Ahh! Assistance needed from experts!

From: Viktor Haag <vhaag_at_...>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 14:12:48 -0500

I have a spot of difficulty; one of my players tends to the "I want to create a cool character that doesn't really fit in this system" sort.

I'm trying to insert his character into my now-barely-ongoing Praxian River Valley campaign (i.e. it just started last week, and he was unable to attend the first session).

Here's a brief transcript of our email discussions so far, you can see the two descriptions he wrote near the end of the transcript. I can see exactly the kind of character he wants to create, but I have no real idea how to turn it into game terms.

I start with "Heortling", "Scholar", "Initiate of Lhankor Mhy", but then, how do I integrate his dabbling in "spirits"? How do I maintain both the effectiveness of his dabbling (he killed of his own mentor, so he must be doing *something*), and that sense that his dabbling has been essentially solitary?

Can some experience guru provide me with assistance please? Having said assistance within the next few hours would be GREAT, as James' first session is tonight... (at worst, I suspect I can just tell him, "well, we know your three basic keywords, so we'll start with that, and you can write in the other stuff as we figure it out"..., but I'd really like to know what people think about how to proceed with this, too...)

> > James writes:
> >
> > > This is a bit long but will it do?
> > >
> > > Karal the Bold, former Initiate student of Moresh (Rune
> > > Lord of Lhankor Knowing until that worthy's tragic
> > > demise) has put aside the petty worries of the old and
> > > conservative to explore the possibilities implied by the
> > > existance of spirits. True, a minor mishap involving the
> > > Irresistable Call and a totally undocumented grave site
> > > led to the death of Moresh, a small problem with zombies
> > > and a slight misunderstanding with some Humaki and a
> > > pressing need to distance himself from his Heorting
> > > homeland, at least until time softens some memories. For
> > > now, he tutors the ignorant while reasoning out the true
> > > techniques behind the rote spirit magics of lesser folk.
>
> > Hmm, I think I need to clarify. The 100-word description has
> > to sort of describe who your character is and what he can
> > do. Yours is good, but it leans too much towards "what
> > happened to him" and not enough of "who he is".
> >
> > Also, some points I should clarify:
> >
> > * Rune Lords are not really around any more; mechanically
> > they've been replaced by 'Devotees' -- I think the term
> > Rune Lord might still be used as a title, though, so in
> > this case it's probably OK.
> >
> > * Everyone is well aware that Spirits exist (even hidebound
> > theists like the Orlanthi), and indeed the
> > Heortling/Orlanthi folks do have the odd Spiritist/Animist
> > in their midst -- they are seen as sort of dangerous
> > weirdos, though.
>
> That's Karal! I'm thinking a cross between Wesley and a young
> sorcerer from Conan, from the hypothetical period before
> Forbidden Knowledge eats their mind.
>
> > As such, even theists would know that the "lesser folks"
> > magic is all too real and effective, and probably even
> > have the same general description for how it works that
> > the spirit worshippers themselves have.
>
> It's real, it works but -fire- works for anyone, even if
> they do not really understand what is going on.
>
> > However, I do like the background description about recent
> > events, and like the character concept.

 >

> OK, try two:
>
> Having relocated to this region due to a minor mishap
> involving the Irresistable Call, an unmarked gravesite and the
> unfortunate death of his master, Karal the Bold seeks to find
> the light behind the shadow that is spirit magics. Others may
> cringe from conversing with the dead or binding restless
> shades to their wills. For Karal the Bold, this is merely a
> beginning! Having mastered two thirds of the Call, Summon and
> Shape, he has every expectation that the next formulation of
> Dismiss will work. Or if not that, then a subsequent one!
> Until then, he fills the time recovering between experiments
> trading knowledge for sustenance.
-- 
Viktor Haag : Software & Information Design : Research In Motion
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