The Ganoltir Project Forum

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2017 7:48 pm**

~Otherworld~

A book has found its way to your hands. "Otherworld", the cover says, in a strange, violet ink that seems to glimmer with its own light. "As Recorded by Pentius of Cydonia", it says toward the bottom. "As Recorded by Pentius" is a common sight on books of historical myths and legends, but you're sure "Cydonia" isn't a real place, and this seems to be an original creation. Alright, you think, I'll bite.

Hook

The world is a place of magic and adventure, of great beauty and diversity. But that may not stay true for long. The Demon Lord Balfour has launched an assault on this world, performing slash and burn raids all around the continent of Eugura. His forces seem to be everywhere and come from nowhere, with his Dark Tower appearing each time they attack. You and your trusty comrades have lucked out and found his Dark Tower between assaults, and the time is nigh to strike before he slips through your grasp!

Setting and Lore

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Cydonia
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Cydonia - Kingdom of Magic: [sblock3=pic][/sblock3]
Based in the eastern archipelago, Cydonia is the dominant kingdom on the continent of Eugura, by virtue of controlling several important trade locations. It is said that the capital city of Arent is located on the spot where the servants of the gods first imparted to mankind the basics of civilization. Cydonia is a majority human kingdom, though none of the major races of Eugura are a rarity there. The kingdom is the thriving center of magical and academic study, the cultural hotbed of the region. The legenedary Academy is here, where people come from around the world to learn a variety of disciplines, but especially to combine them.

Drulfros
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Drul'Fros -
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The fortress-holds of the Dwarven Craftlords are sprinkled throughout the Frosthold mountains that rise through the middle of the continent, separating east from west. The dwarves of Drul'Fros are insular and have chilly relations with most of the other peoples and powers of Eugura, but they maintain some ties for trading their goods and comparing crafting techniques with others.

Senshenk Woods
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Senshenk Woods -
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Deep, Spooky Forest. This huge, old growth forest covers a significant portion of the northern part of Eugura. Mostly impassable, those routes which do exist are loomed over heavily by the shadow of the woods and the threat of monsters. Powerful fey are known to hold court inside, and while they tolerate mortals to use the travel routes, they do not allow the forest to be cut back enough to prevent monster attacks.

Fort Hawkraven
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Fort Hawkraven -
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Nestled on an island in the middle of Star Lake, at the northern edge of the Frosthorns, is Fort Hawkraven. This wealthy city-state has gained much influence in recent years since it became the headquarters for the Mystic Order of Practitioners. Some are understandably wary of the ambitious High Councillor Collett and the Order, but they have been invaluable in their work to organize a defense against the demons.

Wedernaith
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Wedernaith -
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In an earlier age, when the First Invasion rocked Otherworld, this was a thriving human kingdom. In a desperate bid to defeat the demons, the legendary wizard Irlain sacrificed himself in a binding ritual that sought to lock the demons back in Hell. The ritual was a success, but backlash from the demons caused the entire kingdom to be flooded with black mana. Now a dead, often undead realm, Wedernaith is largely unsettled, with only a few stubborn towns and vllages near the edges, where the black energies are weakest.

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[SHOW]: We will be using the Magic: the Gathering 5-color system for magic. I'm not going to use any houserules for it, but keep it in mind when considering spellcasting characters.

Mana is a metaphysical form of energy that is expended when a mage or wizard uses magic. It flows throughout the multiverse from plane to plane. It's ultimate source is unknown. Mana dwells within all things, however, the mana dwelling with most beings in miniscule, so spellcasters have been known to siphon mana from the land around them. In areas whose mana has been almost completely siphoned off, magic becomes weaker and living being begin to die. In areas where it has been completely siphoned off, all living beings die instantly upon entering. Fortunately, unless that area has become severed from mana, time will replenish the mana naturally. If an area HAS been severed from mana, the damage must be undone quickly, lest a rift form.
White, the color of order, healing, justice, and light but also authoritarianism, subjugation and bureaucracy. It's produced by plains.
Blue, the color of knowledge, reason, and trickery, the elemental power is water. It's produced by islands.
Black, the color of death, darkness, despair, selfishness, and amorality, but also individuality and ambition. It's produced by swamps.
Red, the color of chaos, destruction, war, and fury, as well as lightning and fire. It is the color of love and emotion, as well as freedom and warmth. It's produced by mountains.
Green, the color of life, nature, growth, instinct, and interdependence. It's produced by forests.

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Pythos, God of Nightmares
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Pythos, the God of Nightmares, is extremely beautiful, with alabaster skin, shoulder length, rippling gold hair, and eyes the color of spring greenery. He is average height and muscular, and often appears angry. He usually wears simple clothes dyed red and grey.
He is also associated with mysteries. He is often worshipped by women. His unsurprisingly few followers can be primarily distinguished by the rites they perform. There are many offerings to him at inns and sanctuaries. There are many myths involving his duels with Git. He is known to pose tests to mortal heroes.

Git, the God of Elk, Famine and Fertility
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Git, the God of Elk, Famine and Fertility, is very plain, with ivory skin, short, straight red-gold hair, and eyes the color of a wild wolf's. He is average height and very muscular, and is usually smiling. He usually wears light armor dyed golden-brown.
He is also associated with mountains. He is often worshipped by nobles. His large numbers of followers can be primarily distinguished by the magic they wield. There are quite a few statues of him on lonely roads. There are many myths involving his vast travels with Diara. He is known to hinder mortal machinists.

Major:
Minor:

Ostea, the God of the Stars and Lovers
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Ostea, the God of the Stars and Lovers, is an exotic beauty, with ivory skin, waist length, flowing gold hair, and eyes the color of green leaves. She is tall and solidly built, and looks somewhat malicious. She usually wears rich robes dyed white.
She is also associated with knowledge, spring and cooking. She is often worshipped by village folk. Her vast flocks of followers can be primarily distinguished by the magic they wield. There are a small number of carvings of her near rivers. She is the wife of Lar. She is known to sometimes pose tests to mortal heroes, along with Pythos.

Diara, the Goddess of Hidden Things
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Diara, the Goddess of Hidden Things, is almost plain-looking, with ebony skin, short, dark grey hair, and eyes the color of spring greenery. She is very short and willowy, and sometimes seems very sad. She usually wears simple clothes dyed bronze.
She is also associated with nighttime, borders and witches. She is often worshipped by youths. Her numerous followers can be primarily distinguished by the holidays they observe. There are many temples to her in forests. She is known to pose riddles to virtuous mortals.

Dual:

Lehena, the Goddess of Marriage
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Lehena, the Goddess of Marriage, the Desert and Celebration, is extremely beautiful, with ebony skin, long, curly medium brown hair, and eyes the color of summer sky. She is tall and slightly plump, and often looks sly. She usually wears simple clothes dyed grey and tan.
She is also associated with deceit, messengers and oaths. She is often worshipped by midwives. Her dedicated followers can be primarily distinguished by the holidays they observe. There are quite a few altars dedicated to her at the edge of forests. There are many myths involving her enduring friendship with Git. She is known to give help to great mortal heroes.

Major:
Minor:

Lar, the God of Medicine, Candles and Inspiration
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Lar, the God of Medicine, Candles and Inspiration, is extremely beautiful, with bronzed skin, waist length, black hair, and eyes the color of sparkling amber. He is tall and willowy, and generally has a blissful expression. He usually wears formal attire dyed dark red.
He is also associated with snow, music and desire. He is often worshipped by men. His many followers can be primarily distinguished by their secret language. There are many shrines to him in most villages. He is the husband of Ostea. He is known to give aid to mortals seeking forgiveness.

