#CharacterCreationChallenge: Hot Wash #2

 

TardisCaptain's Blog of Holding, instigator of the #CharacterCreationChallenge, since this isn't his first rodeo, has a nice recap of the challenge listing each system he used and the character created, with links to those pages. I thought that was great, to see all the systems plus all the character names.

Day 1: 1st Edition AD&D: Arnon Obend, 1st Level Paladin. Gallant of Pelor

Day 2: Aftermath!: Artimus Smith 17 year old born post-apocalypse 

Day 3: SPIs Universe: Kleton Bavlander, Explorer

Day 4: 1st Edition Gamma World: Gurt Mobass 3 meter tall Humanoid mutant

Day 5: Star Frontiers: Zmat Drangian, a Yaziarian agent of the United Planetary Federation

Day 6: Classic Traveller Book 1 Navy: Ex-Imperial Navy LCDR Clinok (Nok) Bartholomew, Pilot

Day 7: Classic Traveller Book 1 Merchant: 7 Term Retired Merchant 3rd Officer Mikel Lancelles Jamison

Day 8: Classic Traveller Book 1 Scout: Joe Average, but with a Type S Scout Ship

Day 9: Classic Traveller Book 1 Army: MacIntosh (Mac) Blarney. Ex Army LtCol. 30 years old

Day 10: Dragonbane: Wolfbite Lunariem, Wolfkin Hunter

Day 11: D&D BECMI: Vasen 'Vase' Polnifil, Lawful Halfling, Master of the Short Bow

Day 12: Classic Traveller Book 1 Marine: ex-Marine CAPT Michef 'MJ' Jalson

Day 13: Classic Traveller Book 4 Marine: Ex-Marine Sergeant Major Mortimer 'MoFo' Fodan

Day 14: Classic Traveller Book 5 High Guard: Ex-Navy Chief Petty Officer Nathen Hapsberg

Day 15: Classic Traveller Book 1 Other: Tomsar 'Tooms' Lanthden (BS Interstellar Finance)

Day 16: Classic Traveller Book 1 - Another Other: Frankis Malnott, the Getaway Driver

Day 17: 2nd Edition Call of Cthulhu: Carl Franklin, semi-famous tabloid Journalist

Day 18: Aftermath! Round Two: Carton Smith, age 36

Day 19: CyberPunk Red: Hobson Ambrose, a Mauri-descended Solo Level 4

Day 20: Classic Traveller RAW: Bruce Filbert, ex-Merchant 4th Officer Steward

Day 21: Thousand Suns: Markon Vassim, Myrmidom Clade, 32 year old ex-Marine, Novice Colonist

Day 22: Top Secret S.I.: Mateo Delgado

Day 23: Top Secret S.I. - Redux: Mateo Delgado revised

Day 24: 1st Edition Gamma World: Kona Moea, 30 year old mutant of the aftermath

Day 25: Star Frontiers: Momen Vasilikous, Dralasite

Day 26: 2nd Edition AD&D: Lykris Newlim Half Elf Fighter/Magic-User

Day 27: Shadowdark: Deeg, the 1st Level Shadowdark Goblin Thief

Day 28: Aftermath!:  Me!

Day 29: Classic Traveller Book 5 High Guard: Me! in Traveller

Day 30: Classic Traveller Book 1 Scout: ex-Scout Maden 'Mads' Sontrome, owner of Type S Scout/Courier LS1-4H7-1V8 "Reliable Bet" (credit to Douglas Flewelling)

Day 31: Classic Traveller Book 1 Army: Bryne 'BOM' O'Malley, ex-Army LTCOL

Bonus #1: Classic Traveller - Supplement 4 Citizens of the Imperium: Arkim Montayo, 34 year old ex-Air Force helicopter and grav vehicle pilot

Bonus #2: Classic Traveller Book 6 Scouts: Stephin Baccino, 30 years old, ex-Scout (Commo)

So you meet in a tavern....

 

So there are ongoing discussions everywhere about how to start a D&D campaign. The common trope is 'you meet in a tavern': the characters all randomly show up in the same tavern, meet, start drinking and telling tales, and decide to 'adventure together'. Or something like that. 

Everyone complains about it. I've never worried about, because I think everyone just wants to get going on the adventures, they know they are going to be in a group, so who cares - let's get going. But I understand they complaints to some degree. The DM strives so hard to create a coherent world and setting, tying adventures together, trying to be immersive. But right at the beginning you have to ignore the hand wave. 

As I was crafting my Greyhawk campaign (started in the Great Kingdom, but then moved to Nyrond, pre-war) I kept mulling the starting point over to try and solve the 'meet in a tavern' problem. I didn't want to railroad the party, either together or on adventure paths. I wanted there to be a common basis for their gathering and their adventuring.  I also am trying to craft a more political campaign, something beyond just dungeon crawls.

What I came up with was the stealing the patron from Traveller. But how to get all characters to gather to the same Patron? Then it hit me, how does each character get to 1st level? They have to have some type of mentor. What if they all had the same mentor?

So I created Mo, the half elf fighter/magic user/thief. He is level 3-5 in each class, and is an ally of Crown Prince Lynwerd. Prince Lynwerd is loyal to his father King Archbold, but can see that his father is losing his touch and not up to the coming fight with the Great Kingdom. So he is working now to build allies in the various principalities of Nyrond and the surrounds, as well as building a network of capable folks to seek out magic and relics to assist them.

