| Growing up medieval | Social Class | Family life and background | Making up the story | The whys and wherefores |
| Filling in the details | Not for clerics only | - | - | - |
| Dragon 96 | - | - | - | Dragon |
O n e o f t h e
m o s t e n j o y a b l e t h i n g s
a b o u t
t h e A
D & D® game and other fantasy games
is role-playing a player character --
taking
advantage of the chance to "become another
person" and to live out another life in
a strange and magical land. In an ongoing
campaign, developing a solid PC is the
player's main opportunity to be creative
and to contribute something of his own
to
the DM's world. Using this
kind of creativity can be very satisfying.
A
well-made PC is a miniature work of art,
like a character from a good novel or
movie,
but all the player's own.
Yet all too often, players deny themselves
this particular pleasure simply because
they
fail to create a true character
-- someone
different from themselves in most respects
with a personality and a mind of his own.
Many gamers have a standard character
style that they return to over and over
again
in play, though this character may have
a
different name and a different set of
stats
from game to game. Some of these standard
characters are very much like the players
running them, and some are wish
fulfillments, embodying all the strengths
that the player doesn?t have and never
will.
Allow me to use myself as my own bad
example: my standard woman warrior
never compromises, never takes guff from
anybody, and backs up her pride with a
sword ? a very different soul from your
typewriter-bound author, who would probably
cut her thumb off if she ever picked up a
real blade.
Playing this kind of "compensatory"
character can be psychologically healthy
at
times, but always running the same basic
PC drastically limits the enjoyment players
get from gaming. Creating a truly different
character, on the other hand, seems like
an
imposing task to many gamers, because
it
requires some of the skills of both an
author
and an actor. First, the player has to
create
the character in detail, then pretend
to be
that character during the gaming session.
The creation is the most important part
of
the process, because a player who really
knows his PC?s background, attitudes,
and
mannerisms can respond in character much
more convincingly and spontaneously than
one who only has a vague idea of the PC?s
general nature.
Although inventing an entirely new personality
from scratch is a difficult job, any
gamer can add some depth and life to his
PCs with just a little thought and creativity.
The problem is knowing where to begin.
This article offers some guidelines for
the
player who wants to create a well-developed
PC with a life of his own. Although players
will have to consult their DMs to fit
their
characters properly into the game world,
they can do much on their own to flesh
out
existing PCs or to add depth to new ones.
DMs may also want to give this article
to
their players to encourage them to be
creative on their own within the context of the
DM's world.
The old cliche is true: no person exists
in
a vacuum. Not only is everyone born into
a
specific family, but that family exists
in a
society with its own distinct ways of
behavior and moral codes. During childhood, a
person?s most basic attitudes toward life
are
formed by the events she?s experienced
as
well as by the treatment she receives
from
her family. Although few gamers give much
thought to their PC?s early life, understanding
that background is a valuable tool for
creating a PC?s personality.
Most of us assume that the way we're
treated as children is the way that children
have always been treated at all times.
We
have a strong concept of ?childhood? as
a
special time of life for being irresponsible,
protected, and loved. In our society,
adults
spend a lot of time worrying about their
children and about the effects that their
own
actions will have on their children?s
lives. In
the western medieval society that forms
the
backgrounds for most game worlds, nothing
could be further from the truth. (In ancient
Rome, or in Constantinople and other
civilized areas of the medieval world,
children were raised in a more protective and
loving manner in the middle and upper
classes, but among the poor everywhere,
what follows will still apply.)
In general, growing to adulthood in a
medieval society or among barbarian tribes
was a pretty chancy thing. The average
woman could expect to give birth to eight
children, of whom at least one would be
born dead and only three of the others
would live to reach maturity. As a result,
children simply weren't cherished; it
was
too heartbreaking to grow attached to
a
child who would probably die in a few
years. What?s more, since so many women
died in childbirth, many children grew
up
with either no mother at all or with a
stepmother who was even more indifferent to
them than their natural mother would have
been. Rather than being in the center
of the
family as they are now, children found
themselves on the edge of things. This
is not
to say, of course, that no medieval parents
loved their children, but such love was
a
rare thing.
In upper-class families, children were
seen mostly as heirs, meant to continue
the
family line or consolidate family power
by
accepting a properly arranged marriage
when they finally came of age. These little
political pawns were usually put into
the
care of nursemaids -- or, among the barbarians,
foster parents of a lower class ? as
soon as they were born. Although the parents
supervised their education and training, they had little actual contact
with their
children until the children were thirteen
or
fourteen, when the children were considered
to be full-grown adult members of the
family. These new ?adults,? however, had no
control over their own lives until their
father died. The father announced whom the
daughters would marry and sent any surplus
sons either to the church or to a place
in another lord's castle. By law, the
children
had to obey his decisions.
Among the lower classes, children were
considered as an economic asset, another
pair of hands to work on the farm or in
the
family craft shop. Toys were only for
the
very youngest children. As soon as a child
could walk, she was given useful work
to do
? watching the geese, sorting good beans
from bad, and other such simple tasks.
By
the time they were eight, boys were expected
to be doing a full day's work alongside their father, while girls were
doing
much of the cooking and clothes-making
to
free their mother for money-making work
in
the fields or in the shop. By the time
they
were fourteen, most lower-class people
were
married, but still living under the control
of
their father or father-in-law.
In all classes, children were more likely
to
be neglected than fussed over. At meals,
the
adults were served first, and the children
fought over the leftovers. Even in the
upper
classes, children's clothing was cut down
from the adults? worn-out garments and
rarely washed. The lord?s daughter and
the
farmer?s daughter were likely to look
much
alike when it came to their dresses. Few
adults spent any kind of time with their
children, except to give them orders or
teach them how to do various kinds of
work.
Medieval children were also exposed to
violence on a regular basis. Children
who
made mistakes, appeared lazy, or merely
angered their parents were beaten. For
that
matter, most would have seen their fathers
beat their mothers as a matter of course,
t o o . T h e
a m u s e m e n t s o f t h e s e t
i m e s w e r e
g e n u i n e , n o t
s i m u l a t e d , b l o o d - s p o r t s : d
u e l s
t o t h e d e
a t h i n b a r
b a r i a n s o c i e t i e s , j o u s t s
a n d t o u r n a m e n t
s i n m e d i e v a l o n e s ,
a s w e l l
a s t h e o m
n i p r e s e n t c o c k - a n d - d o g f i g
h t s a n d
s u c h r e f i n e d
p l e a s u r e s a s b e a r - b a i t i n g .
C h i l d r e n w e r e
u s u a l l y t a k e n t o w a t c
h t h e
p u b l i c p u n i s h m
e n t o f c r i m i n a l s a s
w e l l ,
b e c a u s e t h e i r
p a r e n t s e n j o y e d w a t c h i n g
t h e
floggings, maimings, and hangings meted
o u t b y t h
e i r o v e r l o r d s . B a r b a r i a n
b o y s , o f
c o u r s e , l e a r n e
d e a r l y t h a t w a r
a n d d e a t h
w e r e p a r t
o f e v e r y d a y l i f e a n d
t h e t r u e
p u r s u i t o f
r e a l m e n .
W i t h s u c h
a s t a r t i n l i f e ,
t h e a v e r a g e P C
c o m e s t o
m a t u r i t y w i t h a p r e t t
y g r i m s e t o f
a t t i t u d e s . ( A l
t h o u g h t h e r e a r e a l w a
y s e x c e p t i o n s t o a n y
c u l t u r a l c o n d i t i o n i n g , i t ?
s s u r p r i s i n g h o w m a n y
h i s t o r i c a l f i g u r e s o f
t h e
M i d d l e A g e s
f i t t h e p a t t e r n d e s c r
i b e d b e l o w . ) F i r s t o f
a l l , h e r e a l i z e s t h a t
l i f e i s s h o r t
a n d h a r s h ,
a n d t h a t h e ? s l u c k y
t o b e a l i v e a t
a l l . H e ? s
s e e n s e v e r a l b r o t h e r s
a n d s i s t e r s ,
a n d m a y b e
h i s m o t h e r , d i e f r o m
n a t u r a l
c a u s e s w h i l e
h e w a s s t i l l y o u n g .
I f h e ? s a
b a r b a r i a n o r
a n o b l e , i t ? s l i k e l y
t h a t h e l o s t
h i s f a t h e r
a n d s e v e r a l u n c l e s t o
w a r f a r e , t o o .
H e t h u s a
c c e p t s t h e s u f f e r i n g s
o f o t h e r
p e o p l e w i t h
a n a t t i t u d e t h a t w o u l
d s t r i k e u s
a s e x t r e m e l y
c a l l o u s , p r o v i d e d t h a t
t h e s e
o t h e r s a r e
s t r a n g e r s r a t h e r t h a n
s o m e o n e
i m p o r t a n t t o
h i m p e r s o n a l l y .
W h a t ? s m o r e ,
f r o m e a r l y o n h e
l e a r n e d
t h a t n o o
n e w a s g o i n g t o
t a k e c a r e o f h i m
i f
h e c o u l d n ? t
t a k e c a r e o f h i m s e l f .
H e ? s h a d t o
s q u a b b l e t o
g e t e n o u g h t o e a t ,
p u s h a n d
shove to get enough room in the bed he
s h a r e d w i t h
h i s b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t
e r s , a n d
f i g h t o v e r
t h e f e w t o y s a n d
a m u s e m e n t s t h a t
t h e f a m i l y
s h a r e d . T h u s , h e h a s
a n a r r o g a n t
a n d g r a s p i n g
s i d e t o h i s p e r s o n a l i
t y . E v e n i f
h e ? s f r o m
t h e n o b l e c l a s s , h e ? s
u s e d t o h o u r s
of hard work and drudgery. Noble boys
w e r e s e n t
t o o t h e r c a s t l e s t o
w o r k a s p a g e s
a t e i g h t
y e a r s o l d ; n o b l e g i r l
s p u t i n t h e i r
s h a r e o f
h o u r s a t s p i n n i n g , w e
a v i n g , a n d
s e w i n g f a m i l y
c l o t h e s .
