Belief help for a new GM.

Hello I am a new GM to Burning Empires and Burning Wheel in general. In fact though I have read Burning Wheel several times this will be my first time running a game with the system. My group recently burned up characters and being new to this I was looking for some advice on their beliefs and how to create conflict with them.

Character 1
Concept -McCarthyesque noble leader of foreign affairs.
1) Fear is the ultimate form of control. When others believe I am their only hope, power will be mine.
2) Xeno’s pollute our noble society. I will not allow them to exert their secret ‘influence.’ (note: he does not just mean vaylen his character thinks all aliens can mess with your head or something)
3) The righteous power of the noble blood is the only thing holding (game planet) together.

Character 2
Concept - Legendary pirate
1) Laws are for those to weak to defend themselves.
2) Always honor a ransom. No “damaged goods”
3)The crew is my family and I am the Head

Character 3
Concept -Major Land field commander of East cont. Free companies.
1) Victory by any means.
2) I would never ask something of someone else that I would not expect of myself. I never hesitate to ask anything.
3) I never lose, not because I always win, but because I never stop fighting.

I appreciate any help thank you.

Hi SoundWave,

Welcome to the burner. I encourage you to rereard page 96 of the Burning Empires. The Beliefs you’ve presented all fall into the unrefined category of “So what?” as described on that page. They need to be refined and given goals. The examples on page 96 are pretty explicit.

Good luck!
-L

Thanks Luke, I will give that section another look over and bring it up to my players.