What’s with all this fancy talk?

So, you’ve finally got your awesome background for your character. In addition, you’ve decked him out with the best gear a 1st level character can get, and you’re totally ready to impress your gaming buds with your new badass character. Then, when the game starts, you’re sitting there waiting for your character to get introduced, and you’re nothing but a bundle of nerves. You can’t wait! Everyone is going to remember this awesome character forever, so you think.

The time is now! The stage is set! Your character, this piece of your mind, that you gave a name and history (an essence, if you will) is about to step into a collective fantasy! He is seen by the party, he opens his lips to speak, and… he sounds exactly like you. Your character loses any sense of identity he had. Then your character quickly becomes relegated to his party role. His name forgotten, reduced simply to “mage” or “tank”. How sad. How could this have happened? Your guy was cool! He had an incredibly interesting backstory! How could the character just fail to be interesting?

All right, all right. I’ll tone down the melodrama  for a moment so I can be clear about what I’m talking about. Its always fun to create interesting characters. In my view, it’s the best thing about role playing. However, sometimes it takes more than an interesting backstory to make your character come alive. What am I talking about?

I’m talking about diction.

It’s about how your character says things. It means giving him a unique voice. Now, I know we gamers love good pirate voices and other silly accents like that, and those can be a part of it. Really though, diction means so much more.  Diction, in this case, refers to specific word choices your character uses when speaking. Diction can reveal a lot about a character, it can reveal his education, his nationality, his religious beliefs, and even his personal philosophies.

For example,  lets look at a very simple situation that might come up in a game. Hero gets a good Spot roll and manages to see an ambush being set up in a forest. Your character tells the party of course (or perhaps not), but what does he say exactly?

Example 1: Friends, up ah-h-ead, I think those t-three guys are gonna try to kill u-s-s.

A bit over doing the stutter for sure, but this guy sounds like he could be interesting.  No?

Example 2: Ahead, thirty paces, three villains, I will strike first.

This guy  seems like a lot of no-nonsense paladins I’ve dealt with before.

Example 3: Three Dead Men Hiding! I see you! We’re gonna kill you for that!

Certainly a bit overly enthusiastic, but he’d be a cool barbarian!

Of course, these are a bit jokey, but hopefully you can understand the power of appropriate language choice.  Now, imagine that all three of the examples were DnD 3.5 Lvl 1 fighters. Yes, they would all have similar stats. Yet they don’t seem similar at all, do they?

For instance, example 1 is a mystery, he seems strange and acts deranged. Yet you can sense a vulnerability in his voice – his stuttering adding another layer to the character. Example 2 seems confident, calm and under control, perhaps a little too confident, but certainly he has a keen military mind. Lastly, example 3 seems strong, young, and eager. Now, he could be played as a generic fighter, but doesn’t his voice suggest that he may be young, perhaps desperate to prove himself to his companions?

I know I’m overdoing it a bit, but I’m trying to prove a point about how characters, word choice , and proper voice can improve a game. Even with all the numbers and books and dice,  it seems that we sometimes forget that every Tabletop Rpg really just boils down to acting. Acting is what holds our fantasy worlds together! And every actor should know about diction.

Peace.

Free Contest! Time to Sweeten the Deal…

This Contest has ended.  See the results!

Last month I put up a contest allowing for readers to win a free huge-sized minotaur.  All you have to do is submit either a character background, adventure or encounter idea, NPC, monster, or enemy (see the Steal This… page for examples).

Well, so far I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on the site, but few contest entries.  I know that Stuffer Shack is relatively brand new, and that I shouldn’t expect a lot, but it seems that the entries have stopped coming in.

So, I figure it’s time to sweeten the deal.  The rules of the contest remain the same, but the rewards are being increased.

  • 1st place: Huge-sized minotaur, and Adventurer’s Bundle
  • 2nd place: Adventurer’s Bundle
  • 3rd place: Also the Adventurer’s Bundle
  • Everyone that enters: For every entry that gets posted, you’ll earn $1.00 credit toward any purchase from the Store.  Submit several entries and you could get stuff from the Store for free (all credit earned, up to the purchase price, will be refunded after your purchase).

Call me crazy, cause I just might be.  I simply want to get the shelves stocked up with “steal this” material, and I can’t do it alone.

So join in. All it takes is for you to submit your current character, your favorite character, maybe an encounter you just went through, or an adventure you just ran.  NPCs and enemies are a dime a dozen, too.  Just make sure your entries are about 500 words each (a few paragraphs). That’s it – it’s easy!

