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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6291278" data-attributes="member: 42582">I don't agree with this, for similar reasons to [MENTION=27160]Balesir[/MENTION].For instance, I remember a long sequence of play - which unfolded over a couple of years of real time - in which a high-level sorcerer became a drug addict, then nearly died, then was &quot;saved&quot; by an NPC whom he met and with whom he fell in love - she had been sent by a rival to spy on him, but ended up betraying her master and falling for him.Then this NPC was killed by a demon that had been summoned by another PC but went rogue. And the PC was nearly lost again, but ended up regaining his focus and self-possession by leading a successful campaign against racial and cultural discrimination in his wizard's guild.This was soap-opera style play, and the player enjoyed it (otherwise we wouldn't have been spending time on it) even though a lot of the time the PC was very miserable. Between missions/adventures the player would describe his PC drunk or drugged in his room and playing mournfully on his panpipes - and the other PC wizard (the party leader) would have to come in and have healing spells cast to restore his companion to mission-ready health. A reward for the player (spotlight time, enjoying inhabiting his PC etc) but not for the character!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 6291278, member: 42582"] I don't agree with this, for similar reasons to [MENTION=27160]Balesir[/MENTION]. For instance, I remember a long sequence of play - which unfolded over a couple of years of real time - in which a high-level sorcerer became a drug addict, then nearly died, then was "saved" by an NPC whom he met and with whom he fell in love - she had been sent by a rival to spy on him, but ended up betraying her master and falling for him. Then this NPC was killed by a demon that had been summoned by another PC but went rogue. And the PC was nearly lost again, but ended up regaining his focus and self-possession by leading a successful campaign against racial and cultural discrimination in his wizard's guild. This was soap-opera style play, and the player enjoyed it (otherwise we wouldn't have been spending time on it) even though a lot of the time the PC was very miserable. Between missions/adventures the player would describe his PC drunk or drugged in his room and playing mournfully on his panpipes - and the other PC wizard (the party leader) would have to come in and have healing spells cast to restore his companion to mission-ready health. A reward for the player (spotlight time, enjoying inhabiting his PC etc) but not for the character! [/QUOTE]

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