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Minor:

Moxara, the Goddess of Peace, Spring and Politics
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Moxara, the Goddess of Peace, Spring and Politics, is unusually beautiful, with light skin, waist length, curly blonde hair, and eyes the color of tree bark. She is average height and slender, and has a faraway expression. She usually wears a cloak dyed pale brown and medium yellow.
She is also associated with assassins. She is often worshipped by soldiers. Her followers can be primarily distinguished by their tattoos. There are many sacrifices to her in military outposts. There are many myths involving her affectionate freindship with Lehena. She is known to hinder rebellious mortals.

Major:
Minor:

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[SHOW]: (This my addition to Wal's created lore)
What I have mainly concerns the demi-planar nature of the Fey realms. Deep inside big forests, like Senshenk, there are Fey realms, like the standard feywild, which aren't entirely different planes but aren't entirely congruent with the real world. Basically, a big forest can be bigger on the inside.

Fey-type creatures, like dryads and satyrs, are usually only found in forest with a Fey centre, but they can go outside it, obviously. There are rumors(which, as a dryad, Cinder is pretty sure are true, but can't confirm) that all Fey centres are connected, somewhere or how known only to the rulers and super-elites. Being kicked out of this would be uncomfortable, as you'd be used to having a lot of ambient green mana around you, and it's difficult to get that much outside the forests, with some exceptions like ley-lines and places where lots of green mages congregate. Not harmful, just feels sorta like you're always breathing stagnant air.

Senshenk, as a forest and Fey-centre, is mostly green, but it has an undercurrent of black and some definite black areas. This is the sort of thing you don't talk about in the Court.

Character Creation info

As I implied in the hook, you are a party of somewhat accomplished adventurers, and you've been together for some time. Please work out amongst yourselves what your relations with the rest of the group are and what your reasons for seeking treasure and righting wrongs are. This is intended to be a high fantasy(even pulpy) game, so bring on your amnesiacs and lost princes and whatever else strikes your fancy. For our old hands, please read the rest of this section carefully, as there are some changes to our standard formula.

System: 4e
Level 6
Stats: 24pt buy. (rather than 4e's default 22)
Race: Any published, but no refluffing, unless it's to something not published. You are not limited to the Ganoltir standard races, play a dragonborn or a goblin or whatever floats your goats. I'm not going to make a place in the setting for every race, but I will for ones people want to use.
Class: Any published.
Feats: Choice of free expertise feat.
Themes: Allowed.
Background: +2 to a skill or add a language.
Equipment: 100 gold to spend on whatever mundane gear you want.
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.
Inherent Bonuses: Yes
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.

Additional House Rules:

[SHOW]: You are all now subject to the Will of the Soul rule. You may invoke a Will point to A) Forego rolling dice for a skill check and treat it as a natural 20 instead or B) Regain the use of an expended daily or encounter power or heal yourself for an amount equal to 1.5 times your surge value. You may do this up to once per in-game day for use A and once per in-game day for use B. This requires no action.

Invoking a Will point is a supernatural in-world event with effects noticeable to the character using it(unlike our typical handling of action points, which are cinematic events rolled into the turn order). Characters do not have to consciously invoke this power, but I expect you as players to RP what is driving your character to surpass their normal limits. These effects are not magic in any sense that your characters are used to. They do not use mana and cannot be detected or understood via the Arcana skill.

Repeated invocation of Will points will have long-term effects on your character. These effects are likely to be positive overall, but they are unpredictable.

PC Status:

Gamil(GROMkill): Active
Cinder(TheWalrus42): Active
Lorion(Scratcherclaw): Active
Grozzuk(FinalTemplar): Active
Damocles(Neovenator): Inactive
Kharn(Crabby): Inactive

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2017 7:50 pm**

'Cinder', the Oakengrove Outcast

[SHOW]: Cinder is unique among dryads in that she has a pair of horns, which developed later in her life due to the dark energies she came in contact with near the Brambles. At this point they are nearly as large as the horns of most full-grown tieflings, though this was not always so. This physical feature is something she is very self-conscious about, as she knows all too well just how negatively it can impact her life if people find out they are not natural. She often tries to pass it off as a rare trait among dryads to outsiders, but all of the fey know the truth.

Apart from her horns, Cinder is a fairly average dryad. She stands 6' 1", which is tall for most human women but average for a dryad of her age and lifespan. She has green skin and green eyes, with hair a mix of brown, red, and orange hues, and in general appears to be halfway between a summer and autumn cycle.

Like most fey, and the dryads especially, Cinder does not carry or interact with metal objects if it can be helped. Her clothing is made of cloths, leathers, and other naturally-occurring plant and animal materials, usually in shades of browns and greens. She caries with her and old, mangled branch that was near her when she awoke from her tree-state, which she believes was a branch of her last incarnation. She also carries with her, hanging from a leather strap, an enchanted tome of spells and lore of the fey, which she'd gained well before her exile, one of her last remaining connections to the Oakengrove.

[SHOW]: Cinder worries a lot, a trait that developed later in her life and has only been growing worse as her corruption has spread. Initially quite adventurous and daring, that began to change after her venture into the Brambles. The initial horns growing on her head, barely-noticeable at first, made worry (and rightly so) that she would soon be shunned by the other fey of the Oakengrove. The tieflings she met made her worry (again, rightly) that the horns were unnatural and the result of dark magics. Her banishment from the fey court made her worry for her future in general, and the rise of Balfour made her worry that she would soon be consumed by the corruption and no longer be herself.

Though a worrier at heart, she has tried to keep her thoughts in the back of her head as much as possible, fully aware of how constant worrying can affect those around her. She doesn't know how to completely hide her fears, and instead her solution has been to become more reserved. She opens up around those she knows and trusts, and often finds solace in speaking about her worries to such people, but it never fully goes away.

The one thing that helps ease Cinder's worries is a magical fairy puppet she took with her before her exile from the Oakengrove began. It is roughly the size of the various pixies and sprites she knew growing up, and with the right incantation will move on its own. It serves as a reminder of what she is fighting for, and when feeling especially down or distressed she often likes to take it out and watch it dance for a bit to ease her nerves.

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Background and Concept Elements
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Seed: Sionedwyn was once a great tree, and a beloved member of the Oakengrove community, same as most of her previous incarnations. Like the other Dryads, her 'birthplace' was a certain spot in the forest that she'd return to towards the end of her life, before eventually dying and being reborn. The initial hundred years or so of her life were spent growing as a tree in this spot, same as she'd done countless times before, finally emerging from her trunk in the form of a beautiful woman. There she began the ritualistic journey from the fringes of the Senshenk Woods to the fey court at its center, the 'capital city' of sorts of the forest's fey inhabitants.

Sprout: Though physically equivalent to a young adult by human standards, Sionedwyn had much to learn (or re-learn) about the world. She had some vague memories and instincts still intact from her previous lives, such as an innate connection to her birthplace and an intuitive grasp of how to reach the Oakengrove. However, she did not know how to fight, make clothing, cast spells, or even speak more than some basic words and her name. Some of this she'd learn in her relatively-brief pilgrimage to the forest center, but most would not come until she had rejoined her sisters and the other fey.

Seedling: It took a few months of slowly wandering, learning, and avoiding travelers to finally manage to reach the Oakengrove, crossing into the fey realm to the great delight of some of her old friends, and many new ones. There she was welcomed with open arms, a sister returned to the fold to the other dryads, a potentially friend and lover to many of the satyrs, and a source of pranks for many of the sprites and fairies. The reunion began as all do for the dryads, with the other dryads helping to teach her all she'd forgotten in her dormant state, and bringing her up-to-date on the goings-on of the past few hundred years. Queen Íde oversaw this directly, having been an old friend of her past incarnation.

