3. New(ish) Player w/Some Questions

New(ish) Player w/Some Questions

  • L

    So, I'm a new (sorta returning) player who happens to know Maverick_tO (Pete Rione, Caelisar, etc.), AubreyMaturin (Romulus), and Gatlord (Gnarl) from RL.

    Some might also recognize my login from other servers (was an admin/DM/player on Myth Drannor and a player on EfU and EfUA until around 3 years ago).

    With that background out of the way, um, hi!

    I've been chatting with Maverick & AubreyMaturin about Narfell for a few months and, now that I have time again (no longer working 80 hours a week), I find myself inescapably drawn to dabbling in the NWN persistent world scene again to get my RP fix. We'll see how long that lasts, but I'm in for as long as the desire lasts.

    Since I've been building a character concept with at least some level of inspiration to being 'related to' characters I've played elsewhere and I generally consider it pretty important to adapt any character concept to the server lore & rules on the server I'm playing, I'd like to know if anyone can help me with the following before I finalize my new PC's backstory and start running with it:

    1. What year is it currently in the FR roll of years?
    (Do you even keep track? Maverick mentioned it might be the 1500s DR already? That certainly changes some stuff if so….)

    2. How closely do you really care or keep track of time?

    2. Any differences in history to FR canon I should be aware of when writing backstories?
    (So, if it's really the 1500's DR, has technology and the outside world really progressed 150-200 years since 3E canon or is the world actually somewhat static? Any guides on creating background stories for RP would be useful here)

    4. Any other boundaries on writing backstories for characters I should be aware of?
    (Didn't spot any stated rules in the forum section on this)

    5. What approvals, if any, are necessary before RPing background features on a character?

    And that should pretty much cover it.

    Thanks for any help anyone is capable of providing on this. It's very much appreciated.

    Cheers.

  • L

    Good thoughts. Alas, I already posted the backstories and I'm already in-game with them. 🙂

  • S

    Welcome.

    Regarding backstories, have a look at the forums for the different towns. You will find posts containing information on local groups, guilds, and characters, as well as laws and government.

    You may wish to work this information into your backstory. If so, contact a local DM with your idea. For example, you could ask to play a new character from a local noble family, or a local guild, etc.

    To use a very specific current example (merely to illustrate what I mean), a group of mercenaries recently arrived in Peltarch by ship. You could ask to play someone who arrived on the ship - a mercenary, or just another passenger, or a sailor or even a stowaway. This gives your character an easy hook that explains why he's in Narfell, and maybe gives you a reason to get involved in current server-wide plots. Other players may even seek you out to see what you can tell them about the ship and its other passengers, or a DM might have you help further the plot in different ways. Don't be afraid to get creative - as long as you use common sense and don't seek to make your character the centre of the world all the time, people will want to hear your story.


  • @4ebb1ed268=MexicanCookie:

    I recommend humble beginnings for your characters. It's tough to play a low level character who can get splattered by goblins when you claim to be a an epic warrior.

    Could be worse.. could BE an epic hero and getting splattered by goblins 😉

  • L

    Alrighty, got the bios for 2 of my PC's up now. I've attempted to write backstories that can explain the transition from childhood to adulthood and the experiences that lead to the acquisition of level 2, but leave the characters relatively humble as befits their level. Bios are now up in that forum.

    Thanks for the help, all.

  • G

    @ff55843b2c=Lorloth:

    It makes RP vastly easier when you know where your character grew up, who his parents were, the events that shaped his life as a young man, etc.

    :lol: :lol: :lol: I remember not preparing any of these with María and getting asked IG about all this… and making it up on the fly... funny enough.. the story I made ended being interesting enough for a DM to pick it up and make a plot out of it for me.

  • L

    No intention of being or even becoming an epic warrior… merely a man with at least SOME story when he walks into a server rather than "ye generic fighter". It makes RP vastly easier when you know where your character grew up, who his parents were, the events that shaped his life as a young man, etc. Those events could well be epic, but it's better when the character himself ISN'T, I agree.

    In the end, the character still has to be at a point in their story where all of those life experiences still only prepare them to be a level 2 adventurer who could, yes, very well get splattered by goblins 2 steps out of the starting zone.

    Personally, I find it works best when a backstory is a story about how a character was affected and shaped by the events of his previous life (the movers and shakers of the story typically being forces far beyond the character's control) and the start of his adventuring career represents the faint beginnings of the character's ability to start to chart his own destiny - however glorious or ignominious that may turn out to be.

    So, in short, no worries.


  • Epic fail.

  • M
    Legion

    I recommend humble beginnings for your characters. It's tough to play a low level character who can get splattered by goblins when you claim to be a an epic warrior.

  • L

    Awesome.

    Thanks, all.


  • 1. What year is it currently in the FR roll of years?
    I don't know.
    2. How closely do you really care or keep track of time?
    Not much. There's a few plotlines that are reported to have generations spanning between them, but there are 20-something year old humans around who participated in both. I have a paladin whom I say spent a few decades frozen in stone.
    2. Any differences in history to FR canon I should be aware of when writing backstories?
    Ignore 4E stuff. Take anything you read on a wiki with a grain of salt. Take anything you read in a novel with two and consider the source. Helm and Tyr are still bros.
    4. Any other boundaries on writing backstories for characters I should be aware of?
    Not many. Just avoid writing about someone else unless they give you permission, or editorializing someone elses character. But that's more a question of manners than a rule.
    5. What approvals, if any, are necessary before RPing background features on a character?
    Anything that involves being a special race, like Drow, Tiefling, Half-Celestial, Quarter-Dragon, etc. takes a C-Token as well as express approval from the DM team. And are likely to have vast IC repercussions (quite a few PCs/NPCs would kill a number of those on sight).


  • Hello to you.

    1. What year is it currently in the FR roll of years?
    Two answers:
    (a) ~1538 - The Year of the Stalking Tiger
    http://www.narfell.us/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18422&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
    (b) In terms of canon realms events we play 3.0 which is 1372 I think. No Spellplague etc.

    2. How closely do you really care or keep track of time?
    Not closely. An in game hour is four minutes real life. So while nominally 1:15 it's common to say tenday for rl day, month for week, year for month, etc.

    3. Any differences in history to FR canon I should be aware of when writing backstories?
    It's safe to assume 1372 canon. DMs may of course bring things into Narfell which happened after that. For example we've had a Shadovar plot (they only returned to the prime in 1372).

    4. Any other boundaries on writing backstories for characters I should be aware of?
    There are some. To be part of a canon group eg PDK's, Cormyrean War Wizards, Zhentarim, counts as a special character background. Anyone who wishes to make a PC with a special background is asked to submit the request to a DM along with their reasons and not to start the PC until they've receieved a definite yes/no answer. Same goes for special races.

    5. What approvals, if any, are necessary before RPing background features on a character? Pretty much see part 4 above. Anything 'special' needs DM team approval.


  • Ooh, I jump een it. Gimme a moment to find the right pages…

    Edit: Shakes a fist at Froo