A lonely rogue [Archive] - Wizards Community

A lonely rogue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Herr Doktor
06-26-03, 10:47 AM One player from my group is currently in Europe, so he hasn't been coming to the table.

Another just quit the life, he told me he didn't want to play anymore, out of the blue. That was depressing.

Unlike the standard four member partys of yore we were a group of three players, and one DM (me).

Anyway, the remaining player and I have decided to begin a solo-campaign involving him as an elvish rogue. He will begin play at 1st level, and I've already come up with some suitable challenges and hooks. He wants to eventually take on the leadership feat and build a powerful guild somewhere.

My question is, how do elvish rogues fit into the society of the People? I've been puzzling over it and have come to the conclusion that elves just don't seem likely to steal, or burgalize, or anything of that nature to me. Why would he have knowledge of lockpicking, or anything of these things? Elves don't usually raid tombs.

Any ideas?
loki87
06-26-03, 12:53 PM First of all, a Rogue doesn't neccessarily mean a thief. Rogues can be anything from swashbucklers to scouts to city watch (those skills are damn useful for cops too).

Secondly, if this Elven Rogue is going to be a thief, it's pretty easy to come up with a background for him. In Faerun, there are probably as many elves who live and have been raised in major "human" cities (like Waterdeep) as there are in Cormanthor or Evereska. This elf could have easily grown up poor and destitute in Waterdeep, and have been forced to steal to survive.

The above is a pretty standard background. I mean, it's really not difficult to come up with back story in a place as limitless as the Forgotten Realms.
Poiniard
06-26-03, 09:12 PM With all the adventurers stealing treasure out of Myth Drannor for these past many years, isn't it about time the elves started stealing some of it back?
Qevelias
06-27-03, 08:13 AM I've played an elven rogue 4 / wizard 3 character for some time ( untill 3 ogre's decided that an elven thief would make a nice dinner ! ) and his credo was indeed ; Thieves stole from my people , it's time to take some back. Following his fathers footsteps he found out that through magic he could enhence his thieving skills. It's a bit basic but I really liked playing this character !
evildan
06-28-03, 01:07 PM An Important thing to keep in mind when running a solo rogue campaign is to provide him with a suitable amount of challenges that are focused on his skills and not combat. Sure rogues can be your regular tomb raiding hack and slashers but they are subject to an early death when not accompanied by a group. A solo thief is sure to be more careful and even MORE sneaky. As far as the elf thing goes, I would take a look at the old 2e Book of Elves, it talked alot about how elves relate to their classes. Granted your average elf raised in an elven kingdom isnt likely to be a burglar of pick pocket but he could easily be a scout or even court appointed troubleshooter or bounty hunter. I think it depends alot on where your rogue is from and what sort of temperment he has.
Herr Doktor
06-28-03, 09:34 PM Well, I've conducted the first session of this campaign and it went as follows:

The player decided that his elf was an outcast of elvish society, with a greed streak typically found only in large scaley winged beasts. He borrowed a name from some Dragonlance novel that meant "outcast" in elvish, or so he tells me, and he set off.

His adventures began as he left the High Forest behind and made his way south and east through the Delimbyr Vale. There he came across a small village called Eleant. Eleant and the Delimbyr Route east of the village were plagued by evil goblinoid raiders. Learning of the 25 gp bounty per ear returned the Outcast set off to collect his pay.

Unfortunately after a couple days of goblin slaying a goblin warrior got in a couple good swings and he found himself unconcious.

Later he awoke in the goblins subterranean lair. The old scarred goblin before him smiled toothlessly and stood aside for a man in dark robes. The Outcast soon learned that this man was a practioner of the Art. It seemed he was the source behind the recent goblinoid threat.

The mage left the Outcast to the scarred goblin, who immediately took to torturing him, and did some nasty things to one of his feet involving a hacksaw.

Left to bleed in the dark the Outcast slipped out of his manacles and found a sleeping bugbear just beyond the doorway. He slipped by easily enough and found a door which he quickly passed through when he noticed the rest of the cavern was filled with goblins.

