Trying to figure out how my Paladin of Sarenrae got to Sandpoint

[Madokar]

My group is going to start playing Rise of the Runelords next week. I've got a character figure out, but I'm having trouble figuring out how he got to Sandpoint.

My character is Baros, a Pitborn Tiefling who is a Paladin of Saranrae. I originally played for a little bit in an Eberron campaign using Pathfinder rules, but the group fell apart not long after we hit level 2. Thing is, I was really intrigued by Baros as a character, because the first notable thing he did was accidentally seduce a dwarven serving girl without trying the first night he stayed in the tavern. I instantly established him in my mind having a succubus somewhere in his family tree, and him having a natural talent with women.

My current group was initially playing a few PFS modules, so we're starting the AP at level 2. I was playing another character for those PFS sessions, but Baros' concept just wormed its way back into my mind and I felt he would be so much more interesting to play then my old character. So I retired my old character and got GM permission to bring in Baros. This gives Baros a bit of leeway for how he gets to Sandpoint.

I'm was thinking that Baros goes to Sandpoint as part of a pilgrimage, but my initial reasons for said pilgrimage might not work out as well as I initially hoped. I was under the belief that the worship of Sarenrae was more common in Varisia than it actually is, given that Sandpoint has a shrine to Her in the town cathedral.

The original idea was for Baros to simply go on pilgrimage to Varisia and just visit the various sites of worship in the country, him being in Sandpoint when the AP starts. But now that I know that Sarenrae worship isn't as wide-spread there as I initially thought, would it be too "out there" for him to have received a vision to head to Sandpoint?

I was leaning for him to originally be from Absalom, him having been abandoned at the entry way to the Sarenrae temple in the Ascendant Court as a baby. Could Baros have received a vision from Sarenrae to go to Sandpoint at level 2, or should a more experienced cleric have had the vision? Or maybe there should be a better way for him to get to Sandpoint? I don't think Baros is a Sandpoint native. A Tiefling born in such a small town would be such a scandal, I'm not sure if it's appropriate.

[Mnemius]

You're in luck!

Back story/intro to Rise of the Runelords saves you. It's written in a way to get all sorts to show up.

Start of RotRL, everyone is in town for the big dedication/festival of the new cathedral. Which happens to have as one on of it's deities... Sarenrae! Since you're a follower of Sarenrae, the dedication of a new Sarenrae site sounds like travel-worthy.


If you check paizo's site, I think it's a freebie for the player's guide to rise of the runelords.

Also, with your backstory, Rise is a GREAT story.

[Madokar]

You're in luck!

Back story/intro to Rise of the Runelords saves you. It's written in a way to get all sorts to show up.

Start of RotRL, everyone is in town for the big dedication/festival of the new cathedral. Which happens to have as one on of it's deities... Sarenrae! Since you're a follower of Sarenrae, the dedication of a new Sarenrae site sounds like travel-worthy.


If you check paizo's site, I think it's a freebie for the player's guide to rise of the runelords.

Also, with your backstory, Rise is a GREAT story.

I have the Player's Guide for both the original AP and the Anniversary Edition we'll be playing. I still hit a brick wall in the backstory, but if there is a festival to commemorate the new cathedral, that's a good enough reason for Baros to visit. He probably felt a bit of wanderlust, and Varisia is a good place to satisfy that desire.

[Florian]

Tieflings, especially those connected to Demons, are definitely not uncommon in Varisia. Ancient Thassilon and their special brand of "sin magic" were extremely connected to the Abyss and that left a mark.

My advice would be to go with the Varisian route and establish your "human" heritage based on that, like, you know, it´s not that they don´t have a reputation for being very charming people, but than pick up the initial RotRL hook and use the opening of the new cathedral as an explanation why you left your trek.

[Calthropstu]

He walked.
Back story is truly flexible. The AP has a great hook for you in the dedication, but there are plenty of others.

I once used "I saw a pretty girl and followed her to town." Backstory fluff is just that... fluff.

[Madokar]

Tieflings, especially those connected to Demons, are definitely not uncommon in Varisia. Ancient Thassilon and their special brand of "sin magic" were extremely connected to the Abyss and that left a mark.

My advice would be to go with the Varisian route and establish your "human" heritage based on that, like, you know, it´s not that they don´t have a reputation for being very charming people, but than pick up the initial RotRL hook and use the opening of the new cathedral as an explanation why you left your trek.

Someone on the Paizo boards pointed out to me that Magnimar has a temple of Sarenrae. I can easily alter Baros' backstory so that he was born in Magnimar instead of Absalom. I only went with Absalom because I thought that was the closest place of worship for Sarenrae outside of Qadira and Northern Garund.

And him being from Magnimar makes it easier for him to learn about the temple dedication. He heard about it through the grapevine and went to Sandpoint as a representative of the Magnimar temple.

[Recherché]

He could also have been on his way to Windsong Abbey. It used to be the biggest center of interfaith dialog and theology on the continent. It's fallen a bit from those glory days but it still has an amazing library. Sandpoint is the closest large town and closest port to Windsong.