Character generation We use the Pathfinder rules, and my house rules. Level: 6 Abilities: 15-point buy. Min.7 after racial adjustments, Max.18 before racial adjustments. Your appearance is up to yourself (not tied 100% to your Cha). For an additional 5 points (20 total), describe two positive qualities and two negative personality qualities of your character, and why they have them. Incorporate your Feats/Traits into the reasoning of these qualities. For an additional 10 points (25 total), also describe a close non-party friend you've made in Sandpoint - how you met and what spurred your friendship. Alternatively, a close family member. Race: Only Core and Featured. Class: Paizo - Summoners must be unchained. I'm willing to hear arguments for 3pp classes. Favored class: Once you pick your favored class bonus, that's what you get for the rest of the game. Please keep track of what bonuses you get, at what level, under the Feats section of your sheet. Alignment: Any non-evil. Please read the definitions we use for the alignments. Beginning hps: max + mods at lvl.1. Following levels can be rolled on the Paizo thread (I can roll for you if you want), or you can take the average of your hit die (half +1) + mods. Skills: We will use background skills. Traits and feats: If you're a Varisian native, you get a bonus feat chosen from the Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide in addition to two traits (pending DM approval), each from different lists (no traits from other APs). If you're not a Varisian native, you get two traits but no bonus feat. There are campaign traits here. Equipment: Half WBL. Hero Points: Begin with 3, max. 5. Notes on character generation and posting You need to be adventurous and cooperative. Don't wait for things to happen to you, make things happen. I won't accept any "lone wolf" characters. Teamwork = good. "That's what my character would do!" is not a good excuse to disrupt everyone's fun. If you ruin the game because you stayed completely in character, the game is still ruined. Your actions can contribute to the group enjoyment or take away from it. Work with the rest of us. If you could go off and do something alone, find a reason to involve the other characters instead. In the same way, if your character could decide to act in a disruptive way (refusing to go on the quest, attacking harmless NPCs or other players, etc.), slant your actions to decide not to do those things. If you get frustrated or bored, don't start griefing the game. Tell me and I'll try to help you out. House rules Combat: Dice: It's impractical to wait for you to roll dice on a dice-server and send me the results, so I roll the dice for you. Intent: Post your intentions for at least three rounds at a time if possible. This is to save time during combat. If something happens you should be able to react to in a way you haven't said, I'll break the combat. Posting order: You don't have to wait until those ahead of you in the initiative order have moved. I'll sort your actions out according to initiative. If someone hasn't responded within a reasonable span of time, we'll skip their turn and go on with everyone who has responded. Death: Characters die at below their negative Con score rather than at -10 hps. Posting: Tense: Write in the third person past tense, please. This makes the story easier for me to parse and put in the archives. Quoting: Erase all the quoted text from your post except what's needed to see what you're responding to. Readability: Put a blank space between your paragraphs. Time-jumps: Please avoid time-jumping if possible when replying to posts, as it can be difficult to connect disparate bits and identify where a conversation should hook up again (as often two separate threads get mixed together and things are replied to in an earlier conversation that happen in a later conversation). If you do need to time-jump a little, please put three asterisks (***) between each time-jumped bit of text and the next/current text. This helps me to hook together the appropriate bits of conversation in the archives. On a related note to time-jumping, please do read all the posts available before replying, and adjust your post to include them. This also cuts down on the amount of editing necessary for the archives. General: Aid Another: If you can't succeed at the skill check when taking 20, you cannot aid another. If you fail by 5 or more, you add a -2 penalty to the check rather than a +2 bonus. Always explain how you are aiding, as in some cases a really good explanation is needed (such as for aiding Stealth checks) to even allow the action. Banhammer: Limp lash, reincarnation, Antagonize, and any other rules I find silly are rules we won't be using. Haunts: Experiencing them gets you half their XP, and dealing with (laying to rest/destroying) them nets you the rest. After manifesting, haunts