Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gavinfoxx 09-16-07, 07:16 PM	Hi there, I need some help with the religious belifes, goals, methods, and personality of a Neutral Evil Druid of Malar. First, some ideas. This is a character in a custom setting, and when I asked about importing some of the feats that are associated with the Deity Malar, and then asked if he wanted me to come up with a reflavored deity, he said no, and that I should keep the Deity as Malar for this character if I'm going to be an Initiate of Malar. The character is a Ghostwise Halfling, which is essentially not a different *species* of halfling in this setting, but more a racial (in the traditional racial sense, not species) variation. Malar doesn't necessarily have the same relationships with other deities in this setting, so I would like to come up with some things to make the goals, methods, priesthood, and worship of Malar a little less faerun-specific. I also haven't been able to actually *describe* his beliefs. I always seem to forget the terms "Bestial Savagery" and "Bloodlust" at the table, heh. He has also taken the trait "uncivilized", and has an 8 charisma. His wisdom and intelligence are pretty good though. I've so far played that in that he's aggressive to the other characters and has a disdain for interactions with the rest of the party or with people in general, and he sometimes has trouble getting complicated ideas -- like of his beliefs -- across to other people. But so far thats in part because I haven't really cemented his beliefs and way of thinking, which I would like to do. I do want him to be completely set in his ways, hypocritical, and zealous for his cause, but I dont exactly know HOW to go about doing that. Thanks, and any help would be appreciated! -Gavinfoxx
The_Shaman 09-17-07, 06:53 PM	IMO there can be two ways to go about it. The first is the eco-terrorist kind: he or she thinks that the wilds are being encroached upon, and that all "civilized" races should be stopped with interfering with how nature should be (note: according to the character - killing elves en masse might be okay). The problem is that this kind is not very good for a party-based game, unless there is an external motivation like a shared enemy. The second is centered around the word "darwinist": basically, it's the survival of the fittest out there. Strength - direct or not (magical abilities, for example) - is the only measure of worth. The strong live off the weak, and that's how it should be. Add a measure of Malar's dogma, and stir. Serve cold and in small glasses. Olives are optional.
Gavinfoxx 09-17-07, 07:08 PM	Well Social Darwinism and Evolution by Natural Selection are two very different things. If hes taking the Evolution by Natural Selection approach, it doesnt matter if you are "strong" or not, it matters if you live long enough to have children and the line and your genes keep on going. The social darwinism thing is more that by preventing those we view as weak (generally an arbitrary measure of weak) from breeding, society is strengthened. The thing is, I dont know if he *wants* societies of sentient humanoids and monstrous humanoids to be strong or not.
Daxen 09-19-07, 05:24 PM	I really don't think that Malar is overly concerned with the happenings of cattle. Those that would herd themselves into convienient pens shall be the last of several meals for the great Beast Lord. While there is still game that would attempt to elude you. There are exactly two types of creature in the Malarian(?) mind set, predator and prey. I would fear this little bugger as most Malarites would pick on him mercilessly and try to eat him, so for him to have survived this long he must be one intense little bugger. Eyes darting to and fro body coiled like a too tense spring, hands always moving ready to kill at the slightest provocation, with all the social graces of a cornered rabid badger. Those loyal to the beastlord do not teach his "philosophy" with words but with blood and the stark reality of impending death. This character will find it difficult to maintain his netrality on any axis. I would play him drifting towards chaotic neutral as eventually there would not be a sense of good or evil there would be only the beast. That is just my two cp. Good Luck and Have fun Dax