Hi, I'm playing a barbarian and trying to develop his rp-side of things and personality. A very difficult part I've found is the Honor of a warrior and how I could best manifest and RP it.
He is a barbarian from a northern tribe from a "norse/vikingesque" culture kind of like the Ulfen of Golarion where battle prowess and honor is held as highest standards for a person.
Now my character is a 25 years old not anymore rash and easily provocable "at least not so much". But will hold a grudge if anyone slight's his honor as a warrior. Doesn't enjoy killing or beating weak opponents but if anyone challenge's him he doesn't hold back either.
But the other part in him besides the honor is that he enjoys bloodshed and that is how we RP the "rage mechanic" manifesting. Rolled the bloodshed background from Ultimate Campaign's barbarian chart.
As a younger man he did kill few men out of vengeance and anger. Although they might not have deserved death, only a beating. He does regret the killings now that he is older since there was nothing honorable about the deaths he caused.
He also despises witchcraft and any magic used for evil purposes and is suspicious of arcane casters as he doesn't trust their magic since it doesn't come from the gods. Note: Witchcraft as in evil magic to curse people not the class since it's only a package of abilities with strong flavor. But he does respect and listen to the wise shaman's and priests of his tribes.
Maybe a little bit hypocritical when it comes to magic that clergy and druidic magic is a ok but wizards and sorcerers are untrustworthy fools who dabble with dangerous powers and dally with demons and other monstrosities.
I'm trying to model him after Thorkell the tall from Vinland Saga, or the Space wolves and their honor sense from Warhammer 40k.
He will kill his enemies and if he ever finds a master/mistress or anyone he might serve out of respect or a "pack mentality" of serving the alpha. He would then never question the decisions and would fight anyone his master command's him.
So any advice on making a sort of "honor code" for myself when I RP with him which helps in difficult morale decisions and how he reacts to different kinds of people.
To sum it up:
-Honor as warrior above all
-Strong temperament and doesn't suffer slights to his honor.
-Doesn't enjoy fighting weak opponents, but never holds make if challenged.
-Loves battle and the challenge it brings, enjoys the bloodshed and the adrenaline rush it gives.
-Despises witchcraft "evil magic"
-Respects and admires strength of the arms.
-Respects and listens to the shaman's and priests of his tribes.
Maybe cliche typical barbarian that reminds of Wulfgar very much but I like playing him and trying to improve as a roleplayer :)
Any and all help is appreciated greatly! thanks.
Try to recreate his original society. Each culture had a different use for the concept of "honor", and each culture was more or less pragmatic about it.
Try to recreate his original society. Each culture had a different use for the concept of "honor", and each culture was more or less pragmatic about it.
That's a great idea, now to read history online and make my work day great!
Thanks :)
Honor is a fancy word weak warriors use because they are afraid of the natural order, they fear the strong, the ones that survive. Honor is for those to weak to live
Quite the Khornish point of view.
I'd consider honor more as a leverage or meter by when someone crosses this treshold they are punished for it. Usually by death.
Naturall he respects strength above many things.
Adding on to what Secret Wizard said, honor is/was a system of mutual understanding. Nobody killed ambassadors (except Spartans) because if they did so, their own ambassadors would be killed in return and then they wouldn't be able to communicate to anybody. Not violating a truce or white flag came with the assumption that enemies would not do so in return.
Basically, your character's system of honor could very well revolve around things that he expects he will and will not be doing to people.
Great and exactly! Always makes one wonder when you don't think of these things yourself ^^ that's why I come to these forums.
So let's see, I need to re-read some of the Space wolf books and read on norse culture and sense of honor or how to conduit battle.'
Thanks for the advice :)
Never ever let a kill go to waste.
I might even advocate using the Purchase Animal rules [if you have room for at least one rank in Handle Animal] for a pet pig for this very reason. Emergency food supply, plus it converts all those nasty things you kill that you don't want to eat into normal meat.
