For an upcoming campaign (War for the Crown), I plan to play an avenger vigilante with one level of savage technologist. The (as of now not too well constructed) story goes as this:
As a child and teenager, Cu Mannory, member of the minor noble house Mannory in Oppara (proteges of house Basri) was trained in the use of the Elven Curve Blade (ECB), traditionally used by nobles of house Basri (see Player's Guide WftC).
[in game terms: human bonus feat "Exotic Weapon Proficiency: ECB", trait "Ancestral Weapon: ECB"]
After a series of apparent misfortunes (?) in business and ill-omened performances in noble circles, the fortunes of the family dwindle. Nevertheless, with the help and protection of house Basri, the Mannorys overcome those dire straits, although their standing in the nobility is greatly diminished
[in game terms this translates to the campaign trait "Disgraced Noble", see PG WftC]
When Cu is twelve years old, destiny strikes with a heavy blow: his parents and other important figures of his family are killed by assassins; he and his sister are kidnapped. It is assumed behind closed doors that business rivals house Talbot are at the bottom of the attack. Cu and his sister Virinia are sold to slavers by the assassins instead of killed (they fetch a good price as they are both pretty and healthy). The slavers sell the sister after having her way with her first. Cu is sold to agents of the Technic League near the border to Galt. They travel north but are surprised by a raiding party of the Blood Gars tribe. Cu is able to flee (in doing so snatching a firearm) and survive some weeks in the wilderness of southern Numeria. His training begins (+ story...)
[in game terms: class level: barbarian/savage technologist]
After some years, he feels ready to begin his revenge and travels back to Oppara, Taldor. He calls himself Almuric, finds out that house Mannory still exists, though only as a shadow of its former self: his grandmother, a mentally retared cousin, an old cook, and a servant (who will later become his partner in crime). He does not want to endanger his relatives, so he only reveals himself to the butler. Unbeknown to his relatives, he takes up a small room in the vast but run-down mansion.
Before he can start to investigate the assassination and really start his revenge mission, he takes up some jobs to earn money and build up a small reputation as Almuric the Numerian, bodyguard (or something else, not sure yet).
Whatever the reason, something earned him the attention of Lady Martella Lotheed (Maybe she knows more than meets the eye?) and the campaign starts.
Yes, the story has some striking similarities with "The Count of Monte Christo".
QUESTION: I still do not know how I should handle the dual identity stuff. For I currently see three identities:
1. Cu Mannory, assumed dead (real)
2. Almuric the Numerian (social)
3. the Vigilante identity - he will be an avenger with lethal grace and signature weapon for the elven curve blade, perhaps with the wild soul/falconite archetype
Or would it be enough if "Cu Mannory" were his vigilante identity? How would you do/play it?
As for his patron deity, I think Calistria is quite fitting.
Mechanics:
We always have a 25-point-buy: his stats will be Str 14, Dex 16+2, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14
Planned feats up to level 10:
1 Extra Rage, Prof. ECB (HB), 3 Power Attack, 5 Great Fortitude, 7 Leadership (the Butler, perhaps as Court Fool Bard to buff accuracy of the party, good disguise to be able to help both identities, SL should be ok with that), 9 Deceitful (boni to bluff and disguise)
Planned Social Talents up to level 10:
2 Social Grace, 4 Companion to the Lonely (not sure yet, but fits with patron deity), 6 Mockingbird, 8 Many Guises, 10 Ancestral Enlightenment
Planned Vigilante Talents up to level 10:
3 Lethal Grace, 5 Signature Weapon, 7 Steely Resolve, 9 Cunning Feint, 11 ?, 13 Mad Rush
This is still open to debate, especially the order, of course if I take Wild Soul/Falconite only 3 and 5 will stay albeit at other positions.
Skills are mainly for intrigue; then of course Perception, Stealth, Acrobatics, maybe some points in Climb, minimum 1 point for the knowledge class skills to get sth. out of Ancestral Enlightenment
I will have other questions, but for now this is all.
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I'd do Cu as the Vigilante Identity. A ghost from the past returned. Alternatively and probably cooler, the Vigilante Identity could be his father, someone whom I imagine would have a more impactful reputation to sponge off. (Or if there's some legendary warrior further up the family tree... You get the point.) I mean, his Social identity in this case is more the lie.
I played a Drow Vigilante/Arachnid Wildsoul and went with Rovagurl (a play on Rovagug) as her Vigilante identity. She used Drow Nobility feats for a pretty nasty Nightmare Fist + Intimidate build. Her social identity, despite being her real name of F'aune Misraria, was still her more false identity, as it was Chaotic Neutral compared to Rovagurl's Chaotic Good. So your Cu's Vigilante identity can be his more accurate self, even if he doesn't actually use his real name beyond the last name.
Personally, I think it is easier for the Vigilante identity to be the 'PC' identity, the person who is associated with the party, gets the job offers and all that stuff.
The social identity can be then used for things that the party doesn't want to be associated with or would be harder with the party association (gathering information for example.)
The advantage here is that most of the social stuff can be run pretty seamlessly separate from the party, but the reverse usually isn't true.
That said, I would in most cases encourage that the other players know right out of the gate and the other PCs become aware of both identities fairly soon into the campaign. Keeping secrets from the other PCs rarely enhances a game.
Also, while your backstory has tons of personal motivations to do your own thing, I don't see much that relates to the campaign you will be playing in. I'd urge you to add in hooks that will make your character want to be a participant in the adventure path you will be playing.
@Isaac Zephyr: Thanks for the input, this is a good idea.
@Dave Justus: What you suggest would lean (as I understand it) towards the idea of three identities: the "public" vigilante who works in the open, more or less; the social identity Almuric the Numerian, a bodyguard (or sth. else) and the real identity Cu Mannory. Cu will lay open his true identity and his plans to exact revenge before the group rather sooner then later.
Or did you have sth. else in mind?
Concerning backstory/motivation:
I think Cu will have enough motivation to work toghether with others because he needs friends/support to achieve his personal goals. On the meta-plane: I am a team player and usually play good guys or neutral guys who lean towards good. Of course I will not hold back my vigilante identity from my fellow adventurers for long, I think that is not even possible. As I understand it from the Player's Guide, the PCs get a chance to dabble in the intrigues of high society. Is this not a wonderful possibility for someone who wants to take on revenge on the aristocratic wirepullers behind the assassination of his family?
If this is not enough in your eyes, do you have some ideas for hooks?
I am completely open to another backstory that fits the basic mechanical assumptions:
1: one level of savage technologist
(I feel the vigilante has some issues with accuracy after building one character and comparing it to other level 10 builds (inspired blade swashbuckler1/investigator9, ravener hunter sanctified slayer inquisitor10, swashbuckler10)
2: Human from Taldor
3: Two-handed finessable weapon, getting the most out of Lethal Grace
(I'd love to have a two-weapon user I just don't see it working, accuracy is at least 3 points down per attack, but this is not a point for discussion here)
4: Ancestral Weapon trait
(I know I bore you to pieces now: for accuracy reasons)
I only took the trait "Disgraced Noble" for story reasons. In every case I want one of the campaign traits in the Player's Guide
Still more important: how to play the dual identity with the setup (or your new backstory)
FYI: Cu Mannory/Almuric the Numerian (PDF) in Google Docs, work in progress