tough character decision [Archive] - Wizards Community

tough character decision [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kingpocky
09-15-05, 12:43 PM I need help with an in-character decision. I'm playing a human palladin who recently defeated a large group of orcs. Most of them surrendered, so now I have the problem of finding something to do with them. They've all promised allegiance to me, so I can probably get them to go along with anything. The problem is finding something constructive for them to do. All they know how to do is kill and smash things. I've managed to persuade the mayor of a nearby town to hire them as a standing army. Unfortunately, he's still horrified about the prospect of associating with orcs and I don't know how long I can keep him convinced. I'm trying to teach and reform them, but I'm not sure how I can do anything for them.
Sluagh
09-15-05, 02:32 PM That would be sweet if you could perhaps team up with the local clerics and convert the Orc tribe to whatever god it is you work for and teach them to be civil... that could be an entire adventure unto itself. Other than that, perhaps you could have your very own hoarde to help you out :P
Laowai
09-15-05, 02:54 PM Otherwise you could, depending a bit on how many they are, make them work as builders. Or maybe become apprentices to a blacksmith or whatnot. Since they are violent in nature this may or may not work out, but we can assume that they will behave ok since they have sworn allegiance to you. Orcs may be less intelligent than most, but they do possess some degree of cunning. They should very well handle a job where they could benefit from their higher strength. As soldiers they would do fine, they are natural born warriors so not much training should be Required. Converting them to your religion would be very practical since they then would have some kind of standards to live up to. Anyway, as long as you can suppress their violent natures and benefit from their strength anything would work i'd say.
McWyrm
09-15-05, 03:12 PM Is there no smashing and killing that needs done? Surely there's a border skirmish somewhere. Or prehaps a nice buffer zone for them to occupy. Maybe you could present them to some noble - whomever you're loyal to - as a group of irregulars under your command. Rapidly delegate that command to some NPC you trust, and leave town.

It's a great story hook, certain to crop up latter.
The Smartest Lemming
09-16-05, 04:00 PM You have a standing group of people who pledged their alliegence to you because you defeated them (or their leaders anyways). If you want to keep that alliegence you are going to want to turn them onto things that you like to do. Converting them to your religion is a good long term project, perfect for a paladin or priest, but don't force upon them. If you want to keep them as friends/comrads/not wanting to kill you, you have to treat them like you would any other person. Find out what they are good at, sure they are smash killers, but every society, not matter how barbaric has to have it's pepoples have some sort of skills other than just combat if it wants to survive. I'd suggest that if you want the people of the town to start to accept the orcs they should be put to projects that help the community, preferably projects that are farther from town in the beginning. This way the people will get a new grain silo, have other enemies defeated, have quality roads, anything really, and when they ask why they have it, it will be said that some friendly orcs lead by a paladin got it done. After they hear that they will hopefully be less critical of the orcs as they start moving in closer to town.

This is all assuming that the orcs are going to stay at, or near, that one town. And if they are going to stay in a certian area, they'll also need housing and a source of food and water, all things that the town might provide later on, but not right now probably. So if they aren't already settled, your first project is to get them a place where they can live.
Bard-of-all-trades
09-23-05, 12:30 AM There's an old saying "Fight fire with fire"

Why don't you use you new-found followers to try and show their kindred the error of their ways? And if they don't see that error, unleash them and wipe them out of existance. This would be a good way to test their true allegiance as well as put their "smash & kill" tendencies to good use. And if a few of them happened to get themselves killed, hey you can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kingpocky 09-15-05, 12:43 PM	I need help with an in-character decision. I'm playing a human palladin who recently defeated a large group of orcs. Most of them surrendered, so now I have the problem of finding something to do with them. They've all promised allegiance to me, so I can probably get them to go along with anything. The problem is finding something constructive for them to do. All they know how to do is kill and smash things. I've managed to persuade the mayor of a nearby town to hire them as a standing army. Unfortunately, he's still horrified about the prospect of associating with orcs and I don't know how long I can keep him convinced. I'm trying to teach and reform them, but I'm not sure how I can do anything for them.
Sluagh 09-15-05, 02:32 PM	That would be sweet if you could perhaps team up with the local clerics and convert the Orc tribe to whatever god it is you work for and teach them to be civil... that could be an entire adventure unto itself. Other than that, perhaps you could have your very own hoarde to help you out :P
Laowai 09-15-05, 02:54 PM	Otherwise you could, depending a bit on how many they are, make them work as builders. Or maybe become apprentices to a blacksmith or whatnot. Since they are violent in nature this may or may not work out, but we can assume that they will behave ok since they have sworn allegiance to you. Orcs may be less intelligent than most, but they do possess some degree of cunning. They should very well handle a job where they could benefit from their higher strength. As soldiers they would do fine, they are natural born warriors so not much training should be Required. Converting them to your religion would be very practical since they then would have some kind of standards to live up to. Anyway, as long as you can suppress their violent natures and benefit from their strength anything would work i'd say.
McWyrm 09-15-05, 03:12 PM	Is there no smashing and killing that needs done? Surely there's a border skirmish somewhere. Or prehaps a nice buffer zone for them to occupy. Maybe you could present them to some noble - whomever you're loyal to - as a group of irregulars under your command. Rapidly delegate that command to some NPC you trust, and leave town. It's a great story hook, certain to crop up latter.
The Smartest Lemming 09-16-05, 04:00 PM	You have a standing group of people who pledged their alliegence to you because you defeated them (or their leaders anyways). If you want to keep that alliegence you are going to want to turn them onto things that you like to do. Converting them to your religion is a good long term project, perfect for a paladin or priest, but don't force upon them. If you want to keep them as friends/comrads/not wanting to kill you, you have to treat them like you would any other person. Find out what they are good at, sure they are smash killers, but every society, not matter how barbaric has to have it's pepoples have some sort of skills other than just combat if it wants to survive. I'd suggest that if you want the people of the town to start to accept the orcs they should be put to projects that help the community, preferably projects that are farther from town in the beginning. This way the people will get a new grain silo, have other enemies defeated, have quality roads, anything really, and when they ask why they have it, it will be said that some friendly orcs lead by a paladin got it done. After they hear that they will hopefully be less critical of the orcs as they start moving in closer to town. This is all assuming that the orcs are going to stay at, or near, that one town. And if they are going to stay in a certian area, they'll also need housing and a source of food and water, all things that the town might provide later on, but not right now probably. So if they aren't already settled, your first project is to get them a place where they can live.
Bard-of-all-trades 09-23-05, 12:30 AM	There's an old saying "Fight fire with fire" Why don't you use you new-found followers to try and show their kindred the error of their ways? And if they don't see that error, unleash them and wipe them out of existance. This would be a good way to test their true allegiance as well as put their "smash & kill" tendencies to good use. And if a few of them happened to get themselves killed, hey you can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs.