Magi Chronicles RPG (4e Sourcebook)/Character Roleplaying

Roleplaying
Whether new to the concept or a seasoned veteran of role-playing, you'll find that the core structure of any role-playing game is by the characters-- and the players that control these characters. Some like to take role-playing seriously, while others take it by stride-- some even find it as a challenge. The elements of good role-playing doesn't come from the structure of the game-- the character defines that structure. What is important is that you, as a player, keeps the aspirations and personalities of your character in mind.

In a campaign where wars wage on and rebellions stick to the main populace-rich environments, you are much more than just a race, class, and a bunch of feats and special abilities. You are the protagonist of the world, and your actions have a direct influence on the world, whether it be minor or major. Just like any other character in novels and movies, the character has goals and ambitions, likes and dislikes, motivations and mannerisms, moments of glory and failure, etc. The best character in the Magi Chronicles world are those that make a name for themselves, or whom that will be remembered amongst his people, family, and or close friends. Aruun, a 5th level marine, is is every bit as playable even without any embellishments-- however, when those personality traits come into effect (in this case, Aruun is wise, rash, and open-minded-- easily able to work with others, yet is a little weary of conversation), it can take an individual character and turn him or her into something greater than just numbers. A well-crafted character personality-- in hindsight-- expands your experience of the game dramatically.

The Magi Chronicles is a role-playing game in of itself, but it does not necessarily mean an exercise in improvisational theatre. When your character is faced with a task of getting out of sticky situations, it's up to the players themselves to figure out how to get out of it or to find ways to solve the problem. With the inclusion of teamwork, they can all get out of harm's way fairly quickly-- without any arguments later on, squabbling over what they could've done earlier. Not everything will work out exactly how the players will envision it, and that's okay-- expect the unexpected.

Alignment
The alignment system in the Magi Chronicles world takes on a different approach. Rather than assigning your character to a selected alignment, the character's personality pretty much defines the character's motives and alignment (since characters really don't follow what alignment they choose in 4e anyway, or the unaligned alignment seems to be the most common alignment amongst many players). In hindsight, the alignment system isn't going away completely, but is undergoing a different approach compared to the standard format of alignment.

Deities
In a world where technology roams the planets, there is still a fair amount of knowledge and supporters that worship the gods. Some of them give homage to the greater forces that link the worlds together-- the overdeities, powerful beings that had brought creation and civilization to the worlds. There are also many lesser deities that certain groups of agents worship-- these deities give protection and oversee the foundations that the overdeities have put up. With the two working in sync, they form an ever-changing world-- not even the most powerful or most prestigious individual can change the tide of change that the gods themselves have set in motion.

There are some who also seek the downfall of this chain-- evil deities that taint the corners of the world in secrecy and chaos, though they remain dormant until the time is right to strike into the heart of the chain. This can be in the form of cosmic chaos, great wars, or even supernatural phenomena.

Just like any other religion, certain beliefs and how one views how the world or their society should be run often times can come into conflict-- bringing with them a cold and bitter wind that can stir up emotions and cause great mobs of individuals to repent and revolt against those who want to radically change how their society works.

Over-deities
Essentially the most influential and powerful beings of the cosmic world. Their influence is massive, though their control over society is less than that of the lesser deities. The greater deities are, in retrospect, the individuals who set the stage for the lesser deities to fill in the missing gaps.

Cosmos: The god of Creation -- The most well-known and the most powerful god of the spiritual realm, he is the creator of the worlds and the beacon of the elemental chain. He exerts almost complete control over the laws of creation, but knows that he has his own boundaries. The followers of Cosmos are many-- even a few lesser gods revere him for his patronage to law and reason. His commandments are few, but important: ---
 * The Cosmos is always searching for more to create-- seek out new territories and he shall create.
 * Trust no one outside of the borders of creation. There are those who seek the untold abominations of destruction.
 * The world will not always be the same-- Cosmos constantly builds, so it is up to you to keep up with his pace.

