Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mentat218 12-08-06, 08:39 PM	What I know from the DM: We're going to an unexplored island. There's the beginnings of a colony in place. No indigenous life found (yet), wildlife but nothing hostile (yet). We're responsible for also figuring out how to get there. Based in the Forgotten Realms (mostly). My character: A Ranger/Beastmaster. Wallach Damota. He's been contracted by Earthome College (a seat of druidic learning) to travel to the new island, prepare all sorts of maps and charts of the new island, explore the island for wildlife (and new wildlife). What I need help developing (2 things): 1 - The reason why my character is more at home with animals than with people. Something not so cliche. 2 - I'd like some sort of "hidden agenda" that only my character is aware that I'm working towards. I thought something in the lines of preparing the animals and wildlife to eventually drive off the human colonists to make room for the College druids to come and run the island, untouched by industry and human pollution, etc (which could work well, as one of the characters is playing a big-time industrialist-type businessman) Any suggestions, comments, etc. would be most appreciated!
JulesCARV 12-14-06, 04:01 PM	1. What do you consider to be cliché? A "raised-by-wolves" type background? Having been a professional groom or animal handler for a military organization? Working for a circus? Being a professional horse trainer? Being abused or neglected by humans and finding comfort only in sympathetic animals? Being from some sort of "pariah" caste of humans and looked down upon by other humanoids and finding animals not caring better? I'm not sure exactly which of these you consider to be cliché, which you find appealing, or what. What specific clichés do you want to avoid? 2. If you want something slightly sinister -- what about working on some magical means of "un-awakening" humanoids. He could view the ideal state for humanoids as being like other animals, but think that they got screwed up with too much intelligence and stuff, leading to all of the war, unhappiness, etc associated with the "human(oid) condition." He could work on developing a spell that's the opposite of "awaken" -- something that basically turns a humanoid (and maybe monstrous humanoid) into an animal with 2 int, -1d3 charisma, maybe gives them better hearing, smell, etc.
mentat218 12-17-06, 10:34 AM	I had considered the whole "doesn't like humans more comfortable with animals" and the "abandoned at an early age more at home with animals" genres to be pretty cliche. However, I *really* like the idea of being an ex-military animal handler/trainer. That can fit in real well with the idea of being contracted by a college to do exploration/research. As far as something sinister, I think I like the idea of along with the research/exploration aspect of my contract with the druids, I also need to prevent too much human impact on the "new world" and if need be, I can take steps to sabotage (sneakily) certain people's interests in order to preserve the natural order of things. I need to talk things over with the DM, obviously.
Angel Black 12-18-06, 11:21 AM	My character: A Ranger/Beastmaster... What I need help developing (2 things): 1 - The reason why my character is more at home with animals than with people. Something not so cliche. 2 - I'd like some sort of "hidden agenda" that only my character is aware that I'm working towards. I thought something in the lines of preparing the animals and wildlife to eventually drive off the human colonists to make room for the College druids to come and run the island, untouched by industry and human pollution, etc (which could work well, as one of the characters is playing a big-time industrialist-type businessman) Any suggestions, comments, etc. would be most appreciated! 1 - Parents used to leave him alone (busy people,or they died and foster parents were not so happy to care him) so he spent lots of time alone in the forest nearby.Ants show him how patience is a virtue,the old Owl taught him to be always alert, from the wolves he learn...etc,etc each animal was a tutor and a father to him. (To enfasize this, maybe he has some kind of feature in the face that make him ugly to humans but animals don't care, maybe is an ugly scar or something like that) 2- There are some kind of secret group (Dark Cloak Coven, Last Defilers or a name like that) that is looking the "Hidden Tree of all magic"(Mana Tree,Sacred plant,etc), magic items made with its wood are powerful, while they are looking for that legendary plant they are killing the forest because they know that when nature world is in peril the Tree tries to protect them and each time he does that makes it easier to detect his wereabouts.The College is trying to stop them but this is becoming a really hard job. (Tip, when he was a little child the hero found a creature made of wood in the forest, he taught him many things, and this creature happens to be...a treant, a woodling,the Tree..?)
camirblu 12-27-06, 07:04 PM	Possibly...he simply relates to animals. He trains them, he might also have a bad habit of one-way conversations. He can be awkward around other people unless it's a structured group and he understands what his role is. Maybe he had some really bad er, dating experiences. ;)