Fire Stereotype

[Totally Guy]

Last week we got a quick brief about our new campaign and we had to think of character concepts. Mine was a dashing pirate type to be a talky fighter (Not D&D). Then we were told about how magic was going to be about elemental affinity rather than a known magic system. To make efficient use of skill points we could specialise with magic of a particular element. I chose air and by happy coincidence all four were picked by the four of us. I wasn't really going to use it much as the melee man anyway.

This week I arrive, with a fully formed guy, light, quickwitted, fair, noble and just. The guy who had picked fire suggested a trade of elements, which I was okay with as the magic part wasn't huge on the concept.

Then I changed the costume, made it red rather than blue. The thing is that now I can't figure out what aspects of my fire affinity to play up and what can be played down. I don't want to end up stereotyped into the hothead pyromanic, you don't get many fire pirates. I want to be able to legitimise this fire element into the dashing swordsman persona without being a "firery" individual. I'd like to find a way to say things like "Fire? Yes, that's totally lawful good and here's why...":smalltongue:

What makes it worse is that the guy that was originally going to be the fire barbarian is now a ninja to counter my pirate powers.:smallyuk:

[Azerian Kelimon]

The character has some things that are natural for fire: swiftness, assertivity, as an example. That is perfect for a swashbuckling pirate. Another thing fire has is capability for destruction, when it grows too big, but it is helpful if controlled. Seeing that, you can make him someone who keeps his cool, but ocassionally, when something is REALLY disturbing, he might go over the top (a frenzied rage, a demented lust, a desire to show off in every way possible, etc.). This has the added bonus of helping you craft a backstroy, since this kind of traits can be explained by his experiences as a youth. Hope this helped.

[Solo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_%28classical_element%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Nation

Hope it helps

[Machete]

I can think of anything not "purge all who disobey" or "burn away dissent" about fire that is lawful. Hold on, let me retry my Craft: Post roll.

Sorry. Still nothing.

[Solo]

Fire's an interesting element: It kills, consumes and destroys, yet it gives us warmth and light, and the ability to cook food.

Just a bit of abstract thought for you.

[Josh the Aspie]

Have him be a passionate soul, urged to action by the fire within him? It is easy for him to become impassioned to something, or to have his passion change to a new target? I'm thinking that'd fit the womanizing pirate image well.

Fire is close to air in it's nature, which is in turn close to water, but water and fire are opposed. :P Interesting that.

[StickMan]

Fire is needed for life. Some plants only bloom after a forest fire and all life needs heat which comes from a giant fire in the sky. This might not help with your pirate but keep in mind that when it is cold outside you gather around the fire.

[triforcel]

You could try to look at why Fire is better than all of them, or why the other's are inferior to fire.

Assuming that the four elements are fire, earth, air, and water, it could be stuff like. Earth is lifeless and stagnant, air lacks presence, and water is too predictable. Fire however is alive, even when it remains in one place it is constantly dancing. Fire makes itself known, it provides heat and light for everything nearby. Fire is spontaneous, if something blocks it's path it is just as likely to burn through it as it is to go around or find a new path.

Not that great of a job, but some ideas that might help.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Odd. We all coincide on what we say, mostly. But really, if I were you, I'd just stick to your original air pirate concept and have him have an attunement to fire. Mechanics should NEVER be obstacle for good char concepts (They SHOULD be for the guys who says he wants a swordsman of Swordsage 20 abilities at level 1, of course).

[Mike_Lemmer]

Think "forge" instead of fire. Make him a true craftsman that loves the value of a well-made sword or ship, a real conoisser of quality that's irritated by the quick, shabby, and neglected.

Also make him a ladies' man that's passionate yet chivalrous.

[Collin152]

Fire is irresistable- think, how many people will just aimlessly stare at a fire do its thing?- insatiable, and can be used as a tool of creation or destruction.

[Solo]

Fire is irresistable- think, how many people will just aimlessly stare at a fire do its thing?- insatiable, and can be used as a tool of creation or destruction.

That's so hot.