Daxus: The god of nature -- An individual who sustains the seeds of life itself while creating invisible twines and bonds to keep the cycle neverending. He favors live above other things. He depends on Kalkura and Orkkan to keep the cycle in check, since the natural world requires all things to live and die in a cycle of giving-- not taking. As such, his rules are simple: ---
 * Speak your mind to others, and let the flow of nature seep into yourself
 * Seek out those who wish to cause unbalance to the chain of life
 * Embrace live, and never fear death. The old must move on and nurture the new in the everlasting cycle

Detrana: The god of severance and civilization -- A well known figure over many societies and an important figure in many folklore. She oversees the survival of the civilizations below the divine world. She has great influence, but her own powers are limited. She has many children that do her duties of keeping track of the many different societies below. Her commandments are few yet straightforward: ---
 * Cultivate land wherever it may be found, and do not fear any that get in your way
 * Savagery must be dealt with in order for society to prosper
 * Use the winds of Cosmos to get to where you need to go

Erasa: The god of law -- She is the one that governs society upon the laws of the lands that Cosmos creates. She works alongside Detrana and Cosmos to keep the world in order. She favors civilization, as that gives her a good start to enforce the laws of the land-- without enforcing too many specific justices and liberties. Her commandments are few: ---
 * Exhort and obey the laws of the land as you would your own
 * The legions of tyranny will not usurp the laws with chaos
 * Seek out new opportunities to expand the current laws and create new ones whenever the need arises

Kalkura: The god of death -- Favored by Orkan to allow the process of life to continue, she is a powerful individual who keeps the lords of fate in tune with the natural process. She is simple and modest, yet at the same time, she is calculated and dire. Her many rules are suppled by a few directives: ---
 * Seek out the old portions of the world to allow the new to arise
 * Keep the balance of life and death at a normal pace and seek out those who cause to much agony to this balance
 * Repent chaos and liberty if it turns into a downward spiral towards the imbalance of nature or if there are those whom seek immortality without a noble cause

Moaleura: The god of tyranny -- She is the patron of chaos and a well-known trickster amongst the greater gods. Cosmos repents her mere existence, yet she seems to only do so much as to send minor quirks and jokes their way just for laughs. Her guidelines are few, yet direct: ---
 * If there is something that you want done, do it
 * Order should be balanced with chaos, but too much can set off a landslide of trouble.
 * Chaos ensues the wildest corners of the world. Keep these forces at bay and prevent the defilers from letting the rampant forces loose

Orkkan: The god of life -- He is a well-known figure, and a favorite amongst cosmos. He favors the works of Cosmos, as he is busy populating the planets with the creatures of life-- including the mortal beings that walk and shape the planets the way they see fit. As such, he has a few guidelines: ---
 * Life is the archway between cultivation and change. Culture and society is based on the basic principle of life itself
 * Cherish the basic form of life as it is such a fragile and delicate process and treasure
 * Death is a natural part of life-- though there are those who kill without prejudice or morals

Phoerena: The god of the Elements -- He is the progenetor of the natural flow of energy which is the elements. The elemental guardians control the specific twines of elemental energy in which he puts into the world. Though he does not keep his grasp on the elements themselves, he does make sure that they do not run rampant throughout the world like what had happened many eons ago that had resulted in Cosmos's disappearance. In hindsight, his orders are few: ---
 * Channel the energies so that they may cleanse your soul-- the befoulers of the darkness lurk at every corner to gain what is not theirs
 * Seek, at every threshold, a new tactic or way to channel this energy in such a way to let others use it in a similar way
 * Never be afraid to face your fears and do not let your guard down. The Elements are a precious treasure...

Telano: The god of travel -- A great individual with lots of time behind his back. He sets up the twines of time and space to create travel and the possibility of movement throughout the worlds-- a cosmic flow of an everlasting chain of events that will allow change to continue on. He has a few guidelines:
 * Keep moving and change will be behind you-- benefiting your future the further you go
 * The bonds of nature are intertwined with the fate of travel-- the movement of the process of life and death still goes on
 * The Elements are also influenced by a cosmic movement to balance the ever-growing bonds better

Lesser Deities
More widespread than the over-deities, they assume control over more specific portions of the world and govern societies based on those practices.

Armun: The god of Winter -- The sorceress of the winter solstice and the patron of the cold season. She is one of the four gods of the seasons-- Dessus, the god of autumn; Corellon, the god of Spring; Pelor, the god of summer. As part of the cycle of nature, she is responsible for keeping the balance between the seasons of hot and cold in check by keeping the worlds full of life from becoming inhospitable.

She is a neutral god.

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Bahamut: The god of protection -- The god of honor and strength, he is the one that keeps the warmongers in check, and works alongside Bane to keep the tide of war in balance. He is often depicted as a platinum dragon, and is the patron of metallic dragons.

He is a good-aligned god with a lawful disposition.

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Bane: The god of war -- He is the great leader in all that is related to war. He may have some quirks that makes him stand out less from the crowd, but he is generally an important figure nonetheless in terms of war and conflicts. Many revere him to keep their morale up and pay tribute to him by offering him prayers while in the midst of battle.

