Illarion.org

Greetings,

I stumbled upon this site after a bit of a search for an RPG that well, felt right, as I didn't want to just get into any random one.. Anyhow, I have a strong interest to develop in this area of gaming and stories. IRL I study game design/programming as well as anthropology/mythology and have a strong dislike for civilization..

Anyhow, I've never gotten too much into RPG's before.. mostly played RTS and action/adventure/puzzle type games. Though, I've currently come to really dislike most games, and the civilized motivation for playing (dominance, destruction, etc. etc.). I'd much rather play and develop skills around stories, characters, conflict, and all that good stuff. I kind of just
'saw the light' in RPing and story games. I have a very limited knowledge in RPing, I played D&D a little bit.. and some hack n slash RPGs, and a text-based MUD.. but ended up just mostly killing rats..
So now that I've introduced myself, I've got a few questions I'd like to ask about character creation and this game.. (I typed all that above because I'm serious about this and not just some kid walking in..)

So first off, I haven't completely created a character yet. I have a character with a background I'd like to develop, but don't know how all to fit it in this game.

At the character creation page, it asks for short character description. Does this mean looks? Or a mix of physical/mental characteristics?
How do the different human cultures affect the character I want to create? Should I create the character based on those? What type of room do I have to play around with the background history in that way? I assume the character could just appear from far off lands fitting the theme? But I do not feel sure.. how then would that character fit into the other peoples?

Sorry if the answer to these question lie around the site.. I've read most of it!
I look forward to hearing from you all.

oh also, in planning my character, are the attribute points static? (strength, dexterity, etc.?)

First of welcome to illarion.
Nice that you actually thougth about your char allready, very good, lets get your questions answered.

Char developement: I think you should have first some "raw" overview about your char, so that he doesn't turn form a noble knight to a necromancer in an instant, work out his characteristics, get used to the game, you don't need to tell everyone your history from the beginning, simply don't make it to fanzy, stay with the basics so you can create your own history later.

The description is at this moment useless, unless you want to writte it down in your Profile so people can reread it later, I would stick to physical characteristics, giving out too much information can cause people to accidently speak about things, they don't even know yet.

Yes you should have atleast an overview of the cultures and your char should behave different on each one, but you are not exactly forced to play your char coming from one of the cultures, could jsut be a peasant from some backwater place.

Room to play: Well depends, if your char dislikes slavery for example he shouldn't exactly love nobles from albarianer, again you don#t have to exactly stick to the "groups" your char can be a journeyman.

"far off lands": Yes, you can play him as being from some Land in Illarion, but remember we play only on Gobiath, thats a small island, the world is whole Illarion(map on frontpage)

Most people on gobiath are some kind of travelers, only few are nobles and strictly stick to their homeland in case of believe and manners, don't worry, just play a bit and get the feeling.

Hey ho!

I recommend to see the first character as a kind of test char. Since you don't have the "Illarion feeling" yet, the first char won't probably develop like you want. So don't waste your good character ideas for the first one

# Yes, the attributes are static. Solely this reason supports the idea of a first "test char".

Thanks for the welcome. I did make a test char (wasn't sure if I would be able to at first.. looked like I had to get it approved or something).

I guess I could go make a bunch of random topics but..
I don't get any normal background music, (I have set it to 100%, I do get music when I attack something, and I hear sound effects when attacking/being attacked)..

Thats normal, Illarion has no "normal" Background songs, we once had Songs for different Places, but they are gone now too.