31 Days / 31 Characters - IPPERIUS WITSPEAR

This entry has taken me far too long to complete and I don't feel like its anywhere near done or that it came out how I wanted it to.

This was a hard one. Aside from wanting to honor my friend Pete Hernandez, I wanted you - the reader - to really 'get' why Ipperius WitSpear is one of my favorite PCs of all time. I am not sure I did him justice or that I even could. I've had 35 years to get to know this character. You have this post.

 

Character: Ipperius Argenti-Hydrangea WitSpear

These days the character's name is written Ipperius WitSpear, with the second part of the compound word/name being capitalized. Originally it was simply Witspear. This change was made to match with the naming conventions of the other Elves of my original setting of Aerth. 

AKA: Ip, The Sage of The Silver Flower

Player: Pedro 'Pete' Hernandez III

System: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition - Heavily Modified, House-Ruled Variant.

 

Campaign: The Legend of Ipperius Witspear and others. 

Gamemaster: Adam Dickstein

Circa: 1986-1988. Still used to this day. 

Origins: A number of factors went into the creation of Ip Witspear.

First and foremost, this was not only the first Dungeons and Dragons character Pete had ever created to my knowledge, it was among the first PCs he created in a game run my yours truly. Possibly the first. 

A lot of the character was created on the spot, the result of various choices and die rolls. Mixed into the character's design are such influences as Bugs Bunny, David Bowie in Labyrinth, and Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone'. 

Backstory: When we first meet Ipperius Witspear, he is asleep in a cabin aboard some sort of large ship bound for the continent of Ledgorna. Ip swings his feet off his bed to the sound of a splash and the awareness that he is ankle deep in sea water. The vessel he was on was sinking. 

Witspear gets dressed, puts on his armor, weapons, and gear, and goes top side. Fighting his way past several pirates, Witspear discovers the ship he is on has been besieged by boudy buccaneers! He is able to put up a respectable fight but is overwhelmed and forced to walk the plank of the pirate vessel. Moving his hand in a quick motion similar shaking off water, Ipperius then ran his hand through his hair and down his body as if dusting himself off. This, unbeknownst to the pirates, was his way of casting the custom spell, 'Dry'. 

Stepping off the plank, Witspear plunged for some time through the air unobstructed; the ocean moving away from him in all directions. Dry creates a protective barrier against water, causing it to reflect or run off at some three-to-five inches before touching the object or person the spell is cast on. Eventually, as the water reformed above him and Ip found himself in a sort of oblong bubble, he knew that eventually the spell's duration would run out and he would be in very deep (pun intended) trouble.

Luckily, the pressure built up below him and a moment later shot him out of the ocean, high into the air and with a bit of acrobatics he landed squarely back on the plank. The pirates stared in astonishment. Murmurs and whispers started to move through the pirate crew; "He's not dead?", "How did he do that?", "The sharks didn't get him?", etc. Finally one pirate in the back says, at standard speaking volume, "Ee's...ee's not wet?"

The pirates erupt into a screaming frenzy, running in all directions repeating 'He's not wet!' and 'Demon!' and bumping into the masts and each other. Taking advantage of the moment, Witspear knocks some pirates overboard, frees the held passengers and crew from his ship, arms them, and eventually maroons the pirates on the sinking vessel. In addition, the crew, passengers, and Witspear steal the pirate ship and head for land.

What we don't know at this point is: 

Where is Witspear from? Where did he get on this boat bound for the old world?

Why did he leave? What made him take this trip in the first place?

Where exactly is he going? Specifically that is.

We wouldn't find out the answer to those questions for a very long time as Ip Witspear got sidetracked by dozens of humorous misadventures and colorful characters. 

At some point early in the campaigns second year, Ip says his home is 'an isle lost at sea'. When other Elves encountered WitSpear they noted not recognizing his family name (the House of Wit) and were unfamiliar with his accent. He identifies himself as 'The Sage of The Silver Flower' before the Duke of Drakkenheim, a title neither the Duke nor anyone else in his court had ever heard of. Even those with extensive Elven knowledge were unfamiliar with the term.

It wouldn't be until many years of real time later, over a decade and a half in fact, that we would discover WitSpear's true origins. He was a member of the Eldritch or 'Pale' Elves, all of whom were now believed to be dead. They had attempted to violently conquer the world for its own good more than 500 years earlier, forcing the other Elves to unite and destroy the Pale Elves' 'Del Stone', a crystal connecting them to Aerth.

Just prior to these events, Ipperius' parents and many other Pale Elves who didn't agree with their people's tyrannical aspirations, fled the coming war for the Western Sea. Only a relative handful of the conscientious objectors made it to land, lucking upon a set of islands not found on any map. The islands were hidden by a mist that rarely parted and no scrying magic of any kind could pierce it. Unfortunately they were also cursed but that is a tale for another day. 

With his home no utopia to be sure and always curious about the place from which his kin had come (though I suppose in truth that would be Arcadia, the Realm of Faerie), a young adult WitSpear had found his way to the port on a near-ish Southern island not part of his hidden archipelago. Following that, he bought passage on a ship bound for the continent of Ledgorna and we are back to the beginning once again. 

See the fifth entry of the month - Ceren-Dee Windrake -  for more on the last of the remaining Pale Elves. 

Overview:  What can I say about Ipperius WitSpear that would even scratch the surface of how awesome he is? Thanks to the incomparable RPG talents of his Player, WitSpear made every session a delight. Every action clever, every line hilarious, every moment of emotion deep and heartfelt. 

I have often said that I GM at my best when I have great players playing at their best. This was especially true with Pete. I could throw challenge after challenge at him, be they puzzles, enemies, or deep pathos. He was so fun to GM for and that made the character just as enjoyable to run as an NPC years later. 

He was a staple of Ceren-Dee WindDrake's campaign, as she often went into his shop - WitSpear's Wondrous Wizardry Emporium - to obtain material components or identify magical items. Each time you walked in, some strange and often ridiculous situation was transpiring.

