Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Daxtor 06-26-03, 04:18 PM	Hi! I was wondering if any could help me with an idea of, why this human smith suddenly joined some adventures, or why he got the idea, travelling away from his smithy???
Angered Roach 06-26-03, 04:57 PM	Telling us more about this fellow, beyond his name and job, would be a great help. With the information given, all I can suggest is... -Decided to go out and quest for some Mythril or something. -Wants to see what kind of stuff the other smiths of the land are creating, and maybe pick up some new knowledge. -Got bored? *shrug*
Mikal 06-26-03, 05:04 PM	Well, there is always the old 'searching for new techniques to make the ultimate sword/armor/haberdashery' type of blacksmith. If you're not the questing type when it comes to your trade you can go with pure profit-- instead of the others in the party buying their equipment, you MAKE it all for them (leastways all the ones you can make). You travel with them to get your name out in the world. "I am Abraxas, maker of the great sword Kallith, wielded by the true paladin Kal." Or something like that. Either of those can work well with a charecter concept, especially when tweaked with your own personal/campaign reference.
Baron Phylos 06-26-03, 07:40 PM	Product testing. To see if his swords work as well on Orcs as on Dragons. Money. Adventuring is risky, but the pay is good.
JusticeZero 06-26-03, 08:18 PM	A family/financial/political disaster caused him to lose his forge (Was working for a lord and the lord was usurped, had brothers and another sibling turned up and inherited the forge, etc) and needs to go out into the world to find where to set up a new start.. Searching for a long-lost technique (I saw this blade of sublime manufacture brought here by a traveller. I am questing to find the smith who created it, so I can learn how to duplicate the technique..) Any wanderlust/quest hooks that apply to anyone else
Barrid 06-26-03, 09:26 PM	You also need to think of why he doesn't go back. If its wanderlust, there you go. If he has no forge to go home to, even better. Just going for one specific task makes your character kind of odd for continuing to adventure after he has completed his "quest." Unless you give him a new one, of course. I like the idea that he either fell out of favor with his lord (who owns the land the smithy is on) or the Lord dies (maybe even mysteriously) and his unlikeable younger brother assuming his titles, boots you off his land. You could wander just looking for some way to make money to buy land and start a new forge and discover that there are people worse off than yourself. And by the strength of your arms and goodness of your heart you decide to help people all over the world before you help yourself. Or if your Lord DID die mysteriously you could find out through your adventures and come back for his revenge. You'd become an outlaw (for murder), living as an adventurer in foreign lands once your Lord's revenge is complete. Basically, unless your character has itchy feet, you have to come up with a compelling reason for him to stay on the move instead of just settling down. I'm always fond of the haphazard and helpless guy who keeps finding himself sucked up into crazy adventures despite his best efforts to settle down. G'luck.
Dell Kallyan 06-26-03, 10:43 PM	- Maybe the smith had dreamed of becoming an adventurer when he was young, but he was compelled to become a smith like his father was when he inherited the forge from his father, and became the town's smith. Then the town he lived in was destroyed or for some reason he was forced to take up a new life, and he decided to be an adventurer just as he had dreamed when he was young. He then somehow meets up with the group (maybe in a tavern, or he could fighting orcs or some creatures and the party happens across him and saves him, etc.) - Maybe something dear to him (family member, a prized possession, etc.) was taken/missing and he is searching for it or clues to its location.
Frodo Lives 06-26-03, 11:36 PM	Having the smith join the adventurers to realize a childhood fantasy is a good idea, maybe he's a pretty good smith but with self esteem issues, never thought he was good enough with a sword to truely become an adventuring fighter. Disaster stikes his town or village and for the first time in years and years is forced to take up a blade in self defence, where as before he only practiced with weapons that he had forged to ensure balance, and sturdyness but secretly he loved to pretend to fight great battles. He succeeds and slays the orcs, or bandits, or whatever and earns the respect of his fellow townsfolk and maybe even the adventurers admire his skill, and invite him to have an ale at the tavern where after a few drinks he admits his secret desire to travel the world and do great deeds and actually use the weapons and armor he forges. The adventuring group, moved by his story and strength of character, offer him a place in their group as a junior member. (and it never hurts to have someone on the dungeon crawl who can make quick repairs to the armour!:) ) And off you go.....
Daxtor 06-27-03, 07:19 AM	great ideas everyone!! I think I gonna use a mix of all the suggestions, they are great! thx!