How To Roleplay a LN Cleric of Bane [Archive] - Wizards Community

How To Roleplay a LN Cleric of Bane [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zardnaar
11-06-06, 03:51 AM My PCs are currently doing a Gestalt Age of Worms adventure path from Dungeon Magazine in FR. The adventure revolves around the Ebon Triad a section of Bane/Bhaal/Myrkul worshippers trying to unite them into one overgod of evil and his herald is Kyuss. According to Erics conversion notes the normal Baneite church regards them as heretics. I've added some conflicts with Cyrics church for good measure. The pcs include a Paladin and Cleric of Lathendar. So far I have played the LN Cleric as a very LN (Knight/Cleric gestalt) type character who respects Bane as a strong god to follow and she is from Zhentil Keep and hates Cyricists with a passion due to the destruction of here home and family during the Banedeath.

The PCs have formed a loose alliance with here sharing information on Ebon Triad activities and have participated in battle with her once. Shes not exactly the typical Baneite and seems to respect them although the paladin isn't sure what to do as she detects as evil (due to the Cleric aura following an evil god but doesn't act like it and seems to follow a very similar code of honor to his own. She also saved his life. From her perspective the Lathendarites are a lesser evil than the Ebon Triad and Cyrics followers and from the PCs perspective shes the lesser of 3 evils.

She thinks that Lathendar is a weak god and the PCs are somewhat weak, naive and to idealistic- Bane is a harsh master true but he is strong and she admires the strictness of his faith. Al ny ideas for the DM (ie me).
WagnerSika
11-08-06, 06:55 AM Sounds good to me.
Random thoughts, maybe you could use some of these:

Compassion is LG, so avoid that. Being a cleric of Bane she is probably on the evil side of LN more than good side. Bane is brutal and harsh so should you. Do some bordering-on-evil-yet-not-quite deeds like not hesitating to use threats and possibly some torture on captive Cyricists before executing (after giving them a chance to convert to Bane of course) them as heretics.

Let them know that you did not save the paladins life out of mercy or compassion but rather duty as arms companions for the time.

'Ends justify the means' should be one of your mottos.

Bane is a god of tyranny, so your cleric should naturally be the leader of the band, the others are too weak to earn the position. If they show that they are sronger than you, let them be leaders but put their leadership skills to the test almost constantly. If they falter they are not fit to lead and you should announce your opinion about their skills and that you would be better leader. Don't be too obnoxious about this though. While they are leading well you should give them some respect.

Show the PC's that Bane is better than their god by your actions and example. Because youre are not evil, gloss over Banes evil side and emphasize his lawulness and strength.
Halidan
11-08-06, 10:00 AM I've got to agree with Wagner. You should emphsize the order and law part of Bane's portfolio and talk about how worshipers of Bane bring order to unruley societies and how this allow everyone to "know their place in society." I'd also emphsize the benefits or working under a strong leader. Likewsie, find some obscure laws or regulations that you can use to justify actions that seem to go against other orders of laws.

Back in 2004, I was running a campaign in DR 1368 Daggerdale. The PC's were part of Randal Morn's Freedom Riders and fighting against the Zhentish occupation troops. As a result of a near TPK, one of the Zhent SkyMages captured the PC paladin and took her bak to Dagger Falls on his demonic pegasus.

The player of the paladin and I exchanged a series of e-mails as our way of roleplaying the conversation between the LN Sky Mage worshiper of (at the time dead) Bane (named Kyrzef Derzeg) and the Sunite paladin (named Milesandra Proctor). Her lawful good optomism and his hard-edged lawful neutral cynacism were some of the best electronic role-playing I've ever been a part of.

There is a log of the entire conversation located at the FR Portal. (http://www.masterao.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2305) But some of my favorite lines from the LN Banite were:

“Standing orders take precedence over mission directives. You may not realize it, but there are many people who want to have the chance to gaze upon these lovely golden locks. My commander - the mage Ilthondae—has issued very specific orders regarding what any officer of the Daggerdale Garrison is to do if they hear word of you or manage to catch you. You are to immediately be brought to his tower in Dagger Falls - no delays. Which is exactly where we're going. The remaining troopers from Gareth's patrol will just have to fend for themselves and get the wagon back to Zhentil Keep as best as they can. I can help them no longer.”

