3. The New Barbarians [Challenge]

The New Barbarians [Challenge]


  • The time has come, so I'm going to make my barbarian. He'll be a dusky-skinned Rashemi male named Argish, who speaks with a "Rashemi accent" (which I will leave to the imagination and type his dialogue as regular, callous speech). He'll be only slightly above average height (as per his Rashemi blood, being predisposed to shortness).

    I agree with Card that we should make our own totem, so he will follow whatever that is, and if asked in game, will direct questions to Maksym - until we've officially formed a consensus. Deity: Uthgardt. I'll try to keep him consistent with much of the Rashemi lore found in Lein's link, particularly the Dajemma.

    Some sample dialogue:

    "There are goblins attacking, huh? Let's gut them, then!"

    "I don't know what the hell you want. Get out of my face before I tear yours off."

    "Talk to the Chief about that kind of stuff."

    Hopefully that stimulates the brainstorming a bit.

    Potential tribe names: Eglaron, Horonni.

    Potential totem - should be some REALLY RUGGED animal, and to distinguish ours from others, we might add a modifier like "Black" or "Ruby:" Crocodile, lion, tiger, cheetah, rhino. For example, we might follow the Onyx Rhino or the Black Cheetah. I like Black Cheetah - Chaotic Neutral alignment.

  • N

    @e00c96ed9a=cardamon:

    Is he looking for a tribe? They must be pretty down on their luck if coming to Narfell. They might not mind adding his blood to the tribe.

    http://www.narfell.us/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=429712#429712

    thats his background


  • What if… our Tribe is following the spirit of a Heyokarr Shaman who came to them, asking for their help to cleanse the ancestral lands in Narfell?

    All the tribesmen here have disappeared, and the Featherlight area is destroyed with dead bodies littering it. We have to find out who is responsible, and make them pay! As well as that, we must restore the land and cleanse it of restless spirits... then we will be able to settle in the land and create our own lasting tribal presence.


  • I can't get NWN to copy and paste, so I can't name him with cyrillic characters.

    But here's Максим/Maxim/Maksym, the Barbarian Druid Beastmaster, Erstwhile Shaman, and current chief of the ________ Tribe.

    And yes, that picture's in the portrait pack, so I'm using it.


  • Oooh, I might bring in a Barbarian/Sorceror, or Rage Mage as they've been dubbed in some parts. A Barbarian who can create extraordinary effects with his anger.


  • Is he looking for a tribe? They must be pretty down on their luck if coming to Narfell. They might not mind adding his blood to the tribe.

  • N

    I've got a Barbarian dual axe wielding beserker who is interested in making a comeback


  • Rashemon then?

    Okay, how about meat and bones:

    Who is our tribe and if they have a totem, was is it?

    I figure no matter what, my yet unnamed Beastmaster Druid communes with this spirit, which is a, pending DM approval, an aspect of some other deity. Anyone else can worship whatever they want, but remember, we're savage nomads. Lawful Honorbound gods aren't really our thing. "Hand your enemy back his weapon for a good fight and good sport, not because big nosey god in helm tell you what do."

    A few of us also talked about tribal leadership, and the subject of ritual combat for leadership came up. Basically, might gives right. If you can beat the current chief in a fight, you're the leader till the next guy hits you. It doesn't apply to outsiders…you have to have the blood of the tribe in you (a blood mixing ritual being the only way in aside from birth).

    Since we all start out at the same time, and it's my idea, I'll take the first automatic leadership, and we can fight for it after that. We're barbarians, so none of the a "challenge the next guy up the list" stuff. Anything goes, although killing the chief and depriving the tribe of a good warrior is frowned on.

  • F

    Rashemen is full of spirits, animal or otherwise, which would comply with your concept, card. Since I recently rolled up a Rashemi character, I vote you go for Rashemen barbs too!

    There's some great info here, which, after some serious Rashemen research, I can verify is pretty much taken directly from the 3.0 sourcebook: Unapproachable East (so its all canon).

    Off the top of my head, how would this sound…
    Rashemi tribe traces its ancestors back to Narfell (i.e. way back to the sort of time when Narfell was fighting Raumathar). Lead by a wise old animal spirit who is old enough to remember their old tribe, they are lead back to Narfell in the hope of finding the remains of their once great leaders!


  • Locrian might mean Hatchetface <.<


  • There's no real reason they couldn't be from one of those places, and still be Totemic. That's an issue for Clerics and Druids, not the tribe. And even if it's cribbing from the only other established Totemic group, I still like the idea them being lead out of wherever they were into the wilds of Narfell by some great animal spirit…perhaps in search of an ancient ancestral shrine or something still, with reliquaries of their ancestors carried with them and their ghosts spurring them on, eager to rest and resume their watchful repose over the tribe.

    @20a97e70f6=Locrian_Danister:

    a more lawful, a less jokey vicious man would be a fantastic play, and a good group to pal with? Count me in, if you'll have me.

    A barbarian more lawful and less vicious than your Captain of the Militia?

    :x

  • D

    I'll give it a shot, though I'm more for Rashemi/Vassan barbarian types, possibly with some colourfull experiences in places like chessentia, but most of my barbarians are heavily norse themed or conan-esque. world weary but still savage.

