I'm in a pirate campaign and most players, myself included, currently have bounties.
It's not too big of a deal for the rest of the party because they're Half-Orcs and as far as the Empire is concerned they all look alike. However, I'm a Water Genasi and standout like a sore blue thumb.
It's not been that much of a problem because I'm usually on our ship or in (Half)Orc controlled territory where they don't care about the law of the Empire.
Though now I'm traversing the countryside of the Empire and trying to use a traveling cloak with a pointed hood to cover my face and gloves to cover my hands. Somehow this makes me stand out EVEN MORE than before and as the DM puts it "we now have our edgelord character."
If it helps I'm a level 9 Circle of The Land Coastal Druid.
I should mention that yes I've considered using Wild Shape to hide as a spider or some other animal when we're in town but I hate using transformations when I don't need to.
I honestly don't understand your DM's comment, if it was actually mean to be taken seriously. There's nothing edgelord in trying to hide your identity if you are an actual wanted person. But depending on how "aquatic" water genasi are in your setting (ie, how easily they can pass for a human or something else) there are a few options. Except for the obvious of changing your hair and clothes, here are some ideas.
One is to pretend that you are a sea elf. Landlubbers probably don't know the difference.
Wear a knitted cap instead of a cloak and hood. Less conspicuous nad easier to blend in with a crowd.
Bandages over your face and hands, pretend that you have been burned.
Then there the "Caleb". Dress and act like a dirty hobo. Make sure you stink enough so that people don't want to take a second look at you. Also come up with a new name and identity that you are very willing to share with others so that they don't have any reasons to suspect you aren't who you say you are.
I honestly don't understand your DM's comment, if it was actually mean to be taken seriously. There's nothing edgelord in trying to hide your identity if you are an actual wanted person. But depending on how "aquatic" water genasi are in your setting (ie, how easily they can pass for a human or something else) there are a few options. Except for the obvious of changing your hair and clothes, here are some ideas.
One is to pretend that you are a sea elf. Landlubbers probably don't know the difference.
Wear a knitted cap instead of a cloak and hood. Less conspicuous nad easier to blend in with a crowd.
Bandages over your face and hands, pretend that you have been burned.
Then there the "Caleb". Dress and act like a dirty hobo. Make sure you stink enough so that people don't want to take a second look at you. Also come up with a new name and identity that you are very willing to share with others so that they don't have any reasons to suspect you aren't who you say you are.
I love these ideas, but sadly I have a -2 Charisma. That won't stop me from trying though!
Disguise is about telling a story. why are you there? what is your profession? Are you a disrupting or enabling the situation? Hiding your skin color, your first option is disguise yourself as another blue skin race, second choose a profession that allows you to hide your skin color: religious officials where they are required to hide their faces, jesters, dress like the rest of the druids in the region or as a plague survivor think "why are you waring bandages?" "Plague wounds." this may or may not lead them running a way in fear. p.s. use chicken eggs. Smear it over your character's face to create the illusion of disease.
Your best bet is honestly probably going to be asking your companions to make themselves more memorable. Not necessarily as themselves, but as outlandish personalities that will stick in the mind more than the quiet guy in the hooded cloak. Your lack of Charisma will make the inevitable Deception checks much more difficult - so throw the problem at the rest of the party. Get them to antics it up and make colorful characters of themselves that you can hide behind. Cloak, gloves, bandages - you can be a burn or plague victim who is nevertheless the beloved sibling of one of the other members of the party, so you travel with them on their journies.
If the other folks in the party are making Performance or Deception checks to jackanape their way across the Empire, then you're making fewer Deception checks yourself, ne?
Our contact in the thieve's guild saw a bunch of Half-Orcs, which is odd that far North in the country, took one look at me even though I was covered up, and shouted "BLUUUUEEE!"
EVERYONE turned to stare at us as he went on a loud rant in the bar ran by the thieve's guild, who also had random village patrons there, about how there was no way he was going to be our guide to the Underdark unless we doubled or tripled his pay. He then went on to list all of our major events framed from the perspective of an Imperial citizen.
I didn't realize we were that infamous throughout the Empire until he laid everything out like that.
Ah well, I'm sure the Beholder doesn't care who we are.
Oh didn't I mention? We left off the session walking into a giant cavern where the DM described a large floating ball with many small tentacles protruding from its body.
We JUST came here to loot the Underdark and prepare for a Kraken that's destroying everything and now we have to deal with this.
Sometimes I miss the simple things, boarding merchant ships, raiding a town, fighting off a literal army of sentient birds...
