Difficulty with my characters back story

I am having a little . Being new to this game, and therefore the world, I felt it wise to make a back story for my character that would help to explain the ignorance that would occasionally be displayed by the player (me).

Not being a hard-core role player, but still sensitive to the feelings of those who are, I wanted to verify if it was cool for my little hero to be from another planet. I have played MMOs for over seven years, and I am familiar with the term Mary Sue, and would like to avoid that label if possible.

That being stated, the back story is such that my character is one of the few surviving Kla’Tiks from a doomed planet. (Kla’Tik is what they call themselves). They are all very eco-conscious, and watched their planet become consumed by industry and waste, polluted into a dead world by another tribe native to that planet.

I need to verify if it is acceptable to have the following:

An alien character.
A character who was once a leader of her people, (i.e. royalty)
A character whose back story exists outside of the CoH lore.

I do not expect the same level of hostility to creative back stories that I had experienced in other games, as the whole super hero genre is usually about being a unique individual, but as before mentioned, I am new here, and would like to avoid stepping on anyone’s sensibilities if possible.

Thanks for your time if you choose to answer.

---

I honestly don't see how there could be -anything- wrong with that. It actually sounds cool.

Personally, I don't think you should bother yourself with any "rules" or "restrictions" when making your character with the one and only exception: Balance. Other than that, people make all sorts of different character, some royalty, some related to CoH lore, some from far away galaxies, and many many more...

In the end, it comes down to what makes you have fun. Do what you want, and seek out people who like what you like! Do that, and you should find no hostility from anyone ever. And if they do show hostility, then they're just intolerant butt-heads.

---

No reason why it can't work. It's not as though you'd be roleplaying that you had an entire nation of fiercely loyal Kla'Tiks at your beck and call.

Part of the joy of CoH is that you really can be anything.

---

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

---

Actually, beside being a good start to a backstory, there are aspect of that which you eventually could work within standard CoH lore, are explain certain reactions to things in the CoH universe.

Personally, Go with what works for you, but be open to make adjustements and refinements as you find a group to RP with, or you see something is not working. Small tweaks are not always a bad thing.

---

Defcon 0 - (D4 lvl 50),DJ Shecky Cape Radio
@Shecky
Twitter: @DJ_Shecky, @siliconshecky, @thecaperadio
When you air your dirty laundry out on a clothesline above the street, everyone is allowed to snicker at the skid marks in your underoos. - Lemur_Lad

Story sounds good , and you can have any character you want , its your choice . If you are looking for a SG , PM Philly_Guy . We run a static team every Wednesday at 8 pm e.s.t called the Celestial Sentinels . Our group is composed of aliens and modern superheroes i.e Justice League , who have come together to fight threats bigger than most heroes can deal with , and most of us are still fleshing out our backstories as we go along . That ends my sales pitch

Either PM Philly _ Guy or send a tell to Gleaming Bolt or Ker'os ( me ) this evening if you are interested .

BTW we are currently at lvl 22-25

---

Sigh.. my gosh I so love this game and its community!

I wish I had come here sooner, instead of wasting my time with that other MMO of notoriously evil reputation…

Thanks for the encouragement (all of you).

I also want to say that over the last couple of days here on these forums, and the game itself, I have never before found such a warm and friendly group of fellow players. I know the jerks must be out there somewhere, but trust me when I say this honestly; this is nothing like that other (to remain nameless) MMO I just recently left…

Cheers.

---

---

Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.

Might also want to be aware of the Devouring Earth.

---

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

---

Om nom nom.

---

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

---

Ice/Ice Blaster. Dedication to concept is an ugly thing.
Claws/WP Brute. Sex without the angst.
Every CoX character lies somewhere on this spectrum.

Recent relative to Kheld history maybe. I don't think its ever stated just how long the Kheldians have been kicking around the galaxy. But Shadowstar led the first Nictus into becoming the reformed Warshades back in Ancient Egypt.

How long between the Nictus/Peacbringer split and the Warshades appearing is never mentioned. It may have happened fairly quickly or it could have taken millennia for some of the Nictus to seek reform.

Of course, it could all be a lie too. The Shadowstar in Galaxy could be the Shadowstar from Egypt continuing on in a series of hosts like she claims or she could be someone taking the name and the "real" Shadowstar is long dead. Or maybe the Egyptian Shadowstar never existed in the first place, being just a myth told by the Warshades. CoH lore brings up all three of those options and never states which is true.

