Estershadow: Character Creation GuidelinesGeneral Information:
Please keep in mind that this board battle adheres predominantly to the historical fiction genre. Think of the setting in terms of England during the Middle Ages- Renaissance with a little bit of Scotland (Grey Hall) thrown in.
While there are some fantasy elements, the majority of the story will be realistic in nature. As such,
your character must be human, and
magic users at character generation will not be permitted. While magic does exist in this setting, it is exceedingly rare and will not be available for player characters to use at this point (that does not mean there may not be an opportunity for it later.)
Step 1: Be sure to read over the prior information posted about the setting, races, and general background of the story.
Step 2: General Information and Physical Appearance – Please give a name, or perhaps known aliases, for your character. Be sure to detail the general physical appearance of your character (i.e. height, weight, hair color, eye color, age, manner of dress, etc.) Feel free to put as much or as little detail as you see fit.
Step 3: Abilities/Skills- What skills or abilities does your character have? Perhaps he or she is a talented craftsman, excelling in the making of weapons, armor or general blacksmithing. Maybe they are a skilled tradesman, able to negotiate efficiently or use diplomacy with ease. Perhaps you have social or family ties to someone in one of the five kingdoms that may help you along the way. It is important to note that there is a distinct difference between fighters and trained fighters. Trained fighters are much harder to come by, and as such, their skills are typically valued throughout the kingdoms. Odds are, even if you are a trained fighter, you will not be proficient in every single weapon there is, so it may be prudent to list which ones you can use effectively.
Note: Because this is not a high-powered campaign, you should be realistic when selecting abilities and skills for your characters. You likely won’t be the greatest swordsman to ever grace the five kingdoms, but you may be someone of refined skill, and perhaps one day, you may become an exceptional swordsman. This board battle is based upon intrigue and the ability to navigate the murky political waters between the kingdoms. Though there definitely will be combat, be sure to give your character out-of-combat skills that will help them.
Step 4: BackstoryWhere did your character come from? (Ideally, they should be from one of the five kingdoms, though if you have an idea for a “foreign” character, I certainly would not dismiss it.) What is your character trying to accomplish? Fill out the blanks as you see fit, and feel free to expand upon some of it during the course of the board battle. Maybe your character will be fairly enigmatic at first, and the other party members won’t know much about them. Please keep in mind that I have decided your characters will meet each other for the first time during the first few posts of the board battle. As such, if you want to have a prior relationship with another PC, be sure to include that in your backstory.
Finishing Touches:
When you are ready to submit your character, please reference the following topic for directions:
http://nerdramblingz.com/starforums/index.php?topic=20.0 Reminder: When you submit your character, do not attempt to respond to this topic. Instead, create a new thread in this sub-board with your character's name as the topic. Include all character generation in the post. Your post will not appear until it has been approved by the Battle Master.
