A lawful neutral Cleric who doesn't like the laws [Archive] - Wizards Community

A lawful neutral Cleric who doesn't like the laws [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Naragonth
11-09-06, 01:24 AM I have a character that I'm playing, and he's a lawful neutral cleric of St. Cuthbert.

The country that we're in (made up by the DM) is in the middle of a civil war. One side involves a group of noble rebels who want to take over from the "rightful" king. The "rightful" king is a warmonger, and a very good one.

My idea for his story is that he used to live in the capital of the country, and he had a women he was going to marry. Then the civil war started, and the recruiters tried to draft him. The church of St. Cuthbert is on the kings side.

Now, St. Cuthbert is the God of retribution and justice, and laws are his thing, but my character fled, because he feels the war is injust, and that he had no interest in fighting for either side. Now he's wanted for desertion. He's hiding out in a romote area of the kingdom, a ways from the warzone.

Now, the questions.

First, I figured that St. Cuthbert would accept my characters desertion, because a warmonger fighting rebels who are rebelling within lands he conquered isn't really a just or lawful cause. Is this sound reasoning?

Second: What are some ways I could roleplay him?
TheAnthroDM
11-09-06, 01:34 AM As a Lawful Cleric you are to respect the authority of the ruler, but that doesn't mean you have to agree or follow the laws, if you go about a rebellion in a civilized way it can very easily be a lawful act.
CoyoteUK
11-09-06, 04:25 AM First, I figured that St. Cuthbert would accept my characters desertion, because a warmonger fighting rebels who are rebelling within lands he conquered isn't really a just or lawful cause. Is this sound reasoning?

The cause of "lawfulness" is to spread security by policing the world. If the king is doing that then its lawful to side with him. A lawful neutral guy would want to generally see at least part of the benefits of such "progress" shared out; if the king isnt doing that then he is, in the LN's mind, abusing his power.
Tjuk
11-09-06, 04:42 AM Depends how you can play it, you can think that the church has gone bad in this area , and that you have to seek information or advice from another temple out of that district.That might be able to agree with you, or try searching for the whole point why the church is at the kings side. Since well your DM has to have a reason to put the church on his side.
Naragonth
11-09-06, 10:34 AM The DM's reasoning for them siding with the king is that he "is" the law, which makes some sense.

As they are a church based on the law.
Alex_Belinsky
11-09-06, 12:51 PM LN cleric of the god of Retribution... ;) My favorite cleric alignment...
Some questions for cleric's sake:
Was this land all the time under this dynasty's rule? How about 1000 years ago? How about unlawfully discrowned previous dynasty?
All the transitions of rights to rule in the history were right and legal?
Has current king divine support (divine rights to rule)? And how St. Cuthbert feel about these gods?
If current warmonger-on-throne neglect some of his duties, how respond to this official churches and who officially (in the god's name) object against this king's policy? I think, holy quest awaits...:)
We, LN, can be very obstinate at times. :D IMO, after some research this cleric can feel not only right, but obligation to break some current "so-called laws".
PiedmonSama
11-09-06, 01:08 PM I'd roleplay him as Lawful Good, but meaner. He believes laws were made to benefit the common man, not to repress him. Anything less is a perversion of law, and that's a greater offense than openly flouting it. While he believes in and fights for this morality, he's often so brutal and merciless in combat that Lawful Neutral fits him better than Lawful Good. He's willing to justify almost anything (not the "almost" caveat) in the name of his cause. And as long as St. Cuthbert keeps granting him spells, he knows he's right.
Naragonth
11-09-06, 06:26 PM Not sure about mean, but he's not going out of his way to help the people, so I figured that fit the neutral part. He's simply absenting himself from the conflict.

For devine support, I would have to ask the DM. :confused: The only god mentioned so far in the entire campaign has been St. Cuthbert, who appears to have a strong following.

