Cleric to warlock... how? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cleric to warlock... how? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Eprahs
12-15-07, 03:34 AM My group isn't very roleplay heavy, but being a DM myself most of the time I don't like the idea of stuff just happening. I am looking to have my cleric become an Eldritch Desciple, but I can't find any way to justify my cleric becoming a warlock. The eldritch deciple states that some gods of chaotic or evil alignments often have the more fanatically devout take the eldritch desciple path(fortuitously including my deity Corellon Larethain), the problem is that I can't think of a fluff way to have that happen.

I tried asking my DM and he said it doesn't matter, "it's only fluff anyway." So... you know, he's no use. I just don't feel right that my utterly devout(albeit racist) cleric, all of a sudden, gains powers normally attributed to the cursed, at best, and demon worshipers, more towards the other end. I understand that it's my god giving me the powers, I just don't know how to explain that all of a sudden he decided to give me these "demonic" powers as well. We haven't even faced any demons yet... well a few crazy wizards, a 3 day long illusionary realm, and a frankenstein-ish monster... no demons though.

So, any ideas or opinions would be very welcome.

Thanks,
~eprahs
Dead_Weasel
12-15-07, 03:35 PM Tsk! Warlocks are associated with Fey patrons as well as fiendish ones, and Corellon Larethian is a reasonable god for Fey creatures to serve. Call of the beast would be a good first invocation if you really want to emphasize the connection; although it is not particularly powerful, and its usefulness will depend upon your campaign.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
12-15-07, 05:37 PM Yes, fey powers, not demonic ones. Heck, cold iron is even known to be anathema to fey, and you gain DR against it. Seems perfect to me. Maybe your eldritch blast appear as an arrow made of the starry night sky. Maybe you started down the path of the warlock after being a divine emissary of some sort to the fey. Maybe there was a particular elven village coming into conflict with the fey and you served as the diplomat. (Talk to your DM about including that RP opportunity). If you hadn't mentioned that your cleric is racist, I would have suggested that maybe a particular group of fey was rebelling from their usual role, and it was your job to bring them back into the fold. Or maybe you just rescued them from a necromancer. Maybe you're assigned the role of supporting/serving one group of fey's interests. Could be some interesting RP about how you feel about your god saying, "screw it, you guys take care of him, guide him. I've got other worshippers to attend to him. Just give him tasks you want done, and tell him I said to do it."
Eprahs
12-16-07, 06:37 AM I definitely understand that warlock powers can be fey, but my problem is... is Corellon Fey? I mean, he's a god, right? I'm just looking for a roleplaying reason for how/why all of a sudden Corellon decides to give me warlock powers, or allows me to make a pact with a fey creature without losing my clerical status... possibly an Eladrin(3e version). Actually, aren't Eladrin fey angelic creatures?

Maybe I'm mistaken, but either way, it doesn't seem to make sense that it would be something to happen for no reason at all. Is there some kind of evil that can't be defeated by the powers of light alone? Also something that can't be defeated with the assistance of the wizard(diviner), rogue, spellthief, ranger or bard?

I just, personally, don't like the idea that my cleric, for no apparent reason, gains warlock powers with no reperocussions. Is there some kind of way to make the transformation a dramatic scene? I asked my DM again, this time explaining the whole concept of my concern, and he decided that he'd allow it as long as I played him having to get much darker do to the nature of the powers he'd control. Still doesn't help my problem, and actually puts some(albeit few and expected) restraints on my roleplaying.

Thanks for the ideas though, and I very well try and get my DM to have the powers come from a fey(albeit aligned with my god) source, if it fits into his campaign.

