Quickleaf
Legend
Here are some examples of character hooks for an adventure I'm working on...
What do you think about the idea of allowing players to shuffle their PCs stats around slightly before play to reflect their preparation for some part of the adventure?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character Hooks
Besides the direct mission, each PC may choose one of the following character hooks as fits their personality and goals. Alternately, a player may work with the DM to come up with an entirely new character hook. Each hook gives the PC a personal motive and gives hints offering some way the player can shift their PC’s stats to suit the hook. If a character manages to fulfill their character hook in some way, the DM can give the PC a 5%-10% experience point bonus during that adventure.
1. Dominion
You come to Bar Tehraz with dreams of acquiring a parcel of land and becoming a wise ruler over the subjects there. Perhaps you are fleeing a bad situation in your homeland. Perhaps you plan to take new lands in the name of your king or patron deity. Perhaps you merely seek to acquire the land and place a local satrap as your proxy over the estate, providing you with a source of revenue and place to return to on further adventures. Perhaps you genuinely admire the Parsian way of life. Whatever your motive, you are driven to receive a royal writ granting you dominion over lands and people.
Character Options: You may swap a feat for the Leadership feat. You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Knowledge (nobility) reflecting your study of the royal customs.
2. Faithful Steed
Legends of the grand horses of Parsia reached your ears, and you have come to find exquisite Parthian, Scythian, and Taurin horses to your stables. Deep within you is the secret desire that you shall find a steed like no other – a true hero’s mount. Perhaps you lost a steed to death, or you have set out on a path in life that requires you to train with only the finest horse.
Character Options: You can replace any single feat with one of the ride feats in this book, to reflect your character’s passion for horses. You may use your Appraise ability to assess the potential of a horse. Also you may take 10 on Diplomacy checks made with Princess Rhysa, reflecting your mutual appreciation of horses.
3. Hunting Party
The fantastic beasts of Parsia defy the imagination. Wyverns, manticores, tigers, wolves, and griffons were all born in this land, not to mention the fearsome karkadann. It is a hunter’s paradise, and you hope to add some trophies to your wall that will rival those of your homeland’s greatest palaces. Catching the White Panther would be your greatest accomplishment, though you may be content with simply capturing a griffon’s egg.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Knowledge (nature) reflecting your study of wildlife. You may swap one feat for See Wyrm’s Weakness or any of the archery feats. Also, you know of Prince Sanjar as a prolific hunter, and, as you are cut from the same cloth, you may take 10 on all Sense Motive checks used against the Prince.
4. Marriage
Having heard of the beauty of Shah Ariaramnes’ daughter, you have decided to visit Bar Tehraz as a prospective suitor. The tales you heard paint the picture of an amazing woman, well versed in the arts of riding, archery, calligraphy, poetry, music, and affairs of state. Should Princess Rhysa prove to be everything you have heard, then you shall seek her hand in marriage, at last finding your heart’s rest in the arms of your beloved.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Diplomacy. You may swap out a feat for the Etiquette or Love feat. If you choose the Love feat, you have already fallen in love with the princess based only on her description.
5. Silk Trade
A cunning merchant, or a green entrepreneur having recently acquired a writ of trade with Bar Tehraz, you have positioned yourself to engage in the silk trade. Back home a mere yard of silk is worth a pretty penny. You have brought goods from your homeland to trade for the fabled silk spun by worms in the Hanging Gardens of Bar Tehraz.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Appraise or Diplomacy. You begin with 1d4x1000 gp worth in trade goods from your native land along with a group of servants who handle their transportation and protection.
6. Study
Architecture, Astronomy, Mathematics, Medicine, Poetry, Religion – all these are taught by masters in Parsia. Bar Tehraz is particularly renowned for its School of Poetry, where the greatest poets in the world have studied. You have come hoping to apprentice yourself to one of these masters for several months, learning as much as you can before returning home.
Character Options: You may make Knowledge and Perform checks to identify masters in the field or famous techniques, using your skills in place of Knowledge (local).
7. Magical Research
The Magoi of Parsia have incorporated mystical traditions from diverse cultures within the empire, and the rumors of great magics have tantalized you. The Cup of Djemscheed is said to reveal all the good and evil in the world. From one seed of the Gao-kerena tree is born an entire forest. Some mystical traditions claim Parsia as their birthplace. Even a simple fire can become a sacred and intelligent force, so it is said. Perhaps you have encountered a spell or item which hails from Parsia and you seek to identify its roots.
Character Options: You may use Knowledge (arcana) or Use Magic Device to learn the history or lore about magic objects and spells, as if you had the bardic knowledge ability.
8. Long Lost Relative
Perhaps an ancient ancestor of your is Parsian and you have only recently received word from your distant family in Bar Tehraz. Perhaps you had an illicit affair long ago and now the mother demands you come to see the child. Perhaps you were born of Persian parents and wish to pay your respects to your mother and father. Whatever the case, the bonds of family have drawn you to Bar Tehraz. At first you do not know who your relative is – you only have a list of your family’s lineage. As you adventure you may find your long lost relative is one of the following people: Barut-maan, Huyshar, Princess Rhysa, or
Character Options: If appropriate to your concept you may swap a feat for the Prestigious Lineage feat. If your parents were Persian, or even your ancestors, you may blend in, not sticking out so much as other foreigners. Perhaps you even take to the Pahlavi dialect without mutilating its lyrical qualities. When you find your long lost relative, they are immediately friendly toward you, providing you with room and board, hoping to hear all about your adventures.
