Arenport's 17th Watch OOC

[ratwizard]

Hook

The game takes place in mainland Imardin, in the city of Arenport, around the 584th year of the 5th Era. As with most Imardanian cities, Arenport’s city guard is divided into watch groups consisting typically of 4-6 members. Your party will make up one such watch group, specifically the 17th Watch, typically referred to as just The 17th.

As guards your typical daily duties would consist of patrolling the streets (with shifts staggered between watch groups, so no one group is always working the same time or place) and responding to any criminal activity encountered. In the event of war, your would serve as militiamen to defend the city from any invaders who manage to make landfall. In the events of a major criminal case (such as a homicide, or any other such case requiring investigation) the group who discovered the crime would be temporarily removed from the watch shift cycle so they could devote their time to solving the case. This game will be about such criminal cases.

Setting and Lore

Arenport is the western of the two cities in the Bay of Ellis, much less renowned than its massive neighbor to the east. It is the heart of Imardin’s lumber trade, providing over 50% of the lumber used in constructing and maintaining the navy’s massive fleets. Apart from this fact, though, the city is mostly unremarkable. The landscape, once lush forests, now lies barren and boring from clear-cutting. The city itself is barely better, with many old and run-down buildings, some of which sit abandoned and derelict.

The aristocracy mostly avoids Arenport, preferring the hustle and bustle of Ellisport, the luxury of the lakeside cities, or the culture and opportunity of the conquered islands. As such, only the most stubborn and hardy willingly keep Arenport as their home. Those who visit rarely stay for long. But it is a good city, good enough for you to devote your life to protecting it, both from without and within.

Character Creation Information

You are a guard, and have been for at least a few months by now. Your age can range from late teens to old age. Recruits in the Arenport Watch go through a few months of basic training in combat and reading people, so that they can perform their job effectively, but most training comes while on the job. Each watch has at least one veteran (of at least a few years service, though some veterans are still fairly young) who serves as the de facto leader of the group. Oftentimes these veterans are ex-navymen looking to use their skills in a more relaxed environment, and one away from the toils of sea life. One player will play the veteran depending on time served. It will default to whoever listed the longest time as a guard, unless there is some special other reason you’re in charge.

Depending on your time in the 17th, you’d have at least some knowledge and opinion of the others you work with. These need not be good opinions, but you should at least respect one another enough to be able to effectively work together without constantly butting heads. Please fill out your relations to your compatriots in the Crew Relations sblock of your Background.

General Character Creation Rules
System: 4e
Level 1
Stats: 25pt buy. (rather than 4e's default 22)
Race: Any published, refluffed as human, elf, orc, or dwarf (or any combination of two e.g. half orc/elf, half dwarf/human, etc.).
Class: Any published.
Feats: Choice of free expertise feat.
Themes: Allowed.
Background: +2 to a skill or add a language.
Equipment: One free weapon or implement you have proficiency in, one free armor you have proficiency in, plus 50 gold to spend on other items.
Skills: There are no class skill restrictions; any class can train any skill. You still must take the mandatory/bonus skills granted by your class as usual (e.g. Arcana for a wizard). Also, if after class selection (and prior to race, feat, theme, etc. selection) you possess fewer than 4 trained skills, train as many as it takes to get to 4.
Rituals: Component costs for all rituals are reduced to ¼ their normal values to encourage ritual use. Also, Raise Dead will not be allowed in this game – dead is dead, though we hope that doesn’t have to be an issue.
Inherent Bonuses: No
Languages: We will not be using the standard 4e languages, but instead the ones listed below. If by (mechanical) race or some other means you are granted a language other than common, pick one language from this list instead, even if you would normally have no choice in the matter (such as elves receiving Elven).
Hybrids: You will be allowed to take the feat "Hybrid Talent" as many times as you like as a hybrid character. Most hybrids are incredibly sub-par, and it allows for some really interesting combinations if you look hard enough. The CB does not allow for this option by default, though, so you will need to house-rule it and keep track of the benefits manually.

Languages

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Common - Common is a lingua franca in this world. Most people know at least some of the common tongue, and many speak it fluently, but it is not the primary language of any nation. People who only know Common are typically sailors, or other people who have spent most of their life traveling rather than in one place.

Tulrissian – The national language of Tulrisse, a primarily human agricultural-based kingdom.

(Modern) Serran – The primary language spoken by the small kingdoms of an expansive arid region known as the Serran Desert, which consist mostly of humans and orcs.

Old Serran - The language spoken in the old, now-collapsed Serran Kingdom. Very few people still speak it with any amount of regularity except for the priests and priestess of the Serran gods and the Tenants, who need to know it for many old texts.

Imardanian – The national language of the Imardanian thalassocracy, a naval nation bent on spreading its monotheistic religion to all of Voreld whether people want it or not. It is a very diverse nation, but humans still make up the majority.

Kurnish – The language of the orc tribes of Kurnhuelde, a varied region consisting of taiga, tundra, and more moderate biomes on the Kurnish Peninsula.

Andorian – A language that developed in the Andorian peninsula after it was settled by the Andor dwarves and became a prominent location in Voreld. It was originally a strange mix of Dwarven and Tulrissian, but has since grown into a distinct language of its own.

Dwarven – The common language of the many dwarf kingdoms that occupy the mountains that run down the center of Voreld.

Elven – A catch-all term in Voreld for any of the many distinct dialects spoken by the elf natives of Quellam, a continent to the east.

Gleiosian - A language spoken primarily on Gleios and the surrounding smaller islands it influences.

Brennisian - A language that originated on the Isle of Brennis, but spread after the small nation conquered a large region of the archipelago. It has since become much less prevalent than it once was.

Ghian - A language originating on Ghia, and spreading with its culture to the smaller nearby islands.

Chathran - A language spoken primarily on Chathra and Cianthum

Okani - A language spoken by the people of Mai'okon and the surrounding small islands under its influence.

Kawani - A language spoken by the native peoples of Mai'kawa, the island now known as D'armon. It was once a major language spoken by a regional power, but is now restricted to inland tribes descended from the old kingdom's inhabitants who fled to the mountains when the invasion forces arrived.

Vishan - An odd language that evolved from from both Ghian and Chathran, spoken on the islands of Visha

The Seventeenth Watch

No yet.

[ratwizard]

Ten-Minute Background

Shamelessly stolen from here.

Since this game is more of a traditional campaign, where the characters guide the game and there is no real over-arching plot (unlike the Tulrisse game, where ultimately everything is moving toward the unification and repelling the invasion), I would like you all to complete the following either in place of a standard background write-up, or in addition to one; it is up to you which you go with. The purpose of this is to get some specific info to work with, as well as some meta-goals that you all as players would like to accomplish. Having them all here, rather than me asking you at various times, makes it easier for me to reference them and plan for future activities in-game.

(All examples are taken from my own post for the game linked above, and are using an entirely different setting than the one we will be in.)

Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged but not required. Don't feel pressured or at a loss due to unfamliarity with the Ganoltir campaign world! I'm more than happy to provide elements and more to assist in the process.

Example

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1) Birth - Karth was born as the offspring of Queen Gwarta of Bridged City and one of her many guards. During her pregnancy it was assumed she would be giving birth to another of her husband's children, but when the child turned out to be a half-elf this was quickly proven to be false. The king consort, enraged by the discovery, demanded his wife reveal who the father was. Not wishing for controversy, she quickly revealed who the information and Karth and his father were banished and sent away in secret. The royal family told the public that the pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage and held a grand funeral for the supposed deceased prince. Meanwhile, Karth's father travelled with his newborn son to the city of Mithril to start a new life.

2) Early Life - Karth's father settled in the Harbor City section of Mithril and began taking whatever odd jobs he could find. As Karth got older he would sometimes help, but he usually caused more harm than good and was sent away. It was these times that he first began following the other boys around town, participating in various acts of thievery and creating bonds of friendship.

3) Later Life - As he got older, Karth began to grow bored with petty thievery. After all, it was his destiny to become king of Bridged City and he wasn't going to do that by pickpocketing the various merchants who came to Harbor City. He wanted more, but he didn't exactly know how to get it. Lucky for him his old friend Faust was an ambitious one, and when he stole a ship from the harbor he invited Karth and the other thieves who grew up together to join as his crew. Karth saw this as an opportunity, not only to relieve his boredom but also to gain more riches than he'd ever be able to scrounge alone.

4) The Magnificent Manslayer - As is custom among the Conspicuous Oils, Karth has a nickname that he goes by. When thinking up the names with the others he initially came up with such ideas as "Karth the Glorious", "The Radiant Ruffian", and "The Most Gorgeous Pirate Known to Man." These were all quickly shot down by the others, who said the point of the nicknames were to strike fear. Faust suggested he go by "The Manslayer" since he was always a ruthless fighter when the need arose, and reluctantly Karth accepted. However, it quickly came to everyone's attention that he was reffering to himself as "Karth the Magnificent" outside of their presence. They tried to get him to follow the captain's suggestion, only to be told that "the title simply does not express my greatness as well as it should." After some discussion they finally all came to a compromise, and Karth's nickname was officially made to be "The Magnificent Manslayer."

5) Appearance - Karth is somewhat tall, standing 6'3", with a fairly slender build. He has long, silver hair due to his elven heritage and he is very protective of it - many men have scars (or worse) to show as a result of touching Karth's hair. His manner of dress is never very fancy as he has always been of the lower class, but whatever the clothing he always wears it in a way that gives off an air of nobility. Even while at sea he makes a point to look his best, and can often be found tending to his precious hair. On his belt hangs a mirror that, while useful for some raids, spends most of its time reflecting Karth's face back at him.