[Note that Undead are already dead, their rotten nasty flesh can finish rotting right where it falls.]
Actually that's one thing I forgot to mention! He never ever let's food go to waste and eat's what he kills mostly with the exceptions of undead and things that have acid blood etc or are uneadible for some other reason.
He has quite the many ranks in Profession Cook, to cook what he slays into delicious meals. He is not above cannibalism in the wilds if it's the only way.
Try to recreate his original society. Each culture had a different use for the concept of "honor", and each culture was more or less pragmatic about it.
I think this answers to your suggestion very well, since it's a nordic culture.
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/society/text/drengur.htm
Try to recreate his original society. Each culture had a different use for the concept of "honor", and each culture was more or less pragmatic about it.That's a great idea, now to read history online and make my work day great!
Thanks :)
Oh, yeah, definitely!
My favorite way to look into honor is "from the land to the people".
For example...
Let's say we have a civilization comprised of three adjacent small island-states... let's call them Apsu, Dahak and Tiamat.
Being small islands, their economies will probably be based on fishing, pearl-diving and trade, as they are probably going to be short on iron and metals in general.
From the get-go, we can assume that these islands will frown upon piracy as part of their common code, since they are so vulnerable to it. If, say, Dahak were to tolerate piracy, all three would suffer.
However, if these islands were located in a strait of massive commercial importance, the three states would find it in their interest to be territorial not only amongst each state (to assert who collects tolls from passing ships), but also against any foreign powers -- if, say, Apsu were to enter an alliance with a foreign nation, that foreign nation could impel Apsu to stop allowing use of the strait to the foreign nation's enemies in exchange of aid of whatever kind. This could lead to Dahak and Tiamat being forced into alliances of their own, until the point the strait is heavily militarized and suddenly it's no longer transitable, possibly inviting a foreign power to conquer it completely.
Finally, seafaring nations will probably know of the different calamities that may occur in high seas so they'll likely be charitable between each other if they see a ship sinking or a bunch of castaways on an island. Plus, they'll likely respect figures of authority given that captaincy is important for the proper running of any ship.
So the states could value all these things because it benefits the whole of them if they did, which is generally how an idea becomes a custom. The states would look for leaders who grasp the significance of these concepts strategically, so it's likely that the states would spouse these values as something desirable in all men.
So you'd probably have three different societies with a code of honor that implies something like: 1. a person's property must be respected; 2. a person's home is their very own; 3. don't allow strangers to make decisions for you; 4. be a brother/sister to anyone in need; 5. respect those chosen to lead you.
I have a character that got his bloodline awaken, he was a human fighter, then slowly turned more draconic. Then one day, his asura blood awaken and turned him into a faultspawn tiefling draconic bloodrager. He was raging and steaming a little bit before, but now he got worse as his demon side grown stronger. However, he still care about his friends above all and he will protect lives, especially young ones as much as he can. He would never kill unless he had to, but most the time he got no time to think, so he had to make the call to kill or not to kill. Many times he wished he didn't had to kill, wish he had magic to solve everything, but he is a warrior(bloodrager), killing is all he's good at. So he regrets everyday and try to remember the people he killed as much as he can.
Pick something you would cherish in people or in the world, have your character be passionate about it. Like honor, what is honor to his character? To serve someone who is rightful to rule above all? To make to right choices that are selfless? To protect those you care for? Or level of your swordsmanship? Pick something that makes you feel honor or passion, then rage only when they are being threaten. Honor could be as simple as having a innocent girl fall in love with you while you are nothing but a barbarian who killed many and don't deserve her.
Just remember, honor and passion has no real form, but only to those who can feel them.
Try to recreate his original society. Each culture had a different use for the concept of "honor", and each culture was more or less pragmatic about it.That's a great idea, now to read history online and make my work day great!
Thanks :)
Oh, yeah, definitely!
My favorite way to look into honor is "from the land to the people".
For example...
Let's say we have a civilization comprised of three adjacent small island-states... let's call them Apsu, Dahak and Tiamat.
