Hi all,
One of my players who is new to Pathfinder and Golarion presented me with the background below for his PC. I've warned him we may need to make some adjustments but I'd like to try to keep as much as possible, even if just the broad outlines, and even if I have to change up some plot details.
I've glanced through the entire campaign but as we're just starting am really only familiar with Stolen Lands and Rivers Run Red. I was wondering if any of you experienced Kingmaker DMs who know the background well can help me out with suggestions for how to fit this into Kingmaker.
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Surtr is a dark and brooding dwarf hunted and haunted by his past. A scion of the rich and powerful dwarven mining clan, Jotunar, in Brunderton, Surtr had set out as a youth to stake a claim to the gem mines in the Stolen Lands, desperate to distinguish himself amongst his great family. However, his only true skill lay in swordcraft, a skill he fine-tuned as a violent and perpetually bullied youth. His frequent brawls, not to mention his vocal preference for the sword over the axe, brought shame and dishonor upon his clan, pushing him both further away from his family and even more to prove himself.
Somewhere along the way, Surtr lost himself and his grand vision, and become little more than a brutish sellsword who fought to forget the burdens of his clan name. It was during one of his early mercenary campaigns that he came under the sway of a barbarian cult dedicated to the wargod, Gorum. Already a wayward soul with no sense of self, he was an easy target for the proselytizing warpriests of Gorum, who promised him glory in bloodshed. Thus did Surtr become a cleric of the Lord in Iron, and in so doing, he severed all ties to his old dwarven family, hoping to create a new name for himself through deeds in battle.
However, as he did the bidding of the barbarian warpriests of Gorum, he came to participate in ever more cruel acts of violence done for no other reason than greed, lust, and evil. He could never muster the throaty and ruthless howls for blood and flesh as fervently as his half-orc brothers-in-arms, and he soon became sick of what he had become and what his god stood for. His dwarvish upbringing reclaimed its hold on his spirit and he rebelled against the teachings of Gorum, becoming an apostate of the God of Battle and his church of wanton violence. As he renounced Gorum, the god stripped Surtr of his divine spellpower, and the young dwarf was suddenly bereft of all but his own innate fighting skill. He was branded a traitor and the followers of Gorum declared that they would hunt him down for his betrayal of their god. But luckily, his martial skills were enough to defeat his pursuers and escape from the encampment of the barbarian cult.
Surtr fled his one-time kin and ventured south to the borders of the Stolen Land, hoping to escape the barbarian cult of Gorum and the shame of his own evil past. Today, as his gaze takes in the Stolen Lands from his humble shed hidden in the foothills of the wilderness of Rostland, his mind has once again rekindled his quest to conquer the Stolen Lands. But this time, he does so not to impress his parents, but to escape the certainty of death awaiting him in Brevoy and perhaps even to find a power within the Stolen Lands to give him the strength to defeat the followers of Gorum who stalk him still.
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Thats a nice backstory, kudos to your player.
Well, it doesn't sound likely he would be able to receive the charter in Restov with the other PC's. Why not foreshadow the bandit problems in the Stolen Lands by having the character beset by a group of bandits shortly after entering the Stolen Lands- enough so that he will be able to last a round or two, but not so few that he will be able to defeat them single handedly.
After the first round of his solo combat, tell the other PC's who have left Restov with the charter that they can see a wounded and outnumbered Dwarf fighting for his life on the road ahead. After the combat, the Dwarf can join them in gratitude or, impressed by the Dwarf's courage and skill-at-arms and knowing the struggles ahead, they can try and recruit him.
Even if the Dwarf's motives are entirely selfish, joining up with an adventuring party makes it less risky for him, being pursued as he is by Gorumites.
Well, the 2nd half of book 4 is pretty geared for this character, though I doubt he'll survive that long. Long-story short: some priestesses of Gyronna pretend to be priestesses of Gorum and to bring about the prophecized reincarnation of one of Gorum's ancient heroes, so they can use this legendary hero for their own ends. In the process you kill a lot of Gorum-barbarians, and you raid some catacombs sacred to Gorum.
As for the character: have him come from the Gulshkin Mountains in Brevoy, just to be a little more tied together with things. And have the Barbarians come from Numeria; again, to tie him to the setting.
If he's actually taking levels of ex-cleric, that's kinda harsh. Maybe suggest that he's a Barbarian or something instead, and was still just as dedicated to Gorum. Afterall: you can me a passionate follower of a deity without being a priest of one. Besides, given the story you told: it sounds doubtful that the orcs would allow him to become a spiritual authority figure (which is what a "Cleric" is).