Everything in the store, except you of course, might be upside down, with the store counter, boxes, and Witspear himself all standing on the ceiling...which was actually the floor. One time the entire interior of the shop was in various shades of orange, including Ip and Gronk. In yet another instance, it was snowing inside the establishment, with customers shivering, Gronk giving out hot cider, and a group of small children building a snowman in the corner. 

Oh, Gronk...

While exploring the bowls of a Dark Wizard's fortress, WitSpear encountered a Troll (Aerth Trolls are more like those of Scandinavian Myth and Folklore). After humorously avoiding the Troll's attacks in a fairly tight space, WitSpear tried to talk the Troll into quitting his job with the Dark Wizard and coming to work for him. This led to an almost Discworld-ian discussion of Fantasy World workers' rights, labor unions for dungeon guards, and world conquering war machines as a sustainable business model. Eventually, after offering a decent pension package and a 1 week paid vacation each year, the Troll agreed to switch sides. 

The Troll remains with Ip for the rest of the campaign and into all his later appearances. I remember when the two signed off on their deal...

Witspear: "It's settled then. Oh, and I shall call you...Gronk."

Troll: "What? That's not my name. My name is..."

Witspear: "Not the point dear boy! Regardless of your actual designation, Gronk is the name I will call you and the name with which I will refer to you is Gronk. Good? Excellent."  

I love Gronk. Slow and deliberate but much smarter than he appears on the surface, Gronk is a friendly, kind-hearted everyman who can also throw a fully loaded cart, with horses, across a town square. I wish I could remember his real name. 

The Highlights:

Oh man, so many Witspear stories...

He fooled two Gnolls into paying 1 gold piece for a copper piece he convinced them could cast a magic Shield. He then backed their idea of going over to the Ogre at the front entrance of the dungeon and telling him off. With their new Shield Coin, well, they'll show him!

Using his Dry spell and a modified crossbow, Witspear fired several bolts into the air, each attached with blanket sized pieces of canvas. The end result was a cover of floating 'umbrellas' that protected an area below from rain as they slowly parachuted to the ground. This enabled Witspear and some NPCs to save a young child who fell into a collapsed well before she drowned. 

Using only complex word play and knowledge of his opponent, Witspear tricked a Dragon into taking a single book of his treasure hoard of magical tomes and giving the rest to Ipperius. Angry, roaring, and seemingly about to eat or breath on the clever Elf, the Dragon cleared his throat, straightened himself, placed tiny binfocal glasses on his snout, and thanked Witspear for such a challenging engagement. "Perhaps again in say...a year? A chance to win the books back? What say you?" WitSpear agreed, bowed, and departed. 

Legacy: Ipperius WitSpear has appeared in every Winghorn Guard/Aerth campaign since 1999 and will continue to appear in them for as long as I find myself returning to that world. 

Game Info: As with many of the oldest characters I've been posting, I don't have Witspear's first character sheet any longer. I am not even sure where his 3E version is these days. 

I recall that he was originally an Elven Wizard/Thief in Advanced D&D 1st Edition. In his campaign he made it to 6th and 7th levels respectively. His later incarnation, in 3E and 3.5, was much higher in level, something in the range of 14th or so in each class. 

In my D&D AD homebrew variant he has the additional ability of Perfect Timing, a natural talent of all Eldritch Elves that gives them a bonus to anything involving timing their actions against external events or the actions of others. He is especially knowledgeable about magic items, artifacts, and relics of all kinds.

He can not only identify most items but often knows the history, nature, and powers of these items. He collects and experiments with a variety of different material components and is always trying to swap out one for another to see how the new ingredient will effect a spell. 

I could write so much more. 

Next up, we head for Universal Century 0088 and believe in the Sign of Zeta! Say hello to Lt. JET OHANA but be prepared to say good-bye as well.

AD

Barking Alien

RPGaDay Challenge 2018 - 11 & 12

Hmmm.

and

Define 'Wild'.

Are we using wild to mean unusual, fun, and exciting or outlandish, crazy, and out of control?

If it's the latter, I don't really have anything. Such names and concepts probably wouldn't appear in one of my games.

Yes, I admit it, I am a bit of a 'Name Snob'. I can't help it. As soon as someone says, "So that's when my character, Conan McFighty, lept to the bridge...", I have already written off your character, the game you're in, your GM, and possibly all of your friends, family, and pets. 

Likewise, as far as character concepts go, if you are playing Star Trek and you want to be a Psionic Half-Klingon, Half-Vulcan liberated Borg, you can leave my table, my house, and never return to darken my doorstep again. No hard feelings. It's just clear to me you don't understand why we play Star Trek...or perhaps even what Star Trek is about.  

Do I still have to say immersion is important to me? I don't think I do. As a GM and occasional player I try to immerse myself in what my fellow GMs are running and in the effort my players are making to fit into my game. If you call your Superhero character Super Fire Guy, or Joe because that's the real name you came up with, or don't give him a name at all, dude you take me right out of it. I can easily suspend my disbelief but give me something that fits the suspension. That is, make the name and character concept fit the world. 

If the world is gonzo and wacky then I guess your paladin named Boo Boo is fine, but know that I now believe your world to be one of silliness. It's a comedy as far as I'm concerned. Please don't get too deep or bloody as it will through me off. If the gal on my left is Boo Boo the Paladin, this is clearly a humorous, possibly cartoon-themed setting. No? Then please explain...

Now, it's not that we haven't had odd character names and strange PC concepts. It's just that I don't think of them as wild. They may seem wild to you, but to me they would be best described as 'atypical'. In nearly every case however, they fit the genre and setting in which they appear. 

Here are just a few:

[Sadly, some of the best names and character concepts I've ever seen have come from my friends Allen Halden, Pete Hernandez, and Martin King, three dear gentlemen who are sadly no longer with us. I miss them. This was not intended as a memorial post but if it seen as one so be it.]

