Looking for opinions/advice on a game I'm in...

[Tsyr]

Ok, a few weeks back I posted about a character that just seems to have everything bad happen to him/it/her. Long story... And I don't have search to pull it back up... Suffice it to say, my character is under a number of curses. By a number, I mean 4, and some of them have multiple facets to them.

This week, we didn't have enough people to make a gaming session, so the people who came just decided to hold a sort of "council" on the game thus far... it was me, 2 other players (one of whom is the DM's brother), and the DM.

Alot was discussed at the meeting, most of it not relevent here. But one of the things that was discussed was my character and the curses.

My character was designed to be a social character... insane charisma, insane diplomacy, sense motive, intimidate, etc. My character was designed from the beggining to be that type of character.

When I created my character, I told the DM I wanted to do a whole "redeemed" storyline with him... Have him fall to evil, briefly, then repent. The DM OKed this, saying it was a cool idea. I told him what I wanted to play (An elf shaman (Varient class based on the Mongoose one, but more social, less spellcasting). He said OK. He told me that would work well because elves in his world were primative and tribal. So the character was created. As part of my background for him, I had him commit a crime of passion... He walked in on his best friend sleeping with his betrothed, and an evil spirit he had been working on controlling offered to help him, and in a moment of weakness, he took it. He killed his best friend, and was exiled.

Skipping forward a bit, my character had done the evil, fallen, had just broken free of the evil path. I found myself in woods that were controlled by the elves. The elf queen found me, and cursed me, with the aid of the elven god. I became a sort of demon-elf... And another curse, too... Apparently, my character is unlikeable. Supernaturaly so. To the point that my 22 charisma (currently) and 12 diplomacy can't overcome. So, basicly, because of something in my backstory (The DM has admitted that this curse is purely because of that detail in my backstory), my entire character concept is unplayable. I'm a sub-par spellcaster (Very subpar), have no fighting ability to speak of... My social skills were the only thing this character had going.

Now I find out, in that council session, that my character is being made an example of... That apparently, the elven race is 200 years old (!!!!), and I was the first elf ever to commit a crime. Now, let me reiterate... I was told none of this when I created my character. Just that elves were a primative, tribal society. Had I known any of this (that they were 200 years old, and there had never been a crime), I would have created my backstory differently. I have also pretty much found out/figured out that this curse can never be lifted... It took an epic (in the greek myth sense of the word, not the level sense) quest, that resulted in my character permanently loosing an arm, to get ONE person (An NPC love interest of my character) to be able to not be affected by my curse. ONE person.

We were talking to him last night... I tried explaining that, irregardless of what he thought, it felt like he was punishing me, the player, because of something I created for a backstory. It really does. He says he doesn't see how, because he's not. He said that he won't take my curse off (And I countered, by the way, with a list of things he COULD do to my charcter, that would still fit the crime, and the actualy (in character) effect my character far more than the curse she is currently under), because it's somehow now integral to the story, though he won't explain how. I gave him several ideas for ways I could quest to get the curse removed (Mind you, I don't think it should be there anyhow, so I'm being generous...)... Most of these included both an epic-style quest that would entail personal sacrifice, and still accepting another curse besides in trade. No dice. He said at most, and with a lot of work, I might be able to lessen the curse. Lessen.

I tried to explain that the curse was destroying what my character was built to do, and making her un-fun to play. He said it was supposed to, but that I should still be having fun. (???). I tried to get him to at least let me over come the curse on a person-by-person basis... No go. He says the curse is supernatural, and I can't do that. The fact that my charisma is 22, and my diplomacy and innuendo are both very high, just bounced off him... mind you, that fact was being pointed out by all three of us, DM's brother included. In fact the DM's brother sided with me pretty much the entire time.

Opinions? Do I have a point? Am I totaly off-base? Are my complaints justified? Am I whiner? What?

I can't leave the game... I just left another group, and there isn't an opening in another group for several weeks yet... This is my entire source of gaming right now. The DM's brother is starting up another game, which I'm gonna be in, but it's gonna be a while too... (He's a far better DM, IMHO). Can anyone give me any suggestions on how I can deal with this situation?

 

[fett527]

I realize I'm commenting from just your point-of-view, but man does it seem like you were set up! The DM has your entire character concept in his head before the game starts, has created this unique race of elves that only he knows the ins and outs of and blam you have a curse put on you that makes your charcter useless and doesn't seem to be willing to let you work out of it in game. Does not sound like he's being fair, you do something to tick him off?

 

[Pielorinho]

Wow. That sounds pretty sucky.

Although normally I don't recommend petulance (not that I always take my own advice), that might be the order of the day, here. Explain to your DM that you don't enjoy playing this character, that you aren't willing to continue playing this character under these conditions, and that the character is now convinced that the curse is irrevocable.

Unless there's something that happens early in the next game session to change your mind, the character is going to remove the curse, and the stain from elven honor, in the only way she knows how: ritual penitent suicide. A bonfire of perfumed woods might be a nice touch, demonstrating her sincere contrition.

And then make a new character with no angst in the backstory, explaining to the DM that you're uncomfortable with how he interpreted your last backstory.

Hopefully, of course, the DM will give you some hint in the next session how the curse can be overcome or sidestepped. If not, though -- if he calls your bluff -- I think you ought to be serious about it. It sounds like you're not having fun with this PC, and so it might be time to let her go and find a new one to play.

Daniel

 

[fett527]

Wow. That sounds pretty sucky.

