CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

What does your character look like? How old is she? What sort of first impression does she make? When she prays, what deity or deities does she call on, if any? What led her to become an adventurer?

This chapter helps you establish your character's identity by creating details that make her more lifelike, like a main character in a novel or a movie. For many players, the action lies here, in defining the character as a person to be roleplayed.

When you first play a character, it's fine to leave the details sketchy. As you play the character over time, you will get a better sense of who you want her to be. You will develop her details in much the same way that an author develops a character over several drafts of a novel or over several novels in a series.

This chapter covers alignment (the character's place in the struggle between good and evil), religion (a character's deity or deities), vital statistics (name, gender, age, and so on), and personal description.

ALIGNMENT

In the temple of Pelor is an ancient tome. When the temple recruits adventurers for its most sensitive and important quests, each one who wants to participate must kiss the book. Those who are evil in their hearts are blasted by holy power, and even those who are neither good nor evil are stunned. Only those who are good can kiss the tome without harm and are trusted with the temple's most important work. Good and evil are not philosophical concepts in the LoT&R game. They are the forces that define the cosmos.

Devils in human guise stalk the land, tempting people toward evil. Holy clerics use the power of good to protect worshipers. Devotees of evil gods bring ruin on innocents to win the favor of their deities, while trusting that rewards await them in the afterlife. Crusading paladins fearlessly confront evildoers, knowing that this short life is nothing worth clinging to. Warlords turn to whichever supernatural power will help them conquer, and proxies for good and evil gods promise rewards in return for the warlords' oaths of obedience.

A creature's general moral and personal attitudes are represented by its alignment: lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, and chaotic evil.

Choose an alignment for your character, using his or her race and class as a guide. Most player characters are good or neutral rather than evil. In general, evil alignments are for villains and monsters.

Alignment is a tool for developing your character's identity. It is not a straitjacket for restricting your character. Each alignment represents a broad range of personality types or personal philosophies, so two lawful good characters can still be quite different from each other. In addition, few people are completely consistent. A lawful good character may have a greedy streak that occasionally tempts her to take something or hoard something she has even if that's not lawful or good behavior. People are also not consistent from day to day. A good character can lose her temper, a neutral character can be inspired to perform a noble act, and so on.

Choosing an alignment for your character means stating your intent to play that character a certain way. If your character acts in a way more appropriate to another alignment, the DM may decide that your character's alignment has changed to match her actions.

TYPICAL ALIGNMENTS

Creatures and members of classes shown in italic type on Table 6–1 are always of the indicated alignment. Except for paladins, they are born into that alignment. It is inherent, part of their nature. Usually, a creature with an inherent alignment has some connection (through ancestry, history, or magic) to the Outer Planes or is a magical beast.

For other creatures, races, and classes, the indicated alignment on Table 6–1 is the typical or most common one. Normal sentient creatures can be of any alignment. They may have inherent tendencies toward a particular alignment, but individuals can vary from this norm.

TABLE 6–1: CREATURE, RACE, AND CLASS ALIGNMENTS

GOOD VS. EVIL

Good characters and creatures protect innocent life. Evil characters and creatures debase or destroy innocent life, whether for fun or profit.

"Good" implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others.

"Evil" implies hurting, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient. Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out of duty to some evil deity or master.

People who are neutral with respect to good and evil have compunctions against killing the innocent but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people are committed to others by personal relationships. A neutral person may sacrifice himself to protect his family or even his homeland, but he would not do so for strangers who are not related to him.

Being good or evil can be a conscious choice, as with the paladin who attempts to live up to her ideals or the evil cleric who causes pain and terror to emulate his god. For most people, though, being good or evil is an attitude that one recognizes but does not choose.

Animals and other creatures incapable of moral action are neutral rather than good or evil. Even deadly vipers and tigers that eat people are neutral because they lack the capacity for morally right or wrong behavior.

LAW VS. CHAOS

Lawful characters tell the truth, keep their word, respect authority, honor tradition, and judge those who fall short of their duties. Chaotic characters follow their consciences, resent being told what to do, favor new ideas over tradition, and do what they promise if they feel like it.

"Law" implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability. On the downside, lawfulness can include close-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability.

"Chaos" implies freedom, adaptability, and flexibility. On the downside, chaos can include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility.

Someone who is neutral with respect to law and chaos has a normal respect for authority and feels neither a compulsion to obey nor a compulsion to rebel. She is honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others.

Animals and other creatures incapable of moral action are neutral. Dogs may be obedient and cats free-spirited, but they do not have the moral capacity to be truly lawful or chaotic.

