Re: WFRP: Discussion
Don't know if anyone has ever played Harnmaster, but part of the character creation system that they encourage people to use is for the player and GM to essential play out a 'mini-game' where you finish out the character's background. You roll your starting stats, which is essentially your character at the age of 15-16, and then rough out additional background.
For instance:
GM: There's a famine at your village. A group of men and women from the village are going to travel to the nearest city to look for work. Or you can try to petition your local lord for relief, or do something else.
Player: I'll go talk to the baron.
GM: (rolls some 50/50 dice, or does a simple characteristic test) The baron is swayed by your argument and lends you money to visit a market town and buy grain. (Rolls again) Unfortunately, you're attacked by bandits and robbed on the way to town. You can go back home empty-handed, or try some other way to get food.
Player: I'll go on to the town anyway and try to make money.
GM: There aren't many jobs available in town, but there is a mercenary company shipping out soon. They'll hire you to work with the baggage train, tending the horses and mules and helping manage supplies. You could also wait around town for other work, or go somewhere else.
Player: I'll take the job.
GM: You spend a few days in town, and then move out heading for another province. You spend three months with the mercenaries camped outside a castle while the mercenaries put down a peasant revolt. One night, you spot another person from your own village. He's pretty angry. He says everyone assumes that you disappeared with the baron's money, and you've been declared an outlaw at home.
Player: Crap.
So in this exchange, you've given a player whose background is as a rural peasant or something a chance to enter into several possible careers (peasant, camp follower, mercenary, outlaw), you might give them some extra experience for the various things they've done, give them a chance to learn some different skills, etc. Haven't tried it in a PbP game; might work better using an instant messaging client or something.