"I want power" [Archive] - Wizards Community

"I want power" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Delfedd
12-10-06, 01:41 PM Here's my campaign. I'm running through a campaign of my own design. I am designing mini-adventures which players run through individually in a one on one adventure.

Changeling Beguiler Assassination of a political enemy COMPLETE
Warforged Warmage "I want to be a real boy" Using players handbook II I plan on utilizing the rebuild quests
Half-Giant Fighter Haven't asked him yet
Human Barbarian Wants to fight in the gladiatorial arena

Here's where I'm having a problem
Tiefling Rogue Warlock "I want power" I'm having a problem making an adventure for him. I was thinking of introducing him into the thieves guild so he can ascend the ranks. I've never made any city adventures. Any hints?
IdleAltruism
12-10-06, 01:54 PM City adventures can be rough for the non-good parties. Large cities have decently powerful watches and stealing from the wealthy in average magic worlds can be deadly. My advice to you if you want to run a city adventure is to run an enormous city. If the city is to small little room for thieves and if its big but not to big theres a fair chance you can get into some deep trouble. But if its sporting 500,000+ makes for easy picking for rogues. The city itself could be host to a large festivel or holiday every year for a month or three where the populance surges 5x the normal amount or more. Don't give your PC the impression he can rob just anyone. He should rely on contacts to inform him on 'Jobs' and all their details. Thieves guilds have rival thieves guilds and thats always a fun adventure.
YamiSouru
12-10-06, 05:00 PM your rogue/warlock wants power? easy enough to solve depending on where the player wants to go. If the player want more power as according to his warlock class then by all means, make a few adventures dealing with devils and demons and attempt to find out exactly from whom he got his powers and how he can get more. if the player wants to go rogue then go more towards becoming a member of a thieves guild or even an asassins guild. maybe even a spy for the king of the land.

see lots of things you can do :D
Millennium
12-10-06, 09:37 PM People do not, as a rule, generally want power in a vacuum. Why does this character want power? What will he do with that power when he gets it? Will he rule over people, or will he prevent people from harming him (or someone else)? Or will he do something completely different?

Once you know why this character wants power, you should have a clearer picture of how to involve him in the plot of your game.
Delfedd
12-10-06, 09:40 PM He want's power because his father (a half devil) was always more powerful than him. I believe that once he gains power, he will definitely rule over people. Possibly preventing hurt to himself.

Also, how could I let the devils and demons help him realize more power?
VirgilCaine
12-10-06, 10:04 PM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustus

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14591

Delfedd: Here's an idea.
Mitchell
12-10-06, 10:17 PM That is actually the easiest, assuming that everyone is helping everyone out with their quests.
The warlocks quest for power is being fulfilled by helping the others obtain their desire. They get XP, the warlock's level improves, and they gain power.
If you want it to come to a head with his father, then just make up a human/tiefling/half-fiend that is his father, and let them go at it. Maybe his father is the BBEG behind some big adventure yet to come. That gives them their quest, even though they have been on their quest from day one and just haven't realized it.
TarlSS
12-11-06, 04:25 AM Make it very clear that power comes from leveling up, not some kind of arbitrary X added powers. Although if it's a solo campaign, you don't really need to worry about that sort of thing, so, whatever.
Kraleck
12-11-06, 08:55 AM Give him a foresight-esque power that he can use 1/day for vague glimpses or 1/week for more descript glimpses (i.e. if he uses the 1/week, he cannot use the 1/day or the 1/week until the week is up and vice versa).

Remember: Knowledge is power. This foresight will give him knowledge of an upcoming event.
Delfedd
12-11-06, 06:05 PM I see. Vague glimpses once a day...

How do i control that? I'm not very good at prophecies.

Any other suggestions?
Lordrcane
12-11-06, 06:23 PM It sounds to me like a prestige class fits the occassion. The problem is which one? Warlock/Rogue gives a lot of potential on this, and many prestige classes require Role-playing events to enter (and if they don't, well, they can).

I would examine the path the character is taking, the choices the player is making, maybe even ask them what they plan, and explore prestige classes that may fight well. Dragon Magic has several, as does the upcoming Fiendish Codex II (according to the excerpts, etc).