F i n a l l y , h i s
a t t i t u d e t o w a r d h i s f
a m i l y i s
q u i t e c o l d .
S i n c e t h e y n e v e r d i d
m u c h f o r
h i m , h e t
r u l y d o e s n ' t c a r e v e r
y m u c h a b o u t
t h e m , e i t h e r .
P e r h a p s h e h a d a n
u n u s u a l
c h a n c e t o
g r o w a t t a c h e d t o o n e
p a r e n t o r a
f a v o r i t e s i b l i
n g , b u t i t ? s m o r e
l i k e l y t h a t h e
s e e s h i s
s i b l i n g s a s r i v a l s a n
d h i s p a r e n t s a s
d i s t a n t a u t h o r
i t y f i g u r e s w h o s t a n d
b e t w e e n
h i m a n d h
i s i n h e r i t a n c e . I f h e
? s a b a r b a r i a n
o r a n o b l
e l o r d , h e d o e s
h a v e a f e e l i n g f o r
t h e h o n o r
o f h i s f a m i l y n a m e .
T h i s f e e l i n g
m e a n s t h a t
h e ? l l a v e n g e a n y f a m i
l y m e m b e r
w h o i s m u
r d e r e d o r s h a m e d , b u t
h e ? s j u s t a s
l i k e l y t o
k i l l a n y f a m i l y m e m b e
r , m a l e o r
f e m a l e , w h o
b e s m i r c h e s t h e f a m i l y
h o n o r .
T h e p e o p l e
w h o t r u l y m a t t e r t o
h i m a r e t h e
f r i e n d s t h a t
h e f o u n d f o r h i m s e l f ,
n o t t h e
f a m i l y w i t h
w h o m h e g r e w u p .
S i n c e t h e s e
f r i e n d s a r e
t h e r e a l s o u r c e o f
l o v e a n d a f f e c t i o n i n
h i s l i f e , h e ? s l i k e l y
t o b e f a n a t i c a l l y
d e v o t e d t o
t h e m i n a n e m o t i o n a l
w a y t h a t
w e m o d e r n s
w o u l d f i n d e m b a r r a s s i n g .
In fantasy worlds, members of the nonh
u m a n r a c e s w i l l h a v e
d i f f e r e n t k i n d s o f
c h i l d h o o d s a n d
t h u s a d i f f e r e n t s e t
o f b a s i c
a t t i t u d e s . H o w e
v e r , s i n c e R o g e r M o o r
e h a s
a l r e a d y e x p l o r
e d t h e c u l t u r e s o f
t h e v a r i o u s
n o n - h u m a n r a c e
s i n h i s " P
o i n t o f V i e w "
s e r i e s o f
a r t i c l e s f o r D R A G O N® magazine
(reprinted in the Best of DRAGON Vol.
III
anthology), there's no need to cover the
same ground here. Any player who is building
up a non-human character can refer to
the appropriate article in that series
for the
necessary background and the innate attitudes
of his chosen race.
With this basic background in mind,
we?re ready to turn to the individual
PC.
After rolling up his character and making
adjustments for his chosen race, the next
thing a player does is choose the character
class ? the profession ? of his PC. Built
into the game is the assumption that the
PC
has been apprenticed to a master in this
class for many years, an assumption that?s
historically accurate. The average child
would have been sent to his apprenticeship
at nine or ten years of age, depending
on
how bright and capable the child was.
Although the player should always choose the
PC?s class himself, he can work backward
from that choice to fill in the events
and
influences of the PC?s early life.
Ideally, of course, each player should
invent all these details for himself with
the
active collaboration of the DM, as if
he
were writing a short story about his PC,
but
many players may simply not know where
to begin their PC?s ?biography? or which
facts to include.
This article provides a set of tables to
randomly determine certain basic facts
about the PC. These rolls, however, should
only be starting points. The player should
think about each result and decide what
emotional effect it had on the PC and
how
this effect influenced the character?s
personality. To give them real meaning, the player
has to turn the dice rolls into a story,
even if
it?s only a sketchy one.
S o c i a l
c l a s s
The social standing of the PC?s family
should always be randomly determined,
simply because we?d all like to be rich
nobles if we could get away with it. But since
only the DM of a given campaign can decide
exactly what the term ?social class?
means or includes in his world, the following
tables have been purposely left nonspecific. Here are some examples of
how each
class might be defined:
1. Very low: serfs, slaves, beggars, a
hereditary guild of charnel-house workers.
2. Low: farmers with a small holding,
servants of the rich.
3. Middle: farmers with large holdings,
craftsmen with shops, midwives and herbwomen,
tavern owners.
4. Distinguished: lawyers, physicians,
clerics, magic-users.
5. Noble: members of a hereditary aristocracy.
This class can be based either on
landholding, as was done in the Middle
Ages, or on sheer wealth, as in ancient
Greece or modern America.
Now for the tables themselves, which are
based on the character class of the PC
and
which use percentile dice rolls:
Thieves
| 01-20 | very low |
| 21-50 | low |
| 51-90 | middle |
| 91-99 | distinguished |
| 00 | noble |
Fighters
| 01-05 | very low |
| 06-15 | low |
| 16-50 | middle |
| 51-70 | distinguished |
| 71-00 | noble |
Magick-Users
| 01-10 | very low |
| 11-25 | low |
| 26-60 | middle |
| 61-85 | distinguished |
| 86-00 | noble |
Clerics
| 01-10 | very low |
| 11-25 | low |
| 26-60 | middle |
| 61-75 | distinguished |
| 76-00 | noble |
Add 10 to all rolls for paladin characters.
Subtract 10 on all rolls for druids.
Once the player has rolled on these tables,
he should try to flesh out the raw
result with some circumstances. For instance,
a cleric with a noble background
might have been a younger son of the house
who had no chance at inheriting the title,
or
a daughter who preferred religion to an
arranged marriage. Any PC who rolls "very
low" can be assumed to have shown such
great natural aptitude for his class at
such
an early age that he was adopted by an
upper-level member of that class and raised
away from his family -- except for thieves,
where poverty is a natural incentive to
learn
the trade.
Results of rolls on the following progression
of ?tables? will help a player develop a
detailed background for the character.
A. Is the PC a legitimate child of his
father?
(01-75 = yes, 76-00 = no)
1) If illegitimate, was the PC raised
with the father?s family?
(01-75 = yes, 76-00 = no)
2) If not raised with the father, was
the PC raised by the natural
mother (01-50), placed into fosterage
(51-95), or raised by charity
as an orphan (96-00)?
3) If placed into fosterage, roll for the
foster family as well as the natural
family in the next steps. If raised by
charity, ignore steps B and C.
B. Does the PC have any living siblings?
(01-75 = yes, 75-00 = no)
1) If yes, then how many? (01-40 =
one, 41-90 = two, 91-00 = three)
2) For each sibling, roll to determine
sex (01-50 = female, 51-00 = male)
and age (01-50 = older than PC,
51-00 = younger than PC)
C. Were there any family tragedies that
affected the PC?
1) Did the PC?s mother die when
the PC was young? (01-60 = yes,
61-00 = no)
2) Did the PC?s father die when
the PC was young? (noble class:
01-60 = yes, 61-00 = no; all other
classes: 01-40 = yes; 41-00 = no)
3) How many siblings died when the
PC was young? (01-50 = three,
51-75 = four, 76-00 = five)
D. Is the PC?s attitude toward the family
normal for his culture (01-65), more
loving
than normal (66-90), or more hostile
than normal (91-00)?
E. Was the PC?s family poor by the standards
of its social class (01-30), reasonably
secure by those standards (31-75),
or
very well off by those standards (76-00)?
F. Did the PC?s father have the same
profession
(i.e. character class) as the PC?
1) M-U: 01-10 = yes, 11-00 = no
Cleric: 01-35 = yes, 36-00 = no
Thief: 01-60 = yes, 61-00 = no
Fighter: 01-75 = yes, 76-00 = no
2) If the answer from F-1 is no, what
was the father's profession? (To answer
this question, the player will
probably have to consult with the
DM. If the social class is middle or
lower, however, it?s 85% likely that
the PC?s father was a farmer.)
3) If the PC has a different profession
from his father?s, was he/she apprenticed
in a regular manner to
a teacher of that profession? Thief
class: 01-75 = yes, 76-00 = no (If
answer is no, skip section G.) All
other classes: automatic yes.
G. If the PC was an apprentice, rather
than
being trained by his father, what was
the
apprenticeship like?
1) Did his master treat him warmly
and considerately (01-20), decently
but coolly (21-80), or harshly and
erratically (81-00)?
2) Was his master?s status high
among his peers (01-15), normal
among his peers (16-80), low among
his peers (81-95), or that of an outcast
from his profession (96-00)? (If
the master was an outcast, then the
PC traveled with his master from
place to place.)
<I interpret this as low level (1-3),
mid-level (4-8), high-level (9+),
with a second roll if the master was an
outcast>
3) How many other apprentices did
the master have? (01-10 = one,
11-75 = two, 76-90 = three,
91-00 = four)
4) Did the master favor the PC above
the other apprentices? (01-50 = yes,
51-00 = no)
5) If above answer is yes, did the PC
get along well with other apprentices?
(01-25 = yes, 26-00 = no)
H. A thief who was not taught by his
father
or by a member of the thieves? guild
has
been stealing since early childhood
for his
own reasons. The player should decide
what those reasons were; some common
ones are the challenge of the act,
sheer
greed, and resentment of the rich.
1) Was the budding thief contacted by
the local thieves? guild as a teen-
ager? (01-75 = yes, 76-00 = no)
2) If the answer above is no, the
player has to decide if the PC has
made contact with the guild on his
own since reaching maturity.
I. If the PC was trained by his father,
the
player should still roll on steps G-1
and
G-2 above.
J. Where was the PC born?
Obviously, the player will have to consult
with the DM to answer this question.
The player should also ask the DM for
any relevant history of the PC?s birthplace,
to see if the PC lived through any
important campaign events as a child,
such as a war or a plague, that would
have helped to form his personality.
