This is partially a character build question and partially a story question. I want to create a character who is a King with actual class levels. I’m looking for story ideas on how a king might end up traveling with an adventuring party, and ideas on how to build such a character.
So I was imagining a king without a kingdom perhaps, but I’m open to ideas for a character build and/or story that might personify a kingly character?
If a king with out a kingdom, its pretty easy to rip off ideas from ASOIF books or Game of Thrones.
How about, as a baby during the siege of his fathers castle he was whisked away and brought up on a Buccaneer vessel (the last remaining war ship of the kingdoms fleet). The captain and its crew now actively harass the conquering empire's shipping.
A ships captain is a powerful and noble member of society, plus well versed in royal courtly etiquette and well educated. I would imagine the captain would take this young king under his wing, as a young child he would be schooled not only in ship maintenance like most ship's hands, swabbing decks rope handling and hoisting sales. But educated by the captain to fulfill his role he eventually wishes to claim.
As a young teen, he would likely repeat stories he learned from the captain to the rest of the crew and entertain them with songs and tails from their old home.
(The King starting off as a Bard)
He would learn how to inspire and gain loyalty during tough voyages. Keeping any chance of mutiny in check for the captain through his cunning, and social interactions. This would be a good platform to build a wise ruler who understood the nature of people, during good and bad times. He would also learn a lot about deception as of course his true identity would be kept secret.
Bards being a jack of all trades make good ship's hands, being literate would lead to knowledge of navigation, this would also lead into knowledge of other sea ports and cultures in their travels. In this time the young king would learn of merchant houses, how to haggle and the importance of wealth and navy (a single merchant ship can carry the wealth of a small kingdom). Here slight of hand and surviving in unfamiliar ports would form some of his land based experiences.
I would probably go up to lvl 5 or 6 where upon now in his early 20's and much experience at sea the young kings mentor and Captain of the Ship dies. Becoming older and frail, scurvy or a chill takes the Captains last breath and the ship is left the exile kings hands.
Here the king might decide to sell the vessel, as it would be worth a small fortune and seek mercenaries to aid him in attacking those who conquered his kingdom.
He might focus on fighting. Maybe a guerrilla fighter and becoming a ranger, a battle master fighter or Paladin of some holy order, who he can convince to lead a crusade to aid him in reconquering his lost lands.
Of course, seeking a magic path could work too, making a deal with a fiend to become a warlock could be cool. Would make an interesting hook once his kingdom is back under his rule and the fiend comes to collect his debit..
Choosing the build like Colleges and Paths is more personal to your game so I choose not to delve into that..
(I kind of got sidetracked making a NPC, i'm sure some ideas would work ok for a PC).
There are a number of ways you could go about this.
1) If you want him to still have his kingdom, you could go that he has fallen on ill favor of his people and he is forced to go adventuring to regain their favor.
2) You could go prince, and is either loved by his father and was sent out to help the kingdom, or is hated by his father and is forced to go out and learn what it means to be a great leader.
3) He was king of a fallen kingdom and is on a quest to find an artifact that can get his kingdom back and restore him to power.
4) He is a devout follower of a god/goddess and was chosen to go on a quest for them or fall out of favor with them. The god/goddess protects your kingdom from invaders.
As for background I'd say noble. Class you can go whatever route you want but kings would mostly be fighters, or paladins. Bards, clerics, monks, rogues and rangers would also be viable classes depending on how he was raised up. Spell casters as well can be viable as long as the kingdom would accept a spell caster to rule over them. Barbarians and druids are the least likely. As long as you come up with a good backstory you can go whatever route you want.
I would also say speak to your DM about this so they can help you flush out certain details, and see if there is a way of having it effect the story and give you plot hooks.
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Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
One out of the normal way of finding out your now a King, could be a royal herald tracks down your PC and hands him a letter and crown.
For what ever reason, the King has passed away, and all his direct born children conceived in wedlock have either died or been left out of his will. The letter reveals you being his last remaining heir to the throne.
This could kick off a lot of cool stories like, assassins out to stop you claiming your right. Convincing various backers to support your claim. Proving your bloodline and over throwing the current person who has taken your kingdom, and most importantly gaining the support of the common people.
Story wise, it could be possible that whatever is going on in the world is greatly affecting your people, so you as the king have decided to head out and put an end the situation. This could also determine what race or class you are. Maybe you're a Triton and you need to leave your watery civilization to do this. Maybe you are a Barbarian who as the leader of your tribe is expected to deal with this situation.