"As for taking a dive off of my (flying) mount, I suppose you can - I'll not stop you. Of course, Ilthondae will send me back to collect what's left of your body and he'll have the Cryric Priestess perform a suitable ritual to chain your soul to the decaying remnants. Then, he'll probably send your body back out with orders to kill Randal or some other bit of dirty work."

"Yes, the DarkSun's Church has recently claimed that all of Zhentil Keep is under their care and everyone from that city should worship only him. I find it an unusual request since for the past decade Cyric has seen fit to share the keep with many other faiths. Having never talked to Cyric personally, I don't know the truth of the matter - I just know what his clerics have told me.

So, when I'm in the Keep I'll do what's demanded of me and make all the expected observances. At other times, I keep my opinions and prayers to myself. If Cyric has a problem with that, and cares to discuss it face to face, I'll be happy to do more than what's required by the new laws."

"I'm getting tired of you so called Freedom Rider's thinking that you have the right to attack legitimate commerce just because it's run by the merchants of Zhentil Keep. What sort of "Freedoms" are you fighting for - the right to pillage caravans up and down the Tesh River Trail? Or do your ambitions extend to the entire Moonsea?”

Those snatches of conversations should give you some idea of how I decided to play the LN Bane worshiper. I suspect that a LN cleric of Bane would have similar ideas and opinions.

