A Noble Cause
This one’s for my D&D game where a friend of mine is testing her DM skills. We started with pre-arranged characters to test the waters. I was a fighter who comes from a noble line from a city decimated by a catastrophe; and wants to restore the family name.
Since we enjoyed playing and will go on, the DM gave us opportunity to change our characters. I decided to add celestial warlock to the character. Following is how I explore the character a bit more and tie it to the new class. DM, I hope you approve!
Order.
For anything to exist, order is required. A building needs to have stones to hold it in place. Stronger it is, the more violent winds and quakes it will hold. A kingdom needs its laws and people need their tradition to stay strong.
And when the order’s broken, sacrifices are needed to repair it.
My family and our city was orderly. Nothing is perfect of course, but we were given the gift of nobility and we acted in the best interest of the order: We protected the people from danger, from starvation, from anarchy. At least, this is how I remember it. I was very young when the catastrophe happened.
Everything was taken from us. I remember how it felt like the world was coming apart. It was pretty bad literally, but also our birthright seemed to have disappeared. In the earliest days of my youth, I felt cursed. When my time just had come, everything had gone bad. I drifted for a while, trying to make sense of things. Everyone left from my family passed away. All connections broken, except for my cloak&brioche and the heirloom that is my trusty ax.
I roamed the land with no purpose. I joined caravans, I walked, I let others take me to places. But I somehow never ended up too far, even if I tried to. And it always ended the same. Me, in an inn, brooding in a drunken haze. It was during one of these dark thoughts that a man came to me, talking about his problems, how his wife ran after learning he was spending a lot of time in the local brothel. I yelled, scolding him for his self pity and that he deserves what came upon him because he was spending his time drinking instead of going to his wife.
Then it occurred to me. I had it all wrong. What happened wasn’t a curse. It was destiny. I was just putting my family to shame by drinking and wasting time. Everything was taken from me, that was true. But it was no reason to give up. I had to do something, anything. I thought of what I could do… and I ordered another round. Accepting my mistake and finding the courage to face a task of this size was intimidating. It took me months to get the courage to get there, but finally, I did. I promised in my family’s name that I’d do whatever I can to bring the glory back to our family name and the city.
Since then, I’ve been doing what I can. Meeting people, going to places, even making a couple friends on the way. I try to accumulate wealth and make a name, a good name. It will take time, but I’m willing to face the ordeal. The order has been broken. Sacrifice is needed.
In addition to everything, I’ve been praying. I’ve prayed to Siamorphe as I wish to bring back glory to my noble line. I’ve prayed to Lathander to appreciate the hope inspired in me. I’ve prayed to Tyr, for I want justice in the city to rise. I’ve prayed to Helm to promise reverence in his name in the city, for the Vigilant One to keep watch and I’ve prayed to Kelemvor to keep our souls safe.
And one day… someone called back. Just before I started my adventure, I was trying to decide where to go. I had doubts about the two, especially the halfling and would decline them. The night before, I had a dream. Something of light, so bright that I would be too awestruck to look at, spoke to me. “In the two lies your destiny.” it said. When I woke up, I knew it was more than a dream. I followed them. Another night, the light appeared again. “Sacrifice in the dark and call my name before you sleep” it spoke. I didn’t get what it meant… until I got struck by the bugbear while fighting with… defending the others.
Next time I went to slept, I called for the light, for I knew not its real name or its true nature. And we made the bargain. I would be blessed with powers for keeping my promises. I’m no paladin bound by the conduct of oaths, nor a priest bound to a single dogma. I’ll be a noble force to bring order and prevent evil. Or something. I don’t exactly know the details. What I know is that someone saw my dedication and now I have more tools at my disposal to fulfill my destiny.
