Loner problems

[Mickeroo]

One of the characters in my game took the Strider lifepath and got stuck with the loner trait. I don't know if we're interpreting this correctly, but it is isolating him from the group. For reference, he does have a belief about protecting the weak, and two instincts (for different reactions and different situations) that have him try to save others.

Are we looking at the trait right and is he playing in character by staying isolated from the group? If so, should I try to introduce a conflict between that trait and his beliefs/instincts?

By the way, feel free to move this thread; I wasn't sure where to put it.

[Thor Olavsrud]

One of the characters in my game took the Strider lifepath and got stuck with the loner trait. I don't know if we're interpreting this correctly, but it is isolating him from the group. For reference, he does have a belief about protecting the weak, and two instincts (for different reactions and different situations) that have him try to save others.

Are we looking at the trait right and is he playing in character by staying isolated from the group? If so, should I try to introduce a conflict between that trait and his beliefs/instincts?

By the way, feel free to move this thread; I wasn't sure where to put it.

He's free not to play the Trait or to play the struggle against it. Then he can lose it at your next Trait vote. But ask yourself, did Aragorn have the loner Trait? Yep. Did it cause him not to interact with the group? Nope.

You can still be a full, interacting member of the group with such a trait. You just add a little color now and then. Have him wander off by himself occasionally to get time to think, and so forth. Traits are not straightjackets! They should be enhancing play, not giving you a reason not to play (with others).

[yeloson]

Hi,

Don't forget that the usual portrayal of the "loner" character in fiction is that they always are there to help the team, disobey orders occassionally, and obey them grudgingly, and when it comes to personal problems, THEN they try to handle it alone.

Perfect example? X-men's Wolverine.

"Ahh, we're about to get stomped by Sentinels"
"Snickt!"
"We're saved!"

"Wolverine, you can't take on Superbadguy X alone! Let us help you!"
"This is my business, stay out of it!"
-Of course they end up tracking him down and helping him out later, usually as he's about to get stomped or has been captured, but its always a hassle to find him...-
"I told you to stay out of this. Get away, he's too powerful for you!"
"We can beat him as a team!" etc.

Chris

[luke]

Yeah, what Thor said.


And DON'T EVER let a player use the lame-ass excuse of, "That's what my character would do!" to justify not participating or not having fun.

Anyway, your player took the path because he wanted all the cool skillz. Now he's got to play out the consequences. That's right, play out. It is now his job to figure out how and why his Loner character folds into the group. It's not optional, it's a must. If he doesn't want to do this, he can make a new character without the Strider lifepath.

:shock:
:D

[Bill Cook]

Mickeroo:

Don't know how comfortable you are with multi-threading the narrative, but if that's not an obstacle, I'd let him wander into opportunities to save lives.

A page boy has fallen into a well.
Brigands acost a mother and daughter bringing their wares to market.
Raiders burst through the city gates. The captain of the guard plummets to the ground with arrows in his throat. "All is lost!" cries the parish priest.


Another really fun thing to do is have your loner cross paths with people the party is going to meet, revealling things about their motivation. (e.g. An officer enters the tavern. "You men, gather your arms and mount up. We ride for the fort in the wildlands. Their report is late and the baron fears for our outer defenses." After they leave, a sinister fellow in thigh length boots and a scar through a blind eye hurries into the darkness of the alleyways.)

[Mickeroo]

Well, as the storty goes right now:

Everyone is on a newly discovered continent where they make there new homes. They saved a mysterious stranger from a group of orcs. Turns out he was an ambassador from a society native to the continent. They have waited 3 months for him to heal, while hearing of orcs maurading the countryside, and now, where we last left off, there is a town hall meeting where they hope to enlist a militia.

There are a couple of places to go from here: They can join the militia, escort the man back to his home city, go from city to city (of other native races) trying to collect support against the orcs, let things go as normal and build up their reputation in this town via politics or business. Those are just some things they can run with.

The loner should, with your descriptions, be able to work with the group for most of these and still have an opportunity to do something personal on his own.