As some of you might remember, I once promised to write an Aria/Gruff. I have a rough outline for this piece, and know what direction I want to take it in, but after the outline, I encountered a problem. There just isn't all that much to Gruff. So I'm planning to update Gruff before writing the story and maybe getting a short piece about Gruff in to establish him as a character.
Appearance: I have no idea what the general sizes are of Goblins (especially since there are so many sub-species of them), but I want Gruff to be about the size of a human 8-year old, but wider. His skin would be brownish-red, with short fur covering it (I've always liked the Goblin Outlander -look). His eyes are black and are almost constantly in movement, never looking at the same thing for a long time. He wears simple garments, that are mostly the same color as his fur, in order to protect him from the elements. He always carries a piece of wood (his big stick), almost as long as he is, that starts out thin, but gets somewhat wider at the end (for smashing things). Carved on the stick are crude Goblin-runes, which make out Gruff's name.
Personality: Gruff is, like most Goblins, curious. He is, however, not stupid. Being in the middle of the food-chain made him cautious, so while he's willing to explore and discover new things, he won't plunge into it headfirst. He is a bit stuck in the traditions of his tribe, who taught a lot of useful survival stuff in the form of simple rituals (they have, for example, a berry-tasting ritual). Gruff likes to be around people (especially Goblins), and sharing stories and experiences. He's also tenacious, and will try his very best to accomplish the goals he sets his mind to, only quitting if it becomes overly obvious he'll never reach his goal. This is paired with a good sense of general optimism (although he is going through something of a depression, right now) making Gruff a Goblin that doesn't give up easily. Gruff also likes feeling his emotions, even the bad ones, because of the way he was raised. The shamans of his tribe taught that all emotions have a point, and that they should be cherished and experienced fully in order to know who you are. This can sometimes lead to chaotic or illogical behavior, because he's letting his emotions guide him. Recently, outside the protection his tribe used to offer him, he has become a bit more pragmatic about it, pushing emotions aside in order to make sure he survives.
Skills: As mentioned, Gruff isn't stupid. He has a lot of practical (mostly survival-based) skills and can survive on his own for quite a long time in most environments (but he does prefer mountains and forests). He can write his own name, but apart from that he's illiterate. He's not very good at combat (his fighting style consists of hitting things with his stick in any way that he's able to) and responds to most threats by running away.
Magic: This is a tricky one. I'd like to give him some amount of magical capability, because currently, he's a bit too weak to be a driving force in a story. The only thing he has to offer is his tenaciousness, which does do something, but giving him a little bit of magic might make him a bit more useful. I'd like to give him magic that is firmly rooted in Red, but doesn't deal with fire or something. Also nothing too powerful, because running away should still be his primary defense mechanic. Maybe a defensive type of Red magic.
What do you think about this Gruff? I think it's still the same character as the original piece, but more rounded out.
Any feedback, or questions are appreciated and if you have an idea about the magic, please share.
"What is etherium but the next logical step?" It's all my fault.Show
Hm, yeah, I'm imagining some sort of spiky, stony armor that springs up semi-consciously when he's in danger, and maybe the ability to summon Caltrops ?
Hm, yeah, I'm imagining some sort of spiky, stony armor that springs up semi-consciously when he's in danger, and maybe the ability to summon Caltrops ?
I like the idea, but mechanically, it would be more White (deals damage to target attacking creature) and that's something I'd like to stay away from, because I want him to be firmly Red with a little Green on the side.
I did give me the idea of him having "self-buffs" as a form of magic (mechanically, that would be auras or some instants), but that idea needs further development.
"What is etherium but the next logical step?" It's all my fault.Show
OK... So is Gruff sweet on nature, or what? Does he get caught in a ray of sunlight while appreciating a ladybug crawling on the end of his staff?
Or is he more .. ug ug me get you FISiiiiH! Blahhh! And plunges into the creek after one?
Or, might he be seen perched upon a rock, looking tenaciously upon the vista?
I figured out his magic!
Since you don't want him to be offensive, but use geomancy in a fun way... He can not only become a part of the rock or rocks in the area in his defense, but he can travel through the rock morphing into the rocks of a more distant area away from the threat!
He isn't exactly sweet on nature. He prefers nature to civilization (or cities, if you will) but isn't someone who'll go out of his way to protect it. He can immensely enjoy natural beauty, but the ladybug doesn't stand a chance, because it's mostly food to him. His more primal drives stop him from enjoying the landscape most of the time, but he can be really touched by it, especially if it reminds him of home.
He isn't that loud when gathering food, and fish isn't something he'll eat when he has the chance (he prefers wood plants of all kind and insects), but if fish is the only option, he knows how to make nets.
As for the magic: it doesn't have to be geomancy. I want to stay away from pyromancy, and the more cerebral aspect of Red probably don't fit. I think I'm going to go through red cards until I find something that suits my fancy
"What is etherium but the next logical step?" It's all my fault.Show
I can't be objective about the art (because I like Gruff so much), but I love it. It's not exactly how I pictured him in my mind, but who cares, that art is so cute.
@Keeper: I just realized I didn't actually respond to this. I don't want his magic to be semi-random, because this doesn't solve the problem that him having magic is supposed to fix: he isn't an actor. The way he is now, he only react to events. Maybe the problem isn't that he doesn't have magic. He just need to have a story-arc that makes him more active.
Incidentally, the first idea I had for him as a form of magic, was some kind of shroud/hexproof effect, but once again, that didn't feel Red enough. I did enjoy the idea of a goblin that is immune to most forms of magic.
Edit: I don't want to self-promote too much, or be too presumptuous, but if you want to do landscapes, Sertaria has some cool concepts for vistas. If you can pull a post-combat Faskerian battlefield or a Cyrean shoreline, I'm gonna be mighty impressed (especially with the shoreline).
"What is etherium but the next logical step?" It's all my fault.Show
