[Historical] Motivations for a PC party?

[Kiero]

I'm going to be running a relatively short string of games, probably in the 6-12 session region, depending on how much people enjoy what's going on. So I don't feel like I really have the luxury of the usual "discover in play" approach to things like an overarching impetus to play. I'm not really a fan of the "total strangers united by nothing but the PC glow improbably find each other and work together" approach that is often the standard. I always prefer an approach whereby we assume the PCs already know (or at least know of) each other before the game begins, so we can skip introductions and get straight to it.

I'm planning on developing this through discussion with the group in the first session (which will be briefing, world-gen, premise-gen and chargen all rolled together), but of course it helps to arrive with some notions on what is possible. I've so far had four rough ideas as to why a group of people, probably from disparate backgrounds, are working together. These are not mutually exclusive, but a way of ordering my thoughts around particular, distinct-seeming motivations. Excluding "ordinary people just trying to get on with living their ordinary lives" is entirely intentional.

Agents of Power

Here the PCs (at least one, some or even all) are employed/oathsworn/otherwise bonded to a powerful patron. They work to further the goals of that powerful person, can draw on their resources and networks of contacts and must also come into conflict with the agents of other powers. How much latitude they have as well as clout will depend on the nature of formal power in the period and the status of the PCs. Of course one option might be that the PCs are a power in their own right, in charge of a noble house or the like.

Mercenaries

The PCs are a group of armed, experienced combat veterans on the lookout for employers who will pay their wages and find them trouble to get into. What's distinct from the first one is that they may not actually be trusted or given much autonomy, just sent to the nearest warzone or place that needs policing and told to get on with it. They also have more freedom to pick and choose their work, as well as lacking the same ties of fealty to their employer, making them free to switch sides or go independent. I'd also include the sorts of opportunists who might be trying to carve out their own fief in this category.

Merchants/Treasure Hunters

The primary motivation here is making money. The PCs could be working for or running a significant merchantile concern, or simply a mob of grave-robbing treasure-hunters. There's more than enough tradition of burying significant people with grave-goods to make this a profitable venture if you're not someone concerned with violating customs about the dead. As merchants they might be at the finance end of things manipulating markets and buying and selling, or at the business end doing the exploration, building trade networks, negotiating and protecting the movement of their goods.

Idealists

This one is about people united for a particular cause that's less tangible than the others. They might be courtiers and supporters of a dispossessed lord or lady, working to restore them to their rightful place. Perhaps they are true believers in the right of a people, nation or faith to be pre-eminent or in control and work to further that cause. I distinguish them from the agents who work for someone who already has power and mercenaries who are doing it for themselves.

Is this a useful categorisation? Are there any others I've missed?

[Morty]

I think what you're missing is simply "friends". PC might know each other, perhaps even from their childhood, so when some circumstance throws them into the life of adventure they still stick together. Mind you, it doesn't work on its own, because they still need a reason to go on adventures, but still. All the other motivations you've presented are professional.

[Spiryt]

The problem with "historical" would be, obviously, that there were no PC in history - thus no people, that wander around slaying beasts, raiding places, acquiring vast riches and power in relatively small time for no good reason.

I've so far had four rough ideas as to why a group of people, probably from disparate backgrounds, are working together.

Most probable situation, mostly similar to what would happen in most campaigns, would be group of vagabonds/rovers wandering simply because of no better thing to do.

Should they actually try to wander around forests, caves, ruins, etc, would inquire that what they do is hunted by law - they're raiders, plunderers, Merry Companions, looters etc.

Of course, above would mostly mean different shades of "evil" characters, from modern and general RGP standards.

Speaking about it, specifying system you play would probably help in some cases.

[Kiero]

I think what you're missing is simply "friends". PC might know each other, perhaps even from their childhood, so when some circumstance throws them into the life of adventure they still stick together. Mind you, it doesn't work on its own, because they still need a reason to go on adventures, but still. All the other motivations you've presented are professional.

As you said, that's not a motivation in its own right. It might be a reason why any two or more PCs work together, but it's in support of a goal, rather than being the goal itself.

