I am pretty sure my background/story will suck in contrast to many posted by others (esp The Stray; btw, I loved your Redcap history!)
NAME:Jericho Dunbar Warforged Fighter.
Step 1: Write five things about your character’s concept and background, five things that you think are the most essential parts of your character. You don’t have to stop at five, if you like…this is just a minimum.
1) Not originally born a Warforged. Human spirit unknowingly transferred into a construct body, 2) Parents were King and Queen, and one brother, were the family that ruled the region before darkness shrouded the world. King ruled his Empire well and was extremely well liked. 3) Removed from his road to be King, abruptly and still not exactly sure what happened. 4) Parents were both found dead, along with his brother. Dunbar's Uncle took over as King and greedily ran the empire into the dirt. Taxing the denizens to broke while he himself lives fat in the Towers. Causing other cities to become their own city-states, baronies, holdings.. each their own dismal light compared to that which was. 5) Needs to develop a reputation of that who helps others so he may occur a following to retrieve what is his.
Step 2: List two goals for the character that you, as a player, think would be cool to see accomplished in-game.
1) As stated above, he wants his Kingdom back.. now. 2)REPUTATION. Since he was unintelligent to most things magic, he is sure it will be hard to convince people of who he is. He knows if he can create a good reputation about himself, people may not even believe of who he is.. but yet still back up his goal to reclaim his throne.
Step 3: List two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1) Woke up in a court yard overlooking what looked like it was a freshly laid grave. In his hands was a shovel but before he could question why the shovel was there or why he was here, he noticed it wasn't his hands holding the shovel. They were the hands of a darkly covered, rubbery machine like hands. He was somehow put into the bodily of a warforged but he remembered every, except the past few days. He has yet to tell anyone about who he rightfully is. 2) Uncle had his family killed to take over the kingdom. Dun is not sure that this is what had happened, but by looking at the outcome, it seems pretty obvious. 3) Dun was also left for dead.. actually he had passed. If it wasn't for the luck of a passing senile Artificer who had seen the attack he would have been gone forever. The Artificer somehow placed Dun's lifeforce into a ghulra rune he had finally acquired to put into his prototype Warforge he has had for a few years before he accumlated the funding for the rune stone. Now the Artificer is secretly pulling together all of his assets and assembling an army of Warforged beings hoping soon to be able to assist the Should be King once again.
Step 4: Describe three people that are tied to the character though blood, romance or honor. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. All can do something useful for you, if you can get the situations to line up. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
1) friendly Armond, Captain of the Guard. Against the rule of the new King 100% Should he find out about someone claiming to be the missing Prince he would surely do what he can to find out about the rumor. 2) friendly Clay, Dwarf Cleric. Although unaware of the situation of his Comrade, they have fought side by side for a few years now and have formed a bond. He thinks Dun was only created a year prior to their meeting when they were part of a small anti-Raiding party. 3) hostile Saxton Dunbar, now King, Dun's uncle. Although Saxton is not exactly sure his nephew is still alive, let alone a warforged.. he has many scouts and assassins throughout the lands looking for anyone who resembles the Dead Prince, and keeping an hear to the streets.
**HELP** If you guys can assist in flavoring up the story, text a bit I would appreciate it. I like the story and I think you can get the general idea by the information supplied, but I would like it articulated better. I'm one of those who has the idea in my head perfectly; but horrible at putting that on paper (or on the screen if you will).
If you guys will post here or message me that would be amazing. I promise cookies...
Secondly, I like the idea you have here, of the murdered son of a king within the body of a warforged.
Don't worry if you aren't able to articulate everything well--one reason I developed this formats was for the benefit of several players in my group who have writing disorders like dyslexia and have trouble putting things down in words.. Everyone in my group is creative, but not everyone is a gifted writer.
One question...why isn't the artificer who saved Jericho and is working on this warforged army one of your contacts? I'm sure a DM would love to have that sort of hook involved in his game...
Deserved. I like the idea, too! I also have a mild case of dyslexia myself, and I think this is what really irritates me. I like the idea and I want to be able to describe it perrrrfectly, but I can't.
One question...why isn't the artificer who saved Jericho and is working on this warforged army one of your contacts? I'm sure a DM would love to have that sort of hook involved in his game...
I didn't list him as a contact, because Jericho doesn't even know he exists. Contacts to me are defined as some sort of known history with. Jericho doesn't know how he got into the body he is in, let alone that this fella is doing what he is doing. I think its a waiting game until rumors and stories or maybe through his reputation, words will be quoted or something similar to tie a potential connection to Jericho. Until that day, suspense...
