So my group has been playing Kingmaker for a good while and we are at the point between the 2nd and 3rd book. I know a few details about the different books and the things that happen, but our DM has been creative to change things up to surprise us and also since we have a group of 5-6.
Anyway my character, Jack Guildweave, is a gnome bard following the noble born trait and from the start had an 18 Cha. Being the best choice for King role, I got the job but already having issues mainly because he is a gnome. We've already have run into the Nymph mastermind of the adventure, who I first encountered after taking a dive into a mushroom ring into the First World. Now she fused some gem into my neck to speak to me and recently even control me with Dominate.
Since getting the gem everyone is sort of unsure about Jack and also because I have caused plenty of mischief along the way, such as setting part of the Stag's Fort on fire, disguising myself up as an orphen to get into a house only to then sleep spell everyone in it and a few other silly things.
The issue here is how can I make other NPCs respect me, since most people would just laugh seeing a gnome ruling a kingdom...mainly because I'm short.
Not sure how your group plays gnomes, but my gaming group sort of sees them as ADD kids on a sugar high. Of course this is also due to one of our players who loves gnomes and plays them a lot.
There is absolutely no way my group would ever let a gnome be king after their previous chaotic experiences, so congratulations on your success in that area! Being taken seriously?
The main advice I can give you is follow what the irish bards did. They were known for their cleverness, to the extent they often out-tricked the fey. Come up with clever schemes to defeat your enemies with your wits, learn to become glib and persuasive IRL so you can roleplay as such, or become like Tyrion Lannister politically and become the master plotter/schemer. Thats the first thing that jumps out off the top of my head.
While my players would never allow a gnome king, they just might if he could provide any one of those things, all of which they are sorely lacking currently. :)
I have been playing more of a peacemaker, since I was able to make an alliance with the kobolds and now working on another with the lizardfoke. No one in the group see's many of my plans stupid, its just the whole being a gnome and the happens they have that causes the issue.
I have watched Game of Thrones just to get ideas on how to be a better schemer, although I don't really have anyone in the group who plans to dethrone me since it be more of a loss and I'm liked by the people.
I guess one issue is how I am a risk with that evil gem in my neck and also another issue with my character's wife, who his grandfather had arranged a marriage with him, is some Chelliax. So I guess having a possibly evil wife is an problem. XD
My gnome queen didn't have much a problem being taken seriously, but that was possibly in part because she was a paladin and once word gets around that the little brightly colored ruler is smiting trolls and such, it's harder to write her off.
So my advice might be, do some badass stuff. Once you've saved the Kingdom twice or thrice, no one's going to say, "But, on the other hand, he is very short."
Heck, if your character is a bard, write some great songs and poems about how you saved the kingdom whether they're strictly speaking true or not. Bards should be great at PR campaigns.
DrakeCross wrote: because I have caused plenty of mischief along the way, Is probably part of your character's problem. Chaotic characters are never seen as particularly trustworthy. To be Respected as a King - one has to behave like a respectable king :)
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How much do the characters know about Gnomish history? You can always state that the time has come for you to go through...say...the "Ritual of Emergence" (or whatever name you want to use) which purpose is to spiritually cleanse you and prepare for the next part of gnomish life where thought and wisdom is praised, and the free spirit of youth is shed off and cast aside (The reason people do not see more of these mature gnomes is off course because many stop traveling far when they reach this age, letting the youngsters do this instead).
Now just go through some made up ritual where you enter some prepared area, spend a couple of days alone slacking, then come out and at least act more mature as a demeanor. Make a point of mentioning that you dress more appropriately, grow a bread, spend just a little extra time thinking things over.
It may be all an act, but hey, youre a bard and you should be able to pull it off. You act mature for a while and peoples perception will likely start to change.
Oh, and get that gem out at any cost. If a ruler cant be trusted with being in control of himself he will end up deposed, dead, or both.
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Twoswords wrote: grow a bread, I agree whole heartedly - a nice wholegrain split tin, or perhaps even an onion baguette, should do nicely. However, I would advise that you stay away from factory sliced white ....
;)
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JohnB wrote: Twoswords wrote: grow a bread, I agree whole heartedly - a nice wholegrain split tin, or perhaps even an onion baguette, should do nicely. However, I would advise that you stay away from factory sliced white ....
;)
I favor the bagel spread myself. Very distinguished look. The word should most likely have been "beard", but growing a bread can never be a bad thing. ^^
Well I have done a few brave heroic things, such as killing the Owlbear by using all the fireballs I had from the Necklace of Fireballs. I even tamed the young owlbear we found in it lair, even better then how the ranger was. Also I helped defeat the troll king as well, although we more of just threw him in a portal and I hit him with hideous laughter to stun him until we could escape. I have taken story telling or whatever that is for my 2nd perform and so next game (tomorrow) I plan to Guildweave to spend a few months telling stories through the winter and finding some way to get that gem out.
Also his alignment is Chaotic Good. We have a chaotic good human cleric of Cayden Cailean, a chaotic neutral half-elf witch of the winter court, lawful neutral dwarf paladin of dwarfiness, a neutral half-orc alchemist, and a human ranger that is neutral good.
Anyway I'll share more stories after tomorrow's game.
