Help with a Curse

[DM Van Helsing]

A player of mine has handed me a pretty great opportunity that I want to turn into the best story possible. He's playing a pretty much straight up fighter type... who has amnesia. He woke up one day, alone. He has armor and weapons. He has martial skills. He speaks. He reads. He writes. He just cannot remember his name, who he is, where he is from and how he ended up where he was.

I am wanting to make it the results of a curse that was placed upon him that left him in this state. I like the idea that he was a villain before who did something and got cursed. I just can't think of a good thread to tie it all together.

Obviously, this creates lots of fun opportunities to have him run into people who remember him - or claim to - as well as have places and things pop memories into his head. That kind of thing.

Any suggestions?

DM Van Helsing

[NeoTiamat]

Hmm, in my mind, Curse + Fighter Type = Malocchio Soldier cursed by a Vistani.

The character was a Mercenary that answered Malocchio's call, and spent some time hunting down and brutally murdering Vistani. Eventually he managed to get a curse upside the head, so now he is an amnesiac.

You have a vicious, brutal past, the possibility of 'comrades-in-arms' recognizing him and trying to help him (scary enough on its own), he's absolutely loathed by the Vistani, and he has no idea why, and in Invidia he's treated with fear and revulsion.

Should be interesting.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

If this is a brand-new PC, I'd recommend holding off on deciding what his forgotten past was, until the player's had a chance to develop a bit if a personality for this character. Once you (and he) have seen what the character is like now, it'll narrow down the options for what kind of a background could've made him think and act in that way, keeping the PC's nature consistent with his past (albeit forgotten) history. For example, if the player portrays the amnesiac character as untrusting and suspicious, it's a safe bet that the PC was betrayed by someone he once trusted in his former life.

[DM Van Helsing]

Hmm, in my mind, Curse + Fighter Type = Malocchio Soldier cursed by a Vistani.

The character was a Mercenary that answered Malocchio's call, and spent some time hunting down and brutally murdering Vistani. Eventually he managed to get a curse upside the head, so now he is an amnesiac.

Oooh! I am planning on running them through Evil Eye (in a bit). That will provide all *kinds* of fun interactions and people to recognize him.

Thanks!

Of course, other suggestions are still welcome. The first idea (while a great one in this case) isn't always the best idea.

DM Van Helsing

[NeoTiamat]

It's always nice to be liked.

Not sure that it'll work if you have them do Evil Eye, though. Malocchio only really comes onto the stage in that time period, so it wouldn't make much sense if you have the PC be a mercenary for Malocchio before there even was a Malocchio.

Then again, you could turn him into a Falkovnian Talon, a Vaasi Black-cap (horribly underused group), or even, dare I say it, a Kargatane (the lower ranking guys), and come up with a background that gets him in trouble with the Vistani.

[Korumil]

Remember that curses are the very stuff of ravenloft, vistani aren't the only ones who cast curses. Any spellcaster with Bestow Curse, or even just a wronged peasant can call down the wrath of the Dark Powers.

Even more confusing, the PC may have asked for his amnesia, like in Planescape: Torment.

[Kessler]

If he is Malocchio's or Drakov soldier, maybe give him some strange power and curse (failed powers check) if the player is willing...

Then again, you could turn him into a Falkovnian Talon, a Vaasi Black-cap (horribly underused group)...

NeoTiamat, what group is this Vaasi Black-cap? I've never heard about it. Can you give some sources?

[Joël of the FoS]

If this is a brand-new PC, I'd recommend holding off on deciding what his forgotten past was, until the player's had a chance to develop a bit if a personality for this character. Once you (and he) have seen what the character is like now, it'll narrow down the options for what kind of a background could've made him think and act in that way, keeping the PC's nature consistent with his past (albeit forgotten) history. For example, if the player portrays the amnesiac character as untrusting and suspicious, it's a safe bet that the PC was betrayed by someone he once trusted in his former life.

I can't agree more. Planning is fun, but retroengineering based on actual play is even better. That is what I did in my campaign.

For a specific PC, I had a few ideas, but didn't decide for his past until session 15 or something.

You can also do this later with the player. I didn't, and made him a surprise, as I knew this player would take it well. If you are not sure, discuss it with your player.

Joël

[NeoTiamat]

I'm agreeing with Joel and Rotipher that it'd be a better idea to wait, (they're the FoS, they know what they're doing).

Blackcaps are in Gaz V, and are covered on page 32. I actually mixed up slightly. There are three organizations or groups run by Othmar Bolshnik.

The first is the Storkaskete, or Black Caps. Basically they're the elite guards. Fifteen incredibly fanatical guardsmen.

The second is the Slangetunge, which are informers and spies.

The third are the Straffers, which is the secret police, and the one I was thinking of. More power then any watchmen, led by an executioner, and with rumors of all sorts of nasty acts (cannibalism, demon worship, lycanthropy). Essentially a Vaasi variation on the Kargat, Talons, or Black Leopards/