How do avangions pull it off? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

How do avangions pull it off?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Pennarin
Dec 14, 2005 1:22:08 This question can mean anything, so jump in! (It refers as much to new as to known avangions.)

One thing I've noticed is that to create a flavorful avangion, or to bring a known one to life on a paper sheet, you need to make concessions you normally don't do with dragons.

For example, the avangion Amiska ("Service" by Lynn Abbey, in Black Flames) was an old women before she started to cast the first of the metamorphosis spells. This IMO is flavorful in that it shows us she took her time in life to achieve her level of power (being careful to always preserves vs running the risk of defiling) and to achieve it all while staying under the radar of the SKs. So she took time, thus she's old. This can be expressed even better if she is said to have taken the Extended Lifespan epic feat several times, meaning that although she looks like 70 she is somehting like 140. Some time after becoming an avangion she will meditate (use the psychic reformation psionic power) to exchange all of her Extended Lifespan feats with new useful feats for her.

A prospective dragon would simply have (flavorwise) skyrocketed to high levels within his natural lifespan thanks to his defiling, or used the vampiric youthfulness spell to maintain his youth.
#2
zombiegleemax
Dec 14, 2005 2:30:38 I personally love the idea of the avangion. Quite possibly my favorite epic type. Personally I would make the fledgeling avangion a loon, like Zifnab/Fizban. That way when it seems the only option is for this powerful preserver is to defile he slips into another personality and somehow gets out of the situation via what I like to call "crazy luck"

Also for some reason I really envision the avangion being the master of teleportation/divination/defensive magic type who would be the ultimate artificer and equip a small army with major artifact type items to fight the dragons for him and with his divination he would be able to put them in the right place at the right time to set up an ideal fighting scenario for his army.
#3
zombiegleemax
Dec 14, 2005 14:52:06 I think anyone on the track of becoming an advanced being would face many of the same challenges. In some ways, it might be more difficult for a prospective dragon than avangion.

For example, no SK wants anyone, defiler or preserver, rising to that level of power within his or her domain, and would actively work to eliminate anyone that catches his attention.

This means that the prospective AB would have to be adept at maintaining a low profile, something that the less noticable effects of preserving would assist in, as well as the support network of the VA could help with.

While it might be easier in game terms to think of a dragon wanna-be skyrocketing to high levels, I don't know if it's really that practical. Anytime you skyrocket, you attract attention, and with the SK's in power, the last thing you want is attention.
#4
huntercc
Dec 14, 2005 19:55:03
While it might be easier in game terms to think of a dragon wanna-be skyrocketing to high levels, I don't know if it's really that practical. Anytime you skyrocket, you attract attention, and with the SK's in power, the last thing you want is attention.

Of course you could always add a plot device... one SK sees a rising threat to his biggest rival, decides to "help" the enemy of his enemy until he is no longer needed...?
#5
zombiegleemax
Dec 14, 2005 21:24:25 that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe...
#6
ruhl-than_sage
Dec 14, 2005 21:32:16
that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe...

I agree, I think an avangion's best bet for survival is to go into seculsion in a remote corner of the world while undergoing the early stages of their transformation. The SKs seem very hesitent to leave their city-states for any reason do to the delicate balance of power in the Tyr region and it would be difficult for even their most powerful servants to track down an avangion living outside of the Tyr region and kill them. At that point you need only avoid rising the ire of the order.
#7
kalthandrix
Dec 15, 2005 6:59:46
that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe...

My thoughts exactly- the northern reaches of the Tablelands would be a great place for a fledgling avangion to take wing.
#8
zombiegleemax
Dec 15, 2005 8:33:49 Most servants of the SK's would not be powerful enough to take on an avangion because the SK's wouldnt allow someone in there power to get towards the advanced being stage. That being said it seems like the SK's have decided that eliminating threats to their power is a group effort. One of the few that they actually seem to be able to agree upon.

