Burning Durgar the Coward

[Spectreman17]

Hi Everybody, I'm the new guy (I have a bit of experience with burning wheel already)

And this is my character idea so far.

Name: Durgar the Coward

Concept/Bio: A sole surviving Warrior from the battle at the gates

Lifepaths: Born Guilder, Hauler, Lead to Dwarven Host, Banner Bearer, Banner Bearer

Age : 46

Stats: Wi: B2, Pe: B5, Po: B5, Fo: B5, Ag: B4, Sp: B3, Stride: 6

Attributes: Ref: B4, Ste: B6, Hes: 8, Hea: B4, MW: B11, Greed: G2, Circles: B1, Resources: B1

PTGS: Su: B3 Li: B6 Mi: B8 Se: B9 Tr: B10 Mo: B11

Beliefs:

The Lonely mountain hold is our home, we must find a way to unseat Smaug.

I have failed to save my friends once, I will die to defend them now.

I swore an oath to protect (PC) as we fled the keep, at the request of [dying NPC]

Dwarves will never trust me for fleeing, I must regain honor amongst my friends

Instincts:

I always step into harm to defend a friend, no matter the cost.

I always end my day by refolding my banner in the traditional manner.

I defer to anyone of higher rank, automatically.

Traits: [Dt] Accustomed to the Dark, [Dt] Aura of Martyrdom, [Char] Bearded, [Char] Broken Man, [Dt] Greed, [C-O] Lifting Heavy Things, [Dt] Oathsworn, [Dt] Obsessive, [C-O] Resigned to Death, [Dt] Shaped from Earth and Stone, [Dt] Stout, [Dt] Tough

Skills: Banner-wise B4, Cargo-wise B2, Conspicuous B4, Drunking B1, Formation Fighting, Hauling B2, Road-wise B3, Wagon-wise B2

Affiliations: 1D City Guard of the Lonely Mountain

Reputations: 1D Sole Survivor of the City Guard, 1D Heavy Drinker

Relationships: My father, Darbur, Who disowned me for failing to hold the gates (Significant, immediate family, hateful/rival)

Gear: Clothes, Sturdy Shoes

Property:

Spells:

Weapons:

[Marullus]

Welcome aboard!

That's a pretty fun character. He has no combat skills to commend him, but is driven by beliefs and instincts to put himself in harms way, and with his traits is rewarded for doing so. He's essentially a skill-less drunk and manual laborer up to this point and now embarking to redeem himself. (Reminds me of most of Thorin's company... incompetent but devoted.)

The concept is pretty close to what Dogma proposed (he had "skilled warrior who is disgraced and drunk and failed to save the city as a guardsman"), but I think it is possible to differentiate them enough (and relate them enough) that they could be interesting foils for one another and enhance each other's stories. You choosing Born Guilder can also make you a "drunk and embarrassing relative of Rusty's PC." At 46 years old (impressively young), you could even be his son. Lets think about how you want those links.

I thought there was an issue with traits, but it turns out the math works. Well done! Aura of Martyrdom and Resigned to Death are an awesome combination. Explain the Obsessive to me? What greed idiom is he obsessive about? That's an important factor.

[Spectreman17]

I intend to charge gloriously to my death at just the right moment. I don't even have my own weapon, I'm just a banner bearer.

As far as inter PC links, I haven't fully read the character sheets for the other players so I have no clue. If you have an idea, then we'll roll with it.

Obsessive was required with second round of Banner Bearer, and my original explanation was either obsesses with dragon hatred or retaking the keep, or obsessed with his old banner. BUT I hadn't read the obsession trait explanation so I'm thinking He'll be obsessed with the home hoard that was stolen by Smaug. Drives him to want to return and retake it. He's very much a family guided character, He doesn't exactly want the riches all to himself, but his clan owns them ad it should be returned to them.

Idiom: Riches, Power, Physical Beauty

[Spectreman17]

Relationships with other PCs:
Fulci: I respect your quest since it sits closely with mine. We shall regain our honor together. (best if we met as we were fleeing)
Rusty: An old friend, perhaps a childhood mentor or something of that sort. maybe even taken me under his wing after my father disowned me.
Enoch: I never took much into book learning, but I bet he knows some past secret to slay the dragon.
Fantasychic: No clue on this one, A city guard wouldn't meet a lot of elves before Smaug shows up. If you want an interesting dynamic, if she saved my life in the battle that I wanted to die honorably in, then there is resent.
Dogma: How did you become an oathbreaker? I either respect your quest, or look down upon your soiled honor.
Starbeard: not enough info

Beliefs:
See my character sheet posted here.

Other NPCs I will buy:
10pt: My father, who hates me for failing to hold back the dragon. a crotchety old and angry man.

[Spectreman17]

I'm not gonna tell you how to build your character, but I'll tell my story to prevent (or support) overlap.

I've been a banner bearer for the City guard for most of my life, honestly because It kept me busy after my parents kicked me out for being a lay about, and all I had to do was yell "make way for the guard" and other commands while the real soldiers did the leg work. I was offered a promotion or two as a chance to move up, but I declined. Earned myself the nickname the coward.

And then Smaug showed up and my unit was at the gates. We were first to fall, I was knocked unconscious in the blast as the gates crumpled inwards. That wasn't why I was disowned, I fled after I regained consciousness and I saw my unit spread out around me. In pieces. I had the chance to go back and help, but I kept running. I ditched my armor so as not tobe called back to fight, and that is my greatest regret, I watched it fall around me and did nothing to stop it. So I must return and redeem myself by slaying Smaug and reclaiming our Kingdom.

[Spectreman17]

I could see spectreman being a nephew. My wife's sister's son. She is married to a stubborn, proud dwarf that believes marrying me - a middle man that profits from other's crafting - was a bad idea. Naturally I would take in his disowned son to irk him. If it is okay with Spectreman, that is. Your history as a hauler would make sense considering the family business.

That's perfect. One relatinship with plenty of trouble to go with. I purchased my father as a character in my life, and I don't think he exactly has to get involved with yours (AKA you don't really have to buy him, unless you want him to show up again at some point in your life)

I had the idea that Fantasychic's elf could have saved me when I was unconscious, thus explaining my sole survival, and forcing me to be indebted to her in a rather serious manner, leading to my oath of protection to her, even though it is thoroughly laced with regret/anger because I finally had a chance to die for my squad and redeem myself, but she dragged me away to live another day.

Farvick: Ideas?

Enoch: someone who can help me destroy Smaug? any other suggestions welcome.

Dogma: A fellow redemption seeker, therefore a friend in our quest. How we met and stuff is the question.

Any thoughts from you three?

[Spectreman17]

Spectreman
- looking over your final sheet.

"Dwarves will never trust me for fleeing, I must regain honor amongst my friends."

1. Can we make this more specific by saying how you will attempt to regain honor? That way I can reward the fulfillment of each plan you come up with, not just when you eventually succeed.

"I swore an oath to protect (PC) as we fled the keep, at the request of [dying NPC]."

2. I love that you're going to try and save a PC, and then Dogma is going to try to save you.

"Affiliations: 1D City guard of the Lonely Mountain"

3. Being clear - this applies to anyone from other units, because all in your unit died?

4. Check the House Rules for character creation. Give him either Erebor-wise or Stone-wise. Check the impact on his initial greed.

1. How about "... By standing my ground in the face of danger."
2. I intend to make him work hard to keep me alive. My character seeks redemption through an honorable death.
3. Yes, I am still a member of the city guard as a whole, my unit may be dead but remnants of the guard still exist. I intend to use that affiliation to gather a force, first of guardsmen, then of others, to go back and retake Erebor from that vile wurm.
4. I'll add Erebor wise, and I did already take all of those greed bonuses, though I didn't feel a Greed of B7 quite fit, so I changed it to G2 because he wasn't even by Greed before, but the rage of losing his hold (lost treasure) drives him to an incessant need to go back. smallbut powerful greed.

