Help with thief (not Rogue) Druid backstory

[JellyPooga]

So, over in another thread I posited the notion of a Druid thief (not a Rogue, just a thief) as a possible non-typical Druid character and it struck me that Druids probably make better infiltrator/spy/thieves than Rogues do. Check out that spell list;

0: Guidance
1: Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Fog Cloud
2: Darkvision, Enhance Ability, Locate Object, Pass Without Trace
3: Meld into Stone, Speak with Plants

That's just the highlights and without mentioning any bonus spells available to Land Druid (Gaseous Form, anyone?) Then there's the obvious utility of Wild Shape for going unnoticed. So yeah, anyway, I digress; the point is that a Druid thief is totally a going concern.

What I need to nail down for this character is how and why this character, a city-slicker guild thief with little to no connection to "nature" in the traditional "hippy tree-hugging save-the-animals" sense, got to be a Druid (Class) with all that entails re: spellcasting, abilities, etc.

The build is pretty self-explanatory; Druid (single) Class, Criminal (maybe Urchin?) Background, probably Human (maybe Halfling or Gnome...perhaps Dwarf for an interesting twist) Race. The details are largely irrelevant.

One notion I had was some kind of association with a city-adapted Fey creature; perhaps a Hag that lives in the sewers. Tutelage under such a creature could work, or maybe some kind of a pact.

Does anyone have any ideas to expand upon this, or suggestions for other sources of power? I'm open to any and all! Thanks.

[JeenLeen]

As long as your DM is cool with it, disregarding the fluff of druid and going with the mechanics sounds fine. If you want to keep something of the fluff, maybe take 'nature' in the sense of the nature that is the city ecosystem and life. A small branch of Land Druids that try to protect mankind in cities and those animals that have gotten used to cohabitation with man (dogs, cats, rats, pigeons, etc.)
That'd give you a more basic druid-training than an urban fey, but either sounds fine.

If you go completely no druid tradition, you could ask if you could trade Druidic for two languages (2 normal languages seems worth a secret language), to reflect picking up various tongues as you listen around town, or trade it for Thieves' Cant.

Urchin seems a good background to get you Thieve's Tools. Its ability is rather fitting with an urban druid, too.

[Honest Tiefling]

1) Elf or gnome. They have a connection to nature, but are willing to use that connection to aid family members or members of their own race. Maybe the guild counts as their family?

2) They aren't hippy treehuggers, they celebrate the new forms of life that have sprung up in urban environments. Wherever there is life, there will be a druid to shepherd that new life.

3) They work for a god, like Beory or Pelor, who has some nature aspects, some not. If you go with a farming god, you can justify such actions if there is a political reason to mess with the bourgeois for the farmers.

4) Fey are another good explanation, as they might have reasons to mess in a city while maintaining a connection with nature.

[xroads]

Maybe go with a classic Tarzan like approach. Your character was orphaned and abandoned to the city streets at a very young age. Too young too even make it as a street urchin. But fortunately he was found and raised by a pack of feral dogs and cats.

Such a character could very easily learned druidic tricks over the years. He probably is not concerned with protecting nature. But would be very interested in protecting his pack (whether that be the ferals that raised him or his adventuring party).

[MintyNinja]

When I did this character, almost exactly the same, he was a Wood Elf Exile that had stumbled into a Sacred Druid Circle. Instead of being executed, he vowed to take up the Druid way of life himself. Decades later he'd broken his vow but maintained his abilities as an especially skillful cat burglar. Grassland was the best choice for Thief for the reasons you're thinking, but also Haste. Ever see a tiny spider scurry away at triple speed?

If, after you gain the Druid abilities from one circle or another, you can always self-proclaim that you're a Druid of the City. Patron of crows, cats, vermin, and raccoons. He who grows through the roads, or creeps up the trellises. Gardenkeeper and Scavenger. Thief and Healer. Two opposing natures confined to one being. It's all in how you play him. You got this.

[JellyPooga]

Thanks for all the replies guys; definitely some food for thought.