Making up the story
N o w l e t ' s
l o o k a t a c o u p l e
o f e x a m p l e s o f
h o w t o c r
e a t e a P C u s i n g
t h e s e t a b l e s . B a s i c a l l y ,
t h e p e r c e n t a g e b r e a k d o w n s
o n t h e
t a b l e s a r e
w e i g h t e d t o a l l o w a
f a i r l y ? n o r m a l ? b a c k g r o u n d
f o r e a c h c h a r a c t e r c l
a s s .
F o r e x a m p l e ,
a f i g h t e r P C i s
l i k e l y t o h a v e a
f i g h t e r f o r
a f a t h e r , w h o m o s t
l i k e l y i s a
m e m b e r o f
t h e m i d d l e c l a s s y e o m
a n r y , t h e
d i s t i n g u i s h e d
c l a s s s e r g e a n t r y , o r
t h e n o b l e
c l a s s o f
w a r r i o r l o r d s . I t ? s s
t i l l p o s s i b l e ,
t h o u g h , t o
g e t s o m e u n u s u a l o r
e v e n c o n t r a d i c t o r y s e r i e s
o f r o l l s . T h e s e p e c u l
i a r c o m b i n a t i o n s o f r
o l l s a r e o f t e n t h e
m o s t f u n t o
w o r k w i t h ,
b e c a u s e t h e p l a y e r ? s
c r e a t i v i t y i s
sparked by trying to think of reasons
behind
t h e ? d e c i s i o n s
? o f t h e d i c e .
F i r s t , l e t ' s
t a k e a m a g i c - u s e r w h o
g o t a
f a i r l y t y p i c a l
s e r i e s o f d i c e r o l l s .
H e c o m e s
f r o m t h e
m i d d l e c l a s s , w a s a
l e g i t i m a t e s o n
o f h i s f a
t h e r , a n d h a s o n e
l i v i n g s i b l i n g , a
s i s t e r w h o
i s o l d e r t h a n h e .
H e l o s t h i s
m o t h e r a n d
t h r e e o t h e r s i b l i n g s
e a r l y i n l i f e ,
b u t h i s f
a t h e r i s s t i l l a l i v e .
H e t h i n k s o f h i s
f a m i l y m o r e
f o n d l y t h a n n o r m a l , a
n d t h a t
f a m i l y w a s
r e a s o n a b l y s e c u r e b y
m i d d l e c l a s s s t a n d a r d s . S i n
c e h i s f a t h e r w a s n ? t
a
m a g i c - u s e r , o u
r l a d w a s a p p r e n t i c e d
t o a
m a s t e r o f
n o r m a l s t a t u s a m o n g m
a g e s , w h o
t r e a t e d h i m
a n d h i s t w o o t h e r
a p p r e n t i c e s
d e c e n t l y i f
c o o l l y . S i n c e o u r P C
w a s n e v e r
s i n g l e d o u t
f o r s p e c i a l f a v o r s b y
t h e m a s t e r ,
h e g o t a l
o n g w e l l w i t h t h e
o t h e r b o y s . A d d i n g s o
m e d e t a i l s f r o m m y
c a m p a i g n w o r l d ,
w e a l s o k
n o w t h a t t h e m a g i c - u s
e r , E v a n ,
g r e w u p i
n a p r o s p e r o u s , p e a c e
f u l c i t y ,
w h e r e h i s
f a t h e r w a s a n h e r b a l i
s t .
A l r e a d y t h e s e
b a r e d e t a i l s a r e b e g i
n n i n g
t o f o r m a
c o h e r e n t p i c t u r e o f E
v a n ? s l i f e .
L e t ? s a d d
m o r e c o l o r t o t h e m
b y u s i n g s o m e
i m a g i n a t i o n a n
d b y e x t r a p o l a t i n g f r
o m t h e
n a t u r e o f
l i f e i n m e d i e v a l w o r l
d s . A s a n
h e r b a l i s t , E v a
n ? s f a t h e r m u s t h a v e
k n o w n
h o w t o r e
a d a n d w r i t e a n d
w o u l d h a v e
t a u g h t h i s
o n l y s o n t h i s s k i l l
e a r l y i n l i f e .
H i s i n t e r e s t
i n t h e p o w e r s a n d
p r o p e r t i e s o f
p l a n t s s p a r k e d
t h e b o y ? s i n t e r e s t i n
m a g i c .
S i n c e h i s
m o t h e r d i e d , w e c a n
s a y t h a t t h e
o l d e r s i s t e r
t o o k o v e r E v a n ? s c a r e
, a n d s i n c e
h i s a t t i t u d e
t o w a r d h i s f a m i l y i s
m o r e l o v i n g
t h a n u s u a l ,
s h e m u s t h a v e t r e a t e d
h i m
u n u s u a l l y w e l l
. W i t h h i s c o n n e c t i o n
s a s a n
h e r b a l i s t , t h e
f a t h e r f o u n d a r e p u t a
b l e
m a g i c - u s e r t o
t a k e E v a n o n a s
a n a p p r e n t i c e , b u t t h
e f a t h e r w a s n o t
w e l l o f f e n o u g h
t o a p p r e n t i c e
h i m t o t h e b e s t
a v a i l a b l e
m a s t e r . A l t h o u
g h E v a n ? s m a s t e r w a s
a f a i r m i n d e d m a n , h e
w a s t o o e n g r o s s e d i n
h i s
o w n s t u d i e s
t o p a y p e r s o n a l a t t e n
t i o n t o h i s
a p p r e n t i c e s , b
u t t h e b o y s m a d e
f r i e n d s
a m o n g t h e m s e l v
e s . I t ? s l i k e l y , g i v e
n h i s
g e n e r a l c u l t u r
a l a t t i t u d e t o w a r d f r
i e n d s h i p ,
t h a t E v a n
i s c l o s e r t o t h e
a p p r e n t i c e s o f h i s
y o u t h t h a n
h e i s t o h i s f a m
i l y .
N e x t , w e
c a n s e e w h a t t h i s
s t o r y t e l l s u s
a b o u t E v a n ? s
b a s i c p e r s o n a l i t y . S i n c e
h e h a d
s u c h a s e
c u r e a n d p e a c e f u l u p b
r i n g i n g f o r a
m a n o f h i
s t i m e s , h e i s l
i k e l y t o b e a l i
t t l e
n a i v e a n d
i n c l i n e d t o t r u s t e v e
r y o n e h e
m e e t s . H i s
f o n d m e m o r i e s o f h i s
h a r d w o r k i n g s i s t e r m a k e
h i m t r e a t w o m e n w i t h
r e s p e c t . O n
t h e o t h e r h a n d , s i n c e
h e s a w
m a n y a p u
b l i c h a n g i n g a n d s o
m a n y n a t u r a l
d e a t h s a s
a c h i l d , h e k n o w s
t h a t t h e w o r l d i s
a h a r s h p
l a c e w h e r e d e a t h c o m e
s f a s t . T h i s
k n o w l e d g e m a k e
s h i m g r a t e f u l t o
t h e g o d s
f o r h i s l
u c k w i t h h i s f a m i l y
a n d f o r m a k i n g
i t p o s s i b l e
f o r h i m t o s t u d y
m a g i c , h i s r e a l
l o v e i n l
i f e .
W e ' v e j u s t
s e e n h o w t h e d i c e
r o l l s c a n b e
w o r k e d i n t o
a s o l i d - f e e l i n g c h a r a c t e r ,
p a r t i c u l a r l y i f t h e r
o l l s g i v e t y p i c a l r e s
u l t s f o r t h e
P C ' s c h a r a c t e r
c l a s s . E v e n u n u s u a l r
o l l s ,
h o w e v e r , c a n
b e t u r n e d i n t o a
g o o d c h a r a c t e r w i t h a
b i t o f t h o u g h t , a s
i n o u r n e x t
e x a m p l e .T h e p l a
y e r o f a f e m a l e
t h i e f m a n a g e s t o
r o l l 0 0 f
o r s o c i a l c l a s s , m a k i
n g h e r P C a
member of the nobility! What?s more, she?s
a l e g i t i m a t e
d a u g h t e r , n o t a n u n w e
l c o m e
b a s t a r d c h i l d .
S h e h a s t h r e e l i v i n g
b r o t h e r s ,
o f w h o m t
w o a r e o l d e r t h a n
s h e , b u t b o t h
h e r m o t h e r
a n d h e r f a t h e r d i e d
w h e n s h e
w a s y o u n g .
H e r a t t i t u d e t o w a r d h
e r f a m i l y
i s n o r m a l ,
b u t h e r f a m i l y w a s
p o o r b y t h e
s t a n d a r d s o f
t h e n o b i l i t y . A l t h o u g h
a s a t h i e f
s h e w o u l d
n o r m a l l y h a v e a h i g h
c h a n c e o f
r o l l i n g t h a t
h e r f a t h e r w a s i n
t h e s a m e p r o f e s s i o n ,
t h e D M r u l e s t h a t
i t ? s e x t r e m e l y
u n l i k e l y t h a t
h e r n o b l e f a t h e r w a s
a t h i e f o r
t h a t s h e
w a s a p p r e n t i c e d a t a n
e a r l y a g e t o
t h e t h i e v e s ?
g u i l d . T h u s s h e ? s a
s e l f - t a u g h t
t h i e f , a l t h o u g
h h e r r o l l o n S e
c t i o n H - 1
s h o w s t h a t
s h e w a s i n d e e d c o n t a c
t e d b y t h e
l o c a l g u i l d
w h i l e a t e e n - a g e r . B e
t w e e n t h e m ,
t h e p l a y e r
a n d t h e D M d e c i d e
t h a t t h e t h i e f ,
L y s s a , w a s
b o r n i n a w a r - t o r n
r e g i o n o f t h e
g a m e w o r l d
w h e r e p o o r l o r d s a r e
c o m m o n .