[Marullus]

1. How about "... By standing my ground in the face of danger."
2. I intend to make him work hard to keep me alive. My character seeks redemption through an honorable death.
3. Yes, I am still a member of the city guard as a whole, my unit may be dead but remnants of the guard still exist. I intend to use that affiliation to gather a force, first of guardsmen, then of others, to go back and retake Erebor from that vile wurm.
4. I'll add Erebor wise, and I did already take all of those greed bonuses, though I didn't feel a Greed of B7 quite fit, so I changed it to G2 because he wasn't even by Greed before, but the rage of losing his hold (lost treasure) drives him to an incessant need to go back. smallbut powerful greed.

That all works.

[Spectreman17]

Corrections made!

Ready to start whenever every one else is done.

I'll post a few Scene suggestions as they come to mind

[Marullus]

Split this out so we don't lose track of anything regarding your PC.

I forgot that you are Dumrin's nephew by marriage. Your father is the husband of his wife's sister. For you, that means your mother grew up in a tavern as the son of a skilled Brewer, where she was courted by your (as you know him) stoic and stern father. That story writes itself.

[Marullus]

Durgar won't swear a formal oath before a greybeard (See Coward) but he still swears an oath to himself to protect Íreth in exchange for saving his life. once.

The Coward trait is really core to how you're playing your character, but you don't actually have that trait.

You don't have it because I said that you had to have been disgraced long enough to spend time in the lifepath before the fall, and that trait only comes from the lifepath. I now am realizing this is dumb and hindering a valuable avenue of play for you. You took Banner Bearer twice and could easily have taken the Coward LP. It just doesn't fit your story, and that is something I'll accommodate.

For your story:
* He refused to make an oath and so was branded a coward.
* It happened in the Fall, so he hasn't had the time to develop the skills or other LP-given things that come from living with that shame.

How's this? You keep your LPs as they are, but can take Coward for one trait point as if it were on your LPs. (i.e. you trade [char] Broken Man for [Dt] Branded a Coward).

We add a dramatic flashback scene. You need to actually refuse an oath demanded of you, so we need a scene for that.
The dragon is toying with the outer defenses. The assault on the gate is imminent. The Longbeards stand before the Gate Guard, the last bastion of defense for the Hold. You stand in ranks with your fellows as the Longbeards call on you all to take an oath, to stand to your death against the Dragon, to give your lives with honor to prevent the beast from breaking through. Your fellows each swear the oath. The dragon roars in the distance. The Longbeard demands your oath. Your eyes go wide with terror, you shake your head vehemently, "no." You turn and run screaming. (i.e. you failed your Steel test.) Your terror becomes infectious - your Greybeard's commands ineffective at rallying your fellow troops. The guard hesitates before the dragon - a fatal error as it roasts, routs, and eats them. The first to flee and the only one to refuse the honorable oath, you escape, falling from the gate bridge in your haste and being knocked unconscious.

You are Branded a Coward and blamed. You have a -1D Infamous reputation among Dwarves of the Host.

The Longbeards from that day were all eaten... but the stain lives on through the ignominy heaped upon you by your father, Darbur. He is the Longbeard that you must redeem yourself in the eyes of to have this stain lifted. (He's the only relationship you bought, so it needs to be him.)

This seems to be what you were aiming for. Does it work?

[Spectreman17]

I was actually thinking, I would try and earn the coward trait through play, rather than buying it. He has carefully avoided oaths but has never outright declined one. thats why he was banner bearer for so many years. rather than getting promoted, he avoided the oaths and remained as a bearer.

he was nicknamed coward for avoiding oaths, but never was branded a coward because he avoided them so well.

internally he is a coward, but never was publicly ridiculed for it. maybe due to some fear of failure he refuses to take oaths, because he fears becoming an oathbreaker...

if you dislike this idea, I could make the suggested swap, but trading the Obsessvie trait (second trait via banner bearer) to Coward because I chose a second term of that because I'm a coward and not because I was obsessive about my flag or whatever.

