One of the most powerful influences in my formative gaming years - and one that still inspires me to this day - is the "dedication" sections found in old role-playing games, where the author records (usually in just a simple phrase) the fates or notable deeds of play-tester's characters.
Not only did this prove to me that the system had been thoroughly play-tested (something a lot of games, I fear, these days - especially from some of the 'bigger' companies - don't get) but also that the players were clearly putting some thought into their characters and helping craft a grand story, the bigger picture.
The list of characters above is from the 1979 Heroes game, a Dark Ages RPG that has long since left my collection - the only memento I retained from it being a photocopy of the dedications page.
But as great as the Heroes dedication was, the ones that have driven my role-playing ambitions the most were the dedications by Dave Hargrave in the first two volumes of his seminal Arduin Grimoire:
I know I've talked about the "Elric in Hell" scenario several times in recent days, but this is the kind of myth-making that is a cornerstone of my love of role-playing games, especially those with an 'old school' flavour, over any other form of gaming.
I don't want to know about your "feat-combos" or "power-ups" - I want to hear the stories you've had a hand in creating, the actual adventures your characters have undertaken... and I want to help my players create those moments and memories as well.
This, for me, is the essence of role-playing games and why they are the greatest hobby in the world.
Great post. I'm not well-versed in these dedications at all, but I love what I see. It would inspire me to want to build a section of that same world...!
ReplyDeleteAlso...from that first example..."Gangerine" is now going to be a not-Pokémon for me. Grass/Poison type. A sentient citrus plant that deals necrotic damage...
Whenever I see something akin to this in a book I know it's been well play-tested and is worth my time, even if I never get to play it myself.
DeleteSo many to share.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest's Dragonborn Paladin destroyed the Chaos Stone and reignited the sun in the last campaign I played with my whole family.
My youngest had a thief, Saxil, who thought he was a Cleric of the Moon (not the Moon God, the Moon itself) and started a cult I still use.
And for me, back in 1986 I rolled up a little pagan girl who had lost her mother and father in a fire to go on and become Larina, the most powerful witch in all my worlds (and many of my books!).
Great stuff, Tim. These immediately get me thinking about my own stable of characters, wondering if any had similar experiences. But also looking to the future and hoping that our current crop of characters might have adventures as memorable.
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