Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Draco Strang 02-27-05, 08:53 AM	Mornin' Everyone, So, I'm playing in an Eberron campaign, based in Sharn and we just started over last night. I'm a 3rd level cleric of Onatar. From my understand and my DM's advice, a 3rd level cleric is something to talk about, as most members of the clergy are Adepts and Commoners. So anyway, my character is the son of Ex-members of House Cannith that went to the Mror Holds during the Last War and sought employment with Clan Mroranon. They made a living by patching up Warforged that were recovered on the field of battle, and converting them for use as miners and guards for the Clan. My character was born shortly after they started this, and spent his whole life arounds dwarves. So in all actuality, he's more comfortable with them than humans. He manifested the least Mark of Making (remember, his parents are just ex-members, not aberrants or anything) Long story short, he made his way to Sharn, was serving in Onatar's temple there, and got a letter one day from a minor noble in House Cannith. It said something to the effect that "Dear sir, we know who you are, and we really want you to marry our daughter, she too is marked, and we want to do you justice, get you back in the house, and strengthen our bloodline...yada yada yada" So I go to the dinner I'm invited to with her and her family (this is the start of the campaign) and I sit down with the rest of the party (who were there for various reasons) and in the middle of dinner assassins come busting into the front hall. We go out, fight them off, and come back. The father of the girl I'm supposed to meet is very distraught, wondering what's going on. All of a sudden, we hear a scream, rush upstairs, and find that someone did a little knife work right in the girls back. She's quite dead. I want to know: What's my motivation for getting involved in this? Obviously I don't want to screw the DM and party over by returning to the temple, but the marriage is way off and it's not like I really knew the girl. I'm leaning towards the "right the wrongs, hunt them down so they don't hurt the rest of the family, greater forces may be at work" deal. My alignment is Neutral Good, so I'm definitely out for the good of the people here. I can afford to break a few laws and go places a LG character can't. Is that good enough? Can you help me get a little more complex in my motivation?
The White Sorcerer 02-27-05, 09:08 AM	as most divine casters are ... Commoners. :ahem:
Zagumus 02-27-05, 09:11 AM	They could be after you next. You have the same mark as the girl and assosication with her family now, I think you are likely to be a target. Maybe if you take care of this matter you could get back into House Cannith with out getting married. Some one had dishonored you by taking the girl that was to be your wifes life. The brutal slaying that you witnessed the results of will haunt your mind till your death if you don't do something about it. Just a few. I think I would need to more about your character before I could really choose, but maybe the choosing will detirmine your character. Sounds like a good start to a game though, have fun with it.
Draco Strang 02-27-05, 09:12 AM	:ahem: Ok...not divine casters, members of the clergy. Minor mistake. Dig it? I changed it up above.
Draco Strang 02-27-05, 09:15 AM	Maybe if you take care of this matter you could get back into House Cannith with out getting married. Oh, I don't really give a hoot about re-inclusion to the House. I'm quite happy serving Onatar and maintaining a room with my parents in Clan Mroranon's holdings. My parents left because she was a noble (artificer) and he a standard mechanic working on contract for them (Expert) and they didn't want her marrying below her station. So, she gave House Cannith the high sign and left. I'm back in Sharn on orders from the Church and Clan Mroranon....I'm basically a much taller, shorter-lived dwarf at heart. I really like the concept of them being after me next, and the matter of honor by association. Thanks a lot.
Zagumus 02-27-05, 09:27 AM	Then he should swear an oath to the parents, "I will not rest until these monsters are put to the wheel" some thing like that.
Gurv 02-27-05, 09:46 AM	Not only may they be after you next, you may be the indirect cause of her death. It is possible that the murder was commited to prevent you from marrying her! There are a million stories that could go that way: perhaps you have a jeleous cousin who wants to inherit the fortunes of your maternal grandfather and he fears that your rejoining the family will cut his share in half. Maybe the Prophecy says that your child will bring about some event. Who knows. The point is, your motivation should be to figure out what is going on, so that you know whether your involvement was purposeful or coincidental.
Draco Strang 02-27-05, 09:47 AM	Then he should swear an oath to the parents, "I will not rest until these monsters are put to the wheel" some thing like that. Are we talking "strapped to a wagon wheel and beaten to death" sort of put to the wheel? If not, what kind of wheel?