He may not be listed as a contact, but he was listed in the story somewhere. DM is aware of this information.
Hopefully I'm not stepping on anyone's toes. Threads been inactive for awhile, so it should be alright. Got a twofer for you tonight. It's sort of a package deal, truth to tell.
These aren't my characters, some friends made them for a game I was running, which sadly never got all that far. Highly frustrating, since as a DM I had no small amount of time invested in stagedressing. So I figured I may as well put them to some use fueling my new TMB-addiction. As an exercise, I'm trying to use the original player's concepts, as I understand them, and fit them into my world.
If you like terse phrasing, you'll love this. Commentary, as always, is welcome.
Hariani Osanimata, Male Eladrin Wizard 2, Unaligned Background: "Well, if you want it done anytime soon, I'm sure we could come to an understanding..."Spoiler:Show
1. The youngest member of the the Osanimata noble family, long renowned for their mastery over magic. 2. After completing his studies Hariani was pledged as an assistant to a noble army officer, delivering orders, keeping him buffed with cantrips, taking dictation, etc. 3. This officer, along with a few others, was assigned to ambush a drow company building an outpost in the feywild. However, someone else in the court forewarned their targets, and the drow captured or killed all the eladrin sent to attack it. This was apparently their plan all along. 4. Hariani, along with a nearby Dragondaunt Lancer, managed to escape, and wandered the underdark and a mountain pass for weeks before returning to civilzation. 5. With no way back to the feywild apparent, he has been forced to stick it out among the humans, and try to enhance his magic while there.
Goals "We're going to need reinforcements, or at least a better plan." Spoiler:Show
Short: Return to the feywild, as he has a traitor to expose (whoever that may be), and a conservatorship waiting for him when he does. Medium: Find a lasting hook to keep himself adventuring in human lands. Long: Learn that magic is a means to do good, and not an end to itself. Divest himself of his superiority complex.
Secrets: "That's not really an avenue for discussion at this time."Spoiler:Show
1. Known. His 'survival' of the drow attack can be attributed to panic and cowering, his training having not prepared him for such chaos. 2. Unknown. Destruction of the Osanimata heir was the objective of the betrayal, ochestrated as it was by a noble house that stood to benefit.
Relationships, 2 positive, 1 Negative. "This is...my friend. Refer your questions to me and we'll all do fine." Spoiler:Show
*1 Osiris Vanthraustonen, Male Eladrin, LG. The only other escapee who made it to the surface, Osiris has proved a dependable, if dense, comrade, and is all Hariani has to remind him of home. He's not afraid to play up his social status and rank in dealing with the paladin, though. *2 Aramil . Male Mercane, Un. The curator of one of the major libraries comprising the Wizardry college, and one of the few noneladrin able to make heads or tails of it. Aramil is an inspiration to Hariani, who finds his dispassionate mastery of lore amazing. He's one of the few people in the city who knows the result of the ambush, but as usual, he's keeping it to himself. *3 Bnephi Wispengline, Male Eladrin, E. The Wispenglines are a clan of Upstart nobles, equal to carve out their place in the high society of the Eladrin. While not responsible for betraying Hariani, Bnephi was delighted by the news.
Personality: "HE'S the one keeping these peons in line? we're doomed..." Spoiler:Show
While shrewd enough to learn as he goes, much of what Hariani knows of humans comes secondhand or from books. He has a secret fear of their capacity for evil, and this manifests in somewhat pressing inquiry of peoples motivations. He is hesitant to risk his life for goals other than his own. The fact that he is not the most charming person in the room, which he seldom is, is something he never seems to notice. Mannerisms: "984...hmm, how WERE the grapes that year?" permanently bald and sporting a monacle, Hariani matches few perceptions of what an Eladrin looks like. He loathes exercise, using his fey step whenever stairs are involved, and seems vaguely insulted whenever required to answer a direct question. As befits his clan's history of magic use, he avoids elemental magic whenever possible.
Joaquin Phoenix would be my guess as a vocal approximation. He has the enunciation and sneer that so fits the Eladrin race, along with the unique nasal quality of having an enormous head.