IM-MA-N2 (Martin K.) - Star Wars D6 - A droid built by PC Smuggler En Fochs (pronounced Ian Fox) and his NPC mentor Tiree Palmight to assist Fochs in his efforts to get supplies past Imperial blockades. 

Made from Astromech and Maintenance Droid parts, IM-MA-N2, nicknamed MAN-2, had a hidden priority-one program to 'continually improve yourself to better help En Fochs fight the Galactic Empire'. Tiree had placed this directive in MAN-2 without Fochs' knowledge as Palmight was certain his own rebel activities and ties were going to get him caught sooner or later. It turned out to be true and Tiree was captured by the Imperials while Fochs and MAN-2 escaped.

Over time, MAN-2 improved his programming and skills and even replaced physical components in order to fulfill his 'mission'. He started out looking like an odd mix of an R2 unit and a Treadwell Droid and ended up humanoid with an armored body and the CPU of a Bounty Hunter/Assassin Droid. MAN-2 went from helpful and cheerful with perhaps a bit of a conspiratorial undertone to a hard edged, determined combatant sworn to protect the team with his...er, its...um...life?  

Ipperius 'Ip' Witspear (Pete H.) - Homebrewed Variant D&D - Elven Wizard/Thief belonging to the now virtually extinct Pale Elves of Eldrindel. A con artist magician who mostly utilizes subtle spells and fast talk to fool people into thinking he is merely a charlatan or an entertainer. After many years of adventuring he opened a shop which buys, sells, and trades magic items and material components known as Witspear's Wondrous Wizardy Emporium.

Ip has a Manservant/Assistant/Employee/Bodyguard called Gronk. Gronk is not his name, that's just want Ip calls him as he can't remember his real name and has never bothered to learn to speak Troll properly.

You see, the world/setting is generally quite serious but Ipperius himself plays the fool so folks will underestimate him. He may seem a tad silly but there is a reason. 

Lt. Commander Green Shine Wandering Wave Miragh (Allen H.) - Star Trek, Last Unicorn Games - A Xelatian Science Officer and First Officer of the U.S.S. Thunder Bay, a Loknar Class Frigate in the Star Trek Original Series Movie era. In addition to his peculiar name (though he is addressed as Lt. Commander Miragh by the captain and crew), he is a primarily aquatic, squid-like being supported by an anti-gravity harness when out of water. Allen did an amazing job of utilizing his non-Humanoid anatomy, as well as developing his open, gregarious personality and welcoming culture. 

Lt. He Who Glistens In The Autumn Twilight Under The Third and Seventh Moons (Again Allen H.) - Galaxy Quest Homebrew - The second in command of the NSEA Galient, He Who Glistens in The Autumn Twilight Under The Third and Seventh Moons is a Humanoid insect being who, it is implied, is the first of his species to serve on an NSEA vessel. He possesses several special abilities based on his alien physique. The lieutenant's talents included clinging to various surfaces, communicating with other insectoid lifeforms, flying/hovering short distances (though he must remove his uniform to use this), and the ability to sense vibrations in the air with his antenna. 

There are others, in fact too many to put into any one post. If one checks back through my previous posts, I'm sure you'll find other characters as weird and bizarrely named as these. Perhaps more. 

That's enough for this question. Onward...

AD
Barking Alien

W is for Wonder, I Got That in Spades

When I think of my homebrew D&D milieu, the one I use with my D&D-for-those-who-don't-like-D&D games, I always imagine it as both very different from what you typically encounter with a lot of other GMs' worlds and yet not so different at all.

Since the thinking behind the world's development is unusual compared to that of various old school ideals, my campaign universe is definitely going to have an peculiar feel to it for many gamers.

At the same time, I was intent on making sure the world was recognizable as D&D, even if only in a very general sense. I was determined to keep Races, Classes, Saving Throws, Dragons, Vancian Magic, and numerous other staples of the game so that players would simultaneously find things familiar and be wowed by the changes.

When Jeff Rients, gaming guru and man about town, posted this entry asking twenty questions for your campaign setting, it got me thinking about trying to answer the questions for my own campaign. In many instances I can't clearly or at least easily answer the questions. The answers would be so obvious to my players and I that I don't think about how hard it would be to explain them to those that haven't experienced the setting. In a way it brought about a strange sense of wonder trying to 'retell for the first time' some of these elements.

Anyway, here goes my take on things as they apply to my world of Aerth...

What is the deal with my cleric's religion?

Each religion is different and there are nearly as many religions on Aerth as on our Earth, of which Aerth is a parallel. The Aegyteans worship a pantheon with a senile Ra, Osiris, Set, Bast, etc. The Gretha-Novans follow the deities of Olympus. The Red Brotherhood follows the Great Red One. Clerics communicate and have contact with their gods more readily on Aerth, though not always in direct or clear cut ways. Some have dreams, visions, are visited by messengers, ancestral ghosts, or see messages in strange places like clouds or flocks of birds.

Where can we go to buy standard equipment?

Unless I am misunderstanding the question, 'standard' equipment is...standard. As such you can buy it just about anyway. Even small towns and trade outposts will have some basic gear for sale.

Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?

It's easier than you might think. On Aerth the monster might be a friend, a member of the party, or even your character. That said, the best places are the largest and most advanced capital cities or major trade ports. I recommend Gallatain on the continent of Legorna, Rae-Uhn on the continent of Loreia and of course the island nation of Corindel.

Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?

That is up to some debate. The Master of Magicians of The Order of the Winghorn Guard is believed to be the most powerful and accomplished Wizard anywhere but that person's identity is kept a secret and numerous individuals have held the position over the centuries. Order member Omalphia of Gretha-Nova is extremely talented and powerful as is the mercenary mage Spi'Tar Pi'Ton. Some say the eccentric Ip Witspear of Witspear's Wondrous Wizardry Emporium is not only the greatest and most successful purveyor of material components in all the realm but a former adventuring wizard of considerable might and knowledge.

Who is the greatest warrior in the land?

