Background help

[Nolfjoyrider]

Howdy, Sundarians

I'm beginning to write a background for my character (Sind al-Kes), and I would love some help for those of you with more knowledge of local geology and theology. Sind is a wood elf, shorter and darker than most. I want him to be from someplace where elf culture is pretty degraded but not completely illiterate/primitive. I'm hoping there is some kind of jungle or a desert in his background, since that resonates with my backstory and skin complexion choice. So far we've established thru RP that he likes to use the word "tribe" to refer to his community, and speaks Elvish and Druidish (he's a druid/monk/soon to be sacred fist). Anyone got a good suggestion for where he can "be from" if asked? I downloaded and looked at the Faerun map but it's a bit overwhelming and many of the details are too small to read.

Next, the god question. As a druid/monk, his alignment is necessarily LN. No elvish (elven?) gods are very close to LN, so I chose Silvanus, who is true neutral and god of druids. Did I do the right thing, or is there a better match that I overlooked? Also, do different languages/regions/dialects have variant names for the same gods?

Thanks for helping me settle this. It'll help me write an appropriate bio to post in the biography forum. See you in-game!

[Skro]

Howdy, Sundarians

I'm beginning to write a background for my character (Sind al-Kes), and I would love some help for those of you with more knowledge of local geology and theology. Sind is a wood elf, shorter and darker than most. I want him to be from someplace where elf culture is pretty degraded but not completely illiterate/primitive. I'm hoping there is some kind of jungle or a desert in his background, since that resonates with my backstory and skin complexion choice. So far we've established thru RP that he likes to use the word "tribe" to refer to his community, and speaks Elvish and Druidish (he's a druid/monk/soon to be sacred fist). Anyone got a good suggestion for where he can "be from" if asked? I downloaded and looked at the Faerun map but it's a bit overwhelming and many of the details are too small to read.

Next, the god question. As a druid/monk, his alignment is necessarily LN. No elvish (elven?) gods are very close to LN, so I chose Silvanus, who is true neutral and god of druids. Did I do the right thing, or is there a better match that I overlooked? Also, do different languages/regions/dialects have variant names for the same gods?

Thanks for helping me settle this. It'll help me write an appropriate bio to post in the biography forum. See you in-game!

Well, let's start:

Geography (Jungles and Desert):

A big jungle on Faerun it's the Chult's jungle and there is a place:

Mezro (Metropolis, 28,126) Mezro is the largest civilized area in Chult and a holy city to the Chultan tribes. The city is generally peaceful and few people, except for outsider-adventurers, carry weapons, the city is protected by the undying baras of Ubtao, six paladinlike Chosen who rule the city. Untill 1363 DR the city was surrounded by a magical wall, preventing it from being seen and causing confusion in those who approached too closely, but after a victorious battle against the Batiri goblins this protection was lovered. It is now a safe haven for explorers battered by the harsh jungle.

A big desert on Faerun it's the desert of Anauroch:

Anauroch (Ah-NOR-ach), or The Great Sand Sea, is a magical desert in northern Faerūn. It holds the remnants of the once-powerful Netherese Empire, their flying enclaves having crashed to the ground fifteen centuries past when their greatest mage Karsus, in a desperate bid to end the war against the phaerimm, challenged the goddess Mystryl for her divine mantle, causing the weave to falter and all magic to fail. For generations since, Anauroch, the greatest desert in Faerūn, has encroached relentlessly on border nations, burying them beneath the sands.
The only people to call Anauroch home is the nomadic Bedine tribes and a small Zhentarim garrison, tasked with patrolling and defending a line of oases along the Black Road, the trade route that winds west from the ruins of Teshendale to Llorkh at the foot of the Graypeak Mountains.
Finally, on 20 Nightal in the Year of Wild Magic, the Shade Enclave of the ancient Netherese Empire re-emerged from the Demiplane of Shadow in the skies above the Dire Wood, before drifting into Anauroch, settling above the Shoal of Thirst, bringing the evil and warped Shadovar into the Realms.

God (Silvanus): It's fine, Silvanus fits well

Names variation due region: No.

[Larando]

What monastic order? They can tend to be regional...and unfortunately very stringent on rules regarding multiclassing. That will have a great deal to do with background. I'm unaware of any monastic orders that allow multiclassing druids. But, I'm certainly not the authority on monks. Just something to chew on as far as background.

[Nolfjoyrider]

What monastic order? They can tend to be regional...and unfortunately very stringent on rules regarding multiclassing. That will have a great deal to do with background. I'm unaware of any monastic orders that allow multiclassing druids. But, I'm certainly not the authority on monks. Just something to chew on as far as background.

My character conception is that he's self-taught and his monk abilities and sacred fist abilities are manifestations of his link with Silvanus rather than the product of formal study and meditation. And, since Sundren basically caps at lvl 15, I will only have two levels of monk for the next real-time year (Druid 3/Monk 2/SF 10) assuming I hang in here that long. Anyone here know more about how strict monastic affiliation is in this server? I haven't seen any monkasteries (yes, I know that's not the real world) in the town or surrounding areas.

Thanks, everyone, for all the tips so far; keep 'em coming! It's helpful to learn more about the server culture and its users' expectations.

