How would you rp this half-elf? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How would you rp this half-elf? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Poukis
11-02-03, 10:50 AM I made a ranger 2/ bard 3 half-elf... What do you think I should do so that he doesn't sound very "cliche"? I haven't figured out his history yet, nor his mannerisms or anything... He is c. good and his goddess is tymora (FR)...
Gingerbread Guy
11-02-03, 04:46 PM So, you haven't figured out his history or his mannerisms, but you know his alignment? *blink*

Work your way backwards, thats my best advice. Look at who and what he is now, and figure out how he got there. Then have a look at what he once was, and keep that in mind.

Why is he a Ranger? Why is he a Bard? Why does he worship whats-her-name? What makes him Chaotic Good and how does that affect his demeanor? How do his stats represent his character?

Then come up with some quirks. They can be anything.. maybe he really likes to crack his knuckles. Maybe he talks to himself in that irritating way of asking himself a question, then answering it. ["Am I surprised the Ogre attacked us? No. Am I sorry he killed the wizard? Yes. Am I surprised the wizard died in one hit? Not really."] I dunno, think up something.

Try to avoid clichés, like "His parents were killed by Ogres and now he really hates ogres.". Its okay to have a character with a surviving family. I don't know why people kill them off all the time in order to have an angst-filled, tragic past. Its soooooo overdone!

~Ginger
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger
11-03-03, 07:59 PM what kind of world is your character in? Is it in a kind of world where half-elves are generally considered more or less freaks and not much liked by humans or elves because of their half nature? Or is it a world where half elves are generally accepted.

If its one where many do not like them, maybe you turned to nature to get away from everyone looking down on you.

Also look at the characters parents, is his parents a human/elf or is he a second generation half-elf, with both parents being half-elf. Are his parents alive? Do they live together? What do they do? These kind of questions might give you ideas in what your character is like.

Also where did he grow up? A human or elf community? Or did his family/him wander from place to place getting a bit of both worlds.

Also your character is lvl 5, meaning he's done something before the campeign started. Maybe he's been on an adventure or he's been under training by some trainer.

You can also try this thread for ideas

How to create a role-playing character (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105563)
TheMightyMcClaw
11-03-03, 10:55 PM Since he's a ranger-bard, this character is probably a loner at heart. However, due to the bardic aspect, we can assume that he is sociable person. Thus, if you run with this, leads to a character who is outwardly manifests personability, and probably seeks superficial relationships, but is actually introverted and unreachable at heart. He's never able to be himself;thus, he is chaotic. He wants to be close to others, but at the same time, fears true intamacy. He may want to become close with others, or perhaps he simply enjoys uncommitted social engagement; however, this sort of social hedonism is probably more apt to CN or CE. The isolation at heart could also be tied to race; half-elves typically are unable to fit in (the whole 'drawn between two worlds' thing). Likewise, as he ages significantly faster than most elves and much slower than most humans, building a long-term relationship would eventually result in one member burying the other; a fate most would seek to avoid. However, this does not mean he doesn't want a social life; and his inability to truly connect leave him with an overwhelming desire for affection and admiration; leading to his life as a socialite/entertainer (that is, a bard). Likewise, he finds himself fearing to grow to attached to one group of people, and finds himself traveling on his own often (thus, the traveling aspect of bard and the ranger class).
TheBlackBart
11-04-03, 09:31 AM -Raised by elves, makes sense since elves have both ranger and bardic tradition. He tend to feel appart from other young elves, because he grew up and matured much faster. Kind of a loner as a child, spending most of his time practicing his music and scouting the woods, eventually befriending a group of feys.

OR

-His mother was an elf, she had an affair with a travelling man, an adventurer, and got pregnant from that union, despite her elf husband. Ashamed of it, she ran to the woods and gave birth there, and died lately from the cold (she used her clothing to protect the child). A group of feys found the child and raised it as their own.

In both case:

-Had a friendly relationship with some group of fey (dryad, nymph, pixie?) and his music was so beautiful, he would have a large public amongst the animals.

-You may want to talk with your DM for creating a (fey) PrC about a musician for animals, who could use druid spells as bard spells or bardic abilities. And animal companions, enthrwaled by his music.

-He doesn't feel at home with elves. He doesn't feel at home in human settlements either, because of their ambition and disrespect for nature, but did choose a human god anyway. Tymora's portfolio remembered him of the fey's outview on life: dare do whatever you want and damn the consequences!

