Need some ideas for a cleric preaching to a barbarian

[NewJeffCT]

I'm playing a good cleric who was sent as an emissary to a cold region populated by simple people who tend towards being barbarians. My job as a cleric is to try to convert some of these people to the ways of Pelor... or, at least give Pelor a chance to set up a shrine/chapel in the region.

One of the other PCs is playing one of these barbarians and his tendency (so far) has been to charge headlong into combat. The guy is role-playing the barbarian well, but I'm kind of suffering from a bit of a mental block in coming up with some appropriate sayings to try to at least get this barbarian to restrain himself sometimes. Some simple metaphor type things.

I was thinking along the lines of, "The wily wolf waits for his foe to show weakness by..." or "as the wise owl does..." or "the bear does not always charge straight at his foe..."

Those sorts of things. But, I'm suffering a mental block and need an idea or two to get my mind rolling for tomorrow's session.

Thanks

 

[Nifft]

"The bear who charges directly will fall into a bear-pit. The wise bear watches, and charges when the time is right."

"The wolf who leaps at the caribou alone is soon a dead wolf. Only when a whole pack is around him will the caribou fall."

- - -

General arguments for Pelor:

- Appeal to position: "Just as the village chief holds the highest ground in the village, overlooking all others, so too does Pelor hold the highest position in the sky, looking down on all others. Just as the chief holds his ground by being the strongest and wisest among us, so too does Pelor hold his position by being the strongest and wisest among all the gods."

- Appeal to protection: "Pelor's light is a gift which protects your days, giving you an advantage over the evil creatures of darkness (drow, orcs, whatever they don't like), and keeping the evil undead from your door. But Pelor only gives his sunlight during the day. At night, only those who follow his faith can call upon his powers to fight (evil races of darkness) and the undead. A wall that only protects half your village is a poor wall. Light which only guards half of your day is insufficient. Give your faith to Pelor, and let his light shine from within you, to guard your nights as well."

Cheers, -- N

 

[NewJeffCT]

Thanks Nifft - some good ideas.

 

[haakon1]

Well, we're just past the winter solstice in real life. In Scandinavia, from Viking times to the present, they have bonfires on winter solstice ("sun turns around day") to encourage the sun to come back, and give more light. Assuming these northern barbarians are Viking types, you could play upon -- or invent -- that form of sun worship for Pelor.

"Pelor is the friend of the north man. That is why he is with you all summer, in the midnight sun. Pelor's rays make the crops grow and feed the wildlands where game is fattened all summer. Only Pelor makes the northlands liveable -- that is why, when he rests in the winter, the coldness and the <bad guys> threaten the land. By worshipping Pelor all year, we can gain his healing and his protection from the dark forces all year."

It even works if the barbarians worship Norse gods: "Pelor is the friend of Odin. Odin makes the sky, but Pelor rides across it and lights it", that kind of thing.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Thanks haakon, good answers as well.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I used to live in Wyoming. Winters there last(ed) from roughly October through April. The growing season was painfully short. My parents always lamented the short growing season--the bulk of the year was cold and the sun didn't heat the earth enough to till the soil until much, much later than they preferred.

If you were playing in a cold setting, you could advocate Pelor as a God of agriculture. The sun makes things grow. Vikings weren't necessarily historically nomadic (though I don't know if they are in your game), so even they might appreciate an appeal to a God who can provide a better and lengthier harvest. Everyone likes to eat, after all.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I used to live in Wyoming. Winters there last(ed) from roughly October through April. The growing season was painfully short. My parents always lamented the short growing season--the bulk of the year was cold and the sun didn't heat the earth enough to till the soil until much, much later than they preferred.

If you were playing in a cold setting, you could advocate Pelor as a God of agriculture. The sun makes things grow. Vikings weren't necessarily historically nomadic (though I don't know if they are in your game), so even they might appreciate an appeal to a God who can provide a better and lengthier harvest. Everyone likes to eat, after all.

good idea as well

 

[megamania]

It even works if the barbarians worship Norse gods: "Pelor is the friend of Odin. Odin makes the sky, but Pelor rides across it and lights it", that kind of thing.

I like that one.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"My friend, your fighting skills are great, and your ferocity is unmatched...but you could be wiser in your approach... Your native lands are full of examples-

Be like Sister Owl or Brother Eagle- they cannot eat if they attack their prey from the front- they wait until the moment is right, when their prey sees them not.

Or consider Brother Bear. He doesn't charge wildly into the river to catch his salmon- he waits until the fish swims close, then strikes when the prey is lulled into complacence.

Does not the Wolfpack run their prey to exhaustion or corner them before striking the first blow?

Why then do you rush to your opponent when he is at his strongest?"