Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mastermind020 01-12-05, 02:09 AM	Hey all, this is the rogue I plan on playing for my group's next campaign. Attempting to get deeper into the roleplaying aspect of the game with this characters so just wondering what you experts think. Erebus “The Wyrm” Blackwyrm Male Human Rogue (Burglar/Thief subtype) Age: 27 Height: 5’11” Weight: 143 lbs. Hair: Short-cut (nearly buzzed), Raven Black Facial Hair: Light stubble Eyes: Ebony brown Skin: Tanned dark brown Physique: Strong and well-toned but simultaneously lithe and dexterous Personality/Physical Quirks: Witty and dry sense of humor; thinks everything (including life itself) is a game, borderline arrogant, is most often seen subconsciously passing a coin effortlessly through his fingers Alignment: Chaotic Good (“Rebel”) Patron Deity: Tymora Region/Hometown: Calimport, Calimshan Trademark/Unique Marks: A long tattoo of a twin-headed black desert wyrm with a red-diamonded back adorns Erebus’ left arm and stretches from his shoulder to his wrist. Erebus got the tattoo in his earlier days to match the reputation and nickname given to him by his fellow thieves. He also wears three silver earrings given to him by his old master for “luck” in his upper left ear. Erebus “The Wyrm” Blackwyrm is man of many things: a thief, a rogue, a gambler, a man of fortune, a desperado, a thrill-seeker, a jack-of-all-trades, a smooth-talker, and a daring, debonair braggadocio among many other things. He is of course a burglar by profession, not be confused with a pickpocket, cutpurse or petty thief. Indeed, Erebus would scoff at these incorrect titles. After all, Erebus is man of skill, and as such constantly seeks to improve himself by only taking jobs and hitting marks he believes are worthy of a challenge. Robbing an innocent bystander or stealing on a whim are not the ways of a true “thief”; at least not in Erebus’ mind. Erebus does not steal to get rich (though he does have a strong fondness for treasure), but rather to see if he can steal, to test and hone his abilities. Despite being born and raised in the city of Calimport, infamous capital of Calimshan and home to the most despicable assassins, thieves, cutthroats, nobles, pashas, thugs, outlaws and other decedents of society in all of Faerűn, Erebus has developed a modus operandi quite contrary to the above environment and tends to adhere to his own “code” of conduct. Simply stated, this modus or code is: rob from the rich and give to the poor. Unlike the vast majority of Calishites, Erebus is good and benevolent at heart. He does not steal from innocents and has a special fondness for children. Nothing pleases Erebus more than to infiltrate the quarters of a corrupt and rich Calishtie sultan or noble, previously thought impregnable, steal a fortune, leave his mark, then proceed to distribute the fortune (while keeping a little for himself of course) to the thousands of poor and wronged slaves barley managing to survive in the Calimport streets. On certain occasions as well, Erebus likes to steal priceless and heavily guarded artifacts, only to see if he can, then see if he can put them back the next day when security is even higher. His cunning and kindness have granted him the status of a hero among the slaves of Calimshan. Despite all of his charm and bravado, Erebus is a calculating and witty opponent, able to think quickly on his feet should trouble arise. He is skillful with words and also quick with his hands. He reaches not first for the hilts of his daggers when backed into a corner, but instead tries to talk his way out of trouble, using his charm and wit to confuse and disorient his aggressor. He also revels in games of chance and is quite the skilled gambler, aggressively seeking out opponents worthy enough to challenge him. Despite his devil-may-care attitude, Erebus is also a loyal and caring companion to those who earn his trust and always watches out for the well being of his friends. Erebus is also known for his compassion and would prefer to outwit his opponents rather than outright kill them; for this creates humiliation for the fooled, and humiliation is often much worse than death in Calimshan. Erebus’ personality can be perceived as borderline arrogant (which can be a weakness at times). He enjoys having the nickname of “The Wyrm” and plays to it. He is a rebel by nature and this can be seen in his physical demeanor as well. His stance, the way he walks with his head cocked to one side, his slight squint, his chronic smirk and his darting eyes all suggest a slight air of superiority. He laughs in the face of danger, often jests during somber events and rarely takes anything (with the exception of proper burglary) too seriously. To Erebus, life and everything in it is one big game. Those who can figure out the game within the game are those that will come out on top. Erebus’ background is somewhat mysterious and cloaked in shadows, and he is usually unwilling to talk about it, even with close friends, preferring instead to concentrate on the present. Those patient enough to uncover the truth may find stories and tales of an orphaned boy, raised by an expert thief and Shadow Adept, prowling the streets of Calimport seeking to imprint his name of the face of history forever. Then again, one might uncover a story regarding a massive gambling loan that Erebus cannot payback and has had to subsequently flee. Whichever story one manages to uncover, “The Wyrm” is nonetheless a fascinating individual, adventuring across Faerűn in search of fame, fortune and glory.
