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Fronko
2008-06-10, 08:50 AM
HI everyone!

So, in a couple of days, our gaming group has its first shot at 4th edition and I intend to play a Paladin of the Raven Queen. So far, I only have the players handbook at my disposal, so I am quite lacking at all the background fluff around the pantheon at large and the Raven Queen in particular.

What I have been able to gather is that the raven queen is kind of like the goddess of death and winter, thereby watching over the natural passage from the living to the dead, the undisturbed eternal rest and ... oh, well, winter.

So, any undead uprising is an absolute affront against the nature and should be rigorously brought to an end, just as is any attempt of the living to overcome death in whatever way. I should be protecting the natural way of life and the passage from it. However, this is a rather outwordly way to think and I feel, that I might struggle to reason for joining a standard adventure that does not specifically combat the undead (or similar unnatural entities). Also, I might find offense at a party member being resurrected (even though I MIGHT justify it by this being only temporary and for a greater good).

Still, the motivational problem remains. I will not necessarily be adventuring for monetary reasons (hey, better gear might come handy though), nor will I particularly care about a kobold infestation in some rural part of the land, nor would I really care about a dragon kidnapping the proverbial princess, wouldn't I?

If you have any good ideas for motivation, feel free to point them out. Oh, and never mind my language, I am not a native english speaker (or rather writer).

Kekken
2008-06-10, 09:15 AM
By choosing to be an ardent follower of your goddesses (paladin's can't be anything but), you've already got a good base of motivations.

Now, let's think as to why you decided to follow the ways of the Raven Queen.

Perhaps you're the only survivor of an undead attack on your village? Perhaps you were rescued by a paladin of the Raven Queen, who arrived too late to save your family, but could at least save you.

Or maybe, you've always been somewhat of a dark, romantic soul, finding beauty in the desolate and prefering winter over spring?

Simple motivations, yes, but a well played simple motivation is far better than a poorly played complicated one.

ghost_warlock
2008-06-10, 09:15 AM
Darkness beyond Twilight
Crimson beyond blood that flows
Buried in the Stream of time where your power grows
I Pledge myself to conquer all the fools who stand
before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hands
Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed
by the power you and I possess...

Unaligned doesn't mean you can't be passionate and worldly. Be angry. You're playing a paladin of death, I'd say anyone that pisses you off is attempting to defy their righteous snuffing.

Pronounceable
2008-06-10, 09:16 AM
Don't worry, EVERYONE is lacking in the background fluff around the pantheon at large and insert god here in particular.

That said, the second item on that woefully pathetic list works here: "Bring down the proud who try to cast off the chains of fate" That basically means you have free pass to piss off any powerful organization or creature. Kill/maim/destroy/humiliate them (and incidentally you may take their stuff).

Fronko
2008-06-10, 09:46 AM
By choosing to be an ardent follower of your goddesses (paladin's can't be anything but), you've already got a good base of motivations.

Now, let's think as to why you decided to follow the ways of the Raven Queen.


Apologies, if I haven't made myself clear. I have a few good pointers as to why my character has become a Raven Queen paladin.
It is not a question, of why I follow this ideal of the raven queen, though, but rather everyday motivation to go on the current quest. Why would a paladin of death care about that farmer and his crops? Why bother, if those children keep disappearing (unless it's a cult of unlife worshippers who need fresh ritual victims)? Why spend resources to catch a thief, that has been harassing the neighbourhood? After all, he´s the paladin of death. He has interests in higher matters.


Don't worry, EVERYONE is lacking in the background fluff around the pantheon at large and insert god here in particular.

That said, the second item on that woefully pathetic list works here: "Bring down the proud who try to cast off the chains of fate" That basically means you have free pass to piss off any powerful organization or creature. Kill/maim/destroy/humiliate them (and incidentally you may take their stuff).
So, that would not only be a paladin of death, but also one that tends to bring down every more or less powerful organization he may encounter. The first paladin that doesnt protect, but rathers destroys order. Also, a very nice twist. Might like this.

So, thanks for your replies so far. Keep it coming, though. I am not sold yet. :smallwink:

Learnedguy
2008-06-10, 09:48 AM
All I'm saying is that even churches need money to run <.<

Tengu
2008-06-10, 10:02 AM
Be a good friend/lover with another, more active character, who will persuade you to take part in the same missions.

Kol Korran
2008-06-10, 10:33 AM
hhhmmmm... you're limiting your character a bit here- he is a paladin, but that realy shouldn't sum up his character or motivations! Rich touched on this matter (character goals defined by the class Vs. everday normal goals) in his first group of articles in the Gaming section, so you might want to check it out.

however, while we're here, some advice:
- talk to the DM to get a general feel about the campaign, the locations, the plot. then try to weave your motivations into that frame, if possible.

- who are the other characters? maybe you have a relation to one of them? you're family, loyal servent, was assigned to protect them/ tutor them and so on? one of the richest motivations and roleplay enhancers is preexisting relationships with the other characters. this could provide you with an excellent reason to go with the entire group.

