Characters that have been: Aetris
Ssam Noigel, known as Aetris, started life based on a simple concept, building Iron Man using the magic item rules in D20. I spent a long time thinking about how one could construct a suit of Iron Man armor with the magic item rules. Some ways were very expensive and required a character of high level, something that doesn't happen often in our games which usually end before level 10.
As I was thinking about these different ways, I started looking at how many different types of items I could incorporate, including bonded spirits and construct familiars. The tipping point came when I remembered the symbionts from Eberron. The symbiont that acted as a suit of breastplate armor was a perfect base, and it had a mind of its own(perfect for the onboard AI). Of course symbionts are living creatures, but that was taken care of with the improved familiar and construct familiar feats.
The name Ssam Noigel, if you haven't looked yet, is Mass Legion backwards. This came from the amount of different entities that were being incorporated into the armor. Construct familiars, item familiars, elementals and outsiders bound in crystals, etc. The whole thing was never completed, but the end result would have been a character that was a hive mind in full plate.
Since he was going to be dealing with constructs and magic items, I maxed out every kind of crafting ability I could get. I ended up with a character that could make masterwork anything at 4th level. He was fun to play, but he drove the DM crazy when he outfitted the whole party with specialized gear.
Like many of my characters, he found his way to online RP as well.
Name: Ssam Noigel
Age: 30
Race: Human
Occupation: Artificer, craftsman, mage
Ssam is the son of a military blacksmith. He grew up in craftsman's row and showed an extreme
curiosity in all forms of craftsmanship. He spent his youth visiting different shops along the row and
learning whatever people were willing to teach him.
When he was 10, he followed his father on campaign and began his real training. Only average in
strength, he didn't distinguish himself by being the powerful smith that his father was. Ssam
distinguished himself with an eye for detail and fine craftsmanship that his father fostered.
His father always told him that if you were going to build it, then you should know how to use it.
Otherwise, you don't have the experience necessary to build it well. Ssam learned the art of metalwork
from his father, and the art of the sword from the soldiers on campaign.
His attention to detail caught the interest of local mages that were on the campaign, especially the
artificers. With permission from his father, Ssam expanded his studies. He became so skilled in the art
of crafting and repairing magical items that he could even take them apart and build them into new
forms.
His curiosity for how things were made and functioned landed him in the healer's tents for a month
studying the basics of anatomy. That's where he first discovered symbiotes, strange creatures that
bonded with a host and enhanced the individual's abilities.
Though he could have been a true healer if he had followed the path, Ssam was more interested in
creation. To that end, he took the lessons he learned and crafted an artificial symbiote, a living
construct.
This symbiote is now a part of him, and over the years he has continued to upgrade the construct as his
skills increased. It is now a set of immaculate armor that is one with Ssam's body.
Appearance:
Ssam stands 5'10. He has dark hair ranging between shades of auburn and black. His eyes are a brilliant
light blue, and his skin is lightly tanned. His clothing is covered in pockets which hold dozens of tools,
both magical and mundane. He prefers to wear a long coat.
Eberron Symbionts
About the Author:
Stephen Mayo lives in Montana with his wife, daughter, and three cats.
You can keep in touch with him on Facebook and Twitter. If you enjoyed reading this consider buying him a coffee or supporting him on Patreon.
