Fluff for a Dark Companion

[Zaq]

I'm making a Hexblade in my E6 game, and they're going to be using the Dark Companion ACF. Mechanically, I'm happy with what I've got, but right now, this is just a statblock with no personality, and I'm thinking that getting some interesting fluff going on the Dark Companion will go a long ways towards making this statblock into a character.

So, Playground, I turn to you. What are some fun and unusual ways to fluff what the Companion is and why my character has it? I'm going to be an illumian, generally neutralish in alignment, with an as-yet undecided improved familiar in tow (right now I'm thinking blink dog or krenshar). I'll be doing the standard Hexblade debuffing schtick (Brutal Strike, Battle Curse, Intimidating Strike, etc.) Relatively standard stuff. My friend said that the Companion is what sticks out to him the most, so it seems like the easiest hook to use to tease a personality out of this build. I'm not looking for over-the-top kooky, but neither am I feeling constrained to being deathly serious. Basically, silly is fine, but kooky isn't so good. Really, though, any suggestions would be welcome. Thoughts?

[Venger]

I'm making a Hexblade in my E6 game, and they're going to be using the Dark Companion ACF. Mechanically, I'm happy with what I've got, but right now, this is just a statblock with no personality, and I'm thinking that getting some interesting fluff going on the Dark Companion will go a long ways towards making this statblock into a character.

So, Playground, I turn to you. What are some fun and unusual ways to fluff what the Companion is and why my character has it? I'm going to be an illumian, generally neutralish in alignment, with an as-yet undecided improved familiar in tow (right now I'm thinking blink dog or krenshar). I'll be doing the standard Hexblade debuffing schtick (Brutal Strike, Battle Curse, Intimidating Strike, etc.) Relatively standard stuff. My friend said that the Companion is what sticks out to him the most, so it seems like the easiest hook to use to tease a personality out of this build. I'm not looking for over-the-top kooky, but neither am I feeling constrained to being deathly serious. Basically, silly is fine, but kooky isn't so good. Really, though, any suggestions would be welcome. Thoughts?

I happened to write a work of some length about a hexblade and his dark companion for one of the past iron chefs. plenty of fluff about the dark companion. take whatever's useful to you. you're a hexblade and are all about bad luck. a black cat you can tell to cross your enemies' paths? yes.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12366047&postcount=243
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12366061&postcount=244

good luck!

[Dusk Eclipse]

I think if you coud fluff it as a literal shadow, ala Dr. Facilier from the Princess and the frog it could be interesting.

[Zaq]

I happened to write a work of some length about a hexblade and his dark companion for one of the past iron chefs. plenty of fluff about the dark companion. take whatever's useful to you. you're a hexblade and are all about bad luck. a black cat you can tell to cross your enemies' paths? yes.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12366047&postcount=243
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12366061&postcount=244

good luck!

Fun story you've got there. Not quite the flavor I had in mind, but that's not to say that a few elements of it won't find their way into my character.


I think if you coud fluff it as a literal shadow, ala Dr. Facilier from the Princess and the frog it could be interesting.

Never saw that movie, but I'll think about it. What I was really thinking about, though, is less what it looks like and more where it comes from. Where did I get it? Did I seek it out? If so, why? I'm drawing a blank for the answers to these questions (I'm usually not bad at turning builds into characters, but this one is being frustrating), and that's the sort of thing I'm trying to use to kick-start this whole process. Any thoughts on that front, my friends?

[Mezmote]

As to some fluff concerning the companion and the familiar, you could flavour it as two aspects of the same being. One light side (i believe blink dogs are good) and a dark side (thine companion). As to where they might originate from, I'm not sure. They could be the substantial, and insubstantial manifistations of his inner personality/conflict/diverse background. Somewhat like a material conscience.

[Feytalist]

How about a small spirit that your character had to actively seek out? Like a "small god", if you've ever read Pratchett's work by the same name. He could have bound the little spirit of misfortune or whatever to him by some sort of ritual to serve him. Perhaps play it as a sentient or half-sentient force, sometimes buzzing around your character giving him nonsensical advice or even trying to distract him.

Something like that.

[Venger]

I think if you coud fluff it as a literal shadow, ala Dr. Facilier from the Princess and the frog it could be interesting.

funny you should mention that, as I happen to be playing Dr. Facilier in my current game (cloistered cleric 1/ binder 1/ cloistered cleric 5/ malconvoker 8/ contemplative 6)



Fun story you've got there. Not quite the flavor I had in mind, but that's not to say that a few elements of it won't find their way into my character.
wow! thanks! coming from you, that means a lot. that's cool, I just hoped it'd be useful. feel free, I'm glad you like it enough to incorporate elements from it in your story.



