Post by Wids on Mar 22, 2012 16:10:48 GMT -5
So the typical hack-and-slash adventurer's mindset in regard to loot is that if you can't use it, you sell it. And if you can't sell it, you trash it. The server has plenty of "junk" items which are useless in all ways except that they can be sold or turned in as quest items, they add a dash of flavor to the server simply by existing, or both. Bundles of silk and large amounts of dung, I'm looking at you.
But there are hack-and-slashers, and there are roleplayers. And sometimes, a roleplayer's character will stumble across a designated shop food item or some other item that's either redundant to the character or useless--or even detrimental--to the character's needs. But curiously enough, rather than sell the item or dump it into the nearest trash can, the character will keep the junk item simply because it fits the character so darned well. In light of that practice, what's in your character's backpack can help define your character as much as anything your character says or does. And that includes the items which can't be used, can't be equipped or otherwise serve no adventuring-related functions whatsoever.
Like this stuff, for example:
Serrica Thallys
• A copy of "Waterdeep: Age 0, Tuabemoots and Pioneers". (Despite being an avid seafarer, Serrica still identifies herself as a Waterdhavian and she still gets homesick sometimes. She was born there, but her father passed through again and took her away. Then her father died, and she came back and got adopted--and indoctrinated--into her Church. Then her Church kicked her out of Waterdeep years later, and now she can't go back. So books about Waterdeep help her rekindle some of the few fond memories in her less-than-pleasant life. Plus, it's a rare book (worth about 150 Gold to a merchant), and she likes to read in her spare time.)
• A Rolled Up Waterproof Scroll. (Hard evidence of the hags' manipulation of the merrow and their plot against Uarhold. Could be useful in more than one of Serrica's plots and schemes, including her plans to give her goddess and her religion places of power in both towns.)
• A variety of valuable gems: corals, water opals, flawless alexandrites, flawless pearls, black pearls of all qualities...no gems worth less than 40 Gold, lest her goddess consider the offering an insult. (Offerings to her goddess, of course; at least one gem is cast into the surf everytime Serrica kneels in the surf and prays. So if you're walking along the Safe Beach or Umberlee's Shoal and you see a gemstone in the water, leave it alone. Umberlee is watching you. >:[ )
• A bottle of the Blood of Sssrexiss. (Kept for some unknown future anointing or empowerment, be it an altar, a second shrine, a magic weapon, whatever. It was drained and harvested from a very powerful creature, so it's surely potent enough for the purpose of some ritual or another. Don't ask how Serrica has kept it preserved for almost half a year now.)
• Some Firewood, at present and whenever she can find it. (Because somebody has to be feeding and rekindling the campfire on the Safe Beach. She uses it, she squats by it, so she can rekindle it.)
Brigga Dvergsen
• A variety of beers, wines and whiskeys, and often several bottles of each. (Because what kind of sociable, self-respecting dwarf doesn't like booze? Any time is a good time for ale time!)
N'hala ku Luhaya
• A Romance Novel. (N'hala had to cobble together a new spellbook during her escape from Thay, and her spellbook from her formal studies in Mezro and Thay got left behind. So her current spellbook is less formal, less formulaic and more freeform. Jotted in between her spell formulas are various Chultan short stories, faerie tales, poems and parables passed down through her tribe's oral traditions. She has to hold some kind of book when studying and preparing spells, and the Children's Book just didn't seem as fitting as the Romance Novel did. Maybe N'hala's tribal stories are bawdier and saucier than most.)
Neela Carnanda
• A Sweet Smelling Tulip. (Neela's an elegant kind of devout Joybringer and performing artist. So carrying an attractive flower in hand can lend her that extra dash of flair when needed, and tossing it into a throng of admirers is always good for an unimpeded exit. But Neela, like many other Cormyrians, has also faced the world's griefs, torments and other thieves of joy, and she does have the potential to turn Scarlet Mummer as soon as she hears Lliira's voice and gets the goddess' blessing. Come that day, I'll have to find some red roses to replace or supplement the yellow tulips....)
