shadows over Calder
• June 1994 The Trouble with Sargon
• Nov 1994
• Winter 795 House of Time(Oct 1994ap)
• April 1995 Harpy Hunt
• Autumn 801 Jhensi Hallenger's Birthday
• Summer 802 Blessed are the Cheesemakers
• Winter 802 Seven Stout Hearts in Phantasia
• Spring 802 For the Good of Her Halph
• Summer 803 Caravan to The Enchanted Forest
• Autumn 803 Crystal Haven
• Spring 803 Pet Show
• Winter 804 Diplomacy for Brastor
• Summer 805 Never Say Neverre
• Winter 805 Brastor Breakout
• Summer 806 Oh! Not another Bard!
• Autumn 806 White Wedding
• Summer 807 The War on Horror
• Autumn 807 To Ruska with Love
• Winter 807 Winter War
• Summer 808 The Laughing Hills
• Autumn 808 The Rights of Spring
• Spring 809 A Pirate's Lament
• Autumn 810 Work for the Warden
• Winter 810 Sand Storm
• Summer 811 SauRus's Curse Removal Quest
• Winter 811 Too much of a good thing
• Spring 811 Fact-eliminating mission
• Summer 813 When my Ships come in
• Spring 813 Kill Them All
• Autumn 814 Mislaid Offspring
• Spring 814 Reclaiming Walontaun
• Spring 815 Enchanted Jewels