Personally, I think Kheldians are just another Nemesis plot.

---

"Mastermind Pets operate...differently, and aren't as easily fixed. Especially the Bruiser. I want to take him out behind the woodshed and pull an "old yeller" on him at times." - Castle

Hmmm… perhaps it would be better for my cahracter to mention that she has heard of them, but only in stories, and that their people never actually believed thay truly existed.

Her planet was a small one, and they did not have a high level of technology. Low level technologies are a lot more devestating to the envirnment, with fossel feuls and such being burned recklessly by their adversairies. High level tech might procduce a lot less polution.

How they managed to escape their world is another story, and I haven’t exactly figured that all out yet, but it involves using a stolen artifact (space ship?). Or perhaps an unknown benifactor saved what few of their kind was left, and droped them on earth.

I still need to work out a few details it would seem.

---

As a general rule, there is no general rule as to how to make a Mary Sue. If you go to a website touting a "Mary Sue Litmus Test" and answer as if you were taking it several characters (Darth Vader, based on all six films, Spike, from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Wolverine from X-men, BATMAN) you can easily get a response indicating that that character is a Mary Sue (Let's face it, even God v. Batman goes to Bats.). Mary Sue tendincies do not a Mary Sue make. I've seen horrible Mary Sues using the three criteria you outlined, and I have seen horrible Mary Sues using the exact opposite of the criteria you outlined. It all depends on how the character is written and handled, not if it fits into the right list.

---

HEROES! JOIN US TO SAVE PARAGON! SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP CITY OF HEROES FROM SHUTTING DOWN!

http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes

It sounds like a good start to a backstory...

The queen who became an exile...

The exile who became an alien...

The alien who became a hero...

...sorry. 'Gladiator' flashback.

---

OK… I think I’ve done it!
(see story below…)

The planet Kla’Tik was a primitive and peaceful world where the inhabitants evolved to live harmoniously with nature. Over time, one tribe began to develop technologies that opposed this natural order. The earth was dug up and mined for resources and fuels. The oceans were polluted, the forests cut down, and the skies were filled with wretched smoke.

This tribe, calling themselves the Steam Lords, began to wage war on their neighbors. Possessing new weapons of explosive power, they easily defeated their adversaries. One tribe held out however, but even they would eventually fall.

That tribe was called the Guardians, and they were the protectors of their world. Possessing powers and abilities above that of their fellows, they performed a similar role that the super powered heroes of Earth do today. Unfortunately they acted too late to prevent the Great War that engulfed the planet, and were tragically unable to stop the devastating onslaught against them.

The machines of the Steam Lords had become so large and powerful, that nothing could hold them back. The massive abominations of steel and iron blasted through every defense the Guardians could muster, tearing the planet to shreds in the process.

Their world, weakened by the use of raw power from both the Steam Lords and the Guardians, exploded from within.

Their Captain, Mal Ni Krom, (which loosely translates to Big Bad Bug in our language) gathered the few remaining Guardians left to his side. He formed a great stone around the survivors, and rode the shock wave into deep space. Seven survivors in all. Seven Kla’Tikians are all that remain of their once proud and peaceful race.

Their lives suspended in a stasis lock by the unique power possessed by the child Ra’Niee (which has no translation) they survived the long journey to Earth. Over the millennia, the great stone that Mal Ni Krom had built had become a meteor, and it eventually crashed into our world.

Climbing from the crater caused by that impact, the seven otherworldly heroes stumbled out to examine their new world. Having spent all his energy holding the meteor together for such a long time, Mal Ni Krom’s power was reduced to almost nothing. All of their powers had faded in fact, as they no longer had any connection to their old world, which was the source of their unique abilities in the first place.

But this new world was compatible with their abilities. They would need to work hard to connect with the life aura of this planet, but that could come over time.

(So this would work I think. It also allows them to start as low level characters, as they are re-connecting with their abilities that they lost when they lost their world. Plus it lets me make Steam Lord villains as player characters if I also choose, assuming that Steam Lord isn’t an already taken name… )

---

The royalty part might be bumping up against the Mary-Sue label, but other than that, I like what I see!

---

-STEELE =)


Allied to all sides so that no matter what, I'll come out on top!
Oh, and Crimson demands you play this arc-> Twisted Knives (MA Arc #397769)

---

---

Royalty might be gliding a bit close to the Mary Sue sun, but remember, a lot of superheroes and villains are royalty.

Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Black Bolt, Namor, Dr. Doom, Black Adam, etc.