EDIT: The above, "his link with Silvanus", should probably read "his link with Nature". IIRC, druids get their spells from Earth/life/foresty things, not directly from deities. That's clerics, right?

[Nolfjoyrider]

Well, let's start:

Geography (Jungles and Desert):

A big jungle on Faerun it's the Chult's jungle and there is a place:


A big desert on Faerun it's the desert of Anauroch:



God (Silvanus): It's fine, Silvanus fits well

Names variation due region: No.

Thanks for the info! I followed your helpful links and it's helped me find very good resources.

[Raksha]

I've seen and known at least one other monk / druid / sacred fist, so it can definitely be done. Sundren isn't really strict with FR's monastic orders. I think that as long as you RP it out fully, the DMs won't mind -- as opposed to "lol i is druid with monk level for ac kthnx"

EDIT: Also, there is a monastery, but it gets no love. None at all.

[Entropy]

Actually, the monastery, and the monks that call it home, were featured quite prominately in a past story arc by LH, but that has been several months ago.
Look into the "Order of the Minds Eye" for some interesting character concepts in regards to Monks.

[Skro]

I've seen and known at least one other monk / druid / sacred fist, so it can definitely be done. Sundren isn't really strict with FR's monastic orders. I think that as long as you RP it out fully, the DMs won't mind -- as opposed to "lol i is druid with monk level for ac kthnx"

EDIT: Also, there is a monastery, but it gets no love. None at all.

That reminds me when I was Control DM on a PW:

Situation:
> We have a house rule: "If you take Druid, you may take 15 levels of Druid in a row to take Monk and also you have to tell us why you take monk levels, also this applies to Monk levels, take 15 in a row in order to take a druid one"

Me: Uh?... Tell me, why you have 1 level of Monk?
Character: Because the AC!
Me: Ok, you are banned.

... Later ...

Character: Son of a b*tch! Give me back my character! I have +5 Items!
Me: Ok, tell me, to wich order your character belongs?
Character: What the fuck is that?
Me: Next question... Wich god do you serve?
Character: Gods? What the hell?
Me: Next question... Where your character come from?
Character: Germany
Me: Thanks, I have all the answers.
Character: Can I have my character now?
Me: All you have now it's your IP banned, byes.

[Nolfjoyrider]

That reminds me when I was Control DM on a PW:


Me: Next question... Wich god do you serve?
Character: Gods? What the hell?
Me: Next question... Where your character come from?
Character: Germany

Which god did he serve? The god of +5 items, obviously!

[nickbeat]

I play a worshiper of Kosuth who comes from a remote village where he is spiritual leader, think Ahmish fire and brimstone preacher type. He will have a few levels of monk to show his devotion to the purity that comes from being unarmored and unarmed, though for now he carries a simple staff. Since he is a worshipper of Kossuth, the sacred flames are a natural side effect.

Taking the monk levels actually slowed his path toward getting sacred fist due to BAB reduction by taking 2 medium bab classes. Still, I do like the theme and have enjoyed playing him.

[Larando]

That reminds me when I was Control DM on a PW:

Situation:
> We have a house rule: "If you take Druid, you may take 15 levels of Druid in a row to take Monk and also you have to tell us why you take monk levels, also this applies to Monk levels, take 15 in a row in order to take a druid one"

Me: Uh?... Tell me, why you have 1 level of Monk?
Character: Because the AC!
Me: Ok, you are banned.

... Later ...

Character: Son of a ****! Give me back my character! I have +5 Items!
Me: Ok, tell me, to wich order your character belongs?
Character: What the **** is that?
Me: Next question... Wich god do you serve?
Character: Gods? What the ****?
Me: Next question... Where your character come from?
Character: Germany
Me: Thanks, I have all the answers.
Character: Can I have my character now?
Me: All you have now it's your IP banned, byes.

Yeah, it's hard to tell when someone just takes it for the wis ac mod...everything I've ever read on monks is that they have to follow a very strict edict with the monastary in order to maintain their ability to lvl as monks. I don't mean this to be a flame, but it's gonna come out sounding that way. I just have a special place in my heart for monk-type classes (mostly because it's so hard to play one right). Seems to me, that if someone wanted to push it, they could find a way through good RP and monastic orders to do so....I was under the assumption that that's what the orders were for. And people don't just wander about becoming their own monk. It's about learning from a master.

I know it's a lot of work, but if people will research the background on FR monastic orders, they'll find that they can have a very rich RP benefit.

[Nolfjoyrider]

Yeah, it's hard to tell when someone just takes it for the wis ac mod...everything I've ever read on monks is that they have to follow a very strict edict with the monastary in order to maintain their ability to lvl as monks. I don't mean this to be a flame, but it's gonna come out sounding that way. I just have a special place in my heart for monk-type classes (mostly because it's so hard to play one right). Seems to me, that if someone wanted to push it, they could find a way through good RP and monastic orders to do so....I was under the assumption that that's what the orders were for. And people don't just wander about becoming their own monk. It's about learning from a master.

I know it's a lot of work, but if people will research the background on FR monastic orders, they'll find that they can have a very rich RP benefit.

No worries, you didn't come across as flaming. The monk classes were taken as part of his backstory and the overarching quest that motivates him. Thanks for the suggestions.