My ODnD Greyhawk pbp group currently has a cleric npc named Pearl. It was pre-determined she would be a cleric, but nonetheless I rolled her stats 3d6 in order. She ended up with the highest str in the party and an intelligence of 3!
This has presented some challenges. I decided early on that her 3 didn't 'have' to mean she was a drooling moron. She has a pretty nice charisma too, after all. Also, since she's a cleric, it also doesn't mean she can't read. She has a Great Deal of Trouble reading. When she found a spell book after making 2nd level (yes, my clerics have to have spellbooks, Francis Bacon) it took her a month to figure it out. With help.
She also has a terrible memory. Due to her decent wisdom score (she got a +2 to her rolled value as a pre-det. cleric) she has figured out a few mnemonic devices. They don't always work. She speaks very confidently, and with excellent diction. She doesn't say very much.
Not only is she inordinately forgetful, but she also has a terrible time processing her environment to notice things or come up with ideas. All 3 of which happen to be great for an npc :)
In my Traveller d20 group, I ran a female vargr named Yarlaklaa Hruth, a reformed space pirate searching the Imperium for her long-lost son. Yarley, was sweet, generous, and kind... until someone crossed her. She once made a local crimelord loose bladder control by pointing a laser carbine at his head after he sent a kill team to ambush her party.
We started an "Empire of the Petal Throne" campaign we plan on playing each GaryCon, and I played a low clan Avanthe-worshipping Aridani warrior. I haven't really come up with much of a background for her. I can only think that she joined the temple as a guard (not being pretty, psychically gifted, or rich enough to become a priestess). Somewhere along the line she acquired a sentient magic sword. When last we left her and her party, she had traveled to the Garden of Weeping snows to deliver a query to Nyelmu, the undying wizard. The temperamental and sadistic mage opened a nexus point and informed her that the answer lay beyond it.
The main heroine PC of my current campaign is a B/X Mystic (adjusted) named Sister Halia. She is a brutal combatant but also the conscience of the group.
My girlfriend play actually a female warrior on Cimorra, an earthling and a half-american native navy seal. At the moment she's the nearly immortal bodyguard of the Queen of Thyrak and hunts an evil and undead archmage, who wants to destroy the city.
The highest level PC in the game I'm running is a Ranger named Xan. She's got a heart so good that she almost shouldn't be adventuring. Instead of blowing her gold on raucous fun, she donates it to good causes, like building a village wall, and more than one adventure has started with her deciding to rescue someone when her fellow PCs care a lot more about whether (or not!) there's much reward involved.
My last character was an elf called Kin Kelda, a fighter/mage, of noble blood, arrogant and haughty like only an elf could be. Until she got eaten by a T-Rex :(
My most heroic female characters were Raven Tress and Tessa Rose, smugglers in d6 WEG Star Wars, fighting for the rebellion against the tyranny of the Empire. They were great fun to play.
The most badass was a badass female fighter named Bladehawk. She was created by my childhood (best) friend, Jocelyn circa 1982, and would make appearances as an NPC as late as 1987 or '88. She was renowned for being "the sole survivor" or "last one killed" in more adventures than any other character...at a time when I was doing my best to craft "killer dungeons." She did this through a combination of luck, ingenuity, and courage...even when other characters (mid and high level) with far better skills, spells, magic items, etc. were getting offed left and right. At a time when other players were experimenting with bards, and barbarians, and thief-acrobats, etc. She was "doing it" with plate mail, shield, and a talking sword...and attitude.
As I've gotten older and analyzed and deconstructed D&D, I've come to understand the supremacy of the fighter. The interesting part (for me) is that her character was created using B/X back in 1982 and so was limited to D8 hit dice, no multiple attacks, no "weapon specialization," etc. And she STILL kicked ass.
one of my male players loves to play female characters. His PC is Cleopatra, an exotic Wizard. Cleo has had numerous awesome moments, including the time she charmed and seduced the devilishly suave leader of the antagonistic NPC party (a Bard modelled on a former character of mine). Not only did she learn things, she left him in his knickers, sans equipment. Cleo is also one of the wiser dungeoneers among my PCs; she found a wand of magic missiles and a fungal staff (from the Pod Caverns) and is now quite confident, even if only 4th level.
I have had not nearly enough heroines in my games of late, which I blame on not nearly enough daughter time. I'll pile on the Jirel of Joiry recommendation, and add C. L. Moore in general, though.
Queen Valeris of Orlbar Five years ago the warrior-woman Valeris and her companions overthrew the Temple of Bane-Iyacthu, and freed the small town of Orlbar from their tyranny. The surviving Banites fled far north, into the wastelands along the Delimbiyr River known as the Black March. Valeris cleared out the Temple, refortified it and named it Castle Valeris, then proclaimed herself Queen and carved out a dominion incorporating several settlements along the eastern Grayflow River. She has proven a strong and aggressive ruler, and has won several skirmishes against the rival forces of the Mountain King and the Bandits of Llorkh. Three years ago (1476 DR) she personally slew the Bandit King Gulthog Half-Hand on the banks of the Grayflow. Gulthog’s successor King Boris has proven much more amenable: though neither ruler trusts the other, they have allied to keep trade flowing and curb the expansionist desires of the Mountain King. http://frloudwater.blogspot.com/2011/08/eastern-gray-vale.html
Valeris was inspired mostly by reading a 'Queen Sonya' comic, and a pic of the moody-looking Queen, in female King Conan mode.
My ODnD Greyhawk pbp group currently has a cleric npc named Pearl. It was pre-determined she would be a cleric, but nonetheless I rolled her stats 3d6 in order. She ended up with the highest str in the party and an intelligence of 3!
