I am currently DMing for a group of players that have almost no experience with pen and paper RPG games. They have played a lot of video games, but this is their first really serious dive into the roll playing aspect. One of the younger guys in the group (early 20s) decides that he wants to be a Warlock, so I explain to him the idea of a pact, a patron and how they lend or gift someone with power as part of a deal or in exchange for something. He was all about this and seeing his enthusiasm, I did something that I'd never done before.
We RP'd the creation of his pact.
I took on the role of the patron, as I would in the game, dove into a slick accent with a deeper tone and proceeded to ask him what is was that he desired.
He wanted knowledge relating to the mysterious death of his parents and the power to avenge them, while reclaiming the honor of his [dwarven] clan. A simple request like this is no challenge for a patron "If that is what you ask it shall be provided with ease. Are we in agreement then?"
He isn't eager to take the deal at first because he doesn't know what he will be required to do, so he asks. "Just a small amount of service. My presence in your realm is small, but there are tasks that need to be completed. I will call upon you to do service in my name and you shall be rewarded with what you seek."
"Will I have to kill people?" ---- "Of course you will, but they will all deserve it."
"Will I have to hurt the people I care about?" ---- "Not unless they stand against me, which I doubt will be the case."
"How about I owe you three favors?" ---- "I am here to offer you the power and knowledge you desire, and you counter with favors? What good are favors from a mortal? One that can't obtain what they need with their own power. I am not here to bargain with one that seeks my assistance, but to offer it in trade. Are you willing to accept? Are you worthy of my blessing? If not I will leave you to remain powerless and without answers. Make your decision. Become what you seek or remain empty and alone."
"I accept."
"Of course you do.....my champion."
The patron left him with a silver bell, without a clapper, covered in a language he did not understand, and from that day forward he could use his cantrips, but he didn't get access to his first level spells until the first gaming session. Soon after we had this conversation my player was like, "Ok, so who is my patron? A demon? Some old great god? An angel?" to which I respond "You don't know...." He never asked any questions about the patron, he never asked their name, their purpose, how often they would need his service, how long he would be in service to them. He never saw the patron, so he doesn't even know if he is crazy or not. He asked almost nothing and has now come to the realization that because of that he knows nothing. Of course, I love all of this and he has become really invested in finding out more about his patron.
What does everyone think about this approach? I know it doesn't really work for experienced players, but this built so many ready made character moments and plot hooks that I can't help but love the idea and how it will play out.
I like the idea that the player don't exactly who the patron is. Of course, according to the pact, the warlock must have some ideas (Archfey, fiend...). At any rate, I like also that the player will have small hints about his patron through the campaign. Really nice.
That is definitely a good thread to check out. I already have a really solid idea of who the patron is, what they want and how they are planning to get it from the Warlock. He already has his first hint, with the bonus spells that he could choose from at first level, but no one at the table has a PHB except for me since they are all new players. He has never once asked to see the book either to look up things about the class and I'm reflavoring some of the things to be a little more vague. All he has to do is ask, but he never thinks to do that. At least, not yet. *rubs hands together with an evil grin*
I have worked with concept Patrons whose nature went beyond the idea and limit of Archfey, Fiend or Great Old One. Who could offer the perfect pact to each individual warlock. This was and would be story based.
Example patrons are below.
28) The One Ring (Fey/ Fiend/ Great Old One) Forged by an ancient ring smith, this ring makes its bearer believe that they are invisible, under its influence they have no choice but to do what the ring wants. It is highly addictive, and simply wants to be wielded to fulfill its arcane desires.
63.) Nyx or Night (Great Old One/ Archfey) Nyx daughter of Chaos, sister of Darkness, she is the mother of Sleep, Death, Day, Destiny, Dream, Fate and so much more. Alternatively it is Nyx who gives birth to Chaos. Regardless Nyx will view those who pact with her as children.
84.) The Endless (Any- most likely Archfey/ Great Old One) Death who is the second eldest of the Endless and is the one who will shut the door when the multiverse ends will make pacts with those who are aligned to her, who have an affinity with her. Her associates must slay undead, free trapped souls and hunt necromancers who traffic in such foulness.
Many people have attempted to forge a pact with Death, she always arrives at the moment of passing in her true form or rather the form which is true for you and her. Those Warlocks who were successful come in many forms. One believed that he had made a deal with the evil one, who he met at the crossroads and was granted powerful luck and later manifested hellish flames. A woman who beat death at a game of chess, found that she could mutter and speak into other peoples minds. Another woman believed that she had made a deal with a forgotten pagan death goddess and found that she could make people sleep , charm or frighten them. Later there was a man who thought that he served the Raven Queen, when his end came he was shocked to meet a bonny young goth lass, wearing a black dress, a silver ankh necklace and black leather jacket.
Jack Spratt lived in Entwhistle, on the border of Faerie and was exceptionally polite and a good neighbour, always helping others. He was under a Geis not to eat any fat. He was a warlock of the Archfey Pyrenia, who the wise know as the Lady of Flame and does not offer the regular Archfey powers of Charm, Fear, Sleep etc, offering instead Burning Hands, the Luck of Faerie and a power to send the tiend hurling through Hell. For Pyrenia was one of the Archfey who can oversee the levy to Hell.
Just because a Warlock develops certain powers, it does not necessarily mean that those powers are definitely from that source, its just most likely. Potentially the Warlock learns that they are able to access certain powers, they then may worry that they are dealing with a particular patron type, they later discover who their patron is and they may or may not discover more.
