Character Histories!

I just want to clarify a couple of things that are very important to the people that it affects.

1. If you submit a history, James is the only person that will initially receive it, and will review it for approval. If he finds something questionable, he may consult with staff members to determine if it's acceptable, but he will do so by taking the questionable bit out of context. In other words, he won't say, "hey, check out Solomon's history and let me know if it's cool.". He'll say "someone submitted a history in which he claims to be the only living descendent of Valos, is that cool?". The key point here is that submitting a character history does not expose your character's background to anyone other than James.

2. If you submit your history with the desire that a mod might be run about it, then any Storyteller, including people who will be playing as their regular PCs for 3/4ths of each event, will be able to read it. Now, one attribute James is certainly looking for in any Storyteller is discretion, and Storytellers will know that histories should not be talked about casually or referenced for any reason other than plot. But, if your background is that you are a spy serving a warlord in the Chaos Wastes, well, here is your full disclosure that submitting your history for plot involvement will expose that history to more people than James, and they are people who are playing PCs.

3. PC histories that are put into the plot fodder bin might be picked up for a single mod, or might be threaded into a longer storyline which doesn't directly pertain to the PC. Whatever happens, the important thing to note is that your PC history will not simply be translated into a mod for your buddies with mad lootz for all. It may indeed be something very personal and your PC is the primary actor in it, but it might also be that instead of Random Scholar X coming to town to explain Weekend Plot Y, it's actually your PC's friend Winston who, experimenting with stuff he shouldn't have, has now unleashed Weekend Plot Y. Obviously that could go any number of ways for your PC, in terms of how much it ultimately involves you in the plot and whether or not that's good or bad for your PC. The point here is that when you let the Storytellers access your history, you're trusting us to use it in a way that is interesting and dynamic - not necessarily a way that is pure gravy for your PC and exclusively his/her ball of cheese.

James, if after 10 years and five separate submissions you lost my history I'm going to teabag you...

with Quagz' junk

Should players with PCs who've been around for awhile resubmit?

I would definitely resubmit my characters history if I can get another shot at those damn Subterranean Mongoloids.

In other words, he won't say, "hey, check out Solomon's history and let me know if it's cool.". He'll say "someone submitted a history in which he claims to be the only living descendent of Valos, is that cool?".

Wait... Solomon is Valos' only living descendent???  Huh... maybe that would explain the big skull sword. 

I would definitely resubmit my characters history if I can get another shot at those damn Subterranean Mongoloids.

bahahahahahahahahahaha

--Skimmel

ps. hahahaha

Who's Ron?
He should sign his posts...

James, if after 10 years and five separate submissions you lost my history I'm going let Chris Kane teabag you...

with my junk

Is it really that hard to send him your three sentence character history?

"I grew up in a bar.  I started collecting bounties for rewards when I was 8.  I'm terrified of Vampires." -Slack McDermitt

:)

Real nice

But true.

But atleast McDermit got over his fear of spiders.......

Character Histories!
I am in the process of gathering all the histories in one place. Once that is complete in a few days, I will post a list of all the people who’s history we have on file so that you can be sure we have them and resend them if it appears it got lost somewhere.

So... Yeah... How about that there list?

I only ask because I finally heard back when Wally and Gavin were character officer/deputy that I was approved, but after all the other times I submitted it, I'd feel better seeing it in writing.

Do it for Kimball.com!

Having this annoying habit of reading all the rules to a game before I participate (if possible) I duly submitted my character history for Edwin Sept 06.  About a year later, Gavin told me there was one small change required, basically an old friend had to become an acquaintance do to whatever.  Immediately made the change.  Still says character history submitted.  Nothing about approved.  Is this like Car Talk, where my chances are improved by sending my history written on the backs of $100 bills?

Nice to see which have been submitted.  As to approval..? 

you mentioned that if we had in our character histories that if were were in command of a massive legion of soldiers or the head of a grand trade caravan our character histories would not be accepted. is there a magic number for things like if for example "character X is the headman of his bedouin tribe of 1000 people" is that ok or would it have to be a sammer number say 200?

Typically, and James correct me if I'm wrong, its more that characters should avoid being in charge of anything very grand or large - remember, you enter the game as a first level character with first level skills.  Unless you have a REALLY good reason, it just doesn't make much sense.  On top of that, histories are for flavor and development, not an attempt to give you an advantage over other players.  Thats why no PC can come in as nobility  - it would give a player something to hold over others heads just cause they wrote a line in their history. 

So I shouldn't have written that I was the Royal Hug Marshal, and I hold similar titles is all the lands of Palmydia, and that legend had it that even Evernight had a healthy respect for my huggaliciousness?  Darn, thwarted again!

you mentioned that if we had in our character histories that if were were in command of a massive legion of soldiers or the head of a grand trade caravan our character histories would not be accepted. is there a magic number for things like if for example "character X is the headman of his bedouin tribe of 1000 people" is that ok or would it have to be a sammer number say 200?

You could play it off as you were the leader, until they were all killed by "insert thing of hatred". You tracked down "Insert thing of hatred" to Travance and will not stop until "insert thing of hatred" is killed.

<<So I shouldn't have written that I was the Royal Hug Marshal, and I hold similar titles is all the lands of Palmydia, and that legend had it that even Evernight had a healthy respect for my huggaliciousness?  Darn, thwarted again!>>

Is that history for Mike or Osred? :)

The only issue with coming in as you were the leader of a dead tribe is you would have to include some reason why you aren't a very strong leader, and why were you the leader.  I mean, seriously, even though a level 1 fighter could easily take me out with out even trying, why would a band of people look to a level 1 fighter as someone to lead them?  Perhaps it was that you were the eldest child of the former leader, and you never trained your skills hard enough, and now that's why they are all dead.  So you have come to Travance looking to redeem yourself, and find those who did this to your people, and when you are skilled enough, kill them one by one, by one.  Or perhaps you are supposed to be the next leader, but you haven't proven yourself, so sent the tribe you to Travance, the land of heroes, to make a name for yourself, and in the meantime your uncle Mustafa (who fully expects you to die here) is ruling the pride... I mean Tribe .

Charlie came up with a good reasoning for being his age, having experience, and starting over, he took a vow to never again take up his weapons, so it totally eliminates that part of his history from being in the game, skill wise.  With me, I spent my 20s and early 30s traveling wasting my early collected inheritance so I showed up to Travance penniless in my mid thirties with little skill to speak of.

so I showed up to Travance penniless in my mid thirties with little skill to speak of.

Except for being inherently sweet.

and hugalicious.

and hugalicious.

That would have been incredibly cute if, say, Emily/Quinn had said it.

Nonetheless, its no less true.

I'm secure in my sexuality, so I can say what I please.  And Jen, I am anything but cute, :) nor do I aim for it.

Of course, like I said, Emily is by definition "cute."