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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Templetroll" data-source="post: 1716590" data-attributes="member: 2201">Do actors use accents for effect?  Do writers use descriptions of accents or various ways of speaking to delineate characters?I started a new campaign for my wife and daughter.  They are playing odd characters - a pseudodragon and a kinda mystical hyena.  They first meet up with a druid, who has no problem talking to them but when they rescue the wizard, a human female, the druid begins to stutter.  There's a reason for it and they picked up on the change right away.  The wizard thinks the druid stutters, because that is all she has heard.  The players think it is cute and the hyena wants to help him out.Any alteration of the voice can be used to help the characterization along and help build the story in the game you are running.  Hasn't everyone used a whisper for a nasty villian?I play a dwarf and I use a gruff, slightly deeper voice when speaking.  When the dwarf is getting annoyed he raises one brow and squints with the other eye; I do the same so the players know that is what is happening without my having to describe it.  The players find it humorous and it adds to the character.  I can make some of the players crack up just by raising my brow while the DM describes things; I can also let them know the dwarf thinks something is wrong by doing the same thing as an NPC talks to us or we hear a description.  voices and expressions are useful!I once had an NPC, an old woman who ran a barge up and down the river with her half-ogre son.  I used a voice inspired by the "Holy Grail" movie of the prince in the tower.  It fit an old woman, actually.  Another time a ranger fought a group of ogres and later found one of them tending its wounds.  The ranger took pity on it and tried to teach it civilized behavior.  It got as far as the ogre, named Hombug, would say, "skyooz me" when ever it farted or belched.  I said it in a funny voice and it developed into a cool NPC that was great to have defending the castle so long as you didn't invite it to the throne room or a party.Funny voices, it's a good thing.</blockquote>

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