Once inside the door he found his surroundings strangely hospitable. It seemed he had found a comfortable tower, burried within the cavern surrounding him. He made his way up through an alchemist lab with many bubbling potions and was able to eavesdrop on the mage speaking with his goblinoid commander. Unfortunately a moment later the mage found him crouched in the shadows and promptly began firing spells at him.

The Outcast, still battered from his previous battles quickly made his way back to the lab where he began snatching potions off the bench there and downing them (I randomly rolled as if they were each minor magic items on the potion table in the DMG as he drank them). He drank a speak with animals potion, a cure light wounds potion, and a blur potion.

At that point the mages shouting had attracted the bugbear who burst into the room from the doorway below. Snatching up two more potions he quickly rushed back upstairs, but the mage had vanished. An open shuttered window was the only sign of possible exit in the bedroom.

The bugbear managed to smash apart the mages bed chamber, but the Outcast who drank the two remaining potions (cure light wounds, and levitate) realized his sudden bouyancy and left via the window.

There he found the mage (who had used a fly scroll) twirling in the air, firing rays of frost at him. He moved quickly down the wall to the window which would lead him to the chamber below (the alchemist lab).

Once there he quickly drank the last potion on the bench (ghoul touch). As the mage came flying in the window hurling spells the Outcast managed a touch attack and paralyzed him for 8 rounds!

The Outcast quickly dispatched him with a coup de grace and dove out the window as the bugbear once more found him. The managed to levitate out and down the side of the cliff that made up this face of the tower, and out into the fields past throw goblin javelins.

There he quickly returned to the village, told the milita sergeant of the lair he'd discovered, was rewarded handsomely, and that was the end of the goblins.

From here he headed east to Secomber, there he rented a barge and went downstream along the Delimbyr to Daggerford. He met a sailor and ex-mercenary named Garr Halfpike there. Garr took interest in the elf and proposed he sail with him from Waterdeep to Luskan where he had buisness and where the elf could perhaps find some work.