-Your favorite ennemy is... whatever. Depends on where in the Realms you live. Could be orcs. Could be an organization like the Zhentarim. Find yourself a goal. This character isn't a mercenary at heart, he doesn't adventure for the money. Not for the glory either, his main public are animals and feys. Maybe the fey named him ambassador between feys and humanoid settlements. He has to negotiate frequently with elves, dwarves, humans, druids, orcs, gnomes and whatever... He does have a good heart, and when on one of his diplomatic visits, he heard about some big problem, and accepted to join the forming group of adventurers who would fix the problem, both too gain the respect of the community, but also simply because that was the right thing to do. If he gets paid for this, he uses the money to further his cause, by doing donations to potential allies (church, governments, charitable organizations)...
TheBlackBart
11-04-03, 09:45 AM He may want to become close with others, or perhaps he simply enjoys uncommitted social engagement; however, this sort of social hedonism is probably more apt to CN or CE.

Hmmm... That's your opinion, me thinks!

I'm almost feeling :mad: after reading that kind of statement. How is "social hedonism", as you call, incompatible with the Good alignment?

Despite my personnal feelings on the subject, wich are irrelevent, I don't think he hurts anyone, nor himself nor others by avoiding commitment, as long as the other concerned party is knowledgeable of his intentions! If he was to lie to get other people's love or friendship, then I could agree with you, but there is no reason to believe so.

Commitment to one person is a lawful behavior. Marriage is a lawful behavior. Cohabitation is chaotic, but certainly neither good nor evil.

And if you were more talking about friendly relations, then I would agree it would seem more prper for neutral or evil people to keep other people at a distance, but don't get stuck in stereotypes. Some evil people value friendship, and some good people need their "bubble"...
Poukis
11-07-03, 05:56 PM -His mother was an elf, she had an affair with a travelling man, an adventurer, and got pregnant from that union, despite her elf husband. Ashamed of it, she ran to the woods and gave birth there, and died lately from the cold (she used her clothing to protect the child). A group of feys found the child and raised it as their own.

