Just began chapter six this week, and our session ended with Kaurophon mysteriously appearing to help fend off the babaus while the PCs were beginning their 500 mile trek eastward to Cauldron. I'm playing Kaurophon basically as Gollum. He doesn't appear in human disguise (my party would likely detect it, one more reason for them to suspect him), but rather as his E.T.-looking self. The party should go along with him out of necessity and the link with Tercival's dying words, and I plan to play him as sympathetic and "trustworthy," hopefully building so that his eventual betrayal is all the more impactful. I also do a pretty dead-on Gollum voice, and after seeing the picture of Kaurophon it just seemed like a natrual fit. How have you run this character to make for good role-playing? What are some trust-building tips so they don't see the betrayal coming a mile away?
I've been thinking of giving Kaurophon the voice and mannerisms of Deckard Cain, from the Diablo series.
"Stay awhile and listen." :)
My name is Deckard Cain and I've come on out to greet ya, so sit your ass and listen or I'm gonna have to beat ya.
horadrim, ho ho horadrim!
I went with a Cartman-esk character. He became a genuine ally of the party, in his own evil way. He never physicaly harmed anyone in the group. Lied, manipulated, and charmed; but never personally harmed. I have plans on making him the players guide to the prison plane; if they can get along. "God, I hate you guys."
My party started calling Kaurophon "Carfax" and b*@**ed because he would spend two or three rounds buffing before he got into most fights. He saved their bacon in the Cathedral of Feathers, but he'll be dammed if he was going to attract any attention to himself without some mage armor and various other spells.
By the time of the final battle, when I said he was hanging back and casting, everyone just rolled their eyes and said, "There he goes again. See you in three rounds when the fight's over."
Mwahahahaha.
By the time of the final battle, when I said he was hanging back and casting, everyone just rolled their eyes and said, "There he goes again. See you in three rounds when the fight's over."
Mwahahahaha.
Dodo, that's awesome. No matter how much they roleplay like they trust someone, the players never will and a betrayal rarely comes across as anything more than fulfilling expectations. I love how you've still managed to lull your players into one preconception and I suspect the final shock value will be worth it.
For the original poster, though, I've learned that my players tend to trust people they've rescued more than people who have arrived to rescue them (and Heaven help me when they learn that I've learned that). I don't know if that helps you at all, but there it is.