Quetsen Sisten, the Loyal Slave – Steal this Background

Quetsen Sisten, like most hunter Ferrenai, clings to the traditions of old.  He makes his own clothing, his own weapons, and hunts for his his own meals.  Even though he is a slave that has risen to the status of Head Trustee, he still prefers to be waited on by no one.  Though he is a grateful, humble slave, he is still a hunter at heart.

Several times almost run over by competing farmers, the Stern Marsh has endured many setbacks.  With so few slaves remaining, and only a third of the original land still protected, the Stern Marsh has had to go from being a passive farming business, to an aggressive opportunist.

During the early days, when the Marsh Wars first began, the Stern Marsh was prosperous, but not well protected.  For competing farms, the Stern was ripe for the picking.  With its slave numbers dwindling (from either being killed or captured), and the lands being gobbled up by neighboring farms, it appeared that the Stern would vanish.  Yet, out of the chaos rose a hard-working slave-boy, Quetsen Sisten.

Quetsen Sisten was born unto the Stern Marsh, and that is all he has ever known.  Seeing so many family and friends killed or captured has erupted in him a savage beast.  As a boy, he made his first weapon and began to fight.  Steadily, he led the slaves through battle after battle in defense of his master’s marsh.  His master took notice, and quickly rose Quetsen to the status of trustee, then Head Trustee.  Now, with control over the other trustees and their slaves, the Stern Marsh has fortified its land and repelled all forthcoming attacks.  Neighboring marshes no longer attack the Stern, and his master could not be prouder.

As a slave, Quetsen can not attain a higher position than that of Head Trustee.  Everyone in his marsh knows him on sight, and respects his position.  Even if he could be granted ownership over his own body, he would prefer not to, as the perks and status in the Stern are too great.

When his master’s son left abruptly on a trade ship, Quetsen was tasked to find him, protect him, and bring him back home if possible.  Quetsen was hesitant with this request at first, as he was not comfortable leaving the Stern Marsh, his home.  However, wanting to serve his master faithfully, he agreed.  After saying goodbye, he left the Stern Marsh on the next scheduled  trade ship.

He’s pretty sure that he will not like what life is like outside of the marshlands, but plans on making the best of it.  He is loyal to his master, and is glad to serve him.  No other slave or trustee of the Stern has been granted permission to leave the Stern for such an extended length of time, so he appreciates the honor, and his quest.

This character background was created for a Star Wars campaign, though it should work in fantasy as well.  As a PC, Quetsen could be forever looking for his master’s son, taking on whatever adventure moved him closer to that end.  Or, another player could be the master’s son, who refuses to go back home (leaving Quetsen to be his bodyguard).  As a Star Wars character, Quetsen prefers to use only weapons that marsh slaves are allowed to carry (melee weapons) – to use anything else would defy his slave status.

The Best Character Formulas – Part 2

Click here to read Part 1

Hello again!  I’m here for the second installment of The Best Character Formulas.  So far, I’ve talked about heroes with Personal Demons, and how while they might not seem to be the best choice as a hero, in the end, their stories might be the most rewarding.  Moving On, I’ll be talking about my favorite type to play, Hindered Heroes.

Formula 2: Hindered Heroes

Superman is awesome, Superman is cool, Superman is a great hero.  What he isn’t is invulnerable, because if he were invulnerable, his stories would get dull pretty quickly.  Sure, he can fly faster than bullets, stop bullets, and even eat bullets, but he can’t do a damn thing about kryptonite bullets.  Ah ha! Now we have something that peaks our interest!  It is largely more entertaining watching a hero overcome obstacles, instead of completely overpowering obstacles.

I don’t expect you to make a super character with one Achilles heel (that’s hardly a good role playing character).  What I do expect, is that your character has some negative trait that sets him apart from others – something that says, “Yeah, I’m cool, but I’m even cooler because I have to work harder to get that cheddar.”

Here are some examples:

  • Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson’s character) from Lethal Weapon, and his struggle with sanity
  • Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop, trying to be a cop in “this ain’t your jurisdiction” Beverly Hills
  • Superman, and his kryptonite
  • Daredevil, and his blindness
  • The Hulk, and his anger management issues
  • Robin Hood, being continuously hunted by the sheriff
  • Willow, and his being small in a human’s world
  • John Constantine,and his “let’s get this life over with, I don’t give a crap” attitude
  • Edward from Twilight, and his struggle to not eat his girlfriend (or anyone else).  Team Edward!

