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5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 9:08AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Dec 18, 2011
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Hi, I am struggling to fit the final pieces to a character concept I am working on:
- This character is already part of a campaign, but ofc character development is a gradual process, so changes can be made
(it was my first campaign, so forgive me the default names ^^)
- When we started this campaign I played two characters since there were only 3 of us, after a while new people joined and together with the DM we decided that one of my characters (Khashana, a pacifist healer cleric) would die. He devoted a few sessions to the story, where the party eventually encountered a powerful Lich, too strong for them to handle. Kelemvor (Khashana's deity) offered to grant her the power to defeat the Lich but which would kill her in the process, since she wasn't ready to receive his gift yet. She agreed.
- The DM then allowed me to hybridize my character, since I had just lost one, which I did. Avenger seemed a natural choice given what just happened to his friend.
Below is the backstory I have so far: Hiyal is a friendly, pacifistic wizard, seeking arcane knowledge. Or at least he was, but that was a long time ago, long before this story unfolded. In those days he wandered the lands, travelling from library to library, looking for new spells, new insights in the fabric of the cosmos and clues about the whereabouts of his people, the enigmatic Devas. One day he arrived at an abbey dedicated to Kelemvor. Upon requesting access to the archives the abbot offered a trade: only if Hiyal promised to let Khashana, a tormented Kalashtar, accompany him would the abbot allow him to look through the countless books and scrolls the order possessed. Hiyal agreed, and after his studies they wandered off together. Over the years they bonded, neither of them particularly talkative they still understood each other's intentions and how similar they were. That was before Khashana allowed Kelemvor to take control of her body in order to save Hiyal and his friends, tearing away at her flesh in the process. Though they were saved Hiyal could not forgive himself, if only he had been stronger, trained harder, then maybe he would have been able to stop this. He took up a weapon and pledged his allegiance to a new god, to Bane, god of war. From there on he dedicated his life to relentless training. Every opportunity he had he would hone his skills to the point of perfection. He would no longer waste his time avoiding conflicht, and got into fights more often, when he did he would have an elaborate battle plan thought out and would not tolerate any insubordination. His mind now preoccupied with the thrills of melee combat his raw magical energy will often leak out, stabbing at the enemies' minds and bodies or engulfing his body in righteous fire. Fueled by his rage he will not stop until his allies are safe from harm and all that lies before him is a mound of lifeless enemies.Extra info:
- I plan to turn him into a bloodmage, and imagine him wildly swinging his sword, wounding himself in the process, because of his arcane powers his blood would then assault his enemies aswell.
- Most of his powers are psychic, causing his enemies to see horrible creatures or causing them to attack one another in fear.
- I imagine his avenger powers involving radiant energy to be almost fire-like, scorching his enemies.
Questions:
- What do you think of it so far? In my mind Hiyal became a berserking avenger, and his innate arcane powers would unconciously leak out. He wouldn't be exactly casting spells anymore (expect in special situations).
- How can I play that he is still a good guy, but merciless to his enemies? (oath of enmity style)
- Any mannerisms you can suggest?
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5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 3:12PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Aug 15, 2011
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- How can I play that he is still a good guy, but merciless to his enemies? (oath of enmity style)
This would be the primary sticking point, as 'merciless' and 'good guy' are antonyms.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 3:27PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Dec 18, 2011
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I consider him to be 'chaotic good', he protects his companions, will help people in need, but ruthless towards bandits etc. For those of you who saw Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X: one of the characters, Hajime Saito, lives by the code "Swift Death to Evil" (悪即斬, Aku Soku Zan, also translated loosely as "Evil Unto Evil", where evil is killing) which kind of sums up the idea.
Carve out corruption, seek out evil. In order to fight monsters one needs to become one.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 5:54PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 15, 2011
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Yes, definitely not a good guy by any definition of the term I can conceive of.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 08, 2013 - 7:51PM
#5
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Avenger (wis based) and Wizard (int based) sounds like a rather weak hybrid as well.
Hybriding on swordmage works a bit better, but honestly, it sounds like a melee based warlock, hexblade or sorcerer using close burst and blast powers might be a better fit thematically.
I'd probably go warlock, packing a pact blade.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 12:41AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Dec 18, 2011
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I am aware that the hybrid will never be fully optimal. Regardless of the class however, the original question still stands: any suggestions about the story behind this character?
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5 months ago ::
Jan 10, 2013 - 6:42AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Sep 24, 2011
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I am a fan of anti-heroes, so might I agree that he could be good--but it'd have to either be bound by a code of conduct (e.g. committing the same evil act onto someone who has done it to others). You'd have to adhere to that code quite fiercely and possibly show some degree of mercy.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 10, 2013 - 12:31PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Dec 18, 2011
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Thanks for the suggestion, seems like a good idea. You say "it'd have to either be bound..." but you mention only one option after that.
Did you have another in mind as well?
I think at the end of each encounter with an "important" and "intelligent" creature I might have him ask his victim how he plans to atone for his sins. If the creature's answer does not please him, or if he senses the creature is lying he will then execute him.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 10, 2013 - 2:20PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Aug 15, 2011
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Thanks for the suggestion, seems like a good idea. You say "it'd have to either be bound..." but you mention only one option after that.
Did you have another in mind as well?
I think at the end of each encounter with an "important" and "intelligent" creature I might have him ask his victim how he plans to atone for his sins. If the creature's answer does not please him, or if he senses the creature is lying he will then execute him.
I would not think you could claim any kind of 'good guy' status if you're executing defenseless people.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 10, 2013 - 3:09PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Dec 18, 2011
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The main concept I am trying to communicate with 'good guy' is that he will help innocent people without expecting any reward, protect his allies even if it kills him. Justice as his only motive (albeit a twisted form of justice). I agree, he is not your typical 'knight on a white horse', but in a world where killing is day-to-day business (I'm sure we all killed an Orog or other intelligent creature once) can you really blame him?
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