Roleplaying » Discussions


A Roleplayer's Copybook: The Lazy Bard Challenge

Tags: #RP  #Story  #Challenge  #Writing 
  • October 15, 2018

    This is the journal thing I've mentioned in Vezrabuto's discussion that some people liked, so I decided to share. It's rather simple and untaxing, if somewhat nerdy, and easy to do even if you happen to be lazy, busy, lacking confidence in your writing skills, not a native English speaker or all of that at the same time, like myself)) Initially I wanted to call it "the Challenge of Common Sense", but that sounds too Justiciar-styled, so I decided to call it

    So, the thing. You are telling the story of your character, in short entries. It can be as long and as detailed as you want. You can alter dialogue, situations, add new NPCs, locations, anything you want. But you also have to give details of how you roleplay it in the game. Here are a few rules:

    1. The time between two story entries cannot be longer than 1 in-game week.

    2. Pick attributes for your character. You must remain consistent with your choices. Your Vigilant of Stendarr of Lawful Good alignment cannot suddenly start killing old women and raping chickens. If he does, you must explain why. Your stronghold Orc cannot be a scholar of Imperial history. If he is, you explain how it came to be. And so on.
    *Basics: race, sex, age, place of birth, alignment
    *Profession. It will be your main source of earning gold. A blacksmith cannot take bounties on bandits, a mercenary cannot enchant weapons, etc. If they can, explain how it is possible. A random adventurer is not a profession. You can change the profession later by joining a faction.
    *Brief background and personality
    *(Optional) religion, political views, faction. If you have these, it must be seen in your character's life, i.e. they must pray at the shrines of their chosen deity and follow their philosophy, act according to their political opinions, follow the rules of their faction and help its members.
    *The reason of being in Skyrim. Whether your character starts in Helgen or somewhere else, or even before the events of the game, explain it anyway.
    *4 major and 4 minor skills (maximum) according to your chosen profession and background. You can level only these skills and take perks only in the major ones. You can add one more skill with perks if you join a faction, but only a skill that suits that faction i.e. combat skills for the Companions, stealth for the Thieves Guild, magic for the College of Winterhold, etc. The Main Quest doesn't add a skill because it already gives you Shouts.

    Write a mini-profile on your character as the first entry. You can add more details if you want, like appearance, habits and interests, etc. Feel free to expand on this.

    3. No fast travel but carriages are allowed.

    4. You must sleep at least 2 hours every night and eat at least once a day. 

    5. You can own only one house.

    6. If you pick a follower, you must explain how your character met them, why they decided to travel with them, etc. Also, the follower is a person too, so you'll have to integrate them into your story and at least mention them in your entries. They cannot be just a silent shadow.

    7. You can only join one faction in the game.

    8. You decide when your character dies. If they die, write an entry about how it happened.

    9. If you do a Daedric quest siding with the Daedra, your character becomes a worshipper of that Daedra and must follow their philosophy. Same goes for the Aedra.

    10. Quests that appear in the Journal (not Miscellaneous) add bonuses. Not all of them are pleasant.

    The bonuses for finishing quests:

    * The Bards College - you can pick an additional skill (without perks) out of the following: Speech, Illusion, One-handed. If you already have it as a minor skill, you get it with perks. 

    *The Gildergreen quest - you can use one Novice Restoration or Alteration spell if you don't have those skills. If you have Restoration or Alteration as a minor skill, you get one perk in it. If you have both of them as major skills, you can pick one perk in any of your minor skills. 

    11. Mods are allowed and highly recommended. All for more detail, diversity and immersiveness!  

    Any suggestions and additions are welcome, naturally)

  • Member
    October 15, 2018

     

    I Like this. 

    2 Questions, Do we Post a Small Profile or let the attributes like Alignment and skills explain themself through the story? 

    And about the storytelling. can we make it for example A Bard Telling the Story or de we have to make it a recap? 

    I Will try this in a few Days when im done with Oblivion, i already have a few ideas for a Character ^^ 

  • October 16, 2018

    Yes, you post the profile. Added it to the rules. The purpose of the rules is to make you remain consistent with your chosen archetype, so it should be seen. Skyrim allows you to be everything at once and that becomes boring and automatic. The rules are to make you think and use your imagination. You have to think about every decision, every reaction of your character, what he says to others, why, etc. No more automatic things. Imo this is what makes the game fun.

