Re: Let's show rather than tell (was Re: Preparing for play, how I do it)

From: Benedict Adamson <yahoo_at_...>
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:26:29 +0000


Ian Cooper wrote:
...
> We did character generation on Monday night.
...

I'm playing a Pralori hunter in our Blood over Gold game, so I don't want a hunter or warrior in this game. That leaves magician or gatherer (woman). I'd played a women in Red Cow, so "I want to play a shaman". That would get to the heart of the magical problem the Rathori face, I think.

Ian points out that a shaman is a high power character. "An assistant shaman?" I suggest. Ian and I discuss it. Playing the shaman's assistant would move all the game work onto the GM, and dis-empower me as a player. So, a shaman it is.

Meanwhile Erik is bouncing some ideas around. It sounds like we would be the misfits solving the clan's problems. He also suggests playing an elder grandmother, who would be equal in power to the shaman. That sounds good: the clan would look towards the Grandmother & Shaman to fix the community's problems; playing them puts the PCs right in the action.

We rattle some ideas about. Ian says it sounds like we would be doing Spirit World travel and experimental HeroQuesting. The elves are mentioned.

I read the background materials for some more inspiration, having read only a little of them so far. "Horned Man.. made new friends, and then returned to help people when they were lost... and showing them the value of his new friends". That sounds good: perhaps making new friends is the way the game could play out. Ian suggests the elves as 'new friends'; later, also the Lunars. I jot down "Mysterious. Unpredictable. Contrary. Cross gender-boundaries". Ian computes it would take 20--30 years of Advanced Experience to transform a normal starting character to a Shaman.

I've not played many Animist characters, and no shamans, so I re-read the HQ rules on them. The section on "Spirit Attitude" reminds me of something Ian said. "How do we know that the White Bear has gone? What happens when you go to his Demesne?". Ian says it's overrun with evil spirits. Perhaps my character went there and was damaged? Could be good as an ambiguous reference, I read "Much of the challenge of being an animist is locating the spirits that can grant desired magics". Ah-ha: perhaps the game will be about finding spirits and/or friends. I'm mostly reading, so Ian and Eric are meanwhile talking about Eric's character.

Shaman's break taboos, so what are the taboos? Gender-related, ploughing & draught animals, murder. Gender taboos have been done to death. Murder   doesn't sound fun. My shaman ploughs? Craaazy. Makes no sense at all. Not some much a plough as a digging stick? Ian had suggested a rootless elf attached to the clan. What if the rootless elf gardener plants in the furrows? Eric [hippy voice]: "We plant the seed, nature grows the seed, then we eat the seed"

I make some notes about the ability ratings and time requirements for a shaman. Would belong to a couple of Practices.

So, I have as character ideas

* shaman
* damaged by the Gulpers in the White Bear's demesne
* ploughing with a digging stick for the rootless elf; elf-friend

Those are mostly functional (what my character does), rather than beliefs. I'll have to do more work on them.

[to be continued]

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