Emergence (c) Matthew Rigby 1997-98 All Rights Reserved.

EMERGENCE

"Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed"
 Francis Bacon, Novum Organum


CHARACTER CREATION

Brainstorming

These initial steps are when the ideas start to flow. You may or may not be sure of the kind of Role you wish to play, so just have a think about it. Do not limit your imagination at this early stage. Your ideas may be extreme, but you can always adjust them to suit the Story later.

Concept

Come up with a word or a short sentence which describes the idea or inspiration behind your character. Often it is useful to begin with more than one concept, and pick which one suits the Story best. Let the Director and the other Players comment on your concept(s), and listen to what they have to say. It is awkward if two or more players want to play Roles which are too similar, or are just unsuited to work together. The Director may want to avoid certain Role Types for Story purposes, such as setting or mood.

Example

Gifted with mystical powers beyond her control; Disheartened mercenary who cannot escape his past; A sneaky thief with a penchant for other men's wives; Colin the Barbarian.

Sketch

Write down some of the features you propose for your character. Make a sketch for all your concepts, or just the ones which might fit into the Story. Use point form to highlight the abilities, experiences and personality of the character, just enough to give the Director something to work with. You may also like to include pictures, quotes or even a title from a novel, comic book, film or song which gave you inspiration for the character. These will hopefully help the Story Director fit you in to the Story without too much trouble.

Example 1

Katherine; Disowned by parents; Hung around with Gypsies- learnt from their witch; Has performance skills and some working belief in magic- power over spirits.

Example 2

Larsoth; He honed his skills in the service of a King or some such noble, but never had any loyalty; Finds monetary gain more rewarding and becomes a cold hearted mercenary, and an exceptional leader on the battlefield; Too much bloodshed, leaves his old life behind- yet his old reputation remains, and so do some enemies.

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Emergence (c) Matthew Rigby 1997-98 All Rights Reserved.