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Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Age Of Dragons: Lifepaths -> Physical Adept

Overview

Shaping the Clay

'He was Lord Valerius of Arrantis, but he was also Ugruk-Kar of the Orcish Twelve Skull Tribe, Longtooth the Shadow-Wolf and Tika-Maal, the Elfwarden of the Gray Vale. He had also been Chases-the-Sirocco of the Storm Dragons, Light-of-Piety of the Pure Dragons and Phantom-Father of the Ghost Dragons. His real name, if you could call it that, was Shadow-Mask of the Velvet Dragons, and he was a Physical Adept.

He was Lord Valerius at present, and at Imperial council with a cluster of humans oblivious to his true identity. He smiled to himself, happy that the fools around him had no idea who he really was.

Across the chamber, Ambassador Matteus watched him. He was Matteus of the Gold Coast, but he was also Samael the Wise of the Lizardman Kingdoms, Dawnwing the Great Eagle and occasionally Angel's-Descent of the Sable Dragons. His true name was Guardian-Eye of the Solar Dragons, and he had the infiltrator in his sights.

The Solar Dragon knew that he had to eliminate the spy, but that he could not expose him here, as a conflict in the council chambers would both cost human lives and panic the mortals unnecessarily at the thought that their security was so frail.

When Council was over, and Lord Valerius returned to his manor, there would be a reckoning.

The Physical Adept Lifepath

In the first Age draconic students observed how the Mother Goddess and her twelve children were able to shape the clay of the earth into different forms, breathing life from mud and rock with their magics.

Legend says that the Mother Goddess told these first Shapers that their studies could not continue, as to shape earth into Soma was a First Age magic, and had no place in ages to come. To ease their disappointment, she taught them another secret instead - how to shape their own Soma into other shapes. The first Physical Adepts took great joy in this small magic, and soon refined the tricks they had been taught so that they could run the land as wolves, swim the sea as fishes, crawl into small places as insects or walk and talk amongst the mortals as humans.

As ages have passed the secrets of polymorphing have been retained and refined. Sadly, in this day and age, the darker applications of this study have been refined as well. The inoccuous title of "physical adept" incorporates spies, assassins, infiltrators and impersonators. What was once a mere academic study has practical purposes in an age of war.

Lifepath Powers

Humanoid Polymorph Form

Experience level required: 50, 150, 250.
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire;

You gain this Suspire at an experience level of 50, then again at 150 experience, then one last time at 250 experience. Each time you gain this power, you must select a single humanoid subject who you are taking as your template to copy. This subject must be a living breathing being of some sort and you must be able to be able to study and observe their naked form from all angles for at least a full day, but otherwise there is no limitation. Once you have studied that form, you are considered to have mastered it from that point on.

Changing your form takes an hour of uninterrupted meditation, and you can change into any form you have mastered, or back into your own form. Make a Pneuma check to determine the power of the spell (this is relevant only with regards to the Eye of Revelation suspire below). If the meditation is interrupt you snap (painfully) back into your own form. When you adopt the form, you appear exactly as the form at the time of study, naked and unequipped. The changes that take place are in physical form only - you retain your own Pneuma and Sophis sphere ratings, and gain the target's Soma sphere rating. This cannot cause your Soma sphere to increase - if the target's Soma is higher than your own, you retain your own Soma sphere instead. You gain any natural weaponry (such as poisonous bites, claws etc.) but not any supernatural benefits (no birthrights or magic, etc.).

You retain your draconic immunity to fire, and can use disciplines as normal, but lose the ability to use any feats or suspires (apart from Polymorph Form) while in the new form.

While in the new form, there is no mundane physical way to tell you apart from an ordinary member of the species (or for that matter, the original subject being impersonated).

Eye of Revelation

Experience level required: 60
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire;

When you cast this spell, you must whisper the words "reveal to my eyes the true form" and look directly at a single subject within line of sight. Make a Pneuma check to determine the power of the spell. You immediately become aware if the target's form has been magically altered, as well as what their usual appearance is, but only if you roll more successes on your casting roll then was rolled on the spellcasting roll to change form. If you roll less successes, the eye of revelation still reveals that the target's form has been magically altered, but the target's usual appearance is not revealed.

Manyface

Experience level required: 70
Activation Cost: None, always on.
Keywords: 'Discipline

Your Dragon has practiced at the art of deception, impersonation and false identity. He gains +1 dice on all tasks relating to maintaining false identity and lying, including disguise, mimicry, forgery and other espionage-related skills.

