Help me be a better role-player [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help me be a better role-player [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sar
08-18-06, 11:41 AM There are some very good role-players in my group. It really is great to play in the group and the good role-players add so much to the sessions. They are both entertaining and effective.

I'd like suggestions on how to be a better role-player. I'm not looking for something character specific, but rather general suggestions/tips on how to role-play one's character. I know how I want to role-play my character, I just would like some guidance about how to put my concept into action.

Sar
Xaphiel
08-18-06, 02:40 PM Get a good idea for your character's driving force. Why does he do what he does? What are his goals, both in the short and long runs? Working out a rough idea of your character's past really helps out, and don't be afraid to work with your DM on this part, he/she can offer great advice since they probably know quite a bit about the world, and it's events.

I find meditating before a session is a great way to get in touch with the character you're going to play. Try and remind yourself of what your character wants, and why. Think of the important ties he has with the current situation, if any. Motivate him, and affirm with yourself who he is. Once you've done this, you may even want to reflect on the last session with the mindset of this character, it can help bring him back to the moment, and focus him on what's going on right now.
InterSilva
08-18-06, 05:51 PM Xaphiel had some great advice, and I'm surprised to see another person into meditation. Good for you.

Write a background, and add to it as you play. Some details about your character mey not come out right away, so you might want to add a little tidbit to your background. This is fine just as long as you aren't going "oh, no, my parents are dead now." Don't do that. Only change/add things that have had zero impact on the game so far.
Piggyfreak6
08-18-06, 10:43 PM I like thinking of a great background. Why is he doing this adventure? Who is he doing it for? I also enjoy giving a different accent then your regular voice. So, if your a gnome, make your voice more squeeky, if your an orc, make your voice more deep and your sentences less smart.
Moon-Lancer
08-19-06, 12:36 AM Get a good idea for your character's driving force. Why does he do what he does? What are his goals, both in the short and long runs? Working out a rough idea of your character's past really helps out, and don't be afraid to work with your DM on this part, he/she can offer great advice since they probably know quite a bit about the world, and it's events.

I find meditating before a session is a great way to get in touch with the character you're going to play. Try and remind yourself of what your character wants, and why. Think of the important ties he has with the current situation, if any. Motivate him, and affirm with yourself who he is. Once you've done this, you may even want to reflect on the last session with the mindset of this character, it can help bring him back to the moment, and focus him on what's going on right now.

I just want to atest that this does work. also throw in some method acting on the fly.
albinomonkeyking
08-19-06, 02:01 AM Maybe this is just my experience but a lot of people have a problem allowing themselves to really get into character. Whether it is because they don't know how or they are embarrassed I'm not sure.

Honestly, accept what you are doing. I know I am a nerd, I constantly remind people that I am the biggest nerd (aside from my friends) that I know of. I don't care. Maybe you care when you aren't with your d&d buddies, but around them you have got to accept it. Get into character. Don't just say, 'Ok, I approach the guard. I ask for directions.' I know it is small, but roleplay it, and play your character. Maybe his approach would be, "Alright, I'll walk up to the guard. I'm gonna look him up and down a bit then say, "Hey....you know where the magic shop is? Ya know, that place with the stuff that makes thingies go boom and light afire?" That conversation doesn't matter, it has no relevance to anything, but role-playing it helps you get into your character and better define the way he will act when it does matter (for story purposes that is).

I just had to talk to my players about this because as a DM I was embarrassed, yeah I know, stupid, because my players were not getting into role-playing and were mocking me a bit when i did. Your friends seem like they wouldn't do that to you so get right into it. Any chance you see to be your character jump at, even if it just an offhand comment, what he is doing in his freetime, what he does before he sleeps, it doesn't matter.

As for developing his personality, if you like animes a lot use personality models from that. Initially you might be stealing some ideas but you will eventually work your way up to your own developed characters (what I did). If you like rpgs it can work the same, books, movies, it doesn't matter. As long as you have a medium which has characters in it. Use them.

Lastly, if you are having trouble go with a really basic concept that is easily played. For example, womanizer. Don't like it? It's okay, it is still a basic easy to play concept. Your character will always flirt with woman and degrade them, or always reference sex or women on topics that have nothing to do with them. Another similar type, the woman chaser. Now this guy could be like the womanizer, or he could just be a desperate romantic, looking for love. So he chases every pretty thing he can looking for miss right.

