Gut reaction when I see something like that - what is her motivation for joining?
Yeah, family is retainers to Ameiko or whatever, and believe me, I find the premise of the AP to be extremely weak, as a player and as a GM, and as a person. She's meant to be an NPC to help you but she's what? a super human you can't touch at the same time? don't think so, you're the PC, you're meant to be the hero, darnit.
Unless you're making an extremely lawful character that would do it just because it's what you were drilled to do, and you wouldn't ever think otherwise. That's cool. But where do you want to go from there? Do you always want to be a retainer, how do you imagine your character progressing as the AP develops.
Her actual loyalty will be to herself. Sure she agreed to watch over Ameiko, but she sees that more as a friend watching a friend, not as a retainer. And she is also very interested in discovering her heritage and training to become what she thought was a mythical being, a ninja. She wants to hone her skills, and by becoming better then she can help Ameiko....but truely why would she need to, Ameiko lives in a quiet little town running a Tavern. She sees her role as Ameiko's protector as a secondary, or even tertiary concern. She wants to bring back honour to her family, and by becoming a full ninja and perhaps starting (or restarting) her own clan.
I understand what you mean about the PC's being the hero, and believe me she has her own motives, but because the Ap states she needs a hook to one of the "main" characters, this was the way I choose to do it.
Does that make sense?? If it is too difficult, then I can just switch to something else, but I thought it might be fun playing a ninja, pretending not to be a ninja, trying to be a ninja...
Yeah, sounds cool. Just needed to ask, because what you do with your character is more important to me than following around Ameiko like a slave. Because I'm going to try my hardest to make the emphasis that my PCs are the heroes and Ameiko's whatever is just a catalyst for you guys going out and kicking ass. My view is that they're NPCs and shouldn't be the stars of the show, even if they are Paizo's "pet" NPCs.
I'm asking for four characters coz I'm letting my GM for the JR game I'm in play as a guaranteed fifth, because I can.
My sorc/druid (plan MT) does not give a DAMN about Ameiko, or her legacy, she wants a shot at going to the Crown of the World. But she's attached to Sandru who is pretty mobile.
Well I am not going to be fawning all over her, she is just a friend, for the most part. I really do not like the "forced" nature of the relationships in the Jade Regent, but I guess it is what it is!! I will stat her up now....should I let it be known to the other players she is a ninja in training?? And what about weapons and such, should I go with a shortsword and throwing daggers, or are a wakizashi and shuriken ok? I would have received the weapons and such from the stash my mother hid away when she frist came to Sandpoint. Or they could have rotted away...your choice.
Yeah, I get why they do it, to pull some sort of "you're supposed to be interested in this lady's life!" card. Which I hate seeing in play.
Get a background and concept in the actual thread so I don't look like an ass talking behind everyone's back and then picking someone I already know for the group. I've seen GMs do this in the past, throw up recruitment threads, invite people playing in their games and then end up picking all the people they invited and it kinda makes me sick.
I'll tell ya right now not too many are striking me as serious contenders, or characters I want to see run, so it's all still pretty up in the air.
