Age of Dragons: Ambassador-Courtier

Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Age Of Dragons: Lifepaths -> Ambassador-Courtier

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Overview

Words cut deeper than claws

It had been an interesting month for the Solar Ambassador-Courtier called Voice-of-Reason. He'd convinced a belligerent Argent Dragon to lend his armies to defend the borders of a neighbouring Pure Dragon, and convinced that same self-righteous Pure Dragon to accept that help. In doing so, he'd had to convince both that they were doing him a personal favour, which he in turn would repay by persuading a visiting Ashen Dragon scholar to share the scrolls of lore that he had researched. Of course, this meant giving the Ashen Dragon what he wanted, which was help in getting a pack of Hunter Dragons to lay off harrying his cities. This would be achieved, of course, when the Hunters saw a mass of Argent War Dragons setting up a wayfort on the edge of their sky tribe's territory. Of course, once the Ascendancy threat was dealt with, the Solar could earn a favour off the Hunters by "arranging" for the Argents to go home.

Everyone would benefit, and the only reward for Voice-of-Reason would be the general goodwill of all parties, and the satisfaction of coordinating the war against the Ascendancy. That, of course, and the small measure of wealth that the Solar could earn by having his merchants supply the moving Argent army, the sale of the fort building materials he'd been assidiously stockpiling and the opportunity to converse formally with the Ashen Dragon, and plant some seeds of ideas there to be used and abused in a decade or two once they had time to germinate.

Most importantly, the Argent response would lead to the assured, painful and violent death of Hungry-for-Battle, the Ascendancy general in charge of the assault. That Blood Dragon had duelled with Voice of Reason no less than one hundred and fifty years ago, and left a nasty claw-scar on the Solar's left cheek. It had taken a lot of work to see the Blood Dragon moved up the list of generals to lead this raid, to assure that the Ascendancy force would be inadequate for the job, to make sure that the Argent had a pathological hatred of Blood Dragons and to position the surrounding factions so that the Ascendancy would be cut off from retreat after this attack. It had been a lot of work, but it had been worth every iota of effort.

Negotiation, persuasion and the art of manipulation - these were the tools and weapons of this Ambassador-Courtier, and as Hungry-Claw would soon discover, words could cut far deeper than claws.

The Ambassador-Courtier Lifepath

Dragons are socially adept creatures, with even the most brutish of dragons able to play games of intrigue and manipulation at a level far beyond those of mortals.

Whereas a human might be pleased to persuade an adversary to adopt a certain course of action for the next year, or to socially outmanoeuvre someone in court, Dragons play out their social conflicts on far greater levels. With words in the right places, a dragon can cause kingdoms to topple or enemies to be ostracised from society. They can smear the most loved hero as a traitor, or bring the most unlikely allies into the fold. Likewise, a Dragon will happily work over much larger timescales to achieve his goals, recognising that a major victory that takes one hundred and fifty years is likely worth a lot more than one hundred and fifty trivial victories that take a year each.

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Lifepath Powers

The Connected Web of Breath (Experience Rating: 1 or Less)

At this stage the Ambassador-Courtier has begun mastery of the fundamentals of his craft, exploring the power of words and diplomacy, and learning the ways of influence and intrigue. He begins to perceive that every spoken word has consequences, and that society consists of a connected web of breath. He gains the following powers:

• Improved Social Evasion

During Social Conflicts, an Ambassador-Courtier can use the Strategy Evasion on spotting 4+ Pneuma dice, instead of the usual 5+.

• Improved Social Focus

During Social Conflicts, an Ambassador-Courtier can use the Strategy Focus on spotting 4+ Pneuma dice, instead of the usual 5+.

A Veteran of Hard Words (Experience Rating: 2 or Less)

With passing time the Ambassador-Courtier is hardened by his experiences and others will find it far harder to sway him. He is not only more wilful, but also cannier and wilier, more able to deflect the manipulations of others. He gains the following powers:

• Mode of Argument

During Social Conflicts, an Ambassador-Courtier who deals at least one point of Mental Resilience damage during a turn regains 1 point of Mental Resilience himself at the end of that turn.

• Barrier of Wits and Suspicion

The Ambassador-Courtier has a passive social defence value equal to half his current Experience Rating, rounded down. As his Experience Rating increases, so too does this passive defence value.

Suspires of Words and Binding (Experience Rating: 4 or Less)

To gain an edge over his opposition, the Ambassador-Courtier may learn a handful of suspires that will improve and supplement his skills.

• Suspires: Lesser Lore of Words

The Ambassador-Courtier may learn suspires from the Lesser Lore of Words, which concerns itself with the magic of names and language. Knowledge of these spells must be acquired in-game.

• Suspires: Lesser Lore of Binding

The Ambassador-Courtier may learn suspires from the Lesser Lore of Binding, which concerns itself with the magic of agreements, contracts and pacts. Knowledge of these spells must be acquired in-game.

Master of Intrigue (Experience Rating: 6 or Less)

By this stage the dragon is a weaver of intricate webs of intrigue, working almost subtly and invisibly to attain his goals. He is instinctively and intellectually aware of the larger social context of every utterance, and is able to track the repercussions and echoes of the smallest whispered word.