THE NINE ALIGNMENTS

Nine distinct alignments define all the possible combinations of the lawful–chaotic axis with the good–evil axis. The first six alignments, lawful good through chaotic neutral, are the standard alignments for player characters. The three evil alignments are for monsters and villains.

Lawful Good, "Crusader": A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice.

Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion.

Neutral Good, "Benefactor": A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them.

Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order.

Chaotic Good, "Rebel": A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he's kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations.

Chaotic good is the best alignment you can be because it combines a good heart with a free spirit.

Lawful Neutral, "Judge": A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs her. Order and organization are paramount to her. She may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or she may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government.

Lawful neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you are reliable and honorable without being a zealot.

Neutral, "Undecided": A neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. She doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality.

Neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion.

Chaotic Neutral, "Free Spirit": A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions.

Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom from both society's restrictions and a do-gooder's zeal.

Lawful Evil, "Dominator": A lawful evil villain methodically takes what he wants within the limits of his code of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. He cares about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity, or life. He plays by the rules but without mercy or compassion.

Lawful evil is sometimes called "diabolical," because devils are the epitome of lawful evil. Lawful evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents methodical, intentional, and frequently successful evil.

Neutral Evil, "Malefactor": A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with. She is out for herself, pure and simple. She sheds no tears for those she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. She has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make her any better or more noble.

Neutral evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.

Chaotic Evil, "Destroyer": A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If he is simply out for whatever he can get, he is ruthless and brutal.

Chaotic evil is sometimes called "demonic" because demons are the epitome of chaotic evil. Chaotic evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents the destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order on which beauty and life depend.

RELIGION

The gods are many. A few, such as Pelor (god of the sun), have grand temples that sponsor mighty processions through the streets on high holy days. Others, such as Erythnul (god of slaughter), have temples only in hidden places or evil lands. While the gods most strongly make their presence felt through their clerics, they also have lay followers who more or less attempt to live up to their deities' standards.

Deities rule the various aspects of human existence: good and evil, law and chaos, life and death, knowledge and nature. In addition, various nonhuman races have racial deities of their own (see Table 6–2: Deities by Race). A character may not be a cleric of a racial deity unless he is of the right race, but he may worship such a deity and live according to that deity's guidance.

Your character may or may not have a patron deity. If you want her to have one, consider first the deities most appropriate to the character's race, class, and alignment (see Table 6–2 and Table 6–3 below). If a cleric selects a deity, which one he selects influences his capabilities.

TABLE 6–2: DEITIES BY RACE

TABLE 6–3: DEITIES BY CLASS

DEITIES

Across the world, people and creatures worship a great number of varied deities. Those described here are the deities most often worshiped among the common races, by adventurers, and by villains. Each entry includes the deity's name, role, alignment, titles, and general description.

Boccob

The god of magic, Boccob, is neutral. His titles include the Uncaring, Lord of All Magics, and Archmage of the Deities. Boccob is a distant deity who promotes no special agenda in the world of mortals. As a god of magic and knowledge, he is worshiped by wizards, sorcerers, and sages. The domains he is associated with are Knowledge, Magic, and Trickery. The quarterstaff is his favored weapon.

Corellon Larethian

The god of elves, Corellon Larethian, is chaotic good. He is known as the Creator of the Elves, the Protector, and Ruler of All Elves. Corellon Larethian is the creator and protector of the elf race. He governs magic, music, arts, crafts, poetry, and warfare. Elves, half-elves, and bards worship him. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Good, Protection, and War. His favored weapon is the longsword.

Ehlonna

Ehlonna, the goddess of the woodlands, is neutral good. Her most commonly encountered title is Ehlonna of the Forests. Ehlonna watches over all good people who live in the forest, love the woodlands, or make their livelihood there. She is especially close to elves, gnomes, half-elves, and halflings. She is also worshiped by rangers and some druids. The domains she is associated with are Animal, Good, Plant, and Sun. Her favored weapon is the longbow.

Erythnul

The god of slaughter, Erythnul, is chaotic evil. His title is the Many. Erythnul delights in panic and slaughter. In civilized lands, his followers form small, criminal cults. In savage lands, evil barbarians, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and trolls commonly worship him. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Evil, Trickery, and War. His favored weapon is a morningstar.

Fharlanghn

Fharlanghn, the god of roads, is neutral. His title is Dweller on the Horizon. Fharlanghn's wayside shrines are common on well-used roads, for he is the god of travel, roads, distance, and horizons. Bards, other wandering adventurers, and merchants favor Fharlanghn. The domains he is associated with are Luck, Protection, and Travel. The quarterstaff is his favored weapon.