Again this is unclear and different people will have different answers. The Winghorn Guard boasts many warriors of amazing skill including, of course, its Master of Warriors. Order member Shaylan Everleaf, a Sargent and Sylvan Elf, is perhaps one of the greatest swordsman of our time. The Half-Orc Warrior-Priest SlainShadow is deadly with both divine magic and a brutal mace. The Golem Monk called 'Rook' is the world's most accomplished martial artist.

Who is the richest person in the land?

Without a doubt, the Merchant Princes of Corindel are the richest men and women of Aerth. The standing of who among them is richer then whom constantly changes.

Where can we go to get some magical healing?

Most temples, churches and shrines will give out minor healing elixirs for a small donation to their cause. Many of the more popular and powerful religions set up hospices in the major cities to help stop outbreaks of disease, heal travelers and provide general information on health and well being in hopes that such services will turn more people over to their view.

Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?

That is a bit more complicated. A paladin or cleric may be able to go to their own temple and wizards usually seek help from their old college or the local Wizard Guild but generally speaking many adventurers go to a local Wizard who has set up shop for just such a situation. Witspear's provides these and similar services (except death, curing death is outside his area of expertise*) at a fraction of the regular costs and only requires a minor favor in the vicinity of Mt. Oblivion in exchange for your discount.

*Actually, curing death is an epic quest in and of itself, undertaken in only the rarest of instances by the most determined of individuals. PC and NPC death isn't common in my Aerth campaigns but it is largely permanent. Resurrection simply isn't a thing.  

Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?

But of course! Several. Most likely he or she can call on the guild associated with the Wizard College they graduated from. If they went with an apprenticeship instead of a College it can be a lot tougher depending on your mentor. Elves seem to get the best of both worlds, training in a college but receiving an apprenticeship in their last year if they've display exceptional talent.

Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?

Again, any major city, most smaller cities and large towns, and even some villages.

Where can I hire mercenaries?

You're not from around here are you? Why would there be only one place to do a thing?

Pretty much any place but if you're looking for quality and price isn't an object go to Corindel. If you're looking for good but watching you're wallet check out Rae-Yora or Drakkenheim. If you need a guy with a pointy stick and only have a few coppers might I recommend Gruegen, Rae-Skorn, or the south of Uthster.

Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed, or there are any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?

Not...exactly. Many places require weapons to be peace bonded and you certainly need a license or clearance from the local law enforcement authorities to cast combat magic in most of the more civilized lands. Rangers, Bounty Hunters, Wizards and a number of others are considered licensed careers and a license is required to practice them professionally.

Which way to the nearest tavern?

Um...really, really close by. Usually to the left for some reason.

What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?

Depends on the region. Wendigo in the Great North West Territories. Sea serpents in the Northern and Southern Seas. Vampires and Werewolves abound in Borgovia. Demons in or near 'The Earth Wound'. Gretha-Nova may still have a Gorgon or Chimera left over from their Age of Heroes. Dragons...well its rare that you'll find Dragons. If you kill them you'll be famous...assuming you and the neighboring countryside survive.

Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?

Not at the moment. A state of cold war exists between many nations and minor conflicts do break out from time to time but open warfare is rare these days. A 'United Nations' like pact exists reducing the chance of all out war. Luckily, the Great Order of The Winghorn Guard and its charter provide an alternative to war as the Order's diplomatic counselors will be happy to mediate a negotiation between the conflicted countries.

How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?

Still popular in Gretha-Nova, though much more organized and less barbaric then those of the early days. A variety of other professional sports and contests are held in arenas and theatres throughout the world these days, as are musical and stage performances.

Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?

No. Of course not. There is no Circle of the Shattered Rainbow. It's just a myth. An old folktale. Let's not talk about them anymore since as I said, they don't exist.

What is there to eat around here?

Gallatain has some of the finest restaurants in the world, though Rae-Uhn has a greater array of choices. Elven dishes are currently the rage with Hltheen Ei'Gehr being very popular. It is basically a salad made with vegetables grown exclusively in the Wood Elven land of Sylvandel that can fill up even the most demanding meat eater. Most describe it as savory and hearty though it looks to be fairly plain greens with carrots and a few radishes.

For seafood fans I highly recommend 'The Cove' in Corindel, the 'Shell of Fulfillment' in Atlantandel (or Atlantis as it is often called) and of course numerous restaurants and inns in Nihon. 

Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?

Many but some of the most intriguing to date are the artifacts connected with the Lost Era of Rae. In the Freelands of Rae are several instances of magical machines, complex devices powered by magic such as the Machine of Lum The Mad, the Mighty Servant of Leuk-O, and the Great Golems of Rae-Uhn.

Other items of interest are The Philosopher's Stone, The Weapon of War (War as in the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse), one of the numerous Rings of Gax (in Aerth's multiverse there is one Ring of Gax for each plane/dimension in a fashion similar to the Green Lantern Rings having one for each sector), and The Unwritten Book.

Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?

I don't know what that means exactly. I'm going to imagine 'Type H' means a lot of treasure. Since my world doesn't exactly have random treasure strewn about, it would really depend upon where you are in the world. Dragons are best handled by professionals for reasons other than stealing their treasure. If that is your only motivation for fighting one you will most surely die. The Dragon will then find out where you lived or came from and go destroy that town down to the last man, woman, and child. Dragons are serious @*^t on Aerth.

AD
Barking Alien

Barking Alien's Top 10 Favorite PCs of Others

When I decided to make a post about the 10 favorite PC's I've played, I knew I'd also want to/have to do one about my 10 favorite PCs played by others. 

Why did I do this to myself?

How in the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth I am supposed to pick just 10 PCs from the hundreds, perhaps thousands I've seen in 42 years of gaming?

I have been exceptionally lucky to have played with what I can only assume are the greatest RPG players in the world. Seriously. The entire world. Possibly the galaxy. Maybe even the universe. 

From hilariously funny to deathly serious, wild action heroes to sublime character actors, I have seen players who have made PCs that actually made me stand up and cheer or sit down and tear up (It was something in my eye. I'm not crying, You're Crying!). 

