Warlock... fear 'em, hate 'em... love 'em?

[Daimondheart]

I had a run in with my first warlock PC today and suddenly realized I wasn't too sure how my character should react to them. Traditionally, Warlock's make pacts with demons and devils but they can also make pacts with fey and other entities depending on the setting. So my first question is how does the populace in general view warlocks?

My second question is the subject of identifying warlocks. Now, with enough points in spell casting, you can identify any spell via the combat log. But what I want to know is whether or not knowing what spell is being cast is enough. Some warlock spells are rather similar to other normal and arcane spells. Do our characters immediately "sense" a fell or evil energy from its use? And what if the warlock has formed a pact with a fey or other non-evil entity?

[Alterity]

Due to how common warlocks are, and have been... My characters usually just know them by the fact they are constantly shooting glowing beams of various energies. But it depends on my characters knowledge base of if they understand the warlock power, or just know what they are. Some of them don't know how they get their powers and assume they are similar to Sorcerers, others know and believe that many aren't evil, and others hate 'em.

[Zaxis]

Some of them don't know how they get their powers and assume they are similar to Sorcerers

Uh.. Well, most certainly that is not the case. Unlike a Sorcerer, a Warlock is not born with these powers, nor are they dormant inside of them. (Unless they are Tiefling, of course..) It is almost always the case with any non-Tiefling Warlock that they have made some sort of pact with Devils and the like. Most often the cost of gaining more and more powerful Eldritch abilities is giving up portions--or even all--of ones soul. Again.. This is at least referring to traditional "Fiendish" Warlocks, where the energies they wield are of Devilish origin. I am not 100% sure on how exactly Fey Warlocks would be roleplayed as, because 90% of the servers I have played on have had the possibilities of playing a Fey Warlock disabled.

[Alterity]

Some of them don't know how they get their powers and assume they are similar to Sorcerers

Uh.. Well, most certainly that is not the case. Unlike a Sorcerer, a Warlock is not born with these powers, nor are they dormant inside of them. (Unless they are Tiefling, of course..) It is almost always the case with any non-Tiefling Warlock that they have made some sort of pact with Devils and the like. Most often the cost of gaining more and more powerful Eldritch abilities is giving up portions--or even all--of ones soul. Again.. This is at least referring to traditional "Fiendish" Warlocks, where the energies they wield are of Devilish origin. I am not 100% sure on how exactly Fey Warlocks would be roleplayed as, because 90% of the servers I have played on have had the possibilities of playing a Fey Warlock disabled.

Yeah, cool. Like I said, Incharacter some of my characters think they are born with the powers similar to Sorcerers. I never said -I- believe that

Characters don't have to believe what I do, and I doubt there is a large amount of incharacter lore on how Warlocks get their powers and most characters probably don't care as long as the energy blasts aren't direct at them. Afterall, if sorcerers are born with the power to shoot beams of fire (scorching ray) then why can't a warlock be born with the power to shoot beams of fire (hellfire blast)?

And on that note, I know of at least two warlocks that WERE born with their powers, neither of them tieflings.

[Rob]

Warlocks are born, not made. Some are the descendants of people who trafficked with demons and devils long ago. Some seek out the dark powers as youths, driven by ambition or the desire for power, but a few blameless individuals are simply marked out by the supernatural forces as conduits or tools. The exact nature of a warlock's origin is up to the player to decide; just as a sorcerer is not beholden to the magic-wielding ancestor that bequeathed his bloodline with arcane power, a warlock is not bound to follow the source that gifted him with magic.

Warlocks are not half-fiends or tieflings by default (although many creatures of those kinds become some of the most powerful and terrifying representatives of the class). The mark that the supernatural powers leave on their servants is often a mark in the soul, not the flesh. In fact, many warlocks are created by nonevil powers - wild or fey forces that can be every bit as dangerous as demons or devils. Whatever their origin, warlocks are widely feared and misunderstood. Most are wanderers who rarely stay in one place for long.

