"Here, we are all about positive vibes" - The Lizard King Leafy
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"Here, we are all about positive vibes" - The Lizard King Leafy
“Every villain is a hero in his own mind.”
― Tom Hiddleston
A hero, a villain, this works on so many levels.
“The noir hero is a knight in blood caked armor. He's dirty and he does his best to deny the fact that he's a hero the whole time.”
― Frank Miller
A soldier regarded as a hero, who wants to not be so famous.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Someone who is being corrupted
“Haven’t you learned yet? Someone has to be the villain so everyone else can stay alive.”
― Josephine Angelini
A good one for an evil character who 'gets the job done.'
“Fate is an excuse for people who are too stupid or too weak to make their own future."
― Richard Paul Evans
This person may be an atheist, and definitely does not like the idea of Fate.
“Most have been forgotten. Most deserve to be forgotten. The heroes will always be remembered. The best. The best and the worst. And a few who were a bit of both.”
― George R.R. Martin
Neutral Character.
“No, what he didn't like about heroes was that they were usually suicidally gloomy when sober and homicidally insane when drunk.”
― Terry Pratchett
Someone who doesn't like heroes.
“Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters.”
― Rick Riordan
A very, very evil character.
“But perhaps the monsters needed to look out for each other every now and then.”
― Sarah J. Maas
This could be for an evil party. Or a game of WoD.
"Heroes don't need plans" -Snow, Final Hallway XIII
A Lawful Stupid character, not the guy that you would actually hire to save the world, or even the local village
'Do good now. And if something comes back around on you, beat it up and don't let it stop you from doing good.' - A certain fire daemon
Suitable for paladins and other good types who aren't afraid to use force.
"Yay, I'm useful" -Dr. Zoidberg, Futurama
A good one for a factotum
It could be also be used by someone who knows that the plan never survives first contact with the enemy.Quote:
Originally Posted by 8BitNinja
Or someone who knows that the plan doesn't survive upon seeing the enemyQuote:
Originally Posted by GorinichSerpant
I think there is some subtle but important difference I'm not picking up on.Quote:
Originally Posted by 8BitNinja
It's the difference between the enemy messing up your plans, and you forgetting your own plans because you saw the fearsome enemy?
This is what I was implyingQuote:
Originally Posted by goto124
I thought I might chime in with the original "contact with the enemy" quote
The tactical result of an engagement forms the base for new strategic decisions because victory or defeat in a battle changes the situation to such a degree that no human acumen is able to see beyond the first battle. Therefore no plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force. Strategy is therefore a system of expedients. It is more than science, it is the translation of science into practical life, the development of an original leading thought in accordance with the ever-changing circumstances.
-Helmuth Von Moltke the Elder
this quote describes a master tactician and organizer.
Von Moltke himself used this not as a justification for not having a plan, but as a justification for having hundreds of contingency plans written up ahead of time each accounting for slight variations of situational details, while at the same time recognizing that it only a matter of time until something not accounted for occurred and that as such a leader must be able to think on his feet when the time comes. In short he advocated for the creation of Xanatos gambits, while at the same time learning to play Xanatos Speed Chess and mastering the Indy Ploy.
"Good people sleep peaceably in their beds because rough men are ready to do violence on their behalf" - George Orwell
A Paladin or Good-Aligned Fighter, probably the sole defender of a village
Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death you need fear no evil. For I have cleared the way.
-Good Ranger
Spoiler: Frankly, I think they only agreed with her because they couldn't manage to frame their objections in iambic pentameter.-Chasing then Sunset
A charming character who speaks in verse. Anyone who can play a character who speaks in poetry in a live role-playing game has my respect by the way.Spoiler: How much are you willing to bleed? Because I'll bleed a lot.Here I thing means 'suffer' or 'give up something' an not necessarily bleed in the literal sense. So someone who is willing to pore themselves into a fight/conflict. Either because they fell it is bigger than them or because they just don't give up.Spoiler: "Why are you carrying three concealed weapons?" "In case something happens to the first three." "... First three." "I have another one."This is the adventurer who would not leave the house without a magic, silvered and cold steal weapon. With a particular twist that they hide their preparations for some reason.Spoiler: My center is crumbling, my right is in retreat, my left has been split. My position is excellent. Attack!-Pre-WWI French General
Historical Note: As far as I can tell, the French only adopted the "white flag policy" after/during World War I. Still this quote may illustrate why they didn't do so well outside the world of glorious charges.
As for the character, someone who believes that the solution to every problem is to gloriously overwhelm the opposition.
Also, one I would like to pitch to the playground: "I've already been to the end of the road. There is nothing there."
An old experienced character like a Lich a Dragon or simply someone who managed to get to 20th level, that warns the PCs the path ahead is pointless. Bonus points if they are a sort of foil to the heroes, something they could become. Basically I'm imagining Saitama from One Punch Man but dramatic instead of comedically plain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cluedrew
From the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
“Ambition is not a dirty word. Piss on compromise. Go for the throat.”
