Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fithero 09-28-07, 10:11 AM	Im wanting to run a story where the one of the pc's (or maybe the only pc) has amnesia. Ill make the characters background and all that, but basically they will choose the race and basic class (warrior, divine, arcane, thief), while ill do all the rest. Im thinking they were 5th-10th lvl when the amnesia started, but i basiclly want the story to be around them discovering who they used to be. What i need help with, is what do you think this characters background should be? There doesnt need to be any specifics, since nothing the player chooses will actually affect the pre-amnesia background! So what do you all think would be a hell interesting background for a character to discover over the course of a series of games? Peace
Master_Vega 09-28-07, 12:04 PM	There's a particular videogame I would recommend to you, but then I'd ruin the plot. ROFL! I've thought about this kind of thing... Perhaps the characters could have negative levels from his past, ones he could voluntarily reclaim as he remembers his life before whatever event robbed him of his memory?
keyman 09-28-07, 01:51 PM	I'd recommend u check out my post in http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=930365 ...Save u some time, here: "... 2) ??? character (L15 - L19) Another character in the same party above was given an amnesiac character. His character sheet had 3 of the base ability stats listed, gear list and a small subset of skill ranks/abilities that he's "discovered" so far (no other game info given). His character sheet was filled in as time went on. His character sheet background mentions that he's a bit wary of the PC character above, but he doesn't know why (our EPIC character above was the one that wiped this character's mind ;P)" Basically, the character sheet only has info that the PC (not the player) would have already discovered in game. So in our game above, first thing the PC did was look in his pants (character sheet didnt indicate gender) and look at a mirror (char sheet didnt indicate what race). Then as he tried out some things, his character sheet was updated to reflect the things he found out. (He found lock picks in his gear so he opened locks when he could...he found a flute in his pack so he tried it out a few times and found he had some ranks in Perform(flute)...etc...) The DM applied circumstance penalties to some of the first skill attempts to reflect the character instinctively re-remembering known skills. Because the PC doesnt know what class he is, this could lead to some very interesting RP situations (the player playing the character above thought he was a bard, based on some of the gear and skills that had been found already, so he kept trying to be the "face" man of the party and trying to use arcance scrolls...those attempts really brought out some interesting encounters and results. The DM rolled for any skills/abilities that werent on the character sheet so the player would be in dark, just as the PC would be. The character also had all 5 levels of Fortune's Friend PRC (Complete Scoundrel) + several luck feats so the DM could apply rerolls without the player seeing, and thereby keep the amnesiac (not knowing) feel for the PC. The setup above requires a bit more effort and forethought on the DMs side but really created an interesting feel and experience for the player playing that amnesiac PC...
keyman 09-28-07, 01:53 PM	Not sure if the poster above was referring to this game, but I'd recommend finding and playing Planescape:Torment all the way through at least once... Someone once compiled all the dialogue and events for the game above and formatted it like a script/novel. Made for very interesting reading..
KIDS 09-28-07, 07:04 PM	I also recommend Bourne Triology (both books and movies, both are very good) for further inspiration. Remember not to overdo the amnesia with shattering prophecies as they have great potential to end up repulsive - discovering you were someone more or less normal can be fun too.
Fithero 09-28-07, 09:28 PM	Keyman, your post is what got me started on all of this. And ive played and finished Planescape Torment numerous times, great game. Though I would also be interested in finding that script, I did a search but no luck :( As for the character, being normal is not really the thing an adventure is made of "you were a 1st lvl commoner before the accident...." Do you think they should have been evil or good before the change, or opposite what their post-amnesia alignment is? Alot to think about....