Most of my characters are considered hindered heroes, as that is what I get the most enjoyment from.

Even power-gamers and godmoders can benefit from playing a hindered hero.  The hindrance doesn’t have to be a mechanical penalty, and usually, it isn’t.  For instance, your character could be a mean alcoholic, or has horrible scars, or is a little crazy, or whatever.

Really, it’s up to you to decide how your character is going to be set apart from the rest.  Believe me, being the underdog in some fashion or another has its rewards.  Just go for it!

Thanks for reading!

The Best Character Formulas – Part 1

Think of any story, film, or novel.  Quality-wise, those with the most success have something in common (special, memorable heroes).  Well, I’m here to define those character formulas and relate them to your player characters.   Ready?

Formula 1: Personal Demons

The character who carries personal demons is not the ideal hero (far from it).  However, he has the potential to elicit the greatest emotional response from his audience.  This character has something of a negative nature that he needs to eventually overcome, and is the most tried-and-true winning formula for novels and film.  This antagonist is not only not perfect, but he has a negative quality that, should he eventually turn around, will make him the ultimate hero.

You could say that Darth Vader is the pinnacle of the “personal demon hero.”  Think about it – he has this tragic history, making him the worst of the worst.  His only real, ultimate, believable-worth-watching final outcome is to either die horribly as a major villain, or die gloriously as a redeemed hero.  Which has the better story?   I know, I know, “but he’s a bad guy.” I’m not saying to take it to the extreme and play a major villain, I’m just saying that he is the ultimate hero.  Your character (should you choose to play the personal demon hero) has to have some major negative thing to overcome, some obstacle that we can all feel as being real.

Sure, the most extreme is playing the really bad guy until the end, when he sacrifices himself to save his kid, while the other end of the spectrum would be a normal guy who eventually overcomes his addiction to smoking.  I don’t suggest trying to play either, just something in between.

This character is unprincipled, selfish, or evil, and his actions are fueled by that trait.  Normally, characters with any of those traits will die that way, or learn his lessons after it is too late (Darth Vader learned them just in time).  For you, it is the events, emotions, and other characters in your campaign that might teach him the error of his ways.  This is the guy who

  • goes on adventures looking for loot, regardless of how he gets it
  • is hired on as a mercenary
  • is forced to work with the other player characters
  • or has no choice but to work with the other player characters.

It’s from the things he’s seen, friendships he’s formed and perhaps lost, and milestones that he’s achieved and missed, that will eventually lead him to the ultimate crossroad.  You can’t change a man – all you can do is give him options and hope he chooses wisely.  Will he die the unworthy death, or finally find redemption?

One thing that is important: for this transformation to mean anything, for us to care about whether this character makes it to the good side, he has to have some sort of quality that we like.  We have to see something in this character worth saving.  In the case of Darth Vader, we know him to be a once normal, likable kid.  Even as a young adult, we saw that he was unfairly taken advantage of and turned to the dark side by a great evil.  We know there’s good in there, because we’ve seen it.  Even if you’ve only watched the last three chapters, you know that he is the father of at least one child.  So even that could be the quality (being a father) that makes us want to see him saved (father and son united).

Here are some examples:

  • Jayne (from Serenity) eventually learns trust and loyalty, and then finally shows a bit of heart.
  • Jake Sully (from Avatar), as he goes from marine to savior.
  • The bank robber who goes against his buddies when they start hurting hostages.
  • And yes, Danny DeVito’s character from the movie Twins, who finally shows his heart in going back to save his freakish brother (eesss nod uh toomuhr!).

These are all heroes that we like, but they have some very deep demons to overcome in order for their stories to be completed.  I don’t know about you, but these are the characters I care most about, after having seen them rise from so low, to so high.

What are some Personal Demon Heroes that you can think of?

Thanks for reading Part 1 of the Best Character Formulas!  I’ll see you all later for part 2 (Hindered Heroes)!

Click here to read Part 2

Special Thanks

I feel that it is time to give a special thanks and shout-out to a few out there who have helped me with Stuffer Shack.  In one form or another,

– have donated either time, posts, advice, encouragement, or graphics (thanks for letting me steal the header, Greywulf).  You all Rock!

I don’t spend much time on the net, but the time I have spent has shown me that gamers are a cool, close bunch.  I’ve made some friends and look forward to making more.

At this point, I’m very pleased with the site and really look forward to its growth. I don’t know yet if we’ll have a “Member Galleries” section; we’ll just have to see.

