For me, it's the latter. I'm a writer, I see this as an acting exercise where we create and portray versions of our characters and have them interact. As such, I follow one basic rule of writing: Each story has it's own internal logic, and must run off that logic. It's working with that logic and the rules of the world that make things interesting for me. If a venue doesn't inspire me, if I don't have anything that grabs me and makes me want to play, then I won't. Much to the consternation of my friends and fellow gamers.
So when I make a character, I try to think about certain things. Who, What, How, Where and Why? We know this system. Who are they, What are they in the Venue (their Role?), How do they go about doing it in the system provided, Where in the venue are they located, Why do they do it (their Motivation). I then throw in, what is their Flaw? This may not be a mechanical problem, but it is clearly a problem that can lead to ramifications. Ultimately, the last question is this: What the hell is their story?
Also, it should be noted, I come from the school that these characters have aspects of mine. Drips and drabs of my life mixed into this character. Nothing major, just their Concepts. Something to work off of at their base.
Also to note on terminology. I list characters under three headings, these are based off of the World of Darkness break down of Skills and Attributes. They rank as
Intelligence: The Research, Investigation, Academics, Crafts, etc. Intelligence characters are the one who learn the rules of their venue, understand it, control it, and explore deeper. They deal more with the Environment of the game than anything else.
Physical: Fighting, Weaponry, Athletics. These are the go to guys for action. They affect the world through their actions. The most popular of these characters is the Hitter, the first line of action and fighting. They interact with both the Environment and other Players as necessary.
Social: Politics, Intimidation, Socializing, etc. These are the people who interact with others to ascertain and make deals on behalf of themselves or their agendas. They deal mostly with other Players.
These classes clearly mix and match, with one normally primary and another secondary.
So here it is, a look at the three Characters I play in the World of Darkness, including my notes on each character, there is some commentary on each venue, but I will do a more in depth review of each three major New World Venues in New York City later. Here goes, in order of Creation:
Vampire: The Requiem
-Character: Vincenzo Taglia; Clan: Mekhet of the Agoniste Bloodline; Member of the Ordo Dracul
-What: Taglia is a therapist, first and foremost. His job is to understand and help other Vampires.
-How: As a Mekhet, Taglia has access to Auspex. He's a Telepathy expert and is usually the first person asked to enter a particular person's mind.
-Where: Taglia is the one character I have that is hard to pin down a location. He has several offices, several are jointly held by other Kindred. He's effectively a Lord of Governor's Island, which he uses rarely.
-Why: Taglia's spent roughly a century in Torpor (vampire deep sleep, fyi) and as such, he's had some traumatically life altering dreams and images. He took up psychology to understand and assist others to help them.
-Role: Taglia is an Intelligence-Social character. His role is to Investigate Areas and People and to asses the situation. His abilities are used to explore both the environment and other players.
-Flaw: Taglia isn't suicidal, but if he had nothing better to do, Death wouldn't be a problem for him. This actually worked with his Bloodline. The Agonistes are prone to enter Torpor more so than others (because they effectively get rid of the problems of Memory and Ability loss through Torpor), Taglia just takes it one step further. A lot of his problems come from his Vice of Wrath: After a century of having nothing but his mind to contend with, he isn't his biggest fan.
- Story: Taglia started as a pure researcher character. Nothing really interesting and dragging. Then the VST at the time, Isaac, and I began to talk about who Taglia's sire was. It's preferred for players to have other player character Sire's. The idea is that if everyone rolled with unnamed progenitors, then we'd be dealing with an out of control vampire population. Taglia was Originally meant to be an Alucinor, a Mekhet who focused on Dreams. Isaac had come up with an alternative to that, a prestigious Character who had died the year before, but was old enough to have Sired Taglia two centuries ago. This character was Mirandia Blake, and the player was the awesome Jenn. By sheer dint of her agreeing, Taglia's dynamics changed sharply. He had gone from a Mekhet Dragon to a person with a past that included Family, conflicts and possible ties. Mirandia knew everyone, for good or ill.
This also set up an interesting Dynamic for him. Taglia was now a part of a heavily involved Invictus sire, and her Sire was also Invictus. By some accounts, Taglia was originally an Invictus by sheer Embrace. This has come in as the Invictus have a strong presence in the city, and it doesn't jive with what he was indoctrinated growing up. He never liked the Invictus, but he believed they stood for something. As time went on, Taglia was given Domain over Governor's Island, effectively making him a Lord in the eyes of the Invictus and then eventually the Priscus of his Clan. He's been ducking Power all of his Un-Life, and it seems to have found him. And as time goes on, he's realizing that 1) he's mimicking Mirandia in some way, 2) He's actually good with power, and 3) He likes having power.
Notes: Taglia was my first PC in the Cam, and as such is the one I have the most investment in. He has the most inconsistencies in his sheet, as the plan has changed for him. He was my learning curve in the club and in gaming in general. If not for him, wouldn't have gotten to meet and interact with most of the players in the club I consider friends, colleagues and idols.
Taglia represents my profession of being a counselor and therapist, and I've used PC sessions as mock sessions. It also explores my conflict with taking initiative and not relying on the judgment of others as much to make my decisions.
Mage: The Awakening
Who: Rhys (birth name is Sean Jacob Evans) Acanthus Path, No Magical Order Affiliation, Member of the House of Ariadne Legacy
What: Rhys is, first and foremost, a New Yorker. He has skills as a philosopher, cafe owner and Tarot Card reader, but he is a product of New York and his powers very much reflect that.
How: Rhys' main power comes from his Legacy, The House of Ariadne. Rhys is able to attune himself to a City, and from there he is able to learn it's past and also to ask the City questions. He knows his City well from personal and magical experience. He essentially has a symbiotic relationship with New York, and if asked, he's more in touch with the City than other Mages. He's also been bonded to Atlantic City, but New York is his heart and Soul.
Where: Rhys lives in and runs a Cafe in the West Village. The Tarot Cafe'. He manages the cafe' silently in the back, while everyone thinks that he is just a tarot card reading busker the managers have allowed to stay.
Why: Rhys doesn't know where he fits in. He was a philosophy grad student when he became a Mage. He took to it easier than others, but he never fit in afterwards. His connection to the City gives him something to work for and with, but does give him a more isolated feel.
Role: Also an Intelligence-Social character. Rhys' main abilities as an Acanthus and in his Legacy help him in exploring and investigating. He sucks as a combatant, and tends to play smarter than harder. He'll often buff the hitters with Fate magic and de-buff enemies with Time and Fate. He also serves as a voice of conscience.
Flaw: Rhys' main problem is that he's stubborn and doesn't like unreasonable authority. He frankly could take or leave the Consillium at a moments notice. He's not a loaner, but his trust and faith in others are supremely lacking.
Story: Rhys' story really benefited from my predecessor, Matt. As VST, Matt gave my character pokes and prods to make decisions. Rhys was originally going to be forcefully Awakening people to becoming Mages. The story he did steered him clear of that. He also gave my character something that I don't have in other venues: An enemy. Through the Mage Clockwise, Rhys was able to show both his arrogance, distrusting nature but also his clear judgement of "this is wrong". The granting of his Legacy by Liz (played by the awesome Ericka) was what cemented him. Rhys has a purpose, and he (and I) see him as the soul and will of New York City. For all of his powers, he might be.
Rhys is the part of me that loves New York as well as the moral core. He's the New Yorker/Bronx in me that could would shoot himself in the shoulder to prevent a possessed gun from hurting others. Rhys is by far my most favorite PC, and the one I'll miss the most. I'm in fact doing my annual National Novel Writer's Month novel on him, as he's effectively taken out of the main action as I'm the Mage Storyteller.
Changeling the Lost
Who: Declan Loch (not his real name) Wizened Author of the Spring Court, Lord of Eternal Echoes
What: Declan is an Author, a recorder of Changeling society. As an Eternal Echo, he has perfect memory, and is essentially the living record of what goes on around him.
Where: Declan lives in Reverie, a beer-house/cafe' area in the Village owned and run by the Spring Court. He serves as a waiter there during the Day, what better job for a person with perfect memory?
Role: Declan is a Social-Intelligence character. His main job is to sit and record the goings on of the City. Just by being present, everything is remembered. He's definitely more grounded than the rest of the Changeling's in New York, probably a sign of remembering so clearly the triumphs and tragedies as others. He's more humble, and by extension is burdened with Common Sense. Something that can be lacking to the Lost.
Flaw: You'll notice I didn't add a Why to this one. That's because he doesn't have one. Declan doesn't have a past as such, his Fae Keeper has his story (or History) in her possession. He doesn't have a motivation other than his job. This has left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, and a more tragic air. He's watched enough train wrecks.
Declan is my least favorite character. I had written him too late into the Chronicle, and there really is no sense of growth to him. I often bemoan how his function has become "Just sit here and watch" There's no real growth to him and it makes the scene feel like a drag. He's a utility, nothing much else. He does represent the sense I have some times that I am to bear witness to events and not effect them and the bitterness that comes from them.
As you can see, I tend to favor Intelligence based characters. I like to explore my surroundings as a player, I like to know the world I'm in and I'm dealing with. This is a part of what draws me to games, the World that makes it up. I've stuck to them because I was always comfortable with them. Next Chronicle, when all our characters are retired and we make new ones, I plan to make roles out side of my comfort zone. More on that as time goes on.
Later
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