Thanks again,
~eprahs

p.s. About the whole racist thing, he's only racist in the sense that he "knows" that all other races are lower and are all ignorant, filthy and expendable. He feels that most races, by no fault of their own were created to be inferior, and therefor are tools to be used for the greater good of all Elves. He even pities some of the shorter lived races, as they have no chance to gain the knowledge of their own place in the greater world, and as such are like children and innocent. He does carry a strong hate for Orcs(obviously), as well as the Dwarven race because they live long lives yet spend most of it hording treasure and spending it on the most selfish of things(obviously not all of any playable race is selfish or bad, but he's racist and that helps blind him to anything contrary to his beliefs). I'm definitely playing him as a priest who is searching for his flock to guide them away from the sins of a new world(we're playing in a new colony adventure, so there are few churches of Corellon and fewer priest to guide/protect the other elves). Also, he really hates gnomes and halflings, not for any real reason... except that their little bodies disgust him.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
12-16-07, 10:12 AM Well, elves can have a connection to fey. Just ask your DM how closely associated are elves with woodlands and hence the fey? It just seems to me that Corellon would use fey as his emissaries, not angels. Think of it this way: you serve Corellon, but you've also got a patron saint (fey). Begin to play up the nature-loving hippie aspect of elves. At least, make it known that the races are meant to live in closer commune with nature, like the elves do.
Mad_Jack
12-16-07, 10:40 AM Well, if your character's trying to bring all elves closer to their heritage and history, restoring their "ancient glory", etc., it would certainly follow that his devotion to the "Old Ways" would allow him to start developing fey powers. Corellon walks the wildest, oldest forests of the planes, and it would make sense for you to start drawing power from the plane that Corellon calls his home. The whole thing about "ancient pacts" and "distant ancestors" is only fluff and flavor text - there's no real reason why your warlock levels couldn't just be a gift from Corellon...
Eprahs
12-16-07, 11:32 AM Well, elves can have a connection to fey. Just ask your DM how closely associated are elves with woodlands and hence the fey? It just seems to me that Corellon would use fey as his emissaries, not angels. Think of it this way: you serve Corellon, but you've also got a patron saint (fey). Begin to play up the nature-loving hippie aspect of elves. At least, make it known that the races are meant to live in closer commune with nature, like the elves do.

I like the idea of a patron saint, it kinda gives me a guardian angel(fey). I'm sure my DM won't play up the guardian angel thing too much, but it'll be something different at least.

As far as the "old ways" and trying to restore the elves to such, what your saying is instead of saying that I have been granted innate powers, I draw my powers from another plane of existence? That's actually pretty cool, kinda like drawing from another weave... that's not the shadow weave.

I really like your thoughts on the subject, and will definitely bring them up with my DM(as far as fitting into his campaign). It's also giving me new thoughts on how to roleplay this guy after I start getting warlock powers, so this'll be a lot of fun.