I hope any of this helped, a lot of good suggestions so far. Good luck.
Fion81
08-19-06, 02:22 AM 1. Create a more detailed back story for your character. Go over it with the dm, write your back story BEFORE you roll or pick your chacater class etc. Then pick his abilities/skills/class to fit who he is.

2. Play a character who has a disposition that you can pull off. I have a pc who is the silent type, he can play the brooding rogue but not the flamboyant bard. He roleplays well withing his 'niche'. Some ppl can play almost anything, others not so well. FINd what your comfortable doing.

3. Look for a source of inspiration for your character (dont try to be that character) just try to emulate there personality somewhat. For example you could take Raistlin Majeres personality and put it on a figther with a brutal scar.

4. Pratice it, it gets easier.
coldfire_x
08-19-06, 03:14 AM play a lot of RPG
choose your char. {like i choose rogue}
think befor you move
background of your char. helps you know how you need to act
be real-dont say "it just a game" becouse its your 2nd life know{lol}
coldfire_x
08-19-06, 03:16 AM Play a character who has a disposition that you can pull off. I have a pc who is the silent type, he can play the brooding rogue but not the flamboyant bard. He roleplays well withing his 'niche'. Some ppl can play almost anything, others not so well. FINd what your comfortable doing.

i kind'a player like him

:cool: rogue rulez :cool:
Tembo
08-19-06, 01:41 PM Finally, a pertinent question for these boards. Sar, you just made my day.

All of these are good suggestions to assist with fun/effective role-playing. The one bit of advice I would give is to let your character grow. Characters change throughout a campaign (just like people in real life), decide what attributes (religious devotion, attitudes towards particular races, compunctions regarding lying, stealing, killing) are at the core of the character (these probably won't change), but don't be afraid to allow your character to evolve. It isn't realistic to have a begining character who has dead-set views on all aspects of existence, after all, adventurers do so to gain experience, experiences that shape and form attitudes and beliefs.

Most of all, have fun! If you're not enjoying the role-playing of your character, by all means, modify them (many people reshape their attitudes when presented with extrenuating circumstatnces- such as battling the walking dead or hitting the rock-bottom of an addiction).
WarColonel
08-19-06, 05:30 PM Do everything these past posters have done, but don;t forget to play your stats. I'm talking about your mental stats, Int Cha and Wis. Just because you (player) figured out that by carefully placing a deblayed blast fireball at the centermost bea in the dungeon would bring the roof down on the goblin hords you face, your 6 Int 6 Wis barbarian with no ranks in arcitecture would probably have to be repeatedly struck by lightening multiple times to figure that one out. Just because you may have a large vocabulary and a flair for the dramatic and all together pretty words, your ugly and moronic fighter still shouldn't be able to sweet talk himself past a beholder.

It sounds cold but adds a little to RP'ing. Above mentioned barbarian probably does not have too much going through his head durring battle besides "Grughe smash!" Of course, OOC, you can point out to fellow PC's that the main load-bearing beam is ripe for explosions, you just have to see if your DM allows this sort of metagaming. Make a Int or Wis check to point out things you know but your character may or should not know. This sounds horriable to many a roleplayer but helps prevent metagaming. It is of course easier to play low stats as apposed to high ones, because not everyone really has a 24 Int or +37 Bluff check. But a -2 to Diplomacy? That's Diplomacy with a fist.

Two personal points which I think express what I am saying.

My most recent mission, my character Spellthief 22 Int 8 Wis was recieving rewards from a farie dragon thingly. I knew (in game) that we would soon be fighting a Red Dragon, possiably several. So, innocently, I ask our dragon for the ability for my weapon to become very effective at slaying dragons. There were several forheads struck as I, with out missing a beat say, "Now asking a dragon for a weapon to kill dragons wasn't a very wise thing to do, was it?"

Second event of the night, we literally stumble across a Huge red dragon that OOC I knew was an illusion, but no one else, including my PC, should know that knowledge. So I played my stats and formulated a play with the others in my party on how to defeat this dragon even though the entire time I'm thinking, "This is not real! It's an illusion! Any attempts to harm it entails a Will save that even I will pass to disbelieve!" And so we eventually attacked it and we all disbelieved it and our DM looks at me and says, "I really expected you to roll a save and shout 'I choose not to believe in the dragon'." Which prompted a discussion on the nature of the multiverse. Which ended up between the wizard (Knowledge: Arcana) and cleric (Knowledge: The Planes) exchanging some hot words.