• A Crystal Ball of Divination. (In Neela's hands, it's a juggling ball! A very fancy, magically charged, translucent, yellow, crystalline juggling ball. And the more crystal balls or orbs she finds, the more balls she'll have for her juggling act. She can toss in a (dual-wielded) dagger to add a little pizazz and a little danger to the act as well.)
• A deck of Fancy Playing Cards. (Neela does card tricks too. Just because Neela can dance, sing and play piano for society's more refined tastes doesn't mean that she can't juggle and do card tricks for the cultural Philistines. The services of spreading joy and banishing misery throughout the world demand many tools and many approaches to the many walks of life. See how many you can serve, Neela!)
• A white Fan. (...which looks more or less like a hand of playing cards. Used in conjunction with the Fancy Playing Cards.)
• Multiple Spider Silk Websinger Outfits. (Why have several of these outfits when they all do the same thing and grant the same Perform bonus? Because in Neela's line of work, style and appearance matter. One is Neela's slinky and sexy pianist/soprano outfit, one is her colorful yet vaguely stately showman outfit and the third will be her chaotically colored clown/jester outfit. They're different costumes for different arts.)
Starkad Ambercrag
• A bottle of Sembian Whiskey. (For cleansing and purifying wounds, not for drinking. Though a paladin and a fledgeling knight, Starkad's foremost focus is on attending the wounded and the afflicted. As more than one of Ilmater's own understand, sometimes a little more pain leads to a lot more healing and swifter relief from that pain.)
• A couple of Leather Strings. (For repairing his horse's tack and bridle on the field. (He doesn't actually ride his horse, mind you; the horse is more valuable as a battle companion and a roleplaying aid.))
All of my characters
• Extra outfits and changes of clothes. (As with Neela and her Websinger costumes, the idea of multiple appearances for multiple purposes applies to everyone. Serrica has her prayer robe and her commoner garb, Bai Shan has a Tabotan formal gown and a few different styles of "kung fu pants," Starkad has his formal nobleman suit and his prayer robe, Maddy has various anarchic costumes for various mood swings and derangements, and so on. They can't wear the same garb all the time. Besides, you don't really expect my characters to go around naked on Laundry Day, do you?)
So...what's in your character's backpack?
But there are hack-and-slashers, and there are roleplayers. And sometimes, a roleplayer's character will stumble across a designated shop food item or some other item that's either redundant to the character or useless--or even detrimental--to the character's needs. But curiously enough, rather than sell the item or dump it into the nearest trash can, the character will keep the junk item simply because it fits the character so darned well. In light of that practice, what's in your character's backpack can help define your character as much as anything your character says or does. And that includes the items which can't be used, can't be equipped or otherwise serve no adventuring-related functions whatsoever.
Like this stuff, for example:
Serrica Thallys
• A copy of "Waterdeep: Age 0, Tuabemoots and Pioneers". (Despite being an avid seafarer, Serrica still identifies herself as a Waterdhavian and she still gets homesick sometimes. She was born there, but her father passed through again and took her away. Then her father died, and she came back and got adopted--and indoctrinated--into her Church. Then her Church kicked her out of Waterdeep years later, and now she can't go back. So books about Waterdeep help her rekindle some of the few fond memories in her less-than-pleasant life. Plus, it's a rare book (worth about 150 Gold to a merchant), and she likes to read in her spare time.)
• A Rolled Up Waterproof Scroll. (Hard evidence of the hags' manipulation of the merrow and their plot against Uarhold. Could be useful in more than one of Serrica's plots and schemes, including her plans to give her goddess and her religion places of power in both towns.)
• A variety of valuable gems: corals, water opals, flawless alexandrites, flawless pearls, black pearls of all qualities...no gems worth less than 40 Gold, lest her goddess consider the offering an insult. (Offerings to her goddess, of course; at least one gem is cast into the surf everytime Serrica kneels in the surf and prays. So if you're walking along the Safe Beach or Umberlee's Shoal and you see a gemstone in the water, leave it alone. Umberlee is watching you. >:[ )
• A bottle of the Blood of Sssrexiss. (Kept for some unknown future anointing or empowerment, be it an altar, a second shrine, a magic weapon, whatever. It was drained and harvested from a very powerful creature, so it's surely potent enough for the purpose of some ritual or another. Don't ask how Serrica has kept it preserved for almost half a year now.)