N o w i t ? s
u p t o t h e p l a y e r
t o m a k e s e n s e o f
h e r P C ? s
e a r l y l i f e . S h e d e c i d
e s t o s t a r t w i t h
L y s s a ? s p o s i t i
o n i n t h e f a m i l y ,
t h e o n l y
d a u g h t e r a m o n g
t h r e e b r o t h e r s . S i n c e
w a r r i o r l o r d s t e n d t o
f a v o r t h e i r s o n s a n y w
a y ,
a n d s i n c e
h e r f a m i l y w a s p o o r ,
i t ? s q u i t e
l i k e l y t h a t
L y s s a w a s e v e n m o r e
i g n o r e d
t h a n u s u a l
i n t h i s f a m i l y . O n c e
h e r f a t h e r
d i e d a n d
h e r e l d e s t b r o t h e r s u
c c e e d e d t o t h e
t i t l e , s h e
w a s d o u b t l e s s t h o u g h t
o f a s n o t h i n g m o r e
t h a n a p a w n t o b
e m a r r i e d o f f t o
a
p o l i t i c a l a l l y
a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e .
S t e a l i n g ,
t h e n , b e c a m e
L y s s a ? s w a y o f g e t t i n
g s o m e t h i n g o f h e r
o w n , a s m a l l r e v e n g e
o n h e r
b r o t h e r s . P r o b
a b l y s h e s t a r t e d o u t
s t e a l i n g
e x t r a f o o d
w h e n t h e c o o k ? s b a c k
w a s t u r n e d,
t h e n g r a d u a t e d
t o l i f t i n g s m a l l v a l u
a b l e s
from noble guests.
T h e n e x t q
u e s t i o n f o r t h e p l a y e
r t o a n s w e r i s h
o w L y s s a m a d e t h e
t r a n s i t i o n f r o m
p e t t y p i l f e r e r
a t t h e c a s t l e t o
a p r o f e s s i o n a l
m e m b e r o f
t h e t h i e v e s ' g u i l d . S
i n c e l o c a l
t h i e v e s w e r e
d o u b t l e s s b l a m e d f o r
h e r
c r i m e s , t h e y
w o u l d h a v e b e e n a w a r e
o f h e r
a c t i v i t i e s , b u
t t h e y w o u l d h a v e
b e e n a f r a i d
t o a p p r o a c h
t h e s i s t e r o f t h e
l o r d o f t h e l o c a l
m a n o r . T h e
p l a y e r d e c i d e s t h a t t
h e a r r a n g e d m a r r i a g e
i n t h e o f f i n g p r o v i d e
s a
p e r f e c t a n s w e r
. A p p a l l e d b y h e r
b r o t h e r ? s
c h o i c e o f
a h u s b a n d f o r h e r ,
L y s s a r a n a w a y
t o a d i s t
a n t t o w n t o l i v e
b y h e r w i t s . T h e r e ,
t h e l o c a l
g u i l d c o n t a c t e d h e r a
n d m a d e h e r a
l a t e - c o m e a p p r
e n t i c e .
A f t e r m a k i n g
u p t h i s r e a s o n a b l e s t
o r y t o
e x p l a i n t h e
u n u s u a l d i c e r o l l s , L
y s s a ? s
p l a y e r n o w
h a s s o m e g o o d i n s i g h t
s i n t o h e r
P C ? s c h a r a c t e r
. L y s s a m u s t b e
a v e r y i n d e pendent and headstrong young
woman to
h a v e m a n a g e d
h e r e s c a p e f r o m h e r
b r o t h e r ? s c a s t l e . O n
t h e o t h e r h a n d , s i n c e
s h e f e l l
b a c k t o t
h i e v e r y t o g e t h e r
w a y a s a c h i l d ,
s h e ? s e s s e n t i a
l l y a d e v i o u s p e r s o n ,
p r e f e r r i n g t o u s e h e r
b r a i n s r a t h e r t h a n t o
f o r c e
d i r e c t c o n f r o n
t a t i o n s . A f t e r a l l h e
r y e a r s o f
l i v i n g a
d o u b l e l i f e , c o u p l e d
w i t h h e r s t a n d a r d t r a
i n i n g i n t h e m a n n e r s
o f a n o b l e w o m a n , s h e
m u s t b e a b l e t o
p u t o n a v e r y
g o o d f r o n t
? v e r y s w e e t , g r a c i o u
s , a n d
t i m i d o n
t h e o u t s i d e , b u t h a r d
a s n a i l s o n
t h e i n s i d e .
A t t h e s a m e t i m e ,
h e r u p b r i n g i n g i n a
w a r r i o r l o r d ? s c a s t l e
h a s m a d e h e r
n o s t r a n g e r
t o v i o l e n c e . I f s h e
h a s t o , s h e ? l l
use her dagger and short sword to good
p u r p o s e .
W e c a n s e e
t h e v a l u e o f a l l
t h i s e f f o r t p u t
i n t o d e v e l o p i n
g b a c k g r o u n d s f o r P C s
i f w e
i m a g i n e a
g a m e w h e r e E v a n t h e
m a g i c - u s e r
i s i n t e r a c t i n g
w i t h L y s s a t h e t h i e f .
P o o r
t r u s t i n g E v a n
w i l l b e p u t t y i n
L y s s a ' s h a n d s
-- a t l e a s
t u n t i l s h e b i l k s
h i m o u t o f h i s
s h a r e o f
a t r e a s u r e . A t t h e
s a m e t i m e , s i n c e
E v a n i s s
o d i f f e r e n t f r o m h e r
c r u d e b r o t h e r s , L y s s a
m i g h t h a v e a s o f t
s p o t i n h e r
h e a r t f o r
h i m a n d r e t u r n t h e
t r e a s u r e s h e
b i l k e d h i m
o u t o f , a l o n g w i t h
a l i t t l e l e c t u r e
o n t h e d a
n g e r s o f t r u s t i n g p e o
p l e t o o m u c h .
T h e i n t e r p l a y
b e t w e e n t h e s e t w o c h a
r a c t e r s
w i l l p r o v i d e
a l o t o f a m u s e m e n t
f o r t h e
o t h e r p l a y e r s
i n t h e c a m p a i g n , a s
w e l l a s
g i v i n g t h e
D M s o m e i d e a s f o r
d r a m a t i c
c o n f r o n t a t i o n s
d u r i n g c i t y p l a y a n d
o t h e r
s l o w e r - m o v i n g
p a r t s o f t h e g a m e .
T h e w h y
s a n d w h e r e f o r e s
A f t e r h e ' s
m a d e u p a b a c k g r o u n d
a n d
s k e t c h e d o u t
a g e n e r a l p e r s o n a l i t y
f o r h i s
P C , t h e p
l a y e r n e x t n e e d s t o
d e v e l o p h i s
P C ? s m o t i v a t i o
n s i n l i f e . U n d e r s t a n
d i n g t h e
P C ? s m o t i v a t i o
n s i s t h e k e y t o
s t a y i n g i n
c h a r a c t e r w h i l
e r o l e - p l a y i n g , b e c a u s e
w h a t a
p e r s o n w a n t s
o u t o f l i f e d e t e r m i n e
s h o w t h a t
p e r s o n w i l l
a c t i n a n y g i v e n
s i t u a t i o n . F o r
e x a m p l e , a
w a r r i o r w h o s e m a i n g o
a l i s t o
g a i n g l o r y
a n d h o n o r w i l l n e v e r
s t o o p t o a
c o w a r d l y d e e d ,
n o m a t t e r h o w g r e a t
t h e
r e w a r d . I t ? s
p o s s i b l e , o f c o u r s e ,
t h a t a n o t h e r
m o t i v a t i o n m i g
h t c o n f l i c t w i t h a
p e r s o n ? s
m a i n g o a l .
T h e w a r r i o r o f t h e
e x a m p l e
m i g h t b e
t e m p t e d t o d o a
c o w a r d l y d e e d i f
t h a t d e e d
w o u l d s a v e t h e l i f e
o f h i s d e a r e s t
f r i e n d . T h e
p l a y e r o f a c h a r a c t e r
c a u g h t i n
t h a t s o r t
o f c o n f l i c t w o u l d h a v
e t o d e c i d e
w h i c h m o t i v a t i
o n w a s t h e s t r o n g e r .
S i n c e m o t i v a t i
o n s c a n b e s o c o
m p l e x , t h e
b e s t w a y
t o s t a r t d e t e r m i n i n g
a P C ? s m o t i v a t i o n i s
t o a s k w h y t h e P
C c h o s e h i s p r o f e s s i o
n i n t h e f i r s t p
l a c e . ( T h e p l a y e r h a s
h i s
o w n r e a s o n s
f o r c h o o s i n g a c h a r a c
t e r c l a s s ,
b a s e d o n
t h e g a m e m e c h a n i c s ; w
h a t c o u n t s
h e r e i s t
h e P C ? s r e a s o n s , a s
s o m e o n e w h o
g r e w u p i
n t h e g a m e w o r l d . )
I t ? s p o s s i b l e
t h a t e v e n t s
i n t h e P C ? s l i f e
m a d e h i m c h o o s e
a p a r t i c u l a r
c l a s s . A f i g h t e r w h o
g r e w u p i n
a w a r - t o r n
c o u n t r y , f o r i n s t a n c e ,
m i g h t h a v e
h a d l i t t l e
c h o i c e o f p r o f e s s i o n
i f e v e r y a b l e b o d i e d m
a n w e r e b e i n g r e c r u i t
e d . L i k e w i s e ,
a c l e r i c
w h o w a s b o r n i n t o
a l o w s o c i a l c l a s s
m i g h t h a v e
s e e n t h e r e l i g i o u s l i
f e a s t h e
o n e
w a y s h e c
o u l d b e t t e r h e r f a t e .
B e y o n d t h e
p r e s s o f c i r c u m s t a n c e ,
h o w e v e r , e a c h c h a r a c t e r
c l a s s h o l d s o u t t h e
p r o m i s e o f
a c e r t a i n k i n d o f
r e w a r d a n d
o f f e r s i t s
o w n d i s t i n c t s a t i s f a c t i o n s
. M a g i c u s e r s , t o b e g i
n w i t h , h a v e t h e
c h a n c e t o
l e a r n s e c r e t
k n o w l e d g e , t h e m y s t e r i o u s
l o r e
t h a t w i l l
g i v e t h e m p o w e r o v e r
t h i n g s t h a t
f e w p e o p l e
e v e n k n o w e x i s t . A n y
m a g i c - u s e r
w i l l h a v e
t o h a v e a l o v e o
f k n o w l e d g e f o r i t s
o w n s a k e
i n o r d e r t o e n d u r e
t h e l o n g y e a r s
o f s t u d y
n e c e s s a r y t o b e c o m e p
r o f i c i e n t i n
t h i s c l a s s .