Might this fulfill that ancient prophecy?
Gyrofthewastes
12-11-06, 08:23 PM DELETED: Misread original post.
Delfedd
12-12-06, 11:15 PM Interesting. The prophecy...

It is quite the prophetic campaign...

Ahah! His father could have once been good, but has turned to evil. Whole Anakin/Luke thing... that is if Luke where calculating and cruel instead of whiney. Although he might become more.

I talked to him, and he said he wanted to get political power. When I asked him what he'd do with that power, he said that he would get more power.

Hm.
MichaelSomething
12-13-06, 12:22 AM Let us remember what the Orcale said to Neo.

Neo: What does he want?
Orcale: What all men with power want. More power.
Andrew
12-14-06, 11:01 PM The poetic approach would be to make an adventure where getting power isn't the problem - it's keeping it. You arrange the plot such that he has to take a serious look at power and it's consequences. Either some kind of challenge where he has to use up most or all of what he just gained, or gaining some kind of ability that only works at the cost of another ability he relies on. Maybe he finds a way to sieze some of the powers of an archon, but he does so at the cost of warlock abilities and being saddled with a moral conscience. Or going on a quest to a demi-plane to strengthen his unholy abilities, but he then finds that he is trapped there and can only escape by voluntarily relinquishing his newfound might (like a raccoon stuck in a jar because it won't let go of a walnut).
CryoSilver
12-15-06, 01:25 AM Run an electrical current through him.
Aegeu
12-15-06, 08:06 PM Acolyte of the Skin PrC. Very fiendish, very flavorful. Have him go on a quest to find the ritual required to enter the PrC.
ferreon
12-16-06, 07:23 PM If the OP owns fiendish codex 2.....faustian pact sounds right up his alley.

and of course...as soon as the soul is bargained for....the devil decides to kill him...attempting to prevent any possibility of atonement ;). After all, why would one take even a gamblers chance of losing the credit?
krichaiushii
12-16-06, 08:08 PM If the rogue's father was half-fiend, that means one of his grandparents is ALL fiend.

And said fiend takes a special interest in his grandkid. This might lead to the pact that ferreon mentions, or the Acolyte of the Skin PrC that Aegeu mentions.