I wish I could list my Top 100 favorites but I guess you and I will have to settle for 10.

As before in previous posts, these are in alphabetical order that has no bearing on how much I like the character. I love them all. I should note that this is focused on the PCs and not the players themselves. Nearly all the characters played by my ex-wife, our dear friend, the late Allen Halden, and my pal Jeff are freaking awesome. 

Not that it really needs to be said but the Gamemaster in most of these cases was yours truly. Only the Savage Worlds Western game, run by my friend Dan R., stands as the exception.

Here goes nothing...

#10 - Belarus Hosta

(Traveller - Classic/MegaTraveller House Ruled Variant, Played by William L.)

I like Will very much as a person and as a gamer he is capable of amazing things, such as his character, Belarus Hosta. 

A 38 year old single mother, former diplomat, and heir to a powerful business position with the Solomani genetic engineering megacorporation SuSAG, Hosta was the driving force of the early part of our Traveller campaign, 'Operation: PALADIN'. As time went on she went from driving force to the glue that held it all together and the one element that could tear it all apart. 

What a deep, rich, layered character. Also, the best portrayal of a female protagonist by a male player I have ever seen in all my days.

See these entries for the merest glimpse of how good this character was. Honestly these posts don't even scratch the surface. It was amazing stuff. The campaign lasted three years of real time and the character evolved, changed, and yet stayed true to its origins.

#9 - Buddy Thatcher

(Savage World - Modified w/ House Rules, Played by Alex B.)

My own character in our Western game set in Dunton, Colorado, 'Professor' Milford Thatcher, ranks as one of my favorites largely due to my pal Alex's PC, Milford slow, sweet, well-meaning to a fault nephew, Bartholomew 'Buddy' Thatcher. We only learned Buddy's 'Christian Name' recently, as indeed Uncle Milford and Buddy himself thought Buddy was his given name. 

Strong as an ox and nearly as smart, Buddy is one half of the duo of 'THATCHER & Thatcher' ("I'm the lower case Thatcher", Buddy is quick to point out), who are out to mine silver using Uncle Milford's 'Thatcher Process' ("Scientifically speaking", notes Buddy, not completely sure what that means and totally clueless as to how the process actually works). 

I love Buddy. Love him! He is a breath of fresh, the perfect sounding board, and often a much needed laugh in tough times. At the same time, he is a more nuanced character than is immediately apparent, as his innocent and naive romance with a Native American girl and his belief that all of Humanity share the same faith, views, and emotions deep down completely elevates the material. 

Kudos to you Alex. Kudos. Beautiful. 

#8 - Ceren-Dee WindDrake

(Dungeons & Dragons - Advanced 1st Edition w/ House Rules, 3rd and 3.5 with House Rules, played by Selina W.)

No list of great RPG characters would be complete without my dear friend and ex-wife's incredible character, High Elven Warrior/Wizard Ceren-Dee WindDrake. The character enabled me to share my favorite hobby with someone special to me and reignited my enjoyment of D&D for a brief time. It also got me to resurrect one of my best settings, the World of Aerth and the Order of the Winghorn Guard.

What can I say about Ceren-Dee. Empathic, determined, and three dimensional to a fault. There were sessions which made Selina cry and others where she laughed so hard she could barely breathe. I have never enjoyed Dungeons & Dragons so much and it's not been easy recapturing that level of awesome. 

I could spend time writing a dozen posts detailing this PC, her trials, tribulations, and triumphs and probably only scratch the surface of all she did and all she is.

Like all good Aerth characters, she remains a part of the world's lore and can be encountered in sessions set there to this day. 

It's also Selina's birthday today so, Happy Birthday Selina!

#7 - Ipperius Witspear

(Dungeons & Dragons - Advanced 1st Edition w/ House Rules, played by Pete H.)

The late, great Pedro 'Pete' Hernandez was a natural born character actor. He could instantly create a character, oddly accented voice and all, and make said character come to life in no time flat. Unlike a lot of my other wonderful player who created characters with developed stories based on research or knowledge, Pete was a build-as-you-go type. His PCs came about their origins through playing them. He detailed them in the moment and then built on what he'd made as he went forward. 

This is especially true with the swashbuckling, often wildly eccentric Ipperius Witspear, an Elf of initially indeterminate origin who went through numerous riveting, harrowing, and yet often hilarious adventures before being retired as we moved on to our next game project. 

Of course, no longer being regularly played is not the same as dead. Ipperius Witspear, 'Ip' to his friends, popped back up in other Aerth campaigns from time to time, eventually becoming a major NPC when I brought the Winghorn Guard back after a long hiatus (see Ceren-Dee WindDrake above). 

I love Ip because there is so much more to him than meets the eye at a passing glance. He comes off as a typical devil-may-care, somewhat foppish scoundrel. In truth his personality is more robust, his tactics more subtle, and his story much richer than the usual roguish hero. Also, he is just so fun to play as an NPC.  

There have been a few references to Witspear on the blog, though not nearly enough. 

#6 - Jeard’en Kaine

(Star Wars, The Role Playing Game - 2nd Edition (WEG D6), played by Keith C.)

Like so many of my favorite characters, this one was played by a true character actor player, the amazing Keith Conroy. A multi-talented fellow with a portfolio of both great artwork and excellent RPG Player Characters, Keith has the ability to make the mundane seem amazing and the amazing just another day at the office. Case in point, Star Wars Smuggler Jeard'en Kaine. 

Jeard'en Kaine can best be described as a Blue Collar Han Solo or the Working Man's Buck Rogers. He isn't the coolest guy, the best looking guy, or the greatest pilot in the galaxy. He is cool, he cleans up pretty well, and he is A great pilot, don't get me wrong. What makes him special is...well...his normalcy. He's you or me in the Star Wars universe. Just another Joe Blaster trying to make a living and stay out of trouble. 

Unfortunately for Jeard'en he has too big a heart and trouble has a way of finding him. His generally calm and level-headed demeanor was as real as seeing him freak-out or even faint when things just weren't within parameters he could wrap his brain around. The addition of Jeard'en Kaine to a game is adding 100% pure, grounded humanity.