It took little time for Sionedwyn to re-learn the basics, such as history and vocabulary. She had always been a quick learner, and each incarnation seemed to be better at it than the one before. What took much longer was mastering the manipulation of the forest's natural green energies. All the fey were masters in such manipulation, it being a key part of what made the Senshenk Woods - and all forests hosting fey courts - such a mystical and mysterious place. As a gift she was given a tome of fey lore, one she herself had been keeping through each of her incarnations, though with some extra incantations and songs added towards the end in her absence.

Sapling: She was taught alone for the first year or so, when another of her sisters arrived from the forest beyond and began to train in the magical arts as well. This newcomer was called Cerys, and was a rarity among the dryads - a first generation incarnation. As such, this new arrival had no past memories to rely on or experiences to build upon, a true youth surrounded by the near-ageless. Sionedwyn took Cerys under her wing, helping her practice the simpler spells and incantations that came more naturally to her than her new colleague, and eventually helping to train her more directly as she began to master the magic in her own right.

Sionedwyn completed her training much earlier than Cerys, and the dynamic shifted between that of peers to that of a mentor and her mentee. Now confident in her knowledge and abilities, she began to venture back out into the forest on her own, often returning back to the Oakengrove with interesting tales to share with Cerys, or unique items found in her travels. The two would bond over such tales, and Sionedwyn's added wisdom, and over time became close friends.

The Brambles: On one of her ventures out into the forest proper, Sionedwyn stumbled upon an odd section of forest she'd never seen before. Deep into the northwestern portion of the forest she came upon a section of dense vines and thorns, a stark contrast to the usual trees and light underbrush of most of the woodlands. Eager to explore this fascinating growth, she wasted no time in venturing deeper into the vine-filled area.

Traversing the Brambles was no easy task, but eventually Sionedwyn came across an interesting sight. In the middle of a thick tangle of thorny vines she saw a pile of stones in a diamond configuration, the center of which seemed to emanate with a strange energy she'd never felt before. She'd heard the others mention the forest having pockets of black energy, and as soon as she felt it she knew that must be the source. She was both excited and worried about the discovery, and though her curiosity made her want to stick around, her instincts told her to flee.

The Stranger: Escaping the Brambles proved more difficult than entering. She could not tell if it was her mind playing tricks on her, but to Sionedwyn it seemed that the thorns had grown denser and thicker since she'd entered, leaving little room to walk through. Her magic did little to aid in the retreat, the vines seeming to be only marginally affect by her spells.

As she tripped over one of the many vines snaking across the ground, the young dryad was shocked and a bit frightened to find herself being aided to her feet by a stranger. When she looked to thank the stranger she found herself face to face with something else she'd never seen before, not in this or any previous incarnation - a dryad with horns. Or at least what she thought was a dryad. The woman had similar features to those of dryads, though her skin was dark and the aforementioned horns. She maintained her grip on Sionedwyn's hand far longer than she felt comfortable with, and looked into the young woman's eyes with no expression as she did so. The dryad felt compelled to maintain eye contact, but after a moment her fear about the whole situation got the better of her and she pulled away, running off into the distance.

Corruption: Sionedwyn returned from her trip to the Brambles still a bit shaken, but excited to regale her friend with the tale. However, her relief at finding her way home would be short-lived. When she met up with Cerys to tell of her adventure, the younger dryad was pre-occupied with Sionedwyn's forehead. When asked, the girl explained that there were small protrusions coming from her head that had not been there before. The elder dryad thought little of it and continued her tale as usual, but worry began to seep into her mind about what the protrusions might be, and if they were the result of the strange energies she'd encountered.

Over the coming weeks and months more of her sisters began to notice the protrusions, and from their comments they seemed to be growing. Some of the pixies suggested she was becoming a man, as horns were only found on the entirely-male satyrs in the forest, as well as male deer. Others worried the effects had a more sinister origin. The satyrs, who'd spent the most time among the other races, knew of the tieflings and their connection to the demon lords. They suggested the horns were signs of Sionedwyn becoming corrupted in the same manner, the small protrustions the first physical signs of her transformation.

As more time passed it became more and more apparent that the satyr's assumptions were the most likely. Over the span of more than a year, Sionedwyn's horns grew out, more quickly at first before slowing over time, until they had reached roughly 1/3 of the size of an average adult satyr's horns. While many of the pixies still practiced their light-hearted teasing of the woman, most of the dryads and satyrs had grown increasingly distressed, some completely refusing to interact with her lest the corruption spread. She remained close with Cerys, who'd managed to finish her training and could join her on her adventures, but most of her closest acquaintances had now become distant.

Cinder: Growing more self-conscious the worse the corruption got, Sionedwyn opted to spend more and more of her time traversing the forest than among her sisters in the Oakengrove. Though not as keen on travel, she was often joined by Cerys for these outings. On one such occasion the pair stumbled upon another patch of the Brambles, this one different than the one she'd been to before. The sight left Sionedwyn fearful and anxious, as her last run-in had done little to improve her life. Cerys was more eager to explore it, convinced that the woman her friend had met was the source of her corruption, not the land itself.

She was eventually convinced by her friend to go in, and the sights were much the same as before. Likewise, as before, they found a pile of stones in a diamond configuration, and could feel the dark energy being emitted. At this point Cerys finally became fearful, and the two began to flee, Cerys leading the way as Sionedwyn followed. From behind she could notice things she hadn't noticed before, such as the vines seeming to slowly - barely noticeably - shift and writhe as the pair moved. Like with herself, Cerys was tripped by one of these moving vines, and shortly after emerged the strange woman Sionedwyn had seen before.

Sionedwyn did not know if Cerys' theory about the corruption was true or not, but in that moment she knew that if she could prevent it she would. As the woman approached her friend, Sionedwyn raised her hands to caste one of the many spells she'd learned from the other dryads to channel the green energies of the forest. However, it was not green energy that responded but black, and what she expected to be a viney rope to pull her friend away turned out to be a firey blast that left the younger dryad on fire and screaming out in pain. The other woman, seeming unaffected by the flames, simply turned and left.

Sionedwyn was torn between giving chase and aiding her friend, but ultimately decided on the latter. She grabbed her friend and pulled her out of the vines, and as soon as she'd left the Brambles she cast another spell, this one working as intended, to soothe Cerys' pain with healing water. The young dryad was unconscious from the pain, but still alive, and Sionedwyn carried her back to the Oakengrove.

Once back, the others initially lauded the woman for her bravery in aiding her friend to safety. When Cerys awoke, however, their opinions quickly changed. The young woman no longer looked up to the older dryad with respect and admiration, but fear and hatred. She'd shout at her to leave, and curse her name, calling her 'Cinder' for the burns and scars she suffered. The opinion spread as quickly as the tale, with the other dryads calling her 'Cinder' and refusing to interact.

Exile: As word reached more of the denizens of the Oakengrove, the forest's rulers were forced to intervene. After a short trial where they heard from both Cerys and Sionedwyn, King Mochán issued his verdict. The elder dryad was to be banished from the Oakengrove and stripped of her name. Despite protests and pleas to the queen for mercy - even bringing up their old friendship - the sentence was committed. The king brought her before the gathered fey and cast an ancient and powerful ritual, stripping the dryad of her connection to the Oakengrove and rendering her incapable of speaking her true name.

