Changing dice and character

 Changing dice and character 

For the last two years we have been playing a DND campaign, three, later four, companions on a quest.Travelling just a small distance on the map our Dungeon Master has drawn out, still our characters made a journey of a lifetime. 

The campaign ran off after two false starts, in which different builds of alter egos were tried. The third time, expecting the same result as before: three or max four sessions than a restart, I chose to create my ‘next hero’ with all attributes ‘wrong’: a wizard (I hate fireballs), a gnome (Slightly allergic to the Rien Poortvliet books about them) and female (..). More or less inspired by the Dutch lawyer Inez Weski, I named her Inez and made her solicitor, well, daughter of one. Elera was her second or middlename, probably because that was the initial name I had in mind, and Systemix her family name; a funny (well I thought so at the time) reference to an ill fated project at work. And that was that, I felt at the time, an ‘anti-character’ to play for a few evenings.

To my, and probably our, great surprise the campaign went on for one and half year, for a total of nineteen sessions! And now it is paused, cliff-hangered, waiting to be continued in a far future. And perhaps as an even bigger surprise, I fell in love with this character!

Inez became a true alter-ego, growing on me and in personality! Greatly enhanced by the interaction with her companions, Finn, Jonathan and later on Murk. She grew as wizard and the role of wizard, especially an envious, self doubting one as Inez, grew on me. Writing her diaries and reading the retellings of Finn to Roslynn, became a ritual that took more time than playing! And then there was the part of being an object of attraction, well, let’s not go there. (Sorry, Jonathan and above all, Finn).

As Inez’s story paused, so did my time at my current job. The timing felt symbolic: a new chapter in both my professional life and my D&D adventures. It was time to change campaign, character.. and dice... and job! The latter may look not really related. However, I received a very, very nice set of dice as a farewell gift! Not only are the dice beautiful (and readable); they came in a lovely box! To die for! (Very bad joke deleted). A big THANK YOU to my former colleague Coco who arranged and constructed all of that! 

And a new character: Valandra. Once more a lady, perhaps prompted by Ginny Di’s remark that it would be strange if your fantasy worlds are only inhabited by males. This time I chose all the cool stuff: ‘a half-elf paladin’. At least, that was cool when I was at university... My plan was to join the ‘red team’, be a hunter of wizards doing bad stuff, like hurting innocent shopkeepers, with a particular gnomish one in mind. And to make it an evolutionary step, having several attributes and background features alike. Red hair, middle class, ambitious.

Then, how does this all work out? Perhaps it’s too early to tell after three rounds. Valandra is not the natural match Inez was. Rigid, almost fundamental in her ways and decisions, she felt and feels limited and one dimensional. Somehow there’s a disconnect between my ideas and plans and the way Valandra as Paladin plays out. Or perhaps I underestimated how hard it is to be fully truly convinced of your rightfulness and never be in doubt of your decisions. (That’s why I never became a manager...?)

So what to do? Reimagining and rewriting her backstory, done that. Helps a bit, wonder if it's enough. Reading and watching Paladin stories and guidelines, done that too, hope it will help. Playing and finding a way to truly play her role, hope that will work out. Writing about this and perhaps even blogging our campaign in some form, don't dare to commit to that. Keeping you all posted, sure, fingers crossed!