Mo job is to travel the lands and find promising adventuring types, train them up, and set them out onto the lands. Mo will wander into a village as retired adventurer, just seeking calmer waters. He will spend some time getting to know folks, and find the one or two that show promise in any of his classes. He will then start to train them. He ends up spending about a month in a village before moving on, slowly growing a cadre of 1st level characters that are nominally loyal to him.

He gives each character a magic necklace, and tells them when it activates to use it to guide them to a meeting place where he will meet them to give them more information. This is presented to each character separately in their home villages. He tells them they will recognize like minded friends by the necklace, that they can trust them, and his information will be for them all.

So this gets all the characters from various villages, backgrounds, and classes to one place, expecting to meet other. And they've also been 'indoctrinated' into Mo's plans, to some degree. He has sussed out their loyalty to the crown, and promotes they're missions just as 'service to the crown'. He doesn't want to broadcast that he is working for Prince Lynwerd, to keep his network underground to some degree.

I was debating whether to have Mo not make the meeting, and have the characters decide between going to look for him or go on the mission he was providing them with. His mission would actually be a general tasking, and they would have to find more information to determine a 'target', and they could come across information directing them to three different areas. One of which could be containing Mo! Lots of opportunities.

I'm proud of this setup, and having multiple starting missions available leaves it to the players. Which means they will probably pick number 4: None of the above.

Bonus Character #2: Book 6 Scouts

 

Stephin Baccino, 68ABA5, a smart and educated guy was looking for something a little more in life. The Scout recruiter caught his ear and, as recruiters do, spun a wonderful story of exploration and adventure. "Enlist NOW, 70% of Field billets are in Survey or Exploration! Explore new worlds, immerse yourself in new cultures, see the Imperium and beyond!". 

So Stephin signed.

Communications Office. Yep, the 30% found him. 

Well, at least there is still a chance for the Imperial Courier Service branch, and something more exciting than X-Boat tenders.

After one year of Initial Training for his Pilot rating, Stephin was off on his adventure. His first duty assignment was standard courier duties on a Type S. Not too bad to be on a small crew for standard detached duties. Stephen applied himself more at the downports than enroute, but was having fun (Gambling - 1). The next assignment was a Mission, on which Stephin was training in Communications.

His final duty assignment in his initial term was Training, and he was selected for a special Field Training School, where he learned Survey skills and techniques, along with getting his Air/Raft qualification.

Stephin was having fun, learning new things, and seeing different systems. He reenlisted with no problem, as he was just the type of smart, independent thinker the Scouts were looking for in the Field.

His second term started out quiet, with routine missions that did not stretch his abilities. But the next assignment was a Special Mission on which he spent most of his time planet-side on a survey team, where he learned to handle horse-like domesticate beasts and also qualified with a service rifle. The next two years were routine missions, and Stephin used the jump times to take advantage of Scout-offered education courses (+1 EDU). 68ABB5.

Stephin reenlisted for one more 4 year term, then he was going to head out on his own. While the hands-free oversight of the Scout life was great, in the end they were still telling you where to go and when. Stephin had seen too many interesting things that called out to him for further exploration, that he felt he needed to get out and get exploring before age started to catch up with him too much.

The first assignment was more routine missions with his standard crew, which while enjoyable left Stephin hoping for more excitement. He wondered who he pissed off in the Bureaucracy when he was yanked into a Commo mission on an X-Boat tender. He took advantage though and finally got his Vacc Suit paperwork routed properly (how had that slipped through all these years??). By now Stephin had a few connections, and after calling in some favors, pulled a classified special mission assignment. It was out on the Fringe, and Stephin got his Navigation qual on the multiple jumps. All he say about the rest of the mission is he learned how outworld bureaucracies truly work (Bribery - 1). The 'payback' for those favors was to fill a routine slot after the outworld fun, which Stephin had no problem with doing. Why risk your life right before you're getting out? Well, he didn't risk his life if you don't count STDs and bar fights (Carousing - 1).

So after 12 fun years, 30 year old Stephin mustered out. Dreams of a Scout Ship of his own were quickly dashed, but he was rewarded for his faithful and diligent service with 100,000 credits, his service rifle, and a ceremonial blade from one of the planets he visited.

Stephin Baccino, 30 years old, ex-Scout (Commo)

68ABB5

Pilot - 1

Navigation -1 

Commo - 1

Vacc Suit - 1

Survey - 1

Air/Raft - 1

Rifle - 1

Carousing - 1

Gambling -1 

Bribery -1

Equestrian - 1

100,000 Cr, rifle, Blade

Mea Culpa

 I was reading Book 6 Scouts more thoroughly in preparation of rolling one up to make up for missing that during the challenge, and read the passage about 'officers' (Bureaucracy Office in the Scouts) can only be promoted Once Per Term. I looked back at Books 4 and 5 and found the same thing. Oops.

I had been rolling every assignment regardless whether if enlisted or not. I love extra Mustering out benefits!

I'll have to be sure to abide by that rule in the future, and next years Character Creation Challenge.