Ramblings on Character: Wanderhome
In the indie-game space, I find narrative to be king. This is especially true in the game Wanderhome. Everything within it becomes a “Yes, And” situation - even when it is a “No, But”. For that reason, I chose to include Griffin in this specific exercise. Having someone to bounce ideas off became essential to the process. Our tech difficulties aside, I am happy with what we created. These wanderers created a beautiful synergy that I believe leaps off the page. Within them, I can see a through-line of loss and a deep sense of spiritual exploration.
Each character has been touched by a war that is and has always been in the background of their lives. What has it done to them? Are they who they are because of it or despite it? Who will they (or, who could they) become? That is one of the signs of a good character when I want to find out the answers to those questions.
It is said that no plot survives the PC’s, but I wonder if the inverse is also true. In BoB (Belonging Outside Belonging) games you have no GM to guide you. Everything that happens is due to the mutual agreement of everyone at the table, and therefore every choice you make directly impacts the direction your character goes. I have found this to be simultaneously exhilarating and intimidating, especially for people newer to the hobby. The common refrain is:
“What if I make the wrong choice?!”
Here’s the rub, there isn’t a wrong choice. Some choices can negatively impact a table, but that is not the same as wrong. The more time you spend wearing a character’s skin, the better you will be able to navigate complex situations at a table and this is why I sometimes find it hard to play more experienced characters. I have no trouble making backstories for them, but there is a difference between history and backstory. Just as I love to make characters, I enjoy seeing what the story’s impact is on them. More often than not, it is genuinely surprising and far different than you would ever initially have guessed.
You can download a PDF of the characters Griffin and I made here. If you get a chance to play them, please share with me their story. I really want to hear it!