Concept Virtue Vice

= Concept = The character concept is where the character really begins, the birth of it so to speak. It is a couple of words to a short phrase that sums up who and what your character is. Examples include "shrewd politician", "cunning thief", "manipulative loyalist to the duc", or "devout priest". If in doubt as to whether your concept fits in with theme, feel free to page or @mail staff. This step is also where one might want to begin considering things like what house you want your character to belong to, what title you want him or her to have, and what province you want him or her to be from, though these things will be set in later steps.

Note: Certain concepts might be more difficult to find play with than others. As a general rule, this includes non-Courtesan commoners, and lone Tsingani. This does not mean you should not play them if it really appeals to you that much, but is more a warning that you might have to try a bit harder to get the character integrated into the game.

Because we are frequently asked, there is a page that is kept up to date with potential characters that could be easily integrated into larger plots here. A page maintained by players that requests specific hooks which will round out their own stories as well as engage someone new is maintained here. These are not by any means the only characters accepted or the only characters that would be fun for our players. But they are ones that could easily find themselves mid-plot with relative ease.

Occupation
You will also need to choose an Occupation for your character, which differs from your concept in that this is what your character does for a living; in essence, his or her "job title". If your character bears some official title, you should put it here.

Homeland
This is the nation of your character's birth, which will likely be Terre d'Ange for most players. If you are interested in playing a character from a different nation, you will probably want to contact staff to discuss your idea.

Province
For d'Angeline characters, you will need to choose which Province your character is from.

House
For d'Angelines who are either nobles, or courtesans belonging to the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers, you will have to select a house to which your character belongs.

= Virtue = Your character's Virtue is his or her defining positive quality, as outlined using the cardinal and theological virtues: Prudence, Justice, Temperance, Courage, Faith, Hope and Charity. Virtue, beyond being a guide for roleplaying your character, is also a way for your character to regain Willpower. By acting in accordance with your Virtue at some risk or cost to your character, you regain all spent Willpower.


 * Charity: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever she helps another at the risk of loss or harm to herself. It isn't enough to share what your character has in abundance. She must make a real sacrifice in terms of time, possessions or energy, or she must risk life and limb to help another.
 * Faith: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever he is able to forge meaning from chaos and tragedy.
 * Courage: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever he withstands overwhelming or tempting pressure to alter his goals. This does not include temporary distractions from his course of action, only pressure that might cause him to abandon or change his goals altogether.
 * Hope: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever she refuses to let others give in to despair, even though doing so risks harming her own goals or wellbeing. This is similar to Courage, above, except that your character tries to prevent others from losing hope in their goals.  She need not share those goals herself or even be successful in upholding them, but there must be a risk involved.
 * Justice: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever he does the right thing at risk of personal loss or setback. The "right thing" can be defined by the letter or spirit of a particular code of conduct, whether it be the d'Angeline legal code or a religious commandment.
 * Prudence: Your character regains all spent Willpower points whenever he refuses a tempting course of action by which he could gain significantly. The "temptation" must involve some reward that, by refusing it, might cost him later on.
 * Temperance: Your character regains all spent Willpower when he resists a temptation to indulge in an excess of any behavior, whether good or bad, despite the obvious rewards it might offer.

= Vice = Vice, on the other hand, is the opposite of Virtue: your character's defining negative quality, as outlined using the seven deadly sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Vice is another guide for roleplaying your character that is also used to regain Willpower. When acting in accordance with your character's Vice in a way that puts him or her at some risk, one spent Willpower is regained.


 * Envy: Your character regains one Willpower point whenever she gains something important from a rival or has a hand in harming that rival's wellbeing.
 * Gluttony: Your character regains one spent Willpower point whenever he indulges in his addiction or appetites at some risk to himself or a loved one.
 * Greed: Your character regains one Willpower point whenever he acquires something at the expense of another. Gaining it must come at some potential risk (of assault, arrest or simple loss of peer respect).
 * Lust: Your character is consumed by a passion for something. He regains one Willpower point whenever he satisfies his lust or compulsion in a way that victimizes others.
 * Pride: Your character regains one Willpower point whenever he exerts his own wants (not needs) over others at some potential risk to himself. This is most commonly the desire for adulation, but it could be the desire to make others do as he commands.
 * Sloth: Your character regains one Willpower point whenever he successfully avoids a difficult task but achieves the same goal nonetheless.
 * Wrath: Your character regains one spent Willpower point whenever he unleashes his anger in a situation where doing so is dangerous. If the fight has already begun, no Willpower points are regained.  It must take place in a situation where anger is unwarranted or inappropriate.