Ridmark Arban, Mentor
Today let’s discuss some reader emails about SEVENFOLD SWORD: NECROMANCER!
(Note that mild spoilers for the book follow.)
One reader thought it was interesting that Ridmark has taken on a mentor role for some of the people in his group in SEVENFOLD SWORD. That is true – Ridmark is older than most of them, and has seen some crazy things. Ridmark himself is both bemused and slightly annoyed to have become the Team Dad. Calliande, of course, is used to being the Team Mom.
(That would make Third the Team Dad’s Scary Friend From Work.)
Another reader observed that Ridmark’s group would make a good high-level RPG party. That is also true. It would break down like this:
Ridmark: Paladin. (A soulblade, naturally, would be a +5 Holy Avenger.)
Calliande: Archmage.
Tamlin: Fighter/Mage (with more levels in fighter than in mage.)
Aegeus: Fighter/Mage (with more levels in fighter than in mage.)
Kalussa: Fighter/Mage (with more levels in mage than in fighter.)
Calem: Fighter.
Kyralion: Ranger.
Third: Epic-level fighter with Dark Elf Hybrid template granting increased Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and the Teleport ability.
Though SEVENFOLD SWORD hasn’t had as many proper dungeon crawls as FROSTBORN did. Maybe I should fix that in SEVENFOLD SWORD: SHADOW! 🙂
-JM
You badly need some class diversity. Too many fighter/mages. What about enchanters and engineers ? Someone who can build golems or weapons of mass destruction ? Frankly, if it had been me in Ridmarks team, I would strongly advise them against going through hordes of undead with swords or isolated blasts of magic. That is just weakening themselves up before they get to fighting the real bad guys. Better to build minions (golems/elementals) to counter a necromancer’s minions or just construct and deploy some good old fashioned regular artillery. Ridmark’s team *really* needs a weapons designer who can do some lateral thinking.
Antenora actually knows how to build various “engines of war” from her time on Earth, but doesn’t want to share the knowledge with anyone for the fear that it will be misused. Plot point to come in SEVENFOLD SWORD: SHADOW!
How is Kalussa a fighter/mage? Isn’t she more of a straight fire mage with a special unique item Staff of Blades? Plus now she qualifies as the mage/healer.
She started out as a fighter/mage – she used a bow regularly in the first two books. Later on she acquired the Staff of Blades, and a combination of circumstances and Calliande’s training has forced her to rely more and more on her magic. So in RPG terms, she’s been acquiring more mage levels but no new fighter ones.
Ahhhh forgot about the bow thing. Also suuuper epic how you basically gave her a magic gun. Talk about engine of war…