Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JamsTheHobbit
12-26-03, 10:40 PM I have a question concerning the various side-effects of extreme, senseless violence upon the psyche of a child-like pacifist cleric.

Lemme explain my situation- In one of my current campaigns, I'm playing a semi-pacifist (willing to harm but not kill) halfling shepherd who became a cleric. Throughout most of the campaign, the party has been fighting undead, demons, and other sort of monsters which the cleric would not consider "humanoid" and therefore not subject to his "non-killing" morality. However, within the last session, the party invaded a castle within which several bugbears were living. Led by a racially-biased elven ranger, the party continued to slaughter every single bugbear encountered- including women, children, and several who begged for their lives. Needless to say, the party's actions disturbed the cleric, especially when our barbarian's critical resulted in blood smeared upon his face. After vomitting several times, crying, and futilely trying to heal dead children, the cleric retired to a storeroom in the dungeon (this happened because I was forced to leave the session in real life).

I see this as an excellent opprotunity to furter develop my character and his beliefs, however I am unsure exactly how he would react. Any help would be appreciated... Thx.
Lady Danyon Dehlmari
12-26-03, 10:56 PM I'd use shock value. Meaning, I'd have my cleric not talking, staying silent, being very aloof- after all, your cleric is upset about this, and probably "deep" in thought, wondering now about the "type" of people he's travelling with. It should make for some good RP.
MarkusH
12-29-03, 03:57 PM Heavy stuff. This could easily wreck the campaign if not handled well.

First, who is your god? What is their opinion of such behavior? You may need to check in with a temple (i.e., the DM).

Does your character even want to continue associating himself with this group? What they did was pretty despicable, and either they are going to have to change their behavior or you are. Especially if the ranger will be continuing to operate with the group, this is going to be leading to some serious conflict sooner rather than later. It may be better for party cohesion for you to leave, perhaps to go "minister in the wilderness" so to speak. Especially if there are any survivors, you may want to dedicate your life to raising them to prove that Bugbears can be good people if brought up in a loving environment.

If you choose to remain with the group, you have two options. You have just lost your innocence, so play that aspect up for a session or two. Your entire faith in humanity (and other races) has been shaken to its foundation. Your friends are not what they seemed, and in some aspects are crueler than you ever imagined. You are going to be morose and despondant for at least a while. Think back to your first great betrayal in your life. (Your first love forsaking you, your parents rejecting you, etc.) Afterwards, you will either likely try to become a paragon of good, so to speak, or harden your own heart, and become as cruel and vicious as the others, perhaps more so.

If you become a paragon of good, you will need to step up into a leadership role. The others have shown that they are unworthy of the role of leader, so you will have to take that spot. They may still be worthwhile as tools for your god, but until they have reached your level of moral rectitude, they don't get a voice. Make decisions for them, and if they aren't willing to follow your orders, well, they didn't need that healing spell, did they? Besides, there are others who are more worthy of your god's grace than them. One or two of your fellows may be actually sorry about what happened. Work that guilt! Ride it into power.

If you choose the other path, you will need to understand that the other are monsters, beasts, and nothing more. They are not worth more thought than you would give to the spring slaughter. After a while, you may come to see humans, elves and others as no longer really the same as halflings. They are all oppressors and deserve no mercy either. This may require you to change allegience to a more, er, martial deity.

Also, check with your DM. Explain what you are going to do, and why. If he isn't for it, you will almost certainly need to start a new character.
JamsTheHobbit
12-30-03, 01:07 AM well, my cleric's official deity is Fharlanghn- not exactly a very compassionate god within himself. However, my character has applied a slightly more good-ish interpretation of his god. So far, I think uncharacteristically quiet and sullen. In addition, I'll refuse healing to any of the pary members (though I've resolved I'll save them under dire circumstances) and will stopp "leading the way" in the dungeon (a big role as a servant of my god). I think it would also be fairly dramatic if I kept wearing the same blood-stained clothes. I've also been pondering forsaking my standard morning prayers- perhaps to show my loss of faith. In any case, thx for the suggestions.
JamsTheHobbit
12-30-03, 01:09 AM well, my cleric's official deity is Fharlanghn- not exactly a very compassionate god within himself. However, my character has applied a slightly more good-ish interpretation of his god. So far, I think uncharacteristically quiet and sullen. In addition, I'll refuse healing to any of the pary members (though I've resolved I'll save them under dire circumstances) and will stopp "leading the way" in the dungeon (a big role as a servant of my god). I think it would also be fairly dramatic if I kept wearing the same blood-stained clothes. I've also been pondering forsaking my standard morning prayers- perhaps to show my loss of faith. In any case, thx for the suggestions.
NZCardinal
01-15-04, 07:38 PM You could turn him into a south-parkesqe screamer, terrified his teammates are gonna spill blood, I think that would make for more interesting role-playing than a brooding, silent halfling.:sad:
NZCardinal
01-15-04, 07:40 PM You could turn him into a south-parkesqe screamer, terrified his teammates are gonna spill blood, I think that would make for more interesting role-playing than a brooding, silent halfling.:sad:
TranquilDarkness
01-16-04, 03:26 AM The way I see it you can go two ways;
you can accept the fact that your party-members, probably friends, view some humanoids as nothing more than demons and undead: ripe for the killing. This will seriously disturb your characters personal beliefs and morals.

