====== Duke Francesco Antonio-Bartolomeo Graves the Arcane Arbiter ======
===== Background/Bio =====
Witty, charming and subtle are all words that you would not use to describe Francesco Graves. The son of the Duke's younger sister is mostly known for getting obscenely drunk at parties and for an incident involving two prostitutes, the ornamental fountain and a chaise longue at a dinner party hosted by Galia Terrec (which he conveniently claims to have no memory of). After being ordered by his mother to cease spending his entire time in the company of loose women (and even looser men) and make something of his life or risk being disinherited, he decided to enroll in a course at the College of Stars. To the horror and disbelief of his family it transpired that he actually had quite a talent for magic, which was especially shocking as most of them had previously believed that he was barely capable of tying his shoelaces by himself without the assistance of one of his valets. A third hand account reported the Duke as saying "really, scribing magic? But I didn't think he could read." There are others who believe that Francesco is really covering for some dark and hidden scheme because in all honesty no one could actually be that stupid and obnoxious.
He has recently taken to adventuring on the grounds that "well it might be a bit of a lark" and even with a generous family allowance there are only so many pairs of new shoes one can buy.
He appears to have acquired a number of hangers-on, mostly consisting of young nobles even stupider than he is. To the surprise of pretty much everyone, not least Duke Corlo himself, his reputation within the family has started to improve after being involved in a number of missions for the good of the family. More recently he claims to have started ascending to godhood, which has led to his uncle keeping a very close watch on him.
As of [[resources:adventure:an_ecumenical_matter|An Ecumenical Matter]] he has been busy creating closer ties with House Cargan. In particular this has involved him starting to court Penelope Cargan. Perhaps this is a sign he is giving up his lascivious ways, although probably not.
As of [[resources:adventure:matters_of_trade|Matters of Trade]] Francesco has broken his courtship of Penelope Cargan and in a bizarre twist of fate has become engaged to Armand Cargan.
As of [[resources:adventure:night_of_the_rooster|Night of the Rooster]] Francesco is married to Armand and now sometimes goes by the surname Graves Cargan. The pair have a son now, who seems to be reaching maturity at an unusual rate.
As of [[resources:adventure:perfection_marred|Perfection Marred]] Francesco has ascended in to the fullness of his power. His domain is a bazaar on the edge of reality, where anyone who knows the secret of how to enter might seek out their wildest dreams- for a price, of course.
As of [[resources:adventure:end_of_the_world_as_we_know_it|End of the world as we know it]] he has claimed Corlo Graves's seat on the newly reformed Council and has set about preparing for the city's journey into the dragons.
===== Stats =====
**Class:**Mage\\
Primary Rite: Scribing\\
Secondary Rite: Wounding
**Background #1:**Noble
**Background #2:**Use Weapon: Staff
**Epic Trees**: Favour Transcending Death (Blessing of a Vine Spirit), Forged by Hierarchy, Personal Power
**Skills**
**Mage:**
* Primary Rite Level 1: The closed eye
* Primary Rite Level 1: Symbol of Creating
* Primary Rite Level 2: Symbol of Storms
* Primary Rite Level 2: Symbol of Skybreak
* Primary Rite Level 3: Symbol of Entrenchment
* Primary Rite Level 3: Symbol of Knowledge
* Primary Rite Level 4: Symbol of Removal
* Primary Rite Level 4: Symbol of Protection
* Primary Rite Level 5: Symbol of Calamity
* Primary Rite Level 5: Symbol of Becoming
* Secondary Rite Level 1: scar of the soul
* Secondary Rite Level 2: scar of the heart
* Secondary Rite Level 3: theft by scar
* Secondary Rite Level 4: cut the thread
* Arcane learnings
* Loremaster
* Use Implement
* Protomana tolerance 1
* Protomana tolerance 2
* Protomana Tolerance 3
* Protomana Tolerance 4
* Scholar
* College Contacts
* Mana Sense
* Tough 1
* Minor Ritualist
* Ritual Caster
* Master ritualist
* Distill mana
* Advanced mana distillation
* Retrieve Implement
* Mana Simulation
* Implement Experience
* Dragonsoul Implement
* Light armour swiftness
* Light armour train
**Weapon:**
* Use Weapon: Staff
* Weapon Talent 1
* Weapon Potency
**Noble:**
* Noble Connections (Family Graves)
* Wealth 2 (Trust fund)
* Council Connections
**Diplomat**
* Diplomacy
* Fast Talk
**Epic Tree: Favour Transcending Death**
* Mark of the Soul
* Circumstance Best Avoided
**Epic Tree: Forged by Hierarchy**
* Kneel before me
* Ensnare minion
* Contacts (The Honourable Society of Bartholomew's Inn, family Cargan)
**Epic Tree: Arcane Curse**
* Draconic Insight
* Draconic Influence
* Acceptance of Fate
* With a minor ritual can use protomana to cast secondary rites at the cost of 1 body hit.
