Tarquin/Elan and control, or: Is Tarquin the founding father of The Order of the S. ?

[Zerter]

I would say a number of things have been well established:

- Tarquin is a bit of a control freak.
- He loves and is interested in his familiy.
- He has a tendency to hide stuff and does so well.

Even if Elan's mom was the love of his life (being the woman he had children with, no doubt he had options) and he kept himself out of the life of Elan... I am not really buying that he left the kid completely alone. No doubt he would have someone keep a eye on him, maybe even pull some strings behind the curtain to impact the life of his son.

For example: Maybe he was behind the events that brought the order together specifically because his son would function within that group of dysfunctionals. Maybe he steered Elan towards becoming a Bard somehow. It has certainly been established in my view that Tarquin played a big role in what Nale did, bigger than Nale realized. So what makes sense if you consider the possibility that Tarquin might have been behind it?

[M.A.D]

I would say a number of things have been well established:

- Tarquin is a bit of a control freak.
- He loves and is interested in his familiy.
- He has a tendency to hide stuff and does so well.

Even if Elan's mom was the love of his life (being the woman he had children with, no doubt he had options) and he kept himself out of the life of Elan... I am not really buying that he left the kid completely alone. No doubt he would have someone keep a eye on him, maybe even pull some strings behind the curtain to impact the life of his son.

For example: Maybe he was behind the events that brought the order together specifically because his son would function within that group of dysfunctionals. Maybe he steered Elan towards becoming a Bard somehow. It has certainly been established in my view that Tarquin played a big role in what Nale did, bigger than Nale realized. So what makes sense if you consider the possibility that Tarquin might have been behind it?

Of course Tarquin played a big role in what has become of Nale. He's the one who raised him. Elan, on the other hand, was raised in a different continent by his mother while Tarquin busied himself with conquests, so I doubt there is any relation other than the letter he sent when Elan was 15. Tarquin had never even met any other member of the Order, let alone manipulating them somehow.

The above was speculation based on online materials. If you have read On the Origin od PCs, you'll see that the forming of the Order doesn't have anything to do with Tarquin at all.

[Zerter]

Actually, Tarquin send out a letter which led directly to both Haley and Vaarsuvius becoming adventurers. And that is just what we know about, because... who knows what hidden clues are in that book now we have the information we have now.

[The Oni]

Assuming he *always* had a Bard's "Mastery of Narrative Structure" (as in, since before he left Elan's mum) then in a sense, he at least somewhat knew that Elan would strike out on his own. Beyond that, though, I don't think his Magnificent Bastardry extends quite that far. He may be a dangerously manipulative villain but he's still human.

...Wait. Isn't Charisma-based arcane spellcasting always indicative of some kind of well-diluted magical bloodline? Or is that only in Pathfinder.

[KillianHawkeye]

...Wait. Isn't Charisma-based arcane spellcasting always indicative of some kind of well-diluted magical bloodline? Or is that only in Pathfinder.

That is the general explanation given for Sorcerers (although not the ONLY one). Other spontaneous arcane spellcasters have their own backstory options.

[Heksefatter]

Assuming he *always* had a Bard's "Mastery of Narrative Structure" (as in, since before he left Elan's mum) then in a sense, he at least somewhat knew that Elan would strike out on his own. Beyond that, though, I don't think his Magnificent Bastardry extends quite that far. He may be a dangerously manipulative villain but he's still human.

...Wait. Isn't Charisma-based arcane spellcasting always indicative of some kind of well-diluted magical bloodline? Or is that only in Pathfinder.

Sometimes, dragon-blood is one of the reasons offered for sorcerous powers. The draketeeth were probably an example.

But I also don't believe that Tarquin brought the Order together. If he could manipulate the Order from afar, he would have known them before they arrived. However while talking to Malack, he says that he assumed that the Order were a team because they were high-level adventures arriving at the same time. If Tarquin KNEW the Order, he would have no need for assumption.

[Giggling Ghast]

The story of how the Order came together in Origin of PCs doesn't really jibe with the whole "team of heroes brought together by mysterious benefactor" concept.

After meeting Durkon as part of another unrelated group of adventurers, Roy bumped into Elan in the street. He then interviewed potential candidates for the party in a tavern and Vaarsuvius, Haley and Belkar (plus some lame-ass monk) were the only ones interested in joining.

There's no real strings to pull here.