Nielsa - Roleplaying Applications

Aaaaand in case anyone is dorky enough (like me) to be interesting in the Roleplaying Applications of the Races of... books, here's my answers to all those questions posted in the Gnom section of Races of Stone, for Nielsa:

Nielsa Brandywine – Roleplaying Applications

Psychology (page 35) ~ Nielsa believes that the greatest truth is the force of Good, and it is something to be fought for. This drives her quest for perfection as a Monk – she believes the way to find perfection for herself and her way of fighting is to use her talents to combat the evil that has invaded the world. The idea that there might be “evil” people within the safe area who are on the same side as her has not occurred to her, so whoever she meets, she will assume goodness in.

Illusion and Truth (page 36) ~ While Nielsa appreciates Illusions and what they can do to improve the appearance of things, she does see falseness in it, and gravitates towards Truth instead; especially because of the personal perfection all Monks seek (that in itself is a search for truth, I think). She does not see her pranks as involved with either, as she uses them to have fun, and is not opposed to the use of illusion to change appearance or hide things that need protecting.

Arts and Crafts (page 36) ~ Nielsa appreciates the arts, and likes music very much. However, the closest she has come to an artistic pursuit is her dancing.

Technology and Magic (page 36) ~ Like all Gnomes, Nielsa sees technology (and tinkering) as an art, though a practical, very useful and necessary one in these times. She also approves of magic, since it can a) make life easier and b) fight the enemies they have in ways melee combat cannot even come close to. The fact that her mother is a wizard doesn’t hurt either.

Love (page 27) ~ Nielsa wants to find love, just the one person meant for her. She does believe, very romantically, that there is a perfect mate for each person. As a lesbian, she knows her situation is a bit different from the hetero-normalcy in most humanoid cultures, but she still thinks it is possible for her to find her “soulmate.” Being such a romantic, she doesn’t want to be alone, which is why she stays with Gormlaith so long even though they’re not that compatible. She realizes and is grateful for how loved she is by her family, and that love has influenced her decision to have children someday. If she meets someone she is interested in, and thinks this person may be attracted to women, she will be honest about it with them instead of flirting with many people. While physical attractiveness is obviously a factor, personality and life goals are also a big factor in her attraction to someone. If they aren’t committed to the fight for good, and to settling down someday and building a family, she won’t bother at all. As such, she is not interested in one-night-stands either, though she enjoys sex as much as most people.

Gnomes at War (page 38) ~ Obviously, the Gnomes’ usual views on war might be different considering what is going on. Still, Nielsa is probably more violent and warlike than most Gnomes in her devotion to fighting the Big Bad. She likes fighting, believing that she fights for the good of the world, and that the war that’s going on is truly necessary for there to be peace someday.

Death (page 38) ~ Because of the nature of war and the need to move on and keep fighting, Nielsa will mourn in a way both similar and different from most Gnomes. She will appear in mourning for the appropriate time (a few years), wearing darker colors, refraining from pranks, etc. However, she will still continue to fight in the war as best she can, taking no time away from that task. It does not seem to her that stopping the fight would honor the dead at all, as the fight is for good itself. If one of the other PC’s happens to die, she may try to give them a Gnomish funeral, but will step back if she is stopped or if it is clear that would not have been what they wanted.

Society and Culture (page 38-39) ~ Technically, because Nielsa has chosen a path that is non-traditional, she is considered a Rebel in the Gnomish class structure. However, she is not disillusioned by her culture – she loves it, and wants to see it continue. Her attitude is probably that of the Middle Class, content with her lot in life and the possibilities she faces.

Gnomes and Other Races (page 42) ~ Because of her upbringing in the temple, Nielsa is likely open-minded and fair in dealing with most (if not all) races. Her assumption that all of her allies will be good-aligned lends to this. Since most Monks are human, she tends to be very friendly to them, and she is also friendly to Dwarves as they share similar qualities. She feels sorry for the strain all half-breeds must feel, and will not hesitate to share that opinion or be especially nice to them. If she meets a person who is part of a traditionally evil-aligned race who demonstrates goodness to her, she will trust them as she trusts everyone else based on their actions.

Religion (page 42) ~ Nielsa believes in the Gods, hoping that they promise both a peaceful afterlife and the eventuality that good will prevail over evil. She’s not especially devout, but she utters her prayers to Garl Glittergold.

History and Folklore (page 46) ~ Since Nielsa desires change (in that she wants the evil to be defeated and for peace to be achieved), she sympathizes with Gelf’s desire for change in the “War of the Twins” story. However, she wants contentment too, and thus sympathizes with Garl as well. She likes to believe a balance will be struck between the two forces – contentment and change – when peace is accomplished.

History and Folklore (page 48) ~ As for Giant Killer legends, Nielsa appreciates and enjoys the stories, as she does with all tales told to entertain. However, she thinks the stories don’t apply to current times that much, as there are more dangerous things than Giants to face.