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As evidenced in another thread, I'm interested in creating a Good tiefling character for Council of Thieves, particularly one who basically sees the Empyreal Lord Ragathiel as a kindred spirit, if not outright object of devotion. Given that the worship of the Empyreal Lords as a whole is so obscure on its own, let alone the worship of a single one, it seems like an Oracle would be the only way to play this concept realistically.
So my question is this: What mysteries fit the concepts and themes of Council of Thieves best? What ones have the best connection to the story? From what I've been reading and what I know off the top of my head about the Empyreal Lords, Heavens is a given, as well as Battle because Ragathiel is a warrior angel. Flame may connect well, though it's associated more with Asmodeus here because Sarenrae's worship isn't strong in Cheliax. I don't know if Life would necessarily work, as while there are undead, there's not an explicit connection to the forces of life and death in Council of Thieves like there is in Carrion Crown.
What curses would fit best? Lame or Clouded Vision could indicate the character suffered on the Hellknight's racks and Tongues may indicate possession, either by a devil he's trying to keep under control, or an angel he let into his body to serve as a kind of external conscience. Haunted, Deaf and Wasting don't seem to have much to connect them to the overarching story.
Furthermore, how would certain aspects of the game interact with the class, like for example, determining what role in the Sixfold Trial the character gets a bonus to trying out for, as they're not one of the listed classes?
Don't overthink it. Make a character that will be fun to play, and you'll have fun playing that character.
It's not important to fit perfectly. It's important to have a good time, because it's a game.
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Don't overthink it. Make a character that will be fun to play, and you'll have fun playing that character.
It's not important to fit perfectly. It's important to have a good time, because it's a game.
Making something fit seamlessly into the Adventure Path's overall narrative IS what's fun to play for me though. I'm doing more than playing a game. I'm helping to craf a story. And since I've got a BA in English Literature, I've practically got an obligation to make sure that story works within the context of the setting, that it connects with the themes and ideas the Adventure Path is discussing. If I don't, then the inherent literary value is diminished.
In the CoT game I am running, we have a human oracle of Sarenrae (so oracle of Flames) with the haunted curse who came to Westcrown specifically to find out what is happening with these 'creatures of shadow'.
While the curse hasn't come up much yet, the player detailed it as the souls of all those lost in Westcrown, pushing and pulling for the oracle's attention.
The Flames mystery is working great as the Flames of Light vs. the Flames of Darkness have led to more than one 'Cleric Fight!!'
The new oracle curses from Blood of Fiends are appropriate, esp the bound by law one :)
Keep it simple, then. It's difficult to write literature when you have 100% control, and in a RPG, authorship is shared.
You're also trying to get this across, not through literature, which can be read and re-read, but through acting. Improv, really. It's going to be incredibly hard to put together a soliloquy on the spot. You will get FAR more done with theme, which you can return to over and over again.
Light vs. Darkness will work extraordinarily well. Someone looking for redemption will be a good theme. Overcoming a beaten body through a nobility of soul also works.
And btw, who gets what part in the Trial is a DM decision, and not up to you. Do you trust the person running the game? You should. If you don't, I'd hash that out right now. Not in a "I accuse you" way, but more "let's talk about expectations here. Do you think characters will die? If something really cool story-wise is contradicted by the dice, how would you handle that as a GM?"