The Watcher

Experience level required: 80
Activation Cost: None, always on.
Keywords: 'Discipline

Your Dragon has learnt skills in counter-infiltration and basic security. He gains +1 dice on all tasks relating to counter-espionage, including spotting false identities, interrogation, detecting lies, detecting forgery, setting up security measures and the like.

Rapid Change

Experience level required: 90
Activation Cost: 4 Physical Energy
Keywords: Feat;

As a free action you can spend 4 Physical Energy to immediately complete any polymorph suspire that you have already begun.

Retain Dragonsbreath

Experience level required: 100
Activation Cost: None: always on.
Keywords: Discipline;

If you have this Talent, you can still cast the any suspires you know relating to fire-breathing while in Polymorph Form.

Retain Draconic Soma

Experience level required: 125
Activation Cost: None: always on.
Keywords: Discipline;

If you have this Talent, your Soma rating while Polymorphed is enhanced marginally. If the subject form's normal Soma rating is usually 1 or 2, you gain +1 to Soma in that form. If the subject form's normal Soma is normally less than 1 or more than 2, you do not gain this benefit. You cannot take this Talent unless you have learnt the Polymorph Form spell at least once.

Echo of True Form

Experience level required: 175
Activation Cost: 1 Mental Energy
Keywords: Discipline;

The dragon can only activate this power when he is in a polymorph form, as a free action. When he does so, anyone who can see the dragon instantly becomes aware that they are dealing with a polymorphed dragon. Their mind will fill in the small details - they might imagine they see flames burning behind the dragon's eyes, or that they see scales on the skin for a moment - regardless, they immediately know that they are dealing with a dragon.

Greater Polymorph Form

Experience level required: 200, 300, 400.
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire;

You gain this Suspire at an experience level of 200, then again at 300 experience, then one last time at 400 experience. Each time you gain this power, you must select a single non-dragon subject who you are taking as your template to copy. This subject must be a living breathing being of some sort and you must be able to be able to study and observe their naked form from all angles for at least a full day, but otherwise there is no limitation. Once you have studied that form, you are considered to have mastered it from that point on.

Aside from being able to impersonate any non-draconic beast (not just humanoids), this works in the same way as Humanoid Polymorph Form.

Polymorph Into Plant

Experience level required: 350
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire; Vitamancy;
Vitamancy spells cannot be cast by Death-aligned Dragons.

When you gain this power, you must select a single living inanimate plant subject who you are taking as your template to copy. This subject must be a natural non-magical plant of some sort and you must be able to be able to study and observe its full form from all angles for at least a full day, but otherwise there is no limitation. Once you have studied that form, you are considered to have mastered it from that point on.

Aside from being able targeted at impersonating a plant, this works in the same way as Humanoid Polymorph Form.

Polymorph into Stone

Experience level required: 350
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire; Hierarchomancy;
Hierarchomancy spells cannot be cast by Chaos-aligned Dragons.

When you gain this power, you must stufy your own form in a mirror, and set yourself as your template to copy. You must be able to be able to study and observe your reflection from all angles for at least a full day. Once you have done this, you are considered to have mastered this spell from that point on. When the spell is cast, you polymorph yourself into a solid stone statue that is always in the same pose, and is entirely unaware of its surroundings, and in a mentally quiescent state of non-awareness. As you enter this state, you can select any time period up to one hundred years, after which the spell's effects ends.

Aside from turning into a statue, this works in a similar way as Humanoid Polymorph Form.

Polymorph into Swarm

Experience level required: 350
Activation Cost: 6 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire; Autarchomancy;
Autarchomancy spells cannot be cast by Order-aligned Dragons.

Surge of Rage

Experience level required: 350
Activation Cost: 3 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire; Autarchomancy;
Autarchomancy spells cannot be cast by Order-aligned Dragons.

In casting this spell the dragon subconsciously shifts the tides of pneuma within himself, igniting them with rage, and suffusing himself with potent anger. After this spell is cast he gains a +3 bonus to all melee attack rolls, but each round must either make a melee attack against an enemy, or move towards an enemy. The spell's effect ends only when there are no more enemies left in sight. Casting this spell is a battle action.