One last thing – if any of you five want something from the Store, let me know and I’ll send it your way!

Thanks again everyone.

Wolf’s Run – Steal this Encounter

Wolf’s Run actually involves a Skills Challenge and a Combat Encounter.

As the PCs are traveling across the land to another town, they start to notice wolves in and about the surrounding uninhabited hills.  Any Nature-oriented character will easily be able to discern that the PCs have entered wolf territory, and that the wolves are just keeping an eye on them.  They will later notice an animal trap that has not been set off yet.  Also, any skill checks made to control horses take a -2 penalty for the rest of the day, due to the presence the wolves in the area.

As the day rolls on, thunder clouds charge through the area, indicating a forthcoming heavy rainfall.  As evening comes around, winds have picked up, lightning streaks the sky, thunder rolls the hills, and rain pounds the characters.

With one more day of traveling before reaching their destination, the heroes hear sheep through the twilight thunder.  Following the sound, they come upon a secluded, small ranch.  A man, his wife, and their two children are attempting to herd the sheep into their barn, but are having difficulty due to the weather and darkness.  Two sheep wander over to the player characters.

Regardless of whether the heroes offer to help them, they are offered a night’s rest (if the PCs haven’t asked already).  The heroes are invited to a late supper, and the youngest of the two children (a boy of 8), wants only to play with the PCs.  The family seems down-to-earth and friendly, and will ask any cleric or paladin to bless their ranch.

As it happens, the father explains that some wolves have been taking his sheep.  With no money, and no other way to trade goods for food, the father has had to resort to setting traps for the wolves.  He’s managed to kill a few of them, but they just keep coming, getting more bold each time.  The alpha male is some sort of hugely, freakish wolf, the likes of which he has never seen before.

The next morning, as the players are packing their horses, the family bids them farewell and a safe journey.  After the kids say goodbye, they run around to play.  Just as the heroes mount their horses, a huge ruckus of sheep banter erupts from the barn, and the young girl can be heard screaming.  As the PCs get over there, they see a pack of wolves running into the trees, and a huge thunder wolf carrying off the little boy.  The little girl screams, “They just grabbed him and ran off!”

The chase includes movement through very thick vegetation, bushes, trees, tree trunks, ravines, and creeks.  Visibility is very poor, many times losing site of the wolves, and the ground is very wet from the previous storm.  The difficulty numbers for the chase are difficult.

Giving chase on horseback provides a +4 bonus to all of the character’s skill checks for the skill challenge.  However, if they don’t have the Mounted Combat feat, they must use their horse’s skills (most likely a flat horse ability check, with the +4 bonus), or they can just run on foot, using their normal PC skills.  Each player must make three checks, and each is responsible for their own failures (there’s no group failure).

When all rolls are completed, all characters lose site of the wolves as they crash through yet another wall of vegetation.  Unfortunately, everyone (horses included) falls down into a steep, slippery sinkhole (it wasn’t visible from up top, and no – there are no saves to keep from falling in).  As the characters and horses fall in, they lose one healing surge for every failure they accrued from the chase (remember, each character is responsible for their own failures).

In the sinkhole, the wolves are just getting up from their own fall, and getting their bearings.  Some have tried to get out of the sinkhole, but slide down every time.  As the characters stand up, the wolves realize a fight is brewing, and turn to face the characters.  The horses are screaming something fierce, and then the huge thunder wolf spits out the injured child.

Fight on. Much of the sinkhole is difficult terrain due to puddles, mud, and downed trees.  Climbing out of the sinkhole is difficult, and the wolves are forced to fight to the death.

The Twist: The thunder wolf is angry that the rancher has been keeping ‘his sheep’ from him and his pack.  He’s even angrier that traps were set for the wolves (killing a few of them).  The snatching of the child was retribution for the traps.  The pack wolves just go with the flow because, you know, he’s a freakin’ thunder wolf.

Should the characters survive (and they should), they have made friends of the family for sure.  Keep them nearby, so they may be used again in the future.

Oh yeah. Have fun getting the horses out of the sinkhole.

Rescuing Racel – Steal this Adventure

To my dear brother Damod,

It is with grave urgency that I write this letter to you.

I hope you are well and remember me fondly, despite my detachment in recent times. As you know, my marriage to the ambitious Merkon was one of convenience and although he is not a man of poor looks, it was not love or admiration that brought us together, but the politics of two scheming families. Alas, I wish it were not so, for I am trapped in his tower now, imprisoned in my own home and I dare not speak out against my husband.