F o r f i g h t e r s , t h e r e w
a r d i s g l o r y ,
r e s p e c t i n
t h e e y e s o f o t h e r s
a n d t h e h o p e o f
e a r n i n g a
p l a c e i n a b a r d ' s
s o n g o r a s a g a s
o
t h a t t h e i r
r e p u t a t i o n s w i l l o u t l i v e
t h e m .
C l e r i c s , w h i l e
m o t i v a t e d p r i m a r i l y b y
t h e
l o v e o f t
h e i r g o d s , a l s o h a v e
t h e c h a n c e t o
e a r n a h i
g h s t a t u s i n s o c i e t y
a n d a p l a c e i n a
r e s p e c t e d h i e r
a r c h y . F o r t h i e v e s , t
h e i r a b i l i t y t o l i v e
o u t s i d e t h e l a w a n d
t h e i r s e l f c o n c e p t a s
d a n g e r o u s , d a r i n g p e r s o n s
a r e
e v e n m o r e
i m p o r t a n t r e w a r d s t h a n
t h e m e r e
m o n e y t h e y
s t e a l .
A l t h o u g h a l l
P C s w i l l b e m o t i v a t e d
b y t h e
m a i n g o a l s
o f t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n ,
e a c h P C w i l l
h a v e a s l
i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t e m p h a s i s .
O n e
c l e r i c m a y
w a n t n o t h i n g m o r e t h a
n t h e
c h a n c e t o
s e r v e h i s f a v o r i t e g o
d , w h i l e a n o t h e r m a y
h a v e h e r s i g h t s s e t
o n t h a t t e m p l e
p o s i t i o n a s
h e a d o f t h e c u l t .
O n e m a g i c - u s e r
m a y l o v e
a r c a n e k n o w l e d g e o n l y
f o r i t s o w n
s a k e , w h i l e
a n o t h e r m a y w a n t t h e
i n t e l l e c t u a l p o w e r o v e r
o t h e r s t h a t i t b r i n g s
. I t ? s u p
t o t h e p l
a y e r t o d e c i d e u p o n
h i s P C ? s m o t i v a t i o n s
i n c h o o s i n g t h e c l a s s
, b e c a u s e n o
t a b l e o f
d i e r o l l s c a n p o s s i b l
y b e f l e x i b l e
e n o u g h t o
c r e a t e t r u l y i n d i v i d u a l i z e
d P C s .
O n c e t h e
p l a y e r h a s d e c i d e d w h
y t h e P C
c h o s e h i s
p r o f e s s i o n , h e f a c e s
t h e n e x t i n t e r e s t i n g
q u e s t i o n : J u s t w h y i s
t h i s P C o u t
a d v e n t u r i n g ? U
n l e s s t h e s o c i e t y t o
w h i c h
t h e P C b e
l o n g s i s i n a s t
a t e o f c h a o s , a s
t h e
r e s u l t o f
a d i s a s t r o u s w a r o r
a p l a g u e , f o r
i n s t a n c e , m o s t
p e o p l e i n t h a t s o c i e t
y a r e
l e a d i n g s e t t l e
d l i v e s i n o r n e
a r t h e p l a c e
w h e r e t h e y
w e r e b o r n . Y e t s o m e t h
i n g m o t i v a t e d e a c h P C
t o t a k e t o t h e r
o a d s i n s e a r c h
o f a d v e n t u r e
a n d h a s m a d e h i m
w i l l i n g t o
f a c e t h e
d a n g e r s t h a t a d v e n t u r i n g
b r i n g s .
T h e p l a y e r ,
p o s s i b l y i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n
w i t h
t h e D M , s
h o u l d d e c i d e w h a t t h i
s m o t i v e ?
o r c o m b i n a t i o n
o f m o t i v e s ? w a s .
I t ? s p o s s i b l e ,
f o r i n s t a n c e , t h a t a n
e v e n t i n
t h e P C ? s
l i f e f o r c e d h i m t o
l e a v e h o m e .
P e r h a p s h i s
f a m i l y w a s d i s g r a c e d ,
o r p e r h a p s h e w a s
f r a m e d f o r a c r i m e
h e d i d n ? t
c o m m i t . I f
t h e P C i s a f i g h
t e r , h e m a y h a v e
f o u g h t o n
t h e l o s i n g s i d e o f
a c i v i l w a r . A
c l e r i c m a y
h a v e m a d e t h e h e a d
o f h e r t e m p l e h i e r a r c
h y s o j e a l o u s o f
h e r a b i l i t i e s t h a t
s h e w a s s
e n t a w a y t o s e a r c h
f o r w a y s t o
glorify her god?s name. Thieves, of course,
a r e a l w a y s
i n d a n g e r o f f i n d i n g
t h e i r h o m e
t o w n t o o
h o t t o h o l d t h e m
a f t e r a s u c c e s s f u l
h e i s t . C r e a t i n
g s o m e s u c h d r a m a t i c
e v e n t i n
t h e P C ? s
l i f e w i l l g i v e t h e
p l a y e r a s e n s e o f
t h e P C a s
a p e r s o n w i t h a
h i s t o r y.
O n t h e o t h
e r h a n d ? a n d p e
r h a p s a t t h e
s a m e t i m e
? t h e P C m a y h a v
e d e c i d e d t o
b e c o m e a n
a d v e n t u r e r f o r p s y c h o l o g i c
a l
r e a s o n s . H e
m a y b e a r e s t l e s s
s o u l w h o
l o v e s t o
w a n d e r f o r w a n d e r i n g ? s
s a k e , o r h e
m a y h a v e
a l w a y s d r e a m e d o f r i c
h e s b e y o n d
c o u n t i n g . T h e
p l a y e r n e e d s t o l o o k
a t h i s
P C ? s b a c k g r o u n
d a n d f i n d r e a s o n s
t h a t a r e
c o n s i s t e n t w i t
h i t . I n o u r e x a
m p l e o f L y s s a
t h e t h i e f ,
f o r i n s t a n c e , h e r i n d
e p e n d e n t
n a t u r e m a y
h a v e m a d e h e r d e c i d e
t h a t h e r
c u r r e n t t o w n
d o e s n ? t h o l d e n o u g h o
p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r h e r .
T h i s d e c i s i o n m i g h t b
e r e i n f o r c e d b y a
j o b t h a t w a s n ? t a s
s u c c e s s f u l a s
i t m i g h t
h a v e b e e n , l e a v i n g t h
e a u t h o r i t i e s
e n t i r e l y t o o
i n t e r e s t e d i n h e r a c t
i v i t i e s .
A l i g n m e n t i s
a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r
i n
a l l t h e P C
? s m o t i v a t i o n s , n o t m
e r e l y t h e
m o t i v e t h a t
m a d e t h e P C b e c o m e
a n a d v e n t u r e r . A l l t o
o o f t e n p l a y e r s i g n o r
e t h e i r P C ? s
a l i g n m e n t e x c e
p t i n t h e m o s t g
e n e r a l w a y ,
b u t u s e d
p r o p e r l y , i t ? s a n i m p
o r t a n t t o o l f o r
g o o d r o l e - p l a y
i n g , b e c a u s e i t i n d i c
a t e s t h e
o v e r a l l w a y
t h a t t h e P C v i e w s
t h e w o r l d a n d
d e f i n e s w h a t
c e r t a i n o f h i s g o a l s
w i l l b e . A s
w e l l a s h
a v i n g h i s o w n p e r s o n a
l r e a s o n s f o r
a d v e n t u r i n g , f
o r i n s t a n c e , a l a w f u l
g o o d P C
m a y w a n t
t o r i d t h e w o r l d
o f a s m a n y e v i l
m o n s t e r s a s
p o s s i b l e , w h i l e a c h a
o t i c e v i l
t y p e w i l l
w a n t t o g e t a s m
u c h g o l d f o r h i m s e l f
a n d c a u s e a s m u c h
s u f f e r i n g f o r o t h e r s
a s h e c a n
i n t h e p r o c e s s o f
f u l f i l l i n g h i s
p e r s o n a l g o a l s
.
I n s o m e c a
s e s , t h e a l i g n m e n t i s
c h o s e n f o r
t h e p l a y e r ,
e i t h e r b e c a u s e t h e r u
l e s s a y t h a t
t h e P C ? s
c l a s s c a n o n l y h a v e
a c e r t a i n k i n d
o f a l i g n m e n t
o r b e c a u s e t h e D M
w a n t s o n l y
c e r t a i n a l i g n m
e n t s a m o n g t h e P C s .
I f t h e
p l a y e r c a n
c h o o s e t h e P C ? s a l i g n
m e n t ,
h o w e v e r , h e
s h o u l d m a k e s u r e t h a t
i t ? s
c o n s i s t e n t w i t
h t h e P C ? s b a c k g r o u n d
a n d
n a t u r e . I n
t h e e x a m p l e o f E v a n
t h e g e n t l y
r a i s e d m a g i c - u
s e r , f o r i n s t a n c e , i t
? s e x t r e m e l y i m p l a u s i b l e
t h a t h e w o u l d b e
o f a n y
e v i l a l i g n m e n t
, a n d e v e n t h e n
e u t r a l a l i g n m e n t s a r e
u n l i k e l y .
W h e t h e r t h e
a l i g n m e n t i s c h o s e n f
o r o r
b y t h e p l
a y e r , h e s h o u l d f i g u r
e i t i n f r o m t h e
s t a r t w h e n
h e ? s m a k i n g u p h i s
P C ? s m o t i v a t i o n s a n d
g o a l s , r i g h t a l o n g w i
t h t h e P C ? s
b a c k g r o u n d a n d
p e r s o n a l i t y . L e t ? s c o n t i n u
e
o u r e x a m p l e
o f L y s s a t h e t h i e f
t o s e e h o w
t h i s w o r k s .
