Help roleplaying a LE Dwarven cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help roleplaying a LE Dwarven cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Torrack
01-17-08, 03:49 PM I decided to make a Lawful Evil Mountain Dwarf cleric for a new campaign we're starting. I haven't roleplayed in a long time, so I'm looking for some help!

The campaign setting is a Law vs. Chaos realm, where good and evil characters co-exist, and Lawful nations/races are at war with Chaos. Also, the world is very Low Magic (currently level 4 spells and below only). He is taking the Fire Giant bloodline (moderate) and worships the norse god Hurtur(sp?). The DM has everyone starting out in a mainly human settlement, and says I can play the dwarf, but I'd better have a good reason to be amungst the humans.

So, I'm looking for ways to roleplay him. The thought that I had was that he is fascinated by Magic, particularly Divine Magic, and would eventually try to find out why Magic is so rare, which is apparently one of the plot hooks of the campaign.
I_roll_ones
01-18-08, 02:08 PM Well, it is law against chaos, right? Dwarves taken from the PHB are pretty lawful, but humans are all over the place. Maybe he decided that he would help the humans make the right choice, placing order, honor, loyalty, tradition over free choice and disorganization.

Lawful can take many forms, even LE. How is he LE? Is he evil with an honor code? Does he think that order is paramount? Does he have an honor code to start with? Is lawful to him honor or order? Or a bit of both? How does he feel about torture and necromancy? (And what alignment are undead? He might not like necromancers if they can accidentally create chaotic hordes of mindless unorganized undead. Or if they are CE by default, he doesn't like people who create chaotic beings) Does he not kill those who are too weak to fight back, unless they get in the way? What values does he respect? Strength? Power? Wisdom? Intelligence? Cunning? Honor?

And what is his code? Does he not lie? Steal? Cheat? Always obeys the laws of (his) nation? Not kill, betray, weaken or backstab allies?

If his culture is VERY lawful, since he's from a culture that presumably hates chaos, what class was he, and why did he leave?

If he is from a lawful culture, I think it would be interesting to have him NOT be the highest social class. Maybe his lord(or a higher-ranked cleric, or both) sent him on a mission to convert the humans, and the character sends word back that he wishes to discover if there is more powerful magic and claim it in the name of his nation.

It would be nice to see a villain who can be quite cooperative(Provided no one is chaotic, of course) and isn't a megalomaniac and can have some aspect of loyalty.
Torrack
01-21-08, 12:00 PM Thank you so much for your feedback! It helps a lot. I just read your response now, and this is what I came up with in the meantime. It's just a start, and I'll be adding too it quite a bit I'm sure:

***********

Torrack is a Dwarf and member of the small but tight-knit dwarven community of Sandpoint. He is 40 years young, and about to go through the choosing. He has brown eyes, tanned skin, and long, dark orange hair, which he keeps in a neat braid. His beard is full, but not yet long enough to be braided. Torrack has some knowledge of his Fire Giant blood, after having heard his biological mother comment on it after he fell into the cooking fire with very little physical harm. Torrack is amazingly resilient and healthy, even for a dwarf and while only slightly smarter than average, his ability to assess a situation and turn it to his favour is where he excels. He is selfish and self-centered, and when working towards his own ends, he is very determined; however he does appreciate teamwork, and sees the benefits of friends and family. He was a spoiled child, given everything he asked for if it was within the means of his family’s meager income. He soon developed a loathing for his family, and looked at them only as a means to get what he wanted, and when they couldn’t provide what he wanted, he blamed it on their laziness or their stupidity, often in a temper tantrum. Torrack is aware of his own tendency to criticize others, and has lost more than a few friends because of it, and so is constantly struggling to bite his tongue, and curb his hot temper which he is sure comes from his Fire Giant blood. He predicts the worst outcomes and tries to prepare for them, and thinks this is a good thing since he is rarely disappointed.

Torrack is no leader, preferring to blend into the background from where he can put his cold, calculated plans to work. He believes that true power is in knowledge, and he is always reading and learning, especially about the divine. Torrack desires to be chosen to become an acolyte under the local priest, as this is his life-long dream, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to do so, save breaking the law and his own personal code of ethics. He also excels at stoneworking, but sees it as menial labour that is beneath him.

Torrack wasn’t born in Sandpoint, but was adopted by a dwarven family when he was very young. Torrack has been fascinated by the power of the divine after having witnessed his father being miraculously healed by a halfling who claimed that he channeled his power from his God. Torrack’s family lived in a tiny mining camp, and since there were very few books and no pious Dwarves in Torrack's small clan, he stowed away in a trader’s wagon and left his family in search of the power he desired. This would have proven fatal, had a stroke of luck not saved his life. After traveling for several weeks undetected the traders were beset upon by a raiding party of Goblins. A bloody battle ensued which the Goblins won. Upon looting the wagons, the goblins discovered Torrack, and were taking him back to be eaten, or worse when some kind-hearted heroes rescued him, and brought him to Sandpoint. Torrack pretended not to know who his family was, or where he was from and so was put in the care of a dwarven family who lived in the town, where he has lived his life ever since. This experience has always reminded him that while you have to look out for yourself, it is always good to have friends to pick you up when you are down.

***********

I think I'm going to incorporate some of your thoughts into the character, especialy the part about "...placing order, honor, loyalty, tradition over free choice...".

I think he would value order over honour. I don't think he would have any qualms about torture or necromancy, so long as is it serves the purpose of either himself, or society at large, and it is under control. I think that he would not kill innocents himself, but if he were in charge and he felt it was necessary, he might order it done.

Above all I believe that he would respect Wisdom, Power and Cunning, in that order.
I_roll_ones
01-21-08, 04:32 PM He seems to be loyal and self-centered at the same time. Does he keep alliances as long as it suits him, or only to the worthy?