Doctor X 02-28-05, 01:29 AM	Not only may they be after you next, you may be the indirect cause of her death. It is possible that the murder was commited to prevent you from marrying her! There are a million stories that could go that way: perhaps you have a jeleous cousin who wants to inherit the fortunes of your maternal grandfather and he fears that your rejoining the family will cut his share in half. Maybe the Prophecy says that your child will bring about some event. Who knows. The point is, your motivation should be to figure out what is going on, so that you know whether your involvement was purposeful or coincidental. Yeah... I don't want to spoil it for you, Draco, but none of these possibilities Gurv listed are entirely out of the question... I'll give you a hint, though-- It wasn't so much the girl herself that mattered to the killer. There's a little more to this mystery than meets the eye. Talking to the kalashtar in the group might help your character to understand this a little better. The reason he was there was due to a strong vision that came the seer Havakhad not long ago. This guy rarely has strong visions concerning everyday and inconsequential events. Murders happen quite regularly in Sharn, so there must be something behind this one that sets it apart... :shifty: In addition, there's also the tendency of Eberron Clerics to be crusaders for their churches. Since they are so rare, they are usually expected to do a little more with their gifts than simply sit in temples all day taking up collection plates. If you take this opportunity to demonstrate the rewards that faith in the Host provides, you might attract more people to attend services and make donations... which is exactly what the Pavilion of the Host needs right now. Besides, her father will reward you for helping solve this mystery, so if you won't help due to curiousity, in vengeance for dishonor, for the good of your church, or purely out of the goodness of your heart, there's always the possibility of money that you could use to finally set up your own shop, which was the whole reason you came to Sharn in the first place, if I remember correctly.
Draco Strang 02-28-05, 09:30 AM	Besides, her father will reward you for helping solve this mystery, so if you won't help due to curiousity, in vengeance for dishonor, for the good of your church, or purely out of the goodness of your heart, there's always the possibility of money that you could use to finally set up your own shop, which was the whole reason you came to Sharn in the first place, if I remember correctly. Actually, I'm in Sharn for the simple reason that the Church and Clan Mroranon both decided that I could better serve them from Sharn. I'm not actually interested in becoming an entrepeneur just yet. I would go home, but I'm indirectly responsible for what's left of that detachment I came with, and I did pick up and start practicing with the Church of Onatar here. So.......there are some good angles for me to use, and my neutral good cleric certainly won't be doing it for the money. But rest assured, he'll do it. And he'll like it, dammit. Nobody messes with the hot girl that got whacked before I even had a chance to talk to her and gets away scot free if I have my say.
Gurv 02-28-05, 10:12 AM	What's my motivation for getting involved in this? Obviously I don't want to screw the DM and party over by returning to the temple, but the marriage is way off and it's not like I really knew the girl. Something I was thinking because I just had basically the same conversation with one of my own players. It is really good that you're thinking about not screwing up the adventure. I have several players who sometimes think it is my job as the DM to come up with reasons for them to adventure. I have made it clear to them this time around that they are to play people who want to adventure, and that I will be providing excuses for them to do so. No more 'hobbits dragged out the door kicking and screaming' scenerios. I want players who jump at the opportunity to do anything that resembles an adventure. It doesn't sound like you have that problem. But it might be good for you and the DM to sit down and decide what your goals are so that you are both on the same page. So far he has tempted you with the murder of your future wife, as well as the chance to set up shop in Sharn and you haven't bitten yet. Nibbled maybe. One of the best DM tools is something to dangle in front of a character to make him move forward. Sometimes this can be something as vague as "I want to further my faith", which can lead to superiors giving orders and evil cults kidnapping faithful. Sometimes it can be something as blatent as "My warforged is obsessed with gems for some reason. I go about collecting as many as possible" which should be leading to a good time in my upcoming game :) If the DM doesn't know what you're character is trying to do with himself, he won't be able to make that goal and the adventure at hand work together. For a PC, it isn't enough to not oppose adventuring. They have to seek it in some manner. Adepts are impressive holy men. Clerics should be crusading, whirling around every time evil blinks the wrong way. Basically, you shouldn't be playing a character who asks "Why should I?". You should be playing a character who would need a good reason not to, who has to be convinced by the city watch to keep the heck away, and then ignores them and looks into things anyway. You seem to be into the game. Make sure your character is too.
Draco Strang 02-28-05, 12:25 PM	If the DM doesn't know what you're character is trying to do with himself, he won't be able to make that goal and the adventure at hand work together. For a PC, it isn't enough to not oppose adventuring. They have to seek it in some manner. Adepts are impressive holy men. Clerics should be crusading, whirling around every time evil blinks the wrong way. That's the part that really put it into perspective for me. I'm having a hard time adjusting to the fact that most holy men are Experts with maxxed out ranks in Knowledge Religion and Heal, and Adepts who can cast a few spells are viewed as more substantial holy men. In Forgotten Realms, clerics are the holy men. In Eberron, they seem to be the absolute paragon of faith. I'm slowly coming around to it. Yep, that did it for me, I fully understand now. Thanks.