Post by Maerin on Nov 14, 2010 21:31:15 GMT
Character Creation Guidelines and Requirements - Step 1, The Concept (Fully Updated 12/17/2010; No Revisions).
The first step in character creation is to select a concept for your character. This is generally a few sentences, a paragraph or two maximum, that describe who and what your character is, where he or she is from, and a very short description of how the character has gotten to where he or she is today (as a 13th level character). This is not a full-blown character background story.
The purpose of a concept is to prove a "master reference" for the rest of the character creation. Decisions about background story as well as selections of skills and feats should always bear reference back to the character concept.
You are required to have a concept approved by me, prior to you continuing. I will veto subsequent background elements and game mechanical choices that do not fit the concept, so exercise some good thought on what you will play from the start.
You can go back and alter a concept, if you realize you want to take the character in a different direction once you get into creation. However, such alterations will also need to be approved by me in advance.
Along with a character concept, please name your character. I will create a character-specific post thread on this board, named for your character, which you will use for subsequent character creation activities and discussion.
A few initial rules and guidelines for character concepts, as well as materials you can use for the rest of character creation:
1. No Kai Lords. Lone Wolf is the only Kai Lord in this era (winter MS5062) and he has been destroyed by Darklord Gnaag (actually, banished from existence for the next eight years; but no one actually knows that).
2. The game is set in central Magnamund, starting specifically in Talon, the capital of Bautar. Character origins must be from a nation within a few hundred miles, maximum, of either shore of the Tentarias, Northern or Southern Magnamund. Beyond that will require my approval.
3. Because of past events during the period of the previous game, many of which are not addressed in published resources, the following nations of origin will require advance discussion with me before a concept can be approved:
Bor, Delden, Dessi, Eldenora, Magador, Shadakai, Sommerlund, Talestria and Vassagonia.
4. The authoritative sources of information for this game are the following:
A. The Lone Wolf gamebooks (of specific interest are Books 9, 10 and 12).
B. The Magnamund Companion
C. The Lone Wolf Club Newsletters
These resources are free and available online at projectaon.org.
5. The Mongoose Publishing Lone Wolf RPGs (both old and new ones) are not to be used as authoritative resources for this game. Character concepts based upon concepts, classes or the like that have their existance mostly or entirely defined by one of the RPG resources (i.e. a Magician of Dessi) will likey be rejected. Please discuss any such elements you might want me to consider exceptions in advance!
Oh, and please do not even ask to play any character that is or is associated with the name “Shianti”. Just don’t. Consider yourselves adequately warned.
6. No “renegade Evil” character concepts, please. So no reformed Cener concepts or the like, please.
7. The motivation of this campaign generally requires “good” characters. You can make characters of a mercenary mindset. However, keep in mind that all such characters must have other motivations that can and will persuade them towards “good” deeds, even if self-interest is not necessarily met.
If I think your concept sounds a bit too...*ahem*...."neutral", I will ask you to rethink it.
8. Be prepared to have some concepts vetoed either because I do not think they mesh with the group, they do not fit the setting (particularly for those of you less familiar with the setting; do try and do some research, please), they do not fit the campaign I am running, they too closely resemble another player character, and so forth. Because I do not want to give secrets away, some vetoes may be issued with limited or no explanation.
9. Stick to the official setting for character concepts. There are A LOT of possibilities already available. It is worth your time to find your inspirations within the setting, rather than ignoring it and trying to go your own way with something "new".
If, however, you ask me anyway if you can create “something new” for a concept, I will probably veto the idea outright. But I might consider exceptions. Jynx, for instance, represents “something new”. However, that acceptance was entirely because Jynx's original concept fit well into the existing setting and Jynx's player was willing to work with me on the necessary compromises to her idea in order to make it happen. Do not expect me to allow you to pound any square pegs into round holes.
The first step in character creation is to select a concept for your character. This is generally a few sentences, a paragraph or two maximum, that describe who and what your character is, where he or she is from, and a very short description of how the character has gotten to where he or she is today (as a 13th level character). This is not a full-blown character background story.
The purpose of a concept is to prove a "master reference" for the rest of the character creation. Decisions about background story as well as selections of skills and feats should always bear reference back to the character concept.
You are required to have a concept approved by me, prior to you continuing. I will veto subsequent background elements and game mechanical choices that do not fit the concept, so exercise some good thought on what you will play from the start.
You can go back and alter a concept, if you realize you want to take the character in a different direction once you get into creation. However, such alterations will also need to be approved by me in advance.
Along with a character concept, please name your character. I will create a character-specific post thread on this board, named for your character, which you will use for subsequent character creation activities and discussion.
A few initial rules and guidelines for character concepts, as well as materials you can use for the rest of character creation:
1. No Kai Lords. Lone Wolf is the only Kai Lord in this era (winter MS5062) and he has been destroyed by Darklord Gnaag (actually, banished from existence for the next eight years; but no one actually knows that).
2. The game is set in central Magnamund, starting specifically in Talon, the capital of Bautar. Character origins must be from a nation within a few hundred miles, maximum, of either shore of the Tentarias, Northern or Southern Magnamund. Beyond that will require my approval.
3. Because of past events during the period of the previous game, many of which are not addressed in published resources, the following nations of origin will require advance discussion with me before a concept can be approved:
Bor, Delden, Dessi, Eldenora, Magador, Shadakai, Sommerlund, Talestria and Vassagonia.
4. The authoritative sources of information for this game are the following:
A. The Lone Wolf gamebooks (of specific interest are Books 9, 10 and 12).
B. The Magnamund Companion
C. The Lone Wolf Club Newsletters
These resources are free and available online at projectaon.org.
5. The Mongoose Publishing Lone Wolf RPGs (both old and new ones) are not to be used as authoritative resources for this game. Character concepts based upon concepts, classes or the like that have their existance mostly or entirely defined by one of the RPG resources (i.e. a Magician of Dessi) will likey be rejected. Please discuss any such elements you might want me to consider exceptions in advance!
Oh, and please do not even ask to play any character that is or is associated with the name “Shianti”. Just don’t. Consider yourselves adequately warned.
6. No “renegade Evil” character concepts, please. So no reformed Cener concepts or the like, please.
7. The motivation of this campaign generally requires “good” characters. You can make characters of a mercenary mindset. However, keep in mind that all such characters must have other motivations that can and will persuade them towards “good” deeds, even if self-interest is not necessarily met.
If I think your concept sounds a bit too...*ahem*...."neutral", I will ask you to rethink it.
8. Be prepared to have some concepts vetoed either because I do not think they mesh with the group, they do not fit the setting (particularly for those of you less familiar with the setting; do try and do some research, please), they do not fit the campaign I am running, they too closely resemble another player character, and so forth. Because I do not want to give secrets away, some vetoes may be issued with limited or no explanation.
9. Stick to the official setting for character concepts. There are A LOT of possibilities already available. It is worth your time to find your inspirations within the setting, rather than ignoring it and trying to go your own way with something "new".
If, however, you ask me anyway if you can create “something new” for a concept, I will probably veto the idea outright. But I might consider exceptions. Jynx, for instance, represents “something new”. However, that acceptance was entirely because Jynx's original concept fit well into the existing setting and Jynx's player was willing to work with me on the necessary compromises to her idea in order to make it happen. Do not expect me to allow you to pound any square pegs into round holes.