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CultureBy Mike Simon The mother's milk of any successful campaign is the culture that accentuates and details the backgrounds of both characters and NPI's (Non-Player Inhabitants in WindZone). The setting, the items, the vehicles and the all-important "points" are all secondary to the concepts that are the very basis of a character. Without culture, everyone's character would just be the same slice of low fat "cheese" that well-rolled or well-selected point characters are. With skill, one can "cheese" a high powered character with point total loopholes or skills that work perfectly together to create an unstoppable juggernaut. But what does that matter when the world he lives in is cookie cutter and cliché? This column is intended to be the remedy of that type of game, adding a little fat to that cheese by giving a little advice to the GM (and the player) that might help add a little flavor. One of the defining characteristics of WindZone is defining cultural differences between the races. A lot of effort was put into making all of the races unique without creating any great animosity between them or allowing one to outshine the rest. We tried not to define the differences between the races in terms of hatred or fear. Fear and hatred are good plot devices, but as the premise for a race (or group of races), it leaves little room for growth without leaving the concept of the race behind. Hopefully we infused enough personality and background into each race that hatred or fear doesn't have to be the primary motivating factor in every character's life. One place that you can really lend creativity and personality in the lives of your characters is in their family histories and cultural anthropologies. In Chiropteran and Avian society, familial ties play heavily into the upbringing of any child. In Chiropteran families, it is nearly unheard of to leave the family business and do anything, let alone become an "adventurer". Doing so puts an incredible pressure on any Chiropteran to succeed and prove something to the parents that groomed them so attentively for the family business. Females are expected to grow to into their birthright of talented business manager. Leaving that center of control is often a painful combination of guilt and chaos. It can also serve a character to their advantage. Because Chiropteran females are so well groomed and known for their business acumen, they can often bluff their way through business deals based on what they have been taught from birth. GM's who see the use of this special detail should encourage it (perhaps by granting a skill level or two in the direction of the skill in question). It can be difficult as a GM to not discourage opportunists who use these details to win their way through situations with role-playing because, unchecked, it can be abused. More often than not however, when a player is encouraged to research his race and it pays off, other players are more likely to do the same (and that makes for a much richer game and players more willing to stay in character). Another example of such use could be the near universal view of Lowons as technologically superior. Because Lowons have integrated technology more into their daily life, they may have a slightly more likely chance of picking up a technical skill (like driving complicated machinery or operating a piece of unknown electronic equipment) than other races. The same goes for Avians and skills like ornithology or Felinoids with an ability to get a sense of someone's basic emotional state from their scent. Though not specifically defined, these are examples of this sort of "cultural cheese" that can make your game much richer, and full of flavor. In the following columns, I'll try to bring more interesting details to light about all of the different races and ways that you, as the GM, can use them to help your players and yourself have a better gaming experience with WindZone. |
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