I've decided to go with a Dwarf for this character, specifically a Hill Dwarf; the Con boost and additional HP are always welcome and the Wis bump is handy for obvious reasons. I also like the notion that this guy spends a lot of time lurking around the more ancient parts of the city; sewers, abandoned buildings, etc. and Stonecunning has a certain utility there. Plus, I figure being proficient in Artisan Tools (Brewers Supplies) goes quite nicely with the Druid proficiency in Herbalism Kits! Being a Dwarf colours the personality and backstory of this character; a certain amount of stubborn tendencies would be appropriate, I think, as would (perhaps) a fascination with the past, tradition, etc. which would explain his lurking in the older parts of town.

Although I imagine this character definitely being a guild thief, which would indicate a Criminal Background, I think Urchin fits better (props to JeenLeen for the support on that one); not only does it provide proficiency in Thieves Tools and Stealth, but City Secrets is great for representing his familiarity with the older, even forgotten parts of the city. Plus, you get a pet mouse! Perfect for sending off to do some spying (and Speak with Animals is a Ritual). Being an Urchin suggests being an orphan, which in turn asks the questions "Who were his parents?" and "How was he orphaned?". Given that he's a Hill Dwarf in the big city, I would surmise that perhaps one or both of his parents were some kind of traders, perhaps even envoys from Dwarven lands (though the latter smacks a little too much of a grandiose, over-important background to me). I'll go with merchants (which would sort of explain the non-dumped Charisma score I have planned for him). As for how he was orphaned? Hmm, that one eludes me somewhat. Might have to come back to that. I've a notion that it somehow links into his Druid powers, but I can't figure that one out just now.

Definitely a single Classed Druid and a Land Druid at that; I'm very tempted to go Underdark. For one, I love Gaseous Form as an infiltration tool (and it's gained a few levels earlier than he gains access to flying Wild Shape forms). The Web / Stinking Cloud / Cloudkill theme also fits a sewer as well as (or better than) it fits the Underdark. That said, the simple offering of Invisibility on the Grassland list is very enticing (thanks for that heads-up MintyNinja). Grassland also offers the eminently interesting Dream; perhaps a tie-in to my notion of a Hag being involved? I am, however, a little leery of going for Grassland, if only because it strongly implies that this character left the city to become a Druid, somehow and that just doesn't gel too well in my head. On the other paw, Mountain also has something to be said for it; the Dwarven connection, for one, but also Passwall. For someone that specialises in infiltration, Passwall is a great spell to get a whole heap of people in the back-door (by creating one where there wasn't one before).

Other Lands also have some interesting offerings, but in the end, I think it's got to be Underdark; that "sewer" connection is ringing loud in my head and is firing some inspiration regarding his background; namely, that he got orphaned by getting dropped in a sewer! How? Not sure. I definitely like the idea that he wasn't orphaned by some tragic (and fatal) parental accident or senseless violence against them; I like the notion that his folks are (probably) alive and well. He just got lost. In the sewer. Somehow. At a very young age (perhaps young enough not to know his family name? Hence why he can't search out his folks?). After an extensive search he was abandoned, presumed dead and left to make his own way in the world (tragedy! woe!).

Now I've just got daft notions about him being raised and/or abducted by "sewer fairies" buzzing around my head :smalltongue: Perhaps being raised feral, as xroads suggested, is a better notion. Either way, I think I need to stop this organic thought process and mull on it a while. If anyone has comments on any of the above, suggestions, criticisms or whatever, please; keep 'em coming!

[Honest Tiefling]

I like the idea of using the Underdark land option as sewers. He seems quite flavorful!

As for the reason of his abandonment, one usually doesn't just lose children down the drain. I can think of two reasons that don't involve the death of the parents. The first is that he was kidnapped by a minor gang as a hostage to ransom, as his parents had just enough money to make it worthwhile but not enough to hire guards or get help in the matter. However, the ransom didn't go as planned, and he was somehow seperated from his parents. Perhaps another gang attacked and took him in? Perhaps another dwarf or other non-human?

The other idea is that something caused his parents to flee. Depending on the setting, racial violence, scandal or other means might cause his parents to flee, accidentally leaving him in the care of an indifferent wet-nurse or servant who dumped him wherever. Or perhaps she took care of him, but had to flee to the sewers alongside other riff-raff?

If you really want sewer faeries, I'd still ask the DM. Third edition had the ruins chanter, which liked to hang around ruins (of which many sewers are made of). Another option is to have him know of rumors and a myth of a mysterious entity living in the sewers...One even he gave a wide berth to. the sewers might have bent to his needs and served him well, but even the voice of the sewers told him to stay away from certain dark sewers. Which he did, so he never learnt what that thing was, and it gives the DM free reign to build upon it if the campaign is ever in the character's home city.