are treated as rapping spirits. The shortsword: is considered a P/S weapon. Cantrips: Wizards get all Core cantrips +2. Rolling on our Discord channel: If you have a Discord handle, you can join our channel and roll your own dice rolls. Send your handle to the DM and you'll be invited to the server. GM rolls Initiative, Secret rolls (e.g. Perception), and Knowledge checks. Players roll the rest via the Discord server. Players may choose and declare the use of any "use after the die roll but before the GM declares success or failure" abilities (ex: Greater Aid, Fortune, and Against All Odds abilities, and some Hero Point uses) after they make their rolls, but before posting and note such (and the final result) in the OOC portion of their posts. Such choices must be made and posted prior to the DM posting results of the player's rolls. If the player doesn't roll and post within (X period of time), the DM will roll on their behalf (and the player will forfeit the chance to use modification abilities referenced above). The DM also reserves the right to make any rolls needed to move the game along efficiently. Campaign traits Black Sheep: You were born and raised in the town of Sandpoint. You know many of the region’s secrets and the locals already know who you are. You aren’t quite hated in town, but folk seem to think you’re a troublemaker and a bastard and not to be trusted. The town’s tougher folk respect you, but the law-abiding citizens don’t. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks, and Knowledge (local) is a class skill for you. In addition, you can choose any one notorious citizen of Sandpoint from below as an ally; depending on the different benef its. Aliver “Pillbug” Podiker (apothecary): Everyone suspects sweaty, shifty-eyed Pillbug sells poisons from his cluttered, acrid smelling wreck of a shop. You’re one of the few in town who know this for a fact. You start the game with 400 gp worth of poison, and Pillbug will continue to sell you poison as long as you don’t spread the word. Titus Scarnetti (bitter nobleman): Scarnetti Manor was hit hard recently, and the revelation of Scarnetti’s ties to Sczarni criminals damaged his reputation as well. He’s eager to rebuild his presence in town, and you’re one of the ones he’s selected as an agent. Choose one of the following skills: Bluff, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth. Your work for Scarnetti gives you a +1 trait bonus on that skill, and it is always a class skill for you. Chopper Orphan: Five years ago, during the Late Unpleasantness, your parents fell victim to the serial killer known as The Chopper, Jervas Stoot. An orphan in Sandpoint is given to the Terandarok Academy, run by the old wizard and rogue adventurer Ilsoari Gandethus. Old Gandethus took a liking to you and your adventurous spirit, and you spent many a day exploring the museum of trophies from his adventuring days he keeps in the basement. Despite the other children’s beliefs, no goblin farm or Sandpoint Devils reside below the academy. Instead, wonders from the past, treasures of minor import, and journals of fantastic journeys filled your time in the cellar. You gain a +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (Dungeoneering) checks and it is always a class skill for you. Additionally, you begin play with a potion or scroll of a first level spell. Eager Performer: Hearing that Sandpoint had a theater rivaling those found in large cities like Magnimar and Korvosa, you decided to try your luck getting stage time there. After sending a letter to Cyrdak Drokkus requesting an audition and not hearing back, you’ve taken it upon yourself to travel to Sandpoint and meet him in person, trusting your force of will and charming inf luence will get you what you want. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks for any one Perform skill. Additionally, choose any one spell of the enchantment school; its save DC increases by +1. Family Ties: While not ethnically a Varisian, you have been raised among Varisians and they consider you one of their own. Furthermore, you managed to get in good with a group of Sczarni and consider them your new family. After being run out of the last place your Sczarni family camped, you tracked down a friend of the family in Sandpoint—a ruthless thug named Jubrayl Vhiski at the Fatman’s Feedbag. During your time with the Sczarni, you learned a few tricks of the trade. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks and Knowledge (local) is always a class skill for you. In addition, you begin play able to speak and read Varisian. Favored Son/Daughter You were born and raised in the town of Sandpoint or its surrounding farms. You know many of the region’s secrets, and the locals already know who you are. You are well liked in town, and you’ll have lots of friends in the region, but the town’s tougher side sees you as a snitch or a pansy. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks, and Knowledge (local) is always a class skill for you. In addition, you can choose any one law-abiding citizen of Sandpoint from below as an ally; depending on the person you pick, you’ll get different benefits. Ameiko Kaijitsu (local noble and owner of the Rusty Dragon Inn): Ameiko is one of Sandpoint’s most inf luential and beloved nobles. Her inn/tavern is the most popular in town, and as one of her friends, you’re guaranteed a place to eat and sleep for free. She’s got lots of great contacts with merchants as well, and she’ll sell any of your loot for you—as a result, you gain an additional 10% over the amount of gp you normally would get from selling off treasure. Belor Hemlock (town sheriff ): Belor, Sandpoint’s no nonsense arm of the law, is like the uncle you never had. The benefits of being close friends with the town sheriff are extensive, and you can call in favors from him once per game session. A favor can either get you out of a legal jam, hook you up with a town guard for help, or give you a onetime +10 bonus on a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check made against any local person. Friends and Enemies: One of your family members, perhaps a parent, cousin, aunt, or uncle, helped Daviren Hosk put down a group of goblins near Sandpoint. Since then, your family member passed away, but not before telling you about that day and the offer Daviren made her should she ever be in need. Once you make it to Sandpoint and meet up with Daviren Hosk at the Goblin Squash Stables, he gives you one of his best steeds and all the necessary accoutrements as gratitude for your family member’s help: a heavy combat trained horse, a military saddle, saddlebags, bit and bridle, a month’s worth of feed, and lifetime stabling at the Goblin Squash Stables. Giant Slayer: Your family’s village was plundered by giants in the wilds of Varisia, leaving nothing but a smoldering ruin. After the destruction of your village, your family trained for combat against giants to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again. Since hearing of giants mobilizing throughout the countryside, you ventured to Sandpoint to help the town prepare for a possible incursion. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff, Perception, and Sense Motive checks and +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures of the giant subtype. Goblin Survivor: Goblins have made minor raids against Sandpoint and the farms in its hinterlands since the town’s founding. During one of these raids, you were attacked by a goblin, and you still bear the scars from that encounter. Your experience has made you wary of the big trouble that can come unexpectedly. You gain a +2 trait bonus to Initiative. Hagfish Hopeful: Ever since passing through Sandpoint when you were a child and hearing about the contest at the popular tavern known as the Hagfish, you wanted to take that coin purse as your own and carve your name on the ceiling beam above the bar. Training yourself to choke down indigestible food and drink water a pig would refuse, you’ve built up quite a strong resistance to all things putrid and gross. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Fortitude saves against disease and poison. Lost Lover: You once loved a Sandpoint resident who died during the Late Unpleasantness in Sandpoint five years ago. Choose one of the following: Nualia Tobyn: Yours was an unrequited love. The beautiful Aasimar foundling foster daughter of the late priest Ezakien Tobyn died with her father when the old temple burned to the ground. You loved her but were either too shy or unsuccessful in attempts to woo her. Since her death, you have dedicated yourself to the Desnan faith she held so dearly. Desna has blessed you with her luck in return. Once per day you may reroll any d20 roll and choose either result. Atsuii Kaijitsu (Requires Elf or Half-Elf): Twenty years ago, you had a passionate affair with an exotic human woman from the far east. That she was married to a human noble either didn’t matter or was unknown to you. She was beautiful and painfully lonely, an ache you shared. Unfortunately the affair was short-lived, and duty called you away from Sandpoint, breaking off the affair. Five years ago, you heard of her death, and made your way to Sandpoint to say your farewells. Not wanting to disturb the family, you stayed to the back of the procession. It was here that you discovered some shocking news: Atsuii had given birth to a half-elf son, Tsuto, an angry boy who accused Lonjiku of murdering his wife, causing a disturbing scene at the funeral, before storming off. Since then, you have attempted to find the boy, insinuate yourself into the life of his human sister Ameiko, and learn what you can of the times the locals refer to as the