Osiris Vanthraustonen, Male Eladrin Paladin 2, Lawful Good Background: "I bring glad tidings, let those of good heart rejoice!" Spoiler:Show
1. Born among the Eladrin to two skilled, if unexceptional, artisans, Osiris was always larger than his playmates, and became willing early on to protect them, with a forthrightness unusual for an Eladrin child. 2. His affinity towards the military came as no surprise, but what came later did: Osiris volunteered to become a Dragondaunt Lancer, which meant being initiated into the cult of Bahamut. It was an honorable calling, but suicide from a political perspective. 3. The Lancers proved a good match for him, with the average lancer being older, but less physically gifted. What's more, Osiris no longer felt betrayed by his own straightforward nature. 4. The betrayal came later, as it happened, with the unit sent to ambush a band of drow that knew they were coming. 5. One of the only survivors of the Lancers, Osiris escaped, finally reaching the surface with a junior officer, Hariani.
Goals "I sense much evil on this thing, we draw near darker foes than these."Spoiler:Show
Short: Resolve his crisis of faith, and punish the drow who started it. Medium: Assert himself against his culture's corruption. Long: Make a decision about the truth of the prophecy, and his role in it.
Secrets: Secrets: "We have a lot of ground to cover, let's keep moving..." Spoiler:Show
1. Known. While every bit the holy warrior he declares himself, Osiris is not quite as simpleminded as he lets on. He knows, for example, that Hariani's friendship isn't genuine, and that he was captured without a mark on him. As long as there is actual evil to confront, he will tolerate moral weakness in his allies, mostly without comment. His patience is impressive, but so is his memory. 2. Unknown. Osiris' arrival is spoken of in cryptic prophecy. Few alive know the legend, and fewer still understand it. More troubling, however, are implications that it's fulfillment will cost Osiris his own life.
Relationships, 2 positive, 1 Negative. "I wonder if she knows the eternal wisdom of the Platinum Dragon... I shall make sure." Spoiler:Show
*1 Hariani Osanimata, Male Eladrin, UA. While far from perfect, either as an Eladrin or a companion, fate has resulted in their joining forces. For his part, Osiris sees the mage as a test from his god, and is determined to make sure he makes it home, so he can use his family to expose whatever traitor sent their friends to their deaths. *2 Nelthia Pfelrissian, Female Drow, E. While proficient enough in the brutal tactics of her race, Nel feels that Drow and Eladrin should not be exchanging favors. She is slowly learning the details of the conspiracy, and might not be above an ironic alliance of her own, to see those behind it reliably slain. *3 "kraitwine" Female Eladrin, UA. A countermeasure sent by the traitor, this highly-trained operative has orders to slay both survivors of the drow campaign, "for the good of all things fey". The truth of the matter is of little concern to her.
Personality: "You're a dragonborn, right? Surely you must know the eternal wisdom..." Spoiler:Show
Young for an Eladrin, Osiris is a heady brew of barely-contained energy, selfrighteousness, and curiosity towards a world he's never seen before. He trusts Bahumut to guide his path, and keeps his doubts about his own abilities hidden. He's more sympathetic to humans than his associate, and can't see what's supposed to be so bad about them. Yet. Mannerisms: "Well, if you insist- I guess one glass won't hurt..." Eladrin discipline not being outstanding in the best of times, Osiris has let his hair down, taking on quests filled with evil he can readily kill. He will talk about the glory of his faith to anyone who will listen, and will try to befriend any human claiming to worship Bahamut. Normal folk adjust well to him, perhaps because he seems more rugged than most 'elves'.
I couldn't resist the callback on the eternal wisdom, since it was in fact used that way by the player. Vocally, I could definitely hear Simon Pegg saying some of these.
Well, elfstar your characters defintely seem to be very anime based, and I do like Osiris' character to Hariari, but I think that's what you intended, since he's quite cowardly and elitist; but what I can't figure out is why he wants to adventure; his character doesn't seem to show any signs or reasons for he'd want to go adventuring. As for Osiris, I think he's a good character, but in the personality section I think you meant righteous, rather than selfrighteous, since he seems like he's supposed to be a good guy, as opposed to egotistical.
Actually, it IS closer to selfrighteous. He thinks he understands Bahumut's wisdom a lot better then he does, since he's naive as all hell.
Don't judge Hariani too harshly. He's grown up closer to the machinations of the noble houses, and has a hard time trusting people because of it. To his credit, he chose books instead of getting in on it himself. The genius of the situation is the symbiotic aspect: Hariani needs Osiris to protect him, while Osiris needs Hariani to use his connections to out the traitor. I guess the subtext is that between the two Eladrin, there's enough smarts to foil whatever mess they've gotten themselves into.
Out of curiosity, what Anime do you see these guys as derivative of? I think a bit of Meryl and Millie from Trigun, but the characters are much as they were presented to me, and neither player is much of an otaku.
I don't really watch anime, just the name and the way you descirbed your eldarin culture just seemed anime aspected, if it wasn't then it doesn't matter.