Master_Vega 09-28-07, 10:52 PM	Not sure if the poster above was referring to this game, but I'd recommend finding and playing Planescape:Torment all the way through at least once... Someone once compiled all the dialogue and events for the game above and formatted it like a script/novel. Made for very interesting reading.. Nope. :P If you have an Xbox, you might know what I'm talking about... Problem is that in the game, your character's amnesia really isn't a big deal until you find out who you were. Mentioning the name of the game would ruin a huge plot point in the story of said game. lol!
albinomonkeyking 09-28-07, 11:11 PM	It's upsetting that the best advice I can give isn't much. I would love to help but the most important thing would be knowing what your player would like. Maybe it's something as simple as he is married with a family. The details (too many to go into) would evolve from what else he likes. Does your player like 'cool' things? If so then that is easy. Make his character have exploits out to wazoo. Perhaps he was the mastermind of a plot to overtake a god, or take down a kingdom, but his minions rallied to dethrone him, being too strong he has his mind wiped. Or, he has a hidden illness. This could be as simple as finding out he has tuberculosis or finding out he has lycanthropy. Maybe he was the guardian of a treasure or tomb and rather than fight him the enemy removed him, if he can't remember his duty he won't be a problem? Similarly, he could have been a bodyguard to a king or high noble. I could keep going but I could go on for... too long.
Harrow Blade 09-29-07, 06:54 AM	The idea of a charater with amnesia is an interesting one. I once played in a game where there was a group of characters with no real memory of what happened before they woke up togther. We traveled arround learning stuff about ourselves and collecting powerful magical items etc. The punch line to this was the we were playing clones of actual adventurers and when we finally confronted the BBEG we had then played the real characters to fight the clones who had been out collecting the goodies that had been stashed in order to prevent them coming to this very point. It was an interesting game. That said a character with no back ground and no history can lead to very bland play if there is not something interesting to keep the game rolling. I am not big on the whole earth shattering prophesy thing but I think that the character could possibly have flash backs of the previous life played out by the pc with the results starting to determine what sort of character they will become. For example, Your amnesiac flashes back to a point in his previous life when he and his party are about to attack a village of orcs. In the current state he does not know that the orcs had attacked the caravan he was traveling with and so decides to defend the orcs from the attacking party. In doing so finds out that the orcs had been systematically attacked and hunted by the owner of the caravan with out real cause, they were trying to save their own lives. The decisions that the character makes then changes who they are in their own mind. It is all very twisted and convoluted, just the way I like it :) On a side note I saw a documentary once about an english guy who lost his memory completely and turned out that he was a very different person to what he had been before the incident. A very very interesting peice to watch but I cannot remember the title or think of how one might find it to watch it. the point is amnesia can drastically change who you are. Harrow
Fithero 09-29-07, 11:40 AM	Good ideas all! As for the character, im thinking along the lines of getting them to use 4d6 reroll 1's for their abilities, but then also give them 5 free ability points. This shows that they have already gained 20th lvl (pre-amnesia) If their human... or any race for that matter, im think that ill make them middle age, and show signs of their previous adventuring days. Scars, brands, tattoos etc. As for planescape, there was one previous incarnation where he was sitting on a throne of bones in one of the layers of hell, a layer that he had gained control of... that sort of thing would be pretty interesting as a background. I know that a character with no background or set personality would be bland, but i think it lets the player create the character on they fly and choose wether or not to go along with who they used to be, or change. Since the previous life was lvl 20, theyd have some pretty hefty adventures under their belt. So ill ask for some ideas for the following- -1)what sort of character do you think the past incarnation should be... its great cos it can be *anything*... go nuts :P 2)what sort of adventures do you think theyd go on/get into 3)why do you think theyd get their memory wiped/how do you think it would have happened to them? Cheers