• Pulled Strings

The Ambassador-Courtier no longer needs spies and servants to work his will at a distance - he simply twists any lesser beings in the vicinity into being his unwitting agents. In social conflict, he is always assumed to have the resources and connections to be able to make indirect attacks, even if he is completely new to the area and seemingly without any support. Also, he can use the focus strategy at any range he is able to attack (rather than being limited to close range as normal).

• A Subtle Knife

The dragon can attack someone socially without them realising who is attacking them. When making an attack during a social conflict, the dragon can spot three 5+ Pneuma dice in order to conceal his identity. If he does so, then any mental resilience damage done to a target that turn will seemingly be without source - the target will either think that the weakening of his position is due to the vagaries of fate and fortune, or will randomly blame someone else.

Master Magus of Words and Binding (Experience Rating: 8 or Less)

The Ambassador-Courtier's skill in his chosen sorceries grows, and he attains command of draconic sorceries of great potency.

• Suspires: Greater Lore of Words

The Ambassador-Courtier may learn suspires from the Greater Lore of Words, which concerns itself with the magic of names and language. Knowledge of these spells must be acquired in-game.

• Suspires: Greater Lore of Binding

The Ambassador-Courtier may learn suspires from the Greater Lore of Binding, which concerns itself with the magic of agreements, contracts and pacts. Knowledge of these spells must be acquired in-game.

Fruition of the Millennial Seed (Experience Rating: 10 or Less)

Over his centuries, the ambassador-courtier has laid a complex web of intrigues, favours and influences all across the entirety of the realm. This web goes beyond geographic borders, across species and factions, and is anywhere and everywhere the dragon wants it to be. The ambassador-courtier need only apply the slightest pressure on this web and he can achieve massive effects. Within a single day the dragon can set into motion any single event that can conceivably be achieved through politics, be it the fall of the Ascendancy, an end to the Dragonwar or the utter destruction of a breed.

• The Millennial Seed

This power can only ever be used once by a dragon, as it represents the completion of a lifetime of manoeuvring and subtle planning. The GM and the player should collaborate to discuss exactly how the event will come to pass, and how long it takes (be it weeks, years or millennia). Regardless, the intervention's effects are inevitable and can only be cancelled by another Ambassador-Courtier using this same power to negate the effect.

At the GM's discretion, a Dragon that somehow manages to keep taking his Experience Rating higher and higher may get the chance to "seed" another event - perhaps one for every +5 Experience Rating beyond 10 that he gains.

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Lifepath Resources

Knacks

Knacks are learnt abilities common to this lifepath. As they are internal to the dragon, they are not easily passed on as legacies, but are also hard to take away from the Dragon.

• Unusual Language (2 points per Language)

Every dragon speaks the draconic tongue of Essraghai, and even the mentally slowest dragon is likely to be a dab hand at mastering mortal languages with only a week or two of practice. This resource represents knowledge of the more unusual languages that a Dragon might come across - ones for which there are no readily available teachers, or which are too alien to master easily. Each time you buy this resource gain fluency in one unusual language. Example languages might include Kraken-speak, Wyverntongue, Low Daemonic and any others that the story introduces.

• Xenoculture Mastery (3 points per Xenoculture)

Every dragon is presumed to know his own culture like a native - it comes with being a native! For example, a Solar Dragon would know about Alliance life, the traditions of the Coastal regions, the history of the Solar Accord, of Coastal slang and colloquialisms and of Solar behavioural mannerisms. On the other hand, a Velvet Dragon wouldn't know about those things at all! Each time you buy this resource you gain knowledge of one culture, gaining the same degree of intimacy with it as a native would.

Possessions

Possessions are actual physical resources which the Ambassador-Courtier has acquired. Possessions are easily acquired and easily lost, but are also convenient legacy resources for a dragon's descendants or proteges.

• Hoard of Gold (3 points)

The dragon has accumulated a massive hoard of gold, which is more than sufficient to hire armies, buy thrones and bribe emperors. Other dragons are less impressed by mere wealth, but they see its utility.

Connections

Connections link the dragon to the rest of society. In many ways, these are the true measure of power of an ambassador-courtier. Connections can potentially be passed on to proteges and descendants, though it takes a little work to do so.

• Friend (1 point)

If you take this resource, you have a powerful friend. This friend can be anything up to an elder dragon in power level. This friend is your genuine ally, and will go out of his way to protect your best interests, even at cost to himself. This friend may mentor you, trade with you, exchange favours, etc. Of course, friendship is a two way street - if you use your friend over the centuries and offer nothing in return, or if you make it obvious you are manipulating them, then the friendship will likely die.

• Mortal Patronage (1+ points)

If you take this resource, you are a patron of a group of mortals. This might be a merchant house, or a gang of mercenaries or a cabal of sorcerers. Regardless they see you either as a leader, or as a respected patron. They will likely do anything you ask of them, knowing that you will protect their interests as they protect yours. Alternatively, you could be one of many draconic patrons of a larger organisation (as for example, the Priesthood of the Pure Dragons tend to be for the Temple of the Mother Goddess). By spending more points on this resource you can increase the extent and strength of your influence.

• Draconic Influence (1+ points)

With this resource, you are a respected member of draconic society. Generally this will apply to either the Ascendancy or the Alliance - membership of one precludes membership of the other. The resource could instead apply to one of the smaller factions, or even just a single breed. You can even by this resource several times to represent influence with multiple factions. Spending more points on this resource increases the influence you hold with that faction.