Need help with Necromancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need help with Necromancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SplendidTuesday
12-20-07, 08:29 PM Again, I need help with a background, this time, a human (wizard) necromancer. Also, my DM's world has actual background, so I need to conform to that.

First, the human historyish stuff. (Copy-pasted from the PBP thread)

The humans were generally thought to have the worst deal of all the denizens of Lafinor, having as their originating lands the baking deserts and the icy mountains, and often having to share these wastelands with various monsters. The humans have proven themselves tough and versatile enough to withstand these conditions, but the hard life they lead has prevented them from achieving the level of settlement that other races have. They live in nomadic tribes that are constantly at odds with each other, and being forced into constant war with each other and their surroundings has prevented their growth as a people. The one achievement they are most known for by outsiders is their ability to tame and train the monsters that their lands are rife with, and many of the human tribes have a signature monster that is native to their territory and that they specialise in using in battle.

Also, 'A fairly typical human motivation in Lafinor would be "because we were given a rotten lot in life by the gods who placed us on the world, and if we could only band together we could make things better for ourselves".'

I'm thinking that my (rather young, but immensely brillant) necromancer wants to stop all the fighting and unite the humans in a mighty empire supported by undeath. But why would he want to do that? I'm thinking that he discovered his abilities around the same time of a decade or so of great suffering and death among his tribe. He saw the success of the other races, (who are fully settled) and wanted to help achieve that. Any good motivations to add to this?
Terjon of the Blue Rose
12-21-07, 12:29 AM Though it's traditionally an underdark monster if you move the undead worm creature (avolokia i think) to the mountains it may well provide an excellent signature monster for his nation. In a nation where undeath is accepted and even supported it may be that people know full well that there duty to their people doesn't end with death.

He may well see the other human nations as weak for allowing such a petty thing as death end their service. He would likely believe that if he can show them the power of necromancy that with this powerful new workforce could deal with the mundane work while the more powerful undead could provide ceasely patrol against the marauding monsters.

With these buffers against the trials of the gods humanity could form a united force and take their rightful place in the world.
SplendidTuesday
12-21-07, 11:17 AM Though it's traditionally an underdark monster if you move the undead worm creature (avolokia i think) to the mountains it may well provide an excellent signature monster for his nation. In a nation where undeath is accepted and even supported it may be that people know full well that there duty to their people doesn't end with death.

He may well see the other human nations as weak for allowing such a petty thing as death end their service. He would likely believe that if he can show them the power of necromancy that with this powerful new workforce could deal with the mundane work while the more powerful undead could provide ceasely patrol against the marauding monsters.

With these buffers against the trials of the gods humanity could form a united force and take their rightful place in the world.

Terjon, have I ever told you that you're awesome? No? Well then, you most certainly are.

An excellent motiviation and perhaps he could have this outlook because of a time of great suffering among his tribe? Of a time of much death, where his tribe barely survived?
Terjon of the Blue Rose
12-22-07, 04:16 AM Terjon, have I ever told you that you're awesome? No? Well then, you most certainly are.

An excellent motiviation and perhaps he could have this outlook because of a time of great suffering among his tribe? Of a time of much death, where his tribe barely survived?

Have you? It's so hard to keep track of all those names these days.:P

Works nicely if the undead workforce was key to the rebuilding effort as well as finally driving off that threat.

Edit: For real complexity make that avolokia a symbol both feared and respected. It was the creature which brought the initial disaster down on your people and at the same time which raised them later to greater heights then they had ever reached before, now qualifying as a true nation amongst the humans.
I_roll_ones
12-22-07, 11:25 PM Depending on what his other party mates are, perhaps he wishes to either have his clan of humans beat up everyone else, including the other tribes. Or, unite the humans UNDER his clan, living by the laws of his clan.

Is this character xenophobic and wants to conquer other races, or incorporate anything good they have? What is his opinion of non-human races? Are they potential allies, instructors, slaves or fodder for an undead army?

And if undeath is accepted by this clan, how are necromancers viewed? Are they the elite, or a necessary evil, outcasts that the clan depends upon? Where does your PC stand in terms of status and power in this clan?

An alternative method, depending on how evil you want your PC, is that the raising of undead is an act of revenge or survival. If his clan was weakened or completely shattered by a massacure, they would have lost all resources and land they had. Perhaps some opportunistic people took their goods and land from them, and your PC wants revenge on what killed the clan, or profited from their death, and then raises them as undead to torture them for their crimes.