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This is partially a character build question and partially a story question. I want to create a character who is a King with actual class levels. I’m looking for story ideas on how a king might end up traveling with an adventuring party, and ideas on how to build such a character.
So I was imagining a king without a kingdom perhaps, but I’m open to ideas for a character build and/or story that might personify a kingly character?
Thanks in advance!
If a king with out a kingdom, its pretty easy to rip off ideas from ASOIF books or Game of Thrones.
How about, as a baby during the siege of his fathers castle he was whisked away and brought up on a Buccaneer vessel (the last remaining war ship of the kingdoms fleet). The captain and its crew now actively harass the conquering empire's shipping.
A ships captain is a powerful and noble member of society, plus well versed in royal courtly etiquette and well educated. I would imagine the captain would take this young king under his wing, as a young child he would be schooled not only in ship maintenance like most ship's hands, swabbing decks rope handling and hoisting sales. But educated by the captain to fulfill his role he eventually wishes to claim.
As a young teen, he would likely repeat stories he learned from the captain to the rest of the crew and entertain them with songs and tails from their old home.
(The King starting off as a Bard)
He would learn how to inspire and gain loyalty during tough voyages. Keeping any chance of mutiny in check for the captain through his cunning, and social interactions. This would be a good platform to build a wise ruler who understood the nature of people, during good and bad times. He would also learn a lot about deception as of course his true identity would be kept secret.
Bards being a jack of all trades make good ship's hands, being literate would lead to knowledge of navigation, this would also lead into knowledge of other sea ports and cultures in their travels. In this time the young king would learn of merchant houses, how to haggle and the importance of wealth and navy (a single merchant ship can carry the wealth of a small kingdom). Here slight of hand and surviving in unfamiliar ports would form some of his land based experiences.
Skills :- History, Insight, , Survival, Persuasion
Background: Noble
I would probably go up to lvl 5 or 6 where upon now in his early 20's and much experience at sea the young kings mentor and Captain of the Ship dies. Becoming older and frail, scurvy or a chill takes the Captains last breath and the ship is left the exile kings hands.
Here the king might decide to sell the vessel, as it would be worth a small fortune and seek mercenaries to aid him in attacking those who conquered his kingdom.
He might focus on fighting. Maybe a guerrilla fighter and becoming a ranger, a battle master fighter or Paladin of some holy order, who he can convince to lead a crusade to aid him in reconquering his lost lands.
Of course, seeking a magic path could work too, making a deal with a fiend to become a warlock could be cool. Would make an interesting hook once his kingdom is back under his rule and the fiend comes to collect his debit..
Choosing the build like Colleges and Paths is more personal to your game so I choose not to delve into that..
(I kind of got sidetracked making a NPC, i'm sure some ideas would work ok for a PC).
There are a number of ways you could go about this.
1) If you want him to still have his kingdom, you could go that he has fallen on ill favor of his people and he is forced to go adventuring to regain their favor.
2) You could go prince, and is either loved by his father and was sent out to help the kingdom, or is hated by his father and is forced to go out and learn what it means to be a great leader.
3) He was king of a fallen kingdom and is on a quest to find an artifact that can get his kingdom back and restore him to power.
4) He is a devout follower of a god/goddess and was chosen to go on a quest for them or fall out of favor with them. The god/goddess protects your kingdom from invaders.
As for background I'd say noble. Class you can go whatever route you want but kings would mostly be fighters, or paladins. Bards, clerics, monks, rogues and rangers would also be viable classes depending on how he was raised up. Spell casters as well can be viable as long as the kingdom would accept a spell caster to rule over them. Barbarians and druids are the least likely. As long as you come up with a good backstory you can go whatever route you want.
I would also say speak to your DM about this so they can help you flush out certain details, and see if there is a way of having it effect the story and give you plot hooks.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
One out of the normal way of finding out your now a King, could be a royal herald tracks down your PC and hands him a letter and crown.
For what ever reason, the King has passed away, and all his direct born children conceived in wedlock have either died or been left out of his will. The letter reveals you being his last remaining heir to the throne.
This could kick off a lot of cool stories like, assassins out to stop you claiming your right. Convincing various backers to support your claim. Proving your bloodline and over throwing the current person who has taken your kingdom, and most importantly gaining the support of the common people.
Story wise, it could be possible that whatever is going on in the world is greatly affecting your people, so you as the king have decided to head out and put an end the situation. This could also determine what race or class you are. Maybe you're a Triton and you need to leave your watery civilization to do this. Maybe you are a Barbarian who as the leader of your tribe is expected to deal with this situation.