Plan your character, set goals, make your personality, and then see if his vocabulary is limited to single-syliable words or not.
Atirakis
08-19-06, 05:54 PM I do believe the answer would be, Roleplaying XP! :D
Lunar_Shadow
08-19-06, 07:30 PM :mage: Like said a couple post up, just give him a personality type. Like how my Wiz likes to make things go boom. :mage:
enigma1717
08-19-06, 08:02 PM I agree 100% with the above posters that backgrounds for your character really really helps the RP'ing. A GREAT post about things to think about for your character background is a list of 100 questions to answer about your character that will give you a good idea about your characters personality, traits, flaws, mannerisms, looks, etc.

http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=5209090&postcount=3

Also, in roleplaying I like to give myself some things I can easily do since I am not actor. I give myself something my character is 100% afraid of (my current character has loud noises) and something that my character will always want to do (which atm the same character always wants to do things that involves arts or statues...i.e. will go to take artistic items first even if its a trap, will do any adventure to protect a sculpture, took the craft sculpture skill, etc.). Those two things alone gives my characters something to talk about constantly, art, and something that if it happens in game she will be scared and not act accordingly or may even run away.

Finally, talk about your character. Bring up your background in conversations, "All this demon slaying reminds me of my time helping the Temple in my village growing up." Talk about what your character looks like, my current character is left-handed and casts all of her spells with that hand and she took the time to get an intricate tattoo all the way up her arm to show that arm as her "arm of power" so to speak. When she casts spells I try to make it dramatic and remind everyone what my character looks like, "I pull the left sleeve up from my dark green robes to reveal a glowing hand followed by an intricate ribbon going up my arm, suddenly I release the energy from my hand and cause the enemies sword to burst into a thousand pieces." Yes, it sounds cheesy but it makes things interesting to roleplay your attacks and spells (and if your DM allows it change your spell effects to match your character, maybe a shining symbol of Pelor appearing over a Blessed character's head for your cleric of Pelor, etc.)

Anyway thats my gold piece with 2 cp.
JellyPooga
08-19-06, 08:25 PM i find that having a few stock quotes or 'turns of phrase' that your character has a tendancy to say in certain situations helps (e.g many people swear when hurt, whilst others will say poot, because it's more polite. Both of these reveal a lot about a person and therefore, the same applies to characters.)

Also, as has been said but not in so many words, films and fiction are a great place to get ideas (especially films, just emulate the actors voice for a start, you may not be an amazing impersonator, but that just makes your character more your own)

the most effective way i find of playing my characters is to stop thinking as myself and to think as my character. for example, in a game i'm playing at the moment (using the Atlantis system), i'm playing a leopard-man spy/assassin (oozing charisma and arrogance obviously) in a party with a winged man (called a zephyr). for the first game i played in the party, all i could think of was how much i wanted to 'play' with the zephyr like a cat 'plays' with a bird before killing it, to the distraction of everything else i was doing in game (it actually weirded out the other player a bit but it got me role playing).
romen
08-20-06, 02:32 PM Well what I do is I sort the stats of my character by his backround...what skills would he have, with that history? What would he be good at.
I always think of backround first when creating a character...I don�t care if he gets to be statisticly worse than others, he is good to roleplay atleast. (For example I have a fighter with 12 str, and no its not a low-powered campaign...quite the opposite really)

Usually what a character does is made by his experience gained by his lifetime..he shall make desicions by the info he has gotten within his life..thus a good backround always helps.

Also...forget metagaming..forget it at all.
For example, I have a Gnome Wizard who has lived most of his life in wilderness and hates humans..when traveling with the party they saw some dark figures following them by the road..the Gnome still refused to sleep in the village they stopped at..and wanted to sleep outside, while all the others were worried about those black figures, thinking that they mean somethin� bcause they were the only persons they saw in this trip, the gnome said:
"Ah people on the road, what big deal! It`s not an unnatural thing. I bet they werent assassins sent after us..so what if we have a mysterious quest, Come on! What are the bloody chances?"
They were indeed assasins, and I in real thought (metagaming) that they are, aswell.
Yet, I roleplayd risking my characters life.

