I wanted to draft up an idea for a Zatanna/Traci Thirteen esque magic user who operated mainly in Highpoint, has a Hispanic or Latinx background, and a novel form of casting spells and rituals. My thought was for him, as a departure from maybe his ancestors who were non active and more traditional, was for him to be a sort of 'street warlock'. This would include him using graffiti to create sigils and circles for rituals, using a tablet to store spells and component lists, scrying via maybe google maps as a medium or Google Earth, speaking traditional Spanish for longer spells and slang for more immediate ones, etc.
Thoughts or ideas?
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Please tell me that I’m not the only one who immediately thought of Pablo.
Then the heroes can bust him for graffiti too :)
Who's Pablo?
I love the idea of this character Gladatoria. The way you thought of graffiti as his way to draw symbols and using google maps to scry lol. I cant wait to see this character in game.
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[color=#FF0000]Graphic Designer[/color]
Ash vs Evil Dead.
Maybe I’m the only one who watched it.
Oh no, I definitely watched El Jefe vs. Evil Dead.
The idea of the character is to show his family that innovation is the way to preserve their tradition, and adaption isn’t their enemy.
He orders his components online or through Witch-friendly providers, thinks the Arcane Sentinels are stuffy and judge more than they protect, and intersects magic with helping his community.
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I do struggle with finding a potential powerset (at least at launch) and backstory though
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Nope. I was sad to see it cancelled :(
Sounds like a Guardian/Support character to me. Buffing/protecting allies (wards, blessings) and debuffing enemies (curses). Brujo magic seems a perfect fit.
Preservation: Blessings cast on allies.
Barrier Generation: Wards placed to block and/or reflect attacks.
Strategy: Divination provides you visions to guide allies.
Devices: Totems/fetishes curse enemies who get within proximity.
Vampiric Emanation: Curses placed directly on enemies that slow them or drain their life force energy.
I wonder if you can get a tablet computer prop with animations showing you tapping on it to go with some of your powers?
Not only that but I doubt your character will be able to use graffiti in game unless they do some kind of emote with graffiti like Fortnite, but even if they did it would probably display some preselected art and not runes.
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[color=#FF0000]Graphic Designer[/color]
Well how do you see him in combat exactly?
not my video just one I lke ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-SdIN0hsM
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Reminds me of a character idea I had: Tagitha the Graffiti Witch.
She'd use monsters she spraypaints, and/or various magic circles spray painted around.
"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to."
Hmm, yeah I see him more as a support or control based character, cursing and debuffing his enemies while bolstering and protecting his allies.
I think Hector Grijalva is a good civilian name so that’s at least down
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Ideas on potential background or story?
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I am fluent in Spanish despite it not being my first language. I, personally, find mixing words together feels better in Spanish for some reason, and far easier than English.
I like the name Cazadia. It's formed from the words "cazador", meaning hunter, and "magia", meaning magic. Magic hunter. Could go by Zadia, the first 'a' being a long a like in the word 'day'. Might be too feminine for a male character, though.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
If you want it less feminine then why not Cazadio?
His hideout could be Casa Cazadio.
Interestingly enough, Cazadio is a real surname, though apparently an uncommon one.
I think I’ll keep his name Brujo as it’s more a title at least in his community, as he is ‘the Warlock’ and it refers to his general rather than specific application of magic
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For background ideas. Maybe he wasn't the one originally taught to uphold the traditions of his family. An older sibling or cousin was, and they were proud of their traditions and so was diligent in upholding them. Your character could have picked things up or was shown by this family member because they were close, but Brujo's love may have been in street art and tech. Maybe he was an artist and/or computer wiz more than anything else. Something goes wrong with the family member's use of traditional magic and it seems like they died in a ritual.
To keep the tradition alive, and knowing Brujo has already learned some basics, he becomes the next student, but with another passion already in place, and the tragic accident(?) on his mind, he takes a different approach. Using as 'proof' that adhering to tradition isn't always the best way, or having an actual fear of it so he doesn't end up like the family member.
This off the top of my head, hope its helpful some :)
I like that actually, especially the idea that he’s like a graphic design or computer kid, and maybe learns to appreciate the work of his older family member as he tries to marry tradition and innovation and serve as the family warlock.
Any ideas on what kind of spells he casts or magic he practices, and what maybe happened to his older brother or cousin?
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Oh and costume ideas?
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For costumes, well he may think of doing something I did in a prelude I was writing for my teen character Asher, and that is take what little money he had and raid a sporting good store for protective gear, and wear it over/under a hoody and baggy clothes :) But I think something else that may be more likely since this is a family tradition is for his costume to resemble the traditional garb of the warlocks of his bloodline. So, robe, plenty of talismans made from metal, stone and probably some plants. But adjusted for his theme of modernizing. Instead of a robe may be a long hooded coat that's easier to move in. Some armor dirt bikers use for racing, I've used it for making costumes irl and it's some good stuff. I would keep the traditional talisman setup, but he could add other things too, things that are techy but still old, like circa 1990's pagers and whatnot. :D
His spells depend on what you want to do in game I would think, your concept is a great one for marrying an rp concept with gameplay desires to get the most fun out of him. But witchcraft traditionally involved potions too, so maybe he has a part-time job at a coffee/tea shop where he can brew things in the latte machine? I don't think direct damage spells would be his mainstay, so as Atma said above, I'd think of him as a Guardian archetype first and foremost. I think Devices is the most thematic. If you wanted a more offensive role, control sets may be the way, unless you wanted out right dps.