Garl Glittergold

The god of gnomes, Garl Glittergold, is neutral good. He is known as the Joker, the Watchful Protector, and the Sparkling Wit. Garl Glittergold discovered the gnomes and led them into the world. He governs humor, wit, gemcutting, and jewelrymaking. The domains he is associated with are Good, Protection, and Trickery. Garl's favored weapon is the battleaxe.

Gruumsh

Gruumsh, chief god of the orcs, is chaotic evil. His titles are One-Eye and He-Who-Never-Sleeps. Gruumsh calls on his followers to be strong, to cull the weak from their numbers, and to take all the territory that is rightfully theirs. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Evil, Strength, and War. Gruumsh's favored weapon is the spear.

Heironeous

The god of valor, Heironeous, is lawful good. His title is the Invincible. Heironeous promotes justice, valor, chivalry, and honor. The domains he is associated with are Good, Law, and War. His favored weapon is the longsword, and he is worshiped by paladins, good fighters, and good monks.

Hextor

The god of tyranny, Hextor, is lawful evil. His titles are Champion of Evil, Herald of Hell, and Scourge of Battle. Hextor is the six-armed god of war, conflict, and destruction. The domains he is associated with are Destruction, Evil, Law, and War. His favored weapon is the flail.

Kord

Kord, the god of strength, is chaotic good. He is known as the Brawler. Kord is the patron of athletes, especially wrestlers. His worshipers include good fighters, barbarians, and rogues. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Good, Luck, and Strength. Kord's favored weapon is the greatsword.

Moradin

The god of dwarves, Moradin, is lawful good. His titles include the Soul Forger, Dwarffather, and the All-Father. Moradin forged the first dwarves out of metal and gems and breathed life into them. He governs smithing, metalworking, engineering, and war. The domains he is associated with are Earth, Good, Law, and Protection. His favored weapon is the warhammer.

Nerull

The god of death, Nerull, is neutral evil. He is known as the Reaper, the Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, and Bringer of Darkness. Nerull is the patron of those who seek the greatest evil for their own enjoyment or gain. The domains he is associated with are Death, Evil, and Trickery. His favored weapon is the scythe.

Obad-Hai

Obad-Hai, the god of nature, is neutral. He is known as the Shalm. Obad-Hai rules nature and the wilderness, and he is a friend to all who live in harmony with the natural world. Barbarians, rangers, and druids sometimes worship him. The domains he is associated with are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, and Water. His favored weapon is the quarterstaff.

Olidammara

The god of rogues, Olidammara, is chaotic neutral. His title is the Laughing Rogue. Olidammara delights in wine, women, and song. He is a vagabond, a prankster, and a master of disguise. Rogues and bards are frequently among his worshipers. The domains he is associated with are Chaos, Luck, and Trickery. The rapier is his favored weapon.

Pelor

Pelor, god of the sun, is neutral good. His title is the Shining One. Pelor is the creator of many good things, a supporter of those in need, and an adversary of all that is evil. He is the most commonly worshiped deity among ordinary humans, and his priests are well received wherever they go. Rangers and bards are found among his worshipers. The domains he is associated with are Good, Healing, Strength, and Sun. The mace is his favored weapon.

St. Cuthbert

The god of retribution, St. Cuthbert, is lawful neutral. He is known as St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel. St. Cuthbert exacts revenge and just punishment on those who transgress the law. The domains he is associated with are Destruction, Law, Protection, and Strength. His favored weapon is the mace.

Vecna

Vecna, the god of secrets, is neutral evil. He is known as the Maimed Lord, the Whispered One, and the Master of All That Is Secret and Hidden. Vecna rules that which is not meant to be known and that which people wish to keep secret. The domains he is associated with are Evil, Knowledge, and Magic. Vecna's favored weapon is the dagger.

Wee Jas

Wee Jas, the goddess of death and magic, is lawful neutral. Her titles are Witch Goddess, Ruby Sorceress, Stern Lady, and Death's Guardian. Wee Jas is a demanding goddess who expects obedience from her followers. She counts many powerful sorcerers and wizards (especially necromancers) among her worshipers. The domains she is associated with are Death, Law, and Magic. Her favored weapon is the dagger.

Yondalla

The goddess of halflings, Yondalla, is lawful good. Her titles include the Protector and Provider, the Nurturing Matriarch, and the Blessed One. Yondalla is the creator and protector of the halfling race. She espouses harmony within the halfling race and stalwart defense against their enemies. The domains she is associated with are Good, Law, and Protection. The short sword is her favored weapon.