Late Unpleasantness. You gain a +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (Local) and it is always a class skill for you. You also gain a +1 trait bonus to all attack rolls against foes who threaten Ameiko or Tsuto. Merchant Family: You are related to one of the four noble families from Magnimar who founded the Mercantile League of Sandpoint. You either grew up in Magnimar as a cousin in the Valdemar or Deverin family or were born and raised in Sandpoint. Education in running a business and years of looking after the family enterprise have given you a knack for trade. You increase the gp limit of any settlement by 20% and can resell items at an additional 10% over the amount of gp you normally would get from selling off treasure. Monster Hunter: Perhaps you came to the Varisian Gulf in search of the Sandpoint Devil, or maybe you followed fisherman’s tales of Old Murdermaw— regardless, you’ve ventured through Varisia to hunt down famous monsters. While they have all eluded you so far, you made it to Sandpoint to research and restock before heading back out into the wilderness. Because of your training, you gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls against aberrations and magical beasts. Monumental Scholar: The runes of ancient Thassilon have always held a fascination for you. You have come to Sandpoint to research the runes of the old lighthouse. You gain a +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (Architecture) and Knowledge (History) checks involving Thassilonian structures or history. Noble Cousin: You are related to one of the noble families of Sandpoint. Growing up in a noble house has its benefits. You begin play with an additional 100gp in equipment. Additionally, you gain a benefit depending on which noble family your relations belong to. Choose one of the following: Deverin Choose either Profession (Farmer) or Profession (Brewer). You gain a +2 trait bonus to checks for this skill, and it is always a class skill for you. Kaijitsu Choose either Craft (Glass) or Craft (Jewelry). You gain a +2 trait bonus to checks for this skill, and it is always a class skill for you. Scarnetti Choose either Profession (Logger) or Profession (Miller). You gain a +2 trait bonus to checks for this skill, and it is always a class skill for you. Valdemar Choose either Craft (Ships) or Craft (Carpentry). You gain a +2 trait bonus to checks for this skill, and it is always a class skill for you. Outlander: You are not from Sandpoint; you’ve recently come from somewhere else and are hoping to make your fortune here. Pick one of the following reasons to be a newcomer to Sandpoint. Lore Seeker: The secrets of the ancient fallen civilization of Thassilon intrigue you, particularly the magical traditions of its highly mystical culture. You’ve studied magic intensely, and hope to increase that knowledge by adding Thassilonian lore. You’ve come to Varisia to pursue that study, and chose Sandpoint as your base because it was out of the way of bigger cities—meaning less competition to study the ancient monuments in the region, you hope! You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks, and Knowledge (arcana) is a class skill for you. If you cast arcane spells, pick three spells on your spell list. You are particularly adept at casting these spells, so they function at +1 caster level when you cast them, and their save DCs (if any) gain a +1 bonus. Exile: For whatever reason, you were forced to f lee your homeland. Chance or fate has brought you to Sandpoint, and it’s here that your money ran out, leaving you stranded in this small town. You are also being pursued by enemies from your homeland, and that has made you paranoid and quick to react to danger. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks. Missionary: You have come to Sandpoint to see about expanding the presence of your chosen faith after receiving visions that told you your faith is needed in Varisia—what that need is, though, you’re not quite sure. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks, and Knowledge (religion) is a class skill for you. If you cast divine spells, pick three spells on your spell list. You are particularly adept at casting these spells, so they function at +1 caster level when you cast them, and their save DCs (if any) gain a +1 bonus. Scholar of the Ancients: Growing up with your nose in books, you’ve had a great interest in past cultures and ancient history. Furthermore, having grown up in Varisia, you know the monuments dotting the landscape belong to an ancient civilization known as Thassilon. From your life of study and dogged research, you’ve pieced together the language and partial history of this once-great empire. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (history) checks, and begin play able to speak and read Thassilonian. Shoanti Icon (Requires: Human, Shoanti): Choose one of the clans below. An Icon of the clan epitomizes the finest qualities of the clan. Lyrune-Quah (The Moon Clan) The Lyrune-Quah are said to be among the best archers of the Shoanti people. Traveling under the bright Storval moon, and hunting by the illumination of the stars in the vast Varisian sky, members of the Moon Clan recognize that a well-aimed arrow is as effective, if not more so, than a whole band of raging brawlers. Moon Icons gain a +1 trait bonus to attack rolls with bows at night outdoors. Shadde-Quah (The Axe Clan) One of the few Shoanti clans who utilize permanent homes, the sea-cave-dwelling members of the Shadde-Quah are noted divers and fishermen. The Axe Clan plays a vital role in protecting Varisia from seaward invaders from the west, defending their homeland in a way completely different than their land-locked brethren. Axe Icons gain a +2 trait bonus to Swim checks and Swim is always a class skill for them. Shiikirri-Quah (The Hawk Clan) The Shiikirri-Quah, of all the Shoanti tribes, possesses the strongest animal affinity. Ever learning from the beast with whom they share the land, the Hawk Clan is perhaps the most peaceful of the quahs, and they serve as the emissaries between their people and the Chelaxians in the south. Hawk Icons gain a +2 trait bonus to Handle Animal checks and Handle Animal is always a class skill for them. Shundar-Quah (The Spire Clan) While the Shiikirri are skilled diplomats with outsiders, members of the Shundar-Quah act as go-betweens among the other Shoanti clans. Their primary ambition is to see the Shoanti unified as a single people, despite the differences that separate the seven quahs. Spire Icons gain a +2 trait bonus to Diplomacy checks and Diplomacy is always a class skill for them. Sklar-Quah (The Sun Clan) By far the most xenophobic of the Shaonti clans, the fierce members of the Sklar-Quah are almost constantly at war. Whether they fend off the orcs from Belkzen or the Chelish invaders of the south, the Sun Clan has learned to use the heat and fire of the Cinderlands as much as a weapon as it is a hardship for themselves. Sun Icons deal an additional 1 point of fire damage whenever using a weapon, spell, or spell-like ability that deals fire damage. Skoan-Quah (The Skull Clan) Life among the Skoan-Quah revolves around death. Whether they are fighting against undead, acting as guardians for the deceased among all the clans, or tracking the oral history of the Shoanti people, the enigmatic members of the Skull Clan are an enigma which sometimes troubles even the most understanding of their fellow Shoanti. Skull Icons gain a bonus of +2 to all saves against death effects, energy drain, and negative energy. Tamiir-Quah (The Wind Clan) Members of the Tamiir-Quah are among the most territorial of the Shoanti people. The Wind Clan makes its home in the mountains of northern Varisia, and may the gods help anyone who threatens these areas. Wind Icons add 5 feet to their base speed. Student of Faith: While you have personally dedicated your life to a single deity, you study all religions and mortal faiths. Upon hearing that the town of Sandpoint recently completed a cathedral dedicated to the six deities most popular in the area, you had to see the place for yourself, and have arrived in time for the consecration of this holy edifice. Because of your strong faith and broad range of study, you cast all cure spells at +1 caster level, and whenever you channel energy, you gain a +1 trait bonus to the save DC of your channeled energy. Alignment LG LN LE \ | / NG - TN - NE / | \ CG CN CE Good - Neutral - Evil Lawful - Neutral - Chaotic Lawful A lawful character believes in authority and hierarchy. If a law is wrong, it should be changed in a lawful manner. Chaotic A chaotic character believes in personal judgement and freedom. If a law is wrong, it should be ignored. Unlike in most games, 'chaotic' is not another word for 'crazy' or 'evil.' Neutral "Neutral people draw the line around those people they know, those they care about and those whose lives affect them. A neutral villager will help out his neighbour if there is a bad harvest, but is less likely to help out the next village. He's likely to defend his home village with the other villagers, but you won't catch him volunteering to go fight someone else's war. The Neutral person is not indifferent to the suffering of others, he just looks after himself and his own first, dealing with the problems he can see rather than the ones he cannot. He might not send food to the starving village ten miles away, but he won't refuse a meal to a starving man on his doorstep. They see the people they know as people, but those they do not know are an abstract." - Dabbler Good A good character has compassion for others, sentient or not, and demonstrates respect for them (i.e. doesn't put his own good ahead