I am currently DMing for a group of players that have almost no experience with pen and paper RPG games. They have played a lot of video games, but this is their first really serious dive into the roll playing aspect. One of the younger guys in the group (early 20s) decides that he wants to be a Warlock, so I explain to him the idea of a pact, a patron and how they lend or gift someone with power as part of a deal or in exchange for something. He was all about this and seeing his enthusiasm, I did something that I'd never done before.
We RP'd the creation of his pact.
I took on the role of the patron, as I would in the game, dove into a slick accent with a deeper tone and proceeded to ask him what is was that he desired.
He wanted knowledge relating to the mysterious death of his parents and the power to avenge them, while reclaiming the honor of his [dwarven] clan. A simple request like this is no challenge for a patron "If that is what you ask it shall be provided with ease. Are we in agreement then?"
He isn't eager to take the deal at first because he doesn't know what he will be required to do, so he asks. "Just a small amount of service. My presence in your realm is small, but there are tasks that need to be completed. I will call upon you to do service in my name and you shall be rewarded with what you seek."
"Will I have to kill people?" ---- "Of course you will, but they will all deserve it."
"Will I have to hurt the people I care about?" ---- "Not unless they stand against me, which I doubt will be the case."
"How about I owe you three favors?" ---- "I am here to offer you the power and knowledge you desire, and you counter with favors? What good are favors from a mortal? One that can't obtain what they need with their own power. I am not here to bargain with one that seeks my assistance, but to offer it in trade. Are you willing to accept? Are you worthy of my blessing? If not I will leave you to remain powerless and without answers. Make your decision. Become what you seek or remain empty and alone."
"I accept."
"Of course you do.....my champion."
The patron left him with a silver bell, without a clapper, covered in a language he did not understand, and from that day forward he could use his cantrips, but he didn't get access to his first level spells until the first gaming session. Soon after we had this conversation my player was like, "Ok, so who is my patron? A demon? Some old great god? An angel?" to which I respond "You don't know...." He never asked any questions about the patron, he never asked their name, their purpose, how often they would need his service, how long he would be in service to them. He never saw the patron, so he doesn't even know if he is crazy or not. He asked almost nothing and has now come to the realization that because of that he knows nothing. Of course, I love all of this and he has become really invested in finding out more about his patron.
What does everyone think about this approach? I know it doesn't really work for experienced players, but this built so many ready made character moments and plot hooks that I can't help but love the idea and how it will play out.
I like the idea that the player don't exactly who the patron is. Of course, according to the pact, the warlock must have some ideas (Archfey, fiend...). At any rate, I like also that the player will have small hints about his patron through the campaign. Really nice.
For more inspiration about the patron check this:
http://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/warlock/1214-what-do-patrons-want-from-warlocks
That is definitely a good thread to check out. I already have a really solid idea of who the patron is, what they want and how they are planning to get it from the Warlock. He already has his first hint, with the bonus spells that he could choose from at first level, but no one at the table has a PHB except for me since they are all new players. He has never once asked to see the book either to look up things about the class and I'm reflavoring some of the things to be a little more vague. All he has to do is ask, but he never thinks to do that. At least, not yet. *rubs hands together with an evil grin*
I have worked with concept Patrons whose nature went beyond the idea and limit of Archfey, Fiend or Great Old One. Who could offer the perfect pact to each individual warlock. This was and would be story based.
Example patrons are below.
28) The One Ring (Fey/ Fiend/ Great Old One)
Forged by an ancient ring smith, this ring makes its bearer believe that they are invisible, under its influence they have no choice but to do what the ring wants. It is highly addictive, and simply wants to be wielded to fulfill its arcane desires.
63.) Nyx or Night (Great Old One/ Archfey)
Nyx daughter of Chaos, sister of Darkness, she is the mother of Sleep, Death, Day, Destiny, Dream, Fate and so much more. Alternatively it is Nyx who gives birth to Chaos.
Regardless Nyx will view those who pact with her as children.
84.) The Endless (Any- most likely Archfey/ Great Old One)
Death who is the second eldest of the Endless and is the one who will shut the door when the multiverse ends will make pacts with those who are aligned to her, who have an affinity with her. Her associates must slay undead, free trapped souls and hunt necromancers who traffic in such foulness.
Many people have attempted to forge a pact with Death, she always arrives at the moment of passing in her true form or rather the form which is true for you and her. Those Warlocks who were successful come in many forms. One believed that he had made a deal with the evil one, who he met at the crossroads and was granted powerful luck and later manifested hellish flames. A woman who beat death at a game of chess, found that she could mutter and speak into other peoples minds. Another woman believed that she had made a deal with a forgotten pagan death goddess and found that she could make people sleep , charm or frighten them. Later there was a man who thought that he served the Raven Queen, when his end came he was shocked to meet a bonny young goth lass, wearing a black dress, a silver ankh necklace and black leather jacket.
Jack Spratt lived in Entwhistle, on the border of Faerie and was exceptionally polite and a good neighbour, always helping others. He was under a Geis not to eat any fat. He was a warlock of the Archfey Pyrenia, who the wise know as the Lady of Flame and does not offer the regular Archfey powers of Charm, Fear, Sleep etc, offering instead Burning Hands, the Luck of Faerie and a power to send the tiend hurling through Hell. For Pyrenia was one of the Archfey who can oversee the levy to Hell.
Just because a Warlock develops certain powers, it does not necessarily mean that those powers are definitely from that source, its just most likely. Potentially the Warlock learns that they are able to access certain powers, they then may worry that they are dealing with a particular patron type, they later discover who their patron is and they may or may not discover more.
The answer is clear to how your doing. Your player is excited and engaged in the story and trying to learn what he can. Well done.