Being small islands, their economies will probably be based on fishing, pearl-diving and trade, as they are probably going to be short on iron and metals in general.
From the get-go, we can assume that these islands will frown upon piracy as part of their common code, since they are so vulnerable to it. If, say, Dahak were to tolerate piracy, all three would suffer.
However, if these islands were located in a strait of massive commercial importance, the three states would find it in their interest to be territorial not only amongst each state (to assert who collects tolls from passing ships), but also against any foreign powers -- if, say, Apsu were to enter an alliance with a foreign nation, that foreign nation could impel Apsu to stop allowing use of the strait to the foreign nation's enemies in exchange of aid of whatever kind. This could lead to Dahak and Tiamat being forced into alliances of their own, until the point the strait is heavily militarized and suddenly it's no longer transitable, possibly inviting a foreign power to conquer it completely.
Finally, seafaring nations will probably know of the different calamities that may occur in high seas so they'll likely be charitable between each other if they see a ship sinking or a bunch of castaways on an island. Plus, they'll likely respect figures of authority given that captaincy is important for the proper running of any ship.
So the states could value all these things because it benefits the...
I like your way of looking into this.
Naturally also great sailors propably would be held in high regards in any of those t hree isles and the richest folks would propably own boat fleets etc.In the homebrew that we play the culture isn't so much about sea raiding or fishing like the actual norse and vikings did.
More about a northern climate and harsh nature where their exports are timber, different metals and ironwork overall.
Also very martial culture where might usually makes right if it befits the honor codes of their people.
I have a character that got his bloodline awaken, he was a human fighter, then slowly turned more draconic. Then one day, his asura blood awaken and turned him into a faultspawn tiefling draconic bloodrager. He was raging and steaming a little bit before, but now he got worse as his demon side grown stronger. However, he still care about his friends above all and he will protect lives, especially young ones as much as he can. He would never kill unless he had to, but most the time he got no time to think, so he had to make the call to kill or not to kill. Many times he wished he didn't had to kill, wish he had magic to solve everything, but he is a warrior(bloodrager), killing is all he's good at. So he regrets everyday and try to remember the people he killed as much as he can.
Pick something you would cherish in people or in the world, have your character be passionate about it. Like honor, what is honor to his character? To serve someone who is rightful to rule above all? To make to right choices that are selfless? To protect those you care for? Or level of your swordsmanship? Pick something that makes you feel honor or passion, then rage only when they are being threaten. Honor could be as simple as having a innocent girl fall in love with you while you are nothing but a barbarian who killed many and don't deserve her.
Just remember, honor and passion has no real form, but only to those who can feel them.
That's some pretty deep stuff ^^
He does care about people and his loved ones/friends etc.
Mostly my honor is into his own martial honor and well naturally it concerns his friends as well if someone insults their prowess he will interfere.
He doesn't regret most of the people he has killed since they have attacked or brought it upon themselves by harming others orc raids etc.
Only the few he killed or actually I'd call it murder. Those he regrets since there was no chance for defence and the first one was unarmed the second one didn't deserve to die even though the fight itself was honorable.
I think I would put the honor on the following things:
-To protect his name and those he cares about. Brokering no insults or tarnishing of their names and reputation.
-His martial prowess and any insults or questioning to it would be answered in kind.
-Battle itself since it is a challenge and test for his might and he gains the euphoric feeling and adrenaline rush when he sees and smells the enemies blood flow on the ground. He is bloodthirsty afterall.
But the discipline is very important to contain the desire for bloodshed and only release it when a lethal battle commenses.
-It is the way he acts and expects others to act as well.
Ironically he cherishes the family of the man he slew in a duel, though he was sent to assassinate the man he turned it into a duel since he wouldn't nor couldn't strike the man from behind as an underhand move.
He feels responsible for the family but neither has he informed he is responsible for the father/husband's death.
He does not deserve the family's affection but he owes them the financial aid and protection he can provide.