I had a dwarf in my group. Also had a shady past (though in an entirely different way). I had her be the heir to a long-lost silver mine in the Stolen Lands. She and others considered it a relatively worthless heirloom title, since it was inaccessable. However, it motivated the character, and once they came across the kobold caves in book 1, and realized that was her cave by legal rights, things got pretty interesting for her. Feel free to steal/adopt if that interests you.
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If he's actually taking levels of ex-cleric, that's kinda harsh. Maybe suggest that he's a Barbarian or something instead, and was still just as dedicated to Gorum. Afterall: you can me a passionate follower of a deity without being a priest of one. Besides, given the story you told: it sounds doubtful that the orcs would allow him to become a spiritual authority figure (which is what a "Cleric" is).
I suspect your mixing fluff with crunch. Hes likely got a fighter level, or barbarian.
Hi Alexander and Erik,
Thanks for the responses!
Sorry for not being more clear but I only received the background the night before we played our first session so after everyone introduced their characters and talked about how to link backgrounds, it was decided that one of the other characters helped him escape from the Barbarians.
Well, the 2nd half of book 4 is pretty geared for this character, though I doubt he'll survive that long.
Why is that? General high lethality?
Long-story short: some priestesses of Gyronna pretend to be priestesses of Gorum and to bring about the prophecized reincarnation of one of Gorum's ancient heroes, so they can use this legendary hero for their own ends. In the process you kill a lot of Gorum-barbarians, and you raid some catacombs sacred to Gorum.
Wow, that should fit in nicely. I knew there were some Barbarians but wasn't aware that they had the Gorum connection. That's perfect.
As for the character: have him come from the Gulshkin Mountains in Brevoy, just to be a little more tied together with things. And have the Barbarians come from Numeria; again, to tie him to the setting.
The Barbarians in the second half of book 4 are from Numeria?
Also, regarding his class it is indeed as Alexander guessed. He's simply a first level fighter and will work back up as a Fighter/Cleric.
Hi Alexander and Erik,
Thanks for the responses!
Sorry for not being more clear but I only received the background the night before we played our first session so after everyone introduced their characters and talked about how to link backgrounds, it was decided that one of the other characters helped him escape from the Barbarians.
Well, the 2nd half of book 4 is pretty geared for this character, though I doubt he'll survive that long.Why is that? General high lethality?
Long-story short: some priestesses of Gyronna pretend to be priestesses of Gorum and to bring about the prophecized reincarnation of one of Gorum's ancient heroes, so they can use this legendary hero for their own ends. In the process you kill a lot of Gorum-barbarians, and you raid some catacombs sacred to Gorum.Wow, that should fit in nicely. I knew there were some Barbarians but wasn't aware that they had the Gorum connection. That's perfect.
As for the character: have him come from the Gulshkin Mountains in Brevoy, just to be a little more tied together with things. And have the Barbarians come from Numeria; again, to tie him to the setting.The Barbarians in the second half of book 4 are from Numeria?
Also, regarding his class it is indeed as Alexander guessed. He's simply a first level fighter and will work back up as a Fighter/Cleric.
So far, my group is just finishing up book 1 and have not fountd it very lethal at all. Depends on your play style a lot I'm guessing, and from what I can tell the difficulty increases after. If your players have high ACs, they can steamroll most of book 1 though (and for me the poor whiptail couldn't roll more than a 4).
The Barbarians are from Numeria/Stolen Lands. Numeria is ruled by a barbarian lord, and there are lots of tribes within that he tries to rule with an iron fist. It is north of the western part you explore in books 4 and 5. The group in book 4 is a tribe that has come further south because they are being manipulated by some priestessess of Gyrona for use against Brevoy.
Your player inadvertantly wrote a backstory that fits right into the existing setting material.
Gorum is a war god and as such he loves Fighers and so a fighter could be seen as a priest, if not a spell casting one ;) Or some such religious authority like a lay priest when the cleric is out of town he fills in dolingout spiritual battle cries... ;)
No we are thinking if he is such a Chaotic warrior he might get himself killed befor he reaches the next module :)
This area is settled by People from the Land of the Linnorm Kings and as such are Viking Decent and so its much Russian like in background and so his background fits very well :) for the area.
He's not being played as a foolhardy character. To the contrary, he's very paranoid he's being manipulated based on his past history. He didn't trust Oleg or Svetlana's story and only when he heard Happ's crew threatening to throw fire in to speed them up if they didn't open the door, did he decide to fully support the effort.
Cool, sounds like he will do fine then. And his background fits, and if you follow what has been said before, esp the part where Erik Freund
said "As for the character: have him come from the Gulshkin Mountains in Brevoy, just to be a little more tied together with things. And have the Barbarians come from Numeria; again, to tie him to the setting." and it fits perfectly :)