or your character will not be able to make that jump; your travel companions have seriously violated some of your convictions and unless they are willing and capable of changing their attitude very soon you have no further reason to travel with them, let alone guide their ways..

Killing in the presence of a pacifist is traumatic, but might be overcome; slaughtering men, women and children, innocent or no, within 10 feet of the pacifist is indeed serious enough to wreck the campaign or the character.
NZCardinal
01-16-04, 03:35 AM You could make him alcohol dependant, where he is only capable of associating and adventuring if he is mildly intoxicated.

While I'm sure its a fun character to role-play, I can imagine if I was one of the other players I'd be a little sodded off at having a pacifist in the party, but maybe I appreciate the bloodshed a little too much.
Crinos
01-17-04, 11:46 PM in my campaign, one of our members is a elf ranger with orcs as her favored enemy.

In one city we visited a while back, she was mugged by an orc, after she got the orc on the ground, she proceeded to chop the bastard into pieces, right there in public. The end result was a race riot that threw the whole city into chaos, all during a festival of peace no less.

as for your halfing, I might suggest she get into contact with some of her fellow clerics and discuss the situation with them, possibly ask a higher up to go revive the civilians slain.

also, I think your gonna have to sit down with your group leader and talk to him about his racial prejudices.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JamsTheHobbit 12-26-03, 10:40 PM	I have a question concerning the various side-effects of extreme, senseless violence upon the psyche of a child-like pacifist cleric. Lemme explain my situation- In one of my current campaigns, I'm playing a semi-pacifist (willing to harm but not kill) halfling shepherd who became a cleric. Throughout most of the campaign, the party has been fighting undead, demons, and other sort of monsters which the cleric would not consider "humanoid" and therefore not subject to his "non-killing" morality. However, within the last session, the party invaded a castle within which several bugbears were living. Led by a racially-biased elven ranger, the party continued to slaughter every single bugbear encountered- including women, children, and several who begged for their lives. Needless to say, the party's actions disturbed the cleric, especially when our barbarian's critical resulted in blood smeared upon his face. After vomitting several times, crying, and futilely trying to heal dead children, the cleric retired to a storeroom in the dungeon (this happened because I was forced to leave the session in real life). I see this as an excellent opprotunity to furter develop my character and his beliefs, however I am unsure exactly how he would react. Any help would be appreciated... Thx.
Lady Danyon Dehlmari 12-26-03, 10:56 PM	I'd use shock value. Meaning, I'd have my cleric not talking, staying silent, being very aloof- after all, your cleric is upset about this, and probably "deep" in thought, wondering now about the "type" of people he's travelling with. It should make for some good RP.
MarkusH 12-29-03, 03:57 PM	Heavy stuff. This could easily wreck the campaign if not handled well. First, who is your god? What is their opinion of such behavior? You may need to check in with a temple (i.e., the DM). Does your character even want to continue associating himself with this group? What they did was pretty despicable, and either they are going to have to change their behavior or you are. Especially if the ranger will be continuing to operate with the group, this is going to be leading to some serious conflict sooner rather than later. It may be better for party cohesion for you to leave, perhaps to go "minister in the wilderness" so to speak. Especially if there are any survivors, you may want to dedicate your life to raising them to prove that Bugbears can be good people if brought up in a loving environment. If you choose to remain with the group, you have two options. You have just lost your innocence, so play that aspect up for a session or two. Your entire faith in humanity (and other races) has been shaken to its foundation. Your friends are not what they seemed, and in some aspects are crueler than you ever imagined. You are going to be morose and despondant for at least a while. Think back to your first great betrayal in your life. (Your first love forsaking you, your parents rejecting you, etc.) Afterwards, you will either likely try to become a paragon of good, so to speak, or harden your own heart, and become as cruel and vicious as the others, perhaps more so. If you become a paragon of good, you will need to step up into a leadership