You can read a bit more about Jeard'en Kaine in this post here.

#5 - MAN-2

(Star Wars, The Role Playing Game - 2nd Edition (WEG D6), played by Martin K.)

It saddens me to note how many of these characters are tied to friends who have passed on. What memories remain are sweet but also serve to remind me they're no longer with us.

MAN-2, or more properly IM-MA-N2, started as a quirky R2-like repair droid but grew in capacity, depth, and scope throughout the course of the campaign. The character was comic relief early on in the 'series' and it worked thanks to Martin King's incredible skills as an improv actor and comic. However, as with many others on this list, MAN-2 became more than the sum of his parts if you'll pardon the pun. 

Great visual design work went into him as well, with players Martin King and Nelson Marty sketching out a number of concepts for MAN-2's ever evolving appearance throughout the course of the campaign.

MAN-2 has been mentioned here and here. 

#4 - Night Knight

(Champions - 4th Edition, played by Dave C.)

Dave C. should not be confused with David C. Simple right? Riiight. 

OK, Dave C. refers to my buddy Dave Cotton, whom I first met at my FLGS about 10 years ago or so. Wow. Have Dave and I really known each other 10 years? Anyway, he joined in a Mutants & Masterminds game I was running at the store and he's been a regular part of my groups ever since. 

Dave has a lot of great characters, especially Superhero characters, but Night Knight is probably my favorite. His character Impact is a really close second but I only have 10 slots and have to spread the love. 

Night Knight is the type of Superhero I am not generally into at first glance, falling into the vein of Daredevil, Batman, and other brooding, grim, street level crimefighters. At the same time, he does have powers, an origin he related directly to the world/setting mythology, and played him as reluctantly accepting the bigger role of being a member of the campaign's major Superhero group.

This evolution from street hero to world hero felt organic and necessary given the circumstances of the campaign and Dave did an amazing job of showing Night Knight's struggle with his position in the grand scheme of things. 

Night Knight appears in this post about my New Age of Champions campaign. 

#3 - Omni

(Champions - 4th Edition, played by David C.)

See now here is the other David C., David Concepcion, who has been profiled on this blog and whose characters have been mentioned at least as often as Dave Cotton's, if not more. 

While I've know Dave C. about 10 years, I've known David C. since high school. He too has a lot of PCs who could have made this list [being another amazing Player Character Actor] but if one stands out above all the others it has to be the Psionic Alien Superhero OMNI! 

I love Omni. He is just so - damn - good. I mean morally good. Just. Fair. Upstanding. Empathic. Kind. Determined. Dependable. He's what Superman is one paper at all times, but only actually is with a great writer. Omni out Superman's Superman in my opinion. 

Omni has been addressed a number of times as it was due to this character and its player that I joined in on the original Age of Champions campaign that he was a part of. You can see those posts here, here, and most recently here. 

#2 - Owen Blackfjord

(Ars Magica (?) - 3rd Edition, played by Allen Halden)

Boy oh boy this trip down PC memory lane is a rough one. Like Martin King, and Pete Hernandez, Allen Halden is no longer with us. Hmmm. Scratch that. He has departed this mortal coil but he is always, and will always be with us. Always.

Allen and I were close and like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, I miss him most of all. 

Though I know it sounds selfish, I especially miss his contributions to our RPG campaigns. There are times when I come up with a game idea and think how perfect it will be, then scrap it because Allen is gone. How will my outlandish ideas work without Allen and his characters. 

The Character Actor's Character Actor, Allen was almost the opposite of Pete H. in approach. Allen would do research, plan, and thoughtfully consider his characters before playing them. This was used to fantastic effect when he portrayed the token, weird alien in one of our Science Fiction games or an English Brownie in our Faery's Tale Deluxe outing.

One of his most memorable characters was the Medieval European Warrior-for-Hire, Owen Blackfjord. Of Northern English or Orkney origin I'd wager, with his odd English/Norwegian accent and name, Owen was a lower class, poorly educated, not-that-well-meaning sell sword living some time around the 12th century.

He was most famous for being swindled...um...lucking upon the handle of a sword, a handle with no blade, and being convinced...um...informed it was an enchanted weapon of great power. So proud was he to be the bearer of 'The Sword Unseen', and to have gotten a deal on it I might add, that he became adept at convincing others of it's majesty and prowess.

When he faced off with an opponent of note, he would draw The Sword Unseen and give his adversary pity and an ample chance to stand down. So sure was his resolve that many enemies did just that. 

#1 - Sollock (Doctor Sollock actually)

Star Trek, The Role Playing Game - 1st Edition (FASA), played by Joe C.)

I was starting to get nervous that this list wouldn't include a Star Trek character. 

Truth is I've seen so many wonderful PCs in our numerous Star Trek campaigns over the years that picking one...ugh. It's like trying pick a favorite child. I love them all! That said, one did stand out when I put my mind to the task and that one is one of the first two I've ever had.

My friend since 2nd grade, Joseph Cangelosi and I have played a lot of a lot of games together. Few as memorable as our very first Star Trek game, and though he had some great characters, I dare say none compare to Doctor Sollock. 

Sollock was a half-Human, half-Vulcan doctor serving as Chief Medical Officer on the covert operations starship USS Alliance during The Original Series era. He was raised on Earth by his Human father as his mother was an instructor at the Vulcan Science Academy School of Medicine. It was hinted at, though never made clear, whether or not his parents were estranged. 

Sovok was a character with just so much, well, character! He had habits and idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes, beliefs and things he stood for. He was a wonderful paradox of Human emotion and Vulcan logic, arguing with his owns views nearly as often as those of the Captain or my Andorian Helmsman. 

You can read about Sollock in this post here.

Ok, all done. Woohoo! Another post that took way too long to put together. I think I am done with these lists for now. I have other ideas and things I want to discuss.

Here's to another 10 years, Avis willing. 

