Minotaur Motivations

[krulin]

I made a Minotaur barbarian a couple months back named Ayasha. She's a wrestler, more or less, complete with a home-brewed grappling archetype. She was basically ousted out of her clan at a young age for BS reasons and is now traveling with the current in-game party.

She's a lawful Minotaur, but I've been playing her a little chaotic neutral because I feel like she's trying to find out who she is outside of the structure of her clan. The problem is that I'm trying to give her some sort of goal that isn't stereotypical for a Barbarian. I mean I don't want one that totally off the walls either, but I want something different then gold or ale. Her long term goal is to confront her clan in some way, but that's a little above her level right now. I'm looking for something more short-mid term goals.

Our party is true neutral (as an average). We have a good mix of races and classes. Right now our party doesn't really have a goal other than we've been looking into some of the backstory of our ranger. Also, this is in 5th edition, if that matters (I don't see how it would, but I figured I'd mention it).

If you guys have any suggestions, it'd be much appreciated. Our DM is pretty much down for anything that isn't way too out there, way too silly, or way to risque.

[hymer]

If you guys have any suggestions, it'd be much appreciated. Our DM is pretty much down for anything that isn't way too out there, way too silly, or way to risque.

I made a list of suggestions for my current campaign to help get the creative juices flowing. There's one for each class and background, and one for each of the most common races.
It would be easier to make suggestions if we knew something about the world. Is there a group worth applying for membership in? An individual who needs to be counteracted? A ceremony worth sabotaging? A prisoner worth freeing? An item worth buying? A contest worth winning?

[LibraryOgre]

While it's a bit stereotypical for a Barbarian, what about chasing a story? As in, there's a story in her clan of an ancient hero, who did great deeds beyond the tribe before returning to them.

Stealing liberally, here's an example:

In days long past, the great hero, Kaz, was known for his great strength and wisdom. Captured by slavers at a young age, he toiled in the rock quarries of Darsil until his strength grew so great that they feared to keep him; it is said that he shattered his own chains, not for freedom, but to save the life of an elven prisoner named Malacar. The dwarves of Darsil sold him to the gladiator pits of Am-Sutek. In Am-sutek, he fought mighty warriors and fearsome beasts, even defeating (temporarily), their immortal Mummy King, Ramoses. In reverence, Ramoses freed him, and sent him home. On his way home, he traveled through the lands of the Kilmoni, where he freed a group of minotaurs who had been held there for many years, destroying the labyrinth in which they had been kept. In due time, he and his companions returned to the clan, and many people can trace their lineage to him and his companions.

And so on and so forth. For each place you come to, you might know a story about Kaz that is told among your people, and want to confirm it. You might seek artifacts of his time (fragments of Kaz's chains, still stuck in the rock!), or certain people who may still exist who can tell you about Kaz (that elf named Malacar, or the dragon he riddled with, or whatever). I'd pick two or three "medium term" goals of the more substantial variety (conversations with actual people), and have some short-term goals based on whatever story you make up for a given place (i.e. getting artifacts*, talking to local storytellers, etc.)

It's kind of a bardarian concept, but one that doesn't really require bard levels, just maybe some points in bard-like skills.


*by which I mean "pieces of ancient junk" not "magically powerful uberdevices"

[krulin]

There's one for each class and background, and one for each of the most common races.
It would be easier to make suggestions if we knew something about the world. Is there a group worth applying for membership in? An individual who needs to be counteracted? A ceremony worth sabotaging? A prisoner worth freeing? An item worth buying? A contest worth winning?

Cool link. Thanks. I had to remove the link because I'm not able to post them yet. I'm thinking that Ayasha may try to put together her own group, but I'm not quite sure how that would work. As far as describing the world, I'm not even sure where to begin with that. We're in the Lashuna Empire. They are currently dealing with a goblin raiding party/army. Though we're way too low level to dive into actually combating that. We don't really have much in the way of subtle classes, so we can't really sneak in and assassinate their leader either. We did help warn the Lashuna Empire about them.

I imagine Ayasha liking things in excess. In other words, I imagine her being a bit greedy with money and using it to spend on things like alcohol, fancy food, and "company". However, I wanted a bit more of a spin than that because otherwise she becomes "generic mercenary 158".