6) Personality Traits - As a narcissist Karth tends to be very confident in his abilites, and his self-esteem is never low. He goes into every battle without fear, completely assured of his victory from the start. He is always looking to make friends with new people (no one should miss the opportunity to gaze upon his gorgeous face, after all), though this is often made difficult due to the arrogance that often manifests in social situations due to his narcissism. He is extremely loyal to the few people he truly respects, and despite his overconfidence he is still a formidable opponent on the battlefield, so to some it might be worth earning that respect.

Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.

Example

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1) Karth ultimately desires to become the king of Bridged City. He feels he was wrongly banished, and that as retribution he deserves to gain the throne in place of his half-sister Hannatha.

2) I'd like Karth to get a chance to return to Bridged City so that I can develop that part of his story. He need not actually ever gain the throne as he wants, but I'd at least like to have him come to terms with royalty who are against him in some way, and perhaps meet his mother for the first time.

Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I may also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect the unexpected.

Example

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1) Karth is actually the son of Queen Gwatra of Bridged City, making him royalty in the city-state. He ultimately plans to use this to become king and rule the city-state as he feels he deserves.

2) Karth was made a divine champion of Enkili without his knowledge, and most of his success and combat skill is a result of this. Enkili chose him for his personality, and as such the divine powers he possesses are triggered by him acting in line with his natural narcissism. Acting against this can sometimes have negative effects.

Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.

Example

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1) Karth's father is his only real family, and he cares deeply about his only son. He is the one who filled Karth's head with the idea of becoming king, and thus is directly responsible for Karth's narcissism.

2) Captain Faust is an old friend and Karth has a great deal of respect for the quirky man. He is one of the few people Karth views as an equal.

3) Queen Gwatra, Karth's mother, has a somewhat neutral opinion of him. As her own child she cannot hate him, but she was not sad when he was banished from Bridge City with his father. She wants to avoid a succession dispute just as much as the other royals who know of his existence, but would be torn somewhat if that were ever to happen.

4) The king consort of Bridged City was furious when he learned that Karth was not his son, and when he found out he immediately had the boy and his father banished from the city. He loved his wife enough to forgive her for her affair, but he hates Karth and his father and would likely go to any means to keep them from returning or gaining any sort of prominince in Bridged City.

Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.

Example

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1) Karth is very much a narcissist, and can sometimes be quite arrogant due to his self-absorption. Ironically, these personality traits are the direct cause of his successes in life, as well as his skills in combat, due to them triggering his divinely-granted abilities.

2) He has a very fuzzy memory of the palace interior from the time he was born. Occasionally it is the setting of his dreams, where he is revered by the citizens of Bridge City as a great leader.

3) He absolutely hates for anyone to touch his hair unless they are a very close friend, and even then he is not completely comfortable with it. Touching Karth's hair is one of the few ways to anger him (and the quickest), and has occasionally resulted in the injury or death of the unfortante offender.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

Who raised you and how did they shape your life? What social class do you belong to, and how did that change your opportunities and your outlook? What do you do for a living, and have you changed careers in the past? What social institutions (religions, governments, civil society, businesses) are you a part of or interact with? Do you have a spouse? Children? Did you at one time?

I add this last bit because I like to tie characters into the world around them. Often, people go for very individual or personal stories - long-lost love, bad guy killed my parents, mysterious birth, etc. But I find that this can make characters somewhat disconnected from the world around them, and the world becomes rather too much of a two-dimensional backdrop. Both in reality, you'd expect people to be profoundly shaped by their society and the institutions around them.

Example

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Family - Karth's only real family is his father, and older elven man who was once a guard at the Queen's palace in Bridged City. While he is related by blood to the Bridged City royalty, most of them are unaware of his existence. The ones who do know of him want him kept a secret, so as not to cause a succession dispute.

Class - On his mother's side he is a member of the Bridged City royalty, on his father's side he is a common peasant. He was raised by his father in Mithril as a simple commoner, but his royal blood cannot be denied.

Profession - Karth is a pirate and he is good at it. He has been First Mate of the Quina Vjeta for a long time under Captain Faust, and not without reason. He was one of the few to survive the fateful encounter with the guarded merchant ship, and one of the even fewer to survive who was also a companion of Faust in his youth.

Institutions - he is a member of Faust's Crew, the Conspicuous Oils.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

Here's where I like to get a bit more personality than backstory, because an overly historical concept only really gives you a good grounding in what your character did, what happened to them, rather than what they'll do in the future. So I generally try to ask what motivates a character at any given moment: Revenge? Wealth? Fame? Personal Excellence? Curiosity? Survival? Instinct? Reason? Power? Emotions? Loyalty? Etc.

Example

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Primary - Karth's feeling of entitelement towards the throne of Bridged City is his primary motivating factor. He deserves to rule the city as he sees it, and he will do everything in his power to obtain the position he views as rightfully his.

Secondary - His years as a pirate have also fostered in him a desire for wealth. He has incorporated this lesser desire into his ultimate goal of becoming King of Bridged city by deciding that he will not yet return to the city-state until he has first amassed considerable wealth. This amassing of wealth will surely make it easier for him to obtain the influence he needs gain the throne, but he also wants it for the luxury as well.

Tertiary - Karth is always looking to make new friends, having grown up with very few. His personality tends to hinder him in his pursuit for companions, so one could say it is a never-ending search for those patient and accepting enough to handle his presence on a regular basis.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

Similar to your Step 2, I think that goals give a character a higher order of drive, and can make for a nice character arc that gives level progression some meaning beyond mechanics. In addition, as you point out, it can also be a good hook for DMs.

Example

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Short Term - Meet and befriend the new crewmembers. More friends are always nice.

Medium Term - Continue earning coin with Faust, until Karth as enough to return to Bridged City in style and live there comfortably.

Long Term - Win the hearts of the people of Bridged City and take over as monach instead of his half-sister Hannatha.

Crew Relations - Important NPCs and other PCs

For this I'd like you guys to write your opinions/relationship status of the other PCs as well as the other named NPCs of the crew, regardless of how close or distant that relationship is.

Example

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Captain Blackwood - Karth has never met Blackwood, but has heard tales of the man's deeds. He respects and admires the man he imagines accomplishes those deeds, and would one day like to meet him (under peaceful terms, of course).

Mad Marian - Karth knows nothing but rumors of the buccaneer known as the 'Mad' Marian, but if the rumors are true then he would probably prefer to keep his distance.

etc...

Wishlist - NPCs and Magic Items

Here you should make two lists in the same block: 1) a list of NPCs you'd like to exist in the world that are not directly related to your character. This could be other important figures, potential future crew members, or anyone else not covered in the section for related NPCs and Crew Relations. 2) a list of magic items you'd like to obtain at some point in the future. They will be common in this game, unlike Tulrisse and others, so just put whatever it is you like and I will see if I can work it in at some point.

Example

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NPCs
Raoul - a hair stylist of some renown who Karth would like to visit sometime.

Paul Bumble - a man adept at feigning incompetence, who has amassed a large fortune by preying on the gullible in this manner.

Items
Ice Dagger +1
Boots of Bounding

[ratwizard]

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[ratwizard]

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[Namelessjake]

Varo Marchal

Ten-Minute Background

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Background and Concept Elements

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Appearance: Varo is 27 and stands just under 6 foot tall, at 5'11". He keeps his hair medium length and usually supports some degree of facial hair. He is slender yet, athletic from his time in the navy. He wears a shoulder holster under his jacket, a pistol under his left arm and ammunition under the right. He also keeps a dagger sheathed on his back

Early Life: Varo was born in Arenport. His father worked in the logging camps, felling trees for the shipbuilding. As such he would often be away from home for at least a few days at a time. Varo knew his father's job and filled much of the time he would have spent with him, watching the Imardanian naval vessels rise from nothing in the drydocks, knowing his father was a part of it. Although far from devote, he always dreamed of joining the navy and serving on one of the ships made from the wood his father had gathered.

Coming of Age: Teenage years in Arenport were far from easy as many fell the pull of the street gangs and crime. Varo was no exception, falling in with some questionable characters. Varo himself didn't engage in anything more than a bit of petty theft, more out of wanting something fun to do than anything else, but he knew people who had done far worse.

In the Navy: At the age of 16, Varo signed up for the navy. He passed basic training with relative ease and was assigned to the Vainqueur, an old Galleon nearing the end of its service life. Varo's first tour saw him and the Vainqueur patrolling the Forelle Sea around D'armon and Les Astilles for four years, based out of Cheronte. Their job was mostly to scare off or fight the occasional pirate ship, or sail into port when local tensions were rising on one of the annexed islands.

Varo's second tour was aboard the Vulcain, a newly launched ship of the line, built in Arenport. This tour was a much more aggressive one, the Vulcain being the flagship of a large strike force for much of it. Varo fought in several engagements against the navy of Chathra, and the fleet was used to project Imardanian power across much of Forelle, even over islands yet to be targeted for conversion.

I am the Law: After 8 years in the navy Varo had risen up the ranks of enlisted men and won two awards, however the strain of the job was starting to get to him, he was done. After his second tour concluded, he was honourably discharged and he returned to Arenport. As a reward for his service he was awarded a flintlock pistol which he wields to this day. With his skill set and record it was easy to join the City Watch, a role Varo thought would be worthwhile.

Power corrupts: He was with the watch for about a year when he father died in a logging accident. With just the wage of a City Watchman, Varo struggled to support both himself and his mother. He sought out some of the men he had run with before joining the navy and found several of them even deeper into Arenport's underworld. He struck a deal with them; a bit of information here, a blind eye there, and in return he would receive gold. It was laughably easy money and Varo continued even after a sickness took his mother a year later.

