Some Barony Weirdos, currently on their way to Magda's Needle

Ella, Fighter A/Artist A

A headstrong young woman, and a fast-rising star in the Baronial Capital's fashion scene. Has intense ideas about her autonomy. Bartholomew and Kismet are two of the very few people she trusts to give her advice. Magda is one of her sponsors, so she is headed to his residence to find out why he has stopped paying her allowance. 

Wears nice jackets (she makes them herself), and understated jewellery. Short black hair, doesn't like makeup. 

Gear: tailoring kit, medium bludgeoning war-hammer, buckler shield, light slashing belt knife, crossbow with 20 bolts, cheap notebook, a writing kit, 5 doses of sedatives. 

Skills: literature, architecture. 

Artist Companion-Entity: 

• Name: See How Pretty, See How Smart, usually addressed by the virtue name Disenchantment. 
• Image: she looks like a heat shimmer that plays around Ella's body when she is possessed, or her head, hands, or weapons during minor favours. 
• Modifiers: Sociopathic.
• Traits: Specialism in fashion design and tailoring, Specialism in true seeing, Psychic Attack that adds +d6 per turn to Ella's weapon damage.

Bartholomew, Fighter A/Poet A

From the poor areas of the capital; attended the Academies on a literary scholarship but never completed his degree. Known in his neighbourhood as an aspiring novelist, friendly with the local gangs. Hates cops, and hates anyone who associates with them. Travelling with Ella because they have known each other for ten years and he considers her family. 

Wears a harlequin-patterned half-cape to hide the movement of his sword-arm in a fight. Short black beard and dark eyes, mean drunk, but also generous and quick to forgive. 

Gear: medium armour, shield, a medium slashing side sword, light slashing belt knife, a pistol with bullets and powder for 20 shots, a cheap notebook, a writing kit, 5 doses of stimulants. 

Skills: intimidation, sleight of hand, moving silently. 

Kismet, Specialist A/Bravo A

A rich young scion of the capital gentry, nearing the end of their time in the gangs, none of whom will now accept them back into the ranks (incapable of working well with others). They have hazy but lofty political ambitions for the next decade. Good friends with Bartholomew, who loves them unreservedly, and once-housemate/lover of Ella's - they infamously once vowed to duel one another to the death over the placement of furniture. The relationship has mellowed significantly since they no longer share living space.

Blonde, sharp features, heavily made-up, exaggerated RP accent. Very good at masking fear, discomfort, and doubt. Always excited for cross-country travel and treasure hunting. 

Gang: currently unaffiliated.

Gear: light armour (unpainted), a death's head Bravo mask (unpainted), a heated medium piercing cross knife, a light piercing misericorde (after the fashion of the White City), a short bow with 20 arrows, a telescope, a posioner's kit. 

Skills: moving silently, Baronial Capital etiquette, poetry, poisoning, the basic grammars of the hunting languages (no specific language), an intimate knowledge of the layout of the capital. 

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NOTES

Honestly not sure how the classes are feeling to write up atm. I suspect that the 'starting with two classes' thing is not as intuitive as I thought it would be, and I may have to rebalance around subclasses going onto the base adventurer chassis instead of coming with an A template in Fighter or Specialist. This will also mean reexamining starter gear. 

On the other hand, the entity stuff seems to work pretty well, and it feels fun to me to stat these up. 

Barony now uses AntiTime's shield rules, for all the reasons listed in their post. Ella fights in fantasy Chanel. 

Some misc. setting notes:

• Bravos use Boy, Girl, and Thou as honourifics, as in Boy-Michael, Girl-Gwen, or Thou-Kismet. They also use Boy-Bravo, Girl-Bravo, and Thou-Bravo to speak with peers who they don't know yet. Other honourifics are mildly insulting (because they consider youth important). 
• Guns are rarer and more expensive than they should be in the Barony, because the Capital authorities regulate their production pretty strictly. It's illegal to work as an unlicensed gunsmith, although the nobles all have them (quietly), and you will also find lone inventors and practitioners out in the wilds who keep their trade secret. Criminals of all sorts also make their own. Illegal guns smithed by the nobility are generally of good quality, but the less-developed blackmarket ones can be shoddy and dangerous.

Chanel Spring/Summer, Haute Couture Collection, 2025