A l t h o u g h i t s ? s q u i t e
p o s s i b l e t h a t
L y s s a c o u l d
b e o f a n e v i l a l
i g n m e n t , h e r
p l a y e r h a s
n o w i s h t o p l a y
a n e v i l c h a r a c t e r ,
a n d t h e r e f o r e
o p t s f o r n e u t r a l g o o d
a s L y s s a ? s a l i g n m e n t .
A f t e r a l l , L y s s a ? s t h
i e v e r y
w a s t h e r
e s u l t o f c h i l d h o o d p r
e s s u r e s , n o t
s o m e g r e a t
h a t r e d f o r l a w a n d
t h e g o o d .
T h e D M a c
c e p t s t h i s r a t i o n a l i z a t i o n
a n d
a l l o w s h e r
t o h a v e t h i s r a t h e r
r a r e c h o i c e f o r
a t h i e f ? s
a l i g n m e n t .
L y s s a ? s m o t i v a t
i o n s i n l i f e c a n
n o w b e
f r a m e d a s
d o i n g a s w e l l a s
s h e c a n f o r h e r s e l f
w i t h o u t u p s e t t i n g t h e
n a t u r a l b a l a n c e o f
l i f e b y d
o i n g u n d u e h a r m t o
o t h e r s . S i n c e
s h e n e e d s
t o l i v e , a n d s i n c e
s h e ? s g o o d a t
l i f t i n g m a t e r i
a l g o o d s t h a t o t h e r
p e o p l e
c a r e l e s s l y n e g
l e c t t o g u a r d , s h e
s e e s n o
r e a s o n w h y
s h e s h o u l d n ? t s t e a l t
h e s u r p l u s ,
b u t s h e w
o u l d n e v e r t u r n b a n d i
t o r w a n t o n l y k i l l
s o m e o n e d e c e n t j u s t t
o r o b t h e m .
W i t h h e r
b a c k g r o u n d , s h e a l s o
r e f u s e s t o
r o b p o o r
p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y w o m e n
? i t j u s t
seems beneath her dignity, somehow. On
t h e o t h e r
h a n d , i f s h e c a n
m a k e a g o o d
p i n c h f r o m
a n o b l e l o r d w h o
r e m i n d s h e r o f
h e r b r o t h e r ,
s h e ? s e c s t a t i c . S h e ? s
a d v e n t u r i n g b e c a u s e t h e
s m a l l t o w n w h e r e s h e
s p e n t
h e r a p p r e n t i c e
s h i p h a s b e c o m e a
b i t t o o
s m a l l ? n
o t e n o u g h l o o t a n d
t o o m a n y
t o w n m i l i t i a
w h o k n o w h e r t o o
w e l l . S h e ? l l
g l a d l y s i g n
u p f o r a n y j o b t
h a t p r o m i s e s
good loot taken from someone whom she
c a n r a t i o n a l i z
e a s ? d e s e r v i n g ? o f
b e i n g
robbed, such as nasty monsters or merc
h a n t s w h o ? v e u p s e t t h
e n a t u r a l b a l a n c e b y
h o a r d i n g w e a l t
h .
E v a n , o u r
e x a m p l e m a g i c - u s e r , i s
s o m e
w h a t h a r d e r
t o m o t i v a t e t o w a r d t h
e a d v e n t u r i n g l i f e w i
t h h i s c o m f o r t a b l e b a
c k g r o u n d
a n d e a s y g o i n g
n a t u r e . H e s e e m s l i k e
t h e
k i n d o f p
e r s o n w h o ? d b e c o n t e n
t t o s t a y i n
h i s h o m e t o w n
a n d w o r k h i s w a y
u p s l o w l y
i n t h e l o
c a l m a g i c i a n ? s g u i l d .
O n t h e o t h e r
h a n d , h i s
a l i g n m e n t i s l a w f u l g
o o d . W e c a n
m o t i v a t e h i m
t h u s l y . D u r i n g h i s s t
u d i e s , h e
d i s c o v e r e d t h a
t t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n
e v i l b e i n g s
w h o p e r v e r t
h i s b e l o v e d m a g i c f o r
t h e i r o w n
u n l a w f u l e n d s ,
a n d t h a t t h e s e b e i n g s
a n d
t h e i r p o l l u t e d
m a g i c i t e m s a r e l y i n g
a l l o v e r
t h e l a n d s c a p e .
I n h i s r a g e a t t
h i s d i s c o v e r y ,
h e m a d e a
v o w t h a t h e w o u l d
d e v o t e h i s l i f e
t o s t a m p i n g
o u t s u c h m i s u s e s o f
t h e m a g i c a l
a r t s f o r
t h e g o o d o f a l l
m a n k i n d . T h e f i r s t
s t e p , o f
c o u r s e , i s g e t t i n g o u
t o f h i s s n u g
t o w n a n d
f i n d i n g s o m e o f t h e
m i s u s e r s .
Hence, he?s on the road.
I f E v a n a n
d L y s s a e n d u p i
n t h e s a m e
p a r t y , s o m e
g o o d r o l e - p l a y i n g c a n
b e t h e
r e s u l t . S h e ? l l
b e a m u s e d a t h i s
m o r a l i n d i g n a t i o n b u t
m o r e t h a n w i l l i n g t o
g o a l o n g
w i t h h i m ,
b e c a u s e m o s t o f t h e s e
p e r v e r t e r s
o f m a g i c
h a v e a l s o a m a s s e d l a r
g e f o r t u n e s .
A l t h o u g h h e ? l l
b e e x a s p e r a t e d b y h e r
l a c k o f
u n d e r s t a n d i n g
o n e t h i c a l i s s u e s , h e
? l l n e e d
h e r s t r e e t
s m a r t s a n d w i l y w a y s
i f h e ? s g o i n g
t o s u r v i v e .
S o o n e r o r l a t e r , t h o u
g h , t h e y ? r e
b o u n d t o
c o m e i n c o n f l i c t , p r o
b a b l y w h e n
s h e c a s u a l l y
s l i t s t h e p u r s e o f
a m e r c h a n t
j u s t b e c a u s e
h e ? s ? t o o r i c h . ? H o w
t h e s e t w o
P C s r e c o n c i l e
t h i s c o n f l i c t w i l l b e
u p t o t h e i r
p l a y e r s a n d
t o t h e p l a y e r s o f
t h e o t h e r P C s
i n t h e p a
r t y , b u t d o u b t l e s s s o
m e k i n d o f
a c c o m m o d a t i o n
c a n b e w o r k e d o u t
? m u c h
t o e v e r y o n e ? s
a m u s e m e n t d u r i n g t h e
g a m e .
Filling in the
details
O n c e t h e
p l a y e r h a s d e v e l o p e d
h e r P C ' s
g e n e r a l n a t u r e
a n d m o t i v a t i o n s , s h e
c a n
a d d t h o s e
l i t t l e d e t a i l s o f b e h
a v i o r t h a t m a k e
a P C a
d i s t i n c t c r e a t i o n . A t
t h e b e g i n n i n g o f
a P C ? s c a
r e e r , i t ? s u n n e c e s s a r y
f o r t h e p l a y e r
t o h a v e a
c o m p l e t e c a t a l o g u e o f
t h e P C ? s
e v e r y t r a i t
a n d w h i m , b e c a u s e s u c
h d e t a i l s
w i l l d e v e l o p
n a t u r a l l y a s t h e p l a y
e r r u n s t h e
P C o v e r t
i m e a n d t h e P C ? s
c h a r a c t e r
d e e p e n s w i t h
e x p e r i e n c e . W h a t t h e
p l a y e r
d o e s n e e d ,
h o w e v e r , i s a s e t
o f d i s t i n c t i v e
m a n n e r i s m s a n d
m o d e s o f b e h a v i o r t h a
t
i d e n t i f y t h e
P C a s a n i n d i v i d u a l ,
d i f f e r e n t
f r o m t h e
P C s o f t h e o t h e r
p l a y e r s . T h e s e
m a n n e r i s m s a r e
a l s o t h e f o u n d a t i o n s
u p o n
w h i c h t h e
p l a y e r c a n g r a d u a l l y
d e v e l o p h e r
P C ? s c o m p l e t e
p e r s o n a l i t y .
Although the PC's background may play
a p a r t i n
h i s v a r i o u s h a b i t s , w
h a t r e a l l y
c o u n t s h e r e
a r e t h e r o l l e d c h a r a c
t e r a b i l i t i e s .
T h e s e a b i l i t i e
s r e p r e s e n t t h e t r a i t
s t h a t t h e
P C w a s b o
r n w i t h ? t h e r a
w m a t e r i a l , a s i t
w e r e , t h a t
h i s s o c i e t y a n d h i s
u p b r i n g i n g
h a v e h a d
t o m o l d i n t o a p
e r s o n a l i t y . W h e n
w o r k i n g o u t
m a n n e r i s m s f o r a P C ,
t h e r e f o r e , t h e p l a y e r
s h o u l d a l w a y s k e e p t h
e s e
a b i l i t i e s i n
m i n d . A c h a r a c t e r w i t
h a l o w
i n t e l l i g e n c e s
c o r e , f o r i n s t a n c e , w
i l l p r o b a b l y t a l k i n
a v e r y d i f f e r e n t w a y
f r o m a P C
w i t h a h i
g h o n e .
T o b e g i n w
i t h , t h e m o s t i m p o r t a
n t t h i n g a
p l a y e r n e e d s
t o c r e a t e f o r h e r
P C i s t h e P C ? s
w a y o f t a
l k i n g . S i n c e n o o n e
c a n a c t u a l l y
s e e t h e P
C d u r i n g t h e g a m e ,
t h e p l a y e r ? s
v o i c e i s
h e r m a i n i n s t r u m e n t f
o r c r e a t i n g
t h e i l l u s i o n
o f b e i n g h e r P C .