Post launch I think a Manipulation skillset would be ideal.
I like your idea of a marriage of modern clothing and magical affects, like maybe a denim jacket with fashionable tears and a sigil symbol of protection on the back, like a design almost.
I like the coffee shop idea, potentially just as a source of income to buy components and items for rituals, shopping in places like Lotus Hills and others for rare components.
As far as powers, I see him as a mix between guardian and control, he isn’t outright offensive, and is more liable to aid his allies on the battlefield and hamper his enemies then outright attact.
Any ideas on if he should have specific curses or a style of magic? I see him doing more transmutation and abjuration in battle, to put it in fantasy terms.
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That's why I thought about Manipulation, but that isn't a launch powerset, and I'm not even sure which archetype it falls under. The description of Devices seemed pretty broad though, but for abjuration either Barrier Generation or Preservation. Preservation would be my personal pick, just because it seems to have a wider range of effects, so you could protect, but also do some healing and have access to debuffs. Buffing/debuffing could be an application of Transmutation magic too.
I was thinking his family could have a connection to the Regency, PIT, or perhaps maybe the Arcane Sentinels.
Any ideas or thoughts, I imagine the matriarch of the family started the tradition in the 20’s and 30’s perhaps, maybe was inspired by the Regency in the early 1900’s to pursue her own path of magic?
Thoughts? I like the idea that it is also perhaps tied to their culture and Mexican heritage.
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Definitely tie it to their heritage, I think that could work out to be the most unique aspect of the character. Play it to the hilt. Also by doing that, I think the Arcane Sentinels could be the most likely group to be aligned with. If Brujo's magic is hereditary and rare, they'll want to preserve it and have it on their side. How Brujo feels about it is another matter, even if his family was aligned with them in the past, that may not be a tradition he holds up. Though I think they'd be more benign than a government agency, and the Regency feels like a Lovecraftian cult on the down low.
Any more thoughts on how to round out his origin and provide depth to his character?
Ideas on what kind of quirks or hobbies he would have?
I can definitely see the Arcane Sentinels perhaps trying to stay on the Grijalva family’s good side, as having a family of magic users to have aid them in times of trouble could be useful. I did have a thought though, that perhaps Hector’s predecessor and his cousin disappeared after investigating a supposed Regency ritual on the orders of maybe the Arcane Sentinels?
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Well, I think if the relationship was a give and take one, the AS wouldn't give them an order but would request assistance. The sentinels could have lost personnel and/or artifacts as well. I think its a fine idea for a story hook, especially if the Regency really IS a Lovecraftian style cult on the d.l. Not only would you have the ritual in question, was it a success or failure? Consequences of either. You'd have the lost, and whatever may have happened to them.
Regarding his family, do you imagine magic is a rare and potent trait, or is common and taught in the house like making masa and tamales?
How do you think his family feels about Hector wanting to do graphic design and street art? Thoughts on the kind of enemies they may face?
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Hard for me to say about the former. Could mix it, they all have some potential, with the possible exception of the spouse who married into the family, unless it was more of an arranged thing/lucky coincidence. Hector's is just the most potent of them. However him being the only person because the trait is so rare, it could put some distance between him and certain family members, or make some of them more protective after what happened to his cousin.
The graphic design, if magic is a strong family trait, they may see it as a waste of time, conversely, if it's not, then whoever is really protective of him and this rare gift, may encourage it more and want to downplay his active use of magic.
So you could end up with: For magic/against the art vs against magic/for art. The street art could be a different plot angle, some community people may see it as nothing more than graffiti and persecute him, get the cops involved etc. It's something that can play with culture and the mundane.
Enemies I see them dealing with. Creatures attracted to magic, people wanting to steal their secrets or their power, which could include groups like the 5 Dragons for the street level enemy. Otherworldly monsters who thing Hector and fam would taste good with ketchup and a side of tentacle.
I like the idea that it’s a rare trait, that this far, at least in these past three generations, only four people have manifested the ‘gift’: his abuela, his older cousin, his mother, and now him.
It’s also typically only shows up in the female members of the Grijalva family, and some wonder if this was intentional due to the founder of the line being a female witch, or simply circumstance, and some believe that the birth of male warlocks in the family may spell doom for them.
His father married into it and is more supportive of the artistic and computer side of Hector’s life, while his mother whose talent lied more in blessings, divination and potion making; wants him to adhere to their magical traditions and ‘proper’ witchcraft, not preppy pomp and stuff like the Montgomery siblings.
Ideas for potential story arcs and stuff for Hector?
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