Witch-Queens of Hyboria, fanfic, commentary & errata thread
Aug 4, 2022 13:04:42 GMT -5
Post by mingerganthecat on Aug 4, 2022 13:04:42 GMT -5
towerofzenopus.blogspot.com/2011/03/cool-things-from-old-games-twilight.html
Something I occasionally do when creating minor characters is use an NPC motivation system from Twilight 2000, an old RPG I used to play. For each character, pull two cards from a deck of 52 playing cards, with the highest being the primary motivator and the lower being secondary. Clubs represents "violence" (or perhaps strength or bravery), Diamonds represents "greed" (or general ammorality or business skill), Hearts represents "sociability" (or character judgement or intelligence), Spades represents "ambition" (or persuasiveness or management skill). You could use playing cards to derive archetypes from other formulas as well, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test.
Clubs (Violence) - Club NPCs have a greater tendency to react with or use violence than others
2-4 = Somewhat Violent: Not intimidated or frightened by threats of violence and not afraid to use it when called for
5-7 = Moderately Violent: Aggressive and prefers to use violence as a solution
8-10 - Very Violent: Loves a good fight and wants to be a warrior or is a warrior
Jack = Murderous: The NPC has either committed a murder or is planning a murder. Not just killing someone but a deliberate and secret killing of someone for personal gain.
Queen = Stubborn: The NPC is set in their ways and resistant to change and persuasion by others
King = Brutal: The NPC is a sadistic brute who enjoys inflicting physical injury on others
Ace = War Leader: The NPC is an unusually good leader in combat situations. They have a grasp of tactics and stay cool under fire.
Diamonds (Greed) - Diamond NPC's want to be rich
2-4 Somewhat Greedy: Will sell items for cash/gold even if alone and in the wilderness
5-7 Moderately Greedy: A very hard bargainer, likely to be cash/gold only, and easy to bribe
8-10 Very Greedy: Always open to bribes (may even expect them), deals only in gold/cash, may plan treachery if he thinks the PC's have considerable wealth and thinks he could get his hands on it
Jack = Coward: will run from danger whenever possible, will cower and refuse to fight if he cannot run
Queen = Lustful: driven by lust, typically of the opposite sex, and may be all members or one member in particular
King = Selfish: Will never help without demanding (higher than usual) payment, will never give anything away for free, and will jealously guard possessions
Ace = Generous: Will gladly give anything he has to someone in need, will make trades that do not favor him, and will refuse payment for help with many tasks
Hearts (Sociability) Influenced by their love of people, tends to be friendly, loyal, and just
2-4 Somewhat Sociable: Amiable, talkative, and cooperative with most people
5-7 Moderately Sociable: Strong sense of duty and loyalty to whatever group he joins
8-10 Very Sociable: Strong commitment to justice and the welfare of everyone he meets and looks for the good qualities in anyone he meets
Jack = Wise: Always exhibits good judgement and offers sound advice
Queen = Loving: Loves someone so completely that they would sacrifice themselves for that person - could be a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend
King = Honorable: Scrupulously honest in all dealings and his word of honor is an absolute bond. Will carry out an honor-bound task to the point of his own death. Contemptuous of liars and oath-breakers.
Ace = Just: Sees justice as the greatest virtue and the main consideration in determining a course of action - no respect for cheating and backs any attempt to right an injustice
Spades (Ambition) Seeks personal power and influence
2-4 Somewhat Ambitious: Inclined towards boastfulness and a desire to impress peers
5-7 Moderately Ambitious: The NPC looks for a position of responsibility in any organization they join
8-10 Very Ambitious: The NPC is driven by a desire to manipulate and control the people around them and to be in charge
Jack = Pompous: Arrogant and conceited, considers himself clearly superior to everyone around him
Queen = Ruthless: Lets nothing stand in the way of achieving goals and has total disregard for the needs of others
King = Deceitful: A liar and maybe a traitor if the opportunity presents itself
Ace = Charismatic: A leader who others are naturally drawn to and want to follow. Likely to have a large and extremely loyal following
Something I personally do sometimes is have characters who draws a two in any category count as actively DEMOTIVATED by it. So a two of spades means humility, a two of hearts is asocial, a two of diamonds is ascetic (though not necessarily generous as that's already accounted for), and a two of clubs is pacifistic. It doesn't always make sense in all contexts (the pirate captain you just met is an ascetic pacifist?) but then sometimes that just makes the character more intriguing.
Sesbal Bassaro, the pirate from Chapter One, pulled a 4 of clubs and a 6 of hearts if I remember correctly. So somewhat violent and moderately sociable? That makes sense I guess; he probably was legitimately upset at the suffering inflicted on his crew, and Methyr could have probably persuaded them to leave him alone if he had known it.
Nakoula the Trader was something weird, violent and ambitious I think. That made no sense for the character that I was going for, so I ignored it and went with something else.
Tarquinius Vatallius of Koth pulled wise and something else, sociable or something like that. I actually imagine him having much in common with King Osric from the 1982 movie, terrified by the new revolutionary movement that threatens his land. Prince Hermero was ambitious and I didn't bother pulling a second card; I imagined him as a young and rash ruler prone to underestimate the horde of rabble facing him.
Duke Willafric was honorable and very greedy. That's an interesting conflict of interests there, and it hints at a very conflicted character. That might explain why Methyr's holdings weren't escheated to him upon the death of his wife and her father, and also why they weren't granted to his in-laws. Partially because Willafric believes this would be dishonorable, and partially because he believes he can make more money with Methyr than without him.
