How a half-drow rogue finds religion [Archive] - Wizards Community

How a half-drow rogue finds religion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BirdKilndar
10-18-07, 10:21 PM 'ello.I've been playing with the concept of allowing my CG half-drow rogue,Bird,take a level of cleric but I'm not quite sure how to go about it.I have some ideas but I want to see what you guys think of.Here's Bird's background.

Bird was born Jhael,servant of House Kilndar of one of the many subterranean cities of the drow.He was the son of a female slave and an drow noble and as such was seen as a third-class citizen.Bird rarely speaks about his childhood and when asked about it he just smiles and changes the subject.All anyone really knows about him is that when he was twenty-two, he managed to escape the life of a slave and came to the surface.

Having no real place among the various races,Bird took to skulking in shadows and thieving.Recently however,Bird discovered he had a human half-brother who is an adventurer.So Bird started traveling with adventuring parties hoping to eventually run into his sibling.He soon discovered though that he genuinely loved the rush that came from defeating an enemy or discovering some lost treasure.It's pretty much garunteed that Bird will never retire from the adventuring lifestyle at this point even if he did find his brother.He says he's having too much fun to ever quit.

Bird himself has a strange personality.You'd think someone with his background would be an angst fest waiting to happen but Bird is actually a laid back,goofy guy who can be quite sweet.If slightly off in the head.He has a streak of mischief a mile wide and enjoys good-naturedly teasing the members of his party and playing pranks on them.In battle,Bird will come with the most wild,most sneaky,and most out-there solutions to the party's problems but,suprisingly enough,they often work.Although a few of Bird's plans have blown up in his face rather spectacularly,resulting in two near-death experiences.

That's Bird in a nutshell.I'm thinking if he was to become the cleric of any god,it would be Zagyg,the god of Humor,Eccentricity,Occult Lore,and Unpredictability.But I don't have a really good idea of how he comes to worship Zagyg.

Any ideas?
Terjon of the Blue Rose
10-19-07, 12:00 AM Traditionally speaking your mother should have been killed as soon as dad found out that he had gotten a slave pregnant. However given that drow are typically chaotic evil we will assume that in this particular city this is considered an acceptable means of generating new slaves.

That said the typical route for a character such as yours gaining a level in cleric (though it fits better for favored soul) would be that the god simply likes you. You are already practicing what he preaches so he sends down some messenger to speak with you (or in your case play a prank on you) and, assuming of course you fit the bill, that messenger has been authorized to grant you access to a small fragment of his divine power. What you do with it from that point on will then determine how much more access you get.

I like the character you have and can just imagine some pixie (empowered by said god) turning you invisible at random intervals throughout a day. After the day is over she reveals herself and announces that you have passed your test.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
10-19-07, 12:11 AM P.S. I would suggest including something in his background to help support that happy-go-lucky attitude. Something as simple as his mother having been a favored slave and using that to gain him favors (such as extra, if still limited, freedom) could help immensely in eliminating the contradiction he poses with what he would more typically be.
The_Shaman
10-19-07, 08:54 AM The normal way would be to learn of the cult, get interested, and maybe enroll. Of course, it can just as well be the other way around - you get a vision of the god - probably without even knowing that it's him or that it is a god - giving you a clue to the cult, and thus hooking you on, or just calling you to its service. If your character's lifestyle is rather close to the deity's dogma, such instances of being chosen are hardly impossible.

Alternatively, Bird might get a crush on an initiate in the church and start getting into religion as a means to get, err, closer to her/him/it.
BirdKilndar
10-19-07, 07:16 PM Traditionally speaking your mother should have been killed as soon as dad found out that he had gotten a slave pregnant. However given that drow are typically chaotic evil we will assume that in this particular city this is considered an acceptable means of generating new slaves.

That said the typical route for a character such as yours gaining a level in cleric (though it fits better for favored soul) would be that the god simply likes you. You are already practicing what he preaches so he sends down some messenger to speak with you (or in your case play a prank on you) and, assuming of course you fit the bill, that messenger has been authorized to grant you access to a small fragment of his divine power. What you do with it from that point on will then determine how much more access you get.

I like the character you have and can just imagine some pixie (empowered by said god) turning you invisible at random intervals throughout a day. After the day is over she reveals herself and announces that you have passed your test.

I like this.I especially like the idea of some servant of Zagyg playing random pranks on Bird and him having no idea what in the hell is going on.As for the happy-go-lucky attitude,I always though of it as Bird having completely divorced himself from his old life and the old him.Essentially humor is his coping mechanism.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
10-19-07, 11:31 PM That's fine. I'm just suggesting you add something to the backstory to show how and when he underwent that change. After escaping he chose to divorce himself from the slave life is good but he needs some root in the world that he can draw that strength from. A child who didn't know as what a drow was and convinced her community to help you on your way or an old man who underwent many torments in his own life and has learned not to dwell. These things give you a moment where you can choose to leave behind that old life. Otherwise you wind up with a character who typically would be played as always on the edge of tear/rage/etc. and is using humor as a fairly desperate measure to deflect such.
BirdKilndar
10-20-07, 12:18 AM Oh,I see what you mean.Hmmm.*ponders*

I can actually see him,fresh out on the surface world,running into a bard and traveling with him for a time.This bard was quite a character who was constantly laughing at jokes of his own devising.He would actually give Bird his nickname and teach him the value of humor.He was an older brother figure to Bird and the first real friend he ever had on the surface.

Thanks.This is the most in-depth I've really gone with a character concerning his motivations and background and you've really helped.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
10-20-07, 01:49 AM Sure thing. Glad to see I could help.