---

Personally I say keep the Royalty tag, but make them one of the 'spare children' that tend to crop up in Monarchies.

Essentially she is the daughter of a King/Queen, she is in (a very long) line to become a monarch, but realistically she's never going to get there unless they all died in some tragic accident. Maybe she leaves because she sees that she'll never get beyond being some minor player on her own planet so she sets out to find a place where she can live up to the image she has of herself in her head.

---

Welcome to the game, and welcome to Virtue! Yes, part of the awesomeness factor is that you have a pretty wide berth of what you can do with your character. Keep at it.

---

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=112614
I just finished reading this wonderful little guide to RP. (Thank you very much Burnsie!)

Going over the initial information, and using the guidelines, I decided to review my character’s back story accordingly.

• Where you Were
• How you came to be in Paragon City
• What are your abilities
• Where your abilities came from
• What is your purpose in Paragon City
• What your character personality is
• What are your “quirks”


• Where you Were
Initially my characters were from another planet; the planet Kla’Tik, a primitive and peaceful world where the inhabitants evolved to live harmoniously with nature. (I will have at least 4, and up to a maximum of 7 characters who will share an origin here.)


• How you came to be in Paragon City
My main character (Sectaria) and her fellow Guardians were forced from their world when it was destroyed.

From my back story post:
Their Captain, Mal Ni Krom, (which loosely translates to Big Bad Bug in our language) gathered the few remaining Guardians left to his side. He formed a great stone around the survivors, and rode the shock wave into deep space. Seven survivors in all. Seven Kla’Tikians are all that remain of their once proud and peaceful race.
However, this doesn’t meant that there cant be more survivors.. only that there are currently seven known survivors..

• What are your abilities
All of their abilities should be based on nature in some way. Sectaria has plant control, while my two other already created characters have similar abilities. Hal D’An has the ability to project plant like thorns from his body, while Mal Ni Krom (Big Bad Bug) can control the very earth itself, forming rock armor and rock like weapons.

• Where your abilities came from
All seven of my Kla’Tik Guardians were heroes in their own world. They had powers above and beyond their fellow kind, but their power all came from being bonded to their world. Since that world was destroyed, they are significantly less powerful then they once were, but they are able to connect to our world, and are therefore able to slowly rebuild that power. (This helps to explain why they start as low level characters, and slowly level up.)

• What is your purpose in Paragon City
To protect their new home. To prevent what happened on their world from happening here. As their bond with our world grows, they become ever more passionate about protecting it.

• What your character personality is
Sectaria is quiet and appears to be shy. She is however a very capable hero, and her power grows daily. She is not fast to trust anyone, but once that trust is obtained, she will be blindly loyal.

Big Bad Bug is old and wise, and very strong. He is patient, gentle, and slow to anger. But one should not incur his wrath, as once angered, he is unstoppable. He is the leader of the Guardians, and will be the character I level up last, as I want to get a very strong feeling for the game before I begin to play a leader of any kind.

Had D’An is aggressive, wild, and savage. His sanity is hanging on by a thread, and his dark sense of humor is offensive to even his dearest friends at times. However, he is still a loyal and trusted Guardian, and the closest friend that Mal Ni Krom (Big Bad Bug) has.

• What are your “quirks”
I covered a lot of those in the personality description. However, as far as quirks go, I will try and develop some. I thought that perhaps they would all share a certain quirk, such as being allergic to a certain element, or perhaps they all love coffee.

The coffee addiction I will implement with emotes, and it will not be uncommon to find any of my Kla’Tik Guardians standing around drinking. (Why do they love coffee? I don’t exactly know, and they don’t either. It’s just really good stuff to them) They also all like to rest in a crouch position, and can even sleep like that for hours.

Appearance!
Since they all came form the same planet, I needed to develop a particular design that would make them all look like the same species without being completely identical. Therefore there were some required costume pieces that must be incorporated in a Kla’Tik character.

Green skin (or red), (any hue, but leaning towards the lighter ones)
Antenna coming from their foreheads
Clavicle Spike shoulder piece. (Although other shoulder spikes are allowed, as long as it looks like it is a natural part of the character, and not something worn.)
The males should have the Monstrous leg piece, and the Large Insect feet.

Apart from that, anything else goes.

Also, in order to fit-in to their new world, their second costume is actually a disguise, and should appear completely human. (A device is used to generate that illusion, but it is shorted-out by water…)

Whew.. looks good to me so far …

---

---

BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection