[HeroQuest]A Hero's Dilemma: Prep and chargen

[Mike Holmes]

Hola Pedro!

Ops. I agree. I'm certain that I've missed more things like that, but since I prep for my own game I try not to spend too much time profreading and double checking. The stuff I forget I make up in play. Usually I just refer to the keyword ratings (in this case Warrior 1W2).

Which totally makes sense to do. I was just wondering if he had any support at all. I should have considered his occupation.

Basically looking at your writeup, I wanted to know if he'd have anyone at his back, or if he'd collapse like a house of cards at the first challenge to his authority. With the warriors supporting him, it's almost like a Junta.

Side note: I know that you don't usually write down stats for your NPCs, Mike. While I think that is a valid approach, I've found that writing down just the keywords, the relationships, and a few other abilities make it easier for me to come up with things on the spot.

Well, I usually have a general idea of the competence of a character. Which implies keyword levels to me. But even those are tentative. For instance, I had this character Fazeris who I was the head of a "social club" of rakish folks who dueled a lot. As head of the club I thought that he probably wasn't the best, but very near the top. So that implied to me a level for his abilities. Looking at the scale and sample resistances, I decided on the spot that a 10W2 was appropriate. A master swordsman, but not incredibly good. More importantly, good enough to be likely to beat the PC which he was dueling.

Also, the stats tell me important aspects of the character in a fast and accessible format. What was important with Roganvarth again? Let me see... aha, he is terrified of dishonor! For this method to work, it is imperative to only write down a few important abilities, not the endless lists that I've seen other people use.

Well, take Fazeris, again. I specifically left him very undefined, because I wanted him to be maleable to fill in any dramatic needs that I had. He was created as a relationship to one of the PCs, "Wary of Guild Leader" or somesuch. So I knew that he was a potential enemy, but I didn't know why. In fact, I still don't know precisely why he got all up in Isadora's face, and challenged her to a duel. He definitely has an agenda. I just don't know what it is yet. That's something that I'll establish in play when it dawns on me what I need him to be there to do.

My point is that for some characters you need only scant information to start playing them. For other characters, often I let the Bangs define them. Instead of looking at the character's motivations, and thinking "Well, I could create a Bang out of that," I think, "Well here would be a good Bang to have - to which NPC can I assign the motives neccessary to have him introduce the Bang?" For example, I wanted to have a Bang where somebody asked one of the PCs, a burglar type, to steal something from the local tribe. So I looked at my cast of NPCs, and it occured to me that the Quartermaster at the colony would be the best NPC for this (given his presumptive ability to hide stolen goods, and move them). And suddenly Speckler became corrupt, something we didn't know about him before. Later, this fact fed into another Bang which has yet to play out (Isadora, the colony leader, has discovered that he's corrupt).

So I worry about getting ahead with assigning motives to NPCs, because they may not fit what I need later to make the heroes' stories good. This in addition to the usual reason I give for not statting, because I just decide last second to set the ability level to suit the drama of a situation. So, if I'd determined that I wanted Isadora to beat Fazeris in their duel, I'd have knocked down his ability considerably, and said something about how he wasn't nearly as good as he thought he was, and how he'd gotten to the top of the club by social climbing and threats. Either Fazeris is plausible - his ability level hadn't been established before the duel. I just chose the Fazeris I needed for that moment.

Now that I have set his ability levels, they serve as something to hang continuity on - he won't suddenly get any worse at dueling. But until it's established in play, it's often just as good an idea to leave the character undefined. And then let the needs of the dramatic situation define who they are.

Yeah, I realize that some people aren't comfortable with this level of winging things. But I have no problem with having stats up front, either, if you want to put in the effort. I would simply reserve the right to alter them at need. My general rule with Heroes as well as narrator characters, is that no ability is set for a character until it's established in play. So I'd just see any pre-prep as "inspirational" more than anything else. Suggested or potential values that might make sense.

Yes, Tormakt gets a lot. So does Roganvarth and his brother if you combine them. However, consider that I expect each player to get about 6 hero points per session on average. Minimum. Also, at least two of the heroes are quite powerful. Gavin has 5W2 in three affinities, and several at 15W-18W or so. He knows the secret of his deity.

I'm not so much concerned with power levels here. Hero Points are metagame immunity points. We given them to the heroes so that they can be more heroic. The reason to give them to the NPCs is so that the heroes essentially are on even ground with the PCs in terms of plot immunity.

So I can see giving them the points, if, basically, you want them to be protagonists as well, or at least highly complex antagonists. People who you want to stay around to explore in depth. Which is what I was assuming above.

Yes I've tried to contain the conflict somewhat. Yet I have only posted a few of the NPCs so far.

Yeah, as your NPC list grows, I think your game's duration grows. Even then, the collision courses that you've set these people on seem inevitable to some extent. Which is fine. I just think it'll be a long drawn out blood opera with all of the other NPCs. Which sounds cool to me.

Perhaps in addition to the full prep version, you can just excise many of these NPCs for the demo version. Less personality to wade through to get to the central conflict.

But all of this is just possibilities, little thoughts in the back of my mind. If the players have their hands full with the local conflict I will not introduce many outside elements. But if things seem to need extra complication I have a lot of ideas.

Does this make sense?

Very much so. I think that this is the best way to pace a HQ game. If things are getting "stretched out" too far, and nothing's coming to a head, you focus on fewer NPCs. If things are screaming to a conculsion, you include more stuff, either to slow things down, or, if that doesn't work (if often does not), that you then have other conflicts to continue on.