I admit I'm not up on the particulars of Water Genasi but when in doubt a "Disguise kit" should be able to handle your needs as long as you've got proficiency with it.
Conversely you could take it to level dip and warlock and pick up the invocation "mask many faces" that allows you to disguise itself at will, without spell components or spell slots.
Soooooo with that NPC reaction, I have to ask, Did your DM warn you that your choice of race would be a major detriment in social encounters? Also yeah, it sounds like magical disguise is going to be your only option to hide your problematic race.
Soooooo with that NPC reaction, I have to ask, Did your DM warn you that your choice of race would be a major detriment in social encounters? Also yeah, it sounds like magical disguise is going to be your only option to hide your problematic race.
I was warned that I chose that race I'd probably be the only Water Genasi on the entire continent and would be easily recognizable.
Since we planned on staying on a ship most of the campaign, being pirates and all, I knowingly took the tradeoff to give us a larger advantage.
It's not that the race has a negative social connotation, it's that I've done a lot of terrible things and the stories of the "Blue Orc" have been spreading throughout the Empire.
YOu could always take the cloak off and tell his NPCs "Come at me Bro" and see how your DM likes the murder hobo approach...
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Soooooo with that NPC reaction, I have to ask, Did your DM warn you that your choice of race would be a major detriment in social encounters? Also yeah, it sounds like magical disguise is going to be your only option to hide your problematic race.
I was warned that I chose that race I'd probably be the only Water Genasi on the entire continent and would be easily recognizable.
Since we planned on staying on a ship most of the campaign, being pirates and all, I knowingly took the tradeoff to give us a larger advantage.
It's not that the race has a negative social connotation, it's that I've done a lot of terrible things and the stories of the "Blue Orc" have been spreading throughout the Empire.
Cool, Glad to know its the consequences of your actions and not a DM Horror Story ;)
Also since its specifically "Blue" Orc, there has got to be some makeup or equivalent that you could make yourself an outlandish color other than blue. Sounds like you dont need to hid your race, just your defining color. You would still be notable, just not with the existing baggage ;)
YOu could always take the cloak off and tell his NPCs "Come at me Bro" and see how your DM likes the murder hobo approach...
We're not hobos, we have a ship ™
lol touche
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
You're a unique and unmistakably blue water genasi;
You're infamous.
You have a sizable enough bounty to consider employing a disguise wherever you travel.
Seems your tack is all wrong, matey. Your disrepute is a strength that shouldn't be sullied with attempts at common disguise. I mean, sure, there are times where a disguise could come in handy to further some scheme, but you appear to have a mind for the part of something so much better. Hell, you should be nominated as the nefarious, fear-spreading captain of your bandy league of freebooters and sea wolves for all the reasons listed, not covering yourself with flimsy disguise rags that clearly don't work anyhow.
Yes, it's true; you're the one they'll hang first when the catching is caught, but until then ... !!!
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I'm in a pirate campaign and most players, myself included, currently have bounties.
It's not too big of a deal for the rest of the party because they're Half-Orcs and as far as the Empire is concerned they all look alike. However, I'm a Water Genasi and standout like a sore blue thumb.
It's not been that much of a problem because I'm usually on our ship or in (Half)Orc controlled territory where they don't care about the law of the Empire.
Though now I'm traversing the countryside of the Empire and trying to use a traveling cloak with a pointed hood to cover my face and gloves to cover my hands. Somehow this makes me stand out EVEN MORE than before and as the DM puts it "we now have our edgelord character."
If it helps I'm a level 9 Circle of The Land Coastal Druid.
I should mention that yes I've considered using Wild Shape to hide as a spider or some other animal when we're in town but I hate using transformations when I don't need to.
Have you looked into Disguise Self, or perhaps a Hat of Disguise?
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I honestly don't understand your DM's comment, if it was actually mean to be taken seriously. There's nothing edgelord in trying to hide your identity if you are an actual wanted person. But depending on how "aquatic" water genasi are in your setting (ie, how easily they can pass for a human or something else) there are a few options. Except for the obvious of changing your hair and clothes, here are some ideas.
One is to pretend that you are a sea elf. Landlubbers probably don't know the difference.
Wear a knitted cap instead of a cloak and hood. Less conspicuous nad easier to blend in with a crowd.
Bandages over your face and hands, pretend that you have been burned.
