A Good Aligned Half-Orc 'Paladin'
SwordsNotWords
Member Posts: 147
Like most on the forum, this won't be my first time playing Baldur's Gate, so I thought I'd make it a little more interesting by trying to create a really in depth character to roleplay through the saga.
So I've never been a half-orc before so I'm pretty much decided that's the race I'm going to play as, looking through the available classes for the race fighter/cleric took my fancy, mainly because I've never played as a cleric before but I'd still like to keep the stereotypical tough half-orc fighter thing going on.
So partly inspired by Dorn/Anomen/Mazzy, I thought the fighter/cleric makes a nice paladin parallel, but I thought it would be interesting (and perhaps logical) that being raised by Gorion in Candlekeep, the character would have certain morals instilled in him. So yeah he's kinda the anti-Dorm.
I quickly sketched out a bio for my character who has no name as of yet and is currently a he, but that could change, so here goes...
Gorion's ward was raised in Candlekeep, a library fortress on the Sword Coast, after the ward was found as a baby by the sage. All Gorion's ward knew about his past was that Gorion was his foster father due to the death of his half-orc parents. Gorion's ward had always been bigger and stronger than the other children of Candlekeep but under the tutelage of Gorion he never let himself become a bully but instead used his physical prowess to protect those weaker than him. Nevertheless, the ward's orc heritage often led to himself feeling as an outsider among the fortress, and while he could defend himself physically, in private he struggled to come to grips with his differences to the other children. This led him to seek guidance from the many knowledgeable scholars of Candlekeep, among them the priests of Oghma and occasionally Tethtoril, the first reader. These wise men aided the ward in his search to find more about his people. The ward's studies of the tomes of Candlekeep led him to the belief that often those who are monstrous are not necessarily evil and that sometimes even those who are evil became that way because of circumstances and misfortune. This inspired the ward to conceive that it is his destiny to take up these misunderstood creatures as his cause, standing up for the monstrous creatures and, when possible, leading them to the light. Inspired by the knights and paladins who would occasionally visit the fortress, the ward modelled himself after them using his natural strength to develop a formidable fighting style, with the aid of Hull and Fuller of the keep guard. Additionally to his growth as a warrior, the priests of Oghma who had told him so many stories, also assisted the ward in developing his spiritual side as both protector and healer.
So yeah I'm not that knowledgeable about the lore of D&D so has this kinda thing been done much before? Any comments in general? Any ideas to make the character that much more interesting?
And finally my apologies for my arrogance in thinking that my inner ramblings would interest any of you...
So I've never been a half-orc before so I'm pretty much decided that's the race I'm going to play as, looking through the available classes for the race fighter/cleric took my fancy, mainly because I've never played as a cleric before but I'd still like to keep the stereotypical tough half-orc fighter thing going on.
So partly inspired by Dorn/Anomen/Mazzy, I thought the fighter/cleric makes a nice paladin parallel, but I thought it would be interesting (and perhaps logical) that being raised by Gorion in Candlekeep, the character would have certain morals instilled in him. So yeah he's kinda the anti-Dorm.
I quickly sketched out a bio for my character who has no name as of yet and is currently a he, but that could change, so here goes...
Gorion's ward was raised in Candlekeep, a library fortress on the Sword Coast, after the ward was found as a baby by the sage. All Gorion's ward knew about his past was that Gorion was his foster father due to the death of his half-orc parents. Gorion's ward had always been bigger and stronger than the other children of Candlekeep but under the tutelage of Gorion he never let himself become a bully but instead used his physical prowess to protect those weaker than him. Nevertheless, the ward's orc heritage often led to himself feeling as an outsider among the fortress, and while he could defend himself physically, in private he struggled to come to grips with his differences to the other children. This led him to seek guidance from the many knowledgeable scholars of Candlekeep, among them the priests of Oghma and occasionally Tethtoril, the first reader. These wise men aided the ward in his search to find more about his people. The ward's studies of the tomes of Candlekeep led him to the belief that often those who are monstrous are not necessarily evil and that sometimes even those who are evil became that way because of circumstances and misfortune. This inspired the ward to conceive that it is his destiny to take up these misunderstood creatures as his cause, standing up for the monstrous creatures and, when possible, leading them to the light. Inspired by the knights and paladins who would occasionally visit the fortress, the ward modelled himself after them using his natural strength to develop a formidable fighting style, with the aid of Hull and Fuller of the keep guard. Additionally to his growth as a warrior, the priests of Oghma who had told him so many stories, also assisted the ward in developing his spiritual side as both protector and healer.
