Cora Lanthenmire is the most quiet and bloodthristy of the Stormblades, a rival NPC adventuring party. Quick to anger, most of the group's fights start when Cora imagines an insult directed at her or her lover, Zachary. Cora's fighting style is an unusual combination of graceful jabs and powerful stabs. She's a natural at fighting with finesse but her patience often runs out by the third round of combat, at which point she starts to utilize her Power Attack feat. As she gains levels, she learns how to focus her anger with more grace, but never fully learns to control her emotions. She has numerous scars, mostly on her hands and forearms.
A PC in my game is her younger sister and she is pestering her with questions about her scars. So far, I have been rebuking these inquiries with "you wouldn't understand; none of you would," (referring to her family) but would like to have a little more idea of why she chooses to keep and show off her scars, and how she regards them. In my D&D world, it means that she choosing to refuse magical healing so that her wounds would heal naturally which would naturally leave scars.
Why does she think why she keeps her scars?
Why does she really keep her scars?
What does she say to her friends about them?
What about to the people she doesn't like?
Why does she think why she keeps her scars?
Why does she really keep her scars?
What does she say to her friends about them?
What about to the people she doesn't like?
Why does she think why she keeps her scars?
- Because they are the badge of an accomplished warrior and she is proud of them.Why does she really keep her scars?
- Because they are a physical manefestation of the emotional ugliness that she carries and struggles to control.
What does she say to her friends about them?
- "Unless you know what it's like to look someone in their eyes while their life ebbs away, you just wouldn't get it; each of these scars has a story, and a life taken away by me, related to it."
What about to the people she doesn't like?
- "Cross me, and you might not even be lucky enough to leave one of these on me."
- "Bring it on, baby - I like it rough."
- "You get first cut...I get last."
- "I have too many notches to put on my scabbard - see?"
I hope this was insightful,
M
(B.A. - Psychology/Philosophy, FL St. Univ. 1992)
:-)
Who says a magical healing doesn't leave scars?
I hope this was insightful,
Extremely. Thank you. Could you tell me more about the emotional ugliness.
I have been playing her with the unconsious attitude that she would rather have been an only child and resents the existence of her younger sister and brother.
Who says a magical healing doesn't leave scars?
Such is the power of the DM. p#33r my universe creating and defining $k!77s!
p#33r my universe creating and defining $k!77s!
You need to be brutally sacrificed to some evil god for using leet-speak. But I digress.
I always felt that it was basically a choice of the caster/ deity whether or not to leave scars. For example, a follower of Ehlonna would never do so, while a disciple of Hextor probably would leave the scars every time.
Also, one could argue that scars (or at least the pain thereof) help a person "feel alive when they feel dead inside." At least, that's an often-heard answer from "cutters."
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it sure would make a nice interlude with cora and another scar ridden pc to wind up in a tavern,got drunk and started to compare scars with each other along with the war stories that came with the scars like the secene from Jaws:
cora:"Oh yeah? well i got this one from when a kobold bit me! So i used it as a club instead of my blade which i couldn't reach anyway. Todd, the ugly prig, thought it was funny as hell seeing me flailing around bashing enemies with a kobold with its jaw clench on my forearm."
pc:"Ha! That little scratch? Why thats nothing lass! See this scar across me neck? I was in Jzadirune with me mates when this wee creature ,our mage called it a choker began strangling me from behind. The coward! So what did i do next you ask? Well---"
Hi there. i know this was posted a while ago, days ago, but i have some thoughts. for what it's worth (and it might not be worth much) i'm in school for a doctorate in clinical psychology...
why she thinks she keeps them and why she might really keep them:
she may not know why she keeps the scars. something about them is comforting, reassures. scars are maybe a reminder of control, the control she had over others or herself. she may think that it makes her seem aggressive and tough, that it may make foes think twice before attacking.she may scorn magic or magical healing as wimpy or not truly warrior-esque. it may be that the only way she sees fit to heal from battle is by her own body's ability to heal itself. doing otherwise would be a short-cut and may minimize the full experience of being a warrior.
those who self-mutilate see their cutting etc as a way to control their emotions, a way to treat their own pain...and it's effective. it can be punitive to the self, but not necessarily. it also separates oneself from others. it forces other to notice one's toughness or ability to endure pain (physical? emotional). it reminds others to watch out, that her emotions are intense. and maybe it reminds her to watch out and keep an eye on herself. encourages her to keep training?