Hmm... I liked that idea! That would lead to many rp possibilities too...
And I can also use the main villain too, Mantatlus, a human wizard... He could actually be my father! (I know it's a bit cliche) That could justify my human favored enemy too... Maybe Daereth (my character) knew about him so that he would learn the best tactics to fight against him and when one day his name became known to the character he set off on a quest to avenge his mother... Any thoughts - suggestions?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Poukis 11-02-03, 10:50 AM	I made a ranger 2/ bard 3 half-elf... What do you think I should do so that he doesn't sound very "cliche"? I haven't figured out his history yet, nor his mannerisms or anything... He is c. good and his goddess is tymora (FR)...
Gingerbread Guy 11-02-03, 04:46 PM	So, you haven't figured out his history or his mannerisms, but you know his alignment? blink Work your way backwards, thats my best advice. Look at who and what he is now, and figure out how he got there. Then have a look at what he once was, and keep that in mind. Why is he a Ranger? Why is he a Bard? Why does he worship whats-her-name? What makes him Chaotic Good and how does that affect his demeanor? How do his stats represent his character? Then come up with some quirks. They can be anything.. maybe he really likes to crack his knuckles. Maybe he talks to himself in that irritating way of asking himself a question, then answering it. ["Am I surprised the Ogre attacked us? No. Am I sorry he killed the wizard? Yes. Am I surprised the wizard died in one hit? Not really."] I dunno, think up something. Try to avoid clichés, like "His parents were killed by Ogres and now he really hates ogres.". Its okay to have a character with a surviving family. I don't know why people kill them off all the time in order to have an angst-filled, tragic past. Its soooooo overdone! ~Ginger
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 11-03-03, 07:59 PM	what kind of world is your character in? Is it in a kind of world where half-elves are generally considered more or less freaks and not much liked by humans or elves because of their half nature? Or is it a world where half elves are generally accepted. If its one where many do not like them, maybe you turned to nature to get away from everyone looking down on you. Also look at the characters parents, is his parents a human/elf or is he a second generation half-elf, with both parents being half-elf. Are his parents alive? Do they live together? What do they do? These kind of questions might give you ideas in what your character is like. Also where did he grow up? A human or elf community? Or did his family/him wander from place to place getting a bit of both worlds. Also your character is lvl 5, meaning he's done something before the campeign started. Maybe he's been on an adventure or he's been under training by some trainer. You can also try this thread for ideas How to create a role-playing character (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105563)
TheMightyMcClaw 11-03-03, 10:55 PM	Since he's a ranger-bard, this character is probably a loner at heart. However, due to the bardic aspect, we can assume that he is sociable person. Thus, if you run with this, leads to a character who is outwardly manifests personability, and probably seeks superficial relationships, but is actually introverted and unreachable at heart. He's never able to be himself;thus, he is chaotic. He wants to be close to others, but at the same time, fears true intamacy. He may want to become close with others, or perhaps he simply enjoys uncommitted social engagement; however, this sort of social hedonism is probably more apt to CN or CE. The isolation at heart could also be tied to race; half-elves typically are unable to fit in (the whole 'drawn between two worlds' thing). Likewise, as he ages significantly faster than most elves and much slower than most humans, building a long-term relationship would eventually result in one member burying the other; a fate most would seek to avoid. However, this does not mean he doesn't want a social life; and his inability to truly connect leave him with an overwhelming desire for affection and admiration; leading to his life as a socialite/entertainer (that is, a bard). Likewise, he finds himself fearing to grow to attached to one group of people, and finds himself traveling on his own often (thus, the traveling aspect of bard and the ranger class).
TheBlackBart 11-04-03, 09:31 AM	-Raised by elves, makes sense since elves have both ranger and bardic tradition. He tend to feel appart from other young elves, because he grew up and matured much faster. Kind of a loner as a child, spending most of his time practicing his music and scouting the woods, eventually befriending a group of feys. OR -His mother was an elf, she had an affair with a travelling man, an adventurer, and got pregnant from that union, despite her elf husband. Ashamed of it, she ran to the woods and gave birth there, and died lately from the cold (she used her clothing to protect the child). A group of feys found the child and raised it as their own. In both case: -Had a friendly relationship with some group of fey (dryad, nymph, pixie?) and his music was so beautiful, he would have a large public amongst the animals. -You may want to talk with your DM for creating a (fey) PrC about a musician for animals, who could use druid spells as bard spells or bardic abilities. And animal companions, enthrwaled by his music. -He doesn't feel at home with elves. He doesn't feel at home in human settlements either, because of their ambition and disrespect for nature, but did choose a human god anyway. Tymora's portfolio remembered him of the fey's outview on life: dare do whatever you want and damn the consequences! -Your favorite ennemy is... whatever. Depends on where in the Realms you live. Could be orcs. Could be an organization like the Zhentarim. Find yourself a goal. This character isn't a mercenary at heart, he doesn't adventure for the money. Not for the glory either, his main public are animals and feys. Maybe the fey named him ambassador between feys and humanoid settlements. He has to negotiate frequently with elves, dwarves, humans, druids, orcs, gnomes and whatever... He does have a good heart, and when on one of his diplomatic visits, he heard about some big problem, and accepted to join the forming group of adventurers who would fix the problem, both too gain the respect of the community, but also simply because that was the right thing to do. If he gets paid for this, he uses the money to further his cause, by doing donations to potential allies (church, governments, charitable organizations)...
TheBlackBart 11-04-03, 09:45 AM	He may want to become close with others, or perhaps he simply enjoys uncommitted social engagement; however, this sort of social hedonism is probably more apt to CN or CE. Hmmm... That's your opinion, me thinks! I'm almost feeling :mad: after reading that kind of statement. How is "social hedonism", as you call, incompatible with the Good alignment? Despite my personnal feelings on the subject, wich are irrelevent, I don't think he hurts anyone, nor himself nor others by avoiding commitment, as long as the other concerned party is knowledgeable of his intentions! If he was to lie to get other people's love or friendship, then I could agree with you, but there is no reason to believe so. Commitment to one person is a lawful behavior. Marriage is a lawful behavior. Cohabitation is chaotic, but certainly neither good nor evil. And if you were more talking about friendly relations, then I would agree it would seem more prper for neutral or evil people to keep other people at a distance, but don't get stuck in stereotypes. Some evil people value friendship, and some good people need their "bubble"...
Poukis 11-07-03, 05:56 PM	-His mother was an elf, she had an affair with a travelling man, an adventurer, and got pregnant from that union, despite her elf husband. Ashamed of it, she ran to the woods and gave birth there, and died lately from the cold (she used her clothing to protect the child). A group of feys found the child and raised it as their own. Hmm... I liked that idea! That would lead to many rp possibilities too... And I can also use the main villain too, Mantatlus, a human wizard... He could actually be my father! (I know it's a bit cliche) That could justify my human favored enemy too... Maybe Daereth (my character) knew about him so that he would learn the best tactics to fight against him and when one day his name became known to the character he set off on a quest to avenge his mother... Any thoughts - suggestions?