And what is his code of ethics?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Torrack 01-17-08, 03:49 PM	I decided to make a Lawful Evil Mountain Dwarf cleric for a new campaign we're starting. I haven't roleplayed in a long time, so I'm looking for some help! The campaign setting is a Law vs. Chaos realm, where good and evil characters co-exist, and Lawful nations/races are at war with Chaos. Also, the world is very Low Magic (currently level 4 spells and below only). He is taking the Fire Giant bloodline (moderate) and worships the norse god Hurtur(sp?). The DM has everyone starting out in a mainly human settlement, and says I can play the dwarf, but I'd better have a good reason to be amungst the humans. So, I'm looking for ways to roleplay him. The thought that I had was that he is fascinated by Magic, particularly Divine Magic, and would eventually try to find out why Magic is so rare, which is apparently one of the plot hooks of the campaign.
I_roll_ones 01-18-08, 02:08 PM	Well, it is law against chaos, right? Dwarves taken from the PHB are pretty lawful, but humans are all over the place. Maybe he decided that he would help the humans make the right choice, placing order, honor, loyalty, tradition over free choice and disorganization. Lawful can take many forms, even LE. How is he LE? Is he evil with an honor code? Does he think that order is paramount? Does he have an honor code to start with? Is lawful to him honor or order? Or a bit of both? How does he feel about torture and necromancy? (And what alignment are undead? He might not like necromancers if they can accidentally create chaotic hordes of mindless unorganized undead. Or if they are CE by default, he doesn't like people who create chaotic beings) Does he not kill those who are too weak to fight back, unless they get in the way? What values does he respect? Strength? Power? Wisdom? Intelligence? Cunning? Honor? And what is his code? Does he not lie? Steal? Cheat? Always obeys the laws of (his) nation? Not kill, betray, weaken or backstab allies? If his culture is VERY lawful, since he's from a culture that presumably hates chaos, what class was he, and why did he leave? If he is from a lawful culture, I think it would be interesting to have him NOT be the highest social class. Maybe his lord(or a higher-ranked cleric, or both) sent him on a mission to convert the humans, and the character sends word back that he wishes to discover if there is more powerful magic and claim it in the name of his nation. It would be nice to see a villain who can be quite cooperative(Provided no one is chaotic, of course) and isn't a megalomaniac and can have some aspect of loyalty.
Torrack 01-21-08, 12:00 PM	Thank you so much for your feedback! It helps a lot. I just read your response now, and this is what I came up with in the meantime. It's just a start, and I'll be adding too it quite a bit I'm sure: ********* Torrack is a Dwarf and member of the small but tight-knit dwarven community of Sandpoint. He is 40 years young, and about to go through the choosing. He has brown eyes, tanned skin, and long, dark orange hair, which he keeps in a neat braid. His beard is full, but not yet long enough to be braided. Torrack has some knowledge of his Fire Giant blood, after having heard his biological mother comment on it after he fell into the cooking fire with very little physical harm. Torrack is amazingly resilient and healthy, even for a dwarf and while only slightly smarter than average, his ability to assess a situation and turn it to his favour is where he excels. He is selfish and self-centered, and when working towards his own ends, he is very determined; however he does appreciate teamwork, and sees the benefits of friends and family. He was a spoiled child, given everything he asked for if it was within the means of his family’s meager income. He soon developed a loathing for his family, and looked at them only as a means to get what he wanted, and when they couldn’t provide what he wanted, he blamed it on their laziness or their stupidity, often in a temper tantrum. Torrack is aware of his own tendency to criticize others, and has lost more than a few friends because of it, and so is constantly struggling to bite his tongue, and curb his hot temper which he is sure comes from his Fire Giant blood. He predicts the worst outcomes and tries to prepare for them, and thinks this is a good thing since he is rarely disappointed. Torrack is no leader, preferring to blend into the background from where he can put his cold, calculated plans to work. He believes that true power is in knowledge, and he is always reading and learning, especially about the divine. Torrack desires to be chosen to become an acolyte under the local priest, as this is his life-long dream, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to do so, save breaking the law and his own personal code of ethics. He also excels at stoneworking, but sees it as menial labour that is beneath him. Torrack wasn’t born in Sandpoint, but was adopted by a dwarven family when he was very young. Torrack has been fascinated by the power of the divine after having witnessed his father being miraculously healed by a halfling who claimed that he channeled his power from his God. Torrack’s family lived in a tiny mining camp, and since there were very few books and no pious Dwarves in Torrack's small clan, he stowed away in a trader’s wagon and left his family in search of the power he desired. This would have proven fatal, had a stroke of luck not saved his life. After traveling for several weeks undetected the traders were beset upon by a raiding party of Goblins. A bloody battle ensued which the Goblins won. Upon looting the wagons, the goblins discovered Torrack, and were taking him back to be eaten, or worse when some kind-hearted heroes rescued him, and brought him to Sandpoint. Torrack pretended not to know who his family was, or where he was from and so was put in the care of a dwarven family who lived in the town, where he has lived his life ever since. This experience has always reminded him that while you have to look out for yourself, it is always good to have friends to pick you up when you are down. ********* I think I'm going to incorporate some of your thoughts into the character, especialy the part about "...placing order, honor, loyalty, tradition over free choice...". I think he would value order over honour. I don't think he would have any qualms about torture or necromancy, so long as is it serves the purpose of either himself, or society at large, and it is under control. I think that he would not kill innocents himself, but if he were in charge and he felt it was necessary, he might order it done. Above all I believe that he would respect Wisdom, Power and Cunning, in that order.
I_roll_ones 01-21-08, 04:32 PM	He seems to be loyal and self-centered at the same time. Does he keep alliances as long as it suits him, or only to the worthy? And what is his code of ethics?