Roleplay to the death!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sar 08-18-06, 11:41 AM	There are some very good role-players in my group. It really is great to play in the group and the good role-players add so much to the sessions. They are both entertaining and effective. I'd like suggestions on how to be a better role-player. I'm not looking for something character specific, but rather general suggestions/tips on how to role-play one's character. I know how I want to role-play my character, I just would like some guidance about how to put my concept into action. Sar
Xaphiel 08-18-06, 02:40 PM	Get a good idea for your character's driving force. Why does he do what he does? What are his goals, both in the short and long runs? Working out a rough idea of your character's past really helps out, and don't be afraid to work with your DM on this part, he/she can offer great advice since they probably know quite a bit about the world, and it's events. I find meditating before a session is a great way to get in touch with the character you're going to play. Try and remind yourself of what your character wants, and why. Think of the important ties he has with the current situation, if any. Motivate him, and affirm with yourself who he is. Once you've done this, you may even want to reflect on the last session with the mindset of this character, it can help bring him back to the moment, and focus him on what's going on right now.
InterSilva 08-18-06, 05:51 PM	Xaphiel had some great advice, and I'm surprised to see another person into meditation. Good for you. Write a background, and add to it as you play. Some details about your character mey not come out right away, so you might want to add a little tidbit to your background. This is fine just as long as you aren't going "oh, no, my parents are dead now." Don't do that. Only change/add things that have had zero impact on the game so far.
Piggyfreak6 08-18-06, 10:43 PM	I like thinking of a great background. Why is he doing this adventure? Who is he doing it for? I also enjoy giving a different accent then your regular voice. So, if your a gnome, make your voice more squeeky, if your an orc, make your voice more deep and your sentences less smart.
Moon-Lancer 08-19-06, 12:36 AM	Get a good idea for your character's driving force. Why does he do what he does? What are his goals, both in the short and long runs? Working out a rough idea of your character's past really helps out, and don't be afraid to work with your DM on this part, he/she can offer great advice since they probably know quite a bit about the world, and it's events. I find meditating before a session is a great way to get in touch with the character you're going to play. Try and remind yourself of what your character wants, and why. Think of the important ties he has with the current situation, if any. Motivate him, and affirm with yourself who he is. Once you've done this, you may even want to reflect on the last session with the mindset of this character, it can help bring him back to the moment, and focus him on what's going on right now. I just want to atest that this does work. also throw in some method acting on the fly.
albinomonkeyking 08-19-06, 02:01 AM	Maybe this is just my experience but a lot of people have a problem allowing themselves to really get into character. Whether it is because they don't know how or they are embarrassed I'm not sure. Honestly, accept what you are doing. I know I am a nerd, I constantly remind people that I am the biggest nerd (aside from my friends) that I know of. I don't care. Maybe you care when you aren't with your d&d buddies, but around them you have got to accept it. Get into character. Don't just say, 'Ok, I approach the guard. I ask for directions.' I know it is small, but roleplay it, and play your character. Maybe his approach would be, "Alright, I'll walk up to the guard. I'm gonna look him up and down a bit then say, "Hey....you know where the magic shop is? Ya know, that place with the stuff that makes thingies go boom and light afire?" That conversation doesn't matter, it has no relevance to anything, but role-playing it helps you get into your character and better define the way he will act when it does matter (for story purposes that is). I just had to talk to my players about this because as a DM I was embarrassed, yeah I know, stupid, because my players were not getting into role-playing and were mocking me a bit when i did. Your friends seem like they wouldn't do that to you so get right into it. Any chance you see to be your character jump at, even if it just an offhand comment, what he is doing in his freetime, what he does before he sleeps, it doesn't matter. As for developing his personality, if you like animes a lot use personality models from that. Initially you might be stealing some ideas but you will eventually work your way up to your own developed characters (what I did). If you like rpgs it can work the same, books, movies, it doesn't matter. As long as you have a medium which has characters in it. Use them. Lastly, if you are having trouble go with a really basic concept that is easily played. For example, womanizer. Don't like it? It's okay, it is still a basic easy to play concept. Your character will always flirt with woman and degrade them, or always reference sex or women on topics that have nothing to do with them. Another similar type, the woman chaser. Now this guy could be like the womanizer, or he could just be a desperate romantic, looking for love. So he chases every pretty thing he can looking for miss right. I hope any of this helped, a lot of good suggestions so far. Good luck.
