Difference between revisions of "Family Relations"

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[[File:Family-relations.jpg|thumb|440px|]]
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Like many things about the setting in which the player character adventures, the character has no control over the family he or she is born into, how many members it has, how successful it is or even if the character has a family at all. This reflects real life. Naturally, everyone would like to be born rich and be possessed of influence … but of course most of us are born the children of farmers, miners, artisans and other common people.
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'''Family relations''' describes the ancestral and familial ties the player character possesses in the game world, as it's reasonable to expect an individual to have parents, siblings and perhaps even children.  The existence of these is established through the [[Character Background Generator|character background generator]], which gives no consideration whatsoever to the player's wishes in this matter.  We do not choose what sort of family we are born into ... so if a given character is to have some sort of background, the fact of the character's pre-determined relations must be taken into account.
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Nor can the player dictate the family's level of success, nor the family's attitude towards the character.  Since the character begins the game at maturity, there are years of conflict, potential resentment, sacrifice or responsibilities that are utterly unaccounted for — and while the character can decide how he or she feels about ''them'', they are just as free to decide for themselves how to view the character. This is also determined through the background generator, related to the character's [[Ability Stats|ability stats]].
  
The [[Character Background Generator|character background generator]] is used to determine the nature and extent of a character’s family. The calculation is linked to the character’s [[Strength (ability stat)|strength]], arguing (right or wrong) that “virility” relates to “fertility.” Stronger characters are more likely to be a part of a large extended family, with many brothers and sisters, a living father and mother, and probably more than one living grandparent. There is a fair chance that one or both parents are already be dead and that the character was raised by an older sibling, a grandparent or even an uncle and aunt. There is a fairly high chance that a character is an orphan, particularly if the character’s strength is 10 or less. The generator determines the gender of each sibling and enables the DM to determine randomly the order in which all the children of the family were born. This can be very important if the character is in line for an inheritance which would go to the eldest son.
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Therefore, it's nearly impossible for the player to create a background such as "an orphan bent on revenging the murder of his or her parents," because much of the time both parents are still alive in the game world. Most of the time, orphans hardly know their parents, since they often become orphans when they're too young to remember much. In deciding a background, a player can "make up" a family relationship of their own — but this would be a lie, one that every other player at the game would be aware of, because secrets between players in the game leads to discord and bad game play.
  
Family relations are also affected by the character’s [[Wisdom (ability stat)|wisdom]]. Player characters with a low wisdom are more likely to be dispised or even disowned by their families. A high wisdom ingratiates the character with his or her familySuch latter characters would be welcome at home; they may choose to maintain a relationship with their family as part of the game experience.
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== Status ==
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Every player would like a character to be born rich and possess influenceEveryone wants to be secretly a noble, with an open path to a throne.  However, as there's no control over the family he or she is born into, or its status, players must accept that most people are born of farmers, miners, labourers, artisans and other everyday people.  
  
=== Legacy ===
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As children, characters learn ability skills related to that progenitor's profession.  This may happen even if the character is an orphan — since the player's rise to a levelled class presupposes some kind of mentor.  This background also affects the character's starting wealth and credit.   
The character's abilities affected by the occupation of a parent, grandparent or other family member.  As children, characters learn ability skills related to that progenitor's profession.  This may happen even if the character is an orphan — since the player's rise to a levelled class presupposes some kind of mentor.  This background also affects the character's starting wealth and credit.  Since a character can be conceivably born or noble birth, or from rich parents, the money available to a starting character can be considerable.  Most, however, are not that lucky.
 
  
In deciding their background, a player can "make up" a family relationship of their own — but this would be an invention, or lie, as the character's background relationship is determined before the player can do so.
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== Choosing Stats ==
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Players wishing to reduce the size of their game families should choose a lower [[Strength (ability stat)|strength]], since that stat reflects the character's innate qualities passed down through bloodlines]].  [[Character Class|Character classes]] that put more emphasis upon spellcasting, charisma or criminal behaviour tend towards isolation or resentment against society, and so those classes are more likely to be orphans than a fighter, ranger or paladin who wishes to defend society.
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Characters who want to get along better with their families should choose a higher [[Wisdom (ability stat)|wisdom]], as this reflects the characters empathy and compassion for other persons.  Characters with a low wisdom tend towards selfishness and bitterness towards others, and are thus liable to turn away their families and relations, who want nothing to do with such persons.
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If the character wishes to be born into nobility should choose a higher [[Charisma (ability stat)|charisma]], as this is a trait that many successful leaders in a medieval framework possess.  This said, however, the chance is still very low, just 3%, that even if the character's charisma is influential in his or her upbringing, that achieving noble or royal status might become fact.
  
  
 
See [[Player Characters]]
 
See [[Player Characters]]
  
[[Category: Don't Review until 2022]]
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[[Category: Reviewed]]

Revision as of 19:11, 10 October 2023

Family-relations.jpg

Family relations describes the ancestral and familial ties the player character possesses in the game world, as it's reasonable to expect an individual to have parents, siblings and perhaps even children. The existence of these is established through the character background generator, which gives no consideration whatsoever to the player's wishes in this matter. We do not choose what sort of family we are born into ... so if a given character is to have some sort of background, the fact of the character's pre-determined relations must be taken into account.

Nor can the player dictate the family's level of success, nor the family's attitude towards the character. Since the character begins the game at maturity, there are years of conflict, potential resentment, sacrifice or responsibilities that are utterly unaccounted for — and while the character can decide how he or she feels about them, they are just as free to decide for themselves how to view the character. This is also determined through the background generator, related to the character's ability stats.

Therefore, it's nearly impossible for the player to create a background such as "an orphan bent on revenging the murder of his or her parents," because much of the time both parents are still alive in the game world. Most of the time, orphans hardly know their parents, since they often become orphans when they're too young to remember much. In deciding a background, a player can "make up" a family relationship of their own — but this would be a lie, one that every other player at the game would be aware of, because secrets between players in the game leads to discord and bad game play.

Status

Every player would like a character to be born rich and possess influence. Everyone wants to be secretly a noble, with an open path to a throne. However, as there's no control over the family he or she is born into, or its status, players must accept that most people are born of farmers, miners, labourers, artisans and other everyday people.

As children, characters learn ability skills related to that progenitor's profession. This may happen even if the character is an orphan — since the player's rise to a levelled class presupposes some kind of mentor. This background also affects the character's starting wealth and credit.

Choosing Stats

Players wishing to reduce the size of their game families should choose a lower strength, since that stat reflects the character's innate qualities passed down through bloodlines]]. Character classes that put more emphasis upon spellcasting, charisma or criminal behaviour tend towards isolation or resentment against society, and so those classes are more likely to be orphans than a fighter, ranger or paladin who wishes to defend society.

Characters who want to get along better with their families should choose a higher wisdom, as this reflects the characters empathy and compassion for other persons. Characters with a low wisdom tend towards selfishness and bitterness towards others, and are thus liable to turn away their families and relations, who want nothing to do with such persons.

If the character wishes to be born into nobility should choose a higher charisma, as this is a trait that many successful leaders in a medieval framework possess. This said, however, the chance is still very low, just 3%, that even if the character's charisma is influential in his or her upbringing, that achieving noble or royal status might become fact.


See Player Characters