Good luck with your cleric - he's going to be a challenge to play.
Zardnaar
11-08-06, 12:40 PM Thanx for the replies so far. The Cleric of Bane is also a female and the Paladin wanted to smite her as she detects as evil due to the whole cleric aura thing but recently thanked her for saving his life. She seems more interested in stomping out Baneite and Cyric Heretics than in dominating the land and the Paladin even admitted she follows an honor code (Shes also a Knight as well)
shades of eternity
11-08-06, 02:38 PM read 1984 and use the same arguements for the society to rationalize her actions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zardnaar 11-06-06, 03:51 AM	My PCs are currently doing a Gestalt Age of Worms adventure path from Dungeon Magazine in FR. The adventure revolves around the Ebon Triad a section of Bane/Bhaal/Myrkul worshippers trying to unite them into one overgod of evil and his herald is Kyuss. According to Erics conversion notes the normal Baneite church regards them as heretics. I've added some conflicts with Cyrics church for good measure. The pcs include a Paladin and Cleric of Lathendar. So far I have played the LN Cleric as a very LN (Knight/Cleric gestalt) type character who respects Bane as a strong god to follow and she is from Zhentil Keep and hates Cyricists with a passion due to the destruction of here home and family during the Banedeath. The PCs have formed a loose alliance with here sharing information on Ebon Triad activities and have participated in battle with her once. Shes not exactly the typical Baneite and seems to respect them although the paladin isn't sure what to do as she detects as evil (due to the Cleric aura following an evil god but doesn't act like it and seems to follow a very similar code of honor to his own. She also saved his life. From her perspective the Lathendarites are a lesser evil than the Ebon Triad and Cyrics followers and from the PCs perspective shes the lesser of 3 evils. She thinks that Lathendar is a weak god and the PCs are somewhat weak, naive and to idealistic- Bane is a harsh master true but he is strong and she admires the strictness of his faith. Al ny ideas for the DM (ie me).
WagnerSika 11-08-06, 06:55 AM	Sounds good to me. Random thoughts, maybe you could use some of these: Compassion is LG, so avoid that. Being a cleric of Bane she is probably on the evil side of LN more than good side. Bane is brutal and harsh so should you. Do some bordering-on-evil-yet-not-quite deeds like not hesitating to use threats and possibly some torture on captive Cyricists before executing (after giving them a chance to convert to Bane of course) them as heretics. Let them know that you did not save the paladins life out of mercy or compassion but rather duty as arms companions for the time. 'Ends justify the means' should be one of your mottos. Bane is a god of tyranny, so your cleric should naturally be the leader of the band, the others are too weak to earn the position. If they show that they are sronger than you, let them be leaders but put their leadership skills to the test almost constantly. If they falter they are not fit to lead and you should announce your opinion about their skills and that you would be better leader. Don't be too obnoxious about this though. While they are leading well you should give them some respect. Show the PC's that Bane is better than their god by your actions and example. Because youre are not evil, gloss over Banes evil side and emphasize his lawulness and strength.
Halidan 11-08-06, 10:00 AM	I've got to agree with Wagner. You should emphsize the order and law part of Bane's portfolio and talk about how worshipers of Bane bring order to unruley societies and how this allow everyone to "know their place in society." I'd also emphsize the benefits or working under a strong leader. Likewsie, find some obscure laws or regulations that you can use to justify actions that seem to go against other orders of laws. Back in 2004, I was running a campaign in DR 1368 Daggerdale. The PC's were part of Randal Morn's Freedom Riders and fighting against the Zhentish occupation troops. As a result of a near TPK, one of the Zhent SkyMages captured the PC paladin and took her bak to Dagger Falls on his demonic pegasus. The player of the paladin and I exchanged a series of e-mails as our way of roleplaying the conversation between the LN Sky Mage worshiper of (at the time dead) Bane (named Kyrzef Derzeg) and the Sunite paladin (named Milesandra Proctor). Her lawful good optomism and his hard-edged lawful neutral cynacism were some of the best electronic role-playing I've ever been a part of. There is a log of the entire conversation located at the FR Portal. (http://www.masterao.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2305) But some of my favorite lines from the LN Banite were: “Standing orders take precedence over mission directives. You may not realize it, but there are many people who want to have the chance to gaze upon these lovely golden locks. My commander - the mage Ilthondae—has issued very specific orders regarding what any officer of the Daggerdale Garrison is to do if they hear word of you or manage to catch you. You are to immediately be brought to his tower in Dagger Falls - no delays. Which is exactly where we're going. The remaining troopers from Gareth's patrol will just have to fend for themselves and get the wagon back to Zhentil Keep as best as they can. I can help them no longer.” "As for taking a dive off of my (flying) mount, I suppose you can - I'll not stop you. Of course, Ilthondae will send me back to collect what's left of your body and he'll have the Cryric Priestess perform a suitable ritual to chain your soul to the decaying remnants. Then, he'll probably send your body back out with orders to kill Randal or some other bit of dirty work." "Yes, the DarkSun's Church has recently claimed that all of Zhentil Keep is under their care and everyone from that city should worship only him. I find it an unusual request since for the past decade Cyric has seen fit to share the keep with many other faiths. Having never talked to Cyric personally, I don't know the truth of the matter - I just know what his clerics have told me. So, when I'm in the Keep I'll do what's demanded of me and make all the expected observances. At other times, I keep my opinions and prayers to myself. If Cyric has a problem with that, and cares to discuss it face to face, I'll be happy to do more than what's required by the new laws." "I'm getting tired of you so called Freedom Rider's thinking that you have the right to attack legitimate commerce just because it's run by the merchants of Zhentil Keep. What sort of "Freedoms" are you fighting for - the right to pillage caravans up and down the Tesh River Trail? Or do your ambitions extend to the entire Moonsea?” Those snatches of conversations should give you some idea of how I decided to play the LN Bane worshiper. I suspect that a LN cleric of Bane would have similar ideas and opinions. Good luck with your cleric - he's going to be a challenge to play.
Zardnaar 11-08-06, 12:40 PM	Thanx for the replies so far. The Cleric of Bane is also a female and the Paladin wanted to smite her as she detects as evil due to the whole cleric aura thing but recently thanked her for saving his life. She seems more interested in stomping out Baneite and Cyric Heretics than in dominating the land and the Paladin even admitted she follows an honor code (Shes also a Knight as well)
shades of eternity 11-08-06, 02:38 PM	read 1984 and use the same arguements for the society to rationalize her actions.