Does this work? Background story.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Does this work? Background story.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BobSutan
02-14-06, 09:18 PM Name: Martuke; Race: Human; Age: 60; Alignment: CE
Class: Wizard 5 / Mindbender 1 / Ur-Priest 1

Campaign info: Custom realm, essentially a prison-plane with 3 factions at war with one another. He was transported here by a god as punishment for leaching the god's energies given to his followers (Ur-Priest) and for crimes against his followers.

Backstory thus far...

While still a small child, Martuke's villige and family were visited by a cleric of an unknown faith. For reasons unknown to him, a curse soon befell his family and affected them with debilitating physical weakness. After days of agony his parents died, though he and his sister miraculously survived and were taken in by wealthy relatives to work on their estate. There, both Martuke and his sister vowed to avenge their parents' deaths.

Several years later and still affected with physical weakness, Martuke was the consumate introvert--constantly at thought, curious, and full of wonder. Perhaps it was his insight into the world around him, or maybe it was his intellect, but it didn't take long for others to realize he was gifted in the ways of magic. Despite his physical shortcomings, and warnings from his aunt and uncle, he had a way with people that worked to his advantage by convincing others to assist him with manual tasks. These skills of mainipulation, combined with his gift for magic, led to his acceptance into the regional college of wizardry. However, after only a year of studies he recieved word that his sister was abducted from his relatives' estate. She was taken away from the estate by inquisitors for crimes of blasphamy and treason. Upon word of his sister's plight he quit his studies and made his way home.

(fast forward a couple levels)

It wasn't long before he tracked down the group holding his sister. When Martuke reached them, they were resting at a church. To his dismay his sister had been brainwashed into their beliefs and at some point had even become a cleric of their faith. Worse, she then explained that she was never "abducted", but was being escorted on a holy pilgrimage required by her faith.

After a hard fought battle to free his sister's mind from their grip, he killed the cleric and paladin. In his experience his sister should have been freed from their control, but this was not the case. And then she retaliated....

...with his sister's death on his hands, and hatred of the gods in his heart, Martuke set out to inflict his pain of all those of faith for what they've done to him and his family. His pupose in life has been relegated to seeking futher power in order to inflict as much pain on those he consider's to be his mortal enemy. In his travels he discovered a way to tap into the very energy granted by the gods to their followers. This discovery would be his undoing as the gods discovered his evil plot. His punishment was a shortened lifespan (aged 40 years) and banishment to the prison world which he now inhabits.

Note: He does not kill clerics outright. He acknowledges their usefulness and will gladly accept their abilities, so long as they die at the end of the day. Or, what is even more satisfying is when he corrupts their faith (a la the movie Dogma).
Morka
02-15-06, 02:40 PM I have some issues with the concept of regional college of wizardry. He could simply have been accepted as apprentice to the local archmage. If he stole some spellbooks when he left to continue learning by himself, that could give you a long-term "rival". I wouldn't say an enemy, because the local archmage should be far more powerful than you, and if he would decide to deal with you, then your story would stop there.

Also, about your sister, perhaps did she joinned an evil church, with the hope to infiltrate them and track the cleric who cursed your family. It would be a bit deeper than the classical evil wizard who killed goody clerics and paladins...
BobSutan
02-15-06, 05:00 PM I have some issues with the concept of regional college of wizardry. He could simply have been accepted as apprentice to the local archmage. If he stole some spellbooks when he left to continue learning by himself, that could give you a long-term "rival". I wouldn't say an enemy, because the local archmage should be far more powerful than you, and if he would decide to deal with you, then your story would stop there.

Also, about your sister, perhaps did she joinned an evil church, with the hope to infiltrate them and track the cleric who cursed your family. It would be a bit deeper than the classical evil wizard who killed goody clerics and paladins...

I like the bit about him being an apprentice vs going off to wizardry college. As for the sister, her motives were actually a bit more complex than what you suggested. She was good, the family was evil, yet at such a young age Martuke didn't realize it--his father was something of a war criminal. The sister realized the life she grew up in wasn't what she thought and was trying to atone(sp?) for her sins--basically it was one of those "she ran away to the conventry" sorta thing. The aunt and uncle were evil in their own right and fed Martuke and his sister lies growing up, same as their parents. So he's as much a victem of his own upbringing as he was of the cleric's "curse".

Anyway, he goes off to find the sister and realizes what she's become, but to him she's the embodiment of what destroyed their very own family: religious bigotry and/or blind devotion. To make matters worse, when he was trying to free her from the cleric and paladin he never realized she had actually chose to go with them, until she fought back. The ensuing battle resulted in her death, his crushed spirit, and a burning hatred for all those of faith. Those that especially draw out his temper are those that give praise and express their faith publicly.

He's a man torn between two worlds: he tries to be a good person and attempts to hold in his rage when in the company of holy-rollers. And he still tries to do the right thing by his life to make up for what has happened, but he just cannot fogive his family, "the church", and himself for what has happened. However, deep down he desires the power to make those that did this to him pay for what they've done. His goal in life, whether he knows it or not, is to redefine the phrase "divine retribution".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BobSutan 02-14-06, 09:18 PM	Name: Martuke; Race: Human; Age: 60; Alignment: CE Class: Wizard 5 / Mindbender 1 / Ur-Priest 1 Campaign info: Custom realm, essentially a prison-plane with 3 factions at war with one another. He was transported here by a god as punishment for leaching the god's energies given to his followers (Ur-Priest) and for crimes against his followers. Backstory thus far... While still a small child, Martuke's villige and family were visited by a cleric of an unknown faith. For reasons unknown to him, a curse soon befell his family and affected them with debilitating physical weakness. After days of agony his parents died, though he and his sister miraculously survived and were taken in by wealthy relatives to work on their estate. There, both Martuke and his sister vowed to avenge their parents' deaths. Several years later and still affected with physical weakness, Martuke was the consumate introvert--constantly at thought, curious, and full of wonder. Perhaps it was his insight into the world around him, or maybe it was his intellect, but it didn't take long for others to realize he was gifted in the ways of magic. Despite his physical shortcomings, and warnings from his aunt and uncle, he had a way with people that worked to his advantage by convincing others to assist him with manual tasks. These skills of mainipulation, combined with his gift for magic, led to his acceptance into the regional college of wizardry. However, after only a year of studies he recieved word that his sister was abducted from his relatives' estate. She was taken away from the estate by inquisitors for crimes of blasphamy and treason. Upon word of his sister's plight he quit his studies and made his way home. (fast forward a couple levels) It wasn't long before he tracked down the group holding his sister. When Martuke reached them, they were resting at a church. To his dismay his sister had been brainwashed into their beliefs and at some point had even become a cleric of their faith. Worse, she then explained that she was never "abducted", but was being escorted on a holy pilgrimage required by her faith. After a hard fought battle to free his sister's mind from their grip, he killed the cleric and paladin. In his experience his sister should have been freed from their control, but this was not the case. And then she retaliated.... ...with his sister's death on his hands, and hatred of the gods in his heart, Martuke set out to inflict his pain of all those of faith for what they've done to him and his family. His pupose in life has been relegated to seeking futher power in order to inflict as much pain on those he consider's to be his mortal enemy. In his travels he discovered a way to tap into the very energy granted by the gods to their followers. This discovery would be his undoing as the gods discovered his evil plot. His punishment was a shortened lifespan (aged 40 years) and banishment to the prison world which he now inhabits. Note: He does not kill clerics outright. He acknowledges their usefulness and will gladly accept their abilities, so long as they die at the end of the day. Or, what is even more satisfying is when he corrupts their faith (a la the movie Dogma).
Morka 02-15-06, 02:40 PM	I have some issues with the concept of regional college of wizardry. He could simply have been accepted as apprentice to the local archmage. If he stole some spellbooks when he left to continue learning by himself, that could give you a long-term "rival". I wouldn't say an enemy, because the local archmage should be far more powerful than you, and if he would decide to deal with you, then your story would stop there. Also, about your sister, perhaps did she joinned an evil church, with the hope to infiltrate them and track the cleric who cursed your family. It would be a bit deeper than the classical evil wizard who killed goody clerics and paladins...
BobSutan 02-15-06, 05:00 PM	I have some issues with the concept of regional college of wizardry. He could simply have been accepted as apprentice to the local archmage. If he stole some spellbooks when he left to continue learning by himself, that could give you a long-term "rival". I wouldn't say an enemy, because the local archmage should be far more powerful than you, and if he would decide to deal with you, then your story would stop there. Also, about your sister, perhaps did she joinned an evil church, with the hope to infiltrate them and track the cleric who cursed your family. It would be a bit deeper than the classical evil wizard who killed goody clerics and paladins... I like the bit about him being an apprentice vs going off to wizardry college. As for the sister, her motives were actually a bit more complex than what you suggested. She was good, the family was evil, yet at such a young age Martuke didn't realize it--his father was something of a war criminal. The sister realized the life she grew up in wasn't what she thought and was trying to atone(sp?) for her sins--basically it was one of those "she ran away to the conventry" sorta thing. The aunt and uncle were evil in their own right and fed Martuke and his sister lies growing up, same as their parents. So he's as much a victem of his own upbringing as he was of the cleric's "curse". Anyway, he goes off to find the sister and realizes what she's become, but to him she's the embodiment of what destroyed their very own family: religious bigotry and/or blind devotion. To make matters worse, when he was trying to free her from the cleric and paladin he never realized she had actually chose to go with them, until she fought back. The ensuing battle resulted in her death, his crushed spirit, and a burning hatred for all those of faith. Those that especially draw out his temper are those that give praise and express their faith publicly. He's a man torn between two worlds: he tries to be a good person and attempts to hold in his rage when in the company of holy-rollers. And he still tries to do the right thing by his life to make up for what has happened, but he just cannot fogive his family, "the church", and himself for what has happened. However, deep down he desires the power to make those that did this to him pay for what they've done. His goal in life, whether he knows it or not, is to redefine the phrase "divine retribution".