polemos:campaigns:drakonheart:primer

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polemos:campaigns:drakonheart:primer [2020/09/30 23:48] – Blake Andertonpolemos:campaigns:drakonheart:primer [2024/09/10 23:17] (current) – [Fatal Flaw] Blake Anderton
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 Regardless of motivation and methods, the battles with the dragons will be the background for personal growth and a redemption arc for the dragonslayers. Thus, each character should have a fatal flaw, or otherwise some reason for a redemption arc in the first place. How willing and open the character is to redemption will be up to you, and the story does not depend on the characters overcoming their flaws by the end, only that they try to improve at some point or another. The story explicitly does not support sliding into complete villainy. Regardless of motivation and methods, the battles with the dragons will be the background for personal growth and a redemption arc for the dragonslayers. Thus, each character should have a fatal flaw, or otherwise some reason for a redemption arc in the first place. How willing and open the character is to redemption will be up to you, and the story does not depend on the characters overcoming their flaws by the end, only that they try to improve at some point or another. The story explicitly does not support sliding into complete villainy.
  
-Prior to the story Nedafulasi, King of Qhashdea, has amassed control of several dragons and their armies of dragoons through some mysterious power. Since then he has quickly conquered a vast amount of territory - some believe he may be the one to finally restore the long shattered Romalian Empire, but many of the major warlords still oppose his rule. In Nedafulasi's homeland, the colonies of Dythos, some fear he will make himself into a god-king, and even bring about a new Great War if he continues to use magic to command dragons for personal gain. Though often rebellious towards the mainland in Agothos, the colonies have sought protection from the republic, a call that has been accepted but slow to materialize. Others in Dythos believe that due to Nedafulasi's lineage that he is the reincarnation of Arthenia, and that he can bring about a golden age by uniting Agothos and Romalia into an empire larger than the world has ever known.+Prior to the story Nedafulasi, King of Qhashdea, has amassed control of several dragons and their armies of dragoons through some mysterious power. Since then he has quickly conquered a vast amount of territory - some believe he may be the one to finally restore the long shattered Romalian Empire, but many of the major warlords still oppose his rule. In Nedafulasi's homeland, the colonies of Dythos, some fear he will make himself into a god-king, and even bring about a new Great War if he continues to use magic to command dragons for personal gain. Though often rebellious towards the mainland in Agothos, the colonies have sought protection from the republic, a call that has been accepted in principle but slow to materialize. Others in Dythos believe he is the reincarnation of Arthenia, and that he can bring about a golden age by uniting Agothos and Romalia into an empire larger than the world has ever known.
  
-About a month ago, news spread that King Nedafulasi's cherished daughter had been kidnapped, and that he blamed the oligarchs of Agothos. Rumors spread that Kriniapolis in Dythos had been attacked by a dragon army, and that at least one more was dispatched to the mainland.+About three months ago, news reached the shores of Polus that King Nedafulasi's cherished daughter Helena had been kidnapped, and that he accused the oligarchs of Agothos of the act. Word has spread that cities in Dythos have been attacked by dragon armies, and that at least one army was dispatched across the sea. Rumors of this fleet multiply, with reports of black ships somehow seen heading toward every port and river.
  
-FIXME Practical character hook to location.+You find yourself in one of these port cities, [[polemos:4th_age:locations:euthophor|Euthophor]]. 
 +How you came to the city is up to you. 
 + 
 +Though it is a major port for [[polemos:4th_age:factions:republic_of_physia|Physia]], it is well south of the danger posed by the dragon fleet, who are far likelier to attack [[polemos:4th_age:locations:kalolimethos|Kalolimethos]] on their way to punish the Senate at [[polemos:4th_age:locations:agolos_city|Agolos City]]. 
 +Still, dragon panic seizes the populous of Euthophor. 
 +To soothe the riotous fishermen raving about dark sails on horizon, Basil Menalosik, Kentarch of the town militia, has conscripted every able hand to defend the city from the phantoms dragons sighted in every dark alley, and to keep order until the fear passes. 
 +Whether by choice or force, you have been caught up in Basil's recruitment drive and have joined the Euthophor militia.
  
