Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Adolph_Kheebler 01-16-07, 09:25 AM	I need help roleplaying/backstorying a new Cleric of Kelemvor for an upcomming Faerun campaign. He is from Damara and a wandering cleric (he will become a doomguide when he hits level 6). I have just started to sketch out a backstory into something like this. I grew up right in the middle of the war with the Witch King. His father was a preeminent healer and cleric of Kelemvor within the city. He was a stereotypical brave man who was responsible for defeating many of the undead hordes that marched on the city. One night when I was 12, a host of powerful undead managed to sneak in to our house. I saw them but was too petrified with fear to do anything more than hide in a closet. I watched as they slew my father and just hid quaking in the closet as they escaped. I have never forgiven myself for this and blame myself for his death. After witnessing that, I took Kelemvor's Judgement (a masterwork bastard sword with the crossbar carved to look like Kelemvor's holy symbol gifted to my father by the master smith in the city as repayment for saving him from an undead attack) and ran. I never really recovered from that. I traveled alot trying to find something to assuage the guilt and never have. While in Waterdeep, I became associated with the church of Kelemvor via the hospital there. I stayed there for some time but decided that healing others didn't help me. I needed to get away. So I turned to the road again. ------ So what I need is help roleplaying this character. I want him gloomy and very introspective, but not ultra-depressed. He is more than a little bit insane from what he witnessed. How would you suggest showing all this in his behaviour? He would never tell his story to anyone mainly because he still blames himself. I need help. Suggestions and revisions to the backstory will also be taken into consideration. I just wrote this and am not yet wholly attached to it.
BlackZed 01-16-07, 06:27 PM	Foremost will be his reactions to undead. As far as what you've gotten so far, there are a couple of options to go with. Myself, I'd probably give up my first initiative in any combat with undead, roleplaying it as freezing due to the memory and guilt. Could really suck, of course, but for the sheer roleplaying benefit it would give a good portrayal that undead trigger an adverse mental reaction. Or perhaps he butchers common undead, but freezes at the sight of powerful undead. Another option, as he's a wanderer, is that he can't stand to stop for long, not wanting the memories to catch up. He always packs light, never having anything heavy with him or cumbersome, and is always the first up and ready to go in any party, often taking the last watch to ensure everyone's ready to go as soon as night begins to give way to dawn. Perhaps he's even a bit waspish if anyone suggests staying for any length of time in one place.
Adolph_Kheebler 01-16-07, 07:21 PM	I like the wanderer idea. I might go with that one.
DarthDave 01-30-07, 10:42 PM	Wanderer theme meets well with the restless dead idea, too. Kudos! Plus, that sword must feel r-e-a-l-l-y heavy at times.
Adolph_Kheebler 02-07-07, 12:43 AM	I've played him for 2 sessions now and all is going well. I have played up him being a drunk on top of everything. He flies into an uncontrollable frenzy at the sight of undead. At first level he was suicidal enough to charge a dracolich with just his sword. It was a miracle and a very good healer of Lathander that kept me alive on that one. I got a really good one earlier when I could not defeat a vampiric dragon and it got away. For letting an undead escape I just curled up into a fetal position, drank everything I had (well over 8 bottles) and stayed there for 4 days. The party could not move me. It was really fun and irritating to them.