AD
Barking Alien

I actually finished this on the 28th of February but put the post up on March 1st as I fell asleep at the keyboard and forgot to hit publish. Heheh.

Listen...Do You Want To Know A Secret?

I haven't done one of these for a while so I thought I would for giggles (Also, I've been sick and working extra, a rough combo that has made it difficult to get back to serious blogging).

This one is kind of old (June 16, 2013) by I just saw it pop up on my tumblr feed.

The Tabletop RPG Ask Meme

GENERAL:

1.) Game Master, Player or both? Why?

While I have taken on both roles, my love of GMing outweighs my love of playing by about 100 to 1.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but the primary two are:

Being a Gamemaster gives me a venue for all the things I like and think I am relatively good at. It's the only activity I know of where my imagination, writing, art, storytelling talent, comedic timing, voice acting skills and extensive memory of otherwise unimportant Science Fiction and Comic Book trivia actually come in handy.

With Gamemastering, all that stuff would remain bottled up in my head and heart until I burst.

The second reason is, sadly, a bit more judgemental and negative than is normal for me, but I can not help it. I don't like to play because the vast majority of other GMs I've encountered just aren't very good. I got tired of being told that won't work, you can't do that, that's not available, that's not possible, no, no, no, whenever I used my head and thought of something outside the box.

Playing was no fun. GMing is.

2.) When did you start role playing? How old were you?

I was 8. The date was August 25th, 1977.

3.) What was the first role playing book you ever owned?

Basic D&D. I believe it was the 1981, Moldvay version. I played the game, and even ran it, for about 2-3 years before I owned my own copy.

4.) Describe the first game you ever ran or played in.

The first one I played in, which I've described before, was awesome. I was a Halfling walking through a Wild West style ghost town (because at 7 and 8 none of the player knew what the heck a medieval town looked like) on my way to the King of the Human Lands. I was transporting a small case of hot sauce, which as it turned out, had the effect of giving Humans and Halflings super strength when mixed with other ingredients.

The ghost town turned out to be literal, as I was soon beseiged by skeletons, zombies and other undead. I ended up blowing a lot of them up by luring them into a saloon/inn and than setting it on fire. A cleric (another PC) saw the flames and ran to the village to help me. We than set off on our journey together.

I don't exactly recall the first game I ran but it was most likely D&D.

5.) Which system did you grow up with?

All of them.

I started at the age of 8 in 1977. It's 2014. I'm 45.

I wouldn't know what to begin.

The games I ran and played the most while "growing up" were FASA Star Trek and Villains & Vigilantes, followed by D&D and Advanced D&D.

6.) Which system do you play now?

Heh...

Star Trek, by Last Unicorn Games, Ars Magica 3rd and 4th, Champions 4th, Marvel Heroic RPG, Mekton II, Mutants & Masterminds 3rd, Risus, Star Wars D6 (WEG), SFX, Traveller, various homebrews and many others.

7.) Longest campaign you’ve run or played in?

Longest ever run would be a D&D game using my homebrewed and customized variant of the game I call D&D AD. It lasted about 4 years.

Longest I was ever in was a Champions game that last nearly 10 years, but I was only in it for 3-3 1/2. Best game ever.

8.) Where did you meet your current gaming group?

Mostly at a local gaming convention called RECESS, put on by a group called NerdNYC. Sadly, the last RECESS was over a year ago or more. I don't think they are doing it any more.

A few others are friends from our FLGS.

9.) Strategic combat or dramatic plotlines?

Dramatic combat that is often the result of strategic plotlines.

10.) Favorite RPG genre?

Whoah nelly! Tough one.

For years and years I wouldn't have thought twice about this. I would have said Science Fiction and left it at that. Nowadays however, I think it might be Superheroes. Go figure.

PLAYER CHARACTERS - Describe:

11.) Your first character.

Gobo Pepperthorn. Male Halfling in Basic D&D. Died protecting a fellow PC from a Dragon Breath attack.


12.) Your favorite character.

StarGuard. Male, Alien Superhero in Champions. Still alive. Still badass.


13.) Your most ridiculous character.

That is hard to narrow down. I played Toon and TFOS a lot. Ridiculous was normal.

I played an Alien Robot Repairman in a game of Hunter Planet (though he was actually rather competent).

14.) The best in-character line you’ve ever had.

"I am going to put you through the Moon."

My Champions PC StarGuard said this to another PC who was acting like a villain even though he believed himself to be a hero. I challenged him to a one-on-one, honor duel on the Moon.

15.) Your most epic death.

Hmmm. Didn't die a lot. Mostly because I didn't play a lot I guess.

Have to go with my first one. Dragon Breath in defense of a friend.

16.) Your most disappointing death.

See above.

17.) Something that shouldn’t have worked, but did.

After another PC created a terrible incident in which two alien armadas were about to go to war with each other while he kidnapped the princess of one of their nations (and blamed the other), I went back in time used a device similar to the Cosmic Treadmill or Doctor Doom's Time Platform and undid everything he did before it happened.

18.) Something that went hilariously awry.

...

Honestly can't think of anything as a player.

19.) Your most memorable in-character moment.

StarGuard leading several PC and NPC Superheroes, including members of his extraterrestrial superteam, into battle during an alien invasion of the Earth. I took out starships. I protected a few heroes from getting injured or killed, but I couldn't save everyone. My team fought hard but at least three were badly injured and one was killed (another PC).

20.) The coolest item you ever got and how you came to possess it.

Item? Got? Ummm...Oh! Finding treasure. Yeah, no, don't remember and wouldn't. Didn't play D&D much as time went on and it was never about the stuff when I did.

My Star Wars character Dreg, a Rodian, had a cool ship. He started with it but the backstory was his Dad game it to him to make a name for himself. It was sweet.

GAME MASTERS - Describe:

21.) Your favorite NPC and how the party reacted to him/her

I have a lot of favorites.

