Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zorkinian 07-29-07, 03:29 AM	I'm currently in a campaign where I'm playing a rogue-type character, which is a first for me (I usually play spellcasters, mostly clerics), and I'm trying to think up interesting paths for future character development. When I rolled up this character, he ended up with very high strength and dexterity, but low intelligence and wisdom. From a mechanics standpoint, I decided to try my hand at a fighter/sneak attacking rogue, as I liked the idea of sneaking around and then pummeling people. I've constructed his backstory to incorporate his mediocre intelligence, and I like what's come out of it. He grew up on the streets as part of a small gang who essentially were like family to him, and their boss (while only a few years older than him) was seen as a father figure and trusted advisor. My character decided to follow this fellow at a very young age, and essentially placed all his trust in him (since the boss was quite clever and had a mind for the streets) for most of his childhood and young adulthood. He moved up from small time crime (pickpocketing, petty thievery) to more main-line crime as he aged, eventually killing for his boss when he was told to (he didn’t want to necessarily do it, but he trusted that the boss knew what was the right thing to do). It was discovered he had quite the penchant for assassination, and became known in the city as a fairly prominent killer (he doesn’t actually have any assassin levels, he’s just a rogue who specializes). All this time, however, he’s not really thinking for himself besides just staying alive – he’s been leaving all the important decisions to the Boss. He doesn’t really think in terms of right or wrong – at this point he’s really more of a tool than a person. Things go bad and his Boss is killed. He flees the city in panic, and eventually meets up with the party (i.e. we start playing). He ends up attaching himself to the person he sees as most intelligent (which is actually a very charismatic character with medium intelligence – he just appears to know a lot), and has fallen back into a similar situation. He doesn’t take orders in quite the same way, as this new man isn’t quite the Boss, but if this man says left and the rest of the party says right, he’ll end up going left. Right now I have my character aligned to Chaotic Neutral. Chaotic is mostly justified by the fact that he more or less does whatever he feels like until his boss steps in and tells him to do something, and Neutral mostly has to do with the fact he hasn’t really even thought about morality in years. Here’s where I’m essentially stuck. When I normally play characters, I have a pretty good idea about who they are (which I mostly have here) and some possible character development paths (not so much here), as I find it’s easier to roleplay through events if you have an overarching idea of a character’s path. I’ve considered having him slowly come to his own independence and realize that what he’s done in the past was wrong, even if he didn’t know it at the time, but it feels too hackneyed. What other paths could this man’s life take?
Fithero 07-29-07, 07:28 AM	Perhaps he realises its wrong, but instead of trying to make it right, he just runs from it. He doesnt try and right the wrongs he did, he just keeps moving so they can never catch up to him. Kinda goes against the whole, "repent for your past sins" background, but you just know that they will eventually catch up to you. In this life or the next :P
Zorkinian 07-29-07, 04:45 PM	Not a bad idea at all - thanks for the input! I find it's always best to have a lot of ideas, that way no matter which way the campaign turns out I've got a plan. =]