He is mainly a neutral god, with lawful and chaotic tendencies.

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Baphomet: The god of savagery -- The patron of the savage creatures known as Minotaurs and is the centerpiece of the barbaric world that strives for savage mentalities, such as barbarians and other wild creatures that forage and scour the wild lands. He is respectfully shunned by many gods, but is an important contributor to the cycle of change.

He is mainly an evil god.

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Corellon: The god of Spring -- He is the patron of the elven race and the creator of the fine arts that makes up the world. He breathes in beauty to the lifeless spectacles that would otherwise drown out the influence of change and art. His existence provides courage to allow those who revere him to seek out new opportunities to delve into the deeper reaches of the world.

He is generally a neutral god in some respect.

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Dessus: The god of the Moon -- She is the patron of autumn and the patron of love and affection. Her many wares include the Shrouded One, the Celestial Lover, and the Myriad of Gossip.

She is a neutral god.

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Elementals: Essentially a group of many minor immortal individuals controlling each aspect of the elemental energies, they are considered as a Unity-- a group of individuals combining their efforts and energies to become one entity equivalent to the power of all other lesser gods. They exemplify the finite and fragile bonds of balance between the harsh elemental forces and the calm forces of nature. Their influence upon the world is massive-- more so than Phoerena. In hindsight, the Elementals are also known as the Elemental Guardians.

The Elementals are mostly neutral with some lawful and chaotic tendencies.

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Hades: The god of the undead -- With control of the afterlife, he is a parton of all that is dead. He breaths life into the dead and reanimates them into creatures of unspeakable abomination and terror. He is frowned upon as a defiler of the natural cycle of life.

He is somewhat of an evil god with chaotic tendencies.

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Isis: The god of magic -- The many elemental and natural energies breathes new life into the meaning of magic-- he is unlike any other god known in the civilization. Taking the place of Ioun, Isis is an astounding individual with knowledge of the elements far greater than any have accounted. His knowledge has let him create a new balance in the energies of the natural world to create a more controlled form of the fragile bonds that is the Elements.

He is a neutral god.

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Lenira: The god of the sea -- She is a patron of secrets and the lord of the seas. Her grace and contribution is strong-- almost rivaling that of Lucina's contribution to the lands above the seas.

She is somewhat of a neutral god.

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Lolth: The god of darkness -- The patron of the dark elves (or Drow) and spiders, she is an arch-enemy of Corellon. Ever since the downfall of Gruumsh, Corellon and Lolth have been locked into a never-ending battle of conflicts between the two grateful races and have since stirred the attention of several other gods-- including Bane.

She is an evil god with a lawful disposition.

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Lucina: The god of the wild -- Her influence upon the natural world is monumental. She is the patron of the Thorndykes and is mainly revered by them. Her guidance gives all that revere her a special place amongst the world and those that show her that they have earned their place amongst the ranks of the gods are often assigned as her faithful guardians-- Scions in respect.

She is a neutral god with chaotic tendencies.

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Pelor: The god of the Sun -- The patron of summer and an influential individual. He gives strength to those who prove themselves amongst the ranks of his patrons, and strikes down upon those who oppose of his commandments. He is potentially one of the few deities most commonly revered by those who deserve divine enlightenment and unopposed courage.

He is generally a good-aligned god.

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Therinus: The god of knowledge -- An ally of Isis and the patron of intelligence, he controls the thoughts and emotions of the mortal races and creatures of the worlds. He breathes life to create individual personalities, and is one of the important contributors to change.

He is a neutral god with a lawful disposition.

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Tiamat: The god of dragons -- She is the mighty patron of the chromatic dragons and is the arch-nemesis of Bahamut. Her beliefs that all dragons should be fierce and powerful-- not civil and trustworthy. In light of her commandments, she is a god of wealth and greed, and has since kept the treasures of the fallen in her grasp-- including the treasures of Moradin and Vecna since the fall of the old age.

She is an evil god with chaotic tendencies.

Personality & Mannerisms
In a world where everyone comes together into different societies and cultures, there is one things that is inseparable towards every individual-- their personality. No matter if the world is as basic as the wild frontier or as sophisticated as the modern traditions of technology and science, the individual's personality is undivided and unique. One person may have a kind personality with a tenacious soul and may be adventurous, while another may be lousy and incoherent around himself, or a person may be loving and sweet yet cunning and calculative. Personalities define the most intricate prospects of a character's behaviors and is the stepping stone towards the interactions of the world around them-- their actions will have a direct or indirect result to the world before them.