One is Ip Witspear, actually a former PC in an old game, I brought him back as the proprietor of a shop that buys and sells magic items and magical components. He is also used as a patron who hires PCs to search for some item or material a customer is looking for.

Most of my PCs love him. He speaks with an extremely exaggerated, foppish, British accent and misuses magical items, casts spells improperly, etc., so that just entering his store is an adventure. Various clues have revealed that is largely an act and that is quite an accomplished wizard in his own right.

Another favorite is the Patriot, a superhero who is best described as, "What if Captain America were a Vietnam vet and not the soldier hero of World War II?". He is a disillusioned, superpowered activist who listens to Led Zepplin, smokes weed and tells you, "Don't rule out those Secret Societies man. If you do man, they'll get you. I've seen some things man."

 22.) A game you wish you could run or want to run someday.

I have a certain idea or view of Fantasy that is very unlike D&D. I have run it only once and it was great. Attempts to run it since have failed.

One day.

23.) Something you made up on the spot.

Neither you, nor I, have the time it would take you to list all the things I have come up with on the spot. It's a lot.

A lot.

24.) Your most successful game.

Interesting. My most successful game. Not sure.

The D&D AD sequel to the original D&D AD campaign that I ran with my wife was amazingly good and fun. Our Traveller game was likewise pretty fantastic.

Both of my big Star Wars games were incredibly successful. People still talk about them.

My current Traveller game is going incredibly well and the new Champions campaign I'm starting has great potential.

Hmmm.

There was also my Star Trek game...Fedifensor. That might have to be the one.

25.) Your least successful game.

Ooh. Ouch. Bring up the bad memories and the feels why don't you.

Pendragon. I recently tried running Pendragon and it went all kinds of wrong. It sucked rotten eggs through a dirty straw.

26.) The craziest thing your players have ever done, and how it affected your plans.

I don't plan that way other GMs seem to plan. I don't have a pre-determined idea of how the game will go. I have what the villain is up to, what they plan to do, how they plan on doing it and a good idea of what else the world around them is like.

Players are than welcome to do crazy stuff as much as they like, but if they don't thwart the villain, he/she does what he/she planned on doing.

If players investigate the wreckage of a spaceship, I know what's on it, why it's derelict and what could happen should they board it, but that's all. I don't know if the players are going to have their PCs tear it apart for salvage, board it and look around, tractor beam it behind them, toss it into the sun, or whathaveyou and as such, I don't make plans that require any one thing to happen.

27.) Your favorite setting or game location.

I like going from environment to environment, so Science Fiction, especially Space Travel Adventure Science Fiction, is my favorite type of gaming.

My favorite settings include the Star Trek and Star Wars universes, Traveller's canon (pre-MegaTraveller) and global superhero campaigns, whether original or set in the Marvel or DC universe. My preference there is DC, pre-nu52 of course.

As for locations, I like urban settings, space stations and starships and in or under water scenarios. I am also a big fan of Tundra and Arctic locales.

28.) Your creative process when you plan a game.

I have tried to describe this before and don't think I really can. I'll try again.

I get an idea. It pops into my head from somewhere. Sometimes it's something from a movie, a TV show, a video game, a comic book, a piece of concept art, a song lyric, a sentence in a game book, and then, it explodes. It starts bouncing off the inner walls of my mind, hitting other ideas from previous 'pops' and eventually, BOOM!, it all comes crashing down into a little room in my brain reserved specifically for finished product.

I mentally take it out, clean off the dust and any loose pieces, maybe spruce up the paint job at little, but that's it. I don't so much work on games or plan them. Ideas just hit me, fully formed and complete. If they are good, they are usually followed by an avalache of other related ideas and there you go, I have a campaign.

29.) The best / worst character concept you’ve ever heard.

Some of the best characters I've ever seen were not high concept. Most of my ex-wife's character were people, normal for the most part, who became amazing due to her actions and the way she interacted with the settings and other characters.

My friend Andy is surprisingly good at Superhero concepts. I say surprisingly because his favorite genre is horror (albeit somewhat campy horror). Two of his character concepts that blew me away were/are:

Starboard, an android superhero in the mold of the Silver Surfer. A cosmic crusader who travels from planet ot planet warning them of the approach of some great evil. He then remains with them to help them defend against it, whatever it may be.

What makes the concept so cool is that Starboard is actually a starship. He is a Human-sized and shaped, FTL capable 'giant robot' for a species of miniature Humanoid beings. Kind of like Meet Dave merged with the Japanese mecha series and films Ideon. Except cooler and with a heavy dose of Silver Surfer.

His current character in our new Champions campaign is called The Grey Flame. The ghost of an actor who died trying to save immigrants from a burning tenement in 1927, the entity now known as The Grey Flame was, for many years, thought to be an urban legend. Originally referred to as, 'The Man in Grey', the ghost received his current name from one of the few remaining members of the Silver Age Champions who thought The Grey Flame was a hero recruited to join the team.

He appears as a man in the garb of a Muskateer, with a long, dramatic, dark cape. The was what the actor was wearing when he died, as he was on his way to a performance. He is completely invisible and immaterial, unable to be seen, heard or touch, unless he concentrates and wills himself visible and solid.

That's right gaming fans, his power is to become tangible and visible. He expends Endurance points to do so. Awesome.

I'm hard pressed to say these were the Best Characters Ever, but they were the best I've seen in a long time. Definitely cool, and memorable.

As far as worst, eh, I have this one player who, well, all of his concepts are pretty weak. His ability to come up with interesting ideas that aren't just, "I fight good", is pretty limited. Yes, I know that was poor grammar. That is indicitive of this player as well.

30.) What makes GMing fun for you.

Everythnig.

I really love everything about it. I love playing to a crowd. I love to entertain. I love gathering a group of friends together on a regular basis to enjoy each others company and a shared hobby. I love making artwork, maps and character sheets for my games.

I love it when Players believe they have figured out some discrepancy in the logic of the game world, point it out, and than I get to see the look on their faces when I say, "Ah, noticed that did you?"

Yeah. I love that.

AD
Barking Alien