Or, your character simply doesn't care about non-clan mates, who don't help out the clan anyway, and is perfectly willing to sacrifice his soul to raise undead to help rebuild his nation, going to any length to revive it and ensure that future generations will live and be safe, even if you have to slaughter everyone else.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SplendidTuesday 12-20-07, 08:29 PM	Again, I need help with a background, this time, a human (wizard) necromancer. Also, my DM's world has actual background, so I need to conform to that. First, the human historyish stuff. (Copy-pasted from the PBP thread) The humans were generally thought to have the worst deal of all the denizens of Lafinor, having as their originating lands the baking deserts and the icy mountains, and often having to share these wastelands with various monsters. The humans have proven themselves tough and versatile enough to withstand these conditions, but the hard life they lead has prevented them from achieving the level of settlement that other races have. They live in nomadic tribes that are constantly at odds with each other, and being forced into constant war with each other and their surroundings has prevented their growth as a people. The one achievement they are most known for by outsiders is their ability to tame and train the monsters that their lands are rife with, and many of the human tribes have a signature monster that is native to their territory and that they specialise in using in battle. Also, 'A fairly typical human motivation in Lafinor would be "because we were given a rotten lot in life by the gods who placed us on the world, and if we could only band together we could make things better for ourselves".' I'm thinking that my (rather young, but immensely brillant) necromancer wants to stop all the fighting and unite the humans in a mighty empire supported by undeath. But why would he want to do that? I'm thinking that he discovered his abilities around the same time of a decade or so of great suffering and death among his tribe. He saw the success of the other races, (who are fully settled) and wanted to help achieve that. Any good motivations to add to this?
Terjon of the Blue Rose 12-21-07, 12:29 AM	Though it's traditionally an underdark monster if you move the undead worm creature (avolokia i think) to the mountains it may well provide an excellent signature monster for his nation. In a nation where undeath is accepted and even supported it may be that people know full well that there duty to their people doesn't end with death. He may well see the other human nations as weak for allowing such a petty thing as death end their service. He would likely believe that if he can show them the power of necromancy that with this powerful new workforce could deal with the mundane work while the more powerful undead could provide ceasely patrol against the marauding monsters. With these buffers against the trials of the gods humanity could form a united force and take their rightful place in the world.
SplendidTuesday 12-21-07, 11:17 AM	Though it's traditionally an underdark monster if you move the undead worm creature (avolokia i think) to the mountains it may well provide an excellent signature monster for his nation. In a nation where undeath is accepted and even supported it may be that people know full well that there duty to their people doesn't end with death. He may well see the other human nations as weak for allowing such a petty thing as death end their service. He would likely believe that if he can show them the power of necromancy that with this powerful new workforce could deal with the mundane work while the more powerful undead could provide ceasely patrol against the marauding monsters. With these buffers against the trials of the gods humanity could form a united force and take their rightful place in the world. Terjon, have I ever told you that you're awesome? No? Well then, you most certainly are. An excellent motiviation and perhaps he could have this outlook because of a time of great suffering among his tribe? Of a time of much death, where his tribe barely survived?
Terjon of the Blue Rose 12-22-07, 04:16 AM	Terjon, have I ever told you that you're awesome? No? Well then, you most certainly are. An excellent motiviation and perhaps he could have this outlook because of a time of great suffering among his tribe? Of a time of much death, where his tribe barely survived? Have you? It's so hard to keep track of all those names these days.:P Works nicely if the undead workforce was key to the rebuilding effort as well as finally driving off that threat. Edit: For real complexity make that avolokia a symbol both feared and respected. It was the creature which brought the initial disaster down on your people and at the same time which raised them later to greater heights then they had ever reached before, now qualifying as a true nation amongst the humans.
I_roll_ones 12-22-07, 11:25 PM	Depending on what his other party mates are, perhaps he wishes to either have his clan of humans beat up everyone else, including the other tribes. Or, unite the humans UNDER his clan, living by the laws of his clan. Is this character xenophobic and wants to conquer other races, or incorporate anything good they have? What is his opinion of non-human races? Are they potential allies, instructors, slaves or fodder for an undead army? And if undeath is accepted by this clan, how are necromancers viewed? Are they the elite, or a necessary evil, outcasts that the clan depends upon? Where does your PC stand in terms of status and power in this clan? An alternative method, depending on how evil you want your PC, is that the raising of undead is an act of revenge or survival. If his clan was weakened or completely shattered by a massacure, they would have lost all resources and land they had. Perhaps some opportunistic people took their goods and land from them, and your PC wants revenge on what killed the clan, or profited from their death, and then raises them as undead to torture them for their crimes. Or, your character simply doesn't care about non-clan mates, who don't help out the clan anyway, and is perfectly willing to sacrifice his soul to raise undead to help rebuild his nation, going to any length to revive it and ensure that future generations will live and be safe, even if you have to slaughter everyone else.