Absolutely: Now, having been with the Watch for almost 3 years, and with his naval record, Varo has earned a degree of seniority within the organisation. With this has come greater influence, and a greater influence can charge far more for its services.

Goals

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1) Varo wants what is best for Varo. He wants to get rich and move up through the City Watch.

2) I'd like for Varo to have to deal with the problems his underhanded dealings could cause.

Secrets

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1) Varo is corrupt. So far it has mostly involved turning a blind eye or tampering with a piece of evidence, but now he is in too deep to get caught and will maintain his secret at any cost.

2) A low ranking and relatively new recruit of Arenport's 6th Watch, called Évrard, has started to suspect Varo, although they have yet to gather any evidence.

People Tied to

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1) Mélanie Marchal - Varo's younger sister. In her early twenties, there is a five year gap between them. Due to Varo's time away from home in the navy they are not overly close, although they have begun to reconnect since their parents died.

2) Lieutenant Pascal Lévêque - As one of the more senior enlisted on the Vulcain, Varo was Pascal's second in command, when a higher ranking officer gave Pascal command. The two served together for 4 years and grew to become good friends.

3) Farnok - An orc with connections to the Arenport criminal underworld. Varo doesn't like him and Farnok doesn't like Varo, however the two tolerate each other out of mutual benefit, for now.

4) Évrard, - A low ranking and relatively new recruit of Arenport's 6th Watch. Unknown to Varo, he has started to suspect Varo, although he is yet to gather any evidence of Varo's dealings.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

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1) Since coming home from the navy, Varo has developed quite an abrasive and aggressive personality, especially towards people he doesn't respect.

2) Varo always keeps his weapons and equipment clean and in good working order, a habit instilled in him in the navy.

3) Varo has a vivid memory, which often returns to him in nightmares, of a battle against the Chathran Navy. He remembers seeing three men all around him get torn to shreds by grape shot which miraculously missed him.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

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Family: Varo's parents have both died within the last two years. His only surviving family he knows of is his sister.

Class: Varo grew up relatively poor, however he has done well for himself. His city guard wage and the money from his other activities allow him to lead a better life than the one he grew up with.

Profession: City Watchman for almost 3 years, before that he was an enlisted man for 8 years.

Institutions: Previously the Imardanian Navy, currently Arenport's 17th Watch.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

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Primary: Personal wealth
and power - Varo's selfishness means most of his actions are made in pursuit of his own goals and agenda.

Secondary: Duty - Whilst being corrupt, Varo does like his home city and he is still good at his job. He is likely to tackle serious crimes to the fullest of his ability, including making use of his underworld contacts.

Tertiary: Love - Varo has had little time in his life for love but he would like to settle down and raise a family one day.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

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Short-Term: Varo wants to do his job while continuing to earn some extra gold on the side.

Medium-Term: Varo wants to rise up through the City Watch Leadership.

Long-Term: Varo wants to eventually meet someone and start a family.

Watch Relations

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Michel: Varo is generally okay towards Michel and respects him to a degree, although in his eyes the boy is still green and has yet to prove himself.

Gael: Varo sees a bit of his younger self in Gael but does wish he'd keep his mouth shut more often.

Galen: Varo quite likes Galen's laid back attitude, generally not bothering him if he doesn't bother Varo. He respects Galen's experience which the watch and believe he can rely on him.

Carolus: Varo appreciates Carolus' like of drinking and gambling, and doesn't mind swapping stories with the man either. He is still somewhat wary of why a Tulrissian would join the Arenport Watch.

Larkin: Larkin's personality grates on Varo, he finds her annoying and has little patience for her thoughtless irrational actions.

Wishlist

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NPCS

Magic Items

Rebounding Hand Crossbow +1 - Level 2 Weapon (refluffed as a gun)
Repulsion Leather Armor +1 - Level 2 Armor
Acrobat Boots (heroic tier) - Level 2 Feet
Eagle Eye Goggles (heroic tier) - Level 2 Head
Shadowdance Leather Armor +1 - Level 5 Armor
Bracers of Archery (heroic tier) - Level 6 Arms
Kamesti Hand Crossbow +2 - Level 9 Weapon (refluffed as a gun)

Character Sheet

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Varo Marchal, level 1
Drow, Rogue
Rogue Tactics: Cunning Sneak
Rogue: Sharpshooter Talent
Sharpshooter Talent: Sharpshooter Talent (Crossbow)
Background: Occupation - Mariner (Perception class skill)
Theme: Vigilante

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 20, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 17.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 15.

AC: 17 Fort: 11 Reflex: 17 Will: 13
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +12, Thievery +10, Perception +5, Athletics +4, Bluff +8, Acrobatics +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Diplomacy +3, Dungeoneering, Endurance +1, Heal, History, Insight, Intimidate +5, Nature, Religion, Streetwise +3

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Crossbow Expertise
Level 1: Ruthless Hunter

POWERS
Lolthtouched: Cloud of Darkness
Rogue at-will 1: Deft Strike
Rogue at-will 1: Sly Flourish
Rogue encounter 1: Unbalancing Shot
Rogue daily 1: Blinding Barrage

ITEMS

Equipped Items

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Code: Select all

Main Hand: Flintlock Pistol (Handcrossbow)
Offhand:   ---
Body:      Leather Armor

Head:      ---
Neck:      ---
Arms:      ---
Hands:     ---
Waist:     ---
Feet:      ---
Symbol:    ---
Ki Focus:  ---
Ring:      ---
Ring:      ---
Tattoo:    ---

Boon:      ---

Backpack

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Torch (3), Trail Rations (10), Waterskin, Hempen Rope (50 ft.).

Belt Pouch

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Thieves' Tools, Dagger, Identification Papers with Portrait, Coinpurse of 13.70gp.

All Items

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Flintlock Pistol (Handcrossbow), Leather Armor, Backpack (empty), Belt Pouch (empty), Thieves' Tools, Torch (3), Waterskin, Dagger, Hempen Rope (50 ft.), Identification Papers with Portrait, Coinpurse of 18.70gp.

Combat Block

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Varo Marchal

Male Drow Rogue 1
Languages: Imardanian, Common
Age: 27
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 170 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +5
Passive Perception: 15
Passive Insight: 10
Senses: Dark Vision

AC: 17
Fort: 11
Reflex: 17
Will: 13
HP: 24/24
Bloodied: 12
Surge Value: 6
Surges left: 7/7
Action Points: 1

MBA: +2 vs AC, 1d4-1 damage
RBA: +9 vs AC, 1d8+5 damage

Resistances: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves: None

Active Effects: None

Powers:

Sly Flourish
Deft Strike

---

Second Wind []
Mark of the Vigilante []
Cloud of Darkness []
Unbalancing Shot []

---

Blinding Barrage [_]

Consumables:

None.

Important Features:

[SHOW]

Racial Traits and Class or Path Features:

Fey Origin: I am considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.

Trance: Rather than sleep I enter a meditative state in which I am fully aware of my surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal. I need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from a 6-hour extended rest.

Cunning Sneak: I don't take a penalty to Stealth checks for moving more than 2 squares and I take a -5 penalty to Stealth checks for running instead of -10.

If I end my movement at least 3 squares away from my starting position, I can make a Stealth check to become hidden if I have any concealment or any cover.

First Strike: At the start of an encounter I get combat advantage against foes that haven't acted yet.

Sneak Attack: Once per turn, if I have combat advantage and hit with a crossbow, light blade, shortbow or sling, I deal 2d6 extra damage.

Notable Feats:

Crossbow Expertise: I ignore partial cover and superior cover with weapon attacks I make with a crossbow.

Ruthless Hunter: When I wield a handcrossbow, its weapon damage die increases to 1d8, and it becomes a high crit weapon.

Item Features:

None

[Scratcherclaw]

Michel Caron

Ten-Minute Background

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

Appearance: Michel is a handsome, young full-blooded Imardanian. Upon his head sits his unkempt chocolate-brown hair, a trait he inherited from his grandfather. His eyes are chestnut brown, a feature he likely inherited from his mother due to his paternal side being solely blue-eyed. He stands tall and proud at 5'10", and has a slender yet athletic build.

Personality: As he came from relatively simple beginnings, Michel has remained fairly humble all throughout his life. Despite hardships he's faced in his life, he is always optimistic, keeping hope even in the roughest of situations. After all, Elys will always look out for him. He always tries to look for the good in people and things, though he's merciless if one betrays his good nature. He believes in relative caution when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, as one wrong move could leave someone dead, and he doesn't want to be responsible for the death of a comrade. Though he is confident enough in his abilities to avoid such a situation from occurring in the first place.

Early Life: Michel was born in Ellisport to Daniel and Clair Caron. At least he would have been had his mother not died during childbirth, the pain and stress too much for her. The conditions during the birth weren't exactly good either, as the family lived in the slums of Ellisport, so perhaps an infection did her in. Michel doesn't really know, as his father had never really liked to talk about it. Daniel Caron was a shipbuilder in Ellisport, working for a meager wage to build the finest ships the Navy had seen. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Fortunately, the neighbors were more than willing to watch the infant Michel while his father worked. Had the infant been left alone, he'd likely have stunted social growth. ...Or he'd be dead.

Tragedy on the Docks: On a bright and sunny afternoon when Michel was around the ripe age of six, his father departed for work like any other day, and Michel went to the neighbors' home as usual. At about midday, a loud rapping was heard on the door, something incredibly uncommon in that part of the city. Upon answering, the fateful news was discovered. While on high scaffolding on one of the under-construction ships, Daniel lost his footing and fell to his death, leaving the boy an orphan. Being impoverished was bad enough on the boy, but poor and without a parent almost locked his fate in as a criminal. As only a child of six, Michel barely understood his situation, let alone the fate of his future, but he still wept with sadness.