What she says to friends and people she doesn't like:
she may minimize the scars to friends. "a flesh wound" or she may be able and comfortable to discuss her possible pride in the scars and what they may stand for. to those she doesn't like, i see defensiveness, anger. those she really doesn't like may be threatened, with their own scars or maybe more of hers if it makes them uncomfortable. there may be a really conflicted experience inside regarding talking about the scars. maybe she's not sure why she keeps them or doesn't feel like defending herself to anyone. she is maybe ashamed and proud simultaneously?
i think it makes a lot of sense that she would explain that others wouldn't understand. just the fact that others are curious or critical shows that they don't get it and see her as an anomaly, which is understandable and not understandable to her.
these are some of my thoughts...sorry it's a little long. a very interesting topic. complicated character.
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Okay enough of the psychobabble. the sad truth of the matter is CORA IS JUST PLAIN CLUMSY WITH HER SWORD!
"Butterfingers" Lathenmire is what the other stormblades call her, the only reason is she's so bloodthirsty in combat is she is a danger to herself and everyone around her including the stormblades. Its all just a bad rap.
New question: if you are Cora, and your younger sister took your boyfriend away from you, what would you do?
Cora Lanthenmire is the most quiet and bloodthristy of the Stormblades, a rival NPC adventuring party. Quick to anger, most of the group's fights start when Cora imagines an insult directed at her or her lover, Zachary. Cora's fighting style is an unusual combination of graceful jabs and powerful stabs. She's a natural at fighting with finesse but her patience often runs out by the third round of combat, at which point she starts to utilize her Power Attack feat. As she gains levels, she learns how to focus her anger with more grace, but never fully learns to control her emotions. She has numerous scars, mostly on her hands and forearms.
A PC in my game is her younger sister and she is pestering her with questions about her scars. So far, I have been rebuking these inquiries with "you wouldn't understand; none of you would," (referring to her family) but would like to have a little more idea of why she chooses to keep and show off her scars, and how she regards them. In my D&D world, it means that she choosing to refuse magical healing so that her wounds would heal naturally which would naturally leave scars.
Why does she think why she keeps her scars?
Why does she really keep her scars?
What does she say to her friends about them?
What about to the people she doesn't like?
Read ahead to Test of the Smoking Eye and read why the fallen angel (name escapes me) chooses to keep his scars. He answers "removing them wouldnt mean they did happen" or something like that.
Cora is the daughter of a noble house, yet she cultivates a persona as a fairly crude individual (insofar as someone of high-class background would tend to assume a scarred warrior-type has to be crude). Her quick temper goes along with this.
I think she resents anyone who tries to make her conform. She wears her scars openly, and no one, not even her family, can make her look the part of a delicate lady. I think Cora has a very direct approach to things because she sees anything else as "playing games" or being dishonest. She disdains those who go out of their way to fit into society.
Of course, I don't have my book here at work with me, and I can't remember how Zachary is described, and if that would conflict with this interpretation. Then again, if she dislikes people who put on airs, yet dates someone who is very noble in bearing and attitude, that could be an interesting juxtaposition, and not at all unexpected for someone her age.
Read ahead to Test of the Smoking Eye and read why the fallen angel (name escapes me) chooses to keep his scars. He answers "removing them wouldnt mean they did happen" or something like that.
This is an interesting coincidence you struck upon Walter. Linking these two NPCs would be very interesting. Perhaps fighting through the endless pain that caused the scars gave her freedom of fear and was a rite of passage.
Can you remember who caused the fallen angels scars?
Delvesdeep
New question: if you are Cora, and your younger sister took your boyfriend away from you, what would you do?
WOW, I am impressed by the amount of role playing your players are doing during the SCAP.
I never knew a series of dungeon crawls could turn into something so similar to a Spanish soap opera!
;)
This is an interesting coincidence you struck upon Walter. Linking these two NPCs would be very interesting. Perhaps fighting through the endless pain that caused the scars gave her freedom of fear and was a rite of passage.
Can you remember who caused the fallen angels scars?
Delvesdeep
Just read through the module this weekend in anticipation of playing it. Adimarchus caused Saureya to become scarred as part of Saureya's torture.
--Rick