albinomonkeyking 09-29-07, 02:33 PM	Maybe he used to be a pirate captian? It would be good in a sense that he could be an infamous pirate but he would be known almost exclusively to port cities (and even then maybe only the ones he had directly visited) and the seas. If you kept him away from his familiar turf or seaports it would take him a long time to discover who he was. He could have an interesting few members on his crew (what his adventuring group would have been) who could be searching for him. These could be people as strong as him if they were his old adventuring group. As far as exploits and adventures? He is a pirate who seeks adventure, it's simple. You could even give him starting items (or did he lose all his gear?) that goes with some of the many adventures he has been on. He could have helped elementals/spirits/citizens of the sea fight off a dragon trying to rule an ocean or a wizard (any number of plots involving destruction or abuse of the sea) and been rewarded with a flask of command. If it's the item I recall it allows you to summon water elementals to your aid, and when near water (hes a pirate) they are a stronger form of elementals. He could have helped save (chaotic pirates do as they please) a dragon from imprisonment by a powerful person and been rewarded with a horn of the dragons (I believe that calls a dragon to your aid, maybe I'm mistaken). A theme maybe of helping anyone or thing that gives him a 'service' in return? His classes could be any variation of swashbuckler/duelist/fighter. As far as how he got his memory wiped? He finally screwed the wrong people. Or, perhaps all the people he had wronged in the past banned together to remove a greater power (him). Knowing they can't beat him and his crew they set about to either displace him as captain (through spells, cursed items, or artifacts). He could then have an item on his person that keeps his memories sealed, or perhaps an item that holds his memories (they exist) that he was tricked into using or activating in some way. Then again, you could just go with controlling the sea to try and destroy his ship, a whirlpool a tsunami, whatever it is. He ended up on some beach without crew or gear (For the most part I imagine) and was saved by some passerby. The trauma of his near drowning and battering and exposure to the elements took its toll and he is weakened and without memory. Taken care of by an older couple or a family and set loose. That's all I got for now.
Fithero 09-29-07, 09:07 PM	I like the pirate idea! At the very end of the game though, i want there to be the option for him to have his old memories restored, which would wipe out the new ones. That, or continue as he is.... Does he take the prize (his old memories) hes been searching for all along, of forget about them and continue along with the new life hes made for himself? Thats one of the major final aspects id like to have in the game.
Fithero 09-30-07, 01:14 AM	Ill make it that in the previous incarnation, he/she was a inter-planar pirate of great renown and infamy. While travelling down the River Styx, his crew mutiny, stripping him of all his valuables and throwing him overboard. As he drowned in icy waters of the River Styx, his memories were erased completely. This is where things get a little iffy, perhaps he was sucked through a portal on the bottom of the Styx, to the elemental plane of water, where he was then passed through another onto the material plane. Once on the material plane, he washes up onto an island, with a small fishing community. Nobody has even heard of him, the place is so remote, but eventually when he gets to a major city, there may be references to his old self, but he'd probably never look into them. What do ya'll think? Ive still got to get the pre-amnesia adventures and personality down, but i recon that'd be suitable for the transition. Also, i think ill write up a journal of the old captain, theyre always interesting for players to discover and read. Peace
Terjon of the Blue Rose 09-30-07, 02:04 AM	Ya know playing amnesia has always had such a soap opera feel to me... I think I'd rather play a character with Alzheimer's. Imagine at high level you meet a wizard who tells you the following of himself before joining the group. "My mind used to be a sharper thing than it is today. 300 years ago I could recall what I had for breakfast a millenia before-hand. 100 years ago I could name every woman I had ever loved. Today I'm lucky if I can remember what I did over the last 2 or 3 years, though some of the strangest things still stick in mind... Like that breakfast a millenia ago I mentioned. It was roast perfectly normal beast with a side of buglblatter beast eggs.":P
albinomonkeyking 09-30-07, 03:23 AM	Ill make it that in the previous incarnation, he/she was a inter-planar pirate of great renown and infamy. While travelling down the River Styx, his crew mutiny, stripping him of all his valuables and throwing him overboard. As he drowned in icy waters of the River Styx, his memories were erased completely. This is where things get a little iffy, perhaps he was sucked through a portal on the bottom of the Styx, to the elemental plane of water, where he was then passed through another onto the material plane. Once on the material plane, he washes up onto an island, with a small fishing community. Nobody has even heard of him, the place is so remote, but eventually when he gets to a major city, there may be references to his old self, but he'd probably never look into them. What do ya'll think? Ive still got to get the pre-amnesia adventures and personality down, but i recon that'd be suitable for the transition. Also, i think ill write up a journal of the old captain, theyre always interesting for players to discover and read. Peace Sounds like you have the skeleton of your masterpiece. Just flesh that guy out a little and you're done.
