Jeff the Green
2014-11-29, 03:57 AM
As the title. What tropes do you keep unconsciously coming back to and what tics consistently find their way into your roleplaying?
For me, it's the word "unwholesomely" paired with some generally positive (but inconvenient for the character) trait, like "unwholesomely civic-minded about thieves", "unwholesomely religious", or "unwholesomely clever". I blame David Eddings (https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=%22david+eddings%22+unwholesomely).
That and the "acquisitions expert" (i.e. thief for hire). Several of my characters have claimed to be one, and a few more have used it as a cover. It's actually rather handy as it can be a legitimate, legal profession and so offers deniability, but it's also obvious when you're using euphemistically. Also the variants "transportation facilitator" (smuggler), "freelance reputation manager" (blackmailer), and "woman of negotiable affection". (Okay, so I haven't managed to use that last one. Yet.)
I'm also fond of criminals who escape suspicion for one particular crime or sin by openly admitting to/bragging about others, like the kenku who admits he's a thief but neglects to mention that he's a much better swindler than burglar or the tomb-robber (one of the aforementioned "acquisition experts") whose cover identities usually include him being something of a cad.
For me, it's the word "unwholesomely" paired with some generally positive (but inconvenient for the character) trait, like "unwholesomely civic-minded about thieves", "unwholesomely religious", or "unwholesomely clever". I blame David Eddings (https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=%22david+eddings%22+unwholesomely).
That and the "acquisitions expert" (i.e. thief for hire). Several of my characters have claimed to be one, and a few more have used it as a cover. It's actually rather handy as it can be a legitimate, legal profession and so offers deniability, but it's also obvious when you're using euphemistically. Also the variants "transportation facilitator" (smuggler), "freelance reputation manager" (blackmailer), and "woman of negotiable affection". (Okay, so I haven't managed to use that last one. Yet.)
I'm also fond of criminals who escape suspicion for one particular crime or sin by openly admitting to/bragging about others, like the kenku who admits he's a thief but neglects to mention that he's a much better swindler than burglar or the tomb-robber (one of the aforementioned "acquisition experts") whose cover identities usually include him being something of a cad.