 ===== Character Guide ===== ===== Character Guide =====
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 ==== Fatal Flaw ==== ==== Fatal Flaw ====
-Each player character will have a //fatal flaw// that replaces or enhances a [corruption] affliction the character would normally have.+Each player character will have a //fatal flaw// that replaces or enhances a [character flaw] affliction the character would normally have.
 The fatal flaw is a vice, personality fault, dark past, or some other flaw that defines the character and would normally prevent them from going on a traditional hero's story arc. The fatal flaw is a vice, personality fault, dark past, or some other flaw that defines the character and would normally prevent them from going on a traditional hero's story arc.
 Work with the GM closely on this flaw as it will be incorporated into the narrative. Work with the GM closely on this flaw as it will be incorporated into the narrative.
 +Mechanically, add a [fatal flaw] tag to the [character flaw] affliction of your choice.
  
-Use the following series of questions to flesh our your character's fatal flaw:+Use the following questions to flesh our your character's fatal flaw:
  
   * How does the fatal flaw manifest in the character's life?   * How does the fatal flaw manifest in the character's life?
-  * How do people normally discover the character has this flaw? +  * How do people normally discover the character has this flaw - How do people usually react? 
-  * What has been the hardest moment or most desperate time in the character's life, and how did the fatal flaw contribute or worsen the situation? +  * What prevents the character from overcoming the flaw? In general the more impossible the flaw is to resist, the better impact it'll have on the story. 
-  * How does the fatal flaw prevent the character from achieving what they want? +  * Optional: What rationalization(s) would the character use, if any, if someone were to criticize him/her about it. 
-  * What prevents the character from overcoming the flaw?+  * Optional: Does the fatal flaw have a source or root cause? 
 +  * Optional: What has been the hardest moment or most desperate time in the character's life, and how did the fatal flaw contribute to or worsen the situation? 
 +  * Optional: Does the fatal flaw prevent the character from achieving things, or has it helped them achieve success but somehow had a terrible price in exchange?
   * **Important:** Who has the fatal flaw hurt? How has it helped shape their past?   * **Important:** Who has the fatal flaw hurt? How has it helped shape their past?
-  * Optional: Does the fatal flaw have a source or root cause? 
  
 Your character's fatal flaw should, however, avoid the following: Your character's fatal flaw should, however, avoid the following:
  
   * Avoid true psychopathy/sociopathy, or other extreme flaws that would completely prevent the character from functioning in a group-oriented role-playing game. Put another way, avoid flaws that will force the party to abandon you.   * Avoid true psychopathy/sociopathy, or other extreme flaws that would completely prevent the character from functioning in a group-oriented role-playing game. Put another way, avoid flaws that will force the party to abandon you.
-  * Try to keep any depictions of the fatal flaw to the equivalent of about an R-rating. Your character could have done horrible things, but the group won't need lurid or traumatizing details. +  * Try to keep any depictions of the fatal flaw to the equivalent of about an R-rating. Your character could have done truly evil things, but the group won't need lurid or traumatizing details. 
-  * Avoid flaws that are born solely out of ignorance or prejudice. It should be a flaw that your character struggles with even after they are better educated or shown the truth of a subject. +  * Avoid flaws that are born solely out of ignorance or prejudice. It shouldn't be a flaw that someone can simply talk your character out of. In other words, it should be harder to overcome the flaw than being told "don't be bad guy." 
-  * Avoid flaws that aren't obvious without secret knowledge. For example, a character might have negligently allowed a sibling to drown in childhood, but without some manifestation like a fear of rivers it's pretty hard for their flaw to have any impact on anything. So "fratricide" is possible for a fatal flaw, but needs to be deeper than simply not wanting a past mistake to be uncovered. +  * Avoid flaws that have no effect without secret knowledge. For example, a character might have negligently allowed a sibling to drown in childhood, but without some manifestation like a fear of rivers it's pretty hard for their flaw to have any impact on anything. So "fratricide" is workable as a fatal flaw, but needs to be deeper than simply not wanting a past mistake to be uncovered. 
- +  * Your character should have at least a little culpability in the flaw, even if it's just because they don't control it. For example, having a character forcefully addicted to a substance from birth that has life-threatening withdrawal symptoms isn't much of a flaw (at least on the character's part). Adding some active aspect to the dysfunction, for example the character enjoying sharing the substance to trap people in the same addiction, would be needed.   
 +  * Avoid a flaw you find difficult to conceptualize, uninteresting, or embarrassed to discuss with the group. The flaw will likely come up regularly and shouldn't be something you dread having to deal with. 
 +  * The severity of the flaw should define the dark aspects of the character, but not overwhelm the whole character concept. Usually this is a matter of degree and balance. For example, a berserker that loves killing for sport is fine, but a character who literally spends every waking minute doing unrepentant murders would probably be too simplistic to fit in the story.
  • polemos/campaigns/drakonheart/primer.1601509720.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2020/09/30 23:48
  • by Blake Anderton