Mrpringles2007 10-01-07, 03:40 AM	Mindrape is a necro spell level 9, from the book of vile darkness, that completely erases someones mind and basicly lets you rewrite who they are. By simply casting a geas spell before hand they would forget their geas but still be under its affect. As he progresses without working on his geas he will get sick, and thats when the necro or one of his cohorts can pose as a medicine man, telling the unknowing player to gather items that are part of his geas quest or some such thing. Then your character becomes a puppet, which the necro could use to get an evil artifact that is protected against creatures of evil alignments. Multiple castings of geas and modify memory could keep the character doing quests for the necro over and over again, without actually (knowingly) meeting the necro. If the character was previously evil the necro could have been his companion, wiping his mind and mocking him by changing a once fearsome tyrant into a mockery of what he once was.
cog_n_taz 10-01-07, 06:44 AM	Snip Watched the manchurian candidate, did ya?
Alodar_Advo 10-02-07, 11:02 AM	I like the idea of the guy being evil. Something pretty major... Though I like the idea of another evil guy wiping his mind, I think I prefer Holy Retribution...Let me attempt to explain :) Lord Bane of the Highlands (your 20th level guy) is a champion of the Evil God "E". He sacks towns, burns countrysides, plants spies, induces diseases.. a real agent of his Deity. (Always wears a helm in public as evil folks are apt to do) Evil God "E" and Good God "G" have an ongoing argument... about the capacity of mortals to perform good or evil acts. They decide to swap agents to see if they are hard-coded for their deity's alignment or if it's a result of their upbringing. (It's your classic argument of Nature vs. Nurture.) Evil God "E" gives Lord Bane to Good God "G" and Good God "G" gives a likewise to "E" Good God "G" wipes Lord Bane's memory (no spell needed, Divine Intervention (for you Matthew Sweet fans)) Amnesic wakes up... begins to figure out who he thinks he is... Then it's time to see if your Amnesic is good or evil. "G" is sort of expecting Amnesic to be good, however "G" refuses to get directly involved as that will ruin the results of the experiment. So what is the result?... we'll see. I hope that helps. Let me know if any of that is confusing, as I'm at work and sort of distracted.
Orchomenos 10-04-07, 01:51 PM	As a DM, I love PCs with amnesia! It's almost a free licence to railroad, and the more you railroad, the more the player is happy! :smirk: About the videogame, Baldur's Gate might be helpful too. The main character is not exactly amnesiac, but he has no clue on who he really is, and why everyone try to kill him. And Gorion, the only one who knows for sure, is dead. I'M DMing a game where one of the player wanted to be an amnesiac wu-jen. A started the game (4th level) with the PCs investigating on some formians in the area; at the same time, my amnesiac Oriental guy appear in a Western-like world. It turned out he had been Dominated by (a sexy drow dressed in leather? no!) by a Formian Taskmaster, and is part of the invading group. Eventually, he breaks free and truely join the PCs to fight his past master. In some flashbacks, he remembers he was once part of a LE military group sent to wipe down any resistance facing the Emperor. They travel in cold montain, very Tibet-like, and the resistance turns out to be some pacific monks in wooden temples. The pacific monks ask him to forsake this foolish mission, or face a terrible curse. As an Imperial soldier, he can't forsake, so he continue. Then the monks utter a powerful curse, and all the soldiers are changed into ant-like creatures. ...all that happened 1000 years ago, and he spent all this time in the Astral Plane (I disregard the rule telling that when you quit the Astral Plane, you automatically age what you didn't age for all the time you were there.) Now, everything that is known of these past events are just rumors and legends... Here's another idea I once had. A DM once came on this board, asking for a plot hook for his warforged PC. I ended up with a disease, giving 1d6 DEX & WIS damage each day, as the skin becomes metallic and they forget their past. When they die, they are raised as level 1 warforged, with no clue of their past life...