Mysteria 01-12-05, 07:32 AM	Nice story, however I'm not sure about how you're going to built him mechanistically, he seems to be very good at an awful lot of skill ... Thieves have got lots of skill points, but it still seems a lot of skill he'll need. I think he'd need bluff, diplomacy, search, hide, move silently, disable device, open lock at least, not to speak about listen, spot, maybe a bit jump/climb/tumble/balance, probably gather information too, oh and some sleight of hands for toying with his coin.
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 01-12-05, 11:58 AM	Also, how exactly did he get his nickname? After all, The Wyrm sounds like a high class nickname. Why this name and not, Erebus “The Young Adult” Blackwyrm? A Wyrm, as you probably know, is a pretty damn powerful dragon, second only to a great wyrm. So being tagged with this nickname would mean you'd have to have done something great. So what was that event?
deathfromyourmom 01-12-05, 12:51 PM	hey guess what, you guys are f***ing retarded :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: good job answering the question originally posted
Mastermind020 01-12-05, 02:00 PM	Well as far as mechanics go, I have it all figured out, thats why this post is under the character development forum. I have a +3 intelligence modifier and I am human so that leaves room for twelve maxed skills. And I didnt call him Erebus "The Adult Black Wyrm" Blackwyrm because it sounds flaming stupid. Cause' you know thats a real threatening name to hear. Plus, Dragons arent referred too in the game world by their age or size, its just a game mechanic for measuring their hit die and abilities. He's called "The Wyrm" not because hes as mighty or dangerous as the "wyrm" category of dragon, but because he has an extremely quick wit, is fast on his feat and very sly and slippery; many qualities that a dragon posseses. If it's necessary to come up with some background event where he would earn such a nickname for displaying the above traits then I could certainly write that in.
Mysteria 01-13-05, 03:57 PM	Erebus has developed a modus operandi quite contrary to the above environment Why? How did this modus operandi evolve, or is he just basically a good guy despite being raised in Calimshan? He does not steal from innocents How does he know somebody is innocent? Or rather, how does he define innocent? then proceed to distribute the fortune (while keeping a little for himself of course) to the thousands of poor and wronged slaves barley managing to survive in the Calimport streets. How does he distribute this? Does he follow a plan or is it just random? I suppose he turns any valuables like jewellery into coins first? Erebus is also known for his compassion and would prefer to outwit his opponents rather than outright kill them; for this creates humiliation for the fooled, and humiliation is often much worse than death in Calimshan. If humiliation if ofren worse than death in Calimshan, I'm not sure he would be considered compassionate. Also, it seems to me that he'd not want it too well known. He enjoys having the nickname of “The Wyrm” and plays to it. Yes, it would be nice to know how he got the nickname. Also, I suppose Blackwyrm is his chosen family name, not the one he was born with? His stance, the way he walks with his head cocked to one side, his slight squint, his chronic smirk and his darting eyes all suggest a slight air of superiority. Somehow, I feel that you're overdoing it a bit here. If I imagine him doing all this, I end up with an image of somebody looking like a clown, more laughable than seeming superior. Hope that wasn't too much critizism, and I don't think it's bad if somebody who you describe as borderline arrogant has got "The Wyrm" as nickname ... who knows, some may even be using it ironically. :D
Mastermind020 01-13-05, 04:34 PM	Wow Mysteria, Its a rough character sketch on a character that I haven't even played yet, not an autobiography or a complete dissertation or discourse on his method. I just wanted some general feedback about his overall feel, not a sentence by sentence disection of my writing. You're going overboard. I haven't worked out how he defines innocent or how he distributes the wealth he steals or why he behaves differently than most Calishites. You can't possilby know every little obscure detail about the character until you've at least played him. And the whole point of seeming superior is that he can back up his attidue with his skills. He's supposed to a be a hotshot. And if you imagine that description as a clown you and your friends must be playing the long lost v 3.1 DnD: Barnum and Bailey's Special Edition. Thanks for the wonderfully positive criticism, I'll really think your comments over hard when playing. :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
deathfromyourmom 01-15-05, 04:21 PM	good job overanalyzing...... hes not posting the biography of a REAL PERSON or anything. lets analyze the term RPG: role (as in not your own role) playing (as in play for fun) game (not real). all he wants is a freakin opinion on his characters persona and if anyone has hints theyd be welcome. i bet you (mysteria) are the kind of person who believes mithril is a real material, and elves still populate remote corners of the world. get your head out of the fantasy-land fairy world and move out of your parents basement, i mean come on youre 35. D&D=NOT REAL