From Ellis to Aren: With what little records were available, it was learned that Michel had surviving grandparents in Arenport. As the Michel's neighbors knew they would not be able to raise the child, they sent word to the relatives, informing them of the state of their orphaned grandson. Happily, the elderly couple agreed to allow the child to live with them. After gathering what remaining belongings he had, and selling what couldn't be brought, his former neighbors sent him on the first ship bound for Arenport. He would never see the gleaming white walls of Ellisport again. As the sights of the city faded from view, he wept once more. After about a day's travel, the ship approached Arenport. He frowned as he was met with the sight of a run-down city, very different from the place he had called home. As he disembarked from the ship, an elderly couple waited, smiles on their face as they caught sight of him.

Those Grand, Old Parents: The elderly couple was none other than his grandparents, Francis and Lucile Caron. His father's parents, the couple had lived in Arenport since Daniel was a boy. They've remained out of stubbornness, despite the poor state of the city. Francis was a lieutenant in the Navy, earning him great respect and prestige back in the day. He had also earned quite a reputation of a hard as nails type. Because of this reputation, any criminals tend to leave him and his wife alone. When Michel arrived, the couple welcomed him with warm arms, though the boy kept to himself for the first few days. No one blamed him, though. After all, his father had just died, so he needed time to adjust. And adjust he did after a couple weeks. Soon enough, Francis and Lucile were practically his parents. Michel especially became close with his grandmother, though he bonded with his grandfather too. He especially enjoyed exciting Navy stories his grandfather had to tell. Finally, Michel had a complete family of his own.

Life in the West Bay: Growing up in Arenport was about as unremarkable as the city itself. For the most part, he remained at home with his grandparents, or strolled around the city with them. He especially enjoyed walking along the beach, as the water was always seemed so calm despite the hustle and bustle of the city. He of course did make friends within the city, usually through his grandparents. His best friend Jeanette Lavigne was met this way, for instance. As he got older, he gained more freedom to explore the city on his own, though not as much as he'd like. At times, though, he grew sentimental of Ellisport, as exploring Arenport simply didn't compare. But he made do with what he had and enjoyed himself for the most part. Despite not living an aristocrat's life, he grew up pretty well, and this was enough to keep him off the streets and within the law's bounds.

The 17th Watch: When Michel was about 20 years old, he decided to finally do something worthwhile with his life, and with his grandparents' urging, he chose to become a city guardsman. Within a few weeks, he was enlisted into the service and began training to become the best guard he could be. He found that he had quite the arm for swords, and he enjoyed using them as well. After his few months of training, he was assigned to the 17th Watch. For his first few weeks on the job, he was bewildered with how much (and how little) actually went into the job. Patrolling was mindnumbingly easy, although he understood its importance. Actually dealing with criminal activity, though, he found to be much more of a learning process than he had originally figured. But of course he did learn, and he has become a better guard from it.

Protect and Serve: Since being released from basic training, Michel has been a guard for a little under six months. Although it can be boring sometimes, he relatively enjoys it, especially since he knows he's helping his city become a safer place. Through his time as a guard, he's also made some great friends and discovered more about the city than he had ever known. Overall, he is incredibly glad that he decided to become a guard, and he's made himself and his grandparents proud. He's protecting his city and the people in it, and there is no greater good one can do.

Goals

[SHOW]

1) Michel wants to help better the city of Arenport, both for himself and both everyone living in it.

2) I'd like for Michel to be a fun character combat-wise, even though I know you guys said combat wouldn't be as frequent as other games.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1) Although he won't say it since it's a horrible thing to say, Michel is kind of glad his father died. If his father hadn't died, Michel would have been poor all throughout his childhood, and without a real parent around most of the time.

2) His mother didn't really die during childbirth. She left his "deadbeat father" shortly after his birth. She hardly wanted a kid anyways, so she ran off in the middle of the night. Out of embarrassment for being left alone with a child, his father fabricated the lie that she died.

People Tied to Michel

[SHOW]

1) Lucile Caron is Michel's paternal grandmother. After he moved to live with his grandparents, Lucile became his only mother figure and the most important person in his life. Though incredibly loving and caring, she also helped push him further to success, wanting only the best for her grandson. It was at her urging that he became a guard in the first place, as she didn't want her boy turning to crime like some of the younger folks in the city were. Although he's living in the barracks now, Michel always tries to visit his grandmother a few times a week just to see and talk with her. And she could not be more proud of what he's become.

Appearance

[SHOW]

2) Jeanette Lavigne is an old childhood friend of Michel. She is the granddaughter of one of Lucile's friends, and said friend would sometimes bring Jeanette with for get-togethers. As children, they would often play together and came to be the best of friends in their youth. As time went on, they did begin to drift apart slightly, as their lives moved in different directions. Though they each know that whatever happens, they'll still be friends. At some points, the two had crushes on each other, though never at the same time. Michel claims that these feelings are long gone, at least he thinks.

Appearance

[SHOW]

3) Francis Caron is Michel's paternal grandfather. An ex-navy man, Francis is a hardy and serious type of person, though underneath that stalwart exterior, he has a heart of gold. He and Michel sometimes don't get along, as Francis can sometimes be hard on the boy. Though deep down, Francis always wants what's best for his grandson. He'll reaffirm that his no-nonsense attitude is part of the reason Michel is a city guardsman and not some petty thief. Although his wife usually gives him an "Oh really?" look, she knows he's partially right.

Appearance

[SHOW]

4) Julien Olivier is somewhat of a rival to Michel, in that they mutually hate each other. Julien is a young braggart who boasts of his acceptance into the naval academy in Ellisport. He thinks himself better than the "lowly town guard" because he'll actually protect the people of Imardin, or so he claims. Michel and Julien got in a dispute months back, as Michel didn't believe the man had actually been accepted on skill, but with scheming instead. Julien, of course, took this very personally, and the two have been at each other's throats since.

Appearance

[SHOW]

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1) Michel remembers the first time he came to Arenport after he was moving to his grandparents' home. Having come from Ellisport, he was expecting an equally beautiful city to the one he had called home. He was disappointed. Though since then, he's learned to love the other charms the city has.

2) Unlike most other people, Michel is left-handed, a natural ability he's obviously had for his entire life. He believes it allows him to be a better swordsman, so he's thankful for such an ability.

3) Michel has a deep respect for his elders, having been raised by his grandparents and having interacted with his grandparents' friends. They can be just as spry as they used to be, and they're often full of great wisdom. And that's not to mention some of the stories they can tell...

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family: When he was about six years old, Michel was left without either parent and was forced to relocate to his next-of-kin. This left him living with his Grandpa Francis and Grandma Lucile in Arenport. They've practically been his parents since then, as they're the only family he has left.

Class: Michel grew up somewhat in the middle class. Neither of his grandparents worked any more, but his grandfather had saved money from his ventures in the navy that allowed for a decently comfortable lifestyle. Although swimming in money, they were also far from poor.

Profession: Michel is a city guard by profession and has been for a little over half a year.

Institutions: Michel is a proud member of Arenport's 17th Watch.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: Family: To Michel, nothing comes before family. Although his family only consists of him and his grandparents, he'll do whatever he needs for them, putting nothing else first. When faced with a dilemma, he'll sometimes think of what his grandparents would want him to do in order to solve said dilemma.

Secondary: Duty: As a city guard, Michel is sworn to protect and serve the people of Arenport to the best of his abilities. As such, he'll do whatever he has to do to fulfill his duty to the people.

Tertiary: Excitement: Growing up in such a mediocre city and having such protective guardians left Michel with a lackluster childhood, as far as excitement and "adventure" goes. Now an adult and mostly on his own, he tries to make up for this fact and try to find the exciting things in life. At least as long as they don't end up killing him...

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

[SHOW]

Short-Term: Michel wants to solve whatever criminal case may be knocking next, whether it be homicide or burglary, or whatever else.

Medium-Term: Michel wants to protect the city and help rid it of crime as best as he can. Although he knows he can't entirely stop crime, he at least wants to help curb it.

Long-Term: Michel eventually wants to get out of Arenport and see the rest of the country before settling down somewhere. Although Arenport is his home and he loves it, there are better opportunities elsewhere in the future.

Relations

[SHOW]

Varo: Michel respects Varo's service in the Navy, especially as his grandfather served as well. Though he is also somewhat wary of Varo's somewhat aggressive nature, as it could potentially cause issues. Michel still does somewhat look up to him as the veteran of his unit.

Gael: Michel isn't a huge fan of Gael's cocky mouth, since it can only serve to cause problems. Michel does however like that he's a man of strong morals, as he too believes strongly in morality. Overall, Michel generally enjoys Gael's company, but he definitely wants to know more about the man.

Galen: Michel respects Galen as well, due to his position as a veteran in the patrol. He likes that the elf is able to remain level-headed in tough situations, as it's a good model for him to try and do. Galen was helpful when Michel was just starting out, and Michel still appreciates that and remains friendly with the elf.

Carolus: Michel is unsure why a Tulrissian man would decide to join the city guard of a place like Arenport, but whatever. He is confused by the man's unusual intensity of emotions, but doesn't dwell on it too much. Michel does however like Carolus' desire to avoid fighting if possible. Overall, Michel likes the man, though he's nervous of the angry outbreaks.

Larkin: Michel thinks Larkin's behavior is kind of adorable in a certain way, since she's fully grown by human standards but still very much a kid. He, however, does not like the lack of caution she sometimes seems to possess, as it can only lead to trouble. Michel does want to get to know Larkin better, as she seems to be somewhat of a wild card.