Never saw that movie, but I'll think about it. What I was really thinking about, though, is less what it looks like and more where it comes from. Where did I get it? Did I seek it out? If so, why? I'm drawing a blank for the answers to these questions (I'm usually not bad at turning builds into characters, but this one is being frustrating), and that's the sort of thing I'm trying to use to kick-start this whole process. Any thoughts on that front, my friends?

I would highly recommend you watch the movie, it's spectacular. keith david does a wonderful job as Dr. Facilier and completely steals the show. you'll recognize him as Goliath from "Gargoyles", Lord Akoto from "Princess Mononoke" and Frank from "They Live" this is the first time I've ever heard him sing, and he's just got a great voice (tons of fun for me to do during the game). "Friends on the Other Side" is one of the best villain songs to date

one thing you might do regarding your dark companion is making it a demonic/diabolic presence that is trying to exert influence over your actions as a dread necromancer's imp/quasit does, trying to trick you into villainous actions (since you want to be neutral and the tricks can be serious or comical)

Another tactic you can use is what Dusk Eclipse suggested and have it be your own shadow that his detached itself from you and can behave independently of you like Dr. Facilier's. (Since you haven't seen the movie, his shadow behaves in a nonthreatening, mischievous way, tripping people and picking pockets like Peter Pan's shadow in his Disney incarnation) which sounds perfect tonally for what you're looking for.

Not having a shadow is also historically a sign of some supernatural taint IRL (which is why some vampires, like D&D ones don't have shadows. it's part of the same rationale for why they don't have reflections, because they are dead inside and thus have nothing to reflect.) so that could potentially scare/alienate NPCs depending on the effect you're looking for regarding your character's interpersonal relationships.

[limejuicepowder]

I was thinking of playing a hexblade at one point, and the build I made gave him the dark companion and a familiar via feats. The character was something of the black sheep of a sorcerer family - black sheep because he sucked so badly at magic, and unlucky things happened to him and people around him all the time. I decided that the hexblade abilities were his rather feeble attempts at magic; more like raw outbursts of energy from an unpolished mind.

Anyways, I decided that his dark companion was his first attempt at binding a familiar to him. Rather then making an intelligent animal however, he made a dark shade that followed him around, causing bad things to happen. He's even tried to get rid of it multiple times, but it always comes back.

[Spider_Jerusalem]

In the campaign I am DMing, one of the NPCs (he was seen as a villain by the PCs, but eventually joined them in their travels when their objectives became similar - still, he's not trusted by them, nor does he trust anyone) is a hexblade. It was the first hexblade they met, and I was thinking of how to make the class memorable. I decided that, in the campaign, all NPC hexblades will use the Dark Companion ACF, and that the companion will be the result from the ritual to become a Hexblade. This ritual involves imbuing your shadow with some of your essence and ripping it off from you, so it can move independently. Your shadow becomes, then, an extension of your will, being immaterial, but carrying part of your cursed soul within it.

One of the easiest ways to recognize a hexblade, then, is the detached shadow. Some of them keep their dark companion "tied", so it will look like a normal shadow. A Spot check could be made to notice that the shadow isn't moving accordingly, though.

So, basically, yeah, I'm using the same "detached shadow" thing that was already mentioned here.

[shortround]

I fluffed mine as a black cloud that was indicative of my hexblade's bad luck that had always hung figuratively over his head. Once he hit level 4, my hexblade was able to manipulate it to affect others with his bad luck and turn it into his silent companion with whom he divulged his secrets and fears.

[Telonius]

Hexblades are supposed to be unlucky in general, and Illumians are genuinely obsessed with languages. What if, in his youth, he had some sort of mishap involving a black cat. When the parent (or senior cabal member) arrived, the cat was nowhere to be found, so he didn't believe it when the Hexblade told that the cat was to blame. In punishment they wrote the word "black cat" on him a thousand times. The words sunk in, and became a part of him.

[Roguenewb]

As to some fluff concerning the companion and the familiar, you could flavour it as two aspects of the same being. One light side (i believe blink dogs are good) and a dark side (thine companion). As to where they might originate from, I'm not sure. They could be the substantial, and insubstantial manifistations of his inner personality/conflict/diverse background. Somewhat like a material conscience.

I think this a good idea.

Also, you can go with something for your race linkage. Your dark companion could be a curse word.... following around like your floating words.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Alternatively, try thinking outside the box.

Perhaps the Dark Companion will be a cloud of black smoke that the Hexblade exhales at the start of combat.

Or, if you don't mind ignoring the "Dark" aspect in the title, you could instead create a shining duplicate of yourself.

Maybe, if you really want to give people something to think about, you could "summon" your companion by sliting your palm and letting the blood drop to the floor.