The Hero

The Villain

The Sidekick

The Sage

The Rogue

The Rescuee

The Red Shirt

Female

Role

Male

��

Not all Heroes are as...er...interestingly clad as this, but this is a popular pose.

If you find yourself:

• saying 'Why me?' all the time
  
• finding lost relatives all over the countryside (especially if you're an orphan or foundling)
  
• acquiring new skills at astonishing rates
  
• suddenly surrounded by mysterious portents
  
• traipsing all over the country to rescue friends/family/nobility...
  

Congratulations!� You are the Hero.� You'll probably survive the adventure, and may even win fortune and glory-but you'll have to do everything yourself.

A Hero prays for success in his venture.

�

Slinky, isn't she?

• saying 'I'll get you, (fill in hero's name)!' constantly
• surrounded by morons
• developing a fondness for black or billowy clothing
• laughing evilly for no apparent reason
• getting a sudden urge to conquer the country/world/universe
• divulging your plans every time things start to go right...

Bwa ha ha ha ha!� You are the Villain.� Do not despair, however.� You may be in an existentialist or postmodern story, in which case you may very well win. � Otherwise...you're doomed.� Sorry.�

Hi, how are ya?

A standard-issue female Sidekick...petite, blonde, and impractically dressed

• saying 'What is it, (fill in hero's name)?' or 'HELP!!!!' a lot
• the butt of assorted slapstick jokes
• on a first-name basis with the jailer/torturer of the villain, since you meet so often
• possessed of an off-the-wall skill which everyone assures you is very valuable, despite the fact that it never gets used
• being described as petite, loveable, or cute
• attracted to small furry animals (not THAT way!� Get your mind out of the gutter! ;))
• with the urge to be the Hero...

Congratulations!� Or not.� You're the Sidekick.� Find yourself a Hero ASAP, as you will probably be getting into serious trouble within the next half hour/2 pages, whichever comes first.

A male Sidekick about to be in need of the services of a Hero (but we TOLD him not to open that door...)

A female Sage looking mystical (it's what Sages do best!)

• saying cryptic things all the time
• having prophetic dreams or visions
• literally communing with nature
• talking in riddles
• knowing things without quite being able to say how (and everyone seems to accept this...)
• having brief cryptic encounters with the archvillain long before the actual conflict
• possessed of a past so shadowy even YOU don't know the details
• saving the Hero's butt regularly*...

Congratulations!� You're the Sage (magician, bard, psychic, etc.)� Boy, are you in for a fun time.� If you survive the adventure your name will go down in history.

*Careful with this one.� If this is your only characteristic you're probably actually the Hero, and the current Hero is very likely to be the Sidekick.

A male Sage preparing to save the Hero's butt (again...).

A female Rogue having way too much fun

• saying 'What's in it for me?' frequently
• being described as 'dashing' or 'debonair'
• attracted to small shiny objects
• being dragged into the adventure under threat of jail time or to escape the law
• with something in your pockets for every occasion
• trying hard not to let anyone learn you have a heart of gold
• irresistably attractive to the opposite sex (at least as far as you're concerned)
• possessed of a mustache (males only, naturally; if you're female and have this symptom... ;))

Enjoy yourself! You're the Rogue.� You'll either spend the rest of your life trying to avoid repentance, or reform at the end of the story (usually this will be because you found somebody interesting to get married to.)

�

Your basic Rogue

The quintessential female Rescuee

• saying things like 'You'll never get away with this!'
• imprisoned for the duration of the story
• of high birth (with powerful relatives)
• stoic, in a melodramatic sort of way
• repeatedly trying and failing to escape
• thwarting the occasional Villainous Plot (probably by accident)...

Our sympathies.� You're the Rescuee.� Since you're the object of the quest you'll probably survive (and possibly even be rescued), but you'll be mightily bored in the interim.

�

A male Rescuee, also about to need the services of a Hero

No picture available...yet...

• saying 'Hmm...that's odd...AAARGH!' or 'I'll just go down this dark alley alone, shall I?'
• charging into an area every time someone yells 'Guards!'
• outnumbering the Hero (and his party, if applicable) by at least a 2:1 ratio
• either a minion or a minor adventurer
• wearing red (or any other bright and easy-to-hit-at-a-distance color) clothing...

Sorry.� You're the Red Shirt, one of those poor unfortumates who is 100% guaranteed to die before the adventure is over.

No picture available...yet...