If a fledgeling dragon popped up all of the SK's would likely attack
If a fledgeling avangion came to being then he would be also

The only difference I see is that the defiler has a much larger margin of error when he casts because he does not have to worry about pulling too much energy and defiling. The preserver can keep a lower profile but what good does that do him when he is dead due to not being willing to defile.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Pennarin Dec 14, 2005 1:22:08	This question can mean anything, so jump in! (It refers as much to new as to known avangions.) One thing I've noticed is that to create a flavorful avangion, or to bring a known one to life on a paper sheet, you need to make concessions you normally don't do with dragons. For example, the avangion Amiska ("Service" by Lynn Abbey, in Black Flames) was an old women before she started to cast the first of the metamorphosis spells. This IMO is flavorful in that it shows us she took her time in life to achieve her level of power (being careful to always preserves vs running the risk of defiling) and to achieve it all while staying under the radar of the SKs. So she took time, thus she's old. This can be expressed even better if she is said to have taken the Extended Lifespan epic feat several times, meaning that although she looks like 70 she is somehting like 140. Some time after becoming an avangion she will meditate (use the psychic reformation psionic power) to exchange all of her Extended Lifespan feats with new useful feats for her. A prospective dragon would simply have (flavorwise) skyrocketed to high levels within his natural lifespan thanks to his defiling, or used the vampiric youthfulness spell to maintain his youth.
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 14, 2005 2:30:38	I personally love the idea of the avangion. Quite possibly my favorite epic type. Personally I would make the fledgeling avangion a loon, like Zifnab/Fizban. That way when it seems the only option is for this powerful preserver is to defile he slips into another personality and somehow gets out of the situation via what I like to call "crazy luck" Also for some reason I really envision the avangion being the master of teleportation/divination/defensive magic type who would be the ultimate artificer and equip a small army with major artifact type items to fight the dragons for him and with his divination he would be able to put them in the right place at the right time to set up an ideal fighting scenario for his army.
#3 zombiegleemax Dec 14, 2005 14:52:06	I think anyone on the track of becoming an advanced being would face many of the same challenges. In some ways, it might be more difficult for a prospective dragon than avangion. For example, no SK wants anyone, defiler or preserver, rising to that level of power within his or her domain, and would actively work to eliminate anyone that catches his attention. This means that the prospective AB would have to be adept at maintaining a low profile, something that the less noticable effects of preserving would assist in, as well as the support network of the VA could help with. While it might be easier in game terms to think of a dragon wanna-be skyrocketing to high levels, I don't know if it's really that practical. Anytime you skyrocket, you attract attention, and with the SK's in power, the last thing you want is attention.
#4 huntercc Dec 14, 2005 19:55:03	While it might be easier in game terms to think of a dragon wanna-be skyrocketing to high levels, I don't know if it's really that practical. Anytime you skyrocket, you attract attention, and with the SK's in power, the last thing you want is attention. Of course you could always add a plot device... one SK sees a rising threat to his biggest rival, decides to "help" the enemy of his enemy until he is no longer needed...?
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 14, 2005 21:24:25	that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe...
#6 ruhl-than_sage Dec 14, 2005 21:32:16	that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe... I agree, I think an avangion's best bet for survival is to go into seculsion in a remote corner of the world while undergoing the early stages of their transformation. The SKs seem very hesitent to leave their city-states for any reason do to the delicate balance of power in the Tyr region and it would be difficult for even their most powerful servants to track down an avangion living outside of the Tyr region and kill them. At that point you need only avoid rising the ire of the order.
#7 kalthandrix Dec 15, 2005 6:59:46	that or they could practice their magic, and continue their metamorphosis and advancement through the stages in a wholly different part of the globe... My thoughts exactly- the northern reaches of the Tablelands would be a great place for a fledgling avangion to take wing.
#8 zombiegleemax Dec 15, 2005 8:33:49	Most servants of the SK's would not be powerful enough to take on an avangion because the SK's wouldnt allow someone in there power to get towards the advanced being stage. That being said it seems like the SK's have decided that eliminating threats to their power is a group effort. One of the few that they actually seem to be able to agree upon. If a fledgeling dragon popped up all of the SK's would likely attack If a fledgeling avangion came to being then he would be also The only difference I see is that the defiler has a much larger margin of error when he casts because he does not have to worry about pulling too much energy and defiling. The preserver can keep a lower profile but what good does that do him when he is dead due to not being willing to defile.