Alpha Status

Experience level required: 450 years
Activation Cost: None: always on.
Keywords: Discipline;

A dragon who has this milestone has a fearsome mien and is practiced at asserting his dominance. He gains +1 dice on all tasks relating to direct intimidation, asserting dominance and asserting command. Note that this does not give any benefit to subtle tasks (such as implied threats), nor does it give any intellectual benefit (such as knowledge of strategy) but it can have unusual applications if used creatively (for example, seduction of someone with the right personality, inspiring loyalty in followers, etc.)

Efficient Firebreathing

Experience level required: 500 years
Activation Cost: 1 Arcane Energy
Keywords: Suspire; Pyromancy; Flame Attack;

As a battle action make a ranged attack. This attack can be made at up to middle distance and attacks a single target. If the target is hit, then it takes full damage immediately, then persistent damage equal to the dragon's Pneuma Sphere each round for the following D6 rounds, or until the flames are extinguished.

Note that the inherent draconic birthright "dragonscale" renders dragons immune to damage from firebreathing, as it has the flame attack keyword.

Perfect Killstrike

Experience level required: 600
Activation Cost: 4 Physical Energy
Keywords: Feat;

The dragon is now such a masterful hunter that it is unusual for him not to kill or cripple his prey in a single strike. When using this feat the dragon may make a called shot claw or bite attack. Quarter and round down the usual TN penalty for this attack. For example, if making a bite attack to the neck, the TN modifier would be reduced from +12 to +3.

Sophis Exertion

Experience level required: 700
Activation Cost: 1 Mental Energy
Keywords: Feat;

The dragon channels his will into rage, sacrificing mental energy to gain physical energy. This power can be used once per round but does not take an action - when used, the dragon gains 1 physical energy. This cannot cause physical energy to exceed its usual maximum.

Soma Fortification

Experience level required: 800
Activation Cost: None: always on
Keywords: Discipline;

The dragon has strengthened and fortified his body over time, so that he is more resistant to injury. The dragon permanently increases his Physical Resilience by +12.

The Last Hunt

Experience level required: 1000
Activation Cost: None: activate once only
Keywords: Suspire;

Old age is a terrible thing for a predator - as sensescence closes claws grow duller and teeth break. There is little more pathetic than a grand beast unbound laid low by infirmity.

The true Beast Unbound refuses to go out this way. He can activate this power at sunrise, declaring to the rising sun that he is on his Last Hunt, infusing the hunting howl with his heart-pneuma. He names his quarry, and swears to kill it.

From that point on he becomes a predator without peer. His pneuma burns strongly within him, energising him greatly. He rolls +3 dice on all Pneuma or Soma tests. Furthermore, vitality surges through him and he will regain 1 Arcane Energy and 1 Physical Energy at the start of every round. Finally, he instinctively knows where his quarry is, and will be driven with an all consuming desire to hunt and kill that target.

However he only has a maximum of one day. If he reaches the next sunrise without having killed his quarry, he will die in moments, with agony in body and soul. If he kills his quarry before that time, his energy will leave him over the next few minutes, and he will still die, but will feel a tremendous sense of peace and completion as he does so.

Lifepath Resources

The Pack

Experience level required: 25 years

Optionally, after 25 years of being a Beast Unbound the Dragon may have joined and been accepted into a pack of other Dragons on the same lifepath. Note that if the drgaon are of a breed that does not often favour this lifepath, then likely his pack will not be the same breed as him.

Territory

Experience level required: 50 years

After 50 years as a Beast Unbound, the dragon or his pack have established a hunting territory that is recognised as theirs by sentient and animal life alike. While others may not choose to respect that territory, it is clear to all that it is theirs. They know this territory intimately, and are knowledgeable of all of its nuances, prey statuses and ecological patterns.

Pack Alpha

Experience level required: 200 years

At 200 years the dragon is undoubtedly experienced enough to lead his own pack, and will be able to draw small numbers of less experienced dragons to his leadership. Some dragons may choose to not take up this option straight away, instead remaining with a pack of other strong dragons in a non-dominant (but still senior) role.

Legendary Predator

Experience level required: 500 years

At 500 years the dragon is seen as something of a legend by other adherents of the Lifepath, respected as a true survivor and ultimate predator. To survive half a millennium in the wild is, after all, an incredible achievement in and of itself.

He will be able to command respect and obedience from his ever-growing pack, and likely there will be an entire Sky Tribe of packs that look to him for leadership .

Age of Dragons: Physical Adept