Downtime in writing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Downtime in writing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Stormbrand
10-23-06, 01:37 AM A pet project I have taken up has been writing up some characters into a fan-fiction or novel form. It is going well, and I really enjoy it, but 6 chapters in and there is a problem.

So, the main character is "between assignments" at the moment, and does not have enough information to begin planning his next task. Yet the character greatly dislikes being idle. So I need to find him some things to do with his time (normally he seeks out more evil to destroy the moment he recovers from his past battle).

The character in question is a Paladin/Sorcerer/Eldritch Knight, in service to the Champions Vigilant and currently stationed in Chevangard. Nearby is Survale Ford, "a devout town dedicated to Helm." The problem with such a small and dedicated town is that there is no work that truly needs doing.

I am hoping for this downtime to be very revealing about the character. He is a Knight-watchword, handling warding, divination, anything planes related, and containing evils impossible to destroy. (Has a few demons kept chained up)

So what I would like is ideas to occupy the character.

My ideas so far (undeveloped);

Visiting a captive in the process of redemption (forgiveness is one of his main traits),

Renewing the bindings containing an evil, probably involves confronting one of the demons kept chained up (just thought of that while writing now, I like this thought).

Any other ideas please? Or could you help me develop these? Thank you.
Fithero
10-23-06, 02:16 AM perhaps he finds that the villagers nearby are becomming interested in his work, this could lead to-

-someone wanting to become an apprentice
-someone sneaking into the area where the demons are kept and being killed/lured into helping the demon

Or perhaps just unexplainable things are happening around the characters HQ, trees are dying within a certain radius, animals refuse to come near, a strange mist always hugs the ground around the HQ's base.

Whats causing these things could be anything, but finding out might have to wait until his next period of downtime, where apon they could have gotten worse.

Hope this helps some.

Peace
Stormbrand
10-23-06, 05:26 PM perhaps he finds that the villagers nearby are becomming interested in his work, this could lead to-

-someone wanting to become an apprentice
-someone sneaking into the area where the demons are kept and being killed/lured into helping the demon

I like. Though the character tends to keep a VERY tight lid on that side of his work, that alone could be enough to get people interested.

Getting anywhere near the chained demon would be nigh-impossible for... well... anyone. It his kept in a hidden sanctuary that most of the time the character accesses through a teleport key fixed in a vault hidden behind a secret door in Chevangard (a Helmite fortress, as secure as it gets). Once IN the sanctuary, an issue is bypassing all of the wards and War Horrors to get anywhere near the chained demon.

As for the corrupted lands aspect, intriguing but I don't see that happening anywhere near Chevangard. The character is more proactive than reactive.
kilishan
10-23-06, 06:12 PM You might be able to reveal some of his character by having the villagers bring a false accusation against someone. That way, while he's investigating, he'll be forced to fight the urge to find something bad just to have something to do and to do what's right. You know, show the more "human" side of him. Granted, you'll probably have him find the truth and give up, but the inner struggle could be fun.

And to expand from there, you could have the false accusation only look like it's false and turn out to be someone/thing trying to destroy him and is right now simply gathering information so they can size him up and be truly ready when it's time to kill him.

Perhaps a demon on a revenge streak?
Stormbrand
10-24-06, 11:10 AM You might be able to reveal some of his character by having the villagers bring a false accusation against someone. That way, while he's investigating, he'll be forced to fight the urge to find something bad just to have something to do and to do what's right. You know, show the more "human" side of him. Granted, you'll probably have him find the truth and give up, but the inner struggle could be fun.

And to expand from there, you could have the false accusation only look like it's false and turn out to be someone/thing trying to destroy him and is right now simply gathering information so they can size him up and be truly ready when it's time to kill him.

Perhaps a demon on a revenge streak?

Very good! I will be sure to use that later, since the character's natural drive could work against him at some point. I dare say merely investigating would be enough to keep him happy, turning witch hunter would be very unlike him (he is too forgiving really).

I've gotten slightly further. The character has returned to his vault complex where he keeps the demon chained up (as well as a few unholy/dangerous relics locked away). At the moment I get to describe some of the traps in place for the event of intruders or escapees, which is fun because they are downright nasty in ways often unexpected from a paladin.

Renewing the wards (which probably don't really need renewing but the character is thorough by nature) may fill up some of his time. The confrontation with whatever-the-hell he keeps chained up down there has potential (though not fully sure how to develop the demon prisoner).

Another possibility is that the character understands the importance of his work, yet serves on the field very frequently. It may be worth the character arranging a successor, which would have very strict criteria.

These are good ideas, I like them. One thing I want to convey is that the character is very proactive in doing good, as opposed to being reactive and just sorting out problems when they come up.

Thanks for so far, any more thoughts please?
Daxen
10-27-06, 03:05 AM Depending on what you want to do and this is off the top of my head so bare with me....

The character finds love..., now with a Paladin of course it is the ureachable star, love that cannot be/ or shouldn't be but is.

While his guard is down one of the demons working and ancient but subtle magic does not break out but corrupts someone to his ends.

Depending on which way you want to go. It could be a betrayer priest... Paladin's hate those.

Or just someone who threatens to reveal his "tawdry affair", true or not, to besmerch your honor and make him appear a hypocrite infront of all those whom he protect. Fabricated evidence, situations taken out of context, but believable to the common man.

How he addapts to this situation can define an aspect of the character not yet revealed.
furor
10-27-06, 05:07 PM in renewing the wards on the demon, the hero begins to speak to the demon, they converse for a while and it seems that the demon is hinting at the fact that something horrific is going to happen. this is a ploy by the demon to start trying to subvert the paladin. He begins by asking if the paladin is expecting company, and then worms his way into asking whether or not the paladin has ever doubted his vows, saying that if he could the demon would repent his nature, but that his hands are tied by the will of the gods. he then works on the paladin about his vows of celibacy or lack of a woman etc. have fun with it, just some ideas
Stormbrand
10-28-06, 01:53 PM in renewing the wards on the demon, the hero begins to speak to the demon, they converse for a while and it seems that the demon is hinting at the fact that something horrific is going to happen. this is a ploy by the demon to start trying to subvert the paladin. He begins by asking if the paladin is expecting company, and then worms his way into asking whether or not the paladin has ever doubted his vows, saying that if he could the demon would repent his nature, but that his hands are tied by the will of the gods. he then works on the paladin about his vows of celibacy or lack of a woman etc. have fun with it, just some ideas

:D Been doing something very similar, the demon constantly tries to undermine the paladin's faith. The paladin, of course, is having none of it.

I like the idea, but I have already wrote the scene. Of course the demon is very isolated and cut off from any information.

By the way, the paladin is not bound to celibacy, but refrains from romance because he has too many secrets and obligations. Of course, this is a fellow who does not discuss his romantic life with archdemons.:shifty:
Stormbrand
11-10-06, 04:29 PM Further ideas from here please?

He has finished bickering with the archdemon. On his way out. Something else to be doing.

- Arranging a clone and successor? (lets face it, if he dies on the field who will renew the wards?)

- Someone imprisoned within a magic item, and the paladin/sorcerer is trying to find a way to free the captive.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stormbrand 10-23-06, 01:37 AM	A pet project I have taken up has been writing up some characters into a fan-fiction or novel form. It is going well, and I really enjoy it, but 6 chapters in and there is a problem. So, the main character is "between assignments" at the moment, and does not have enough information to begin planning his next task. Yet the character greatly dislikes being idle. So I need to find him some things to do with his time (normally he seeks out more evil to destroy the moment he recovers from his past battle). The character in question is a Paladin/Sorcerer/Eldritch Knight, in service to the Champions Vigilant and currently stationed in Chevangard. Nearby is Survale Ford, "a devout town dedicated to Helm." The problem with such a small and dedicated town is that there is no work that truly needs doing. I am hoping for this downtime to be very revealing about the character. He is a Knight-watchword, handling warding, divination, anything planes related, and containing evils impossible to destroy. (Has a few demons kept chained up) So what I would like is ideas to occupy the character. My ideas so far (undeveloped); Visiting a captive in the process of redemption (forgiveness is one of his main traits), Renewing the bindings containing an evil, probably involves confronting one of the demons kept chained up (just thought of that while writing now, I like this thought). Any other ideas please? Or could you help me develop these? Thank you.
Fithero 10-23-06, 02:16 AM	perhaps he finds that the villagers nearby are becomming interested in his work, this could lead to- -someone wanting to become an apprentice -someone sneaking into the area where the demons are kept and being killed/lured into helping the demon Or perhaps just unexplainable things are happening around the characters HQ, trees are dying within a certain radius, animals refuse to come near, a strange mist always hugs the ground around the HQ's base. Whats causing these things could be anything, but finding out might have to wait until his next period of downtime, where apon they could have gotten worse. Hope this helps some. Peace
Stormbrand 10-23-06, 05:26 PM	perhaps he finds that the villagers nearby are becomming interested in his work, this could lead to- -someone wanting to become an apprentice -someone sneaking into the area where the demons are kept and being killed/lured into helping the demon I like. Though the character tends to keep a VERY tight lid on that side of his work, that alone could be enough to get people interested. Getting anywhere near the chained demon would be nigh-impossible for... well... anyone. It his kept in a hidden sanctuary that most of the time the character accesses through a teleport key fixed in a vault hidden behind a secret door in Chevangard (a Helmite fortress, as secure as it gets). Once IN the sanctuary, an issue is bypassing all of the wards and War Horrors to get anywhere near the chained demon. As for the corrupted lands aspect, intriguing but I don't see that happening anywhere near Chevangard. The character is more proactive than reactive.
kilishan 10-23-06, 06:12 PM	You might be able to reveal some of his character by having the villagers bring a false accusation against someone. That way, while he's investigating, he'll be forced to fight the urge to find something bad just to have something to do and to do what's right. You know, show the more "human" side of him. Granted, you'll probably have him find the truth and give up, but the inner struggle could be fun. And to expand from there, you could have the false accusation only look like it's false and turn out to be someone/thing trying to destroy him and is right now simply gathering information so they can size him up and be truly ready when it's time to kill him. Perhaps a demon on a revenge streak?
Stormbrand 10-24-06, 11:10 AM	You might be able to reveal some of his character by having the villagers bring a false accusation against someone. That way, while he's investigating, he'll be forced to fight the urge to find something bad just to have something to do and to do what's right. You know, show the more "human" side of him. Granted, you'll probably have him find the truth and give up, but the inner struggle could be fun. And to expand from there, you could have the false accusation only look like it's false and turn out to be someone/thing trying to destroy him and is right now simply gathering information so they can size him up and be truly ready when it's time to kill him. Perhaps a demon on a revenge streak? Very good! I will be sure to use that later, since the character's natural drive could work against him at some point. I dare say merely investigating would be enough to keep him happy, turning witch hunter would be very unlike him (he is too forgiving really). I've gotten slightly further. The character has returned to his vault complex where he keeps the demon chained up (as well as a few unholy/dangerous relics locked away). At the moment I get to describe some of the traps in place for the event of intruders or escapees, which is fun because they are downright nasty in ways often unexpected from a paladin. Renewing the wards (which probably don't really need renewing but the character is thorough by nature) may fill up some of his time. The confrontation with whatever-the-hell he keeps chained up down there has potential (though not fully sure how to develop the demon prisoner). Another possibility is that the character understands the importance of his work, yet serves on the field very frequently. It may be worth the character arranging a successor, which would have very strict criteria. These are good ideas, I like them. One thing I want to convey is that the character is very proactive in doing good, as opposed to being reactive and just sorting out problems when they come up. Thanks for so far, any more thoughts please?
Daxen 10-27-06, 03:05 AM	Depending on what you want to do and this is off the top of my head so bare with me.... The character finds love..., now with a Paladin of course it is the ureachable star, love that cannot be/ or shouldn't be but is. While his guard is down one of the demons working and ancient but subtle magic does not break out but corrupts someone to his ends. Depending on which way you want to go. It could be a betrayer priest... Paladin's hate those. Or just someone who threatens to reveal his "tawdry affair", true or not, to besmerch your honor and make him appear a hypocrite infront of all those whom he protect. Fabricated evidence, situations taken out of context, but believable to the common man. How he addapts to this situation can define an aspect of the character not yet revealed.
furor 10-27-06, 05:07 PM	in renewing the wards on the demon, the hero begins to speak to the demon, they converse for a while and it seems that the demon is hinting at the fact that something horrific is going to happen. this is a ploy by the demon to start trying to subvert the paladin. He begins by asking if the paladin is expecting company, and then worms his way into asking whether or not the paladin has ever doubted his vows, saying that if he could the demon would repent his nature, but that his hands are tied by the will of the gods. he then works on the paladin about his vows of celibacy or lack of a woman etc. have fun with it, just some ideas
Stormbrand 10-28-06, 01:53 PM	in renewing the wards on the demon, the hero begins to speak to the demon, they converse for a while and it seems that the demon is hinting at the fact that something horrific is going to happen. this is a ploy by the demon to start trying to subvert the paladin. He begins by asking if the paladin is expecting company, and then worms his way into asking whether or not the paladin has ever doubted his vows, saying that if he could the demon would repent his nature, but that his hands are tied by the will of the gods. he then works on the paladin about his vows of celibacy or lack of a woman etc. have fun with it, just some ideas :D Been doing something very similar, the demon constantly tries to undermine the paladin's faith. The paladin, of course, is having none of it. I like the idea, but I have already wrote the scene. Of course the demon is very isolated and cut off from any information. By the way, the paladin is not bound to celibacy, but refrains from romance because he has too many secrets and obligations. Of course, this is a fellow who does not discuss his romantic life with archdemons.:shifty:
Stormbrand 11-10-06, 04:29 PM	Further ideas from here please? He has finished bickering with the archdemon. On his way out. Something else to be doing. - Arranging a clone and successor? (lets face it, if he dies on the field who will renew the wards?) - Someone imprisoned within a magic item, and the paladin/sorcerer is trying to find a way to free the captive.