I just started playing NWN about a week ago, and I've maybe logged in a hand full of times, so keeping that in mind, I am learning as I go with Amia, the lore, and the mechanics of the game as well. The topic I started the other night was more or less poor form, and this is the topic I should have started in it's place. Enough of all that though and on to the meat!


I have a character concept that I'm fleshing out but I have no idea how the community at large will accept it as it is. I normally don't find it very sporting to give any form of explanation for my characters on a forum, but in this particular case, I feel an acception is in order. The basic gist of the character is that he is a Doctor first and foremost. His interests in the world coincide with those of Valsheroon (the whole picture of life and death being integral to existence, rather than focusing on one over the other), but I detest the idea of being a member of some cult that preforms ridiculous rituals and snatches women and children from their homes to kill, etc etc.

He is LN, but because of the whole Velsharoon bit, necromancy does come in to play. He is more interested in the experimentation face of the coin rather than raising the dead for some evil army or letting them loose to wander about and ravage unexpecting passers by. Aside from studying and experimenting on the dead, he also fills his time preparing potions of a curative and bolstering nature. Any extension of life is considered a good thing, so there is no need to kill people wantonly when he can aid them in this life by helping the sick and wounded to a rapid recovery.

All this aside, by the rules he is still preforming necromancy (albeit NOT in some blatantly obvious "hey buddy, check out these corpses I just animated" sort of way), and based on what I've read, it is still illegal to an extent - assuming it's considered dark necromancy.

I do understand that there are characters floating around out there that completely abhor any necromancy of any sort; white necromancy notwithstanding (Greater restoration and it's ilk). I'm also quite certain that I won't be able to dodge the PvP bullet every time, but that doesn't bother me so long as it's not absurd like the other evening.

What I am trying to discern is if this is something that will more likely disconnect me from the community as apposed to bringing a dynamic character idea into the social environment. I just need some inside opinions on this because it is walking the line, to an extent.

Sorry about the long winded post, and a thank you in advance for anyone who can shed some insight on my dilemma. =P

Hm.

I'm not keen on the workings of Velsharoon. Or his followers- even some of the more interesting, like your Doctor might be. But I do speak from a faction leader that abhors Dark necromancy. And.. heh.. I might have dabbled with a necromancer character for a wee bit.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Certainly, the more infamous Necromancers are the outgoing, ebil child snatchers. But there's a lot more to Necromancy and palemastery and deaders than joining the Cult of fairly wicked individuals. I know that Tarkuul is a city of knowledge. I know that when I played my earlier palemaster that the amount of research, experiments, and studies that go on in Tarkuul was simply amazing. And the Roleplayers there are stellar.

Now, from a Goodly, Knightly-figure standpoint. What you're still doing would be considered wrong, and they'd certainly be on the lookout for you- That is, if they ever caught on that you were doing it. Compartmentalize your necromancy and your home life, meet some interesting people- and you'll be involved. Promise you. Make your character essential and fun to those around you- no matter who or what you do, so that when they play, they say, "Gods, what this would be without Mr. Doctor."

There's my two cents. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of like-minded individuals.

I have no long-winded advice for you, but I smiled when I read your post. This kind of character is difficult to play well, and I commend you for trying. Keep at it.

_________________
"A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did." - Anonymous

There is a guy on the server like this already! A Mad doctor style, but he is not a Velsharan.

Also, Velsharoon sees Life and Death as weaknesses, not strengths, and that knowledge over life and death grants power over all things, living and otherwise.
So, being a doctor of Velsharoon would work in the way that during your workings, you'd be learning more about living creatures by essentially cutting them open. My Velsharan has done some dissections on living unconcious people, to see how they tick on the inside many a time, on various different races.

If you're intent on kidnapping people, i would go for more of a True Neutral or Neutral Evil approach, over Lawful. Velsharan often spend all of their spare time experimenting, and researching however. And are always in the belief that submitting to life or death is to surrender to obscurity. Velsharoon loves to boast about his achievements, but only after he has completed them, as to not allow others to interfer. He hates it when people intefer, and often classes them as enemies, and works against destroying them.

_________________
Khaldun Menetnashte Khalfani
Victor Wilkinson

^totally not a lie or anything.

Sounds interesting. Should work fine as long as you do not flaunt the evil side in big bright public places. There are plenty of dark corners for bad people to be bad in too.

Disclaimer: I lead the faction that is most likely to attack Velsharans and all kinds of other characters that mess with life and death.

_________________
Gagis Silvarna, the Robocop with wings who shoots lasers from his fingertips
Lily Havthorn, the Waukeenar
Silwe, the elf

I dig it. Piece of advice - indulge yourself and your character, and avoid catering to the community.

_________________

'Ze Cock! Ze Cock ist shtill aut der!! Kapitulation feiern - NEIN DANKE!'

The above author plays the equivalent of Robocop with Wings and the ability to shoot lazer out of his fingertips.

_________________
Amia Minecraft Server Ip: vps1602.directvps.nl
NWN Damage Calculator: http://www.afterlifeguild.org/Thott/dnd/
NWN Build Calculator: http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Other.Detail&id=856

This!

_________________
Plays: Mina Ashby, Meche, and Winter Addams

Huh. I've actually got a character doing something similar to this, so believe me when I say it is the most fun you will EVER have!
Hint: Be an elf, wear green, and carry a longbow. No one will ever suspect a thing, ICly or OOCly.

_________________
"Hi, I'm Garnith, and I'm an Invisophile."
Garnith, Ranth, Rick, Burick, Elail, Deryl, Kane, Rini.
Suggestion Rule of Thumb: Don't think about how neat it would be to use, think about how neat it would be for people to use against you.

Die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die diedie die die die die die die die die die die die die die die

_________________
Khaldun Menetnashte Khalfani
Victor Wilkinson

^totally not a lie or anything.

*Dies*

_________________
"Hi, I'm Garnith, and I'm an Invisophile."
Garnith, Ranth, Rick, Burick, Elail, Deryl, Kane, Rini.
Suggestion Rule of Thumb: Don't think about how neat it would be to use, think about how neat it would be for people to use against you.

I'm having trouble to see how following Velsharoon is an integral dimension to your concept. I would suggest paradoxical and complex polytheism of various gods whose tenets often as not don't seem a perfect match. Plenty of deities see death and life equally important, although many would not permit undeath as part of necromancy.

On a very OOC aspect, I don't see your character's standing in a sect of any dark god, rather, as you pointed out, your character will be conducting his experiments in a more clandestine and clean way, so I don't see why he, as a healer, couldn't hang out with the goodies.

_________________

UCE THIS, YOU COW.

I'm actually very interested in your character with one of my characters - Winter. Feel free to contact me PM or IG as any of my characters.

_________________
Plays: Mina Ashby, Meche, and Winter Addams

Pretend to be one of the Salandarans.... Easy access and cover.

_________________

The Peacock wrote:

[GreatPigeon] is better than me.

The sallies need more nasty people

_________________
Amia Minecraft Server Ip: vps1602.directvps.nl
NWN Damage Calculator: http://www.afterlifeguild.org/Thott/dnd/
NWN Build Calculator: http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Other.Detail&id=856

JACKS NASTY ENOUGH FOR THE LOT OF THEM.

_________________
I keels u with my axe!

"Do ye know where the Holy-Flamin' Frost-brand Gronk-slayin' Vorpal Hammer o' woundin' an' returnin' an' Shootin'-Lightnin'-out-yer-bum is?"