Wishlist

[SHOW]

NPCS

Niko

[SHOW]

Appearance

[SHOW]

Niko is a child from the Forelle nation of Gleois, more specifically Silus. Due to some situation beyond his understanding, the locals of his city believe him to be some sort of oracle, with a close connection to the gods. Whether he does or not, he obviously doesn't know since he's like 8.

Clara Adler

[SHOW]

Appearance

[SHOW]

Clara is a sellsword in the Kingdom of Tulrisse, selling her combat abilities to the highest bidder. She's gained some sort of notoriety for her skill, though some claim she's weak and talentless. She's quick to threaten those individuals if they don't take back what they said. This also earns her notoriety.

Magic Items

Dwarven Armor +1 - Level 2 (Scale Armor)
Battlecrazed Longsword +1 - Level 4 (Longsword)
Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier) - Level 6 (Arms)
Acrobat Boots (heroic tier) - Level 2 (Feet)
Gauntlets of Blood (heroic tier) - Level 4 (Hands)
Horned Helm (heroic tier) - Level 6 (Head)
Amulet of Life +1 - Level 5 (Neck)

Character Sheet

[SHOW]

Michel Caron, level 1
Goliath, Fighter
Fighter: Combat Superiority
Fighter Talents: Brawler Style
Background: Early Life - Well-Loved (+2 to Diplomacy)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10.

AC: 18 Fort: 19 Reflex: 11 Will: 14
HP: 27 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +8, Athletics +12, Streetwise +5, Diplomacy +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Arcana -1, Bluff, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +1, Heal +3, History -1, Insight +3, Intimidate, Nature +5, Religion -1, Stealth +1, Thievery +1

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Heavy Blade Expertise
Level 1: Inescapable Hold

POWERS
Fighter at-will 1: Slash and Pummel
Fighter at-will 1: Grappling Strike
Fighter encounter 1: Takedown Attack
Fighter daily 1: Seize and Stab

ITEMS

Equipped Items

[SHOW]

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Longsword
Offhand:   ---
Body:      Scale Armor

Head:      ---
Neck:      ---
Arms:      ---
Hands:     ---
Waist:     ---
Feet:      ---
Symbol:    ---
Ki Focus:  ---
Ring:      ---
Ring:      ---
Tattoo:    ---

Boon:      ---

Backpack

[SHOW]

* Torch (3)

• Hempen Rope (50 ft.)
• Lantern
• Oil (1 pint) (2)

Belt Pouch

[SHOW]

* Bell and whistle

* Identification Papers with Portrait

* Coinpurse of 30 gold and 5 silver

All Items

[SHOW]

Longsword, Scale Armor, Backpack (empty), Belt Pouch (empty), Bell and whistle, Identification Papers with Portrait, Torch (3), Hempen Rope (50 ft.), Lantern, Oil (1 pint) (2), Coinpurse of 32 gold and 5 silver

Combat Block

[SHOW]

Michel Caron

Male Goliath Fighter 1
Languages: Imardanian, Common
Age: 21
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150 lbs.

Speed: 5
Initiative: +1
Passive Perception: 18
Passive Insight: 18
Senses: Normal Vision

AC: 18
Fort: 19
Reflex: 11
Will: 14
HP: 27/27
Bloodied: 13
Surge Value: 6
Surges left: 10/10
Action Points: 1

MBA: +9 vs AC, 1d8+5 damage (+3 to attack with OAs; can use Grappling Strike for OAs)
RBA: +1 vs AC, 1d4+1 damage

Resistances: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves: None

Active Effects: None

Powers:

Combat Challenge
Grappling Strike
Slash and Pummel

---

Second Wind []
Sohei Flurry []
Takedown Attack []
Stone's Endurance []

---

Seize and Stab [_]

Consumables:

None.

Important Features:

[SHOW]

Combat Challenge: Every time you attack an enemy, whether the attack hits or misses, you can choose to mark that target. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. While a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that doesn’t include you as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is adjacent to you shifts or makes an attack that does not include you, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt.

Combat Superiority: You gain a bonus to opportunity attacks equal to your Wisdom modifier (+3). An enemy struck by your opportunity attack stops moving, if a move provoked the attack. If it still has actions remaining, it can use them to resume moving.

Brawler Style: While you wield a weapon in your primary hand and your off hand is free or grabbing a creature, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Fortitude. In addition, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls of unarmed attacks and a +2 bonus to the attack rolls of grab attacks and attacks to move a creature you're grabbing. These bonuses increase to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 21st level.

Mountain's Tenacity: You have a +1 racial bonus to Will.

Powerful Athlete: When you make an Athletics check to jump or climb, roll twice and use either result.

Heavy Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a heavy blade. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, while wielding a heavy blade, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.

Inescapable Hold: Whenever an enemy grabbed by you attempts to escape your grab, it must make its escape check against your Fortitude even if it uses Acrobatics.

[TemplarsBane]

Gael Weston

Character Sheet

[SHOW]

Gael Weston, Level 1
Halfling, Rogue (reskinned as a human)
Rogue Tactics: Cunning Sneak
Rogue: Sharpshooter
Background: Cutpurse (+2 Bluff)
Theme: Guttersnipe

Starting Ability Scores: 11, 10, 13, 12, 11, 18

Final Ability Scores
STR: 11
CON: 10
DEX: 15
INT: 11
WIS: 12
CHA: 20

Defenses: AC - 14, Fort - 10, Ref - 14, Will - 15
HP: 22, Surge Value: 5, Surges/Day: 6

Trained Skills: Stealth +7, Thievery +9, Insight +6, Streetwise +10, Bluff +12, Perception +6

Untrained Skills: Acrobatics +4, Dungeoneering Heal Nature +1, Diplomacy Intimidate +5, Endurance Religion Arcana History Athletics 0

Feats: Far Shot, Agile Stand

Powers:
At Will: Sly Flourish
At Will: Preparatory Shot
Encounter: King's Castle
Daily: Trick Strike

Items

[SHOW]

Equipped items: Leather Armor, Main Hand - Hand Crossbow, Off Hand - Short Sword

All items: 50 ft Hempen Rope, 10 Iron Spikes, Hammer, Lantern, Iron Manacles, Torch (3), Travel Papers with Picture ID

Combat Block

[SHOW]

Gael Weston

Male Halfling Rogue 1
Languages: Imardanian, Common
Age: 19
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 130 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +2
Passive Perception: 16
Passive Insight: 16
Senses: Normal Vision

AC: 14 (+2 AC vs OAs)
Fort: 10
Reflex: 14
Will: 15
HP: 22/22
Bloodied: 11
Surge Value: 5
Surges left: 6/6
Action Points: 1

MBA: +3 vs AC, 1d6 damage
RBA: +5 vs AC, 1d6+2 damage

Resistances: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves: +5 to saves vs Fear effects

Active Effects: None

Powers:

Sly Flourish
Preparatory Shot

---

Second Wind []
Second Chance []
Running Slash []
King's Castle []

---

Trick Strike [_]

Consumables:

None.

Features

[SHOW]

Cunning Sneak: You don't take a penalty to Stealth checks for moving more than 2 squares, and you take a -5 penalty instead of a -10 penalty to Stealth checks for running. If you end your movement at least 3 squares away from your starting position, you can make a Stealth check to become hidden if you have any cover or concealment.

Sneak Attack: +2d6 when you have combat advantage. Once per round.

Agile Stand: Shift 1 square in addition to standing up.

Ten Minute Background

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

1, Childhood - Gael was raised in the streets of Arenport by his mother. His father, a sailor, was never in the picture and Gael preferred it that way. He grew up resenting the father that had abandoned his mother without ever even knowing that Gael had been conceived. His mother worked her hardest to provide a happy healthy atmosphere for Gael to grow up in, but between her 2 jobs, she rarely had much time to actually spend with Gael.

2, A Life of Crime - Growing up poor and no almost no parental supervision in the slums of Arenport, Gael quickly fell in with a rough crowd. From the tender age of 8, he learned the tricks necessary to make an easy profit on the streets. Cutting purses became an everyday occurrence for Gael. As he grew into his teenage years, Gael was conflicted between his growing moral convictions that was he was doing was wrong, and being the star of the gang he ran with as a result of his skills.

3, Arrest and Reform - One fateful day, Gael attempted to cut the wrong purse and was arrested by an off-duty guardsman. However, Guardsman Vitrel had a change of heart and, after a moving lecture about the impact of crime on the individual and society, decided to let Gael go. Gael became fascinated by this guardsman, he spent weeks watching his every move. Gael followed him on his patrols and eavesdropped on his interactions.

4, Enlisting - After weeks of observation, Gael decided to leave his previous life of crime and follow in the footsteps of the man who had changed his perspective on the world. Gael decided to enlist as a guardsman. With his criminal background, Gael excelled in the training program. Understanding how criminals thought and behaved, it turned out, proved to be quite an advantage when it came to catching them. Having recently completed his training, Gael is eager and excited to return to the streets of Arenport, this time as a productive civil servant, seeking to help and protect the city he had once antagonized.

5, Description - Gael Weston is in his late teens. At 5'8" he stands just below average height for a human. In addition to his standard issue guardsman uniform, he carries a hand crossbow and a short sword. In accordance with his life of crime, Gael has almost no abnormal or recognizable features. His slender, lean build allows him to slip through a crowd with ease.

Goals

[SHOW]

Character Goal: Serve and protect Arenport. Make Guardsman Vitrel proud.
Player Goal: Mostly just to learn the system and the format of how text based games go. As far as story goes, I'm completely flexible on whatever happens, I'm not attached to the character at all. Mostly just using this as an exploratory game to see how forum based RPGs feel with you guys. It'd be nice to find out something about his father in the story. Maybe he was a pirate and Gael has to arrest him?