That's to say that it's entirely possible that you have only one candidate for chieftain standing after one session if the players just drive for that. What makes sense, then, is to have some other stuff to play out as ramifications. Put another way, you sorta play around with what the "central" conflict is about always making it something that has not yet been decided. So, if the "who gets to be chieftain conflict is decided early" you adjust to the overall conflict being about how to ensure the clan's survival or something (hard decisions dealing with the Lunars and such).

That, or be prepared for the possibility of a short game. Which is fine, too, if you don't mind. I'm not saying it will happen. Just that you should allow for the possibility.

The way I play of late, I simply don't have a central conflict, so much as a central premise that I'm looking at. Subtle difference, but I'll explain. In your game, the question is something like, "What would I do to be chieftain?" or to support someone as chieftain, that sort of thing. The central conflict is, of course, that the current chieftain is not particularly good, and there are others who want the position. In my IRC game, the premise is "Where is home?" And there is no one central conflict, just each character dealing with that premise in their own ongoing way. Once they've tackled their current individual conflict, I just move on to the next.

This format ends up more like a soap opera in some ways, as opposed to the more "mini-series" effect that the central conflict concept delivers. They both have advantages.

Inganna is a woman.

What's her relationship to the chief? Your R-Map has a problem for readers outside of yourself, because it only lists marriages.

Thankx for the tips, questions, and ideas so far. You are a very nice guy, Mike.

Thanks for putting up with my chatter. :-)

Mike

Cheers,[/quote]

[Peter Nordstrand]

TEAM GAVIN
Ismynda
Housewife

Ismynda is Gavin's wife. I'll just re-post what I wrote about her earlier. I have little else to add at this point.

I suspect that Johan imagines that Ismynda does not love Gavin, and that that's why she won't get pregnant. I plan a surprise for him: Ismynda is deeply in love with and the reason she avoids pregnancy is that she suspects/knows/realizes that Gavin does not love her ... Ismynda will support Gavin in everything he does. She will try to help him out in all manners possible, and she is literally willing to sacrifice everything for her heroic husband! Ismynda's answer to the question "are you willing to risk the destruction of your clan in order to save it from that which threatens Gavin?" is undoubtedly YES!!

Keywords: Heortling Steadwife 9W, Initiate of Orane 3W (Bless Stead, Bless Family, Bless Mothers).
Relationships: Daughter of King Ranulf 6W, Devoted to Children 17, Passionately in Love with Gavin 17W.[/list:u]
Ernaldine, Umathus, and Gavin
Ismynda's Children

Ernaldine, Umathus, and Gavin Jr. are Anval (Gavin Sr.'s brother) and Ismynda's children. I would like to come up with a way to include them that breaks with the roleplaying standard of portraying children either as kidnap-victims waiting to happen or as non-entities. I'll just give them a trait each and see what happens.

Ernaldine (8 year old girl): Gets into fights with children of her own age.
Umathus (7 year old boy): Desperately wants to remember his father.
Gavin (5 year old boy): Obsessed with horses.[/list:u]

[Peter Nordstrand]

That's a fantastic post, Mike. I have actually changed a few things after reading it, such as lowering the hero points for Roganvarth (to 2), Estavus (to 3), and Tormakt (to 5). Unfortunately, I need to put the post aside for a little while. It is possible that we will start playing on tuesday, so I need to focus a little bit on getting my prep done. However, you will see parallels with your post when reading the remaining charcater brief's.

One detail needs clarification, before I move on, I think.

Your R-Map has a problem for readers outside of yourself, because it only lists marriages.

Yes, you need the basic info about the player heroes (Gavin, Jotarlys, and Abraxalor) in order to get the map. I am reluctant to put information on the map that is prone to change.

Cheers,

[Peter Nordstrand]

THE SIX-FOLD MAGNIFICENCE OF THE DAWNING SUN

The Six-Fold Magnificence of the Dawning Sun is the name of the Yelmalion phalanx guarding the Hill of Orlanth Victorious. It is named after its guardian being. See Orlanth is Dead, p. 31.

Only 1/10 of the phalanx (or a company of 100 men) is on duty at the hill on any given time. Another company is hired to the Aranwyth Tribe to help protect Toena Fort and the surrounding vale (see Dragon Pass: Land of Thunder, p. 55). The remaining regiment is based in Swenstown.

Belonni
Dedecuron of the Six-Fold Magnificence of the Dawning Sun

Belonni is the ranking commander at the Hill of Orlanth Victorious. He is a friend of Jotarlys, and is probably one of the reasons that Jotarlys is drawn to the cult of Yelmalio.

I don't know much about this character. I will create a couple of Bangs around him, and see if I can define him that way. (Thanx Mike!)

Keywords: Vaantari Foot Soldier 2W2, Devotee of Monro the Founder 18W (Light, Combat).

Significant Abilities: Credible 4W, Lead Company 9W2.

Personality: Genial 1W.

Relationships: Friend of Jotarlys 3W.[/list:u]

Ifiklos, Bazyli, and Manu
Worshippers of Rigsdal, hired by the Six-Fold Magnificence of the Dawning Sun

This group of friends are all hired by the Yelmalions to serve as nightwatchmen at the Hill of Orlanth Victorious. The important thing about these characters are that they are friends with Abraxalor, who feels affinity for them, partly on religious grounds.

Again I will let these characters be defined by Bangs, probably by putting their friendship to the test. Will Abraxalor choose fame and fortune before his friends? (Thanx again, cappadocius.)

Keywords: Foot Soldier 3W, Initiate of Rigsdal 19 (Combat, Night Watchman, Vigilance).[/list:u]

[Mike Holmes]

Yes, you need the basic info about the player heroes (Gavin, Jotarlys, and Abraxalor) in order to get the map.

Duh. I thought those write ups were for different NPCs somehow. Shoulda read more carefully.

Looking forward to an actual play report. :-)

Mike