Fion81 08-19-06, 02:22 AM	1. Create a more detailed back story for your character. Go over it with the dm, write your back story BEFORE you roll or pick your chacater class etc. Then pick his abilities/skills/class to fit who he is. 2. Play a character who has a disposition that you can pull off. I have a pc who is the silent type, he can play the brooding rogue but not the flamboyant bard. He roleplays well withing his 'niche'. Some ppl can play almost anything, others not so well. FINd what your comfortable doing. 3. Look for a source of inspiration for your character (dont try to be that character) just try to emulate there personality somewhat. For example you could take Raistlin Majeres personality and put it on a figther with a brutal scar. 4. Pratice it, it gets easier.
coldfire_x 08-19-06, 03:14 AM	play a lot of RPG choose your char. {like i choose rogue} think befor you move background of your char. helps you know how you need to act be real-dont say "it just a game" becouse its your 2nd life know{lol}
coldfire_x 08-19-06, 03:16 AM	Play a character who has a disposition that you can pull off. I have a pc who is the silent type, he can play the brooding rogue but not the flamboyant bard. He roleplays well withing his 'niche'. Some ppl can play almost anything, others not so well. FINd what your comfortable doing. i kind'a player like him :cool: rogue rulez :cool:
Tembo 08-19-06, 01:41 PM	Finally, a pertinent question for these boards. Sar, you just made my day. All of these are good suggestions to assist with fun/effective role-playing. The one bit of advice I would give is to let your character grow. Characters change throughout a campaign (just like people in real life), decide what attributes (religious devotion, attitudes towards particular races, compunctions regarding lying, stealing, killing) are at the core of the character (these probably won't change), but don't be afraid to allow your character to evolve. It isn't realistic to have a begining character who has dead-set views on all aspects of existence, after all, adventurers do so to gain experience, experiences that shape and form attitudes and beliefs. Most of all, have fun! If you're not enjoying the role-playing of your character, by all means, modify them (many people reshape their attitudes when presented with extrenuating circumstatnces- such as battling the walking dead or hitting the rock-bottom of an addiction).
WarColonel 08-19-06, 05:30 PM	Do everything these past posters have done, but don;t forget to play your stats. I'm talking about your mental stats, Int Cha and Wis. Just because you (player) figured out that by carefully placing a deblayed blast fireball at the centermost bea in the dungeon would bring the roof down on the goblin hords you face, your 6 Int 6 Wis barbarian with no ranks in arcitecture would probably have to be repeatedly struck by lightening multiple times to figure that one out. Just because you may have a large vocabulary and a flair for the dramatic and all together pretty words, your ugly and moronic fighter still shouldn't be able to sweet talk himself past a beholder. It sounds cold but adds a little to RP'ing. Above mentioned barbarian probably does not have too much going through his head durring battle besides "Grughe smash!" Of course, OOC, you can point out to fellow PC's that the main load-bearing beam is ripe for explosions, you just have to see if your DM allows this sort of metagaming. Make a Int or Wis check to point out things you know but your character may or should not know. This sounds horriable to many a roleplayer but helps prevent metagaming. It is of course easier to play low stats as apposed to high ones, because not everyone really has a 24 Int or +37 Bluff check. But a -2 to Diplomacy? That's Diplomacy with a fist. Two personal points which I think express what I am saying. My most recent mission, my character Spellthief 22 Int 8 Wis was recieving rewards from a farie dragon thingly. I knew (in game) that we would soon be fighting a Red Dragon, possiably several. So, innocently, I ask our dragon for the ability for my weapon to become very effective at slaying dragons. There were several forheads struck as I, with out missing a beat say, "Now asking a dragon for a weapon to kill dragons wasn't a very wise thing to do, was it?" Second event of the night, we literally stumble across a Huge red dragon that OOC I knew was an illusion, but no one else, including my PC, should know that knowledge. So I played my stats and formulated a play with the others in my party on how to defeat this dragon even though the entire time I'm thinking, "This is not real! It's an illusion! Any attempts to harm it entails a Will save that even I will pass to disbelieve!" And so we eventually attacked it and we all disbelieved it and our DM looks at me and says, "I really expected you to roll a save and shout 'I choose not to believe in the dragon'." Which prompted a discussion on the nature of the multiverse. Which ended up between the wizard (Knowledge: Arcana) and cleric (Knowledge: The Planes) exchanging some hot words. Plan your character, set goals, make your personality, and then see if his vocabulary is limited to single-syliable words or not.
