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Leliel
2009-11-26, 02:00 PM
Well, I recently applied for a 4E Eberron game on Mythweavers, in which we work for a dragonmarked heir with an easily-hatable personality (spoiled brat with no interpersonal skills). She's also a DMPC, so I think we're supposed to hate her.

Being that Loonie that I am, I decided to recast my already criminal-leaning character Joshu Tabris as a member of House Tarkanan-for those of you who don't know, the Mafia if they were mutants instead of Italians. They even organize like a family!

The joke is that Tarkanan despises dragonmarked houses, and even as a nascent character, Joshu always stuck me as a bit immature. So, naturally, when he was asked to join her task force for his magical abilities, he only sent in his resume for the opportunity to annoy her. And gather info for the family, but that's secondary to his want to irritate an annoying heiress.

So, how would you RP a wizard who just so happens to be a high-ranking member of organized crime?

Leliel
2009-11-26, 02:27 PM
Come on.

It's just weird enough of an idea to get some interest, isn't it?

kamikasei
2009-11-26, 02:55 PM
It's just weird enough of an idea to get some interest, isn't it?

I don't see how. You'd be a wizard who has connections to organized crime. There you go, that's your character. Now, I supposed the fact that you can use divinations and so on would make that a little different to being a fighter in the same position, but not so much so that I can see a thread's worth of meat to the subject.

Moreover, I suspect you already have a whole bunch of ideas for how to play this character. If you want an audience for them, why not just post them in the OP?

Leliel
2009-11-26, 03:00 PM
Sorry.

I meant how do you think he would use his wizardly abilities to help the criminal enterprises of his fellow wiseguys? And how do you see this conflicting with the party?

kamikasei
2009-11-26, 03:06 PM
a) What are his wizardly abilities (current and projected)?
b) Who are the rest of the party? What demands does his syndicate make of him? In general this is just a specific case of a character beholden to an outside organization of possibly problematic morality.

Leliel
2009-11-26, 03:19 PM
a) What are his wizardly abilities (current and projected)?

He's primarily an illusionist/summoner gish, but his Aberrant Mark of Arcana (read here-Student of the Plague) gives him a bit of versatility.

b) Who are the rest of the party? What demands does his syndicate make of him? In general this is just a specific case of a character beholden to an outside organization of possibly problematic morality.

For Tarkanan, he's primarily a recruiter-he finds other aberrant dragonmarked and gives them job offers (that they can't refuse)-and an enforcer (starting level for the game is 11, which is "living urban legend" in Eberron). He doesn't kill, though-he hates murder, and gets upset when innocents get killed. In his public life, he's a fairly brilliant detective, which gives him both a way to take out the competition and sooth his conscience.

As for the other PCs...DM hasn't started accepting yet, so I don't know. They mostly seem to be friends of the aforementioned heir, so that may be a sticking block.

mostlyharmful
2009-11-26, 03:23 PM
much the same way I'd play most morally dubious PCs, pick up a mind shielding ring, a hat of disguise and try to get Bluff on my list of class skills

mindganking spells and quick gettaway stuff also a good plan, plus try to wangle your DM into letting you call for backup if they're aware of your connections, be prepared to just be compensatorily ruthless with scenery, passersby and team mates if you can't call in the goon squad.