    Anyway, I'll go for either a pure barbarian or a bard.


  • I would vote Rashemon. Simply because of how terribly superstitious and spiritual that particular land and tribe is. Rashemon is at least as crazy and off kilter as the narfell we live in.

    I'd be highly interested in a new barbarian. Let's say I've played one, once upon a time ^^

    a more lawful, a less jokey vicious man would be a fantastic play, and a good group to pal with? Count me in, if you'll have me.


  • I'm rather partial to a slightly more traditional "barbarian" culture for this group, such as the Vaasans that Lein pointed out.


  • I wanted a new totem because then we aren't tied into the main tribal group and don't have to explain why only this group listened to what was essentially the word of their god and traveled East and all the other Great Worms or Red Ponies or stayed behind. Plus a new totem could be cool. We could be followers of the the Great Cave Bear or perhaps horsemen, as has been suggested multiple times.

    But if enough people go in another direction, I'm amiable.

    However, I'd like to point out: Totems are cool.

  • F

    I realise you are quite set on Uthgardt barbarians - but I figured i'd use the opportunity to give a quick rundown of the main barbarian cultures from lands not too far from Narfell.

    Vaasa
    Cold, arctic tundra full of nomadic hunters and sporadic settlements. Ironically, one of our Finnish players suggested it sounded very much like his homeland of Finland 😎
    Main god is Auril, more through a 'please spare me a frozen death oh wicked ice queen' worship rather than general appraise (see: Umberlee :P).

    Reason for being in Narfell?
    Perhaps the harsh lands of the glacier have just become too unbearable and the nomads have moved south in favour of warmer climates - eschewing Damara in favour of less civilised lands.

    Rashemen
    A land of Barbarians and Witches. The Barbs are known as Berserkers and are seperated into Berserker Lodges. In PnP each lodge gets their own special type of Barbarian rage with various advantages and disadvantages.
    Religions in Rashemen are typically Mystra, Chauntea and Mielikki. Rashemi barbs grow up under the rule of the Witches, and would have no issues with Magic users (plus it is right next door to Narfell).
    Berserkers of Rashemen typically fight with curved swords rather than Axes - so Sabres and maybe Katanas?

    Reason for being in Narfell?
    Simple. Rashemi's berserkers fight the Nar barbarians a LOT. Since the Nar have dwindled over the years (in our game setting, at least) it is feasible that the Rashemi would venture West to investigate/conquer!

    Tuigan
    Adrian suggested this. Tuigan's are known across the east after the Tuigan horde charged in what was a direct parallel to the Mongolian invasion of Europe. Tuigans are horse nomads, fighting with shortbows. They worship nature deities mostly.
    I found an entire 2e sourcebook pretty much dedicated to them online and if anyone is interested I can link it. It adds lots of interesting character quirks and advise on making your own tribe. It looks at things like superstitions and Tuigan morals & laws.

    Murghôm
    Cossacks, basically - though instead of being oppressed by great Imperialist Russia, they are instead a kind of vassal of Mulhorand. They speak Mulhorandi, worship Mulhorandi gods, but ride round on horses with scimitars and cutlasses (maybe Katanas too!).

    The Shaar
    Nothing to do with the goddess. The Shaar is a vast expanse of Savanah grassland, populated by Wemics and Centaurs. The people of the Shaar are nomads, typically on horseback (I think).

    Reason for being in Narfell?
    As I recall, natives of the Shaar are often taken as slaves and sold to Chessenta, and subsequently sold to Thay/Mulhorand. A band of Shaarans escaping enslavement is as good a reason as any to end up somewhere arbitrary 😛

    Uthgardt Barbarians definately meet the stereotype barbarians of western culture - and the DnD character class for that matter (I won't get started on why Barbarian should be a race not a class).

    Apologies for the post hijack, the purpose of this was just to highlight how there are many variations on 'Barbarian' cultures across Faerun - particularly in the East.

    Also if anyone would like more information on this stuff, please ask.


  • I don't think there's a need for a NEW totem. We could certainly follow an existing totem - it wouldn't mean we'd be locked into a certain culture or anything. And I generally agree with Card; Barbarians -can- be "honorable," but they can also be cutthroat, dirty, and barbaric. So, I'm all for a more "colorful," more rugged barbarian group.

    We'd need to figure out the following for the group, though: (human[?] sub-)race, totem, geographical orgins, language, and some very basic cultural details for consistency.

    As for my character, consider me ACCEPTED. Fighter/barbarian male, "The Two-headed Reaver." Double-axe. >:)


  • Why is a new totem beast necessary though, as you already have a good amount to choose from?


  • Indeed.

    Thanks Dwin and Wyv.

    northernLights; I was digging on the idea of a new Beast Totem, not one of the existing ones, though they'd definately have to split from somewhere unless they're new "converts"

    The Uthgardt can be traced back principally to the Savage Frontier (which is neither very Savage nor much of a Frontier since that's the inland area bordering Neverwinter and Luskan)…the tribe would have to trace its roots back to there. Which isn't to say they might not have wandered through the frozen wastes of the Spine and the Great Glaciers.


  • Thanks, Wywernywin!