Your character would be able to identify a warlock if they have spent any time with warlocks in the past. But your character wouldn't able to sense the origin of their power. The warlock themselves might not know that.

[Landrunner]

mi character nació con los poderes y no tuvo la necesidad de hacer un pacto con nadie mas que con el mismo, él los heredo de sus padres quienes los consiguieron de sus ancestros mediante pactos de sangre. La verdad es que son poco comprendidos, marginados y prejuzgados, cuando en realidad algunos, no todos, solo buscan incrementar su ser como asi también sus sentidos. Por lo tanto, como los ve la población? por la experiencia con mi character lo ven mal, como una amenaza constante y no lo quieren cerca. Con respecto a los hechizos, el brujo tiene la capacidad de combinar poderes, lo que le da una ventaja sobre los hechiceros, puede combinar su poder innato con el fuego por ejemplo y esto otorgarle mayor daño en sus golpes. Son misteriosos, algunos tienden a guiarse por lo que les dicta su ser lo cual les trae malas consecuencias, lo que es cierto es que no pasan por algún lugar sin dejar huella.

[Ve'keer]

I wouldn't say warlocks are common, especially right now. I think I know of maybe two that actually use eldritch magic, and multiple dormant ones who don't play anymore. And the one I play. I think that how a character reacts to them should be the same way your character reacts to anyone, alignment-wise. Not based on their class, but their actions and how well the two characters get along together. I'd assume if there was a consensus on how to react to warlocks, it would be suspiciously, just because of the rarity of them, and the fact that your character might not know anything about them.

[Azareil]

I roleplay that Pimpernell's had it at birth, but it originates from a pact his Grandfather made that's been passed down from Father to Son. But then again, I also carry around in my backpack the creature the pact was made with, which makes things a bit more interesting.

[Alterity]

I wouldn't say warlocks are common, especially right now. I think I know of maybe two that actually use eldritch magic, and multiple dormant ones who don't play anymore. And the one I play. I think that how a character reacts to them should be the same way your character reacts to anyone, alignment-wise. Not based on their class, but their actions and how well the two characters get along together. I'd assume if there was a consensus on how to react to warlocks, it would be suspiciously, just because of the rarity of them, and the fact that your character might not know anything about them.

I can think of 4 or 5 warlocks off the top of my head, in fact I can think of more warlocks than sorcerers!

Just characters alone born with the power: Pimpernell, Ismael, Alan, Nyabubnyl.

Other warlocks, Xames, Elvina, Chem's warlock (J... Something), Choox has a warlock, Zaxis posted that they had one, a certain dark elf.

I can't think of any more, even after thinking longer. But sorcerers? Phelan, Kite, Naralia and Lucien are the only sorcerers I can think of. Though looking at the Ordo Magica list, Jack, Justian as well, though they've been missing for ages.

[Jain Zar]

I play Elvina Hellcat, who even doesn't know her true name anymore, she's found and raised by the elves while she already had these powers. So its not clear (yet/and to her) if she's born with it or not.
Unfortunately she had no guide in her magic... but some people called her a witch which made her aware about the warlock thing... the rest of the story, how she evolves is to be found under the "Hellcat" section

PS: love that Pimpernell RP

[Alterity]

I play Elvina Hellcat, who even doesn't know her true name anymore, she's found and raised by the elves while she already had these powers. So its not clear (yet/and to her) if she's born with it or not.
Unfortunately she had no guide in her magic... but some people called her a witch which made her aware about the warlock thing... the rest of the story, how she evolves is to be found under the "Hellcat" section

PS: love that Pimpernell RP

I didn't forget Elvina, nuh uh, no way!

[Jain Zar]

[Landrunner]

i think that warlocks are warlocks. They are different as Sorcerers and witches and whatever

[Aglet Blacksoul]

There are more warlocks out there that stomp around from time to time. However, from my a friend's experience there is not a certain way that people deal with a warlock in particular other than some characters just don't like magic period. Other than that they are treated no differently out of combat than any other character. They are free to make their own enemies (or friend I guess)... they need no help from stereotype reactions!