VITAL STATISTICS

This section offers advice as you determine your character's name, gender, age, height, and weight. Start with some idea of your character's background and personality, and use that idea to help you add the details that bring your character to life.

NAME

Invent or choose a name that fits your character's race and class. Chapter 2: Races contains some examples of elf, dwarf, halfling, gnome, and orc names (and thus half-elf and half-orc names, too). A name is a great way for you to start thinking about your character's background.

GENDER

Your character can be either male or female.

AGE

You can choose or randomly generate your character's age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character's race and class (see Table 6–4: Random Starting Ages). Your character's minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character's race and class.

With age, a character's physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table 6–5: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character's ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.

Table 6–4: Random Starting Ages

Table 6–5: Aging Effects

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

Choose your character's height and weight from the ranges mentioned in the appropriate race description (see Chapter 2) or from the ranges found on Table 6–6: Random Height and Weight. Think about what your character's abilities might say about his or her height and weight. A weak but agile character may be thin. A strong and tough character may be tall or just heavy.

Table 6–6: Random Height and Weight

LOOKS, PERSONALITY, AND BACKGROUND

You can detail your character to any degree you like. As you play the character, you will probably come up with more details you will want to add.

LOOKS

Decide what your character looks like using the descriptions of the various races in Chapter 2 as a starting point. Characters with high Charisma scores tend to be better-looking than those with low Charisma scores, though a character with high Charisma could have strange looks, giving him or her a sort of exotic beauty.

Your character can be right- or left-handed.

You can use your character's looks to tell something about his or her personality and background. For example:

• Krusk the half-orc is missing part of an ear and bears many scars that are the result of the violent life he led among the orcs that raised him. He keeps claws and fangs from beasts he has killed on a necklace.
• Alhandra the paladin has the hand of Heironeous branded on the inside of her forearm to show her devotion to him.
• Hennet the sorcerer wears an eclectic, makeshift outfit that is different from day to day, suggesting his chaotic nature.

PERSONALITY

Decide how your character acts, what she likes, what she wants out of life, what scares her, and what makes her angry. Race and alignment are good places to start when thinking about your character's personality, but they are bad places to stop. Make your lawful good dwarf (or whatever) different from every other lawful good dwarf.

A handy trick for making an interesting personality for your character is including some sort of conflict in her nature. For example, Tordek is lawful, but he's a little greedy, too. He may be tempted to steal if he can justify it to himself.

Your character's personality can change over time. Just because you decide some basic facts about your character's personality upon creation doesn't mean you need to abide by those facts as if they were holy writ. Let your character grow and evolve the way real people do.

BACKGROUND

Decide what your character's life has been like up until now. Here are a few questions to get you thinking:

• How did he decide to be an adventurer?
• How did he acquire her class? A fighter, for example, might have been in the militia, he may come from a family of soldiers, he may have trained in a martial school, or he may be a self-taught warrior.
• How did he get his starting equipment? Did he assemble it piece by piece over time? Was it a parting gift from a parent or mentor? Do any of his personal items have special significance to him?
• What's the worst thing that's ever happened to him?
• What's the best thing that's ever happened to him?
• Does he stay in contact with his family? What do his relatives think of him?

CUSTOMIZING YOUR CHARACTER

The rules for creating your character provide a common ground for players, but you can tweak the rules to make your character unique. Any substantive changes, however, must be approved by the DM.

Race: The rules for a character of a given race apply to most but not all people of that race. For example, you could create a dwarf descended from dwarven outcasts who have been exiled from dwarven society. Such a character would have the inborn qualities of a dwarf but not necessarily all of the cultural features. You could probably talk your DM into giving your character some special bonuses to balance the loss of the cultural features.

Class: Some classes already give you plenty of room to customize your character. With your DM's approval, however, you could change some of your class features. For instance, a fighter who used to work for the thieves guild as an enforcer but who is now trying to become a legitimate bodyguard might be proficient only with rogues' weapons and armor and have access to rogue class skills.

Skills and Feats: You can call your skills, feats, and class features whatever your character would call them. Lidda, the halfling rogue, talks about "footpaddin'" rather than about "moving silently." You might also think of other skills that your character ought to have. Your DM has guidelines (in the Dungeon Master's Guide) for creating new skills.

Equipment: Your equipment can look the way you want it to look to match your character's style. One wizard's quarterstaff might be a plain, straight length of wood, while another wizard's is gnarled, twisted, and engraved with mystic runes. Your character might also have some items that aren't on the standard equipment lists — agree with your DM on what a new item would do and how much it would cost.