The problem with fiendish ancestry is that it ALWAYS comes back to haunt you.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Delfedd 12-10-06, 01:41 PM	Here's my campaign. I'm running through a campaign of my own design. I am designing mini-adventures which players run through individually in a one on one adventure. Changeling Beguiler Assassination of a political enemy COMPLETE Warforged Warmage "I want to be a real boy" Using players handbook II I plan on utilizing the rebuild quests Half-Giant Fighter Haven't asked him yet Human Barbarian Wants to fight in the gladiatorial arena Here's where I'm having a problem Tiefling Rogue Warlock "I want power" I'm having a problem making an adventure for him. I was thinking of introducing him into the thieves guild so he can ascend the ranks. I've never made any city adventures. Any hints?
IdleAltruism 12-10-06, 01:54 PM	City adventures can be rough for the non-good parties. Large cities have decently powerful watches and stealing from the wealthy in average magic worlds can be deadly. My advice to you if you want to run a city adventure is to run an enormous city. If the city is to small little room for thieves and if its big but not to big theres a fair chance you can get into some deep trouble. But if its sporting 500,000+ makes for easy picking for rogues. The city itself could be host to a large festivel or holiday every year for a month or three where the populance surges 5x the normal amount or more. Don't give your PC the impression he can rob just anyone. He should rely on contacts to inform him on 'Jobs' and all their details. Thieves guilds have rival thieves guilds and thats always a fun adventure.
YamiSouru 12-10-06, 05:00 PM	your rogue/warlock wants power? easy enough to solve depending on where the player wants to go. If the player want more power as according to his warlock class then by all means, make a few adventures dealing with devils and demons and attempt to find out exactly from whom he got his powers and how he can get more. if the player wants to go rogue then go more towards becoming a member of a thieves guild or even an asassins guild. maybe even a spy for the king of the land. see lots of things you can do :D
Millennium 12-10-06, 09:37 PM	People do not, as a rule, generally want power in a vacuum. Why does this character want power? What will he do with that power when he gets it? Will he rule over people, or will he prevent people from harming him (or someone else)? Or will he do something completely different? Once you know why this character wants power, you should have a clearer picture of how to involve him in the plot of your game.
Delfedd 12-10-06, 09:40 PM	He want's power because his father (a half devil) was always more powerful than him. I believe that once he gains power, he will definitely rule over people. Possibly preventing hurt to himself. Also, how could I let the devils and demons help him realize more power?
VirgilCaine 12-10-06, 10:04 PM	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustus http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14591 Delfedd: Here's an idea.
Mitchell 12-10-06, 10:17 PM	That is actually the easiest, assuming that everyone is helping everyone out with their quests. The warlocks quest for power is being fulfilled by helping the others obtain their desire. They get XP, the warlock's level improves, and they gain power. If you want it to come to a head with his father, then just make up a human/tiefling/half-fiend that is his father, and let them go at it. Maybe his father is the BBEG behind some big adventure yet to come. That gives them their quest, even though they have been on their quest from day one and just haven't realized it.
TarlSS 12-11-06, 04:25 AM	Make it very clear that power comes from leveling up, not some kind of arbitrary X added powers. Although if it's a solo campaign, you don't really need to worry about that sort of thing, so, whatever.
Kraleck 12-11-06, 08:55 AM	Give him a foresight-esque power that he can use 1/day for vague glimpses or 1/week for more descript glimpses (i.e. if he uses the 1/week, he cannot use the 1/day or the 1/week until the week is up and vice versa). Remember: Knowledge is power. This foresight will give him knowledge of an upcoming event.
Delfedd 12-11-06, 06:05 PM	I see. Vague glimpses once a day... How do i control that? I'm not very good at prophecies. Any other suggestions?
Lordrcane 12-11-06, 06:23 PM	It sounds to me like a prestige class fits the occassion. The problem is which one? Warlock/Rogue gives a lot of potential on this, and many prestige classes require Role-playing events to enter (and if they don't, well, they can). I would examine the path the character is taking, the choices the player is making, maybe even ask them what they plan, and explore prestige classes that may fight well. Dragon Magic has several, as does the upcoming Fiendish Codex II (according to the excerpts, etc). Might this fulfill that ancient prophecy?
Gyrofthewastes 12-11-06, 08:23 PM	DELETED: Misread original post.
Delfedd 12-12-06, 11:15 PM	Interesting. The prophecy... It is quite the prophetic campaign... Ahah! His father could have once been good, but has turned to evil. Whole Anakin/Luke thing... that is if Luke where calculating and cruel instead of whiney. Although he might become more. I talked to him, and he said he wanted to get political power. When I asked him what he'd do with that power, he said that he would get more power. Hm.
MichaelSomething 12-13-06, 12:22 AM	Let us remember what the Orcale said to Neo. Neo: What does he want? Orcale: What all men with power want. More power.
Andrew 12-14-06, 11:01 PM	The poetic approach would be to make an adventure where getting power isn't the problem - it's keeping it. You arrange the plot such that he has to take a serious look at power and it's consequences. Either some kind of challenge where he has to use up most or all of what he just gained, or gaining some kind of ability that only works at the cost of another ability he relies on. Maybe he finds a way to sieze some of the powers of an archon, but he does so at the cost of warlock abilities and being saddled with a moral conscience. Or going on a quest to a demi-plane to strengthen his unholy abilities, but he then finds that he is trapped there and can only escape by voluntarily relinquishing his newfound might (like a raccoon stuck in a jar because it won't let go of a walnut).
CryoSilver 12-15-06, 01:25 AM	Run an electrical current through him.
Aegeu 12-15-06, 08:06 PM	Acolyte of the Skin PrC. Very fiendish, very flavorful. Have him go on a quest to find the ritual required to enter the PrC.
ferreon 12-16-06, 07:23 PM	If the OP owns fiendish codex 2.....faustian pact sounds right up his alley. and of course...as soon as the soul is bargained for....the devil decides to kill him...attempting to prevent any possibility of atonement ;). After all, why would one take even a gamblers chance of losing the credit?
krichaiushii 12-16-06, 08:08 PM	If the rogue's father was half-fiend, that means one of his grandparents is ALL fiend. And said fiend takes a special interest in his grandkid. This might lead to the pact that ferreon mentions, or the Acolyte of the Skin PrC that Aegeu mentions. The problem with fiendish ancestry is that it ALWAYS comes back to haunt you.