[Nifft]

Character name: Magpie.

Either type can do birds from level 8 up, but Moon has Water Elemental and Earth Elemental access, both of which might be better for some tricky jobs.

[JellyPooga]

Hmm...perhaps you're right Honest Tiefling; making him a Teenage Dwarven Roguish Druid, mentored by a wererat fey after being flushed down the drain into some radioactive goo weird sewer that turned him into who he is, isn't such a hot idea. I do want to keep that sewer connection, but going along the "captured by thieves" route is both a more sensible suggestion and explains his status as a guild thief.

So...his parents came to town, they fell prey to the Guild (of thieves) and had something stolen; namely a wagon full of goods that happened to have their very young son (our eponymous hero) slumbering in the back. Oops! Suddenly we have a Dwarven couple desperately seeking out their lost boy and a Guild of Thieves trying their utmost to avoid the long arm of the law while simultaneously taking care of this kid they didn't expect (just because they're criminals, doesn't necessarily mean they're complete douche-bags).

The obvious solution for the Guild would be to return the boy anonymously, but perhaps serendipity got in the way; every attempt was foiled by circumstance, bad timing and perhaps a little bit of a mischievous streak on the boys part (hiding from his captors, thinking it all a game and so forth). Or was it the influence of something more sinister and/or powerful lurking in the depths, looking for a protegé? After months (years?) of this, his parents eventually had to leave town (because of duty?), bereft and distraught, leaving the Guild with the problem of raising the boy...

...which wasn't much of a problem. They raised him the same way they raise all such youths; the hard way on the streets. Being a Dwarf, he fared better than most due to his hardy constitution and stubborn will. Being associated with the Guild gave him certain privilages; notably access to the underways beneath the city and it was there that he found his affinity for the deep, the dark, the lost and the forgotten.

How am I doing so far? Does it all make sense?

[Biggstick]

So...his parents came to town, they fell prey to the Guild (of thieves) and had something stolen; namely a wagon full of goods that happened to have their very young son (our eponymous hero) slumbering in the back. Oops! Suddenly we have a Dwarven couple desperately seeking out their lost boy and a Guild of Thieves trying their utmost to avoid the long arm of the law while simultaneously taking care of this kid they didn't expect (just because they're criminals, doesn't necessarily mean they're complete douche-bags).

The obvious solution for the Guild would be to return the boy anonymously, but perhaps serendipity got in the way; every attempt was foiled by circumstance, bad timing and perhaps a little bit of a mischievous streak on the boys part (hiding from his captors, thinking it all a game and so forth). Or was it the influence of something more sinister and/or powerful lurking in the depths, looking for a protegé? After months (years?) of this, his parents eventually had to leave town (because of duty?), bereft and distraught, leaving the Guild with the problem of raising the boy...

...which wasn't much of a problem. They raised him the same way they raise all such youths; the hard way on the streets. Being a Dwarf, he fared better than most due to his hardy constitution and stubborn will. Being associated with the Guild gave him certain privilages; notably access to the underways beneath the city and it was there that he found his affinity for the deep, the dark, the lost and the forgotten.

How am I doing so far? Does it all make sense?

I'm curious as to why parents would leave their son without calling upon ANYONE to find the child. This is almost certainly a case of gross negligence on someone's part for our Dwarven hero to have grown up in the primary care of a Thieves Guild. Let me propose something slightly different.

The Dwarf's parents decided to send the boy to live with a distant family member in a city far away. Let's say an Uncle by marriage. This Uncle was married to the sister of either the Dwarf's father or mother. This Uncle is also has some sort of trait that either causes him to be extremely jealous of what the Dwarf's parents have, or are capable of doing. Something along the lines of being great Smiths. However, this Uncle is also a master of something, like knowing how to run a business, and this something was what the Dwarf's parents sent their son to the Uncle to learn how to do. Because of the Uncle's ambition, and disregard for the continuation of his former family's line, he "loses" our hero. Or, our hero can have disliked the situation, and simply fled the residence of his dreadful Uncle and his lessons on business/economics. He found solace with the Thieves Guild, as they were very happy to bring in the apprentice of someone who "learned" under the thumb of the hero's Uncle.