• Some Firewood, at present and whenever she can find it. (Because somebody has to be feeding and rekindling the campfire on the Safe Beach. She uses it, she squats by it, so she can rekindle it.)
Brigga Dvergsen
• A variety of beers, wines and whiskeys, and often several bottles of each. (Because what kind of sociable, self-respecting dwarf doesn't like booze? Any time is a good time for ale time!)
N'hala ku Luhaya
• A Romance Novel. (N'hala had to cobble together a new spellbook during her escape from Thay, and her spellbook from her formal studies in Mezro and Thay got left behind. So her current spellbook is less formal, less formulaic and more freeform. Jotted in between her spell formulas are various Chultan short stories, faerie tales, poems and parables passed down through her tribe's oral traditions. She has to hold some kind of book when studying and preparing spells, and the Children's Book just didn't seem as fitting as the Romance Novel did. Maybe N'hala's tribal stories are bawdier and saucier than most.)
Neela Carnanda
• A Sweet Smelling Tulip. (Neela's an elegant kind of devout Joybringer and performing artist. So carrying an attractive flower in hand can lend her that extra dash of flair when needed, and tossing it into a throng of admirers is always good for an unimpeded exit. But Neela, like many other Cormyrians, has also faced the world's griefs, torments and other thieves of joy, and she does have the potential to turn Scarlet Mummer as soon as she hears Lliira's voice and gets the goddess' blessing. Come that day, I'll have to find some red roses to replace or supplement the yellow tulips....)
• A Crystal Ball of Divination. (In Neela's hands, it's a juggling ball! A very fancy, magically charged, translucent, yellow, crystalline juggling ball. And the more crystal balls or orbs she finds, the more balls she'll have for her juggling act. She can toss in a (dual-wielded) dagger to add a little pizazz and a little danger to the act as well.)
• A deck of Fancy Playing Cards. (Neela does card tricks too. Just because Neela can dance, sing and play piano for society's more refined tastes doesn't mean that she can't juggle and do card tricks for the cultural Philistines. The services of spreading joy and banishing misery throughout the world demand many tools and many approaches to the many walks of life. See how many you can serve, Neela!)
• A white Fan. (...which looks more or less like a hand of playing cards. Used in conjunction with the Fancy Playing Cards.)
• Multiple Spider Silk Websinger Outfits. (Why have several of these outfits when they all do the same thing and grant the same Perform bonus? Because in Neela's line of work, style and appearance matter. One is Neela's slinky and sexy pianist/soprano outfit, one is her colorful yet vaguely stately showman outfit and the third will be her chaotically colored clown/jester outfit. They're different costumes for different arts.)
Starkad Ambercrag
• A bottle of Sembian Whiskey. (For cleansing and purifying wounds, not for drinking. Though a paladin and a fledgeling knight, Starkad's foremost focus is on attending the wounded and the afflicted. As more than one of Ilmater's own understand, sometimes a little more pain leads to a lot more healing and swifter relief from that pain.)
• A couple of Leather Strings. (For repairing his horse's tack and bridle on the field. (He doesn't actually ride his horse, mind you; the horse is more valuable as a battle companion and a roleplaying aid.))
All of my characters
• Extra outfits and changes of clothes. (As with Neela and her Websinger costumes, the idea of multiple appearances for multiple purposes applies to everyone. Serrica has her prayer robe and her commoner garb, Bai Shan has a Tabotan formal gown and a few different styles of "kung fu pants," Starkad has his formal nobleman suit and his prayer robe, Maddy has various anarchic costumes for various mood swings and derangements, and so on. They can't wear the same garb all the time. Besides, you don't really expect my characters to go around naked on Laundry Day, do you?)
So...what's in your character's backpack?