**Epic Tree: Personal Power**
* Personal Aura
* Reflection of Thyself
* Miracle
* Favoritism
Total XP spend 55
====Equipment====
* 1 x standard staff (Implement)
* 1 x standard rapier
* 1 x standard light armour
* 4 x Death Ward
* 5 x Heal 4 potions
* 2 x Heal 0 potions
* 0 x Heal 2 potions
* 346 Riel
* A creepy rope doll made of earth and clouds- counts as a significant component related to the rites of binding or unification (Merged with evil heart)
* Income: 68 Riel
* 7+2 hits
* 1 strikedown and 1 weaken per encounter
* 1 shatter per adventure
* 9 x mana crystals
* Resource- Arcane Library (Journeyman Knowledge: Noble Bloodlines, extremely well read, +1 mana to a ritual)
* Resource- Wizard Tower (Small estate)
====Misc====
* Mark of "The Protector" on the sole of left foot
* Bears the ill-will of the anomaly known as Green Thomas
* Small horns on forehead, blood that tastes of wine and smells of wine and spices. Horn on this left is partly multilated.
* 3 beastmen lackies who hope to one day see their humanity restored
* Evil heart, studded with mana and rope made of earth and sky. Corrupted by Carleon. Increases maximum charges to 5, allows Francesco to float a foot above the ground and when a heart is publically sacrificed to it allows him to cast 4 spells from any available rite of level 4 or less with the charges from his heart. Immunity to unification of earth and sky unless cast by himself.
* Right hand bears the mark of a hammer and also scales corrupted by Carleon.
* 2 Ritually enchanted scribing books, one of which can be used to communicate with Vanessa the stanchion and the other with the soul of a dead mage in the afterlife.
* Curse of Carleon- once per adventure an encounter of extreme suggestability at GM discretion
* A small piece of the Shepard's brain and the knowledge of how gods work. Grants him +2 mana to his next ritual involving a god, which can take him over the usual maximum of 5.
* Pings as Strictly self-defined: altered
* Dragonsoul Implement:
- Minor: Once per encounter dragonsoul disarm an item, this overcomes usual imunities to disarm such as retrieve implement and works like the bind item spell in that he can call repeated disarms to the targetted item.
- Major: Allows him to steal an ability from a dead or unconcious target (not skills).
* Acceptance of Fate: Where his eyes once were sits a dark abyss, framed by a tiny row of teeth around the lids. For some reason he is unable to hide this using any method either mundane or arcane. Has the ability to recognise a god. Additional effects on a need to know basis.
* Level 1 inflammation addiction- is more impatient that normal
====Extended Divine Favour to====
A crazy guy called Frank, a black mantoi, Andrea Graves, Lucian Graves, Senta Fernbach, The Man of Many Means (technically also Penelope and Armand Cargan).
===== Adventures =====
{{topic>:resources:adventure?"francesco antonio-bartolomeo graves"&nouser}}
===== XP =====
{{tag>"vickyh" "francesco antonio-bartolomeo graves" pc family_graves retired}}