As the king spoke the final words of the ritual, the woman - now nameless - found herself alone in the forest, no longer in a court of her peers. She still felt a connection to the green energies of the forest itself, but her intuitive connection to her home had been severed - she could not sense its presence. She wandered aimlessly in search of it or her friends for weeks, months, possibly years, she lost track of time, but to no avail. Eventually she encountered outsiders traveling the forest and, having nowhere else to turn, decided to travel with them.

When asked her name, she tried to speak it, but she was unable to produce the sounds. No matter how hard or often she tried, she was now incapable of speaking or mouthing 'Sionedwyn'. Eventually, frustrated, she settled on introducing herself by the only other name she'd ever known - Cinder. Though it killed her a little inside to adopt a name that had been spewed so hatefully toward her by so many she'd once considered friends, she had no idea what else to go by. As she traveled and used it more the sting of its origin eventually wore away, and she became known officially - both to herself and others - as Cinder.

Hope: Cinder met many people in her travels, some kind to her and some less so. The few fey she met outside the forest, despite having no direct knowledge of her banishment, had an innate sense that there was something off about her and often avoided speaking with her. The few she did speak with seemed put off, and she eventually gave up trying to seek the aid of other fey all together.

In the time she wandered, sometimes alone, sometimes with small groups, she heard tales on occasion of a man with a similar goal to her own. He - a tiefling named Damocles - sought to purify himself of the demon taint that infected him since birth, becoming a human with no ties to Balfour or any of the other demon lords. Cinder figured that if anyone could understand her struggles and potentially aid her in her own quest, it would be this man.

It took quite some time from the first time she heard of Damocles to when she finally managed to track him down, but eventually she did find the man. Though he was initially wary of the woman, the two quickly became friends, bonding over their shared persecution and desires to rid themselves of demonic taint. She began to travel with him, aiding him in his aiding of others and the two jointly searching for clues that could cure their curses. Their group eventually grew as others joined for reasons of their own, until one day they stumbled upon a tower...

Goals
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1) Cinder would like to stop and, if possible, reverse the corruption that has plagued her. She would also like to stop the corruption of the forest, which she believes to be tied to her own corruption, and caused by the same person - the Stranger.

2) Related but separate to her first goal, Cinder would like to regain her connection to the Oakengrove, and with it regain her name and family. The longer she is away the more isolated she feels, and she'd like to be able to return home.

3) I'd like for Cinder to grow stronger and grow past her current issues. I'd like to see her return to her more adventurous self over time, and, if not able to complete her goals, learn to live without her old life and still be happy and whole.

Secrets
[SHOW]
1) Cinder recently began experiencing dreams tempting her to abandon her goals and current life to aid Balfour's conquest. She feels this is a sign her corruption is worsening, which is part of her increased worries. However, she does not want to share this new source of stress with her allies for fear that they will abandon her like the fey did.

2) After the initial shock of her burns, Cerys has since forgiven Cinder and has been actively seeking the woman's redemption at the Fey Court. This has caused somewhat of a divide among the fey of the Oakengrove, as many believe Cerys's forgiveness should be enough to welcome Cinder back to the fold, but many others - among them, King Mochán - disagree and believe that regardless of Cinder's initial intentions, her corruption would eventually lead to her betrayal.

People Tied to Cinder
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Cerys][sblock4=Appearance, Pre-burns][/sblock4]
[sblock4=Appearance, Post-burns][/sblock4]
Cerys is Cinder's closest friend, and has been since not long after her arrival in the Oakengrove. She is a rare first-generation dryad, this being her first in what should be many lifetimes to come. She was taught by Cinder before her banishment, and the event that left her burnt was indeed the event that led to her friend's banishment in the first place.

Like her friend - or like she used to be - Cerys is adventurous and brave. She is not as skilled at magical abilities as Cinder, though she was always better at physical feats. She is also a bit rebellious, similar to a teenager defying their parents, in that she often tends to defy the Fey Court. Her most recent defiance is her support of her friend's re-admission to the Court, believing whole-heartedly that Cinder would never have harmed her intentionally, and that the mysterious Stranger is to blame for her current state. She holds a lot of regret regarding the hatefulness she showed her friend immediately after the incident that left her burnt and scarred, and her desire to mend that friendship once Cinder is re-admitted to the court is something she greatly looks forward to.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=King Mochán][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
King Mochán is one of the co-rulers of the Fey Court of the Oakengrove, alongside his wife Queen Íde. Though not the oldest or the largest of the many satyrs hailing from the Senshenk woods, he quickly came to be known as one of the most respected and powerful. He is large by the standards of humans, standing at just under 7 feet tall, and powerfully built. He is powerful both physically and magically, wielding a great thorny club in battle and powerful green and red magics.

Though the one who sentenced Cinder to exile, the woman holds no ill will towards the King. She recognizes that he was doing what is best to protect his people, and though she desperately desires to rejoin those people, she endeavors to do so on their terms. Mochán has a similar lack of ill-will specifically towards Cinder, though his status as a hard-liner against demons leaves him little room to bend in favor of the woman. He is one of the main opponents to her re-admittance to the Oakengrove, at least prior to her corruption being dealt with.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Queen Íde][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Queen Íde is one of the eldest and most beautiful of the dryads that inhabit the Oakengrove, and has ruled as its queen for a long time. She chose to wed Mochán after he repeatedly demonstrated his prowess in battle, protecting the forest from demon incursions and other undesirables. She is known to be very wise and just, and though she was viewed with some suspicion for deciding to marry, and to marry a satyr at that, she is still well-regarded by her subjects. Though she lacks in physical power, her magical power and charm more than make up for it, her magical abilities far outweighing those of her king.

Íde and Cinder have always been close. The two were close friends in the latter's previous incarnation, and in her current incarnation the Queen directly oversaw her education in memory of that friendship. Though not as close now, the two do still hold a strong mutual respect. In secret, Íde is of like mind with Cerys, and desires her friend's return home. However, she is aware of the view's status as minority opinion and would not speak out against her husband about it.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Glynis][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
One of the fairest and most notable of the summer dryads, Glynis is the Oakengrove's chief healer and in some cases serves as an ambassador-of-sorts of the Court. She is the one who took Cerys in after her burns and, seeing the damage of Cinder's black magic, suggested the woman be kept away from her friend. She has since been very skeptical of any fey eager to venture too far from the Oakengrove, fearing they will become tainted as well. She finds it disturbing and an affront to her skills that she cannot cure or reverse the corruption of Cinder.

In a race known for its natural beauty, Glynis is regarded far and wide as one of the most beautiful and graceful. In her role as healer, and powerful practitioner of the green arts, she has many times traveled to the Academy to study and impart her wisdom in exchange for that of others. She has done so for so long that every member of the Academy has heard tales of her in her absence, and meeting her is often one of the greatest desires of young students.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Fearghas & Fearghal][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Two of the eldest satyrs in the Oakengrove, and Senshenk Woods as a whole, the twins Fearghas and Fearghal are a well-known sight for both the fey and outsiders alike. The two stroll the forest at a leisurely pace, sometimes chatting, sometimes in silence. When they come across a person or animal they tend to aid it or otherwise interact, often making new friends. Both are quite friendly and altruistic and, despite their initially off-putting size, they are known as extremely gentle.

