Tuesday, 5 April 2011
D is for Dooming
Where to begin!? I love the Dooming! It is a simple character trait that has no real or direct mechanical value, but is all about character role play.
If you're reading this as part of the Blogging A to Z challenge, but don't play role playing games (RPGs), e.g., Dungeons and Dragons (still the title that most can find context and relate), then know that Dooming is a game element for WFRP 2e. It is a character trait randomly determined at character creation.
It is mentioned only in passing of the core rulebook:
Doomings are random, often humorous, often Catch-22's, or an equal mix of unrelated events (doubling down on the humor aspect). Take this sample from the Expanded Characters Module:
So many reasons to love Dooming. Tease your players in every session with something so personal as his character's Dooming!
If you're reading this as part of the Blogging A to Z challenge, but don't play role playing games (RPGs), e.g., Dungeons and Dragons (still the title that most can find context and relate), then know that Dooming is a game element for WFRP 2e. It is a character trait randomly determined at character creation.
It is mentioned only in passing of the core rulebook:
Should a person survive to their tenth birthday, it is considered traditional to offer a sacrifice to Morr. Meat, blood and sometimes milk are thrown upon a sacred brazier, whilst special candles are burnt. The dense black smoke from these candles supposedly hides the child from Morr's sight, whilst the meat and blood reputedly takes the child's place in Morr's realm, serving the Death God until the child's true timecomes. On this day, most folk receive a foretelling of what it is that will end their life--their "dooming."Players and gamemasters will often seek out more detail about this "rite of passage." The first official sources to pay it any detail is the Character Folio, the Character Pack, and the Tome of Salvation. It receives a great deal of attention in the Expanded Characters Module edited Dave Graffam (available now at Winds of Chaos).
Doomings are random, often humorous, often Catch-22's, or an equal mix of unrelated events (doubling down on the humor aspect). Take this sample from the Expanded Characters Module:
- Cheese, yea, or other product of the dairy, shall be thy undoing
- The death is wrought by chamber-pot, or midden
- One day you'll sleep with the fish
- Watch thy step! Aye, and where thou sittest down too
So many reasons to love Dooming. Tease your players in every session with something so personal as his character's Dooming!
Posted by at 11:04 PM in d10
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Heh, I always thought doomings were a bit silly. But now that I read this post, I'm reminded that I play WFRP with plenty of silly and that this fits right in!
Strange how one can look at one piece of a puzzle, disregard it as not for me, and turn around and pick up another equally silly piece, proclaiming genius!
Next time, I'll play up the doomings! Maybe even start adding new, tailored for Altdorf!
/Magnus