Here there be Planeswalkers

Last weekend our Manaburst campaign finally got off the ground.  The actual play portion of the night wasn’t too long – we spent a lot of the session going over rules and took our time with the scenes to make sure that all of the rules were explained as we went.  Slow-paced that it may be, the session seemed to be a success.  By the end of the night everyone had gotten the basics of the system and were getting into the flexibility it afforded them.

Character generation was slow at first while everyone wrapped their head about the phases and aspects that FATE uses, but before long we had a fairly diverse group of planeswalkers who, for the most part, had a united enemy and had met each other in their travels-at least in passing.

Ada

Ada’s original conception was that of a construct capable of aiding its master in research and ritual.  She quickly became  indispensable  to his experiments, able to observe and record all that transpired while his concentration was elsewhere.

Many years after her creation, Ada was given sentience when a powerful spell cast by her master  inadvertently  bound a being of primordial magic within her shell.  The reaction not only destroyed the ritual but also flung Ada from the plane, sending her careening through the Blind Eternities for the first time.

Concept of Magic: Flow of Aether

Although all but incapable of creating sorcerous effects on their own, Ada’s nature is uniquely suited to enhancing (or diminishing) others’ abilities to cast spells.  She also has enough knowledge of the principles of magic to duplicate or dispel arcane energies.  Her summons of choice are constructs  fashioned  from raw mana, as opposed to  simulacrum  of actual living things.

Gaeleth

Gaeleth hails from a plane of high ideals which views itself as the model of civilization.  As a judge and  arbiter, it was Gaeleth’s responsibility to punish those unable to abide by its laws.  She excelled in that role, so much so that when her superiors detected the unignited planeswalker spark within her, they immediately  began  training her on how to unlock its potential.

Since then it has been Gaeleth’s duty to wander the  multiverse  and bestow her justice upon those whom require it.  Sometimes is it through quiet consultation,  other times  it is by her burning wrath.  No matter the methods necessary, her justice will be done.

Concept of Magic:  Lux Eterna

Gaeleth leads light to calm, defend, and heal those whom need her protection.  When her commanding  presence  or a calm word fails to disarm a situation, Gaeleth can summon forth angelic soldiers to  dispense  justice on her behalf.

Grrrk

For most of his early life, Grrrk personified the title of ‘minion.’  He never had the desire or motivation to lead on his own, so dutifully followed whomever had the power to protect him.  He was a miner and a tunnelguide for his warren until his powers manifested.

After a short (and fatally unsuccessful) attempt at using his powers to lead a small group of his fellow goblins, Grrrk has fallen back to his original nature,  shrugging  off responsibility and hiding guilt by having someone else make the difficult decisions.

Concept of Magic:  Seismic  Might

At tiny Grrrk’s will, mountains shake.  His magic is that of the earth itself; bending, breaking, and shaping stone to do his bidding.  He is even able to infuse the earth with elemental sentience, creating servitors to assist him.

Nika

As the only sentient entity in the plane called Eden, what could be called Nika’s childhood was unique, to say the least.  Her education came through the experience of living at one with the wilderness around her.  She didn’t realize that her ability to influence the living network of the forest was a form of magic until a planeswalker, an explorer named Kolorghu, came to her sphere.

Kolorghu’s  good nature and Nika’s inquisitiveness were a natural match, and while he explored her plane, she traveled with him, learning about what it meant to be a planeswalker.  Some time later when Kolorghu left Eden, Nika decided to journey with him and see what else was out there.  The two have since parted ways, but Nika’s undying curiosity has survived.  She continues to seek new experiences, new things, and new places.

Concept of Magic: Biotic Gestalt

Nika’s magic draws upon the complex network of  organisms  in the wild, coaxing it to produce the desired effect.  Whether it’s shaping plants to her will or summoning swarms of tiny creatures, Nika is able to insinuate her will into an ecosystem and influence it from within.

Torvolis

Torvolis was born into a nomadic tribe, where he reluctantly followed his father’s footsteps to train as once of the tribe’s hunters.  His father, the tribe’s chief hunter, would leave big shoes for this son to fill, and Torvolis was no where near skilled enough to do so.  His true skill didn’t manifest until otherworldly demons attacked his people and his spark ignited  catastrophically, creating tornado-strength winds when he tried to defend the tribe.

Instead of being thankful, the  survivors  exiled Torvolis from their land for practicing witchcraft.  Shocked and angry, he did them one better and planeswalked away.

Concept of Magic: The Windswept Plains

Torvolis’ magic is that of the great winds that swept across the plains where he grew up.  When in need of aid, he calls upon creatures native to his homeland; from the birds over head to the beasts that roam the land.

There were two more characters made, but their players missed the first actual play session and I’ll introduce them in when I talk about our first game.  I’m giving all of the players some time to tweak their concepts if they don’t like how their characters turned out and I want to give them the same  opportunity  before I write up the  results.