This question is less about building a character via stats, and more about integrating a character into legal play with sanctioned lore. I'm hoping this thread can help out.
I intend to play a Half-Elf Druid who survived his homelands of Rahadoum by trading in herbs, spices, and the occasional bit of healing. Unfortunately, his adventuring stories begin when he is discovered with religious paraphernalia, specifically books of healing that are endorsed by the clergy of Sarenrae. This causes him to get exiled, which is great if you need an excuse to have an out-of-place druid be willing to travel, but not so great if the only place you've ever known and felt comfortable with is off limits to you. It does make an excellent excuse for why the character does not use a "true" animal companion (it doesn't make sense to flaunt your magic in Rahadoum, even though magic itself isn't outlawed the way divine worship is) and it also gives the character a certain theme to him (as he'll focus on a flair and look that suggests "Desert Nomad.")
Are there any stories that describes, discusses, or even mentions those that have been exiled from Rahadoum, and what the process takes? If you were playing a "forced nomad druid" with a history of living in arid desert regions, what spells and flair would you use to differentiate yourself from those "forest-type druids" people tend to play? Sadly, the limitations to armor and weapons means he'll be stuck using a sling or quarterstaff the first three levels, but I'm hoping some magic ability such as summon nature's ally can help with that. "Oh hey, he's summoning jackals and crazy centipedes again, Oh dear God they're coming at us!"
And since it is arguably the one part of the game I'm least good at, if you can think of some awesome character traits that are fitting of this type of character and background, I'd be glad to hear them.
