Family Ties

[*Darkrob]

So I've been thinking about relationships in Game. Not 'personal relationships' (Love/ERP, etc) but forced Family relationships. I mean 'Forced Family' in the sense that you can pick your friends... but you can't pick your family. So this has led to 'what if' thoughts.

So... what if there was an influential (or even just well established) Family somewhere that had maybe 4 - 6 children. By now, all of these 'children' were now adults. They were all between 20 and 30 years old. They no longer live at home. Now in a perfectly planned family PC clan, one would expect them to be designed around each other, in support of each other... close family. In this version, however, they are likely anything but.

The 4-6 siblings might be day/night versions of each other. Some might be good, virtuous in their ways, others might be scoundrels, black sheep types who grew up as bad weeds. Some might tolerate each other others might downright hate their siblings. Problem is... Mom and Dad are still alive somewhere. They have a hefty estate under their control... and no one knows what the Will looks like. All they know is if Mom or Dad ever come into proof that the children are actively working against each other (or the parents)... they're out of the Will.

Oh the possibilities.

So as PC's, they don't have to adhere to 'standard' family behavior. They don't have to live together if they don't want to. They don't have to have the same friends, they don't have to have the same likes. They don't have to travel together, RP together or even make an effort to be nice all the time. They simply have to have the same race, the same last name and the same starting information. Some of the most united and strong clans in history are family. On the other side of the coin, some of the most dangerous enemies and villains... are family. Maybe the family grows through marriages, strengthening positions, maybe 'accidents' happen. Who knows.

Just thought it might be a neat deviation from the 'let's create a group' concept that we usually see. Right now it's more of a 'discuss and mull over' concept than a 'jump right in and create characters!' concept. I just wanted to put it out there to see if something loike this would even work properly.

[*Mr_Otyugh]

Sounds like that could be something fun.

[*Darkrob]

I mean there would be very few guidelines or 'must have/do' things involved. The whole idea, really, is to have a group of characters who are autonomous of each other yet connected by two simple things; Blood and History. They'd need to all be in an age range, they'd need to all be the same racial class (and relative skin tone), but other than that, it'd pretty much be wide open. They wouldn't have to like each other or, conversely, could actually be close friends and allies if that's what they chose to do. They'd be able to do their own things without requiring permission, guidance or worry about 'what the rest of my family' might think.

There would be a 'Base' history of the family that they'd have to adopt. This would be worked out by the players. Their own personal histories would be their own. They'd have a 'public' personal history... things everyone in the family knows about them and another 'private history' that they could form and grow on their own to support their current build/alignment/personality. Most personal goals would likely be long term. It wouldn't be a 'build char, become lord of the Family right away' type things. Ma and Pa are still around and might be for years. I mean, wouldn't it be in the children's best interest to make sure the parents stay alive until the other children are out of the will?

How/if that happens... is a matter of RP and communal (ooc) agreement. There would be no 'Player parents'. If/when they are required, hopefully an EM or DM would step up to play the part. It's a long term, play at your own speed and style, player (non)group.

[*Mr_Otyugh]

I mostly consider it a "get to "know" characters right away without needing to come up with excuses to talk to them" that my introverted butt struggles with. :P

[*Darkrob]

Same. It's a good way to 'know' someone out of the gate without actually having to get too deep right away (or at all).

[*Rayanne]

Given this server, I give it three days before it devolve into incestual ERP. :P

Like the idea, though, and have already done it a couple of times, although on a smaller scale. There's only so many times you can go through the "This is my story and everything that's relevant about me"-routine before it gets stale, no matter how "different" you swear this character is going to be.

What's the endgame, then? Wait a couple of real-life years for other players to lose interest and/or have their characters die off, then finally inherit your parents' stuff and then retire the character as they move off-Sigil to take care of their new estate?

[*DM_Odin]

Given this server, I give it three days before it devolve into incestual ERP. :P

Like the idea, though, and have already done it a couple of times, although on a smaller scale. There's only so many times you can go through the "This is my story and everything that's relevant about me"-routine before it gets stale, no matter how "different" you swear this character is going to be.

What's the endgame, then? Wait a couple of real-life years for other players to lose interest and/or have their characters die off, then finally inherit your parents' stuff and then retire the character as they move off-Sigil to take care of their new estate?

[*Darkrob]

Dunno... does there have to be an end game? I don't think I have any characters with an End Game plan. They just kind of exist and evolve in whatever direction I take them. Will interest wane? Maybe... but don't we take that risk every time we build a new char?

[*Rayanne]

I mean, I like to have my characters have ambitions and dreams to work towards. Something to keep them going cycle after cycle, and not just hanging out at the bazaar every day, bemoaning their boredom. :P

For this, there are basically two resolutions: Either you arrange for the parents to never die and instead focus on the rivalry between the siblings, or one of the siblings are eventually going to come out on top and claim the prize and subsequent retirement.

Either one has potential for scheming, intrigue and interesting roleplay, I was just wondering what you had in mind.

[*[<3]]

.... Something to keep them going cycle after cycle, and not just hanging out at the bazaar every day, bemoaning their boredom. :P

Sigil's main problem if I dare say so.