ReplyDeleteThis has presented some challenges. I decided early on that her 3 didn't 'have' to mean she was a drooling moron. She has a pretty nice charisma too, after all. Also, since she's a cleric, it also doesn't mean she can't read. She has a Great Deal of Trouble reading. When she found a spell book after making 2nd level (yes, my clerics have to have spellbooks, Francis Bacon) it took her a month to figure it out. With help.
She also has a terrible memory. Due to her decent wisdom score (she got a +2 to her rolled value as a pre-det. cleric) she has figured out a few mnemonic devices. They don't always work. She speaks very confidently, and with excellent diction. She doesn't say very much.
Not only is she inordinately forgetful, but she also has a terrible time processing her environment to notice things or come up with ideas. All 3 of which happen to be great for an npc :)
In my Traveller d20 group, I ran a female vargr named Yarlaklaa Hruth, a reformed space pirate searching the Imperium for her long-lost son. Yarley, was sweet, generous, and kind... until someone crossed her. She once made a local crimelord loose bladder control by pointing a laser carbine at his head after he sent a kill team to ambush her party.
ReplyDeleteWe started an "Empire of the Petal Throne" campaign we plan on playing each GaryCon, and I played a low clan Avanthe-worshipping Aridani warrior. I haven't really come up with much of a background for her. I can only think that she joined the temple as a guard (not being pretty, psychically gifted, or rich enough to become a priestess). Somewhere along the line she acquired a sentient magic sword. When last we left her and her party, she had traveled to the Garden of Weeping snows to deliver a query to Nyelmu, the undying wizard. The temperamental and sadistic mage opened a nexus point and informed her that the answer lay beyond it.
What happens next will be determined next year.
The main heroine PC of my current campaign is a B/X Mystic (adjusted) named Sister Halia. She is a brutal combatant but also the conscience of the group.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend play actually a female warrior on Cimorra, an earthling and a half-american native navy seal.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment she's the nearly immortal bodyguard of the Queen of Thyrak and hunts an evil and undead archmage, who wants to destroy the city.
http://cimorra.blogspot.com/2010/12/charaktere-liz-goodchild.html
Because I mostly play with my girlfriend she has a lot of heroines. I think 30 or something more...
The highest level PC in the game I'm running is a Ranger named Xan. She's got a heart so good that she almost shouldn't be adventuring. Instead of blowing her gold on raucous fun, she donates it to good causes, like building a village wall, and more than one adventure has started with her deciding to rescue someone when her fellow PCs care a lot more about whether (or not!) there's much reward involved.
ReplyDeleteMy last character was an elf called Kin Kelda, a fighter/mage, of noble blood, arrogant and haughty like only an elf could be. Until she got eaten by a T-Rex :(
ReplyDeleteMy most heroic female characters were Raven Tress and Tessa Rose, smugglers in d6 WEG Star Wars, fighting for the rebellion against the tyranny of the Empire. They were great fun to play.
The most badass was a badass female fighter named Bladehawk. She was created by my childhood (best) friend, Jocelyn circa 1982, and would make appearances as an NPC as late as 1987 or '88. She was renowned for being "the sole survivor" or "last one killed" in more adventures than any other character...at a time when I was doing my best to craft "killer dungeons." She did this through a combination of luck, ingenuity, and courage...even when other characters (mid and high level) with far better skills, spells, magic items, etc. were getting offed left and right. At a time when other players were experimenting with bards, and barbarians, and thief-acrobats, etc. She was "doing it" with plate mail, shield, and a talking sword...and attitude.
ReplyDeleteAs I've gotten older and analyzed and deconstructed D&D, I've come to understand the supremacy of the fighter. The interesting part (for me) is that her character was created using B/X back in 1982 and so was limited to D8 hit dice, no multiple attacks, no "weapon specialization," etc. And she STILL kicked ass.
The gauntlets of ogre power DID help.
; )
one of my male players loves to play female characters. His PC is Cleopatra, an exotic Wizard. Cleo has had numerous awesome moments, including the time she charmed and seduced the devilishly suave leader of the antagonistic NPC party (a Bard modelled on a former character of mine). Not only did she learn things, she left him in his knickers, sans equipment. Cleo is also one of the wiser dungeoneers among my PCs; she found a wand of magic missiles and a fungal staff (from the Pod Caverns) and is now quite confident, even if only 4th level.
ReplyDeleteI have had not nearly enough heroines in my games of late, which I blame on not nearly enough daughter time. I'll pile on the Jirel of Joiry recommendation, and add C. L. Moore in general, though.
ReplyDeleteQueen Valeris of Orlbar
ReplyDeleteFive years ago the warrior-woman Valeris and her companions overthrew the Temple of Bane-Iyacthu, and freed the small town of Orlbar from their tyranny. The surviving Banites fled far north, into the wastelands along the Delimbiyr River known as the Black March. Valeris cleared out the Temple, refortified it and named it Castle Valeris, then proclaimed herself Queen and carved out a dominion incorporating several settlements along the eastern Grayflow River. She has proven a strong and aggressive ruler, and has won several skirmishes against the rival forces of the Mountain King and the Bandits of Llorkh. Three years ago (1476 DR) she personally slew the Bandit King Gulthog Half-Hand on the banks of the Grayflow. Gulthog’s successor King Boris has proven much more amenable: though neither ruler trusts the other, they have allied to keep trade flowing and curb the expansionist desires of the Mountain King.
http://frloudwater.blogspot.com/2011/08/eastern-gray-vale.html
Valeris was inspired mostly by reading a 'Queen Sonya' comic, and a pic of the moody-looking Queen, in female King Conan mode.
They are all naked. Completely. And docile.
ReplyDelete