DrakeCross wrote: Well I have done a few brave heroic things, such as killing the Owlbear by using all the fireballs I had from the Necklace of Fireballs. I even tamed the young owlbear we found in it lair, even better then how the ranger was. Also I helped defeat the troll king as well, although we more of just threw him in a portal and I hit him with hideous laughter to stun him until we could escape. I have taken story telling or whatever that is for my 2nd perform and so next game (tomorrow) I plan to Guildweave to spend a few months telling stories through the winter and finding some way to get that gem out.
Also his alignment is Chaotic Good.
My suggestion here is to rewrite these stories in the public light. You did not simply use "all the fireballs"..."from the Necklace of Fireballs" to kill an Owlbear.
Oh no...
Instead you masterfully took into account the surroundings, the huge threat looming over not yourself, but to the entire region if this Owlbear and its offspring were to be allowed to keep terrorizing the region. As such you amassed both loyal companions as well as harnessed the arcane mysteries of wizards long past and set out to do the right thing and defend the land! Not only did you defeat the furious beast, you made sure to be merciful as you realized that the foul creature was corrupting the young to her ways, and you led the children to see the light of the true, honest and righteous path.
You did not simply "[help] defeat the troll king" by just throwing "him in a portal and I hit him with hideous laughter to stun him"
Oh no...
Again with your trusted companions dedicated to the defense of the land you grimly set out to administer justice to the foul and cruel leader of the trolls who had even had the arrogance to declare himself King. You confronted this self-appointed so called "King" in his lair and using the arcane knowledge granted to your humble self during your travels and the combined strength of your faithful companions you realized that this foul beast was not just a simple troll. Instead you summoned a portal and with the might of your will you made sure that the creature could not avoid his faith and ultimate doom as the portal devoured it and sent it back to its unnatural home.
Or something like that. The thing with being a bard is to take that poetic license for fudging the details. Keep the overall story true, but who cares about the details. Make yourself a hero who has done solid service to the realm, and also do not forget to include your other PC's in the credit at some point.
I like to think that the only reason gnomes prosper as a species is because they're clever and tricky. This doesn't necessarily mean that they're devious, but why would a little guy fight the ogre head on when he or she could lure the ogre into an ambush where all his or her friends are waiting? Their brains and there illusions (and probably their alliances) are the only reason they haven't been wiped out. A slow-witted gnome is rare.
There's plenty of literary precedent for a clever ruler, both from an intrigue and a tactical pespective. The play style might not be for everyone, but if you enjoy it, and if you have the opportunity to pull a figurative trick out of your hat to solve a public encounter, I can see a gnome king earning some respect by using unexpected but effective solutions to conflicts.
Last game was quite crazy. We went back to the lizardfoke village to save the captured boy, since Guildweave deduced they most likely had him even though everyone was all doubtful the only intelligent group that isn't working with us. So after a quite tough fight with the king and his lvl 7 cleric our DM added we got the Lizard people as our allies, although the Will-o-wisp that aided the king ran off. Overall a success. :P
After a few months kingdom building, we get to my character's wedding which is quite amusing with his family and his queen's family showing up. Overall, whole rich families of gnomes being rich gnomes. In the end I learn about the history of the family flute which came from Candlemere Island and a free Helm of Telepathy. :P
Now the next month involves something odder...like a animal crime lord...who is a shark...so...loan shark! Since he lives in Tuskwater Lake we head there since we have to deep with Crackjaw the turtle monster thing...although instead of being classed as gargantuan size, so we are fighting pretty much Gamera! XD So after a long fight with us just chipping his health away with bombs and spells we then work a deal with the loan shark and his shawagan goons, along with getting to Candlemere
Of course it turns out the island is connected to the Old Ones (Cthulu Beings) I even talk to something there to question about the flute leading to his conversation:
Old Ones: You return with what was our's...
Guildweave: The flute...umm...yeah...although why is it so important to you?
Old Ones: It had the powers to undo reality for out bidding.
Guildweave: *Gives big wide eyed look* Ok, so when my father stole it what did he do with it.
Old Ones: To stop our powers...he changed the enchantment...
Guildweave: To do what?
Old Ones: *Long pause* To summon bears....
Me: WTF!? O_o
Well...that was surprising and made me laugh for quite a long time. XD
Well turns out the whole flute of summoning animals is quite useful, since summoning a tiger or bear in a fight really tips the odds.
The whole issue with Candlemere was quite simple since in the end my Leadership feat helped out in gaining a half-orc barbarian who is related to our half-orc alchemist. Add that with a minor Hellknight against whatever freaky chaos monster we fought ended things quickly, along with the fact that I now have slow and haste.
After that was taken care of we focused on more exploring and soon discovered the Forgotten Keep along with all the evil fae in it and a surprise. Thing is back in Book One at the Stag Fort, Guildweave tried to start a rebellion by convincing one of the higher ranked bandits to join up with him in beating the Stag Lord. He talked with the female bandit Kressle and things went sour as she then tried to murder him. Of course I was level 3 but being a gnome and not skilled in close combat was in trouble. So I used Grease and with a quick candle throw set her and part of the fort on fire.
She still survived and got all two-faced from a burn, escaping after we killed the Stag Lord. After that the DM kept putting rumors about a women with a deep hate for gnomes, but we all soon forgot about that. That is until the Keep since when we are there she jumps out to attack me along with a Triceratops...yeah...In the end me and my barbarian bodyguard take her down and learn about how she was murdering traveling gnomes and...eating them...Seems She really hated me to be that crazy and even focus her new ranger levels to have gnome as favored enemy as well. XD
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