Fithero 10-08-07, 09:38 AM	This is only a brief overview of the pre-amnesia, character as ive got him so far. His name was Nalria Whurvin (Honoured-Hunter Iron-Storm if anybody wanted to know, its a mix of elven and dwarven. Everyone knew him as Captain Whurvin, or 'The Wyvern' since wyverns used to symbolise war and visciousness) In a war between the kingdoms of Damia and Nume, the character was merciless, yet exteremly patriotic privateer for Damia. The war that has gone of for several decades is being fought because of idelogical differences. While both nations are multi-racial, Nume believes inter-racial breeding is acceptable while Damia other is totally against it. Although he preformed many great (and horrible) acts in the war, some of his more famous ones follow. -As a deck hand, he was the only person who entered the port town of Long Reach during the Red Eye Plague to make it out alive. (Nume caused a magical disease to run rampant through one of Damia's major ports. Think '28 Days Later.") -As a Lieutenant he was part of a boarding party that raided a Nume vessel carrying royal treasures, he killed the Nume captain in one on one combat. -When he was a Lietenant Commander, all his superiors were killed off when the high mage of Damia opened a portal to one of the layers of hell, in an effort to defeat Nume in a great sea battle. With his superiors down, he took control, made a temporary alliance with the forces of Nume and fought the demons back through the portal. Afterwards he organised a truce so both sides could fall back and regroup. A month later he encounted the same force of Damia and slaughtered every last man in the fleet. -As a Captain, he sacked the one of Nume's more powerful baronies and stole its icon of rulership, the throne the baron would sit in. He used it as his personal chair and it is rumoured to still sit in the captains cabin. -He and several of his crew members were captured an imprisoned for several months before he led a prison revolt and managed to break out. (It was his time in a Nume prison, amid half-castes that showed him that they're really not that bad) -Walked in and out of an undead tomb city, unharmed and unarmed. After a night underground, he emerged with a scroll case and refused to speak about what had happened. (Usually people who go anywhere near the tomb city are killed and raised as undead.) -Broke into the island library of Chetulla (a location considered neutral in the conflict), a feat that had never before, or has never since been succesfully completed. Although he didnt steal anything, it is rumoured he actually put something in the libraries deepest vault along with instructions on how he broke in, so nobody could follow in his foot steps. -Under orders, he travelled to one of the nine layers of hell to enlist the aid of Devils for the war effort. On the trip back down the river styx, a fight broke out between his crew and the devils. During the fight, the captain was knocked over board and never seen again. Those are a few of his more famous exploits, everybody on both sides of the conflict has heard of Captain Whurvin. Shockingly enough, after his fall into the river styx, he winds up back on the material plane... though washes up on the shores of a small town, in Nume. Nobody in Nume really knows what Captain Whurvin looked like, since most who saw him were killed. So his post amnesia self is pretty much safe from being recognised.... for a while at least. What do you all think? Peace
Orchomenos 10-09-07, 01:18 PM	If I understand well, he was a "racist" (vs half-bred) Damian soldier, who eventually rose up in the military... What the heck did he do in a Damian prison? This part is really obscure. And what kind of prison was this? A place where everyone was threated as less than a dog (could make sense if he "understood" the half-castes), or somewhere with a limited freedom, A.K.A. Napoleon on St. Helen Island (could be more suited for such a high ranked soldiers, but would end up threating half-castes even harder). Either ways, it would make more sense to have him be kept in a Numian prison, caught by a talented head-hunter. This talented head-hunter would resume his hunt when Whurvin escaped, and would still be hunting him after his amnesia, that could make a great long-term villain, if not a BBEG. Also, the consequences of this episode are obscure. I would have thought he would loose faith in the Damian cause, without turning with Nume, becoming rogue to both sides of the conflict. Yet and despite a very bad experience vs demons, he travels to the Nine Hells under orders to strike a deal with devils... Now, do you have some clues for him to start with? Perhaps some tattoos he got as a soldier, hinting he was one. I've read recently that in some armies, highest ranking officers sported distinctive beard feature, for example a soul patch for adjudants, a goatee for a lieutenant, or heavy sideburns for a captain. After his adventure in the Styx, he would have been a while without shaving, thus loosing his highest-ranking features... He could also have a scar he got while in jail, perhaps around the neck, due to a steel collar... Oh, and what about a low-level side-kick that follows and bugs him, perhaps an Imp or an Homonculus... The creature could be tasked in having him honor a contract with the devils, should he remember it or not... A familly jewel could be good too. Or a key. A precious key, but he doesn't know what it open...