Cinder first met them when traveling to the Oakengrove for the first time after her awakening. The two were kind enough to walk with her and show her some of the safe things to eat in the forest, before eventually parting ways to aid an injured deer. They've since met and chatted many times in the woman's ventures out into the woods, and she considers them close friends.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Meera][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Meera is the first human that Cinder met after being banished, and her traveling companion for awhile afterwards. She is a cold and reserved woman who wanders the woods in isolation, seeking to master the green arts of the forest. In exchange for some lessons she briefly offered Cinder shelter and some advice. The two parted ways amicably, though neither would consider the other a friend.

Meera is a member of a cult of forest worshipers who believe that a strong enough connection to the green energies of the forest will enable one to 'attune' to the forest, becoming one of the fey. She thought learning from a fey such as Cinder would help her get closer to this goal, but changed her mind upon hearing the woman's tale of corruption and banishment from the Fey Court.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=The Stranger][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Cinder knows very little about the Stranger, but what she does know she doesn't like. She has encountered the woman twice, both times in the brambles, and both times have changed her life for the worst. Her first encounter resulted in the horns growing on her head, as well as the innate connection to black energies she gained, and it is her belief that the Stranger directly caused this corruption.

Her second encounter the woman appeared to be trying to corrupt Cerys, and in an attempt to save her friend, Cinder nearly burnt the girl to a crisp. As a result she was stripped of her name, banished from the Oakengrove, and had her connection to the Fey Court severed by the King and Queen. It is this encounter that eventually led her to her current state, seeking to slay the Demon Lord Balfour in hopes that it will end her corruption, allowing her to return home.

Cinder did not believe in hate before she was banished, and even now she does not know if she truly hates the Stranger. If she does hate anything, though, then the Stranger is certainly at the top of the list. She wants to kill the Stranger more than she wants to kill Balfour, though she does not even know her name or anything about her, so she has put that dream aside in place of slaying the Demon Lord.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Sparrow][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Though Cinder does not really know Sparrow, the two have met in the past a few times in passing. She is a stoic sprite of some martial skill who is an excellent tracker and master of stealth. Queen Íde ordered Sparrow to keep tabs on Cinder, both to keep track of her progress in seeking a cure for her corruption, as well as to serve as a warning if the woman ever turned on her fey family after a complete transformation into a demon.

Sparrow does not particularly care one way or another about Cinder, but she dislikes being sent out of the Oakengrove for so long to watch after someone she barely knows, on the off chance that the woman becomes a threat. She often plays cruel pranks on Cinder that result in inconveniences for the woman, most minor, but a couple have been more major. She often seeks to remedy any of the major ones out of guilt, but she sees the minor inconveniences as payback for her own inconvenience, and it is in her nature to cause pranks anyway.[/sblock3]

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
[SHOW]
1) Cinder has many memories of her life before exile, and thinks back to that time longingly quite often. She remembers her friends, her adventures in the forest, her training. Most of all, she remembers the feeling of warmth and belonging that came with being in the Oakengrove, a feeling she has not felt since her connection was severed.

2) While most memories of her past life are good, the memories of the Brambles are ever present and often a source of stress. She regularly relives the events of both trips to the Brambles while she meditates, the two events often merging into one horrific nightmare of a dream, and she regularly emerges from stasis feeling anxious and upset at the memory.

3) Cinder regularly gazes off into the distance, lost in thought. While often thinking about her past and her goals to return home, it is not always the case. Sometimes she is thinking deeply about a societal norm or phenomenon of the outside world that she is new to, and is still trying to make sense of. The act of shaking hands, for example, is one she took a long time to fully grasp. She will often need to be snapped out of this gaze by others, which often results in embarrassment.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
[SHOW]
Family: Though not a biology family, Cinder considers the fey of the Oakengrove to be her family, and in general the other fey feel that way about one another too. She is currently exiled from the fey, and so feels as if she has lost her family.

Class: The fey of the Oakengrove have no 'class', apart from the King and Queen being joint rulers. All other stations are determined by merit, and in that sense she could have been considered middle class or even upper-middle class before being banished. Outside of the Oakengrove she could be considered a peasant, adventurer, or mage depending on who one asks.

Profession: The fey also do not have professions in the standard sense, each simply performs duties as needed according to their skills. As Sionedwyn she was adept at exploration and magic, her 'profession' could be considered a scout or a fighter of some sort. She also taught her friend magic, so teacher could fit as well. Outside of the Oakengrove she has gotten by as an adventurer.

Institutions: The Party and affiliated institutions (if any), and previously part of the Fey Court of the Oakengrove

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
[SHOW]
Primary: Healing and Redemption. Chief in her mind, Cinder would like to cure herself of whatever corruption plagues her and be welcomed back into the Oakengrove. All of her current travels and adventures are in pursuit of this goal, or at least she believes them to be.

Secondary: Adventure and exploration. Though once her primary drive in life, her corruption and banishment have taken a heavy toll on her sense of self-worth, which has led her to be less adventurous over time. She still enjoys seeing new places and doing new things, but knowing she cannot return to her friends to share her discoveries always adds a new layer of sadness that hadn't existed prior.

Tertiary: Improving Skills. It has always been in Cinder's nature to want to improve herself over time, whether that means learning new spells, gaining more knowledge or insight into the world, or interacting with new peoples and cultures. She has gotten to do much more of this lately than previously in her life, and while she enjoys it, she does not outright seek it as much as she once would have.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term
[SHOW]
Short-Term: Aid in the defeat of the Demon Lord Balfour. It is her hope that this will stop or hinder her corruption in some way, or at least lead to the knowledge that will allow her to do so.

Medium-Term: Complete her redemption arc and be welcomed back into the fold by the Oakengrove fey, having successfully cured her corruption.

Medium-Term: Find and stop the Stranger, so that she cannot cause others to suffer the same fate that she has. Hopefully this will prevent the Brambles from growing and spreading as well.

Long-Term: Continue to explore, learn, and grow. One day, in the far flung future, Cinder hopes that her unique experiences - while daunting, depressing, and unwelcome - will grant her the wisdom and knowledge necessary to be seen as guide for the younger fey. She has considered serving as guide to the forest at large as well, though does not know how much she'd enjoy it compared to just aimlessly wandering and exploring.

Group Relations
[SHOW]
Damocles: Cinder greatly respects Damocles. She sees him as an example to emulate, a protector of the people who, despite persecution and dealing with countless injustices tossed his way, seeks to be a force for good in the world. She likewise appreciates the bond they share in their goals of ridding themselves of the demon taint that infects them, something she feels most cannot relate to.

Gamil: Cinder feels a sort-of silent, perhaps one-sided kinship with Gamil. She recognizes that the man likes to keep to himself, and can only imagine what reasons he has for doing so. She knows her own reasons for such behavior, though, and assumes that his reasons are due to past hardships just like her own. It is Cinder's hope to become closer to the man so that, maybe, both of them can emerges from their shells a bit.

Lorion: Cinder does not quite know what to make of Lorion. His changing attitudes, from cheerful and friendly to secretive, or from displaying confidence to a lack of confidence, leaves her a bit confused by the young man. She believes he must be suffering from his past like many of the others, but is not quite sure how to broach the subject, or if she even wants to.

Kharn: Cinder is not overly fond of Kharn. His laziness reminds her of some of the more crude satyrs she knew, and such a sedentary lifestyle is one she always sought to avoid with her ventures. Likewise, his bursts of anger can be quite off-putting, even if aimed at enemies instead of friends. She tolerates his presence in the group, and recognizes his skills, but has no desires to grow closer to the man.

Grozzuk: Though she does not understand his love of combat or raucous behavior, Cinder nonetheless does think somewhat highly of Grozzuk. She was initially wary of the man, but has over time come to see that his more simplistic approach to life, along with his devotion to honor, makes him a trustworthy companion.

