Looking for some Assistance - Writing Character Information - Printable Version +- Hydaelyn Role-Players (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18) +-- Forum: Community (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=8) +--- Forum: RP Discussion (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: Looking for some Assistance - Writing Character Information (/showthread.php?tid=16188)

Looking for some Assistance - Writing Character Information - Caex Vaeriar - 05-19-2016 Heyo!  So! A major issue I've realised is that, while I -love love love- my character, I have a lot of weaknesses in how I wrote him. Particularly, there are a lot of things that I have to ask 'Why' about, and the fact that I am not readily prepared with an answer - means that I created a dead-end of an RP path within my own character.  Thus! I was hoping to see if the kind people on the forums would be willing to Brainstorm some concepts, and help as a sort of reflecting board with me.  So, the three things that I want to tackle (Not necessarily in order! Heh.)  Reason for medical condition One of the biggest things with the character that I've used to balance his proficiency in CQC is the lack of Ranged attacks, compounded with the lack of extensive Aether-usage. That is to say, Caex will never be the type to use Fireballs, Ice Blasts, etc etc. However, for minor surges of Aether, he is quite talented in integrating a few styles into his repetoir - with heavy repercussions.  The big thing I do whenever I overuse Aether in IC fights, is that I RP a heart condition. Basically it only comes up during the use of Combat where he uses Aether too heavily. This can be from anything from gathering Aether in the legs and mimicking dragoon jumps (much smaller scale, closer to a DRK's plunge than a real jump), to using Aether-Chains (Fandom! HOLMGANGU.)  However, the 'Reason' for it is what is the most iffy. Why does it place a strain, on his heart, specifically? What sort of reasons are there that could define this?  For this, I started to pull a bit from the Conjurer's storyline. The use taps into himself, as opposed to drawing latent Aether from the surrounding area. Thus, you are tapping your own life's blood in a way every time you use it. Thus, the symptoms are very similar to Cardiac Arrest.  But what reason could I have that he is unable to access the surrounding Aether properly?... Reason for Aether Draw This was born of an RP with a friend. They added some Flavor text of the character having a particular 'pull' during their healing - that is to say, they attempted to 'take' more than was being 'offered' by the other character.  One of the concepts that they suggested, was a 'strong will to live', but I never found this to be a satisfactory reason. While it was just flavor text, it was really something I wanted to explore further within the character's narrative.  I thought to take that versatility, and started to draw concepts. The result I got, was a concept that I took to - but I am in need of help to see if we can make it as clear and concise and 'Lore Abiding' as possible.  Reason for Versatility Namely, the concept that I wanted to use was that he has four 'implants' - one for each leg, one for each arm, and a final one at his heart.  The four on the outside, I thought to make similar to SoulStones. It would explain the mixing of styles he frequently use, and the method in which he uses them takes precedence over his ability to draw in Aether. Basically, by having something that is drawing in Aether from his surroundings constantly and infusing himself, he has his vaunted strength and resilience - but the penalty being back to that 'heart condition' as mentioned earlier.  The fifth implant being where it is funneled to, right over the heart. Maybe a custom soul stone, or maybe something that is meant to /become/ a soul stone (after all, we know they can be manufactured, but there's never really a method given. One that takes the life of the user is an interesting concept.)  These are concepts I have been pooling together with time, but I have never had a session where I got to sit down with someone and try to bring them all together, tweak and work them. I would love if someone would be able to give assistance to me in this task - it would REALLY help.  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Feel free to call me a shitter if you feel like things don't make sense! D: RE: Looking for some Assistance - Writing Character Information - Valence - 05-20-2016 Medical condition The body has a certain reserve of aether that is stored inside. For most people on Eorzea that's actually quite weak, and as seen with the Coco brothers storyline for the Thaumaturge storyquest, one of them is willing very hard to become a thaumaturge too but just has pathetic aether reserves which means that pulling out the simplest spell ever could threaten his life. The problem exposed in the conjurer quest is not that much that Sylvie and her mother pull on a limited pool of lifeforce every time they use it that way until it eventually depletes it and kills them, but that as seen with thaumaturgy, it's a rather dangerous practice since you have every time to pull out of your aether reserves and if you go too far or do it too often before it's regenerated, then you can die because you will not pull on your reserves anymore but your very life essence (which is composed of aether, and it's your soul). That's also why the coco brothers came with the astral/umbral balance aspect for their school of magicks. I personally suspect that the heaviest and hardest spells there is for a conjurer is actually healing and especially raising (as seen in the conjurer quest, when the girl tries to raise, it goes very wrong for her). Elemental spells are no different than thaumaturge ones: they cast from the elemental wheel and are already dangerous. I suspect that healing spells are even worse in that regard (at least, raise, which also costs a kidney ingame). Fortunately for conjurers, they don't draw from their body aether reserves. I can totally see cardiac arrest being a direct consequence to pulling too much into your aether reserves with that in mind. Pull on your lifeforce, and your internal things might start to fail in cascade. If your character has a natural weak heart, I could totally see it being the first thing to suffer everytime. Aether Draw I am not quite sure what you mean here? Could you elaborate what you have in mind exactly? Versatility Well you can go with your implants thing of course, but bear in mind that lore can also offer basically what monks do: they can channel aether in a specific cay through their body by opening chakras. Chakras open their inner chi/valves to let aether flow and their body becomes some sort of conduit. That becomes especially strong in presence of old battlefields and places impregnated with aether residues. So in a way it also pulls from the environment here, but through a rather different mean than the conjurers do: conjurers don't really gather that aether in their own body reserves, they just take from nature bounty and make it work. Monks pull from it and actually channel it through their bodies (something something Rhalgr), thus the difference in application. Hope that helps! Keep in mind there is a certain dose of personal interpretation on my side for the solutions I offer.