Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bobothehobo8 09-02-04, 09:52 PM	Hello. I like to role-play AND optimize so please keep an open mind. My current character is statistically planned out, but I can't seem to come up with a fitting description/background. Normally it's not so hard but this one has confounded me. So here ye go. Michael Belknap, Male Human, (going to be @ 20) Sorcerer 5/ Dragon Disciple 1/ Ur-Priest 2/ Mystic Theurge 8/ Archmage 4. As you can see why, I need your help. Here is what I have so far. Michael was from a large human city where he was the eldest son of a powerful noble. However, this city was very superstitious and when his 'natural gift' of sorcery began to rear its ugly head, a rival noble faction cried conspiracy and witchcraft. Quickly silencing this outcry, the king decreed Michael be stripped of his nobility and banished from the city. Michael was devistated (sp?) He left the country and headed to the western frontier. Currently, Michael superficially worships Pelor, but only because it was the law in his old country, and he never thought to change. Religion never seemed to have any practical use to him. He is currently Neutral with both good and evil tendencies. He won't talk about before he was exiled and is ashamed of his gift. However recently they have proved very useful to the otherwise combat-inept sorcerer. He is beginning to wonder where his life is going and why he was cursed. He is also filled with unresolved anger and a desire for vengence. Magic could prove useful, for deep in his heart is a desire for the power he had been denied... Michael's current companons are not what one would expect. Two Paladins and a Half-Construct Rogue. Oh yes, the plot thickens. Why would Michael travel with these people? More accurately, what purpose do they serve him? Thanks in advnace for any help. I have the beginning and the end, but cannot fathom the path.
bobothehobo8 09-04-04, 01:36 AM	Come on people! It has been almost 30 hours! Or is it too chalenging for even the masters of roleplaying? Tsk tsk tsk. I shall wait more then I guess...
dorkknight23 09-04-04, 03:52 AM	Well, he could see himself as cursed by Pelor, which would explain him turning the back on the gods and "doing things for himself" as an Ur-Priest. The dragon disciple and archmage thing could be connected to his desire to master his "curse" and use it as a weapon against those who would harm him. Have you decided what dragon type you want for dragon disciple? If you choose a more evil dragon (like red,) he could have a more inborn desire for greed and the acquistion of wealth that could also prove a motivation. Pardon me, I'm just rambling, if any of this is useful, I'm glad.
Mancer 09-04-04, 11:56 AM	I realize this may not be in the spirit of helping you flesh out your character, but I feel compelled to point out to you that this is an illegal character. At level 16 you will be a Sorcerer5/Dragon Disciple1/Ur-Priest2/Mystic Theurge8, giving you an effective Sorcerer level of 13, with access to 6th level spells. Archmage requires access to 7th level spells. You might consider another level of Sorcerer Inplace of either Dragon Disciple or Archmage.
Morka 09-06-04, 11:06 AM	I see many things in your background. 1) You are from a noble familly. But is you father really your father? Perhaps your mother was had a liaison with some gypsie, who have strange ancestors... 2) Weither your father is your true father or not, I think it's strange in a D&D world to banish the son of a noble because he is sorceror (unless it's a very low-magic setting). Perhaps should you have more physical marks, like a scaly skin in the back, strange eye color. Your father (or your mother) could feel guilty to have you being banished, so she ask a trusted friend (a high-level paladin) to accompany you. By the way, this paladin, with his 2 squires (2 other PCs) have to escort a strange looking thief (4th PC) to a prison far away. But your group is attacked, the high level paladin is killed, and the remains of the group have to find who attacked you. (You should talk of this to your DM, since it involve all the party and the campaign itself!) 3) Being banished from your town, you could react by rejecting all what your life was before, including Pelor. Then you learn what is your true heritage (Draconic), and you decide you no longer need gods and can steal spells from them, becoming Ur-priest. Since it's an obscure class, you should encounter one Ur-Priest before, who teach you how this work. Like Mancer mentionned before me, I wonder why you take a level of Dragon Disciple is you are Min/Maxing. Dragon Disciple doesn't add a caster level, it just add some spell slots. But I think it's a great class for a back-story! :)
bobothehobo8 09-06-04, 12:58 PM	Dragon Disciple was taken in because I couldn't find a better class with good fort and Know: Rel, Know Planes skills. I probably could have found a better one, but the DM limited the PrC sources to: 3.5 DMG, CD, CW, UA, Planar HB, and Draconomicon. My other choices were Savage Bard and Ex-Cleric. If anyone knows any better class from these sources please chime in. I guess I'll have to work in another level of Sorcerer after MyT. Thanks for pointing that out. I think I will chose black dragon as the type. I just like the description. In a sort of 'pre-game RPing' he had a few fluxes of malevolence when the Paladins would not shut up. And general rudeness. Hehehe. Should be a fun one. I think by the time he gets to Archmage he will consider himself legendary. Taking the class is just the next logical step. Strange ancestry is a good thing. Makes more sense. And when Michael's 'father,' Alexander, who neither loved me nor anything much else but power and money, saw my scaly back the truth came out. Outraged at his wife but unable to do anything to her because of public opinion, he made it known I was tainted by a demon at birth and must be banished. Michael's mother, Lilengel, knew the truth and felt terrible I was the one who had to suffer. She sent me away with her friend (the High level Paladin, Ezekiel). Right then he silently rejected Pelor asking 'What has he done for me?' At this point I have to talk with the DM about the rogue escort and ambush etc, but even if that plan doesn't work I could have Ezekiel somehow lead to me to meeting the other Paladins. Once I take this level of DD, I will realize that dragons are very real, but gods not so much. 'Can they really be that great? They're probably just people who know some really nice enchantment spells.' Other random notes: Michael will be very self-conscious about his back. If asked about religion, he will become very evasive and downright rude. Whenever he is waken up, he will be angry. Nobles like to get their sleep, and he likes to wake up on his own. Sometime in my first 6 levels, I must encounter an Ur-Priest. Mystic Theurge is cool. People on wizards.com boards are cool. I thank them.
amethal 09-08-04, 07:31 AM	Here's my idea. Only one level of dragon disciple says to me his dragon heritage started coming through, but he was so horrified and ashamed he started to suppress it. Thus, if he acts like a black dragon, its as a denial of his gold dragon heritage. He met an Ur-Priest who claimed to be able to cure his "affliction", but eventually he saw through the Ur-Priest's lies and abandoned him. The experience has enabled him to finally come to terms with who he is, and he continues to improve his divine and arcane spellcasting abilities in tandem. Eventually he meets his dragon father, who explains the philosophy of spontaneous arcane magic to him in such a way that he is able to become an archmage and cast his spells in surprising ways. (NB old gold dragon might then decide to fly off and visit some of his other descendants, rather than hanging around to mess up the DMs campaign.)