There are many mindsets about the approach of individuals-- whether PC or NPC. Mostly, the PC's will try to gather as much information from the NPC's as fluent as possible-- sometimes quickly as well. Some may be reserved and patient, while others may not be. It all depends on the mood of the adventure and how the adventure fits in with the individual's backgrounds and various moods. Characters are sometimes at home in favorable conditions, such as temperate regions or bustling metropoli, while traveling through extreme environments can cause a few members to become a bit uneasy-- maybe even unstable. It's all about cooperation and teamwork-- even on solo skirmishes. Some characters like to go on their own ways and challenge themselves or search for hidden clues others neglect. It's all about what you want to deliver to the gaming table.

An interesting character is someone who does what their character was made to do or acts the way their character takes them-- this makes an adventure more interesting and brings it alive. Sometimes, dull characters can have interesting prospects, but usually poorly created characters don't bring much variety to the table and could very well sour the adventure a bit if it is not balanced. In hindsight, the way you make your characters determines the outcome of the campaign and can make it an adventure worth retelling or something just to throw into the history books to be revamped to make it more interesting.

this same prospect also applies to how well you describe what your character looks like or what they want out of their personal goals. Well-described characters brings light to what they look like instead of just generic, dull descriptors that make a character look uninteresting. Unique descriptors are better attention-grabbers, which is what most others strive for. It helps balance flavor and style, and it also supports personalities when thought through.

Languages
There are many different societies in the world-- nothing could bring culture together than the basis of language-- the art of communication. Society is based off well-planned knowledge, and there must be a way to deliver this knowledge. Communication is the most direct and fool-proof way to share this prospect across the table. The sheer scope of language is massive, and only a few different types of languages is prevalent. One way is by understanding how one speaks-- social communication. Understanding words and structure is a way to gather the most out of many adventures. Social interactions also speed the pace of many adventures and helps prevent mimes from popping up in many corners-- a game of charades that gets boring after a while and makes the adventure interesting without any depth or progress.

Many societies understand Common. It is the single universal language in all of the civilizations and beyond. Some cultures understand common better than others, but all have learned it in one form or another. Some have even developed highly sophisticated forms of the same language and formed it into different levels of communication so that certain individuals can understand how it is spoken. Some have even developed entirely different forms of language on a similar basis, and requires vast amounts of knowledge and expertise to learn such languages specific to a certain society. These are commonly referred to as the Language Barriers.

Many different languages exist in the world of the Magi Civilization, but only a few are the most prominent amongst the various societies and cultures.

Abyssal: Mainly spoken by the creatures of the depths, such as devils and demons, it is a language not too many know about-- therefore making it difficult to understand it in some regards.

Common: The most basic form of language-- spoken by the vast majority (if not the entire population) of the civilization.

Deep Speech: A fairly difficult language spoken by many different creatures-- mostly those with psychic talents.

Elven: A language mainly spoken by the elven races and other relatives. It is a fairly predominant language and easy to learn, but it is a very powerful language. Most who speak elven are bound to learn other languages quite easily.

Lucanian: A fairly knowledgeable language mostly spoken by the Thorndykes. They take their culture seriously, and their language is not easy to learn.

Precursor: The most ancient and predominant language spoken, it is mainly the language of the ancients-- mainly the Precursors themselves. Just about anyone can speak precursor, but only a select few can truly harness the knowledge of the ancients and hold true the values of the great forces at work in the modern world.

Primordial: A language spoken by creatures of true elemental might, it is a language not easily understood. Most who can understand primordial can understand other difficult languages, such as Abyssal and Supernal.

Rathian: A language mostly spoken by the Rathians and Eagorans, it is a truly remarkable language. Many have attempted to speak in this dialect, but only a few manage to successfully and flawlessly speak in this ancient tongue.

Sarrath: A language mainly spoken by the Rygoliths and the Metal Heads. It is a baffling and unique language very few have been able to learn clearly.

Supernal: Spoken mainly by creatures of celestial might such as angels and giants, it is a sacred language only accessible by those who are able to challenge their strength of knowledge of the divine realms of the world.

Tylan: A truly remarkable language, mainly spoken by the Pudgeys. It is a fairly easy language to learn, but requires lots of focus and hard work to gain the respect of the nobles who take pride in their culture.

Zerakai: A language mainly spoken by the Slith-Zerakai and the Salomons, it is a fairly difficult language to learn-- yet it is fairly easy to understand even to those who don't speak it or understand it very well.

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