Secrets

[SHOW]

Known Secret: He keeps his past fairly hidden from his companions, even going so far as to ask Vitrel not to tell anyone about his criminal history.
Unknown Secret: Handar, the leader of the gang Gael left, is seeking revenge for one of his members leaving and joining the police force.

People tied to the character

[SHOW]

Friendly: Guardsman Vitrel. Vitrel serves as the only real mentor and father figure that Gael has ever had. Gael is consistently following Vitrel's lead when possible and is seeking to impress or please him in anyway.
Friendly: Lorain. Gael's mother couldn't be prouder of her son now that he has reformed his life. She had no way to influence his life enough to bring him out of crime, but now that he has new-found motivation and purpose, they have never been closer.
Hostile: Handar, the leader of the gang, never liked Gael because of Gael's superior pick pocketing abilities, even though Handar was the gang's leader. Gael worries about coming across Handar, but he doesn't consider Handar would actually send harm Gael's way.

Quirks

[SHOW]

1, Having been a criminal, he will actively avoid killing suspects when at all possible. He has a soft spot for them, and so he will pursue them to the best of his abilities, but he won't kill them if he can avoid it.
2, An incredibly cocky young man, Gael's mouth has often put him in situations he later regretted.
3, Having been raised by a single mother, Gael has an IMMENSE amount of respect for single mothers and women in general. He will go out of his way to look out for a woman in trouble or danger.

Background

[SHOW]

Parents:
Father - Sailor who knocked up Gale's mom and left without even knowing about it.
Mother - Worked 2 jobs to raise Gael herself. Heartbroken when he turned to a life of crime, and is now overjoyed at his return to the land of proper legal endeavors.
Siblings: None
Setting of upbringing: Poor slums of Arenport, small house, no possessions of note, grew up running in the streets with other urchins.
"Class" while growing up: Poor
Previous work: Criminal, cutpurse, gang member.
Current family situation: Still no father, wonderful relationship with his mother, whom he now helps to support.

Drives/Motivations

[SHOW]

Primary: To support his mother.
Secondary: To please Guardsman Vitrel.
Tertiary: To make amends to the city of Arenport for his crimes.

Goals/Objectives

[SHOW]

Short term: To grow in understanding of his position and to successfully stop/prevent/solve a crime.
Medium term: To get his mother out of her poor living conditions.
Long term: To take on some form of leadership within the Guard.

Crew Relations

[SHOW]

Varo: Gael respects Varo and his status within the Watch, but Varo has not earned his admiration or loyalty yet.

Michael: Gael enjoys Michael's company, but hasn't fully formed an opinion of him in their short time together.

Galen: Gael has immense respect for Galen. He understands the mentality of having to make your own way, and values Galen's appreciation for family.

Carolus: Gael is very wary of Carolus. Not fully understanding magic, Gael does not know how he feels about someone with the ability to use it.

Larkin: Gael has no patience for Larkin's drama. Having grown up in real poverty with real issues, he sees her angst as an intolerable level of immaturity for someone serving in the Watch.

Wishlist

[SHOW]

NPCs

[SHOW]

Magic Items

[SHOW]

[kalis5]

Ten-Minute Background

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

1) Family- Galen was born to a prosperous elf family in Corsillieux, the middle of three children. His older brother was set to take over the family merchant business, and was groomed for such matters, and his younger sister was the spoiled baby of the family. As a result, Galen grew up somewhat out of sorts, with little guidance from his parents, who spent most of their time with his siblings.

2) Early Life - Galen, as the middle child, was stuck between his siblings. While his older brother was intelligent and calculating, his little sister expected everything given to her, while he found his own way through life. For most of his life, he studied and trained, aiming to do something with himself besides just the accumulation of money. His friends quickly became his family, with his family so distant from him.

3) Getting into the guard - It wasn't until he was eighteen years of age that the guard had started to appeal to him. He found what they did for the people of Imardin to be honorable, and much more fulfilling perhaps than sitting around hoping for a small job in the family business. He trained, studied, and then finally joined, using his easygoing and relaxing presence to aid himself on the job.

4) Family Matters - Three years as a guard and life was going well. He had solved a few cases, certainly. While this did not make him an expert in the field, he was gaining respect amongst his colleagues for his experience, and was seen as a mentor and aid to newer guards. Yet, one case stood out at the end of those three years. His brother, murdered on the docks, waiting for a shipment.

5) Nagging Fears - It took two months, he managed to solve the case of his brothers killer, a dock worker, hoping to snag some of his coin from his pouch. The incident had supposedly gone wrong, and his brother ended up with a knife through the stomach. Yet, Galen wasn't certain. It felt too simple for the work he had to put in, and fear that he fingered out the wrong suspect nags at him sometimes.

Goals

[SHOW]

1) Galen hopes to step out from beneath his families shadow. After he declined to take his brothers job running the merchant business, he hopes to do something more with his life than simply carry his families title.

2) Galen hopes that he can keep his younger sister out of trouble. Now that she's forced to take up the job, she's acting out in certain ways. He believes that, maybe, this is for the best for her, as maybe she'll learn what it means to earn something rather than be given it.

3) I'd like it if Galen, while not taking the main spotlight, can work as an aid to the newer players in our group. I'd also like it if he can maybe have something to do with whoever his brothers true killer is, as that may be a case idea for later.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1) In his third case as a guardsman, he was certain that the suspect was the criminal. So certain, in fact, that he altered various pieces of evidence to fit the man. Now, he sometimes worries about that evidence coming back to him, and what would happen if anyone found out.

2) His brothers killer wasn't actually after his brother. They were after him. They wanted revenge over some bad deals that bankrupted them, after his family had cheated them out of a good amount of money, and thought the middle brother would be a good target. It was just a case of mistaken identity.

People tied to

[SHOW]

1) The Portaille Family - Being related to them doesn't make him necessarily too connected. But the family name does help him with some more noble matters when they come up, and while he doesn't speak to his family regularly, they are on good terms, especially now that his brother is gone. The sad thing is, with three children they had no time for the middle child. With two, they've found all the time they need.

2)

3) The Murderer - Unknown, angry, and vengeful, this man might just do anything it takes to ruin Galen's family. From murder his brother, to sabotage his investigations.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1) Some of the things he had to do to pin it on his suspect stuck with him. To this day, the things he had to take from the body still make him nervous touching corpses, and he leaves it to those better trained.

2) Though Galen's been on the Watch for a little while, he doesn't attempt to show up many of the younger guards. Instead, he's an aid, deciding it will earn him more friends and allies to let others that are younger take the spotlight, and to intervene only if the investigation is going off track.

3) Galen has a slight "laid-back" attitude about things. Whether simply, as a guard, he's seen enough not to care about some forms of death, or maybe it's his upbringing, but he keeps relaxed when he can. Just don't ask him to touch the body.

Background

[SHOW]

Family: Most are alive and well. Excluding the brother. Every so often they send a letter (Especially his sister), trying to convince him to take over the business. So far each one has been met with rejection.

Class: If there's a middle-upper class, that's where his family would fall. He himself though falls into simple middle class as a guard, as most of his money is tied up with his family and his sister.

Profession: Guard. Of course, a slightly experienced guard. But a guard nonetheless.

Institutions: Mostly taught through tutors his parents paid for, as well as a few small subjects he studied on his own.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: The one major thing that keeps him going, is the thought of getting away from what his family has made. He wants his own name after all, not the name of a bunch of merchants.

Secondary: The memory of his brother. With his brother murdered, and with the case somewhat "solved", Galen wants to keep doing what he's doing in his brother's honor, as if being a guard were stopping what happened to him.

Tertiary: There's always the nice smile from a family when a killer or criminal is brought to justice. Always nice.

Goals - Short-term/Medium-term/Long-term

[SHOW]

Short-term: Solve the case and get paid. Oh, and bring peace to those affected by the crime, that too.

Medium-term: Get to know the new recruits a little more. Help them adjust where he can, see if he can't make a few friends.

Long-Term: If his brother was killed by someone else... Galen wants to bring that man in. Even if it means destroying his reputation, he wants to make sure his brother's killer doesn't harm anyone else.

Character Sheet

[SHOW]

Galen Portaille, level 1
Elf, Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Prescience
Elf Subrace: Standard Elf Racial Traits
Background: Occupation - Merchant (+2 to Diplomacy)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 18.

AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 12 Will: 15
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +6, Insight +8, Diplomacy +11, Perception +10, Heal +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Bluff +8, Dungeoneering +7, Endurance +4, History +5, Intimidate +8, Nature +9, Religion +5, Stealth +4, Streetwise +8, Thievery +4, Athletics +2

FEATS
Bard: Alchemist
Level 1: Bard of All Trades

POWERS
Bard at-will 1: Vicious Mockery
Bard at-will 1: Guiding Strike
Bard encounter 1: Focused Sound
Bard daily 1: Slayer's Song

ITEMS
Chainmail, Longsword, Investigation gear, Wand Implement
3GP

[Warlord7]

Carolus Trastámara

TEN-MINUTE BACKGROUND

[SHOW]

BACKGROUND AND CONCEPT ELEMENTS

[SHOW]

1) Early Life - Carolus grew up in relative comfort in Menora, being groomed from an early age for magical training. At an early age, Carolus, a passionate and sanguine child, began to clash with his father, a wizard known for his cunning and silent wisdom.

The differences between his father’s and his own personalities led him to spend as much time as possible away from home, making friends with any and everyone who crossed his path.

His father’s prestige combined with his network of friends landed him work at a fairly early age as a tutor to a local noble’s heir. He stayed with the family as a live-in tutor, and was the heir’s primary caretaker.