albinomonkeyking 10-09-07, 03:34 PM	*snip* What do you all think? Peace I like it. Great work. I hope your player has fun.
Fithero 10-09-07, 11:59 PM	If I understand well, he was a "racist" (vs half-bred) Damian soldier, who eventually rose up in the military... What the heck did he do in a Damian prison? This part is really obscure. And what kind of prison was this? A place where everyone was threated as less than a dog (could make sense if he "understood" the half-castes), or somewhere with a limited freedom, A.K.A. Napoleon on St. Helen Island (could be more suited for such a high ranked soldiers, but would end up threating half-castes even harder). Yeah that was a mistake on my part, he was actually captured by Nume and imprisoned. As for the prison, its very much "your a dog"... none of this 'hogan's heroes' crud :P And yeah, it did have an effect on his view of them, but his country was still in a war and he was still in the military. Either ways, it would make more sense to have him be kept in a Numian prison, caught by a talented head-hunter. This talented head-hunter would resume his hunt when Whurvin escaped, and would still be hunting him after his amnesia, that could make a great long-term villain, if not a BBEG. I love the sound of that. Im going to make it that his old crew is after him, since they think hes turned his back on Damia intentionally and might give away secrets (or whatever). But having a head hunter after him aswell is even more interesting! Ill have to give him the bloodhound prc... make it reeeal interesting :P Cheers! Also, the consequences of this episode are obscure. I would have thought he would loose faith in the Damian cause, without turning with Nume, becoming rogue to both sides of the conflict. I think its sort of like in WW2, im sure there were more than a few germans thinking "this stuff aint right... but im not going to be the one to do anything about it..." Besides, this guy is a hardcore patriot.... theyre a little loopy :P Yet and despite a very bad experience vs demons, he travels to the Nine Hells under orders to strike a deal with devils... Yeah, out of the two nations, Damia is the more 'evil' of the two, hence the demon summoning spell that went awry (the one Whurvin helped resolve) and the Damian higher ups are quite comfortable with the idea of hiring devil mercenaries from the blood war to help them win the conflict... even if some of their troops arnt. Now, do you have some clues for him to start with? Perhaps some tattoos he got as a soldier, hinting he was one. I've read recently that in some armies, highest ranking officers sported distinctive beard feature, for example a soul patch for adjudants, a goatee for a lieutenant, or heavy sideburns for a captain. After his adventure in the Styx, he would have been a while without shaving, thus loosing his highest-ranking features... He could also have a scar he got while in jail, perhaps around the neck, due to a steel collar... Oh, and what about a low-level side-kick that follows and bugs him, perhaps an Imp or an Homonculus... The creature could be tasked in having him honor a contract with the devils, should he remember it or not... A familly jewel could be good too. Or a key. A precious key, but he doesn't know what it open... I was thinking of a tattoo, one that wouldnt be recongnised by everyday people, but one where any official (or even a foot solider) would go "hang on a second... thats the mark of an enemy official!" Cheers for your help Orchomenos, given me alot of ideas. Now im trying to work on some npc's, namely his old crew (all i know is that i want his old 2IC to be incharge now, a guy known as '15 Fiends'... dont ask me why, i just like the name :P) Ill be working on the head hunter too, he will be interesting. Oh yeah, the game is gestalt too :D Peace
Orchomenos 10-10-07, 11:12 AM	Cheers for your help Orchomenos, given me alot of ideas. :tongue: You're welcome!
Fithero 10-15-07, 07:28 AM	:bump: At the bottom of the page, see if anyone else has any ideas. Peace