"I want to be a soldier. A hero."
"You'll grow out of it.”
“Words are like coin—it pays to hoard."
"Until you die on a bed of gold.”
“What are gods, after all, if not the perfect victims?”
"The only death I fear is dying ignorant.”
“The lesson of history is that no one learns.”
“The unnamed soldier is a gift. The named soldier--dead, melted wax--demands a response among the living...a response no-one can make. Names are no comfort, they're a call to answer the unanswerable. Why did she die, not him? Why do the survivors remain anonymous--as if cursed--while the dead are revered? Why do we cling to what we lose while we ignore what we still hold?
Name none of the fallen, for they stood in our place, and stand there still in each moment of our lives. Let my death hold no glory, and let me die forgotten and unknown. Let it not be said that I was one among the dead to accuse the living.”
“Such is the vastness of his genius that he can outwit even himself.”
“Where is the library?”
“Turn right, proceed thirty-four paces, turn right again, twelve paces, then through door on the right, thirty-five paces, through archway on right another eleven paces, turn right one last time, fifteen paces, enter the door on the right.”
“Or, turn left, nineteen paces.”
“Aye.”
“Paranoia’s the assassin’s bedmate.”
"And they ask, "What is a Hero?"
though the answer's very clear,
He's the one who faces danger
when the darkness hovers near.
He will face the fiercest foe
when another needs his aid,
He will dare to defy Death
even though he is afraid,
He works not just for glory
and he does it not for gain,
But because he knows that others
will be spared a greater pain.
He won't always follow orders,
for he dares to answer, "Why?"
And unless he likes the reason,
he refuses to comply,
He will brave the battle boldly
even though he may not win,
He will face his fate unflinching,
for he is a Paladin.
And they ask "What is a Hero?"
though the answer's evident,
He's the one who faces death
knowing that his life's well spent."
— Quest for Glory II: Trial By Fire
This is a good one for a good PC that has made a difference in the world, probably level 20, and probably killed a lot of evils
"We are the gods
of the new world order
We are the soldiers,
the legion of light.
We are the center
The death of the sun
Fire and flame
We are one"
-Triarii, "We Are One"
The saying of a nation or military. Either way, it's proud and self-righteous.
I wouldn't exactly call Marshal Foch a Pre-WWI French General. And your 'historical note' is about as far from the policy of the French, and Foch in particular, as it is conceivably possible to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cluedrew
I like this interpretation. For some reason the quote made me thing "its the journey, not the destination" but I was having trouble working it out post that.Quote:
Originally Posted by GorinichSerpant
To TheTeaMustFlow: My apologies, I was misinformed and didn't check my facts. Thank-you for the correction. Although I maintain I could have been a lot more incorrect than that.
"YOU HERETIC" -Every Space Marine ever, Warhammer 40,000
A good one for a Spanish Inquisition type character
Where angels fear to go, I walk. Where demons fear to tread, I live.
-Powerful Neutral character
I ***** the Lady and her truce. A pox on the gods. Damn Jupiter, Minerva, Fortune, Damn them all. I am a son of Hades, and you shall fear me.
-Lucillius Vorenus. crossing the moral event horizon. Rome.
Thus ever to tyrants (Sic Semper Tyranus)
-Cassius after the assassination of Julius Caesar (later quoted by John Wilks Booth)
If we shadows have offended think but this and all is mended. that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear. And this weak and Idle theme. no more yielding but a dream. Gentils do not reprehend. If you pardon, we shall mend. Else the Puck a liar call, so good night unto you all. Take my hand if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.
-Puck's speech, A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare.
"Shall all of great Neptune's Ocean wash this blood. Clean from my hand?"
- William Shakespeare, Macbeth
A good one for a murderer, but also has some regret for what he has done
Still reading, so I apologize if this has been said, but I wanted to get it up while I'm thinking about it:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolverine
"I find your lack of faith disturbing" -Darth Vader, Star Wars
A good one for a cleric or paladin in a group of not-as-religious PCs
Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom
-General George S. Patton
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country
-JFK
NUTS
-Anthony McAullife, response to German demands for surrender at Battle of the Bulge
"Barry, if there’s one thing I can be totally honest about, it’s that I would happily lie to your face." - Brian Wecht (AKA, Ninja Brian)
A good one for an evil character, especially one that would backstab his party members
"Nu-uh, I bet I can... hold my ale!" -Bargg
"Hello, my name is Indigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die." -Indigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
A good one for a character who is on a quest of vengeance
"[I] would never try to trick you or stab you in the back. [I] would just stab you in the face over and over until your face stopped resembling a face."
A bloodthirsty warrior with a strong code.