Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Double Eagle 02-14-06, 03:22 PM	In a D&D game we recently started, I'm playing a rogue with a background that is not really stereotypical for a rogue. I have the story pretty well worked out, but i need some help filling in a couple of gaps. Nobleman-turned-Rogue (homebrew campaign setting) Basically, he was a member of the nation's Nobility. His great-uncle was the Lord of a Noble House that controlled influential land. Driven by greed, a rival House plots to have my family killed. This will allow the rival House's influence/wealth to increase (its sorta like the beginning of Dune). The rival House makes a secret deal with the Enemy (an evil army slowly invading from the East) to have my family killed while keeping their own hands clean. Me and my family (all of my uncle's heirs) are thought to be killed and the rival House takes over my family's land. I am the only survivor (i think) and the only heir to my family's land. Their goal was to eliminate any heirs, so if they knew I was alive, they would try to find me and kill me (i could expose their treachery as well as challenge their claim to my family's land). So, I go into hiding in one of the big cities, trying to keep a low profile and staying out of sight of any noblemen who might recognize me. I am in hiding for the next five years or so, and it is through this time living in hiding as a commoner that I adopt the Rogue class. (This is where the adventure starts) So I basically have a nobleman-turned-rogue. I have the nobleman part of the story pretty well developed, but his years living as a Rogue I'm having trouble with. During his "laying low" period, I need some activities/occupations that would lead to developing Rogue-like skills. Being taken in by the local theives guild would be an obvious answer, but this seems a little too typical, and my character doesn't really seem like the theiving type. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Lyinginbedmon 02-14-06, 04:14 PM	Obviously, he's not going to be going around killing people. Perhaps he spent some time in working in a library to read up on the history of the opposing house as well as his own, maybe to find a link maybe just to read all day. (Knowledge (Local)) Maybe he spent some time trailing leads to the opposing house, down alleyways and through houses. He might be forced to break in to one of them to try and find other leads and clues, so Open Lock comes in handy. If he was caught in the act whilst raiding one of these houses, he'd need some way to explain himself, so Bluff, Diplomacy, and perhaps Intimidate come in handy too. In short, try and tie events he would have to do to skills he gets as a Rogue. He may have also been practising for the day when he finally has to face the opposing house in combat, so he practises for the most efficient way to do it: Sneak Attack.
Harrow Blade 02-14-06, 09:22 PM	An idea that just came to me, perhaps your rogueish (spelling? is it a real word? I don't know but I'll use it any way.) training began before you had to go into hiding. If your family knew that thier enemy was trying to do away with them they may have hired some discrete people to train you in disguise, evasion (hide and move silently), and self defense of the leathal kind (sneak attack). once you were forced to go to ground you made greater use of these skills. its just an idea, take it or leave it as you will.
Morka 02-15-06, 02:53 PM	Perhaps his parents trained him as being a rogue? You know, rogue doesn't necessary equal to thief. Using feints in one-on-one fights is typical for a noble duelist. However, perhaps one of your servants was part of a local thieves guild, and she saved you at the last moment. Now you have to work for the guild. You could have been forced to sing in the streets (perform), and do all kinds of acrobatic things (tumble, balance, jump, sleight of hand) while checking a specific building. One question though: if you ever want to claim your heir, how would you manage to proove your identity? Any servant could have stolen your signet ring (if any) on your dead body...
Pandaemoni 02-15-06, 04:43 PM	He could have taken on work as a sailor, coming into contact with many rogues/swashbuckler-types, and picked up skills from them on long voyages transporting cargo to and from the city. Despending on the level of sophistication of the local constabulary, he could have become a criminal investigator (or even a sort of medieval private detective) and picked up the skills. Neither scenario is wholly consonant with actual medieval life, but both could lead to very fascinating backstories pitting you against the local Thieves' Guild(s). In the latter case, perhaps you started investigating crimes when the kindly couple that offered you shelter was murdered during a simple robbery and the city guards paid the crime no heed (the victims not being noble or otherwise important). That would then have forced you to identify the killer, track him down, catch him and avenge their deaths. Perhaps rather than a private investigator for hire, you simply kept it up as a hobby, developing your skills and serving as local vigilante for minor crimes suffered by the poor. I'll have to think some more.
Double Eagle 02-15-06, 06:26 PM	Maybe he spent some time trailing leads to the opposing house,An idea that just came to me, perhaps your rogueish (spelling? is it a real word? I don't know but I'll use it any way.) training began before you had to go into hiding. If your family knew that thier enemy was trying to do away with them they may have hired some discrete people to train you in disguise, evasion (hide and move silently), and self defense of the leathal kind (sneak attack). once you were forced to go to ground you made greater use of these skills.I like it - Both of these are things I hadn't thought of, definately worth considering. Using feints in one-on-one fights is typical for a noble duelist. The Noble Duelist archetype is pretty much what I am going for (i'm not sure abount the Duelist PrC though). I did take Imp. Feint and I figure the feint/sneak attack technique is something he learned from his training in dueling. It's the other Rogue skills that would be developed during his years in hiding. He could have taken on work as a sailor,I actually do have some ranks in Profession(Sailor), but this was learned back in his rich-boy days. His family lived on an Island and was wealthy due to trade/import/export with the mainland. Since this type of commerce is controlled by the Noble Families, these are the type of people he is trying to avoid. So far I have taken some ranks in Profession(Chef) as a way to make a living while in hiding. I'm pictuing a knife-juggling type like at Japanese restaurants (since I have high dex and fight with knives sometimes). I am trying to avoid the Theive's Guild route, as it is too typical for a rogue and doesn't really fit my character. I do like the idea of a vigilante group though... One question though: if you ever want to claim your heir, how would you manage to proove your identity? Any servant could have stolen your signet ring (if any) on your dead body...I considered this and I figure I could just have a tatoo or birthmark or something. This seems a little too stereotypical though so if you have any clever ideas i would love to hear them. Anyway, I like what I've heard so far, you guys have been helpful. I'd love to hear any more thoughts Thanks for your help
Pandaemoni 02-15-06, 09:45 PM	I actually do have some ranks in Profession(Sailor), but this was learned back in his rich-boy days. His family lived on an Island and was wealthy due to trade/import/export with the mainland. Since this type of commerce is controlled by the Noble Families, these are the type of people he is trying to avoid. So far I have taken some ranks in Profession(Chef) as a way to make a living while in hiding. I'm pictuing a knife-juggling type like at Japanese restaurants (since I have high dex and fight with knives sometimes). <snip> Anyway, I like what I've heard so far, you guys have been helpful. I'd love to hear any more thoughts Thanks for your help First, I'd be suirprised if the nobles themselves were fraternizing with common saiors on a cargo ship or whaling ship, as that was historically a very low-class occupation. Maybe, they'd occasionally meet with the captain, but even then I'd expect them to use a non-noble retainer to actually mage a fleet. The sailor personal would also allow you to keep tabs on the goings-on around your familial isle. Besides that, you'd presumably no longer be dressed like a noble. Unshaven and unkempt (not to mention a little older) working as a common ship's hand, I'd be surprised if a noble would glance at you twice if he walked past you. The fact that you have some Profession (sailor) ranks just makes it a more natural way to earn a living for yourself., albeit in a much harder lifestyle that the rich-boy sailing you'd have done in your youth. You could also join a pirate's or privateer's crew to plague the shipping of your enemies (as pirates need pure, non-combatant, sailors and a cook too). Unless the pirate/privateer is a noble him/herself (many were), there's almost no chance that such a ship would be frequented by those who might know you, unless it gets boarded by those looking to stop you. As for how your family might recognize you...the problem is that any obvious physical marker likely can be faked in a world filled with magic. One easy way out is the Detect Lie/Zone of Truth spells. Neither is 100% effective of course (but then again very little is). The only "foolproof" was I can think of is a sort of deus ex machina....have there be some magical item of significance to your family that can only be activated by those of your bloodline. It wouldn't have to be anything unbalancing at all. For example, perhaps your father, in celebration, can a magical chandalier created for his main hall when your first sibling was born. A large spherical crystal set under the chandalier glows yellow whenever he was within 100 feet to symbolize the light tht child brought to his/her parents' life. For each subsequent child, your father had an additional special crystal added to the chandalier, each glowing with a different color based on the personality of the child in question. The chandalier is too valuable to throw away (and too exquisitely wrought to break it apart for its mere component value--besides they think you're all dead anyway) so it sits there in your family's estate as a trophy of what your enemies have won. Combine your ring, the birthmark and the magic chandalier and that should be enough proof that you are who you claim to be.
Double Eagle 02-16-06, 12:40 PM	Forgot to mention - its a low magic campaign. We are starting to encounter magic in the adventure, but historically it's pretty much unheard of.
NZCardinal 02-26-06, 09:05 PM	There are ways to adapt your characters noble education into your character. I have a character with a similar noble background and origins to yours, except whereas your family was killed, mine was exiled and became a James Bondesque agent for a merchant house. And he wouldn't call himself a rogue exactly, although thats his character class... He's essentially a polymath (or renaissance man) human with a highish Int score and skilled in many different areas. He has ranks in knowledge (local), diplomacy and bluff to represent his urbane nature, sense motive, spot and search because he is quite acute, perform in oratory (only a couple of ranks), and the athletic and typical thieving abilities as well. The flip side is that he's very much jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. His points are spread quite thin. Only his bluff is maxed out (for feinting in combat)