See if you can get that pixie named Blue Rose.:P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BirdKilndar 10-18-07, 10:21 PM	'ello.I've been playing with the concept of allowing my CG half-drow rogue,Bird,take a level of cleric but I'm not quite sure how to go about it.I have some ideas but I want to see what you guys think of.Here's Bird's background. Bird was born Jhael,servant of House Kilndar of one of the many subterranean cities of the drow.He was the son of a female slave and an drow noble and as such was seen as a third-class citizen.Bird rarely speaks about his childhood and when asked about it he just smiles and changes the subject.All anyone really knows about him is that when he was twenty-two, he managed to escape the life of a slave and came to the surface. Having no real place among the various races,Bird took to skulking in shadows and thieving.Recently however,Bird discovered he had a human half-brother who is an adventurer.So Bird started traveling with adventuring parties hoping to eventually run into his sibling.He soon discovered though that he genuinely loved the rush that came from defeating an enemy or discovering some lost treasure.It's pretty much garunteed that Bird will never retire from the adventuring lifestyle at this point even if he did find his brother.He says he's having too much fun to ever quit. Bird himself has a strange personality.You'd think someone with his background would be an angst fest waiting to happen but Bird is actually a laid back,goofy guy who can be quite sweet.If slightly off in the head.He has a streak of mischief a mile wide and enjoys good-naturedly teasing the members of his party and playing pranks on them.In battle,Bird will come with the most wild,most sneaky,and most out-there solutions to the party's problems but,suprisingly enough,they often work.Although a few of Bird's plans have blown up in his face rather spectacularly,resulting in two near-death experiences. That's Bird in a nutshell.I'm thinking if he was to become the cleric of any god,it would be Zagyg,the god of Humor,Eccentricity,Occult Lore,and Unpredictability.But I don't have a really good idea of how he comes to worship Zagyg. Any ideas?
Terjon of the Blue Rose 10-19-07, 12:00 AM	Traditionally speaking your mother should have been killed as soon as dad found out that he had gotten a slave pregnant. However given that drow are typically chaotic evil we will assume that in this particular city this is considered an acceptable means of generating new slaves. That said the typical route for a character such as yours gaining a level in cleric (though it fits better for favored soul) would be that the god simply likes you. You are already practicing what he preaches so he sends down some messenger to speak with you (or in your case play a prank on you) and, assuming of course you fit the bill, that messenger has been authorized to grant you access to a small fragment of his divine power. What you do with it from that point on will then determine how much more access you get. I like the character you have and can just imagine some pixie (empowered by said god) turning you invisible at random intervals throughout a day. After the day is over she reveals herself and announces that you have passed your test.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 10-19-07, 12:11 AM	P.S. I would suggest including something in his background to help support that happy-go-lucky attitude. Something as simple as his mother having been a favored slave and using that to gain him favors (such as extra, if still limited, freedom) could help immensely in eliminating the contradiction he poses with what he would more typically be.
The_Shaman 10-19-07, 08:54 AM	The normal way would be to learn of the cult, get interested, and maybe enroll. Of course, it can just as well be the other way around - you get a vision of the god - probably without even knowing that it's him or that it is a god - giving you a clue to the cult, and thus hooking you on, or just calling you to its service. If your character's lifestyle is rather close to the deity's dogma, such instances of being chosen are hardly impossible. Alternatively, Bird might get a crush on an initiate in the church and start getting into religion as a means to get, err, closer to her/him/it.
BirdKilndar 10-19-07, 07:16 PM	Traditionally speaking your mother should have been killed as soon as dad found out that he had gotten a slave pregnant. However given that drow are typically chaotic evil we will assume that in this particular city this is considered an acceptable means of generating new slaves. That said the typical route for a character such as yours gaining a level in cleric (though it fits better for favored soul) would be that the god simply likes you. You are already practicing what he preaches so he sends down some messenger to speak with you (or in your case play a prank on you) and, assuming of course you fit the bill, that messenger has been authorized to grant you access to a small fragment of his divine power. What you do with it from that point on will then determine how much more access you get. I like the character you have and can just imagine some pixie (empowered by said god) turning you invisible at random intervals throughout a day. After the day is over she reveals herself and announces that you have passed your test. I like this.I especially like the idea of some servant of Zagyg playing random pranks on Bird and him having no idea what in the hell is going on.As for the happy-go-lucky attitude,I always though of it as Bird having completely divorced himself from his old life and the old him.Essentially humor is his coping mechanism.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 10-19-07, 11:31 PM	That's fine. I'm just suggesting you add something to the backstory to show how and when he underwent that change. After escaping he chose to divorce himself from the slave life is good but he needs some root in the world that he can draw that strength from. A child who didn't know as what a drow was and convinced her community to help you on your way or an old man who underwent many torments in his own life and has learned not to dwell. These things give you a moment where you can choose to leave behind that old life. Otherwise you wind up with a character who typically would be played as always on the edge of tear/rage/etc. and is using humor as a fairly desperate measure to deflect such.
BirdKilndar 10-20-07, 12:18 AM	Oh,I see what you mean.Hmmm.ponders I can actually see him,fresh out on the surface world,running into a bard and traveling with him for a time.This bard was quite a character who was constantly laughing at jokes of his own devising.He would actually give Bird his nickname and teach him the value of humor.He was an older brother figure to Bird and the first real friend he ever had on the surface. Thanks.This is the most in-depth I've really gone with a character concerning his motivations and background and you've really helped.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 10-20-07, 01:49 AM	Sure thing. Glad to see I could help. See if you can get that pixie named Blue Rose.:P