- other general ideas, that can work for many characters (because class doesn't need to define all motives. not even the main ones):

for glory/ honor/ prestige: you have set out to the dangerous world to prove yourself, either to others (this can be a test of maturity, a right of passage to enter some order, a test of courage to be deemed worhty to marry someone/ get access to a family heirloom and so on) or to yourself (you may have done something very shamefull in the past, and feel the need to redeem yourself. or you were raised on legends of daring and courage, and decide to live up to them, or maybe you're simply want to see if you are the man you think you are, if you got what it takes).
out of boredom/ "that's all i know how to do": your characters specific skills don't work well in the simple rural life. you're a fighter/ adventurer, and that's all you know how to do. when you can, you devote yourself to battling the goals of your goddess, but when not- you act as a sort of a mercenery, lending your skills to whomever can pay you, or whatever goals intrigues your fancy at the moment, honing your skills till they will be REALY needed. you grouped up with this team first because they proved effective, and later due to friendship.
friendship: if we're allready on this matter- this is a very, very strong motivation, once an adventure or two have passed (preferably with good inter-party moments). it may not be what you begin with (unless you've taken the suggestion of hooking your background with another character), but it's a solid one to go on later on.
signs of the goddes: most ardent believers can see signs of their gods influence in the everyday mundane life. they see omens, revelations, guidance and more. if you take this to heart, the paladin can "justify" many small decisions , opinions, and moods, by "seeing" one of these signs (if the DM is any good he might even play to this a bit. this sort of personality trait can be hugely reqwarding if played correctly). and of course, it can solve any motivational problem- a group of marauding Kobolds? why should you care? ahhhhh, but the mayor's wife wore a winter's rose in her hair. it must be a sign that this is the will of the goddess... (not all signs must be explained. the gods work in mysterious ways after all...)
the wanderer: aside from being a paladin, you're filled with a lust for travel, new places, new experiences, and new adventures! (you don't need to play this as an open eyed naive young boy. you can make it a claculated mature man as well, but with a glint in his eye). though you've taken your paladin oaths, you know that the goals of the faith can be served everywhere, and that you'll be called/ summoned/ drawn to place if the need arises. in the meantime, you seek to explore and live! and what better way than with a band of adventurers?
part of the pantheon: i'm unaware of the pantheons used in 4E (the books haven't arrived in my country yet), but the raven goddes can be but a part of a greater pantheon (if she's not, you and your DM can always make her as part of a pantheon where your paladin originated) though you focused on this goddess, you may still follow other ideals and modes of behaviour, common to the pantheon in general. make them general enough as to include most common adventuring resons (protection of the community, presevation of civilization are good enough "catch all") and you're set, belief wise. for rolepaly flavour throw in a few "holy phrases" of the pantheon as a whole from time to time, but focus on your goddess when things get near. (note: you'll need to find a reason why you chose her above the others though).
emotional state: many players liek to incorporate some sort of drama or tragedy in their background ("i'm the sole survivor of my familiy/ clan/ village/ whatever...") if you have some traumatic experience (this could work for other kinds of experiences, but i'm focusing on this for simplicity's sake) then you can use the emotions/ needs that rose from that in order to fuel your desire for adventure/ excitment. the paladinhood could have been your way to try and control yourself, bring back meaning and sense into your world. but now you take those tools and (partially) use them for other ends (paladins can do as they please in 4E if i'm not mistaken)


there are probably many more, but this is all i have from the top of my head. i hope it helps,
Kol.

hamishspence
2008-06-10, 11:05 AM
Remember not all temples worship the god alone: so you may have some affiliation with other gods worshipped as well. Like mini-pantheons, or special groupings (a la the Triad from Faerun)

Erathis, Iuon, and the Raven Queen are worshipped as 3 Fates controlling destiny: maiden, matron, crone. So haul out your favourite Viking or Greek mythology and see what you can attach. Or, for that matter, almost any threefold goddess myths, though the Fates and the Nornir are a closer match.

I like the notion of different temples worshipping the D&D deities in different ways.

LoneGamer
2008-06-10, 11:18 AM
Somewhat unrelated, but my Unaligned Warlock is a scholar who follows Ioun, and adventures to collect new and interesting lore in her books. It was a good scene last night when she saw her first Warforged, who was a new PC joining the party.

hamishspence
2008-06-10, 11:26 AM
not that unrelated, if you go with the notion that Ioun, Erathis, and the Raven queen are allied: might be interesting pairing.

Vikingkingq
2008-06-10, 01:53 PM
Kol Korran - I think your suggestions are great.

I would also add:

A paladin, like a Cleric, wants to spread the faith. His actions essentially act as advertising for the faith. Hence, helping a farmer with his crops, or saving lost children, or stopping a dangerous thief can be approached with an eye to spreading the Word of the Raven Queen, maybe picking up some converts or donations, but in general improving the reputation of the faith so that they associate the Raven Queen with someone they admire.

Dan_Hemmens
2008-06-10, 04:33 PM
This problem is by no means unique to Paladins, or to the "Unaligned". It's always an issue for RPG characters, no matter what your motivation, 90% of the time, you're going to be adventuring for something else. Mercenary characters could always find better ways to make money, religious characters could find better ways to serve their god, and so on.

In some ways, it's best to just accept that a core assumption of the game is that people just ... adventure. Adventuring is a career a lot of people go into.

To put it another way: asking "why would a follower of the Raven Queen be an adventurer" is like asking "why would a Christian/Buddhist/Zoroastrian be a schoolteacher". Sure the answer *might* be "because they see it as an opportunity to spread their faith" but it might also be "because they've always wanted to be a teacher, and their religion really doesn't come into it".

clericwithnogod
2008-06-10, 05:40 PM
Be a good friend/lover with another, more active character, who will persuade you to take part in the same missions.

This has served my more mercenary and/or nihilistic characters well. Be the Doc Holliday to someone else's Wyatt Earp. You don't even need persuaded...

Turkey Creek Jack Johnson: Why you doin' this, Doc?
Doc Holliday: Because Wyatt Earp is my friend.
Turkey Creek Jack Johnson: Friend? Hell, I got lots of friends.
Doc Holliday: ...I don't.




EDIT: I've either forgotten how to spell or I've forgotten how to type...

Fronko
2008-06-11, 04:45 AM
Well, thank you guys very much, esp Kol Korran for taking the time to throw so much text at me (us).

Between all that and the other posts, I think, I have just found a few very good reasons to go adventuring. Thanks for enlightening me. :)

*bows, leaves stage*