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+--- Thread: Does my Backstory seem ok? (/showthread.php?tid=5807)
Does my Backstory seem ok? - Enzo - 12-15-2013
My first character I made for this game and for RP was very rough. I tried to develop him as things went and he turned out OK it seemed but overall he was just not a very good character. And I remember my friend complaining about how agitating Roleplaying with him was. That character came and died a short life and now I have a new one and I want to work with the community to see if I can make some sense of him and make him a good character. I do not know much about the lore so forgive me if anything I come up with seems weird. And here is my story
My Character is Xefjord Kiromeda. I used a transista potion on my old character to make this one and say the name is merely a coincidence. But I have everyone call my Character Sparks. It was a spur of the moment name and I kind of like it. :3
He is a grew up in a noble Garlean family and had plenty of wealth to spend on his passion. Learning. I like to consider my character a detective of knowledge who wants to learn everything there is to know about everything. He is about 24 years old right now and he has spent every possible minute of his life researching something new or learning more about what he already knew. He trained in the ways of the Spear and Sword and has a fair knowledge on hand to hand combat. For a long time he lived peacefully and studied his heart out but soon subjects to study became a bit harder to find. At one point in time he wanted to enhance himself to better allow his ability to study and improve his physical ability so he went to a group called Wytchwood and got bio-technologically enhanced. Getting a mix of nanotek in his blood to help his endurance and strength and more importantly his perception and reaction. On its own it does not do much but he can take pills to enhance the effects. Although sense it relys on power from aether if he enhances it and overloads with aether he could crash and become extremely weak.
Sparks started working with some sketchy groups on the backstreets to learn more about areas outside of the Garlean empire because his curiosity and thirst for knowledge controlled him. Upon learning more of a continent called Eorzea and of Aethers manipulation into magic Sparks wanted to know EVERYTHING about it. So Sparks underwent heavy research into hacking. He already had quite a bit of knowledge on Magitek engineering and alchemy from his previous schooling. Eventually Sparks hacked into Garlean systems and stole as much information as he could simply because he wanted to learn more. He learned of how corrupt the Garlean Empire was and began to despise it. The Garlean Empire was not too happy with him either. So he made his escape to Eorzea with the Garlean Empire after him and the information he stole. A few other company's in the Garlean empire are after him for information he stole as well. Some information including Wytchwood, ect.
My character finds himself on Eorzea totally amazed. They seem very primitive to him and he has a secret superiority complex but he is constantly trying to learn new things about the place and about magic. He is already attempting to integrate magic into his technology and experiments. He is overall a pretty friendly character but gets annoyed easily. Occasionally assassins try to get him but he keeps his identity secret just in case. Hence his nickname Sparks. So people do not know his real name.
How does my character sound to you guys and what are your guys suggestions/opinions for him?
RE: Does my Backstory seem ok? - Rad - 12-15-2013
I don't see an issue with his background, but I am curious as to what you character saw that made him leave his family, culture, and home forever. I also think that it would be a good idea to include some aspects of his personality. Sometimes, I stress sometimes, antisocial characters can be hard to play with.
Granted, I don't know much as about the lore.
RE: Does my Backstory seem ok? - FreelanceWizard - 12-15-2013
So, there's a few things to consider with regards to this background and lore. First off, within the boundaries of the lore I know (and I'm by no means an expert on the Garlean Empire), magitek doesn't include things like nanotechnology for enhancement. It's more armors, robots, airships, and large weapons. That doesn't mean that you can't do what you want (for instance, there's some RPers about who have magitek cyberlimbs), just that such a thing seems to be outside the limits of demonstrated Garlean technology and will raise eyebrows IC and OOC. You might consider making your character a one-off experiment, which would also give more reason for people to come after him. The Garlean Empire is enormous; for it to send assassins after your character, they'd need a pretty solid reason, and being a rogue top secret experiment would definitely serve as one.
Second, while hacking could, I suppose, be something one could do, it doesn't exactly seem to mesh with lore, IMO. Magitek devices don't seem to employ computers in the traditional sense, and to my knowledge we haven't really seen hacking come up in the story. Also, from a thematic standpoint, XIV is more "weird fantasy tech" and less "cyberpunk." You may want to make this more generic -- perhaps he's just good at acquiring information, and you leave the exact how of that up in the air until you have to lock it down.
Finally, pure blooded Garleans are, per lore, quite inept with magic. That's why they use magitek -- their lack of ability in the personal manipulation of Aether has driven them to use magically enhanced technology. Of course, that doesn't mean your character can't have an interest in it, just that he probably wouldn't be very good with it. You can work around this if you have a caster class by simply calling your spells particular magitek devices, though this may give some RPers heartburn IC or OOC. You could also just call him an exception, but that would be a "Special Thing" about your character, and you already have a few of those (hunted by assassins, Garlean, enhanced by magitek). As you undoubtedly know, the more Special Things a character has, the less plausible it can seem.
Hopefully these lore notes will help you firm up the conception of your character.
RE: Does my Backstory seem ok? - Vysce the Lad - 12-15-2013
After reading everything, I have to say Mr. Sparks sounds quite fascinating! Although beign as new as I am to the game, I haven't met many who would rp Garlean characters. Still its a great-sounding concept... and I'm itching to run into you in-game so I can experience your character's story first-hand.
I'd imagine anti-social characters and those with a "superiority complex" can be a bit harder to find rp, yet I always find their "dark pasts", if you will, well written and just as fascinating. However, some characters you may run across are written to find that sort of thing demeaning and rude.... ICly, of course. Don't let that be too discouraging if it happens.
All in all your character sounds better than any Squeenix has put out in a long time. But I'm sorry to hear about your other character. These souls we create are parts of ourselves and it's always hard to say goodbye, for me at least.Â
I do hope to see you in-game! If you see me around, don't hesitate to chat me up!
RE: Does my Backstory seem ok? - Enzo - 12-15-2013
The Wytchwood is similar to a super soldier organization like Shinra. So I have that in mind. While the garlean empire may bot have nanotek. Wytchwood which is a private organazation that does heavy research and stuff (Really shady.) Could. I imagine anyway. The nanotek allows me to channel aether as well so thats how I can use some small time magic. Just not that much. I agree that I do not really have to hack their systems. Just get the information in some way.