Any other insight/ideas would be much appreciated.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

She wants to go to school to become a mad scientist. Definitely.

Or maybe she wants to gain the power to shapeshift into a human. There are human PC's adventuring for a monstrous form...

More serious: if she likes money and nice things, and has someone in her past who wronged her, maybe some form of token revenge? Build up the skills, connections and money to ruin the minotaur lord who ousted her, making his prized racing mammoth, his collection of minotaur art (mostly impressionist labyrinths, but there are some tasteful nudes of both genders in there as well) and his summer house at the green cliffs her own while she's at it?

[krulin]

She wants to go to school to become a mad scientist. Definitely.

Or maybe she wants to gain the power to shapeshift into a human. There are human PC's adventuring for a monstrous form...

More serious: if she likes money and nice things, and has someone in her past who wronged her, maybe some form of token revenge? Build up the skills, connections and money to ruin the minotaur lord who ousted her, making his prized racing mammoth, his collection of minotaur art (mostly impressionist labyrinths, but there are some tasteful nudes of both genders in there as well) and his summer house at the green cliffs her own while she's at it?

You sir, you sir are awesome. :D That's actually a more unique spin on the revenge plot. Seeing as we're dealing with someone else's backstory at the moment, we'd probably be the level and renown to accomplish such a thing. Thanks.

[Dalinale]

Ancient legends say that, once, satyrs and minotaurs lived together in great cities, working together for the greater good.

Unfortunately, satyrs are untrustworthy *******s, and legends say that a group of the fey once betrayed one of the most powerful minotaur tribes in the world, resulting in the destruction of that tribe. The appearance of a particularly ancient satyr appearing with a band of the fey during a local festival in the town the party is passing through might encourage Ayasha to speak with the cunning sylvan lording, or, if possible, beat him in a contest of his own choosing for high stakes.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Ancient legends say that, once, satyrs and minotaurs lived together in great cities, working together for the greater good.

Unfortunately, satyrs are untrustworthy *******s, and legends say that a group of the fey once betrayed one of the most powerful minotaur tribes in the world, resulting in the destruction of that tribe. The appearance of a particularly ancient satyr appearing with a band of the fey during a local festival in the town the party is passing through might encourage Ayasha to speak with the cunning sylvan lording, or, if possible, beat him in a contest of his own choosing for high stakes.

Right, we were looking for short term.

Me gusta.

[Rockphed]

While it's a bit stereotypical for a Barbarian, what about chasing a story? As in, there's a story in her clan of an ancient hero, who did great deeds beyond the tribe before returning to them.

Stealing liberally, here's an example:

In days long past, the great hero, Kaz, was known for his great strength and wisdom. Captured by slavers at a young age, he toiled in the rock quarries of Darsil until his strength grew so great that they feared to keep him; it is said that he shattered his own chains, not for freedom, but to save the life of an elven prisoner named Malacar. The dwarves of Darsil sold him to the gladiator pits of Am-Sutek. In Am-sutek, he fought mighty warriors and fearsome beasts, even defeating (temporarily), their immortal Mummy King, Ramoses. In reverence, Ramoses freed him, and sent him home. On his way home, he traveled through the lands of the Kilmoni, where he freed a group of minotaurs who had been held there for many years, destroying the labyrinth in which they had been kept. In due time, he and his companions returned to the clan, and many people can trace their lineage to him and his companions.

And so on and so forth. For each place you come to, you might know a story about Kaz that is told among your people, and want to confirm it. You might seek artifacts of his time (fragments of Kaz's chains, still stuck in the rock!), or certain people who may still exist who can tell you about Kaz (that elf named Malacar, or the dragon he riddled with, or whatever). I'd pick two or three "medium term" goals of the more substantial variety (conversations with actual people), and have some short-term goals based on whatever story you make up for a given place (i.e. getting artifacts*, talking to local storytellers, etc.)

It's kind of a bardarian concept, but one that doesn't really require bard levels, just maybe some points in bard-like skills.