role. The others have shown that they are unworthy of the role of leader, so you will have to take that spot. They may still be worthwhile as tools for your god, but until they have reached your level of moral rectitude, they don't get a voice. Make decisions for them, and if they aren't willing to follow your orders, well, they didn't need that healing spell, did they? Besides, there are others who are more worthy of your god's grace than them. One or two of your fellows may be actually sorry about what happened. Work that guilt! Ride it into power. If you choose the other path, you will need to understand that the other are monsters, beasts, and nothing more. They are not worth more thought than you would give to the spring slaughter. After a while, you may come to see humans, elves and others as no longer really the same as halflings. They are all oppressors and deserve no mercy either. This may require you to change allegience to a more, er, martial deity. Also, check with your DM. Explain what you are going to do, and why. If he isn't for it, you will almost certainly need to start a new character.
JamsTheHobbit 12-30-03, 01:07 AM	well, my cleric's official deity is Fharlanghn- not exactly a very compassionate god within himself. However, my character has applied a slightly more good-ish interpretation of his god. So far, I think uncharacteristically quiet and sullen. In addition, I'll refuse healing to any of the pary members (though I've resolved I'll save them under dire circumstances) and will stopp "leading the way" in the dungeon (a big role as a servant of my god). I think it would also be fairly dramatic if I kept wearing the same blood-stained clothes. I've also been pondering forsaking my standard morning prayers- perhaps to show my loss of faith. In any case, thx for the suggestions.
JamsTheHobbit 12-30-03, 01:09 AM	well, my cleric's official deity is Fharlanghn- not exactly a very compassionate god within himself. However, my character has applied a slightly more good-ish interpretation of his god. So far, I think uncharacteristically quiet and sullen. In addition, I'll refuse healing to any of the pary members (though I've resolved I'll save them under dire circumstances) and will stopp "leading the way" in the dungeon (a big role as a servant of my god). I think it would also be fairly dramatic if I kept wearing the same blood-stained clothes. I've also been pondering forsaking my standard morning prayers- perhaps to show my loss of faith. In any case, thx for the suggestions.
NZCardinal 01-15-04, 07:38 PM	You could turn him into a south-parkesqe screamer, terrified his teammates are gonna spill blood, I think that would make for more interesting role-playing than a brooding, silent halfling.:sad:
NZCardinal 01-15-04, 07:40 PM	You could turn him into a south-parkesqe screamer, terrified his teammates are gonna spill blood, I think that would make for more interesting role-playing than a brooding, silent halfling.:sad:
TranquilDarkness 01-16-04, 03:26 AM	The way I see it you can go two ways; you can accept the fact that your party-members, probably friends, view some humanoids as nothing more than demons and undead: ripe for the killing. This will seriously disturb your characters personal beliefs and morals. or your character will not be able to make that jump; your travel companions have seriously violated some of your convictions and unless they are willing and capable of changing their attitude very soon you have no further reason to travel with them, let alone guide their ways.. Killing in the presence of a pacifist is traumatic, but might be overcome; slaughtering men, women and children, innocent or no, within 10 feet of the pacifist is indeed serious enough to wreck the campaign or the character.
NZCardinal 01-16-04, 03:35 AM	You could make him alcohol dependant, where he is only capable of associating and adventuring if he is mildly intoxicated. While I'm sure its a fun character to role-play, I can imagine if I was one of the other players I'd be a little sodded off at having a pacifist in the party, but maybe I appreciate the bloodshed a little too much.
Crinos 01-17-04, 11:46 PM	in my campaign, one of our members is a elf ranger with orcs as her favored enemy. In one city we visited a while back, she was mugged by an orc, after she got the orc on the ground, she proceeded to chop the bastard into pieces, right there in public. The end result was a race riot that threw the whole city into chaos, all during a festival of peace no less. as for your halfing, I might suggest she get into contact with some of her fellow clerics and discuss the situation with them, possibly ask a higher up to go revive the civilians slain. also, I think your gonna have to sit down with your group leader and talk to him about his racial prejudices.