Lest you think I could act to save myself, allow me to explain the dire circumstance I find myself in. For the past three full moons, my husband has howled at the moon wearing a frightening shape and torn into livestock on the surrounding lands. He thinks I have not seen him, yet we live in the High Tower and I am stuck at the top most room which affords me a terrific view of the surrounding woods. Even his servants, the misshapen deformed and stinking green-skinned rejects (that I strongly suspect no one in their right mind would ever take on as staff) fear him. There is no assistance to be found here, not from one of them, for they are loyal, these disfigured slaves. Not even cousin Carmon can help me – for a month ago he tried to pay me visit, but my husband had has his weird servants bar his way with drawn weapons, and he was forced to turn aside. I am locked in this small room until I “learn obedience” and call this mad man of a husband “Master.”

I implore you to get me out of here, but do not come alone. Bring with you bodyguards in case his servants get nasty. Do not underestimate this possibility. I fear my husband greatly and you should too, but with help I hope you can rescue me.

I pray my pigeon finds his old home again and this message reaches you before the full moon, or… I dare not say what might happen to me.

Your sister,
Racel

Anchor, the Aquatic Warforged – Steal this NPC

The sea is full of wonders; any bard worth his salt knows that. Not that “Anchor,” as he is called, spends enough time on the shore to listen to any bards. As a hunched warforged covered in barnacles and rocky coral, any trip onto the mainland is driven only by the purest necessity.

Once the war had reached it’s ultimate conclusion, warforged dispersed into the world to find niches for themselves. Many turned to lives of adventurers or mercenaries, seeking to continue sharpening their sculpted talent for bloodshed. What else was a sentient construct good for?

Anchor despised the chaos of the war; he couldn’t fathom how one creation could seek to end another. He blames the ‘bloated’ races for inventing murder and destruction, as well as the death of each sentient creature he personally witnessed at the hands of his brethren.

As soon as his captain fell to an opportunely placed spell, Anchor renounced his rank and designation. He wandered the world for years, facing hatred and misunderstanding wherever he turned, until he came upon the sea. Here was a place free from the corrupting influence of dwarves, elves, and humans. A new home where they could not follow.

Ever since, Anchor has wandered the sea floor, enjoying the deep twilight of midday in complete solitude. Now and again he happens upon some reminder of the surface world, usually some exotic stash of treasure or the odd shipwreck. Months will pass as Anchor dutifully drags these pollutants back onto the nearest shores, piece by piece. His handiwork can be seen wherever plunders of the deep ‘mysteriously’ wash back to civilization.

Plot Ideas:

(1) Anchor recently handled an item of immense value to the party, whether by plot or literal worth, but deposited on some forgotten shore within the area. They must convince him to reveal the location of their quarry, or attempt to follow him to his favorite seafloor junkyards.

(2) The party must contact an underwater civilization, but do not have enough personal magic or wealth to sustain a long visit. Rumors of Anchor, the aquatic warforged, surface; perhaps they can enlist his aid?

(3) In a twist of fate not entirely lost upon him, Anchor attempts to enlist the party to help in his sea-cleansing efforts. He has found something beneath the waves that he alone cannot remove, but refuses to detail what it is until the party agrees to his terms. Is it a grand ship, sunken by greedy pirates? Or dumped cargo best left untouched?

The Red Knight – Steal this Background

As the heir to the Boanerges family fortune, James had it all – the mansions, the cars, the wealth – basically the playboy lifestyle. Though, when the Syndicate moved in, his life came crashing down. For reasons he still does not understand, they crushed his business interests through extortion, hostile take-overs, and direct attacks until all that remained was a small R&D tech firm on a remote hill.

It was there that James finally decided to take a stand. With the help of the remaining staff, he created a red power suit and an artificially intelligent, indestructible blade to go with it.  What he needs now is help from some heroes, and practical experience. This is going to take awhile……

Things to find out: Why are the Syndicate so determined to destroy the  Boanerges family name and all they own? Is there a link between them and some other superheroes? And does his newly created, AI sword know more than it is letting on?

By the way: My Iron Man is better than your Iron Man because my Iron Man’s got a sword. So take that.

For Mutants & Masterminds, the sword has been added as a Sidekick, instead of a Device.  This makes it completely autonomous.  Simply build it with INT 30, no STR, DEX or CON.  Add a Strike Power, Usable by Others, and you’re finished.