NPC Wishlist
[SHOW]
These are NPCs I'd like to exist in the world, though the need not have any direct connection to my character (yet, if ever). You don't necessarily have to use them, but I thought it'd be nice to flesh out the world with more characters you can pull from

[sblock3=Eleri][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Another corrupted dryad, from either a different Fey Court in the Senshenk Woods, or - more likely - a Fey Court from another forest all together. She could be on a similar quest to Cinder or not, but the main thing I'd like is for her to either have a decent relationship with her Fey Court, or otherwise not be so brought down by being banished (if in a similar position to Cinder). Should they ever meet, Eleri would ideally be somewhat of a foil to Cinder's sullen, defeatist attitude towards her banishment. Also, while not particularly important, it could be interesting if her blue eyes are a unique trait compared to other dryads, representing a strong connection to blue energy rather than the usual green.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=The Fey Hunter][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Deep in the Senshenk Woods he hunts, a man part lizard, part... something else. There are tales all throughout the fey courts of the forest that tell of this man, standing close to 7' tall, with a powerful tail dragging behind him. They tell of his red eyes glaring down as he hacks his prey to bits, devouring some on the spot, or gathering their body parts in sacks to sell to alchemists and wizards who desire such parts for rituals. He is a feared boogeyman-type that all fey have heard about, though few claim to have encountered. Some do not even believe he exists, but the unlucky few who've survived an encounter with him know that he is very real, and very dangerous.[/sblock3]

Item Wishlist
[SHOW]
[to be added at some point, maybe]

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: Sionedwyn 'Cinder', level 6
Hamadryad, Shaman
Companion Spirit: World Speaker Spirit
Background: Geography - Forest (+2 to Nature)
Theme: Devil's Pawn

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 19, Wis 19, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 8.

AC: 20 Fort: 17 Reflex: 18 Will: 19
HP: 51 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +16, Religion +12, Endurance +10, Perception +12, Arcana +12

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Bluff +2, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +7, Heal +7, History +7, Insight +7, Intimidate +2, Stealth +3, Streetwise +2, Thievery +3, Athletics +3

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Tome Expertise
Level 1: Arcane Initiate
Level 2: Mark of Healing
Level 4: Intolerable Command
Level 6: World Serpent's Grasp

POWERS
Arcane Initiate: Hypnotism
Shaman at-will 1: Spirit Infusion
Shaman encounter 1: Bramble Ally
Shaman daily 1: Spirit of the Healing Flood
Shaman utility 2: Engaging Pursuit
Shaman encounter 3: Spirit of Slavering Bloodlust
Shaman daily 5: Ancient Progenitor Spirit
Shaman utility 6: Natural Terrain Understanding

[SHOW]

Equipped Items

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Tome Implement
Offhand:   Staff Implement
Body:      Leather Armor

Head:      ---
Neck:      Gray Rain Cloak
Arms:      ---
Hands:     ---
Waist:     Mundane Belt, Belt Pouch, Waterskin
Feet:      ---
Symbol:    Holy Symbol of Zagreus
Ki Focus:  ---
Ring:      ---
Ring:      ---
Tattoo:    ---

Boon:      ---

Backpack
[SHOW]
* Faerie Puppet

Fire Kit

Flute

Giant hair rope

Sacks (empty) (2)

Belt Pouch
[SHOW]
* Hair of Fairy Hues

* Trail Rations (10)

All Items
[SHOW]
Tome Implement, Leather Armor, Staff Implement, Hair of Fairy Hues, Backpack (empty), Belt Pouch (empty), Faerie Puppet, Fire Kit, Flute, Giant hair rope, Gray Rain Cloak, Holy Symbol, Trail Rations (10), Waterskin, Sacks (2)

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: Sionedwyn 'Cinder'

Female Hamadryad Shaman 6
Languages: Common, Elven
Age: ~450?
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 173 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +3
Passive Perception: 22
Passive Insight: 17
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 20
Fort: 17
Reflex: 18
Will: 19
HP: 51/51
Bloodied: 25
Surge Value: 12
Surges left: 9/9
Action Points: 1

MBA (Staff): +6 vs AC, 1d8+1 damage
RBA (unarmed): +4 vs AC, 1d4+1 damage

Resistances: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves:

+2 vs daze, dominate, and stun

Active Effects:

allies get +2 to all defenses vs OAs provoked while entering/leaving square adjacent to spirit companion
enemies (not immune to fear) adjacent to spirit companion grant CA

Powers:

World Speaker's Command
Voice of Battle
Call Spirit Companion
Spirit Infusion

Second Wind []
Hellfire and Brimstone []
Hamadryad Aspects []
Healing Spirit [][]
Speak with Spirits []
Hypnotism []
Bramble Ally []
Engaging Pursuit []
Spirit of Slavering Bloodlust []
Natural Terrain Understanding [_]

Spirit of the Healing Flood []
Ancient Progenitor Spirit []
Will Point: Type A []*
Will Point: Type B []*

* See special houserule in OOC OP

Consumables: None.

Important Features:
[SHOW]
Class Features
Companion Spirit: Gain spirit companion, which must be present to use certain powers.

World Speaker Spirit Boon: allies who provoke OAs when entering or leaving squares adjacent to the spirit companion gain a +2 bonus to defenses against the OA

Racial Features
Fey Origin: considered a fey creature for effects relating to such creatures

Forest Walk (Hamadryad): ignore difficult terrain that is part of a tree, underbrush, or some other forest growth

Oaken Vitality:

+5 racial bonus to endurance to resist effects of starvation, thirst, and suffocation. Survive twice the normal time when forced to make such checks.
*Do not need sleep, but instead must meditate near a source of light, water, or on the ground for at least four hours to gain effects of extended rest. Remain fully aware of surroundings during this meditation.

Tree Mind: +2 racial bonus to saves vs daze, dominate, and stun

Theme Features
Level 5 Devil's Pawn Feature: +4 to diplomacy checks to interact with devils, duergar, devil cultists, and other creatures devoted to devils

Feat(ures)
Tome Expertise: Enemies (except ones immune to fear) adjacent to my spirit companion grant CA

Mark of Healing: When I use a healing power on an ally, or the Heal skill to allow them to use Second Wind, the ally can also make a saving throw. Can master and perform certain rituals.

Intolerable Command: Creatures hit with World Speaker's Command are also deafened and slowed until my EONT

World Serpent's Grasp: When I hit slowed or immobilized enemies, I knock them prone

[/sblock]

[SHOW]

The Oakengrove
[SHOW]
Deep in the heart of the Senshenk Woods is a Fey Centre of some renown, the Oakengrove. The Fey Court that presides over this area, and the Senshenk Woods in general, is ruled jointly by a King Mochán, the greatest and noblest of the satyrs, and Queen Íde, the most beautiful and just of the dryads. Their court consists of many other dryads and satyrs of various sizes and ages, as well as other fey creatures such as pixies, nymphs, hengeyokai, and kenku.

The Oakengrove is a somewhat hidden place that serves as the beating heart of the forest, and the largest concentration of the natural green energies of the forest. Its denizens, who are already generally very long-lived by their nature, experience greatly lengthened lifespans and increased magical power. Outsiders who manage to stumble upon the area would find themselves wholly at the whim of the king and queen, whose power is nearly incomparable within the region's borders.

