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Dvil
2010-10-22, 03:33 PM
Right, so I've finally managed to set an RPG group IRL and get regular sessions happening. We've had 2 sessions so far, and I've decided to make a character journal. The purpose of this journal is twofold: firstly it helps me to remember the plot (even though I make notes, writing it afterwards just cements it in my head), but also my character is still very much a list of stats and abilities, and I was hoping that by writing in-character I might help to develop a personality for him.

So, somewhere in there is a point. What do you guys think of me posting my character's journal every week? You can look over my style of play, my style of narration, the party dynamics, etc, and just generally give advice. I'll try to provide extra detail and context where possible, but basically what I'm asking is: would anyone follow this? It wouldn't be too much extra work on my part, but I don't want to single-handedly maintain a thread that nobody cares about.

EDIT: Just to clarify, the system is Rogue Trader, set within the Warhammer 40k universe.

valadil
2010-10-22, 03:47 PM
More importantly than showing it to us, show your journal to your GM. It keeps them up to date with what's in your character's head. Maybe the GM meant for that bartender to be a throwaway, one time use NPC. But you thought he was a little shady and maybe had mob connections. Through your journal you can relay that back to the GM, who can use that as a plot. Letting the GM know your character's opinions will do nothing but good things for your game.

Dvil
2010-10-22, 03:49 PM
Oh, he already sees it. We all have a semi-private forum, on which myself and the crew's Navigator post our journals. I was just wondering what interest a load of dungeon-crawl-hardened veterans might have in a newbie's experiences.

Shadowleaf
2010-10-22, 03:53 PM
I can definitely say this is a good idea - I wrote a character journal for a game spanning close to two years, and I must say it was one of the most rewarding parts of the game.
It is one thing to have been a part of a great game with interesting characters, but it is an entirely different thing to be able to talk a walk back in time by reading the journal.

That being said, I think a least a handful of people on the forum (if not more) would follow such a journal - especially if you put some work into the actual storytelling - adding a touch of humour, for example.

If it is any good, I would follow it.

Dvil
2010-10-22, 04:06 PM
Well, if I only get one follower then that's enough for me. I'll start copying across now. We've had two sessions so far, and unfortunately won't be having one next week, but I'll try to supplement to low level of content by answering any queries you guys have.



Okay then. Session one, last week:

Footfall. Day 1 of my new situation. Met the new crewmates. A sadder bunch of heathens I'd never want to meet.At least two of them are insane, and another actively fears the Imperial law. I haven't yet asked why. This will test me, I fear.
It seems that the warp of the Maw has closed up behind us in a most turbulent fashion, if rumours are to be believed. I can only take this a sign from the God-Emperor himself, that he wishes me to remain in the Expanse, bringing His light to these worlds. And this ship.

Warp. Day 3. Set off from Footfall today. It seems we are part of a race to a new planet, which someone has plans for. It gives me time, at least, to further investigate my fellow crew. I know nothing of the ship we are racing against, neither its class nor the loyalty of those on board. For now though, I seek to pass my time in a pleasurable manner. I think I shall clean Torque. Yes, that sounds like a good plan.

Damaris orbit. Day 9. After a week of travelling, I find my fellow crewmembers bearable, if eccentric. In the words of our astropath: "As a tainted, power-hungry megalomaniac, I think we'll all get along just fine". Quite.
It turns out that there is already a ship here, and it is a cruiser. A message has been sent, but due to what can only be atmospheric disturbance, it will not arrive for some time. For now, I must content myself with cleaning Torque and trying to find some practice space in among all this weaponry...



And session two, earlier today:


Day 9, cont. As we travel toward this ship on our shuttle, I feel a deep sense of foreboding. Our hails received very little in the way of reply, and we are essentially walking blind.

It seems my foreboding was justified. Whatever we're up against was enough to gut a cruiser, as implausible as that may sound. We managed to find an engineer, and persuaded him to work on the warp drive and geller field. He said he'd do something, but I don't know what. I can only hope he recites the prayers of machine pacification correctly, for all our sakes. We are now on the shuttle again, heading to another hangar, nearer the front. We hope to investigate the bridge, though what we find when we get there is anyone's guess. The astropath seems unsettled, nervously jumping at shadows and scanning the minds of anyone he finds. Carno is no better; he accidentally manacled the engineer when we first met him, believing him to be a threat.
We've had reports of chaos spawn loose on the ship. I believe that next time we walk blindly into the unknown, I shall remember to bring my censer and its incense. Even if I won't have two hands to use my flamer, the Imperial Creed can defeat any Daemon.

Session two isn't entirely recorded yet, as we ended on the cruiser itself, in a situation where I couldn't really justify him sitting down and updating his journal (we'd just despatched one spawn, and the other [that we know of] was still bearing down on us). Initial thoughts?

Dvil
2010-10-22, 04:38 PM
Ooh, forgot the essential context.

I'm a missionary of the Imperial Creed. I used to be quite an influential figure in the Imperium, until I was on an ordinary warp voyage when the geller field failed and daemons flooded the ship (it was sabotage, but I don't know that). I was assigned to the Rogue trader's ship after that to keep him on the imperial path, as a reward for my bravery in fighting back the Daemons (and also because they don;t trust me after that, but I don't know that).
I was also awarded an angevin-era chainsword for the same reason, which I carry everywhere. Its name is "Torque", and I have another chainsword called Jimmy and a flamer called Bessie.

Is there anything more I need to clarify? As I say, I'm just a beginner, so any advice you can throw my way would come in handy.

Dvil
2010-11-12, 01:07 PM
Right guys. I realise this hasn't been posted to in a while, but the rules cite 6 weeks as the limit, and it's only been quiet for 4.

Here's the journal from Session 3. Hopefully we'll be getting back to a more regular timetable now, having missed two sessions for different reasons before.

Day 9, cont. cont. An eventful day, to say the least. We visited the bridge, and found the reports of spawn to be true. Fortunately, we were able to despatch two of them without any casualties, and the crew seem to believe that these were the only two. We also found the ship's command staff, or what remains of it. They were apparently being tortured and interrogated by a mysterious man, for details of their destination.
Further details of their recent history complicate matters even further. They were, apparently, escorting a transport ship to False Hope in the Foundling Worlds (though most crew members apparently thought they were travelling to Septagonic Voids spacedock). There were also accompanied by an Ultramarines ship, though that disappeared shortly before whatever happened to them, to place them near Damaris.
The cruiser itself is now nearly without a command staff. The captain was killed during the interview with what we now believe to be some form of daemon, and the navigator was so badly injured that we have agreed to host him in our med-bay until we can reach better facilities on a planet. He has been furnishing us with our information since then.
This navigator also suggests that there have been previous reports of a chaos presence in the region of the Foundling Worlds, and we did find traces of a mysterious ship having appeared from the warp and subsequently left, its traces appearing distinctly non-Imperial.
On an unrelated note, Ruadhan still seems to be having trouble with the concept of space being 3D. I'm trying to teach him, but it tests my patience. Maybe I need to send him to the ship's physician. I hear he's good with this sort of thing.


Out-of character stuff, we got 700 xp for this little quest. I'm planning on buying Sound constitution (+1 wound, 200xp), and +5 to Agility and Strength (250xp each, taking those stats to 44 and 40, respectively). Sounds fun.