What alignment would that be.(long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

What alignment would that be.(long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Derren S.
04-07-04, 03:08 PM I'm currently having an idea for a cleric/dracolyte (human cleric of a dragon god) and I'm unsure about the starting alignment.

He has grown up in a small town which was protected by a dragon (type still undecided) in a family of jeweller. His family had a pretty good living trading jewellery with the nearby harbour (reachable by river boats). Because a family of jewelers and their shipments are a worthwhile target for bandits, the family was very glad that they lived in a town protected by a dragon, and, while they had no direct contact with the dragon, they had a very high opinion of him which of course reflected on the character.

When he was born his family had some very good years and because they had enough income the praise for the dragon was higher than usual. That lead to that the character didn't develope the usual fear and distrust against dragons and even got the image of dragons as (very) distant friends than monster. He even spied sometimes on the dragon as it left its lair (from far away, of course, the lair wasn't that accessible).

When the character was 13 the luck his family had ended and they faced some hard times. While his parents tried to outlast this period and tried to find other business opportunities, his older brother who mainly accompanied the shipments working and organizing the escort hired himself out as mercenary, searching the quick money and fame (mostly for himself).

One day when his brother was at home between two assignments he told the character that he wants to settle all missing debts because he found some people which will follow him and that he is about to make enough money for himself so that he doesn't have to come back to his parents anymore.
A few days later he was gone.

A month later a large band of goblins marched towards the town and even while the dragon wasn't seen for a long time the people trusted that it will protect them and didn't prepare much defense (not that they even had a large militia or combat training).
But the dragon did not came and supported by some unknown wizards the goblins overrun the town. The character and some other people escaped, but many, including the characters parents, died. Not knowing where to flee the character climbed the small mountain to the dragon lair the first time.
What he found was the skeletal corpses of some humans and the remains of the dragon and of course no hoard. Also the character found a broken battleaxe which belonged to his brother in the lair. The character was mad because so shortly after the loss of his parents he now has lost the one who protected him his whole live (the dragon) who was (apparently) killed by his own brother.
Out of fear the character stayed in the lair for two days until hunger drove him out. The goblins were gone, the town razed and some clerics arrived who wanted to help in the defense of the town and now started helping the survivors. Most of the clerics were healers, but there also were some more extreme ones who preached of revenge. The character who wasn't very religious before listened to them and decided to follow them because with everything lost, revenge was the only thing he had, but not against the goblins but against his brother (he was convinced that his brother organized this attack to cover his trail)
He followed the clerics and became one of them. But as soon as he finished training (with focus on fighting rather than preaching) he set out to find his brother and to kill him and to seek forgiveness from an other dragon for the murder his brother did.

I am a bit unsure what alignment he should be. He was raised as a normal helpful citizen (maybe a bit aloof because of the wealth of his family) and he will gladly help people in need. But he is also bitter and doesn't show mercy against enemies. And when he finds his brother he will kill him, no matter what (except there is a very very good reason not to.)

So, would he still be good or neutral or even evil tendency. And is he more lawful or more chaotic.

Sorry that this turned out so long but when I start writing I can't stop. And if you find some inconsistencies or have a suggestion how to improve this story feel free to post it.
grapedog
04-07-04, 07:23 PM perhaps NG
ObsidianIchor
04-08-04, 12:10 AM Hmmm, this is a tough one. I'm thinking Lawful Neutral, because the character has his own ideals and values of right and wrong and seems to want to follow them to their end. However, while he wants to help those in need (Good), he tends not to show any mercy, which makes me think that he is the neutral alignment on the Good-Evil axis.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Derren S. 04-07-04, 03:08 PM	I'm currently having an idea for a cleric/dracolyte (human cleric of a dragon god) and I'm unsure about the starting alignment. He has grown up in a small town which was protected by a dragon (type still undecided) in a family of jeweller. His family had a pretty good living trading jewellery with the nearby harbour (reachable by river boats). Because a family of jewelers and their shipments are a worthwhile target for bandits, the family was very glad that they lived in a town protected by a dragon, and, while they had no direct contact with the dragon, they had a very high opinion of him which of course reflected on the character. When he was born his family had some very good years and because they had enough income the praise for the dragon was higher than usual. That lead to that the character didn't develope the usual fear and distrust against dragons and even got the image of dragons as (very) distant friends than monster. He even spied sometimes on the dragon as it left its lair (from far away, of course, the lair wasn't that accessible). When the character was 13 the luck his family had ended and they faced some hard times. While his parents tried to outlast this period and tried to find other business opportunities, his older brother who mainly accompanied the shipments working and organizing the escort hired himself out as mercenary, searching the quick money and fame (mostly for himself). One day when his brother was at home between two assignments he told the character that he wants to settle all missing debts because he found some people which will follow him and that he is about to make enough money for himself so that he doesn't have to come back to his parents anymore. A few days later he was gone. A month later a large band of goblins marched towards the town and even while the dragon wasn't seen for a long time the people trusted that it will protect them and didn't prepare much defense (not that they even had a large militia or combat training). But the dragon did not came and supported by some unknown wizards the goblins overrun the town. The character and some other people escaped, but many, including the characters parents, died. Not knowing where to flee the character climbed the small mountain to the dragon lair the first time. What he found was the skeletal corpses of some humans and the remains of the dragon and of course no hoard. Also the character found a broken battleaxe which belonged to his brother in the lair. The character was mad because so shortly after the loss of his parents he now has lost the one who protected him his whole live (the dragon) who was (apparently) killed by his own brother. Out of fear the character stayed in the lair for two days until hunger drove him out. The goblins were gone, the town razed and some clerics arrived who wanted to help in the defense of the town and now started helping the survivors. Most of the clerics were healers, but there also were some more extreme ones who preached of revenge. The character who wasn't very religious before listened to them and decided to follow them because with everything lost, revenge was the only thing he had, but not against the goblins but against his brother (he was convinced that his brother organized this attack to cover his trail) He followed the clerics and became one of them. But as soon as he finished training (with focus on fighting rather than preaching) he set out to find his brother and to kill him and to seek forgiveness from an other dragon for the murder his brother did. I am a bit unsure what alignment he should be. He was raised as a normal helpful citizen (maybe a bit aloof because of the wealth of his family) and he will gladly help people in need. But he is also bitter and doesn't show mercy against enemies. And when he finds his brother he will kill him, no matter what (except there is a very very good reason not to.) So, would he still be good or neutral or even evil tendency. And is he more lawful or more chaotic. Sorry that this turned out so long but when I start writing I can't stop. And if you find some inconsistencies or have a suggestion how to improve this story feel free to post it.
grapedog 04-07-04, 07:23 PM	perhaps NG
ObsidianIchor 04-08-04, 12:10 AM	Hmmm, this is a tough one. I'm thinking Lawful Neutral, because the character has his own ideals and values of right and wrong and seems to want to follow them to their end. However, while he wants to help those in need (Good), he tends not to show any mercy, which makes me think that he is the neutral alignment on the Good-Evil axis.