So yeah I'm not that knowledgeable about the lore of D&D so has this kinda thing been done much before? Any comments in general? Any ideas to make the character that much more interesting?
And finally my apologies for my arrogance in thinking that my inner ramblings would interest any of you...
Post edited by LadyRhian on
12
Comments
What variant of good are you aiming for? I assume Lawful?
Good question as well, I will probably go with Lawful yes but alignment is one of the facets of the character I'm still thinking on. Definitely good obviously, there are parts of all the good alignments which seem to fit the character but overall Lawful does probably describe him best, especially with the whole paladin wannabe shtick.
I guess the only slight flaw with lawful, is that the character wants to bring redemption to 'monsters' and that might not always fit in with the law.
Aerie: Mazzy? Do you think you’ll ever become a true Paladin for Arvoreen?
Mazzy: I am a true sword for my God, Aerie. That is as close as I can expect to come. To hope for otherwise would be foolish and naive of me.
Aerie: Yes, but I was told of a time when halflings were rogues only ... that you would never find one that was a cleric or even a warrior such as yourself anywhere.
Mazzy: That’s true, if unfortunate. But that was a long time ago, Aerie ... things have changed since then.
Aerie: But maybe things could change again? Maybe your people could become paladins and rangers and even mages one day, without limitation. Wouldn’t that be exciting?
Mazzy: Yes, yes, and maybe my people will become skinny, wear shoes, and have big, long skulls. Really, Aerie, you needn’t keep your head in the clouds ALL the time.
Aerie: Well, it was just a thought.
Mazzy: And it wasn’t a bad one. But it’s not likely that the gods are going to revamp the halflings and come out with a ‘third edition’, as it were, now is it?
Aerie: Oh, you never know. The gods do strange things, sometimes.
I guess I am just a racist bastard but I like the restrictions. A dwarf or a halfling shouldn't be paladin. (Is it pc too call them so? I believe the correct term would be "little person" or "person of short stature" BAAAD D&D!!!)
Also would anyone recommend a deity for him? As I say I'm pretty inexperienced in D&D and the forgotten realms bar the Baldur's Gate saga. From what I've looked at I'm considering Lathander (mainly because you can be a priest of it in the game), Oghma since that's what he would have grown up with in Candlekeep or this goddess named Sarenrae, that was until I realised I'm a noober and she doesn't even seem to be a forgotten realms god but from some other fantasy universe, a pitty because she seemed well suited. (http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Sarenrae)
But yeah from those who know, what would the appropriate deity for 'the half-orc paladin' to be a follower of?
Seems like a half-orc fighter/cleric would be a beast!
If I get a chance I may try and record a voice pack for the character, so a battlecry of something like "This is your last chance at redemption!!!" (But probably a little better worded :P ) would be a nice way of recognising the issue.
And even then thanks to @decado I can always just redeem them with my Hammer of Justice and let the gods judge them!
He'd probably be a strong 'monster's rights' advocate, too.
Oh well fingers crossed Crom Faeyr and the Flail of the Ages will help me sleep at night.
=Male=
Arok
Achtar
Aegon
Banteeg
Broak
Gavan
Granas
Gris
Kraylor
Magnas
Zaon
Zarin
=Female=
Aela
Ananya
Chukova
Gemma
Gwyn
Ishita
Katija
Marika
Opara
Raiza
Roca
Seika
Siba
Skaya
Tazara
One of them was an Orog Paladin of Torm, named "Shield of Innocence". Shield was a total badass. People hated him and mistrusted him, but he was a loyal, honorable servant of Torm, and winds up giving his life to revive another member of the group, after beseeching Torm to "return this valiant man's soul to his body" or something. He effectively trades his own life for a friend's.
He was a cool character. The guy he revived was awesome too. A Ranger named Vander Stillhawk, who had his tongue cut out when he was a child. He "dies" in this book, which is what causes Shield to sacrifice himself, but before Vander goes down, he's being shot with tons of arrows from a huge amount of archers. He uses a bow himself, but he ran out of arrows, so he begins pulling the bolts out of his own body and shooting them at his enemies. Total badass.
Hope the rest are helpful to others n_n
In other news... BAGSY DORN IS GAY! (well bi)
On the namefront the front runner is currently Servaas from the Dutch form of the Late Latin name Servatius, derived from servatus "saved, redeemed". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who helped spread Christianity to the Low Countries.
I like names with meaning behind them and this fits the bill quite well as far as meaning goes, plus I think it sounds a bit Orc like with double a, could be wrong in terms of fantasy tradition, just how it feels to me.
From @MedullaOblongata 's list I like Arok, Achtar, Banteeg and Kraylor best.