characters with characteristics

[ken]

Should our Hero Characters have characteristics? Do we just come up with some meaningless name, or do we do some research first? I must admit, most of mine have some sort of background. The Saracen is from a tribe of middle-eastern warriors. Bar-dun, the dragon-slayer, looks a lot like an old photo of my Scots Nan, whose maiden name was Dunbar, Wallace the Wookie, is a distant relative of Chewwy, and Grommet. My latest is:- Hulubi the Halfling Hash-Slinger. He worked amongst the Dwarven Community for several years, as a short-order chef, and picked up some Dwarven tricks along the way, mainly the ability to disarm traps. He fights two-handed, with a short sword to the right, and a fry-pan to the left, for a crafty follow-through. He is going in to battle tommorrow, Tuesday, when we visit with Pucks family. Wish him well! Lets all make a New Years Resolution, to give our Characters some background.

[joec]

It's something I like to do, even if no one else knows it.

For example: in World of Warcraft, my Dwarf, Jazerzab, is a grizzled, angry man whose parents were slain by trolls. So, he heads for them before any other creature in battle.

[ken]

Hubuli was greeted with some good-natured derision by Puck & Oberon, but as my lovely wife pointed out, size isn't always important! If you have Purposeful Penetrating Power, with your weapon, now Thats what counts! Not sure where she got that from, but I am sure she is right. We got down to a long hard Quest dreampt up by Oberon, every room in the Dungeon, but Hubuli came through, and managed to pick up enough Gold on the way, to buy a Helmet. Puck's cowardly Elf broke & ran at one point, a feature of that ilk, I have found. Still, we soldiered on & all came to the stairs leading down to the next chapter, which awaits another day.

hubuli.jpg

PS just noted, Hubuli is left-handed!

[Big Bene]

as my lovely wife pointed out, size isn't always important! If you have Purposeful Penetrating Power, with your weapon, now Thats what counts!

[ken]

Sadly, Hubuli is no more. After a good life, in which he ate many sausages, cooked up in his noble fry-pan, and slayed many Ogres, he went down fighting some really nasty Firmirs he came up against on Oberons' board. So, we have to move on
Pustilence the Potwasher was captured by Ogres when he was just a little Orc (Sob), and chained to the kitchen sink in the Ogres Stronghold. After many childhood years spent in Purgatory, he managed to escape, and now hires out as a Mercenary. His only interest is killing Ogres (watch out, Puck), and ramassing gold.

pustilence1.jpg

Pustilence is armed with a Schlagstock, a large cudgel.

[torilen]

Giving a character a background (and hence some sort of goal and desire...the reason for their becoming an
adventurer) is what makes the difference between HQ being just a board game, and HQ being a role-playing game.
In its basic form - HQ is, really, just a board game. It's an unfortunate truth, but that is the case. What we do with
it is what can make it a role-playing game. Giving a character a background and goal, for example. Perhaps adding
in some sort of encounter that doesn't need to end in bloodshed and death - maybe that goblin hiding behind the
bookcase has some information for you and will pass it on if you let him run away and live. Perhaps delving into
the storyline started in the original game book - expand it in your games, add on to it by continuing it or by giving
it more of a history.

I typically always want my players to have something of a background for their characters, even as simple as the
character stats might be. That is the only problem with this part of the game...the character stats are so simple,
and there is much difference from one character to another (except for casting spells or removing traps), it can
be a little difficult to come up with something of substance. I think that is why this website is here, and all of the
additions have been uploaded - because people want to expand the game enough to turn it into a role-playing game.

[ken]

Torilen, I am with you all the way. A little research on Wiki, brings up lots of ideas, a sense of humour helps too. Remember, its all a bit of fun really.

[torilen]

Something else to think about when talking on characters with actual characteristics and backgrounds and such...
If the DM or Evil Wizard would like to allow characters to be a little more powerful - perhaps a greater attack or
defense, or a few more spells - he can give the characters some sort of problem or issue.

Maybe a character is substance dependent, and has to spend some of his treasure on a "drug" in between
quests (I know...not really kid-appropriate - just an idea).

Maybe a character has a physical problem - maybe he has no peripheral vision, or can't hear.
Maybe a character has some sort of twitch - a bad temper, perhaps.
Maybe a character has a phobia - maybe he's afraid of spiders, or water, and just the sight sends
him into a panic (unless he can successfully make a Mind Roll).

Maybe the character is semi-insane and hears voices. That could be all sorts of fun. Maybe the voices tell him
to do things, and just maybe they turn out to be real - it could be some demon or angel or powerful mage speaking
to him through telepathy.