What you end up with is a situation in which our hero has either willingly left, or was forcibly taken away, from the tutelage of an ambitious-minded business man of a Dwarven Uncle. He (the Uncle) was trusted with the tutelage of the young mind of our hero, and has instead "lost" the child. Whenever the Dwarf's parents ask about the situation, they are told that lessons are going as they should, and our hero is making great progress in his knowledge of businesses (or not, as if he doesn't make much progress, he might have to stay longer to learn more). In an attempt to escape the trappings of his Uncle, our hero has found refuge with those who live under the city in the form of the Thieves Guild.

What this does versus the story you've come up with is create a viable reason as to why you've been raised by a Thieves Guild, and why they'd be willing to take you in. It also allows you to still have parents who arguably care about you (they sent you to one of the most knowledgeable Dwarves around when it comes to business, as they wanted you to know how to run one before you learned the forge). You also have a fantastic "frenemy" in the form of an ambitious Dwarven Uncle who doesn't particularly care if you live or die. You can grow in any direction you please, embracing the criminal culture you've grown up with, or taking up the mantle of your family name as your parents intended many years ago.

[JellyPooga]

I'm curious as to why parents would leave their son without calling upon ANYONE to find the child. This is almost certainly a case of gross negligence on someone's part for our Dwarven hero to have grown up in the primary care of a Thieves Guild. Let me propose something slightly different.

I didn't say they didn't ask for help. What I was trying to avoid was over-detailing this relatively unimportant section of the background. In my personal head-canon I imagined the parents asking the local law enforcement, private agents and all sorts over a period of months, perhaps years to find their son, but to no avail. I also wanted to make the backstory from the characters perspective as much as possible; he doesn't know and probably wouldn't be told what his folks were trying to do to recover him, so as superfluous detail it doesn't "make the cut".


The Dwarf's parents decided to send the boy to live with a distant family member in a city far away. Let's say an Uncle by marriage. This Uncle was married to the sister of either the Dwarf's father or mother. This Uncle is also has some sort of trait that either causes him to be extremely jealous of what the Dwarf's parents have, or are capable of doing. Something along the lines of being great Smiths. However, this Uncle is also a master of something, like knowing how to run a business, and this something was what the Dwarf's parents sent their son to the Uncle to learn how to do. Because of the Uncle's ambition, and disregard for the continuation of his former family's line, he "loses" our hero. Or, our hero can have disliked the situation, and simply fled the residence of his dreadful Uncle and his lessons on business/economics. He found solace with the Thieves Guild, as they were very happy to bring in the apprentice of someone who "learned" under the thumb of the hero's Uncle.

What you end up with is a situation in which our hero has either willingly left, or was forcibly taken away, from the tutelage of an ambitious-minded business man of a Dwarven Uncle. He (the Uncle) was trusted with the tutelage of the young mind of our hero, and has instead "lost" the child. Whenever the Dwarf's parents ask about the situation, they are told that lessons are going as they should, and our hero is making great progress in his knowledge of businesses (or not, as if he doesn't make much progress, he might have to stay longer to learn more). In an attempt to escape the trappings of his Uncle, our hero has found refuge with those who live under the city in the form of the Thieves Guild.

What this does versus the story you've come up with is create a viable reason as to why you've been raised by a Thieves Guild, and why they'd be willing to take you in. It also allows you to still have parents who arguably care about you (they sent you to one of the most knowledgeable Dwarves around when it comes to business, as they wanted you to know how to run one before you learned the forge). You also have a fantastic "frenemy" in the form of an ambitious Dwarven Uncle who doesn't particularly care if you live or die. You can grow in any direction you please, embracing the criminal culture you've grown up with, or taking up the mantle of your family name as your parents intended many years ago.

I find this less easy to swallow. No-one would choose to live in a sewer or on the streets if given the choice of living in (angst-ridden) luxury with their (oh so terribly middle-class privileged) uncle. Run away and "hang" with the "bad boys", yes. Live in squalor? No. What you're suggesting feels to me less like an Urchin and more like a Bratty Teen. My thanks and appreciation for the input and suggestion, but it's going in a slightly different direction to my initial thoughts; I suspect this character will have plenty of plot-hooks and mentor-figures by the time I'm done, so I'm reluctant to introduce one at such an early stage of the game (i.e. when he's still a young child).