The denizens of the Oakengrove, like most fey, are averse to all things 'unnatural', such as metalwork, masonry, and other such things that manipulate nature for personal gain. Some who venture out of the woods for long periods of time grow out of this aversion, or embrace manmade craft at the expense of their native virtues, but for most of the fey such things are simply unacceptable and unnatural. The rare few who actively learn combat, to defend their home, typically do so with items made of wood, horn, teeth, and whatever else can be found in the forest.

Dryads
[SHOW]
Of the fey creatures of forests of the world, and Senshenk Woods in particular, the Dryads are some of the most renowned and powerful. All dryads are female, and they are incapable of directly reproducing, instead reincarnating after incredibly-long life cycles compared to that of the average human. They never stop growing as they age, with some of the oldest reaching well over ten feet tall.

A dryad's early years are spent as a tree, growing like any other until reaching an age of maturity that is equivalent to roughly 1/2 the lifespan of the tree they are born of. As such, some can remain in their dormant tree state for centuries before ever emerging as walking, sentient creatures, and some only decades. Their natural lifespans once awoken range from 5-10 times the length of their tree's natural lifespan, with some dryads living over a millenia and others only a few hundred years at most. Their sentient lifestyle ends with them returning to a tree state, this time slowly withering away into a husk and dropping seeds that then grow into new trees, one of which being the reincarnated dryad's next form, the rest merely trees.

On rare occasions an especially strong concentration of green energy can cause a normal tree sapling to become imbued with enough of the energy to transform into a dryad at the right age, thus creating a new dryad that can join the cycle of life, death, and rebirth that the others experience. In this way the species slowly spreads over time, not by any intentional procreation. The nature of dryads to want to protect their home forests, and thus strong sources of green energy, does allow them to indirectly affect the spread of their species, however.

Despite this life cycle of reincarnation, a dryad is not actually immortal, and can be killed permanently if they are to die an unnatural death. A common source of this death is forest fires occurring when they are in their helpless tree-like states, which is why many dryads have learned to harness magical energies to create water from thin air as a way to try to combat such fires and protect their sisters from harm.

Because of their long lifespans and the lack of a need to mate, the dryad race is generally a fairly insular one, sticking to their own kind and the other fey races for the most part. Some form romantic bonds with other dryads or fey creatures, or, more rarely, other races outside of the forest, and in their humanoid forms they are capable of the same earthly pleasures the other races are. However, the vast majority stick to mostly platonic relationships over their lifespans, more interested in fostering community than individual relationships.

Satyrs
[SHOW]
Like the dryads, the satyrs are another of the most numerous and respected races of the forests, and the Senshenk Woods in particular. Also like the dryads they experience abnormally-long life cycles compared to humans (though much less than those of many dryads), and continue to grow in size until their death. The similarities between the two races end there, however.

Unlike the dryads, the satyrs are capable of reproducing and must do so to continue their species like any other species. However, as all satyrs are born male they must seek out companionship with women of other races, typically humans and elves, though less often they seek out dwarves, halflings, gnomes, and other similarly-humanoid races. Satyrs are very social, and a much greater percentage of them leave the forest, some for good, though many return after a period of discovery and companionship. Often they return with their sons, to be raised in the Oakengrove before they make their own journey of discovery.

A typical satyr lifespan is roughly 100-150 years, and while long for a human this is by no mean long compared to a dryad or some other fey creatures. The denizens of the Oakengrove have this lifespan extended, but so do the other races. They also continue to grow as they get old, with a normal satyr usually topping out over 7 feet, though some especially old satyrs who've stayed in the Oakengrove have been known to rival the greatest of the dryads in height.

As very social creatures, satyrs are prone to having many friends and lovers over their relatively short (by fey standards) lifespans, occasionally bring back such friends and lovers to their homes in the forest. On rare occasions they form bonds with a dryad, though give the reserved and insular nature of the latter this is far from the norm. While most are not motivated by desires for strength or power, a few satyrs throughout history have been known to be great warriors, protect the forest and the Oakengrove in times of need.

Fairies
[SHOW]
Many non-fey lump all tiny, humanoid fey creatures into the all-encompassing term 'fairy'. However, there are many different types of 'fairy' and indeed most do not appreciate the term at all, feeling it is an ignorant label applied to them by outsiders. Though the differences between them are often subtle to outsiders, there are differences, and they do often matter.

Pixies
The tiniest and most numerous brand of 'fairy', pixies tend to only get a few inches tall at their tallest, and can be found all throughout the various Fey Courts and their surrounding forests. They have small wings resembling those of insects and butterflies, and often trail pixie dust behind them as they fly. Their lifespans tend to range from four to eight years on average, with few living over a decade.

They are often very curious and mischievous, following after people they encounter or playing with small animals they see. They can converse with these animals to some extent, as well as other 'fairies', but it is not always easy for them to speak to humanoid races. In the grand scheme of thing, due to their size, lifespans, and general lack of maturity, pixies are rarely vary important in the world.

Sprites
Sprites are the next most numerous brand of 'fairy', and the most important overall. They generally range between a few inches to a foot tall and have limbs that seem extended for their body shape compared to other humanoids. Like pixies they have wings, though theirs are more like those of small birds than insects.

Sprites are much smarter and longer-lived than pixies, living on average for two to three decades. They have no difficulty learning the languages of other humanoids, and often serve as a go-between for pixies and such humanoids, the former of which generally at the whims of the latter. Though some sprites think of pixies as weak and beneath them, most see them as brethren in need of aid and protection.

Of the various types of 'fairy', sprites are the most likely to be encountered outside of the forest. Many have moved into major cities or ventured far and wide as adventurers. Some return home to regale others of their tales, some simply remain away, content with their life abroad. None have managed to maintain permanent settlements outside of the forest, however, as the lack of connection to the green energy and other fey makes it difficult for such settlements to grow and thrive.

Nymphs
Nymphs are less numerous than sprites, and are much harder to notice when found in the wild. The nymphs can best be thought of as 'plant spirits', and they blend in very well with their surroundings, taking the forms of the flora they grew up near. They are similar to dryads in that they grow from the ground as plants before emerging. Unlike dryads, however, they stop growing fairly early on, have shorter lifespans, and take the forms of flowers and other smaller plants rather than trees.

A typical nymph lives a lifespan similar to the flower species it represents, some for only a decade or so, and some for much longer. Most cycle between 'awakened' phases and 'hibernation' phases of life, matching the life cycle of the plant bushes they represent. They will often have to enter hibernation in the fall of each year, only to re-awaken in spring more vibrant and beautiful than before. Some species have more abnormal cycles, though it is very rare to see a nymph that does not require a period of hibernation on a regular basis.

Most nymphs are somewhere between pixies and sprites in size, with their total body size often being that of a single stem and flower of one flowering species. Some grow larger, or more oddly shaped, but few surpass the size of their sprite cousins. Their bodies are often slender and tall, like the stems of flowers, though not always. Their faces represent the flower itself, often with the petals framing their other facial features. When still they resemble these plants and flowers so much that a passerby would easily miss them, as they often do.

Nymphs come about when a flower patch is frequented by pixies for a prolonged period of time. In such cases the flowers become infused with the energies of the pixie dust trailing behind them, causing a flower bush to sprout with a spirit of its own. As such they are generally considered the least intelligent of the fairies, and they rarely venture far from their flower patch. The nymphs are easily able to communicate with other nymphs and pixies, though communicating with sprites is often impossible, and they are unable to commune with the other humanoid races.

Obake
If nymphs are considered plant spirits, then the obake can best be described as animal spirits. Obake come about when a small animal is doted upon by pixies earlier in its life, enough so that its entire body is infused with enough pixie dust to imbue it with latent green magical energies. In their natural forms they appear like any other small animals, such as cats, mice, fish, and the like. However, they bear inside them the reasoning abilities of any other humanoid races, which they use to their advantage.