2) The Murder - Tensions between the noble and Carolus over the limits of his position (Carolus wanted to instruct the boy more deeply in the arcane arts, while the father was more concerned with honing the boy’s diplomatic and conniving prowess) grew as time went on, and Carolus was dismissed from the household several times, only to come back at the noble’s request.

Whether or not there was a final straw, some final petty insult or last little passive aggression, Carolus had had enough. In a fit of fury, he took his charge out to a field and butchered him with magic, leaving almost no remains. Instantly he was filled with remorse, buried his charge, then fled south to Andor.

3) Serranian Exile - He stayed in Andor just long enough to narrowly escape a group of bounty hunters, then fled east into Serran, hugging the coast and changing his identity several times. He made his way along the coast, working at times as a servant, mercenary, porter, and other odd jobs before he found he could sell his services as a warlock to the highest bidder. However, after two decades or so of this, his paranoia and increasing contact with his father’s network of friends led him to flee again, this time across the mountains to quiet and lowly Arenport, there to find work and hopefully redeem himself.

4) Personality - Carolus is a mercurial, sanguine sort. He’s either gregarious and boisterous with people, or raging in anger, orwallowing in the depths of despair - no middle ground exists for him; there is nothing that does not demand the full capacity of his emotions. He’s learned to turn this to his advantage, presenting himself as an honest person with his heart on his sleeve. The truth is that he may well be livid and at the same time display nothing but smiles and laughter.

He likes gambling, drinking, telling stories, and in general commiserating with people. Though he’s the type to happily spend days and nights in taverns, he’s reluctant to brawl or fight to the point of cowardice. He prefers to talk things out. Should that fail, a well-devised stratagem of some sort should sort it out. Fighting, for him, is a last resort.

5) Appearance - Carolus is somewhat swarthy, not as drastically as his full-blooded Serran father, but noticeably darker than most Tulrissians. He lets his hair grow long and wild, but his face is clean-shaven except for a strikingly dramatic long moustache. Standing six feet tall, Carolus is only slightly taller than most people, and his build is fairly average. His eyes are dull brown and unexciting, as is the rest of his face, except for his thick eyebrows and prominent nose.

GOALS

[SHOW]

1) Carolus hopes to eventually learn every language in the world. Knowledge is power, after all, and power is good, so long as it’s used for justice. He has other reasons, but they take a backseat to his hunger for power.

2) Carolus hopes to redeem himself in some dramatic way - that is, rather than considering himself redeemed after a number of years, he hopes to protect or do some good on par with the murder he committed in his youth.

3) I’d like for Carolus to undergo some character development and be an organic, realistic character.

SECRETS

[SHOW]

1) Carolus is a fugitive from justice, having fled Menora years ago after killing a nobleman’s son in a rage.

2) Carolus’s father has set out to find and kill his son, both for justice and in shame at his son’s actions.

PEOPLE TIED TO

[SHOW]

1) Carolus’s Father: Named Ignacio, he was a talented battlemage from Serran whose cunning and silver tongue helped him rise to some power and wealth. He eventually relocated to Menora, where he retired with some amount of wealth and started a family with a local woman.

Now that Carolus is a murderer, he’s come out of retirement to hunt down and bring his son to justice - whether justice is dealt out in Menora or whatever rat’s warren he’s hidden himself in is up to Carolus now.

Carolus has no idea whether or not his father is alive, and has no idea that his father intends to kill him.

2) Sancho: His father’s close friend, confidant, and right-hand. Sancho was one of Ignacio’s subordinates, an excellent soldier if only a mediocre commander of men. When Ignacio retired from the battlefield, Sancho followed
him into retirement, and lived with his family as a sort of uncle. Carolus, despite not showing any aptitude for soldiering, was his favorite nephew (Ignacio had no daughters) because of his admiration of Sancho.

Sancho, who is less concerned than Ignacio is about justice for long dead nobles’ sons and more concerned about family, is traveling with Ignacio, hoping to throw him off his son’s trail. He hasn’t decided exactly what to do once they close in on Carolus. Perhaps he’ll ride ahead and warn him, or perhaps he’ll stick around and try to get the men to reconcile their differences.

3) Bishop Childebert: A bishop of Imardin who was in Menora at the time of his murder, and who has since returned to Imardin. Though he’s not necessarily hostile to Carolus, he certainly knows that he has enormous leverage over him, and will not hesitate to use it to further his own agenda.

MEMORIES, MANNERISMS, AND QUIRKS

[SHOW]

1) Prefers to sleep on planks of wood covered by cloth.

2) Is very superstitious, to the point of actually fearing black cats and such

3) Curses in Serran.

BACKGROUND

[SHOW]

Carolus was raised in a family of the upper-middle class with a weak family dynamic. Perhaps the security this afforded him has influenced him to be the man he is today - quick to act, leaping into all sorts of situations with or without a plan.

For whatever reason, he is a devout believer in every religion he's come across, and is uncharacteristically obedient to and respectful of all clergy.

He has had many professions, but is now a member of Arenport's 17th Watch.

DRIVES - PRIMARY, SECONDARY, TERTIARY

[SHOW]

Primary: Atonement - He's convinced that if he does enough good for the people of Arenport, he can eventually balance out, if not erase, his evil deeds.

Secondary: Order - Destroying corruption, bringing justice, establishing peace - all these things should help Carolus please his many gods.

Tertiary: Power - Arcane secrets and simple fishwives' wisdom are both equally useful avenues of becoming a greater, and ultimately a more powerful, person, in Carolus' mind.

GOALS - SHORT-TERM, MEDIUM-TERM, LONG-TERM

[SHOW]

Short-term: Do good things in Arenport, develop a strong network of contacts in the area.

Medium-term: Grow in power and influence. First you get the money. Then you get the power. Then you...

Long-term: Spend the money to fund your enemies' enemies, exert your influence, and so on.

WATCH RELATIONS

[SHOW]

Combat Block Format

[SHOW]

Carolus Trastámara

Male Half-Elf Warlock 1
Languages: Common, Tulrissian, Modern Serran, Imardanian, Andorian, Dwarven
Age: 40
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +0
Passive Perception: 9
Passive Insight: 16
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 16
Fort: 11
Reflex: 15
Will: 16
HP: 24/24
Bloodied: 12
Surge Value: 6
Surges left: 7/7
Action Points: 1

MBA:1d20 vs. AC, 1d4 damage
RBA: Eldritch Blast: +6 vs Reflex, 1d10+5

Resistances:
None

Vulnerabilities:
None

Saves:
None

Active Effects:
None

At-Will

Eldritch Blast

Gift to Avernus

Dark One's Blessing

Warlock's Curse

---

Encounters:

Illusory Ambush [_]

Argent Rain [_]

Grasp of the Iron Tower [_]

Second Wind: [_]

---

Daily:

Dread Star [_]

Consumables:
None

Important Features:

[SHOW]

Group Diplomacy:
Allies within 10 squares gain +1 to Diplomacy
Infernal Pact: Infernal Pact: When an enemy under your Warlock's Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you gain THP equal to your level.
Shadow Walk:
If you move 3+ squares gain concealment until the end of your next turn.
Prime Shot:
If no allies are closer to target than you, get +1 to ranged attack rolls against that target.

Character Sheet

[SHOW]

Carolus, level 1
Half-Elf, Warlock
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast Charisma
Eldritch Pact: Infernal Pact
Half-Elf Power Selection: Dilettante
Background: Bozak Draconian (+2 to Diplomacy)
Languages: Common, Tulrissian, Modern Serran, Imardanian, Andorian
Theme: Order Adept

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 20.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 10, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 18.

AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 15 Will: 16
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Insight +6, Diplomacy +14, Arcana +8, History +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff +5, Dungeoneering -1, Endurance +1, Heal -1, Intimidate +5, Nature -1, Perception -1, Religion +3, Stealth, Streetwise +5, Thievery, Athletics

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Rod Expertise
Level 1: Linguist

POWERS
Dilettante: Illusory Ambush
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast
Infernal Pact: Gift to Avernus
Warlock encounter 1: Grasp of the Iron Tower
Warlock daily 1: Dread Star

ITEMS
Leather Armor, Rod Implement, Adventurer's Kit, 35 gold

[istillblamemint]

L A R K I N B L Y

Ten-Minute Background

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

1. Appearance | Short and stout, Larkin looks quite… well, dwarf-ish. Before her 19th summer, she had been nothing to take note of. If a stranger would have said a few things about her based solely on her appearance, they would have said that she was a dwarf, she had pale skin, she had dark hair, and then they would have run out of things to say. In order to… compensate, she now sports an eye dermal piercing and chalks her hair with bright colors, often wearing striking yet impractical ensembles consisting of many layers of dark colors.

2. Personality | On the dwarf scale of things, Larkin is very much a teenager and acts like it too. Moody and immature, she nearly perfectly encapsulates the stereotypes. She often is unintentionally overdramatic but attempts (and frequently fails) to give the impression of apathy. She's repeatedly the victim of flights of fancies and acts on whims. She does this to such an extent that she looks down upon planning extensively in advance. She finds such thinking tedious and useless, preferring to live in the present.

Larkin is very much a closed-off person. She's slow to show her true feelings and avoids direct confrontation.

3. Juvenescence | Larkin’s childhood was fairly generic. She was born to an upper middle class family of hard-working scientists. In fact, her parents might have been a little too hard-working. Despite their good intentions, Larkin lived a relatively isolated childhood. Her parents put their work before family, and, as a result, Larkin was raised by a messy mix of tutors and babysitters and whatever else her parents were willing to pay for. She’s had a bit of a hodgepodge education and has never pursued any one subject long enough to gain a good grasp on it. This was exacerbated by the fact that she would often skimp lessons because she was young and flighty and she, just like any other child, would much rather explore the seemingly-limitless mines than sit in a stuffy room to memorize numbers.