Have to think about the mean part... But I like "knows he's right."
Naragonth
11-11-06, 11:28 AM Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas, I will sort through them and see what I got.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Naragonth 11-09-06, 01:24 AM	I have a character that I'm playing, and he's a lawful neutral cleric of St. Cuthbert. The country that we're in (made up by the DM) is in the middle of a civil war. One side involves a group of noble rebels who want to take over from the "rightful" king. The "rightful" king is a warmonger, and a very good one. My idea for his story is that he used to live in the capital of the country, and he had a women he was going to marry. Then the civil war started, and the recruiters tried to draft him. The church of St. Cuthbert is on the kings side. Now, St. Cuthbert is the God of retribution and justice, and laws are his thing, but my character fled, because he feels the war is injust, and that he had no interest in fighting for either side. Now he's wanted for desertion. He's hiding out in a romote area of the kingdom, a ways from the warzone. Now, the questions. First, I figured that St. Cuthbert would accept my characters desertion, because a warmonger fighting rebels who are rebelling within lands he conquered isn't really a just or lawful cause. Is this sound reasoning? Second: What are some ways I could roleplay him?
TheAnthroDM 11-09-06, 01:34 AM	As a Lawful Cleric you are to respect the authority of the ruler, but that doesn't mean you have to agree or follow the laws, if you go about a rebellion in a civilized way it can very easily be a lawful act.
CoyoteUK 11-09-06, 04:25 AM	First, I figured that St. Cuthbert would accept my characters desertion, because a warmonger fighting rebels who are rebelling within lands he conquered isn't really a just or lawful cause. Is this sound reasoning? The cause of "lawfulness" is to spread security by policing the world. If the king is doing that then its lawful to side with him. A lawful neutral guy would want to generally see at least part of the benefits of such "progress" shared out; if the king isnt doing that then he is, in the LN's mind, abusing his power.
Tjuk 11-09-06, 04:42 AM	Depends how you can play it, you can think that the church has gone bad in this area , and that you have to seek information or advice from another temple out of that district.That might be able to agree with you, or try searching for the whole point why the church is at the kings side. Since well your DM has to have a reason to put the church on his side.
Naragonth 11-09-06, 10:34 AM	The DM's reasoning for them siding with the king is that he "is" the law, which makes some sense. As they are a church based on the law.
Alex_Belinsky 11-09-06, 12:51 PM	LN cleric of the god of Retribution... ;) My favorite cleric alignment... Some questions for cleric's sake: Was this land all the time under this dynasty's rule? How about 1000 years ago? How about unlawfully discrowned previous dynasty? All the transitions of rights to rule in the history were right and legal? Has current king divine support (divine rights to rule)? And how St. Cuthbert feel about these gods? If current warmonger-on-throne neglect some of his duties, how respond to this official churches and who officially (in the god's name) object against this king's policy? I think, holy quest awaits...:) We, LN, can be very obstinate at times. :D IMO, after some research this cleric can feel not only right, but obligation to break some current "so-called laws".
PiedmonSama 11-09-06, 01:08 PM	I'd roleplay him as Lawful Good, but meaner. He believes laws were made to benefit the common man, not to repress him. Anything less is a perversion of law, and that's a greater offense than openly flouting it. While he believes in and fights for this morality, he's often so brutal and merciless in combat that Lawful Neutral fits him better than Lawful Good. He's willing to justify almost anything (not the "almost" caveat) in the name of his cause. And as long as St. Cuthbert keeps granting him spells, he knows he's right.
Naragonth 11-09-06, 06:26 PM	Not sure about mean, but he's not going out of his way to help the people, so I figured that fit the neutral part. He's simply absenting himself from the conflict. For devine support, I would have to ask the DM. :confused: The only god mentioned so far in the entire campaign has been St. Cuthbert, who appears to have a strong following. Have to think about the mean part... But I like "knows he's right."
Naragonth 11-11-06, 11:28 AM	Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas, I will sort through them and see what I got.