of theirs). Good is defined as a willingness to go out of your way to aid and avoid harming others. "Good people know that the line has no boundaries. They know that the people in the next village are just like them and just as deserving of compassion and mercy. To the good person, there are no abstract people. - Dabbler Evil An evil character behaves selfishly and is willing to use and harm others to have their way; they always think of themselves first. Evil is defined as the willingness to harm others needlessly and deliberately. (Evil people rarely think of themselves as evil - they just think they're wise to the ways of the world, or that their actions ultimately benefit others, or that they have a right to do what they're doing, or that it isn't really their fault.) "Evil people draw the line much closer to home, usually just around themselves. Few evil people actively enjoy hurting others (though the worst ones do), they really are indifferent to it. They have no problem harming others because they are indifferent to such harm. The evil person looks after himself first and foremost. To the evil person, everyone else is an abstract. - Dabbler "Your goals don't have to change. Change how far you're willing to go to attain them. Because nothing is forbidden anymore." - Mikaze "I am Evil and generally it means.... ) I am concerned with my needs above the needs of others. ) I am concerned with my wants above the wants or rights of others. ) I have no personal issues with Killing/Stealing/Lying/Assulting/ect... to get what I need or want. Evil does not mean..... ) I ignore the concept that there are ramifications for my actions (going to jail, being killed, having people hate me). ) I do not plan ahead and refuse to look at the big picture. ) I do not care what people, even my friends think about me. As an Evil Individual, I know better than to flaunt my evil. That is a quick way to loose friends and allies. Even us evil people like to have friends and have feelings for people. Evil is capable of love and caring about people even if in a very selfish possesive way. I still value my companions company though never more than himself. I realize that I will sometimes have to do things these softhearted friends/allies of mine what me to do even if I dont get immediate compensation for doing it. After all I need those allies to cover my ass later when there is a large payment waiting for a task to completed. I care about my personal safety. Your damn right I surround myself with good aligned allies rather than evil or neutral ones. Good allies wont sell me out. Good allies wont murder me in my sleep and take my stuff. Good allies will risk their lives to rescue me. Heck even when I screw them over, my Good allies will not immediately kill me, their stupid morals say killing is wrong. They have to trap me and try to convience me to change or at worst throw me in jail until I have paid my debt. As long as I dont force them into a corner and threaten them with serious bodily harm they arent allowed to kill me. Even if I try to escape they have to try to catch me without killing me first. Why you ask? Cuz they are good. Heck if I can get them to like me and care about me enough I can even get them to cover for me when I do something bad that they know is morally wrong. Why? Because their sad little soft sappy hearts dont want something bad to happen to a good friend and they know that deep down in side I'm really just a confused scared person that needs love. Excuse me while a vomit. Basically, I am evil, I sure as hell wouldn't trust me and so I don't trust anyone like me either. So I make sure all of my friends and companions are sappy soft hearted saps. I sleep better at night knowing that." - FreelanceEvilGenius For the record: monsters in my game are not innately evil unless they're Evil outsiders such as demons or devils, or unintelligent undead and the like (see the entry on alignment in the Bestiary, page 5). Decide to react differently - A clarification of slanting your actions. This is a post Rich Burlew made on the Giants in the Playground site, related to the "slant your actions" article at Errant Dreams. He didn't make a link to this specific part of his post, so I'm reproducing the relevant section of it here: "Have you ever had a party break down into fighting over the actions of one of their members? Has a character ever threatened repeatedly to leave the party? Often, intraparty fighting boils down to one player declaring, "That's how my character would react." Heck, often you'll be the one saying it; it's a common reaction when alignments or codes of ethics clash. However, it also creates a logjam where neither side wants to back down. The key to resolving this problem is to decide to react differently. You are not your character, and your character is not a separate entity with reactions that you cannot control. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a player state that their character's actions are not under their control. Every decision your character makes is your decision first. It is possible and even preferable for you to craft a personality that is consistent but also accommodating of the characters the other players wish to play. When you think about a situation, ask yourself, "Is this the only way my character can react to this?" Chances are, the answer is, "No." Try to refine your character so that you can deal with situations that conflict with your alignment/ethos without resorting to ultimatums, threats, etc. This will often mean thinking in terms of compromise and concession to your fellow players, or at the very least an agreement to disagree. Here's another example: In a campaign I DM'd, the party's bard lifted a magical sword behind the back of the party's Lawful Good monk. The monk had basically decided that the bodies of several fallen knights would be buried without looting, and rather than argue, the bard just grabbed the sword. The bad news was, the sword was cursed; it was the blade that had belonged to a ghost that roamed the castle, and whenever the bard drew it, the ghost materialized and attacked him (and only him). Eventually, the bard 'fessed up that he had stolen the sword. The monk (and the monk's player) became furious, and declared that he could no longer travel with the bard. Either the bard had to leave, or he would. It became a huge argument between characters and players, and it was entirely unnecessary. The monk did not have to react with an ultimatum; the monk did not even have to be angry, no matter what his alignment was. The bard had already suffered the misfortune of having his Charisma drained by the ghost repeatedly; the monk could have chosen (for example) to lecture the bard on how his theft had brought him nothing but misery. He chose to create player conflict when it was just as easy to not. Personally, I blame the paladin for this. The original paladin class created the precedent for one player thinking he has the right to dictate the morality of other players. That drives me nuts. Ever since, players who select a Lawful Good character automatically assume it is up to them to police the rest of the party, and too often, the rest of the party lets them. As far as I'm concerned, no player has the right to tell another player how to act. Lawful Good is not the "right" way to be, and it is unacceptable to push your character's ideals on other players whether they want them or not. Another useful application of this concept involves accepting story hooks your DM gives to you. Try to never just say, "My character isn't interested in that adventure." A lot of people mistake this for good roleplaying, because you are asserting your character's personality. Wrong. Good roleplaying should never bring the game to a screeching halt. One of your jobs as a player is to come up with a reason why your character would be interested in a plot. After all, your personality is entirely in your hands, not the DM's. Come up with a reason why the adventure (or the reward) might appeal to you, no matter how esoteric or roundabout the reasoning. If the paladin is to blame for the last problem, this one belongs to the druid. Druids have such a specific set of principles that players often mistake them for being a free pass to demand that each adventure revolve around their goals. Raiding a dungeon for gold doesn't appeal to the druid mindset, so what are you to do if you play one and are presented with that goal? You improvise. Maybe the gold will enable you to purchase magic items that will let you protect the wilderness. Maybe the ruins contain unnatural monsters that need to be killed regardless of the treasure. Maybe, just maybe, the other PCs are your friends and you are willing to help them just because. Too often that last part is forgotten; I don't think anyone reading this has never spent the night doing something they'd rather not because a friend asked. So if you're really paying attention, you may be thinking, "Hey, don't those two points contradict one another? First he says to separate what your character thinks from what you think, but then he says your character doesn't have its own reactions." Well, no. Separate your character's thoughts from your own thoughts, but don't forget who is in control of both personalities. The division between your personality and that of your character only goes so far as it helps the game; once it begins becoming a disruption, a player has a responsibility to alter his or her character's decisions in the interest of the group. In the end, your relationships with the people you are sitting in someone's living room with are more important than your character's internal consistency." - Rich Burlew

The Second Cycle