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The Insanity
2014-05-16, 10:24 AM
Does anyone have experience playing as/with a character that's a pair of twins with a magical connection, but less two individuals who are identical and more one being in two bodies like D&D dvati? I'm looking for some roleaying advice.

Red Fel
2014-05-16, 10:40 AM
Does anyone have experience playing as/with a character that's a pair of twins with a magical connection, but less two individuals who are identical and more one being in two bodies like D&D dvati? I'm looking for some roleaying advice.

The first question is how "in tune" they are.

Are they like the girls in The Shining, talking at the same time and generally being creepy? Are they like Tomax and Xamot from G.I. Joe, finishing each other's sentences and feeling each other's physical pain? Or do they just really "get" each other?

Determining the nature and extent of the connection is the first step in defining them as characters. And be aware, the nature of the connection may require you to treat them as a single "character," even if they're two separate people.

So what were you thinking, exactly?

The Insanity
2014-05-16, 02:42 PM
The first question is how "in tune" they are.

Are they like the girls in The Shining, talking at the same time and generally being creepy? Are they like Tomax and Xamot from G.I. Joe, finishing each other's sentences and feeling each other's physical pain? Or do they just really "get" each other?

Determining the nature and extent of the connection is the first step in defining them as characters. And be aware, the nature of the connection may require you to treat them as a single "character," even if they're two separate people.

So what were you thinking, exactly?
It's actually already in the OP. Like dvati - one being, two bodies.

Red Fel
2014-05-16, 07:46 PM
It's actually already in the OP. Like dvati - one being, two bodies.

The thing is, there are scales of how to play Dvati. It's not a flat amount of synch.

For example, some people play a Dvati as a single character that just happens to have two bodies. RPing that is actually quite easy. You've probably done it before without even thinking about it. For example, if you've ever played a melee character in combat, you may have described an action like the following. "He pulls his shield in with one hand to better protect himself, while the other swings wildly with his longsword." This is exactly like playing the single-character Dvati - but instead of controlling two arms, you control two bodies (with four arms between them). Your twins would be fairly indistinguishable, because they are in fact the same entity, entirely. Merely two simultaneous physical manifestations of the same mind. (Frankly, I find this version a bit dull.)

There are others, however, who give them some space. Again referring to Dvati, since that's our basis of comparison, some players use them as an exercise in contrasts. Indeed, the fluff for that particular race encourages this - Dvati often relish the opportunity to experience the same thing from multiple perspectives. So playing your magical twins in this manner would be a bit more nuanced. They would act like different people, but with the same ideas in mind. One might be the more "left brain" approach, the other more "right brain;" one might be more Lawful, the other more Chaotic; one more reserved, the other more outgoing. Basically, play them as if the same person were wearing two different masks. Deep down, they're the same person, but they're deliberately creating two separate personae through which to experience the world.

Here's an example of how to play a pair of supernatural twins. Picture them. A has long, violet hair, kept straight and plain, a warm smile, and modest clothing. B has shoulder-length violet hair, a smirk, and a short skirt. The two are walking home from a bar, when they are accosted. A would look concerned, frown a bit, and say something like "This seems dangerous... There's nobody around to help us." B would then smirk, and respond, "And nobody around to help him, either." The two look at each other. An identical smirk appears on each face. "Shall we...?" "Let's shall!" And then entirely-justified violence.

At the core, it's a lot like what you're already doing as an RPer. You're creating a persona, and then acting it out. The difference is that your character isn't you. For a pair like this, they are one mind, but create two separate personae. In some ways, they are the mask. But deep down, there aren't two people - just the one.

Another method is actually to have them use the same persona, rather than opposites. This can also work quite well, particularly when an enemy isn't aware that he's dealing with a pair. Imagine a different A and B, both with B's appearance and mannerisms. A has been cornered after a theft gone wrong, the guard standing over her, grinning. The guard chides her, "You should have watched your back." A just smiles, as B clubs him from behind. B remarks, "You should have taken your own advice." A jabs, "I was wondering when you'd get here." B replies, "No, you weren't."

Again, the point is that the twin-entity is playing a role. There aren't two people there. Just the one. But it's as much for the twin-entity's own enjoyment as for the impact on others. Think about it. Haven't you always wanted somebody to gloat to when you did something awesome? Or somebody to hug you who understands completely when you're feeling like rubbish? Or somebody you know will always have your back? Imagine how good that would feel to always have that. That's what this twin-entity can do, and why it/they do/es it.

The Oni
2014-05-17, 09:11 AM
Well, there's always the yin/yang twin route. Perhaps the yin twin will respond to a slight that the yang twin was too polite to address (and if you want to make it weirder, the yang twin never told the other). Maybe the party tells the yang twin to do all the talking because the yin twin's smart mouth would get them in trouble.

But Red Fel pretty much covered the rest of it. There's lots of ways to play this.

The Insanity
2014-05-17, 09:42 AM
The thing is, there are scales of how to play Dvati. It's not a flat amount of synch.
I know, that's why I'm asking for advice.
I guess the second type is more interesting to me, the one where the twins are deliberately made distinct from each other, both in appearance and personality.