The problem with "historical" would be, obviously, that there were no PC in history - thus no people, that wander around slaying beasts, raiding places, acquiring vast riches and power in relatively small time for no good reason.

Any reading of quite a few periods of history (some times and places more viable than others) would put paid to that notion. There is a lot of scope and opportunity for any bunch of "adventurers" to be getting up to just as outrageous things as in a fantasy setting (minus the magic/monsters).

My game is set in the Mediterranean in 270BC, there were all sorts of adventurers setting themselves up as warlords of their own little fiefs, as well as thousands of mercenaries and treasure-seekers washing about the place.

Most probable situation, mostly similar to what would happen in most campaigns, would be group of vagabonds/rovers wandering simply because of no better thing to do.

Should they actually try to wander around forests, caves, ruins, etc, would inquire that what they do is hunted by law - they're raiders, plunderers, Merry Companions, looters etc.

Of course, above would mostly mean different shades of "evil" characters, from modern and general RPG standards.

Nothing better to do isn't much of a motivation. Having skills that someone will pay for, and needing to eat on the other hand is. Though it isn't one that really drives people to do more than the "mercenary" option.

In this period, the law is rather limited anyway, a King's (or tyrant's) writ means nothing outside of the reach of his men who enforce it.

Speaking about it, specifying system you play would probably help in some cases.

It's not really relevant to this, I'm talking setting not system. If anyone cares, it's with Strands of Fate.

[Quietus]

I'd say the best way to go about it is to pick an angle you want to approach the game from, and give the PCs a general idea of what to expect. For example, I pull this off a random quest generator :

Fugitive! -- The Warriors are part of a posse hunting down a murderer, a horrible man responsible for killing dozens of young girls. When the trail ends at a dungeon, the others look to the Warriors to enter and find the Dark Elf Assassin, and bring him to justice. Alive, he is worth 1000 gold, dead, only 500. -- By Kestrelstart. For all the details visit the New Adventures table on the Custom Tables Page.

If this were your plot, you could say "I'm going to be running a game where you guys are going to be hunting down a murderer. Form your characters around this, and you all must know each other in some way". Then you put the onus on your players to decide whether they're co-workers, or friends, or a bunch of people gathered under one Lord, or whatever. Let them decide why they're together, flavored by what they are together to do.

[Kiero]

I'd say the best way to go about it is to pick an angle you want to approach the game from, and give the PCs a general idea of what to expect. For example, I pull this off a random quest generator :



If this were your plot, you could say "I'm going to be running a game where you guys are going to be hunting down a murderer. Form your characters around this, and you all must know each other in some way". Then you put the onus on your players to decide whether they're co-workers, or friends, or a bunch of people gathered under one Lord, or whatever. Let them decide why they're together, flavored by what they are together to do.

That seems too much like pre-supposing the premise to me (if you choose one as the pitch and starting point). I'd rather have a bunch of possibilities to present to them when we create the game.

What is fixed is the time and location, thus the political and social realities of that place and period. So it's not like we're coming at this from a blank slate.

[WarKitty]

A nice one I've found that lets you run pretty much any plot:

The PC's are all from the same civilization. It's traditional for young adults to go out and "earn their spurs," so to speak. In fact, a youth isn't really considered an adult until he or she has come home with some stories of grand adventure. As a bonus, they're generally also expected to come home with enough treasure to supply their side of a house. For more plausibility, maybe it's only children of a specific social class that have this expectation.

There's several possible variants on this. Another one is that they're scions of nobility in a society where the eldest child inherits everything. Think medieval Europe: they don't expect an inheritance, but they're too high of a social class to consider common labor. What's a great way to get honor and money all at once? Why, adventuring, of course!

[lightningcat]

Although this might fall under your Idealists, althoug the dark side of it. I think that Revenge is another good catagory. Especially if you're talking about a group of pesents that are trying to destoy a nobleman for some wrong that he commited. Or even a disposesed nobleman looking to get payback on that took what was his.

The Count of Monte Cristo and Robin Hood (depending on the version) are two literary examples.

[Severus]

A variant of agents of power that we used in a campaign very effectively was family. In this case the head of our family was killed by a corrupt king, family honor dictated....