  • Member
    October 16, 2018
    Yes i never liked how after about 40 lvls you just turn into a Jack of all trades master of everything and become master of every faction. I think i will have fun with this ^^
  • Member
    October 16, 2018
    Are mods allowed like alternate start? I play on ps3 but i simulate this by just rushing to a carriage and picking a place to start.
  • October 16, 2018

    Vezrabuto said: Yes i never liked how after about 40 lvls you just turn into a Jack of all trades master of everything and become master of every faction. I think i will have fun with this ^^

    Yes, exactly. That's why you have the profession, only 8 skills and 1 faction. To prevent the all-trading. I usually create characters just for a specific faction or quest.  

    Vezrabuto said: Are mods allowed like alternate start? I play on ps3 but i simulate this by just rushing to a carriage and picking a place to start.

    Of course! Mods are not just allowed, they are encouraged. The more the better. Everything you want to expand your gameplay and make it more immersive.

  • Member
    October 16, 2018
    Great then i have my character. ^^
  • Member
    October 16, 2018
    Do we need 4 major and minor skills? I would have to stuff some filler skills in.
  • October 16, 2018

    4&4 is maximum. If you manage with less, you can have less.

  • Member
    October 16, 2018
    Name: Ostium Agra

    Race: Imperial

    Sex: Male

    Age: 20 born on the third Day of The First Seed

    Birthsign: Lord

    Place of Birth: Cheydinhal, Cyrodiil

    Alignment: Chaotic Good

    Profession: Alchemist. He used to work as an apprentice in The Gilded Carafe before he came to Skyrim.

    Appearance: Long blonde hair that he keeps loosely flowing, standard robes with a a small bag thrown over his shoulder, brown gloves and black boots. He wears a hood in bad weather.

    Backstory

    He was born into a wealthy Family in Cheydinhal. He was a mischievous little boy. Stealing small things from inside the house and hiding them in funny places. His Mothers Hairbrush inside the kitchen drawer or his Fathers Shoes in the pantry. His parents taught him how to behave in the World of Nobles. His Father trained him in Archery. Nobles love to hunt for sport.

    Ostium was very good at moving without making a Sound, he often scared his Mother by sneaking up on Her and making funny sounds much to the dismay of His Mother.

    Ostium never wanted to be a Noble like his Father, who looked down on the Commoners like they were cattle. Ostium got into alot of Fights with his Father over this subject. He forbid him to Play with the other Kids in Town. Despite this Ostium went out into Town alot always accompanied by a Servant. Who would lose sight of Him after a few Minutes due to his Stealthy Nature. He made a few Friends over the Years.

    On his Twentieth Birthday Ostium witnessed his Father beating on of the Servants for spilling his Tea. Ostium tackled his Father to the Ground and started unloading Punches followed by Insults into his Fathers face. Fueled by his stowed away hatred build up in the Years of fighting with his Father. Ostium got off his Father and stormed into his Room. He packed his food, his coin bag and some clothes into a Bag and went out the Front Door grabing a Bow and a Quiver on his way out.

    He Traveled to the Imperial City and entered the Merchants Inn in the Market district. He asked the Innkeeper for a Permanent Room.The Innkeeper declined but was quickly won over when Ostium pulled out his coin filled bag. Now with not more than 200 Septims he searched for work. He got a Job as Apprentice Alchemist in the Gilded Carafe. A few weeks Later Ostium received a Letter from his Father

    "Ostium Leave Cyrodiil now you shine a foul Light on our Family Name Behaving like a Commoner are you? Then i will treat you as One. I will give you a Week to Leave Cyrodiil if you are still here by then then I will Send Assassins to dispose of you. You are Disowned.Change youre Name and Leave."

    Ostium showed the Letter to his Boss who suggested Skyrim since she has Family there in Dragonbridge. She will send a Letter while He travels. Ostium left the Same Night.

    A few Weeks of Travel later Ostium arrived at the House he was supposed to meet his Bosses relatives. After knocking on the Door and explaining Himself to the Residence he was met with a Confused expression and shown an Inheritance letter from his Boss. His Father must had her Killed for Knowing his affiliation to him. Now Stranded in Skyrim Ostium seeks out the Inn inside Solitud starting a new Life in Skyrim.

    Faction: None for now

    Major Skills: Archery, Alchemy, Sneak, Pickpocket

    Minor Skills: Speechcraft

    Politic View: He has a strong distaste for Nobles and Politics. He keeps out of the upper Class as much as he can.

    Religion: He was never really Interested in being Religious but who knows something or someone might change his Mind.

    Personality: He is Friendly and ready to help people in need but follows his own Morals. He likes the life as a Commoner being Free from having to wear Fancy Clothes and attend Partys from People he never met. His Actions might not be seen as good in the Eye of Society from time to time but in his Views they are justified.