4. Adolescence | Larkin has always had an edge of defiance. Soon, that inkling was pushed into full-out rebellion through a mixture of strange new feelings and the terror of puberty. She grew unhappy with her parents’ lack of presence in their home as well as the constant compromise between her own parents’ expectations and restrictions. Larkin began to want more than the once-seemingly-limitless mines and started to want to explore the world above.

Larkin wasn’t one to plan things out. She lived and breathed in the moment, acting on whims and intuition. Like everything else in her life, she ran away on a megrim--Larkin had had a particularly bad spat with her parents and, at the time, it really had felt like the straw that had broken Larkin’s back. It hadn’t been the first time that she had considered the idea, of course, but it was the first time she actually executed it. Larkin packed her bags and snuck out of their house--it was almost too easy.

5. Life on the Road | She hadn’t been sure of where she was headed at first. She just knew that she wanted to get away. So Larkin took whatever opportunities presented themselves, hitching and negotiating and talking her way through life. At first, she had fallen for nearly all the tricks in the book--looking back, Larkin sees it as a miracle that she had survived her first year on the road. In fact, she had not only survived, she had thrived. Larkin had never been one to sit still in a room and do tedious tasks such as embroidery or copying; however, she found living by herself exhilarating. Unlike most dwarves, she didn’t mind the above-ground environment and bloomed in the unpredictability of day-to-day life.

6. The 17th | Larkin had picked up a multitude of odd jobs, doing whatever she could to scrounge up enough money to survive. Eventually, she wound up in Arenport, some part of her finding the deteriorating buildings strangely comforting.

She got wind of the 17th Watch from a friend of a friend of a friend who happened to visit Arenport occasionally, and Larkin applied almost immediately to the job (because to her, it was only just that--a job. Something to perhaps fill her time and put some money in her pocket). The job happened to suit her well enough, and, by this point, Larkin had learned how getting a job was necessary to survive.

The tiny part of her that had been schooled into obedience by a literary-focused tutor loved the irony in the fact that now she was the one enforcing the rules.

Goals

[SHOW]

1) Larkin wants to be taken seriously.

2) I’d like for Larkin to get a better sense of identity and learn how to balance things and plan ahead. It would also be great if she could one day return to Durduum and reunite with her family.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1) Larkin misses her family and wants to return home, despite her adamant claims of the opposite. However, she’s too prideful to admit it.

2) Larkin’s mother and father have unofficially split up since her disappearance. Tensions and growing differences in perspectives and basic methods of thinking culminated with Larkin’s running away, leading to her father, Pierson, to move into another house with friends, as a “temporary” solution. The situation becomes less “temporary” with each passing day.

Affiliations

[SHOW]

Pierson Bly | Larkin’s father is a hardworking alchemist, and, while well-meaning, can be absent-minded. He has difficulty balancing his home and work life but tries his best to devote time equally to both. He adored his only daughter and was hurt the most by her disappearance. He wanted for her to stay young and innocent, and, to this day, thinks of her as his little girl. As a result, he could be overbearing with his restrictions, despite the sparing amount of time he actually spent at his homestead.

Betty Bly | Betty was never referred to simply as somebody’s wife or mother or daughter. She was addressed as “Betty” or “Lady Bly” or “Betty Bly” or something along those lines. She was not only active in all aspects of her life, but completely in control. Betty held everything up to very high standards, including her daughter, pushing Larkin to be somebody she couldn’t be. Betty does love her daughter but is quite angry at the entire running-away spectacle. To Betty, it had just caused a great deal of unnecessary stress and had tarnished their reputation. The entire incident frustrates Betty because she still cannot pinpoint exactly why her daughter had ran away and why Larkin doesn’t seem to be returning. Unlike her husband, Betty is not particularly concerned about Larkin’s well-being--she has great faith that Larkin is alive and well.

Tyrone Timmons | Tyrone is a fellow hitchhiker that Larkin had met only a couple of weeks after she fleed from her home. They quickly became fast friends and they still manage to keep in touch via letter.

Felix Kolton | Felix is the landlord of the place Larkin is renting. He strongly dislikes Larkin, most likely because of her occasionally late payments and frequently attempts to cheat her of her money by adding last minute fees or claiming that he had never gotten her last payment. He is a greedy, miserly man.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1) Larkin is opposed to public displays of affection and physical contact. It's not as drastic as a phobia but such things do make Larkin extremely uncomfortable.

2) Larkin fiddles with her often-uncombed hair when she gets anxious or nervous.

3) Larkin dislikes people who get stressed out easily or who plan extensively in advance. She feels like creating plans limits her.

Background

[SHOW]

Family | Both of her parents were extremely hard-working and devoted to their jobs, leaving little room for a child. Her family was, in general, quite individualistic and not very close. Extended family were spread out across the mountain ranges, and Larkin hadn’t visited her grandparents in quite a while.

Class | Larkin was raised in a decidedly upper-middle-class environment. Her parents had come from lower-class families and had worked and toiled for nearly every penny they had. They now owned an impressive amount of land and could afford an impressive amount of servants.

Profession | It’d be quite a stretch to call anything Larkin does a “profession.” By her own admission, her occupations are only jobs, and nothing more.

Institutions | The 17th Guard Watch

Drives

[SHOW]

Primary | Larkin desperately wants to prove her autonomy. She feels the need to demonstrate her independence and maturity (even if she has neither).

Secondary | As much as she would like to deny it, she loves her parents, and while Larkin doesn’t exactly regret her decision of running away, she still often experiences homesickness or a longing to return. Some part of her hates herself for it, but Larkin has an unconditional love and loyalty to her family.

Tertiary | Larkin wants to endure day-to-day life. A lot of times, she simply attempts to earn the bare minimum to survive for another day.

Goals (again, I guess)

[SHOW]

Short Term | Earn enough money to pay for lodging and food

Medium Term | Visit at least one more nation

Long Term | Prove that she can be a responsible adult

Relations

[SHOW]

Wishlist

[SHOW]

NPCs

Items
Vibrant hair dye

Character Sheet

[SHOW]

Larkin Bly, level 1
Dwarf, Paladin
Build: Ardent Paladin
Dwarf Subrace: Gold Dwarf
Select option: Cast-Iron Stomach
Select option: Dwarven Weapon Proficiency

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 10, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10.

AC: 10 Fort: 16 Reflex: 11 Will: 13
HP: 27 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +5, Intimidate +5, Insight +7, Endurance +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Heal +2, History, Nature +2, Perception +2, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery, Athletics +5

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Two-Handed Weapon Expertise
Level 1: Dwarven Weapon Training

POWERS
Lay on Hands: Lay on Hands
Paladin at-will 1: Valiant Strike
Paladin at-will 1: Ardent Strike
Paladin encounter 1: Divine Pursuit
Paladin daily 1: Blood of the Mighty

ITEMS
Plate Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Travel Papers, Execution axe, Torch (3), Rider's Water, 4.40 gp

[istillblamemint]

CASE FILE NO. 1

o v e r v i e w

[SHOW]

Sasha Lapioux was reported missing at __ by her mother.

She was last seen by one Chartrice Demalles leaving the Carpenter's Ball with a handsome man.

p e r s o n s . o f . i n t e r e s t

[SHOW]

Sasha Lapioux

[SHOW]

female; lives in "gorgeous house" in Carpenter's Quarter; seems affluent; 20 years of age (of marrying age)
-mother claimed that she had been wearing a pale blue dress and black shoes
-described as "short but not tiny"
-dark brown hair
-v pretty

-Last seen by Chartrice leaving the Carpenter Ball with Handsome Man

-disappeared 2 nights ago

madame lapioux

[SHOW]

female; lives in "gorgeous house" in Carpenter's Quarter; seems affluent
Age, race, criminal history, appearance, etc. unkown

-Claims to be mother of Sasha Lapioux
-implies that Sasha usually notifies her if she was to stay away from home
-Seems to be on bad terms with Chartrice

1

[SHOW]

-Approached Watch and reported Sasha missing to the early morning patrol
-Provided details about Sasha (she had last seen her daughter 2 nights prior to reporting, daughter--20 years, dark brown hair, short--wearing pale blue dress and black shoes, going to ball with close friend Chartrice)
-Said ball was going to be at Trebonne Hall
-Says Chartrice lives at Demalles Manor
-"My Sasha is twenty now, as I said. It isn't a leap of logic to assume her and Chartrice were seeking men to court at the ball. So keep that in mind, I suppose."

Chartrice

[SHOW]

female; lives in Demalles Manor in Carpenter's Quarter; seems affluent

1

[SHOW]

-seems distressed and hassled when the guard goes to talk with her
-is disappointed??? here
-Chartrice and Sasha had attended the Carpenter's Ball at Trebonne Hall
-Split up after half an hour; distracted by a "charming pair of my own fancy"; last saw Chartrice leaving the ball with Handsome Man a couple of hours in

The Handsome Man

[SHOW]

Chartrice saw Sasha leave the Carpenter's Ball with him. He is tall, thin, and has black hair. He has an aura of charm about him. At the ball he was dressed well and quite handsome. His necklace bore a distinct emblem.
-emblem from Arenport Hunter's Society (Arenport Hunter's Society meets in Orcemont's Lodge

Likely one of the following; Vincent Galles, Bartolo Trioulle, the Eagle, Monpeli Corroux. Based on conversation with society member.

Friends with a blonde member called Gauthier Sannes.