[Roderick_BR]

You can make him impulsive, kinda hot tempered, and get some "sexy" attitude, as Collin152 suggested. After that, fire and air have some things alike. "light" and "quickwitted" fits fire as much as air. "fair", "noble" and "just", may indicate some intolerance with unfair people. It doesn't need to be active, but more like wisecracking people you are not found of.

[Eldritch_Ent]

For some reason, when I think "Firey + Lawful" I either get Dwarves, or Adell from Disgaea 2...


Anyway, just because someone is firey and impetuous, doesn't mean there isn't certain laws they can't adhere to. Fire will never consume something that isn't within reach, or they are bound not to burn. (Like a fire in a blacksmith's forge has been tamed- it will only lash out against the smith if abused or used improperly.) and can be used to turn Chaos into Law through various processes, like Smelting ore into its base elements and removing impurities.

[Kompera]

I'd like to find a way to say things like "Fire? Yes, that's totally lawful good and here's why...":smalltongue:

Solo's links give you that option. Between Prometheus and Hephaestus there is plenty of basis for representing fire in a way other than that of a chaotic and destructive force.

Fire is the very seat of culture. Without fire, there would be no civilization. No tools beyond sharpened sticks (and a fire-hardened sharpened stick is a large step up from a sharpened stick) and flaked stone knives, no warmth in inclement weather, no cooked meat (killing off harmful bacteria), no beer (an early safe drink when water was very often dangerous to drink, since making beer requires boiling water).

Fire is a tool for invention, creation, protection, healing and a whole host of other good things.

And did I mention? No fire = no beer!

[Townopolis]

Just as the others said, Light, quick, sometimes flickering back and forth, but full of presence. Fire burns some things (bad guys) but won't consume others (good guys). However, fire heats the crucible, where impurities are melted out.

Razor wit and constructive criticism can make everyone a better person in the end. Pair that with a warm heart, an the aforementioned presence, lightness, and celerity, and you have a dashing swordsman and a valued friend.

[Serpentine]

Others have mentioned these sorts of things, but anyway...
Passion. Devotion to a cause, hatred for for something specific (cruelty, say), even lust or romance.
Think about the different forms of fire, and think of what suits you. There's the subdued but still burning coal, relatively easy to handle but able to set something alight at any moment. The cookfire, tame and useful. A forge, powerful and full of creative energy. A blazing wildfire, out of control and dangerous. A huge erupting volcano, massive and dangerous and destructive. Also lava, slow, determined, inexorable and destructive of all that is unfortunate enough to get in its way.
Hope that helps...

[13_CBS]

Fire must consume to survive. Water, Air, Earth can all be without destroying, but Fire must burn to burn more. Keep that one in mind.

[Starsinger]

Fire must consume to survive. Water, Air, Earth can all be without destroying, but Fire must burn to burn more. Keep that one in mind.

Which fits in lovely with a pillaging pirate.

[boomwolf]

Fire, by the fact it is fire, is chaotic and unstable.
As said before, fire must keep consuming (or "fighting") in order to survive. it can't stop, it can't "hide", it must fight.
Fire often go out of control and make "that was not what i had in mind" issues, because fire acts on its own, it needs no trigger.
Problem with fire is, after you casted you spell, you have no control what-so-ever on what it is going to do. you could give general directions with the spell, but it will do whatever fits the fire best.

[Totally Guy]

Think "forge" instead of fire. Make him a true craftsman that loves the value of a well-made sword or ship, a real conoisser of quality that's irritated by the quick, shabby, and neglected.

Also make him a ladies' man that's passionate yet chivalrous.

The forge element works. His backstory places him on a voyage as hired fighter, appraisal pro and friend of a ship's captain. So appeciation of fine weaponry works. I've got amorous as character flaw which in this system encourages me to roleplay the ladies man in spite of a -2 penalty to diplomacy where it's not appeciated behaviour. (And another -2 if the the audience doesn't appreciate pirates in the same way.)

Consumption, yes, without adventure his spirit would be doused.

The metal full of heat would be the fire type. It's hot and yet still. And sophisticated. I don't want to be an angry character, I've just done that with my last Sci-fi dude. I'll wait and if a situation tries to provoke me I'll try the calm heat filled blade metaphore, I've got points to resist provocation and now I can justify that.

It's all good now thanks.