*by which I mean "pieces of ancient junk" not "magically powerful uberdevices"

So you are going to go into an abandoned dwarven slave-quarry and collect shattered bits of chain. Then you are going to go talk to an ancient elf and an ancienter dragon. I think if you don't walk away from that with some sort of magical uber-device forged from the chains of Kaz by Malacar in the fires of Ghaldeaz, then you had better have a good reason. Now, it should not be a weapon. Nor, for that matter, would I make it something that an adventurer can use. I mean a sword or axe forged from the shards of the chains of Kaz would be cool, but a crown or ring or tent-peg would be a wonderful way to "confront" a tribe of barbarians without having to slaughter them all. Being able to refute beliefs without resorting to violence can be very powerful.

[krulin]

While it's a bit stereotypical for a Barbarian, what about chasing a story? As in, there's a story in her clan of an ancient hero, who did great deeds beyond the tribe before returning to them.

Stealing liberally, here's an example:

In days long past, the great hero, Kaz, was known for his great strength and wisdom. Captured by slavers at a young age, he toiled in the rock quarries of Darsil until his strength grew so great that they feared to keep him; it is said that he shattered his own chains, not for freedom, but to save the life of an elven prisoner named Malacar. The dwarves of Darsil sold him to the gladiator pits of Am-Sutek. In Am-sutek, he fought mighty warriors and fearsome beasts, even defeating (temporarily), their immortal Mummy King, Ramoses. In reverence, Ramoses freed him, and sent him home. On his way home, he traveled through the lands of the Kilmoni, where he freed a group of minotaurs who had been held there for many years, destroying the labyrinth in which they had been kept. In due time, he and his companions returned to the clan, and many people can trace their lineage to him and his companions.

And so on and so forth. For each place you come to, you might know a story about Kaz that is told among your people, and want to confirm it. You might seek artifacts of his time (fragments of Kaz's chains, still stuck in the rock!), or certain people who may still exist who can tell you about Kaz (that elf named Malacar, or the dragon he riddled with, or whatever). I'd pick two or three "medium term" goals of the more substantial variety (conversations with actual people), and have some short-term goals based on whatever story you make up for a given place (i.e. getting artifacts*, talking to local storytellers, etc.)

It's kind of a bardarian concept, but one that doesn't really require bard levels, just maybe some points in bard-like skills.


*by which I mean "pieces of ancient junk" not "magically powerful uberdevices"

Interesting. I don't know that that would necessarily fit as is considering she has a great deal of malice for her clan and everything they stand for. That could be twisted to work I think though.

[LibraryOgre]

Interesting. I don't know that that would necessarily fit as is considering she has a great deal of malice for her clan and everything they stand for. That could be twisted to work I think though.

Ah, I had not gathered that. Then perhaps she is looking for clues, because a prophecy said that the past of Kaz would be their downfall?

[Psikerlord]

While it's a bit stereotypical for a Barbarian, what about chasing a story? As in, there's a story in her clan of an ancient hero, who did great deeds beyond the tribe before returning to them.

Stealing liberally, here's an example:

In days long past, the great hero, Kaz, was known for his great strength and wisdom. Captured by slavers at a young age, he toiled in the rock quarries of Darsil until his strength grew so great that they feared to keep him; it is said that he shattered his own chains, not for freedom, but to save the life of an elven prisoner named Malacar. The dwarves of Darsil sold him to the gladiator pits of Am-Sutek. In Am-sutek, he fought mighty warriors and fearsome beasts, even defeating (temporarily), their immortal Mummy King, Ramoses. In reverence, Ramoses freed him, and sent him home. On his way home, he traveled through the lands of the Kilmoni, where he freed a group of minotaurs who had been held there for many years, destroying the labyrinth in which they had been kept. In due time, he and his companions returned to the clan, and many people can trace their lineage to him and his companions.

And so on and so forth. For each place you come to, you might know a story about Kaz that is told among your people, and want to confirm it. You might seek artifacts of his time (fragments of Kaz's chains, still stuck in the rock!), or certain people who may still exist who can tell you about Kaz (that elf named Malacar, or the dragon he riddled with, or whatever). I'd pick two or three "medium term" goals of the more substantial variety (conversations with actual people), and have some short-term goals based on whatever story you make up for a given place (i.e. getting artifacts*, talking to local storytellers, etc.)

It's kind of a bardarian concept, but one that doesn't really require bard levels, just maybe some points in bard-like skills.


*by which I mean "pieces of ancient junk" not "magically powerful uberdevices"

I love this idea