Post/Author/DateTime	Post
D20RollPlayer 01-11-06, 05:16 PM	I'm creating a level 4 Exalted Lawful Good Aasimar Paladin for a campaign with some of the ancient greek gods, and i'm wondering if you have any tips in playing that sort of character, here is my background so far, feel free to comment on it and make suggestions: Feyd was found on a beach as a child by a Cleric of Athene, the cleric noticed something special about this child so took him under his wing and trained him within the temple to become a Cleric, or religious leader. However Feyd seemed a natural in battle; the village was attacked by neighbouring orcs and he helped fend them off, killing one after another. At this time he was only 14, the Cleric had him sent into training at a convent in Hilderin (the largest city in our campaign) where he became a better warrior by the day. He is now 21, and his order have sent him on his first real quest, to investigate the evil servents of Hecate (which the PC's at the moment are also doing and this is how he runs into them) His stats are: Str 16 Dex 13 Con 16 Int 11 Wis 12 Cha 21 I was thinking of having him be very friendly to all, even giving enemys the chance to surrender (he has a diplomacy modifier of +16 ;) ) but when evil finnaly refuses to yield he has an almost Zealus Rage about him. I was thinking that his main "catchprase," would be: "By Athene's Chastity!" and he may write poems about Athene and quote them like scripture and such in game. Any help regarding my character or any other lawful good sort of character would be of great help as i have never played this kind of character before. Thank you!
WayneTheGame 01-11-06, 05:22 PM	You might want to post this on the Character Development boards instead of/in addition to here. You'll get some REALLY good replies on that board.
Bruunwald 01-11-06, 05:34 PM	Rock! And Kudos to you for dipping into ancient mythology. Coincidentally, in my new campaign, I have gone back to real-world mythology, and my wife just drew up an elf paladin of Pallas Athena. Her first mission (the party doesn't know this yet) will include an encounter with an order of Apollo who long ago turned to the secret worship of Hecate, and have been entombed for centuries as huecuva for the offense. I can't wait! Meanwhile, Athena is the goddess of many things, but most center around civilization. Art, architecture, artifice, scholarly works, and big cities are her areas of expertise, as well as her obvious chaste nature, and her great goodness and lawfulness. For that reason, I am encouraging my wife to play her character as more sophisticated than characters she has played in the past. This is a chance at a smart, street-wise and educated paladin. She doesn't have to have a high Intelligence to reflect the sophistication of her order. But she probably is a patient sort, and wise, not easily shocked or surprised, though perhaps a bit world-weary at times. That's my take.
D20RollPlayer 01-11-06, 05:40 PM	You might want to post this on the Character Development boards instead of/in addition to here. You'll get some REALLY good replies on that board. I did that nearly a week ago and got no replys so I thought i'd ask for help here since it seemed the second most relevant board.
D20RollPlayer 01-11-06, 07:06 PM	What sort of tone of voice should I play a Paladin in, and how should I act with a charisma of 21?
imperialjunkie 01-11-06, 07:19 PM	I was thinking that his main "catchprase," would be: "By Athene's Chastity!" and he may write poems about Athene and quote them like scripture and such in game. LOL. Athena was the goddess of fertility. Statues of her often depicted a many-breasted female. She was called upon to bless the soil and bless women with fertility. Chastity was hardly her virtue. Her worshippers weren't given to debauchery as much as Apaphrodite, but temple prostitutes were still fairly common in her temples. Other than that, I like the paladin idea though. ;)
D20RollPlayer 01-11-06, 07:24 PM	LOL. Athena was the goddess of fertility. Statues of her often depicted a many-breasted female. She was called upon to bless the soil and bless women with fertility. Chastity was hardly her virtue. Her worshippers weren't given to debauchery as much as Apaphrodite, but temple prostitutes were still fairly common in her temples. Other than that, I like the paladin idea though. ;) Yes but she was described as a pure virgin godess A HELL OF A LOT in ancient texts, except for the myth of her being raped by Hephestos (although that is not that common) anyway... Thank for the advice all :D I'm still wondering how to play that sort of cahracter though, all of my other characters were a bit "chaotic," ;)
BigDumb 01-12-06, 07:15 AM	You have two ways with a CHR so high and the exhaulted background, either pious to the core and extreemly caring, or beyond reproach. Often it is not how you wish to play a character with a high charisma, but how a GM interprets the world's reaction to it. Personally when such a presence is first encountered, peasant and royalty alike would feel oppressed/uplifted and begin mechanizations to their cause. "Woman want to be with him and men want to be like him" should be your mantra. The good part should be generally easy to do, most people know what is the correct course to take they just don't do it. You have to remember to always do it, no matter what the outcome to yourself and the group. The lawful part is where averyone always messes up. If you are given an order from a superior or mess up and make a pledge which turns out bad, you have to follow it to its conclusion. There is an excellent picture in the Exhaulted book of a half-orc paladin standing over two succubuses with a great caption, "a paladin must choose between destroying evil and honoring love", or something to those regards. This is such a great interpretation of the problems the paladin class solely has to burden itself with. A GM with a good head should place their paladins in these types of situations or the whole class loses its balancing factor. It is a powerful class that is offset with this huge RP weakness, and any GM should exploit it. An Exalted Lawful Good Aasimar Paladin should be hard as heck to play. Something that oozes that much good would have a gargantuan target painted on its back saying 'kick me evil' in the center. You would be the kind of character I would have a minor cultist of some devil try to turn to a blackgard. It is such a great RP opportunity for both GM and player to be so polarized. You could always just play it CG and hope your GM doesn't know the difference like most people out there. I know my GM has no real clue about the lawful alignment, so when I get rigid playing it I am deemed as uncohesive to party goals, but it is the price you pay for the role. The Book of Exhaulted Deeds does lay out a few pages guiding a player in that role.
babysamurai 01-12-06, 08:18 AM	Feyd was found on a beach as a child by a Cleric of Athene Do mean Feyd Rautha? ...Frank Herbert fan?
High Octane 01-12-06, 09:02 AM	This character is so insanely good, a tissue used by him will detect good for 6 weeks.
Bruunwald 01-12-06, 01:49 PM	LOL. Athena was the goddess of fertility. Statues of her often depicted a many-breasted female. She was called upon to bless the soil and bless women with fertility. Chastity was hardly her virtue. Her worshippers weren't given to debauchery as much as Apaphrodite, but temple prostitutes were still fairly common in her temples. Other than that, I like the paladin idea though. ;) I think you may have some goddess names crossed here. You're thinking of Artemis/Diana. She was the goddess often depicted with many breasts on the front, usually with hands held out, palms upward. As Artemis, she was a virgin goddess of fertility and protection of women in childbirth, as well as the goddess of nature and of the hunt. The Roman Diana was associated with her. Her most famous temple was a wonder of the ancient world: the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, where indeed, it might be that prostitution was common. Ironically, though rabid Christians eventually tore that temple down, it is thought by some that there is a link between the image of her, standing there, the virginal goddess, and images of Mary holding Jesus, whose statues replaced hers eventually, in many of her late Roman temples. Athena, on the other hand, was the goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. Her name means "Protectress." She was often called Pallas Athena. Pallas means "maiden," in the classical sense of the word. She is constantly referred to in historical texts as the virgin goddess. Her one near "sexual escapade" was when Hephaestus tried to rape her. He did not succeed, but he did impregnant Gaia, and Athena adopted the offspring of that accidental union: Erichthnonius, and I believe set him up as King of Athens. THIS IS WHY ATHENA WAS KNOWN TO THE GREEKS AS: "The virgin mother of Erichthnonius." She had no offspring of her own and there are no stories of dalliances on her part. Her constant companion was Nike, a fellow goddess. Athena never married. She did bring the olive tree to Athens, and that is why they named the city for her. Again, she was NOT a goddess of fertility. She was definitely chaste. Mostly her job was to bring civilization and victory in war. There are no many-breasted Athena statues that I know of (again, you are thinking of Artemis). Athena was usually portrayed as a woman with shortspear, helm on head, in robes and often armor. Often a shield accompanies her. Sometimes she is holding Nike in one hand. http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/Classic3.htm http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/AthenaParthenos.htm http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/AthenaM.htm http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/stebbinsathena/athena2.html Minerva, her Roman counterpart, was portrayed similarly: http://www.operant.com/Seminary/statue15.html In any event, Deities and Demigods gives an overview of Athena in line with my own and the OP's notion of the goddess as being one good for the worship of a paladin, so in game terms, it fits. --EDIT-- Here is the Wikipedia entry for Artemis. Scroll down to see statues with the many breasts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis
D20RollPlayer 01-12-06, 07:20 PM	Do mean Feyd Rautha? ...Frank Herbert fan? Yes, I always loved the name :D Obviously my chracter will be nothing like him. What would be a Paladins personal view on alcohol and sex, without the vow's of course? Also, what sort of mannerisms, characteristics, and words should he have/use? I want him to be serious, but have a sort of "funny," side to him as well, one that maybe he doesn't think is so funny. Also he has a sort of average wisdom and intelligence, how will I roleplay that with the charisma being so high?
High Octane 01-12-06, 08:00 PM	Also he has a sort of average wisdom and intelligence, how will I roleplay that with the charisma being so high? You know that kid at school? The one who wasnt that bright or always there but eveyone loved him? Basically, his charisma would be indescribable. Its not what he says, its how he says it, the look on his face, in his eyes, etc. Most movie actors arent that brilliant, but have great charisma. The person would always say the right thing. It wouldnt be eloquent, or witty, but it would be the right thing. "YOU DON'T LIKE MY MAKEUP?" "Errrr....no.... I just think you're... you know.... too pretty for it." *Girl melts*
grelna 01-13-06, 01:40 AM	Athena was sometimes known as Tritogeneia, and there is some interesting myth that goes along with that name that might be fun to play around with, in-game. Check this out: Stewart, Michael. "People, Places & Things: Tritogeneia", Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant. (http://messagenet.com/myths/ppt/Tritogeneia_1.html)