Although normally I don't recommend petulance (not that I always take my own advice), that might be the order of the day, here. Explain to your DM that you don't enjoy playing this character, that you aren't willing to continue playing this character under these conditions, and that the character is now convinced that the curse is irrevocable.

Unless there's something that happens early in the next game session to change your mind, the character is going to remove the curse, and the stain from elven honor, in the only way she knows how: ritual penitent suicide. A bonfire of perfumed woods might be a nice touch, demonstrating her sincere contrition.

And then make a new character with no angst in the backstory, explaining to the DM that you're uncomfortable with how he interpreted your last backstory.

Hopefully, of course, the DM will give you some hint in the next session how the curse can be overcome or sidestepped. If not, though -- if he calls your bluff -- I think you ought to be serious about it. It sounds like you're not having fun with this PC, and so it might be time to let her go and find a new one to play.

Daniel

Excellent plan, I second it!

 

[kengar]

I tried to get him to at least let me over come the curse on a person-by-person basis... No go. He says the curse is supernatural, and I can't do that. The fact that my charisma is 22, and my diplomacy and innuendo are both very high, just bounced off him... mind you, that fact was being pointed out by all three of us, DM's brother included. In fact the DM's brother sided with me pretty much the entire time.

(underline emphasis mine)

I would go to the DM one on one. Explain to him again politely that you should have been given some of this information about your character's culture beforehand and not have been blindsided by it during play. Restate how this completely screws over your character concept. If this were something that happened in play, that's one thing; let the dice fall where they may, but to use a pre-approved backstory to take such far-reaching steps against a character sounds pretty dumb to me.

If he refuses to budge, try talking with the other players outside the game and ask for advice/help. If necessary, the group as a whole may need to redress this to the DM at the table. He runs the game, but the players are what make it happen.

 

[MarauderX]

I dunno what to make of all of it... but let me spill some things from the top of my head.

It sounds like the DM doesn't really deal with social characters too well to begin with. You should be befriending everyone like a rock star or at the very least a very friendly salesman, but I don't think the DM is ready to handle pure role-playing characters. It also seems that the DM is forgetting that the character is in no way a reflection of you. If you try to role-play it out, it may sound really contrived and cheesy to the DM, but he has to realize that someone of your caliber CHA will smooth it over perfectly.

In your world, I think there are a lot of half-baked stories about your surroundings that you might wish the DM to define. I like the DM to have a long back-story to the world you are in, about the surroundings, other races, major events in history that have shaped the world you are in now, etc.

Presently I am playing a bard that is mostly a social character, and I threw a bunch of ranks in diplomacy & bluff just in case our infiltration of a city of evil guys goes awry. He too doesn't have much firepower but has managed to talk the party through the main gates and into the thick of it without any confrontation... yet. I think the rest of the party has been grateful for his social skills that they all lack, and I am sure they will save his skin in any fights to come.

To me it sounds like your DM is more comfortable running a campaign where all he has to worry about it is calculating the CRs of critters to throw at you, with little role playing except some plot lines thrown at you for the sake of having an adventure... too bad all you can do is just go along for the ride.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I'm in an Epic Campaign right now. I created a 30th level sorcerer who "wills" magic into existence and can hurl his spells pretty darn fast (Auto-Quicken x2, Auto-Silent x2, Auto-Still). He's got a pretty shady background, but has managed to escape it and now doesn't actively go out to help or hurt others (LN).

So what happens during the first session? My most powerful spell is a single 5th level spell, and I can cast a few spells of weaker level. Oh, and most of my magic items don't work. Over the last session my powers slowly start to return, and I'm basically required to wear a strange item to use my "normal" abilities. Even still, my spell recovery is horrendous (I regain my lowest spell level per night, if any spells of that level have been cast).

I found the situation humorous. I'm not mad about not having my true spellcasting powers for one simple reason: I was told up front I would be plot witch (self-sensored). Yeah, I was told in so many words as well. Perhaps something similar is going on here, but you just don't know about it. Something in the plot in the future will remove the curse(s), but telling you ahead of time it would happen might ruin it...

In the "sunder" thread, I explained how I was DMing and I thought I'd upgrade the party's weaponry. I threw a couple of dwarves who broke a number of the party's weapons, but some in the party didn't take to that too well. In the very next adventure I had planned for any broken magic weapons to be restored, and even to hand out upgrades where appropriate, but even still this caused me to lose several players.

Point is, you don't know where it's going. Isn't that part of the mystery? I agree your character is royally nerfed, but perhaps this will be made up as the story progresses?

I'm trying to give your DM some credit, and whether he deserves it is up to him. Try sticking it out for a couple sessions, see if there is even a hint of getting better. If not, tell your DM that you are not having fun with your character and you'd like to make a new one.

 

[Angcuru]

I say you add a good deal of laxitive powder to your DM's coffee grinds. Sweet, sweet revenge. You were ROYALLY screwed over, and you are fully in your right if you want to throttle your DM. He should be maimed, anyway, just for his protrayal of elves.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Coulpe of questions...

If you have a curse that makes you not well liked, by ANYONE, then why are the other party members with you?

Also, do the other party members have any "ailments" like this? No matter how severe it might be compared to yours...

The reason I ask this is maybe it is a theme where you are all "tainted" characters, and eventually will get this "taint" removed.

What can you tell us of the other character's backgrounds?

I am not familiar with the Shamans by Mongoose, but I would think a 22 Cha (assuming their spells are based off Cha) would be a nice boon to spell casting ability. Is it not?

 

[RigaMortus2]

He should be maimed, anyway, just for his protrayal of elves.

Hehe, talk about close minded
[/joking]