I f t h e p l a y e r
h a s a n y a
c t i n g s k i l l ( o r d o e s n
? t m i n d h a m m i n g i t
u p a l i t t l e ) , s h e
s h o u l d t r y g i v i n g t h e
P C a d i s t
i n c t i v e v o i c e o r a n
a c c e n t o f s o m e
s o r t . O n e
o f t h e p l a y e r s i n
m y c a m p a i g n ,
f o r e x a m p l e ,
h a s a P C w h o t a l
k s i n a d e e p
g u t t u r a l v o i c e
w i t h s o m e t h i n g o f a
C o c k n e y
a c c e n t . W h e n
t h e r e s t o f u s h
e a r t h a t v o i c e ,
w e k n o w i
n s t a n t l y t h a t I n d r o t
h e t h i e f i s
s p e a k i n g , w h i c
h i s a r e a l b o o n
d u r i n g c o n f u s i n g p a r t s
o f t h e g a m e a c t i o n .
A n y p l a y e r
w h o ' s t o o e m b a r r a s s e d
t o t r y
a d i f f e r e n t
v o i c e c a n s t i l l p e r s o
n a l i z e h i s
P C ? s s p e e c h
b y p a y i n g a t t e n t i o n t
o t h e
p a t t e r n o f
t h a t s p e e c h a n d t h e
w o r d s t h a t h i s
P C c h o o s e s
t o u s e . E v e r y b o d y h a s
a d i s t i n c t
s t y l e t o
t h e i r s p e e c h . S o m e p e
o p l e u s e a l o t
of ah?s and um?s,
for instance, while some
speak in a clipped, rapid way. Some people
speak precisely, others throw in a lot
of
slang, and so on. The player should figure
out how a person of his PC?s character
class
and intelligence would speak, making this
pattern exaggerated at first until the
player
works into it as a matter of habit. Exaggerations
are always easier to remember than
subtleties.
Evan the magic-user,
for example, might
speak very deliberately and slowly, using
lots of long words, while Lyssa the thief
would be direct and more at home with
oaths than polysyllables, unless she was
using her courtly wiles to fool somebody.
A
conversation between them might go something
like this:
?Um, it seems most advisable for us to
explore the intersection of these tunnels
promptly, unless of course we find evidence
that the orcs
in question have indeed
passed??
?Oh, by every god and his mother, let?s
get on with it!?
The reader should have no trouble identifying
who?s speaking each line.
Once the player has invented an individual
way of talking for his PC, the player
should make every effort to speak in character
during the game. Of course, there are
times when the game mechanics demand
that each player identify his PC instantly
by
using his name or class, such as during
a
complex combat, but the player should
try
to speak as the PC rather
than for the PC
whenever possible. Although it?s easier
to
say, ?My fighter is going to try to batter
down the door,? it?s a lot more fun for
to
announce something like, ?Out of the way,
thief! I?ll smash that door to kindling,
or my
name isn?t . . .?
Inventing some distinctive mannerisms is
another good way to individualize a PC.
One might have the habit of running his
hands through his hair whenever he?s nervous,
for example, or shaking a fist at the
heavens whenever he?s mad at his gods.
Another PC might always waggle one finger
at whomever she?s speaking to at the moment,
and so on. If the player acts out such
mannerisms whenever she?s speaking in
character, the effect is very convincing.
It
also gives the player a feeling of physical
identity with the PC, which is part of
good
acting.
Finally, the player can work up a set of
actions or a pattern of behavior that
the PC
always performs in certain circumstances.
Every time she enters a tavern, for instance,
Lyssa the thief
might stop at the door to
look the place over before she goes in.
Evan
the magic-user might insist on looking
at
every single inn and tavern in a new town
before he allows the party to choose one
in
which to stay. Adding this kind of habit
to a
PC gives the illusion of a character whose
conduct is consistent over time as well
as in
the moment.
Beyond these rather superficial kinds of
behavior, the player should also give
his PC
some opinions about certain important
parts of the game world, such as the various
races, other character classes, the political
structure of his homeland, and his religion.
The PC should then always act in a way
that?s consistent with his opinions. For
example, since Lyssa the thief has such
a
low opinion of noble lords, she would
never
go out of her way to help a noble lord
unless
she sees the chance to steal from him.
In
general, the player should make his PC?s
opinions rather broad in the beginning
to
allow them to change with experience or
develop refinements as the player gets
to
know his PC better.
The question of racial prejudices has to
be very carefully considered by players
when they?re making up their PCs. Certain
racial dislikes, such as the well-known
emnity between elves and dwarves, are built
into the character creation process in
the
AD&D®
game (and some other games as
well), but this sort of thing has to be
handled lightly or it can cause real problems. I
once had to ask a player either to change
his
ways or to leave my group, for instance,
because he insisted on running dwarven
PCs who were so antagonistic to elven
PCs
run by other players that they were disrupting
the game. His defense was that he was
playing in character, but in this case,
the
role-playing was spoiling the fun, not
enhancing it.
Any player whose PC has a strong dislike
of either another race or another character
class should find ways of role-playing
those
opinions without causing fights at the
gaming table. A dwarf and an elf might engage
in sarcastic banter, for instance, while
still
respecting each other?s feelings enough
to
keep the banter light. Likewise, a magicuser
who thinks all fighters are crass
butchers should remember that his life
may
depend on the fighters in his party and
keep
his opinions to himself as much as possible.
Players should always remember that the
goal of role-playing is to have fun, not
to
assert the worst sides of our natures.
Another subject on which the PC should
have an opinion is the government or power
structure of her part of the game world.
In
general, PCs of any lawful alignment will
have great respect for any well-run government,
even if they personally don?t agree
with some of the laws, and great contempt
for any disorganized or inefficient power
structure. Conversely, chaotics will see
laws
and rulers as nuisances, unless they find
one
or more of the leaders of the government
personally appealing or charismatic. Within
these broad guidelines, however, is room
for
many individual differences. One chaotic
PC may find the idea of kingship so attractive
that he gives his loyalty unthinkingly to
any true-born king, while despising any
kind of oligarchy or democratic government,
while a lawful PC who grew up in a
free city or some other form of representative
government may find the idea of kingship distasteful and see it as essentially
lawless.
A PC's opinion of the people in power
will, of course, have a great effect on
his
conduct during the game. We can take the
example of a group of adventurers who
are
politely asked to appear before the local
lord
to give an account of themselves. Whether
or not the party shows up at the appointed
time or merely leaves town in the middle
of
the night will depend on the opinions
that
the party members hold about government
in general and lordships in particular.
There's one final subject that should be
of
importance to every PC but which is too
often left to the clerics -- religion.
Although
most game worlds are polytheistic societies,
many gamers -- and even some game writers
? seem to have very little idea of what
being a member of a polytheistic religion
means. These misconceptions seem to fall
into two main categories: first, that
most
people in a polytheistic society have
little to
do with religion, or second, that everyone
picks out one favorite god and ignores
or
even opposes the rest. Running along with
these misconceptions is a third: that
only
clerics would have any kind of active
relationship to the gods.
The idea that few people in a polytheistic
society are involved with their gods probably
has its roots in the attitude toward religion expressed by the great ancient
Roman
and Greek
writers.
For most of us, our only
acquaintance with polytheistic thought
comes from whatever watered-down versions
of the classics we read in school.
<img>
The
men who wrote these classics were highly
educated members of an upper class who
turned away from their religion toward
abstract and skeptical philosophies, which
taught that the gods were symbolic, abstract,
or otherwise removed from everyday
life. These men were the exceptions, however,
not the rule, in their societies.
Most people in a polytheistic world firmly
and completely believe that the gods are
real and that they can intervene in human
affairs if they choose. These divine beings
are seen as powerful beyond conception,
but also limited in what they can do by
the
presence and conflicting needs and demands
of other gods. Their worshipers also see
them as distinct and different beings.
Some
gods are whimsical and capricious; some
are
r e l i a b l e a n d
b o u n d b y l a w ; s o m e
a r e a l w a y s
b e n e f i c e n t ; s o
m e a r e d o w n r i g h t h o s t
i l e a n d
m i s l e a d i n g ?
b u t a l l o f t h e m
a r e a p p r o a c h a b l e b y w
o r s h i p e r s w h o h a v e t h
e r i g h t i n t e n t i o n s a n
d w h o k n o w t h e c
o r r e c t r i t e s . I t ? s
a l s o p o s s i b l e
t o o f f e n d a g o d
o u t o f s h e e r
i g n o r a n c e , i n
w h i c h c a s e t h e g o d
w i l l o f t e n
m a k e t h e
o f f e n d e r p a y f o r h i s
f o l l y .
S i n c e t h e s e
g o d s a r e a l s o o m n i p r e
s e n t ,
q u i t e l i k e l y
t o s h o w u p j u s t
w h e n n o o n e
e x p e c t s t h e m ,
b e l i e v e r s a r e a l l v e r
y c o n c e r n e d a b o u t h a v
i n g a r i g h t r e l a t i o n s
h i p t o
t h e g o d s .
B e l i e v e r s m a k e t h e e f
f o r t t o a t t e n d
t e m p l e r i t e s ,
t o g i v e s a c r i f i c e s t o
t h e g o d s , t o
r e m e m b e r t h e m
a n d t o s a l u t e t h e m
w h e n e v e r a p p r o p r i a t e . N o
G r e e k o r R o m a n
s a i l o r , f o r
i n s t a n c e , w o u l d h a v e
d r e a m t o f
s t a r t i n g a
v o y a g e w i t h o u t a n e x p
e n s i v e
s a c r i f i c e t o
N e p t u n e o r P
o s e i d o n ; s u c h f o l l y
w o u l d r e s u l t
i n s h i p w r e c k o r s o m e
o t h e r
d i s a s t e r . B y
t h e s a m e t o k e n , i f
h a v i n g a
w o m a n c r e w
m e m b e r w o u l d d i s p l e a s e
N e p t u n e , t h e n n o c a p t
a i n w o u l d h a v e a l l o w e
d
o n e o n h i
s s h i p , b e c a u s e h e
f i r m l y b e l i e v e d
t h a t h i s
l i f e a n d t h e l i v e s
o f h i s m e n d e pended on Neptune?s
good favor.
A l t h o u g h o n e
g o d m i g h t b e p a r t i c u l
a r l y
i m p o r t a n t t o
a c e r t a i n p e r s o n , l i k
e N e p t u n e
t o t h e s h
i p ? s c a p t a i n , t h i s i m
p o r t a n c e d i d
n o t m e a n
t h a t t h e p e r s o n w o r s h
i p e d o n l y
t h a t g o d .