Thanks,
~eprahs
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
12-16-07, 05:44 PM Glad to be of service. Yeah, I definitely like the patron saint and guardian fey idea. And Eprah's is really neat too. If you do want to go with mine, you could maybe represent it by taking leadership and having a killoren companion representing some minor avatar or emissary of your patron. That's your guardian fey. And of course your followers represent your church. I'm loving more and more the unique ways you could use leadership for RP purposes. I'm finally beginning to get the followers aspect. Like in my own little quest for help. (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=960758)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eprahs 12-15-07, 03:34 AM	My group isn't very roleplay heavy, but being a DM myself most of the time I don't like the idea of stuff just happening. I am looking to have my cleric become an Eldritch Desciple, but I can't find any way to justify my cleric becoming a warlock. The eldritch deciple states that some gods of chaotic or evil alignments often have the more fanatically devout take the eldritch desciple path(fortuitously including my deity Corellon Larethain), the problem is that I can't think of a fluff way to have that happen. I tried asking my DM and he said it doesn't matter, "it's only fluff anyway." So... you know, he's no use. I just don't feel right that my utterly devout(albeit racist) cleric, all of a sudden, gains powers normally attributed to the cursed, at best, and demon worshipers, more towards the other end. I understand that it's my god giving me the powers, I just don't know how to explain that all of a sudden he decided to give me these "demonic" powers as well. We haven't even faced any demons yet... well a few crazy wizards, a 3 day long illusionary realm, and a frankenstein-ish monster... no demons though. So, any ideas or opinions would be very welcome. Thanks, ~eprahs
Dead_Weasel 12-15-07, 03:35 PM	Tsk! Warlocks are associated with Fey patrons as well as fiendish ones, and Corellon Larethian is a reasonable god for Fey creatures to serve. Call of the beast would be a good first invocation if you really want to emphasize the connection; although it is not particularly powerful, and its usefulness will depend upon your campaign.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 12-15-07, 05:37 PM	Yes, fey powers, not demonic ones. Heck, cold iron is even known to be anathema to fey, and you gain DR against it. Seems perfect to me. Maybe your eldritch blast appear as an arrow made of the starry night sky. Maybe you started down the path of the warlock after being a divine emissary of some sort to the fey. Maybe there was a particular elven village coming into conflict with the fey and you served as the diplomat. (Talk to your DM about including that RP opportunity). If you hadn't mentioned that your cleric is racist, I would have suggested that maybe a particular group of fey was rebelling from their usual role, and it was your job to bring them back into the fold. Or maybe you just rescued them from a necromancer. Maybe you're assigned the role of supporting/serving one group of fey's interests. Could be some interesting RP about how you feel about your god saying, "screw it, you guys take care of him, guide him. I've got other worshippers to attend to him. Just give him tasks you want done, and tell him I said to do it."
Eprahs 12-16-07, 06:37 AM	I definitely understand that warlock powers can be fey, but my problem is... is Corellon Fey? I mean, he's a god, right? I'm just looking for a roleplaying reason for how/why all of a sudden Corellon decides to give me warlock powers, or allows me to make a pact with a fey creature without losing my clerical status... possibly an Eladrin(3e version). Actually, aren't Eladrin fey angelic creatures? Maybe I'm mistaken, but either way, it doesn't seem to make sense that it would be something to happen for no reason at all. Is there some kind of evil that can't be defeated by the powers of light alone? Also something that can't be defeated with the assistance of the wizard(diviner), rogue, spellthief, ranger or bard? I just, personally, don't like the idea that my cleric, for no apparent reason, gains warlock powers with no reperocussions. Is there some kind of way to make the transformation a dramatic scene? I asked my DM again, this time explaining the whole concept of my concern, and he decided that he'd allow it as long as I played him having to get much darker do to the nature of the powers he'd control. Still doesn't help my problem, and actually puts some(albeit few and expected) restraints on my roleplaying. Thanks for the ideas though, and I very well try and get my DM to have the powers come from a fey(albeit aligned with my god) source, if it fits into his campaign. Thanks again, ~eprahs p.s. About the whole racist thing, he's only racist in the sense that he "knows" that all other races are lower and are all ignorant, filthy and expendable. He feels that most races, by no fault of their own were created to be inferior, and therefor are tools to be used for the greater good of all Elves. He even pities some of the shorter lived races, as they have no chance to gain the knowledge of their own place in the greater world, and as such are like children and innocent. He does carry a strong hate for Orcs(obviously), as well as the Dwarven race because they live long lives yet spend most of it hording treasure and spending it on the most selfish of things(obviously not all of any playable race is selfish or bad, but he's racist and that helps blind him to anything contrary to his beliefs). I'm definitely playing him as a priest who is searching for his flock to guide them away from the sins of a new world(we're playing in a new colony adventure, so there are few churches of Corellon and fewer priest to guide/protect the other elves). Also, he really hates gnomes and halflings, not for any real reason... except that their little bodies disgust him.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 12-16-07, 10:12 AM	Well, elves can have a connection to fey. Just ask your DM how closely associated are elves with woodlands and hence the fey? It just seems to me that Corellon would use fey as his emissaries, not angels. Think of it this way: you serve Corellon, but you've also got a patron saint (fey). Begin to play up the nature-loving hippie aspect of elves. At least, make it known that the races are meant to live in closer commune with nature, like the elves do.
Mad_Jack 12-16-07, 10:40 AM	Well, if your character's trying to bring all elves closer to their heritage and history, restoring their "ancient glory", etc., it would certainly follow that his devotion to the "Old Ways" would allow him to start developing fey powers. Corellon walks the wildest, oldest forests of the planes, and it would make sense for you to start drawing power from the plane that Corellon calls his home. The whole thing about "ancient pacts" and "distant ancestors" is only fluff and flavor text - there's no real reason why your warlock levels couldn't just be a gift from Corellon...
Eprahs 12-16-07, 11:32 AM	Well, elves can have a connection to fey. Just ask your DM how closely associated are elves with woodlands and hence the fey? It just seems to me that Corellon would use fey as his emissaries, not angels. Think of it this way: you serve Corellon, but you've also got a patron saint (fey). Begin to play up the nature-loving hippie aspect of elves. At least, make it known that the races are meant to live in closer commune with nature, like the elves do. I like the idea of a patron saint, it kinda gives me a guardian angel(fey). I'm sure my DM won't play up the guardian angel thing too much, but it'll be something different at least. As far as the "old ways" and trying to restore the elves to such, what your saying is instead of saying that I have been granted innate powers, I draw my powers from another plane of existence? That's actually pretty cool, kinda like drawing from another weave... that's not the shadow weave. I really like your thoughts on the subject, and will definitely bring them up with my DM(as far as fitting into his campaign). It's also giving me new thoughts on how to roleplay this guy after I start getting warlock powers, so this'll be a lot of fun. Thanks, ~eprahs
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 12-16-07, 05:44 PM	Glad to be of service. Yeah, I definitely like the patron saint and guardian fey idea. And Eprah's is really neat too. If you do want to go with mine, you could maybe represent it by taking leadership and having a killoren companion representing some minor avatar or emissary of your patron. That's your guardian fey. And of course your followers represent your church. I'm loving more and more the unique ways you could use leadership for RP purposes. I'm finally beginning to get the followers aspect. Like in my own little quest for help. (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=960758)