I'm open to either idea.

[Marullus]

That story becomes very complex - I'm unsure what challenges to throw at you in that circumstance. He's dead-set on martyring himself to clear his name, but his name is not yet sullied, and you want opportunities to be forced towards oaths to have him sully it now? I am afraid I'm just not following it.

As a clearer and more mechanical issue, Dwarves start with an Oath. You can't have gotten this far in life without ever swearing one - he either has an oath or is Branded a Coward, an Oathbreaker, or a Grudgekeeper.

The Obsessive isn't about his flag; it is about a greed idiom. He's stayed on the bottom so long that his inner greed pushes him harder to advance - "This Dwarf spends a little too much time talking about certain things." Pick Riches, Beauty, Craftsmanship, or Power and then play him as being extra-tempted by that aspect. Take Power for example - he's afraid to advance, but secretly desires the advancement. He talks a bit too much about it; perhaps as a "the lady doth protest too much" angle. I'd be more hesitant to get rid of that, as it has the potential to add significantly more depth to the character.

Thoughts?

[Marullus]

Okay, I slept on it and thought about it. How's this?

The Internal

internally he is a coward, but never was publicly ridiculed for it.

If this is your goal, then it is simple. He believes himself to be a coward, so make it a Belief. He desires to be seen as a hero, so make that a second belief. Roleplay the internal conflict until one is proven and the other is disproven with a Moldbreaker award.

He'd need to have a belief to his father, a all dwarves are oathsworn, but could avoid all other swearing since. Maybe his Oath is what forced you into the Host reluctantly. Maybe it is to never subcumb to drink like your mother's family. Just so it is something.

The External

he was nicknamed coward for avoiding oaths, but never was branded a coward because he avoided them so well.

I think "nicknamed but not branded" is too fine a hair to split. Public Stigma either is or it isn't in this system. I am fine with either way, I just need a choice.

I was actually thinking, I would try and earn the coward trait through play, rather than buying it.

Then make it a Belief - you should get credit for it.

[Spectreman17]

I've had a busy few days so I was away

Fallout 4

but now I'm back. I like all your ideas. I'll rework my beliefs to better fit the coward stuff, shouldn't be to hard.

The Cowardice stigma is definitely an important part of dwarven culture, so maybe I'll have to drop the nickname, but everything else sticks pretty well.

I'll update my beliefs tomorrow (or maybe tonight)

[Spectreman17]

Beliefs:
* Oath: I swore to my father to gain honor and renown for my middle class family name (Ironpull) by making a name for myself amongst the Dwarven Host.
* I want to be acknowledged as a hero of the tales of my youth, I must find a maiden worthy of being saved.
* I must regain my honor from fleeing from the fight with Smaug, I will protect survivors till they can settle in a new place
* 1 more later

[Marullus]

Good! So the last could be his private oath to Ilreth, his belief about being too scared to swear real oaths, or something new.

BTW, his mother's name is Dis. His mother's sister is named Fenna (and is Drumrin's wife). Drumrin is your uncle. I've updated the character map.

[Spectreman17]

I think the belief would be served best by this:

I failed to fulfill my promise to my father, I will never make another promise, for fear of failing a second time.

my decision to protect Ílreth is fine being an unenforced IC thing.

[Spectreman17]

I was also thinking of changing an instinct to better fit the cowardly role. not only is he afraid of oaths, but he's scared of fighting and death. I was thinking of changing my third instinct (defer to rank) to something along the lines of "When failing a steel test from fear, always choose to run."

[Marullus]

I can roll with all of that.

You satisfied with it? Go ahead and update the sheet.