What do you think about the idea of allowing players to shuffle their PCs stats around slightly before play to reflect their preparation for some part of the adventure?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character Hooks
Besides the direct mission, each PC may choose one of the following character hooks as fits their personality and goals. Alternately, a player may work with the DM to come up with an entirely new character hook. Each hook gives the PC a personal motive and gives hints offering some way the player can shift their PC’s stats to suit the hook. If a character manages to fulfill their character hook in some way, the DM can give the PC a 5%-10% experience point bonus during that adventure.
1. Dominion
You come to Bar Tehraz with dreams of acquiring a parcel of land and becoming a wise ruler over the subjects there. Perhaps you are fleeing a bad situation in your homeland. Perhaps you plan to take new lands in the name of your king or patron deity. Perhaps you merely seek to acquire the land and place a local satrap as your proxy over the estate, providing you with a source of revenue and place to return to on further adventures. Perhaps you genuinely admire the Parsian way of life. Whatever your motive, you are driven to receive a royal writ granting you dominion over lands and people.
Character Options: You may swap a feat for the Leadership feat. You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Knowledge (nobility) reflecting your study of the royal customs.
2. Faithful Steed
Legends of the grand horses of Parsia reached your ears, and you have come to find exquisite Parthian, Scythian, and Taurin horses to your stables. Deep within you is the secret desire that you shall find a steed like no other – a true hero’s mount. Perhaps you lost a steed to death, or you have set out on a path in life that requires you to train with only the finest horse.
Character Options: You can replace any single feat with one of the ride feats in this book, to reflect your character’s passion for horses. You may use your Appraise ability to assess the potential of a horse. Also you may take 10 on Diplomacy checks made with Princess Rhysa, reflecting your mutual appreciation of horses.
3. Hunting Party
The fantastic beasts of Parsia defy the imagination. Wyverns, manticores, tigers, wolves, and griffons were all born in this land, not to mention the fearsome karkadann. It is a hunter’s paradise, and you hope to add some trophies to your wall that will rival those of your homeland’s greatest palaces. Catching the White Panther would be your greatest accomplishment, though you may be content with simply capturing a griffon’s egg.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Knowledge (nature) reflecting your study of wildlife. You may swap one feat for See Wyrm’s Weakness or any of the archery feats. Also, you know of Prince Sanjar as a prolific hunter, and, as you are cut from the same cloth, you may take 10 on all Sense Motive checks used against the Prince.
4. Marriage
Having heard of the beauty of Shah Ariaramnes’ daughter, you have decided to visit Bar Tehraz as a prospective suitor. The tales you heard paint the picture of an amazing woman, well versed in the arts of riding, archery, calligraphy, poetry, music, and affairs of state. Should Princess Rhysa prove to be everything you have heard, then you shall seek her hand in marriage, at last finding your heart’s rest in the arms of your beloved.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Diplomacy. You may swap out a feat for the Etiquette or Love feat. If you choose the Love feat, you have already fallen in love with the princess based only on her description.
5. Silk Trade
A cunning merchant, or a green entrepreneur having recently acquired a writ of trade with Bar Tehraz, you have positioned yourself to engage in the silk trade. Back home a mere yard of silk is worth a pretty penny. You have brought goods from your homeland to trade for the fabled silk spun by worms in the Hanging Gardens of Bar Tehraz.
Character Options: You may transfer up to 4 skill points into Appraise or Diplomacy. You begin with 1d4x1000 gp worth in trade goods from your native land along with a group of servants who handle their transportation and protection.
6. Study
Architecture, Astronomy, Mathematics, Medicine, Poetry, Religion – all these are taught by masters in Parsia. Bar Tehraz is particularly renowned for its School of Poetry, where the greatest poets in the world have studied. You have come hoping to apprentice yourself to one of these masters for several months, learning as much as you can before returning home.
Character Options: You may make Knowledge and Perform checks to identify masters in the field or famous techniques, using your skills in place of Knowledge (local).
7. Magical Research
The Magoi of Parsia have incorporated mystical traditions from diverse cultures within the empire, and the rumors of great magics have tantalized you. The Cup of Djemscheed is said to reveal all the good and evil in the world. From one seed of the Gao-kerena tree is born an entire forest. Some mystical traditions claim Parsia as their birthplace. Even a simple fire can become a sacred and intelligent force, so it is said. Perhaps you have encountered a spell or item which hails from Parsia and you seek to identify its roots.
Character Options: You may use Knowledge (arcana) or Use Magic Device to learn the history or lore about magic objects and spells, as if you had the bardic knowledge ability.
8. Long Lost Relative
Perhaps an ancient ancestor of your is Parsian and you have only recently received word from your distant family in Bar Tehraz. Perhaps you had an illicit affair long ago and now the mother demands you come to see the child. Perhaps you were born of Persian parents and wish to pay your respects to your mother and father. Whatever the case, the bonds of family have drawn you to Bar Tehraz. At first you do not know who your relative is – you only have a list of your family’s lineage. As you adventure you may find your long lost relative is one of the following people: Barut-maan, Huyshar, Princess Rhysa, or
Character Options: If appropriate to your concept you may swap a feat for the Prestigious Lineage feat. If your parents were Persian, or even your ancestors, you may blend in, not sticking out so much as other foreigners. Perhaps you even take to the Pahlavi dialect without mutilating its lyrical qualities. When you find your long lost relative, they are immediately friendly toward you, providing you with room and board, hoping to hear all about your adventures.
