Casting Shadows

Today’s #RPGaDay Question:

What is something impressive another’s character has done?

Today’s question is a little easier to think of examples for, but is still hard to ultimately choose. With a little thought, and a review of earlier years of RPGaday, the answer finally came to me…. an impossible duel on the dusty streets of a western town.

Sticking with the concept of ‘impressive’ and staying away from my usual focus on the heroic and altruistic, I was left with a shining example that I immediately wanted to share.

The character in question was an ambitious and frustrated social climber in a boomtown we created for Aces&Eights. Balked by his own faults and missteps, by the active resistance of others in the town, and by his brother’s constant troubles with laudanum and other potent and addictive substances, our lawyer-in-waiting spent most of his time cleaning excrement in stalls, and writing simple letters.

What was impressive about him was his refusal to back down, not so much out of stubbornness or pride, but out of a refusal to accept further defeats. He intended to change what it seemed that destiny had in store.

Eventually, this led to a confrontation where he was face to face with the regional badman and about to draw iron. No one thought he could win. No one said, ‘skin that smoke wagon’ (which was a nice thing). To win would be a stroke of near-impossible luck. Luck, was definitely not this man’s friend.

He won.

He was missed completely by the deadliest shot in town, and his return shot found itself to be a killing blow.

True to the nature of the campaign, however, he was promptly arrested.

The tale of his attempted escape is a tale for another day~

#RPGaDay

Tomorrow’s Question:

What story does your group tell about your character?