Then there the "Caleb". Dress and act like a dirty hobo. Make sure you stink enough so that people don't want to take a second look at you. Also come up with a new name and identity that you are very willing to share with others so that they don't have any reasons to suspect you aren't who you say you are.
Thanks, I'll see about the hat but no one in our group can cast Disguise Self.
I love these ideas, but sadly I have a -2 Charisma. That won't stop me from trying though!
Sure sounds like a dirty hobo to me! ;)
Disguise is about telling a story. why are you there? what is your profession? Are you a disrupting or enabling the situation? Hiding your skin color, your first option is disguise yourself as another blue skin race, second choose a profession that allows you to hide your skin color: religious officials where they are required to hide their faces, jesters, dress like the rest of the druids in the region or as a plague survivor think "why are you waring bandages?" "Plague wounds." this may or may not lead them running a way in fear. p.s. use chicken eggs. Smear it over your character's face to create the illusion of disease.
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Fashion fake horns and pretend to be a blue tiefling?
Your best bet is honestly probably going to be asking your companions to make themselves more memorable. Not necessarily as themselves, but as outlandish personalities that will stick in the mind more than the quiet guy in the hooded cloak. Your lack of Charisma will make the inevitable Deception checks much more difficult - so throw the problem at the rest of the party. Get them to antics it up and make colorful characters of themselves that you can hide behind. Cloak, gloves, bandages - you can be a burn or plague victim who is nevertheless the beloved sibling of one of the other members of the party, so you travel with them on their journies.
If the other folks in the party are making Performance or Deception checks to jackanape their way across the Empire, then you're making fewer Deception checks yourself, ne?
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I really wanted to say this wouldn't work, I really did, but thinking about it the NPCs have been kinda dumb lately
So it all failed horribly.
Our contact in the thieve's guild saw a bunch of Half-Orcs, which is odd that far North in the country, took one look at me even though I was covered up, and shouted "BLUUUUEEE!"
EVERYONE turned to stare at us as he went on a loud rant in the bar ran by the thieve's guild, who also had random village patrons there, about how there was no way he was going to be our guide to the Underdark unless we doubled or tripled his pay. He then went on to list all of our major events framed from the perspective of an Imperial citizen.
I didn't realize we were that infamous throughout the Empire until he laid everything out like that.
Ah well, I'm sure the Beholder doesn't care who we are.
Oh didn't I mention? We left off the session walking into a giant cavern where the DM described a large floating ball with many small tentacles protruding from its body.
We JUST came here to loot the Underdark and prepare for a Kraken that's destroying everything and now we have to deal with this.
Sometimes I miss the simple things, boarding merchant ships, raiding a town, fighting off a literal army of sentient birds...
I admit I'm not up on the particulars of Water Genasi but when in doubt a "Disguise kit" should be able to handle your needs as long as you've got proficiency with it.
Conversely you could take it to level dip and warlock and pick up the invocation "mask many faces" that allows you to disguise itself at will, without spell components or spell slots.
Soooooo with that NPC reaction, I have to ask, Did your DM warn you that your choice of race would be a major detriment in social encounters? Also yeah, it sounds like magical disguise is going to be your only option to hide your problematic race.
I was warned that I chose that race I'd probably be the only Water Genasi on the entire continent and would be easily recognizable.
Since we planned on staying on a ship most of the campaign, being pirates and all, I knowingly took the tradeoff to give us a larger advantage.
It's not that the race has a negative social connotation, it's that I've done a lot of terrible things and the stories of the "Blue Orc" have been spreading throughout the Empire.
YOu could always take the cloak off and tell his NPCs "Come at me Bro" and see how your DM likes the murder hobo approach...
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
We're not hobos, we have a ship ™
Cool, Glad to know its the consequences of your actions and not a DM Horror Story ;)
Also since its specifically "Blue" Orc, there has got to be some makeup or equivalent that you could make yourself an outlandish color other than blue. Sounds like you dont need to hid your race, just your defining color. You would still be notable, just not with the existing baggage ;)
lol touche
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
It's kinda like our unofficial motto
Let me get this straight:
Seems your tack is all wrong, matey. Your disrepute is a strength that shouldn't be sullied with attempts at common disguise. I mean, sure, there are times where a disguise could come in handy to further some scheme, but you appear to have a mind for the part of something so much better. Hell, you should be nominated as the nefarious, fear-spreading captain of your bandy league of freebooters and sea wolves for all the reasons listed, not covering yourself with flimsy disguise rags that clearly don't work anyhow.
Yes, it's true; you're the one they'll hang first when the catching is caught, but until then ... !!!