Lasanar/Mentor Lessons/Kestrelle/Lesson 5

Lesson Five: Roleplay and Knowing Your Role

Characterization

Battlemaster is a roleplaying game, especially here in Lasanar. You will have noticed that typical messages don't describe “the game” or “turn changes” or even reference the real world you and I live in. Rather, we prefer to “send out scribes” with our messages, or mention stewards and servants to explain some of the game mechanics. As a result, you will be dealing with two modes: IC (In-Character) and OOC (Out-Of-Character).

If you create another character, describe that character one of your relations. Example: "My cousin in Atamara told me that..." When you want to talk about something in real life or reference the game itself, then either select the Out of Character heading for your messages, or use the abbreviation OOC in the body of the message itself. For example:

My steward tells me that my troops have an abundance of broken swords and armour, and may not be able to withstand another battle in this condition. (OOC: My Equipment Damage is over 70% and I'll need to head back to the capital and do Repairs.)

You are capable of having up to three characters, four if you donate money to the game. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT create more than one player account. This is called “multi-playing” or “multi-cheating”, and it is illegal in BM.

If you've gotten this far, then you probably already know to choose reasonable names for your characters that reflect the medieval society in which they live – in other words, don't call a male character something lame like Bubba or Pimp Shizzy, and don't call your female characters SuzieQ or GirlPower. Most people play their characters as if each one was an extension of themselves – however, you are definitely not limited to this. In fact, it is quite a bit more fun to plan how each character differs from one another. Do all your characters like each other, or is there some family rivalry? Are all your characters interested in being good loyal nobles, or do some have a more self-centred agenda? Have you ever considered playing an evil character just to see what you can get away with, or perhaps roleplay that your character slowly goes insane and see how many people notice? It's even more fun if you can convince someone else to RP with you and then create plotlines and story arcs together.

Just remember when you roleplay to keep separate what you know vs. what your character knows (or in game terms, IC vs. OOC knowledge). These are not the same thing! Your character is living in the Middle Ages where BattleMaster is more or less set, and as such has no earthly clue about such things as scientific inquiry and method, the outer planets, modern medicine, mathematics higher than basic algebra (and that only if you're the Banker of a realm, probably). Replace science with superstition, imagine the world flat, assume your healers use bloodletting and herbal remedies... you get the idea.

Understanding Your Role

In Battlemaster there is no such thing as democracy (at least not as we modern citizens know it). So forget any ideas you may have of independence and freedom for all – that concept does not exist here. Remember that the game takes place in the Middle Ages, when royalty, lords, knights, servants and peasants were set in a pre-determined pecking order. You and I play the nobility, and as such our characters were born with certain birthrights that the majority of people in your realm do not have. As nobles, we all start our careers by joining the military, as this is the best way to advance in a feudal society.

However, as new nobles we are also part of this pecking order. Obviously we are below the Ruler of the realm, but we are also below the Lords of the realm (i.e. the Dukes, Counts, etc) and also below the Council members (i.e. the Judge, General and Banker). A savvy noble will treat everyone above him or her with deference and respect, because if you get a reputation for being a troublemaker then your career is going nowhere! Learn the protocol of your realm. When you receive orders from a commander you are expected to obey it or there will be consequences. Insulting someone above you in this society is generally a stupid thing to do, and can get you fined, imprisoned or banished. Practice respect, tact, and the occasional show of polite gratitude. Learn when to speak up and when to keep your mouth shut, and you'll get a lot further along. This is true even if you are playing a dangerous or villainous character.

You can always find out who your commanders are by going to Information -> Realm and Regions. There you can find the Hierarchy of the realm.