Next session will be the rogue arriving in Luskan.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Herr Doktor 06-26-03, 10:47 AM	One player from my group is currently in Europe, so he hasn't been coming to the table. Another just quit the life, he told me he didn't want to play anymore, out of the blue. That was depressing. Unlike the standard four member partys of yore we were a group of three players, and one DM (me). Anyway, the remaining player and I have decided to begin a solo-campaign involving him as an elvish rogue. He will begin play at 1st level, and I've already come up with some suitable challenges and hooks. He wants to eventually take on the leadership feat and build a powerful guild somewhere. My question is, how do elvish rogues fit into the society of the People? I've been puzzling over it and have come to the conclusion that elves just don't seem likely to steal, or burgalize, or anything of that nature to me. Why would he have knowledge of lockpicking, or anything of these things? Elves don't usually raid tombs. Any ideas?
loki87 06-26-03, 12:53 PM	First of all, a Rogue doesn't neccessarily mean a thief. Rogues can be anything from swashbucklers to scouts to city watch (those skills are damn useful for cops too). Secondly, if this Elven Rogue is going to be a thief, it's pretty easy to come up with a background for him. In Faerun, there are probably as many elves who live and have been raised in major "human" cities (like Waterdeep) as there are in Cormanthor or Evereska. This elf could have easily grown up poor and destitute in Waterdeep, and have been forced to steal to survive. The above is a pretty standard background. I mean, it's really not difficult to come up with back story in a place as limitless as the Forgotten Realms.
Poiniard 06-26-03, 09:12 PM	With all the adventurers stealing treasure out of Myth Drannor for these past many years, isn't it about time the elves started stealing some of it back?
Qevelias 06-27-03, 08:13 AM	I've played an elven rogue 4 / wizard 3 character for some time ( untill 3 ogre's decided that an elven thief would make a nice dinner ! ) and his credo was indeed ; Thieves stole from my people , it's time to take some back. Following his fathers footsteps he found out that through magic he could enhence his thieving skills. It's a bit basic but I really liked playing this character !
evildan 06-28-03, 01:07 PM	An Important thing to keep in mind when running a solo rogue campaign is to provide him with a suitable amount of challenges that are focused on his skills and not combat. Sure rogues can be your regular tomb raiding hack and slashers but they are subject to an early death when not accompanied by a group. A solo thief is sure to be more careful and even MORE sneaky. As far as the elf thing goes, I would take a look at the old 2e Book of Elves, it talked alot about how elves relate to their classes. Granted your average elf raised in an elven kingdom isnt likely to be a burglar of pick pocket but he could easily be a scout or even court appointed troubleshooter or bounty hunter. I think it depends alot on where your rogue is from and what sort of temperment he has.
Herr Doktor 06-28-03, 09:34 PM	Well, I've conducted the first session of this campaign and it went as follows: The player decided that his elf was an outcast of elvish society, with a greed streak typically found only in large scaley winged beasts. He borrowed a name from some Dragonlance novel that meant "outcast" in elvish, or so he tells me, and he set off. His adventures began as he left the High Forest behind and made his way south and east through the Delimbyr Vale. There he came across a small village called Eleant. Eleant and the Delimbyr Route east of the village were plagued by evil goblinoid raiders. Learning of the 25 gp bounty per ear returned the Outcast set off to collect his pay. Unfortunately after a couple days of goblin slaying a goblin warrior got in a couple good swings and he found himself unconcious. Later he awoke in the goblins subterranean lair. The old scarred goblin before him smiled toothlessly and stood aside for a man in dark robes. The Outcast soon learned that this man was a practioner of the Art. It seemed he was the source behind the recent goblinoid threat. The mage left the Outcast to the scarred goblin, who immediately took to torturing him, and did some nasty things to one of his feet involving a hacksaw. Left to bleed in the dark the Outcast slipped out of his manacles and found a sleeping bugbear just beyond the doorway. He slipped by easily enough and found a door which he quickly passed through when he noticed the rest of the cavern was filled with goblins. Once inside the door he found his surroundings strangely hospitable. It seemed he had found a comfortable tower, burried within the cavern surrounding him. He made his way up through an alchemist lab with many bubbling potions and was able to eavesdrop on the mage speaking with his goblinoid commander. Unfortunately a moment later the mage found him crouched in the shadows and promptly began firing spells at him. The Outcast, still battered from his previous battles quickly made his way back to the lab where he began snatching potions off the bench there and downing them (I randomly rolled as if they were each minor magic items on the potion table in the DMG as he drank them). He drank a speak with animals potion, a cure light wounds potion, and a blur potion. At that point the mages shouting had attracted the bugbear who burst into the room from the doorway below. Snatching up two more potions he quickly rushed back upstairs, but the mage had vanished. An open shuttered window was the only sign of possible exit in the bedroom. The bugbear managed to smash apart the mages bed chamber, but the Outcast who drank the two remaining potions (cure light wounds, and levitate) realized his sudden bouyancy and left via the window. There he found the mage (who had used a fly scroll) twirling in the air, firing rays of frost at him. He moved quickly down the wall to the window which would lead him to the chamber below (the alchemist lab). Once there he quickly drank the last potion on the bench (ghoul touch). As the mage came flying in the window hurling spells the Outcast managed a touch attack and paralyzed him for 8 rounds! The Outcast quickly dispatched him with a coup de grace and dove out the window as the bugbear once more found him. The managed to levitate out and down the side of the cliff that made up this face of the tower, and out into the fields past throw goblin javelins. There he quickly returned to the village, told the milita sergeant of the lair he'd discovered, was rewarded handsomely, and that was the end of the goblins. From here he headed east to Secomber, there he rented a barge and went downstream along the Delimbyr to Daggerford. He met a sailor and ex-mercenary named Garr Halfpike there. Garr took interest in the elf and proposed he sail with him from Waterdeep to Luskan where he had buisness and where the elf could perhaps find some work. Next session will be the rogue arriving in Luskan.