Hey guys,..as I am nearly at the end of re-creating the Character Creation Chapter for the Basic Compendium, basing all my changes on the responses and suggestions taken from the various different groups that have started up,...I wanted to get some last minute input from everyone, specifically concerning the desires expressed by Joe Fontenot's group about possessions and other starting items for newly created characters.
The last section of Step# 14 (the final step in Character Creation) has this to say about filling out the sheet with starting items and possessions:
Since writing that, I have created a separate Dárdünah Item List (see Downloads) that I encourage players to use to keep track of their stuff.. And I’m also considering a simple way to give all players a small amount of “starting” dalán (money) of their very own (by multiplying their Caste Advantage value by their Wit value). But obviously there might be a more concise way to suggest what beginning possessions newly-created characters might have at the start of a game, without resorting to a multi-page listing of items for every single one of the 120 professions that can be chosen from. I mean,..PLEASE tell me that I don't have to create a detailed starting item list for EACH Character Archetype!
Is there a way that you guys could suggest I handle this issue without it becoming overly complicated? I suppose I could create a shorter list of associated items for each Skill, which means your starting item list would be different depending on what Skills your character possesses,..but there’s even more Skills than there are professions!
Here's the things to consider:
This level of complexity was something that caused me to initially leave it up to the GM and to each player to be inventive, creative, and studiously imaginative enough to come up with their own cool lists of potential starting items (meaning that doing a bit of research concerning the ancient or old-world ways of pursuing those professions should give any player the inspiration they need to create their own item list, subject to GM approval, of course). But I also want to provide, for the players and GMs, at least SOME indication of the types of things their players may have....
Any suggestions?
The last section of Step# 14 (the final step in Character Creation) has this to say about filling out the sheet with starting items and possessions:
"And finally, on another sheet of paper perhaps, or in an unused section of your character sheet, you should start to list the things that your character may own. The items, equipment, and tools-of-the-trade they may have at their disposal. Where does your character reside? And what items mean the most to them? Do they own property? Do they have wealth? Are there servants that care for their needs? Or do they, themselves, see to the things they must buy, keep, and care for?"
Since writing that, I have created a separate Dárdünah Item List (see Downloads) that I encourage players to use to keep track of their stuff.. And I’m also considering a simple way to give all players a small amount of “starting” dalán (money) of their very own (by multiplying their Caste Advantage value by their Wit value). But obviously there might be a more concise way to suggest what beginning possessions newly-created characters might have at the start of a game, without resorting to a multi-page listing of items for every single one of the 120 professions that can be chosen from. I mean,..PLEASE tell me that I don't have to create a detailed starting item list for EACH Character Archetype!
Is there a way that you guys could suggest I handle this issue without it becoming overly complicated? I suppose I could create a shorter list of associated items for each Skill, which means your starting item list would be different depending on what Skills your character possesses,..but there’s even more Skills than there are professions!
Here's the things to consider:
- There will be different possessions depending on what profession(s) you are..
- Though there are professional similarities between one Caste and the next, being a different Caste means having differences between the quantity and perhaps value of the same resources. For instance, a suthra trainer in a peasant village would certainly have different starting items than a suthra trainer in the House of a noble lord....
- The same profession in one country (such as in a tropical rainforest) , might have different starting items compared to that of another country (covered by mainly desert, for instance)......
This level of complexity was something that caused me to initially leave it up to the GM and to each player to be inventive, creative, and studiously imaginative enough to come up with their own cool lists of potential starting items (meaning that doing a bit of research concerning the ancient or old-world ways of pursuing those professions should give any player the inspiration they need to create their own item list, subject to GM approval, of course). But I also want to provide, for the players and GMs, at least SOME indication of the types of things their players may have....
Any suggestions?