S i n c e a l l t h e g o d s
w e r e r e a l , e a c h
w a s e q u a l l y
i m p o r t a n t i n h i s o r
h e r o w n
s p h e r e o f
i n f l u e n c e . W h e n o u r s
e a c a p t a i n
c a m e h o m e
f r o m a v o y a g e , f o r
i n s t a n c e , h e
w o u l d h a v e
f i r s t t h a n k e d N e p t u n e
f o r t h e
s a f e t r i p ,
t h e n p r a y e d t o V e s t a
t o g i v e h i s
w i f e a n o t h e r
c h i l d w h i l e h e w a s
h o m e a n d t o
M e r c u r y t o
g e t h i m a g o o d p
r i c e o n t h e
goods he?d brought back from his voyage.
H e n e v e r w
o u l d h a v e a r g u e d w i t h
o r m a d e
f u n o f a
s o l d i e r f o r w o r s h i p i n g
M a r s o r a
l a w y e r f o r
w o r s h i p p i n g J u p i t e r ; a f t e r
a l l , h e
m i g h t n e e d
a l i t t l e h e l p f r o m
M a r s o r J u p i t e r h i m s e
l f o n e d a y .
I n a t r u l
y p o l y t h e i s t i c s o c i e t y ,
t h e r e a r e n o
r e l i g i o u s w a r s
a n d c e r t a i n l y n o n e o f
t h e
? m y g o d i
s b e t t e r t h a n y o u r
g o d ? t a u n t i n g
t h a t m o n o t h e i s
t i c r e l i g i o n s h a v e g i
v e n u s .
T o a p o l y
t h e i s t i c w o r s h i p e r , e v e n
t h e g o d s o f
h i s e n e m i e s
a r e r e a l a n d w o r t h y
o f r e s p e c t .
When the Romans
conquered the Celts, for
i n s t a n c e , t h e y
i n c o r p o r a t e d m a n y C e l t i c
g o d s i n t o
t h e i r p a n t h e o n a n d b u
i l t t e m p l e s
a n d a l t a r s
f o r t h e m i n G a u l
u s i n g t h e t y p i c a l
t e m p l e a r c h i t e
c t u r e o f t h e i r t i m e .
A n e v e n
b e t t e r e x a m p l e
o f t h i s k i n d o f
t o l e r a n c e i s
t h e g r e a t
t e m p l e i n A t h e n s , w h e
r e t h e
G r e e k s e r e c t e d
s t a t u e s a n d a l t a r s t o
e v e r y
single god or goddess they had ever heard
o f . T h e r e
w a s e v e n a n a l t a r
m a r k e d ? f o r t h e
u n k n o w n g o d , ?
i n c a s e t h e y h a d
l e f t o u t a n d
o f f e n d e d s o m e
d i v i n e b e i n g .
T h i s p o l y t h e i s
t i c a t t i t u d e t o w a r d t
h e g o d s
s h o u l d h a v e
a p a r t i n e v e r y
P C ? s b e h a v i o r
i n t h e g a
m e w o r l d , n o t o n l y
t h e c l e r i c s .
A l t h o u g h t h e
p l a y e r o f a P C c
a n p i c k o u t
one or two gods that would be especially
important to her character, she should
remember to give all the gods their due
respect whenever it?s appropriate. The
player should ask her DM about the pantheon
of the world and find out what actions
offend or please her most important gods,
then try to avoid the one and follow the
other. The DM should appoint certain days
of the year as religious holidays and
hint
that the characters had better worship
them
along with the rest of the populace if
they
want to keep the favor of their gods.
Likewise, PCs who follow different gods
should treat each other?s favorites with
respect, not engage in banter about which
is
better or stronger. Even clerics should
not
only be tolerant of other gods but actively
interested in them. To a committed cleric,
all divine knowledge is important, and
he
should be interested in learning how newly
heard-of gods relate to his own deity,
not in
stamping out or bad-mouthing other people?s
form of worship. Even evil gods have
their place in the universe to a polytheistic
worshiper. Although a person in ancient
India might have shuddered at the very
mention of Kali?s
name, for instance, no
one would have thought of closing her
temples or forbidding her worship. She
was
? and still is, to millions of people
? as
real and holy as the benevolent Krishna.
Even though the player has to give his
PC strong opinions to hold about religion
as
well as other things, he should remember
that opinions change over time as people
learn from their experiences in life.
Beginning PCs, after all, are considered to be
young people just starting their adventuring
life, which may teach them that their
cherished and unthinking opinions are gravely
flawed. As the campaign develops, a good
role-player considers whether the events
his
PC has experienced have made any change
in his personality. A dwarf who started
out
hating elves, for instance, might very
well
change his mind after an elven PC saved
his
life. Likewise, the fighter who always
trusted blindly in his skill with a sword
might learn that thinking before charging
into the enemy pays off in the long run
As the campaign develops, the PCs will
develop too. The process is analogous
to
reading a well-written book. In the first
few
pages, the reader gets a quickly drawn
impression of the main characters, an
impression which has to be consistent and
recognizable. Yet as the story proceeds,
the
characters take on depth and come more
into focus as the author fills them out
and
their experiences deepen them. By the
time
the book is finished, the reader feels
that she
k n o w s these people and
that they have a life
of their own. A good role-player is in
the
author's position, first presenting his
PC to
the gaming group as a distinct personality,
then refining that character as play proceeds.
Although it may take some effort, by
working out a solid, three-dimensional
PC,
the player adds not only to his own enjoyment,
but to that of the group as a whole ?
a goal well worth working toward.
Good, not perfect
-
Dear Editor,
"What good PCs are made of" (issue #96) by
Katharine Kerr was a well-done article. It will
add an enjoyable aspect to my campaign. However,
it seems that the system outlined is only for
humans. Do all characters lose at least three
siblings before their adventuring careers? Also,
on the subject of demi-humans, where do multiclassed
characters fit in? Or monks or bard
characters (bards from issue #56)? I would
appreciate
it if you could clear up these questions for
me.
Paul Schreiner
Lakeview, N.Y.
(Dragon #98)
Dear DRAGON,
I have found a problem in the article "What
good PCs are made of." In section C, part 2,
there is a 60% chance in a noble family that the
father died when the character was young. Would
this not depend on if the father was a fighter
(section F) "Any non-fighter landowner would
have his serfs fight for him, and thus be out of
danger of being readily killed. Thus, a noble
father who was a fighter should have this 60%
chance, and a non-fighter should have a lesser
chance.
Also in this section, non-noble classes have
only a 40% chance of the father dying when the
son/daughter was young. In the very low class
and possibly even in the low class, deaths would
be quite frequent due to back-breaking labor in
unsafe working conditions, and thus, the chance
of death should be higher than 40%. Other than
these problems, I find this system innovative and
very helpful.
John R. Palmer
Ingersoll, Ontario
(Dragon #98)
When we prepared Katharine’s article for
publication, I got the impression that “What
good PCs are made of” was one of the strongest
pieces of writing she had ever done for us. But, as
good as it is, the article (and the system described
in it) can’t cover every conceivable aspect of
character background. I suppose Katharine
didn’t try to include multi-classed characters in
the system because of the enormous amount of
complication that would have caused. Monks, by
their nature, have a special pre-adventuring
background which can’t be expressed or described
in a system of dice rolls. The bard class
published in issue #56 (which allows a character
to begin as a bard without progression through
the fighter and thief classes) is not an official part
of the AD&D® game system,
so Katharine properly
did not mention it in her article.
Do all characters have to lose at least three
siblings while they’re young? Does a non-fighter
noble always have a 60% chance of dying while
his child (the PC) is growing up? The answer to
those questions, and any other ones of a similar
nature, is no. You can appreciate and enjoy the
system without necessarily adhering to all of its
particulars. Change “three” to “two” or any
other number that seems reasonable. Change
“60%” to “40%” or whatever. Don’t expect any
system like this one to be perfect for your taste
exactly as it’s presented in the magazine, and
don’t assume that it has to be used exactly as
written or not at all.
— KM
(Dragon #98)
THE FORUM
I enjoy the articles written by Katharine Kerr.
Her recent contribution, "What good PCs are
made of," gave an excellent description of what it
was like to grow up in a historic medieval society.
However, such a description only partially applies
to an AD&D medieval society. The
reason is
magic. The presence of magic makes growing up
very different from Ms. Kerr's description.
The various offensive and defensive spells are
very likely to contribute to the high mortality
among combatants as described by Ms. Kerr.
However, the various transportational, informative,
and curative spells would create a society
very unlike the historic medieval model. The
historic medieval society was very closed. Travel
over great distances was limited. Scholarship was
based on a series of arguments starting from a set
of often unstated assumptions. Transportational
spells such as <dimension> SHIFT,
word of recall, transport
via plants, and teleport would allow one segment
of society to move freely and easily over great
distances. Informative spells such as commune
and contact other plane would allow the testing of
the untested assumptions. Even in our modern
world, it would be invaluable to get a yes-or-no
answer to such questions as: "Will the physical
universe continue to expand indefinitely?"
The greatest contrast between a historic and an
AD&D medieval society would be the effect of the
various curative spells. Ms. Kerr describes a
medieval society as having a high mortality rate,
especially among the young and among pregnant
women. The existence of such spells. as cure
blindness, cure wounds, cure disease, neutralize
poison, raise dead, and regeneration would
enable clerics and druids to dramatically reduce
mortality rates. The DMG does
list charges for
these spells (pp. 103-104). However,
it also states
that this is a sliding scale. PCs pay more than
peasants. As Ms. Kerr states later in her article,
all person take the gods very seriously. They may
not have much money, but they do have faith.
Such faith would be rewarded by clerics, who are
the shepherds of their flocks. Such care would
include the use of spells priced to meet the ability
to pay.
In developing a society for use in the AD&D
game, historic models are very useful. However,
the historic model must be modified by the existence
of magic. Magic makes things different.
Thomas W. Gossard
Davis, Calif.
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