Duke Dugaeth didn't get carded because I already had an idea of what I wanted with him. Someone else got War Leader and ambitious, which will be interesting in the future.
Something I occasionally do when creating minor characters is use an NPC motivation system from Twilight 2000, an old RPG I used to play. For each character, pull two cards from a deck of 52 playing cards, with the highest being the primary motivator and the lower being secondary. Clubs represents "violence" (or perhaps strength or bravery), Diamonds represents "greed" (or general ammorality or business skill), Hearts represents "sociability" (or character judgement or intelligence), Spades represents "ambition" (or persuasiveness or management skill). You could use playing cards to derive archetypes from other formulas as well, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test.
Clubs (Violence) - Club NPCs have a greater tendency to react with or use violence than others
2-4 = Somewhat Violent: Not intimidated or frightened by threats of violence and not afraid to use it when called for
5-7 = Moderately Violent: Aggressive and prefers to use violence as a solution
8-10 - Very Violent: Loves a good fight and wants to be a warrior or is a warrior
Jack = Murderous: The NPC has either committed a murder or is planning a murder. Not just killing someone but a deliberate and secret killing of someone for personal gain.
Queen = Stubborn: The NPC is set in their ways and resistant to change and persuasion by others
King = Brutal: The NPC is a sadistic brute who enjoys inflicting physical injury on others
Ace = War Leader: The NPC is an unusually good leader in combat situations. They have a grasp of tactics and stay cool under fire.
Diamonds (Greed) - Diamond NPC's want to be rich
2-4 Somewhat Greedy: Will sell items for cash/gold even if alone and in the wilderness
5-7 Moderately Greedy: A very hard bargainer, likely to be cash/gold only, and easy to bribe
8-10 Very Greedy: Always open to bribes (may even expect them), deals only in gold/cash, may plan treachery if he thinks the PC's have considerable wealth and thinks he could get his hands on it
Jack = Coward: will run from danger whenever possible, will cower and refuse to fight if he cannot run
Queen = Lustful: driven by lust, typically of the opposite sex, and may be all members or one member in particular
King = Selfish: Will never help without demanding (higher than usual) payment, will never give anything away for free, and will jealously guard possessions
Ace = Generous: Will gladly give anything he has to someone in need, will make trades that do not favor him, and will refuse payment for help with many tasks
Hearts (Sociability) Influenced by their love of people, tends to be friendly, loyal, and just
2-4 Somewhat Sociable: Amiable, talkative, and cooperative with most people
5-7 Moderately Sociable: Strong sense of duty and loyalty to whatever group he joins
8-10 Very Sociable: Strong commitment to justice and the welfare of everyone he meets and looks for the good qualities in anyone he meets
Jack = Wise: Always exhibits good judgement and offers sound advice
Queen = Loving: Loves someone so completely that they would sacrifice themselves for that person - could be a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend
King = Honorable: Scrupulously honest in all dealings and his word of honor is an absolute bond. Will carry out an honor-bound task to the point of his own death. Contemptuous of liars and oath-breakers.
Ace = Just: Sees justice as the greatest virtue and the main consideration in determining a course of action - no respect for cheating and backs any attempt to right an injustice
Spades (Ambition) Seeks personal power and influence
2-4 Somewhat Ambitious: Inclined towards boastfulness and a desire to impress peers
5-7 Moderately Ambitious: The NPC looks for a position of responsibility in any organization they join
8-10 Very Ambitious: The NPC is driven by a desire to manipulate and control the people around them and to be in charge
Jack = Pompous: Arrogant and conceited, considers himself clearly superior to everyone around him
Queen = Ruthless: Lets nothing stand in the way of achieving goals and has total disregard for the needs of others
King = Deceitful: A liar and maybe a traitor if the opportunity presents itself
Ace = Charismatic: A leader who others are naturally drawn to and want to follow. Likely to have a large and extremely loyal following
Something I personally do sometimes is have characters who draws a two in any category count as actively DEMOTIVATED by it. So a two of spades means humility, a two of hearts is asocial, a two of diamonds is ascetic (though not necessarily generous as that's already accounted for), and a two of clubs is pacifistic. It doesn't always make sense in all contexts (the pirate captain you just met is an ascetic pacifist?) but then sometimes that just makes the character more intriguing.
Sesbal Bassaro, the pirate from Chapter One, pulled a 4 of clubs and a 6 of hearts if I remember correctly. So somewhat violent and moderately sociable? That makes sense I guess; he probably was legitimately upset at the suffering inflicted on his crew, and Methyr could have probably persuaded them to leave him alone if he had known it.
Nakoula the Trader was something weird, violent and ambitious I think. That made no sense for the character that I was going for, so I ignored it and went with something else.
Tarquinius Vatallius of Koth pulled wise and something else, sociable or something like that. I actually imagine him having much in common with King Osric from the 1982 movie, terrified by the new revolutionary movement that threatens his land. Prince Hermero was ambitious and I didn't bother pulling a second card; I imagined him as a young and rash ruler prone to underestimate the horde of rabble facing him.
Duke Willafric was honorable and very greedy. That's an interesting conflict of interests there, and it hints at a very conflicted character. That might explain why Methyr's holdings weren't escheated to him upon the death of his wife and her father, and also why they weren't granted to his in-laws. Partially because Willafric believes this would be dishonorable, and partially because he believes he can make more money with Methyr than without him.
Duke Dugaeth didn't get carded because I already had an idea of what I wanted with him. Someone else got War Leader and ambitious, which will be interesting in the future.