Atirakis 08-19-06, 05:54 PM	I do believe the answer would be, Roleplaying XP! :D
Lunar_Shadow 08-19-06, 07:30 PM	:mage: Like said a couple post up, just give him a personality type. Like how my Wiz likes to make things go boom. :mage:
enigma1717 08-19-06, 08:02 PM	I agree 100% with the above posters that backgrounds for your character really really helps the RP'ing. A GREAT post about things to think about for your character background is a list of 100 questions to answer about your character that will give you a good idea about your characters personality, traits, flaws, mannerisms, looks, etc. http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=5209090&postcount=3 Also, in roleplaying I like to give myself some things I can easily do since I am not actor. I give myself something my character is 100% afraid of (my current character has loud noises) and something that my character will always want to do (which atm the same character always wants to do things that involves arts or statues...i.e. will go to take artistic items first even if its a trap, will do any adventure to protect a sculpture, took the craft sculpture skill, etc.). Those two things alone gives my characters something to talk about constantly, art, and something that if it happens in game she will be scared and not act accordingly or may even run away. Finally, talk about your character. Bring up your background in conversations, "All this demon slaying reminds me of my time helping the Temple in my village growing up." Talk about what your character looks like, my current character is left-handed and casts all of her spells with that hand and she took the time to get an intricate tattoo all the way up her arm to show that arm as her "arm of power" so to speak. When she casts spells I try to make it dramatic and remind everyone what my character looks like, "I pull the left sleeve up from my dark green robes to reveal a glowing hand followed by an intricate ribbon going up my arm, suddenly I release the energy from my hand and cause the enemies sword to burst into a thousand pieces." Yes, it sounds cheesy but it makes things interesting to roleplay your attacks and spells (and if your DM allows it change your spell effects to match your character, maybe a shining symbol of Pelor appearing over a Blessed character's head for your cleric of Pelor, etc.) Anyway thats my gold piece with 2 cp.
JellyPooga 08-19-06, 08:25 PM	i find that having a few stock quotes or 'turns of phrase' that your character has a tendancy to say in certain situations helps (e.g many people swear when hurt, whilst others will say poot, because it's more polite. Both of these reveal a lot about a person and therefore, the same applies to characters.) Also, as has been said but not in so many words, films and fiction are a great place to get ideas (especially films, just emulate the actors voice for a start, you may not be an amazing impersonator, but that just makes your character more your own) the most effective way i find of playing my characters is to stop thinking as myself and to think as my character. for example, in a game i'm playing at the moment (using the Atlantis system), i'm playing a leopard-man spy/assassin (oozing charisma and arrogance obviously) in a party with a winged man (called a zephyr). for the first game i played in the party, all i could think of was how much i wanted to 'play' with the zephyr like a cat 'plays' with a bird before killing it, to the distraction of everything else i was doing in game (it actually weirded out the other player a bit but it got me role playing).
romen 08-20-06, 02:32 PM	Well what I do is I sort the stats of my character by his backround...what skills would he have, with that history? What would he be good at. I always think of backround first when creating a character...I don�t care if he gets to be statisticly worse than others, he is good to roleplay atleast. (For example I have a fighter with 12 str, and no its not a low-powered campaign...quite the opposite really) Usually what a character does is made by his experience gained by his lifetime..he shall make desicions by the info he has gotten within his life..thus a good backround always helps. Also...forget metagaming..forget it at all. For example, I have a Gnome Wizard who has lived most of his life in wilderness and hates humans..when traveling with the party they saw some dark figures following them by the road..the Gnome still refused to sleep in the village they stopped at..and wanted to sleep outside, while all the others were worried about those black figures, thinking that they mean somethin� bcause they were the only persons they saw in this trip, the gnome said: "Ah people on the road, what big deal! It`s not an unnatural thing. I bet they werent assassins sent after us..so what if we have a mysterious quest, Come on! What are the bloody chances?" They were indeed assasins, and I in real thought (metagaming) that they are, aswell. Yet, I roleplayd risking my characters life. Roleplay to the death!