Perhaps the most variant in both personalities and appearances, the obake are also usually the largest but least-common breed of fairy. They are capable of shapeshifting from their small animal bodies into those of humans, elves, and similar races when it suits them, usually for brief periods of time, though some have spent entire lifetimes masquerading as other races. They often maintain some of the animalistic quirks of their true form, such as like one's hand to clean oneself for a cat, or hanging one's tongue out for dogs, but even those traits can be managed.

The longest-lived of the fairies, obake tend to live lifespans equivalent to the 'human-year' equivalent of their animal forms. This would mean generally 70-90 years for dogs all the way up to over a thousand years for some species of tortoise. For the ones whose human-year equivalent fits within a normal humanoid lifespan this often results in no issues, but those who try to hide their true nature run into real issues if they are from a more long-lived species.

King Mochán
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Appearance][/sblock3]
King Mochán is one of the co-rulers of the Fey Court of the Oakengrove, alongside his wife Queen Íde. Though not the oldest or the largest of the many satyrs hailing from the Senshenk woods, he quickly came to be known as one of the most respected and powerful. He is large by the standards of humans, standing at just under 7 feet tall, and powerfully built. He is powerful both physically and magically, wielding a great thorny club in battle and powerful green and red magics.

Queen Íde
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Appearance][/sblock3]
Queen Íde is one of the eldest and most beautiful of the dryads that inhabit the Oakengrove, and has ruled as its queen for a long time. She chose to wed Mochán after he repeatedly demonstrated his prowess in battle, protecting the forest from demon incursions and other undesirables. She is known to be very wise and just, and though she was viewed with some suspicion for deciding to marry, and to marry a satyr at that, she is still well-regarded by her subjects. Though she lacks in physical power, her magical power and charm more than make up for it, her magical abilities far outweighing those of her king.

The Brambles
[SHOW]
The Senshenk Woods is vast and full of a variety of landscapes underneath the tree canopy, just as it is full of a variety of vegetation. One such section of the woods is notorious among its denizens as a dangerous and unnatural place - the Brambles. Really multiple loosely-connected places, the Brambles are a series of dense thorny vine growths scattered across the northeastern portion of the forest, separate by portions of normal forest.

Though the vines are plants, and thus 'natural' like the rest of the forest, these areas are known pockets of black energies as opposed to the usual green energies that permeate the forests. The Brambles are darker, damper, and home to much nastier beasts than the typical forest fauna, many of which are aggressive and dangerous, often venomous as well.

The greatest aversion to these patches of forest come from the fact that they are fairly recent additions, first appearing sometime after the first demon invasion. Many of the fey believe these patches to be a direct result of the increased dark energies coming from the invasion, some going so far as to claim it a direct attack on the forest. Others see it as just another in the natural changes the forest makes all the time, and while those same people still fear those areas, they do not believe them to be overtly 'evil'.

[/sblock]

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:01 pm**

Damocles, Persecuted Paladin of Moxara

[SHOW]: Damocles, level 6
Tiefling, Paladin
Theme: Guardian
Background: Add Language (Abyssal)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 20.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 13, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 17.

AC: 23 Fort: 19 Reflex: 18 Will: 21
HP: 61 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 18

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +8, Intimidate +13, Diplomacy +13, Endurance +9, Insight +12

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana +3, Bluff +10, Dungeoneering +5, Heal +5, History +3, Nature +5, Perception +7, Stealth +2, Streetwise +8, Thievery, Athletics +2

FEATS
Level 1: Imperious Majesty
Level 2: Wrath of the Crimson Legion
Level 4: Improved Defenses
Feat User Choice: Devout Protector Expertise
Level 6: Swift Recovery

POWERS
Lay on Hands: Lay on Hands
Paladin at-will 1: Virtuous Strike
Paladin at-will 1: Ardent Strike
Paladin encounter 1: Valorous Smite
Paladin daily 1: Radiant Delirium
Paladin utility 2: Call of Challenge
Paladin encounter 3: Righteous Smite
Paladin daily 5: Name of Might
Paladin utility 6: Wrath of the Gods

ITEMS
Khopesh, Scale Armor, Heavy Shield, Adventurer's Kit, Holy Symbol

[SHOW]: Damocles

Gender Race Class Level
Languages: Common, Draconic, Abyssal
Age: 30
Height: 6'2
Weight: 220 lbs.

Speed: 5
Initiative: +8
Passive Perception: 17
Passive Insight: 22
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 23
Fort: 19
Reflex: 18
Will: 21
HP: 61/61
Bloodied: 30
Surge Value: 18
Surges left: 13/13
Action Points: 1

MBA: (Virtuous Strike - Khopesh) +12 vs AC, 1d8+6 radiant damage, and I get a +2 bonus to saving throws until SoNT.

MBA: (unarmed) +10 vs AC, 1d4+6 damage

RBA: (unarmed) +3 vs AC, 1d4 damage

Resistances: Resist 8 Fire

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves: None

Active Effects: None

Powers:

Divine Challenge
Lay on Hands
Virtuous Strike
Ardent Strike
Divine Sanction

Second Wind []
Guardian's Counter []
Valorous Smite []
Divine Mettle []
Divine Strength []
Paladin's Wrath []
Righteous Smite []
Call of Challenge []

Radiant Delirium []
Name of Might []
Wrath of the Gods [_]

Consumables:

Important Feats:
[SHOW]
Imperious Majesty: Use Cha for initiative; when I hit a creature that has not yet acted, it takes Cha mod penalty to attacks against me until EoNT
Wrath of the Crimson Legion: Use Cha for MBAs; swap infernal wrath for paladin's wrath
Improved Defenses: +1/+2/+3 by tier to Fort, Ref, and Will
Swift Recovery: +3+4+5 by tier to healing surge value
Devout Protector Expertise: +1/+2/+3 by tier to weapon attack rolls (w/one handed melee) and to holy symbol implement attacks. While I use a shield allies get +1 shield bonus to AC.

Item Feature:

[SHOW]

Equipped Items Format

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Khopesh
Offhand:   Heavy Shield
Body:      Scale Armor

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

Boon:      ---

[/sblock]

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements
[SHOW]
1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Goals
[SHOW]
1)

2)

Secrets
[SHOW]
1)

2)

People Tied to Character
[SHOW]
1)

2)

3)

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
[SHOW]
1)

2)

3)

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
[SHOW]
Family:

Class:

Profession:

Institutions:

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
[SHOW]
Primary:

Secondary:

Tertiary:

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term
[SHOW]
Short-Term:

Medium-Term:

Long-Term:

[/sblock]

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:18 pm**

Gamil Softstep: Detective, Spy, Vigilante Assassin

[SHOW]

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements
[SHOW]
1) Born to Squalor -- Gamil was born into the slums of Cankerstack like many before him. Growing up was tough, and he hardly knew his father -- who died young in a criminal ring. His mother left Gamil at a young age, chasing men. Gamil learned the way of the streets in Cankerstack, and it wasn't long before he wanted more.

2) Patrols and Privilege -- Signing up for Cankerstack's constabulary as soon as he was of age, Gamil sought to clean up the streets of his district. He soon found that the institution was just as corrupt and wicked as the criminals themselves. Avoiding problematic people above or at his rank, he silently made his way through his first years with a clean slate. At the age of 24, he became a constable inspector under King Roko's own council. One of the council -- Bajro Moormask -- had taken an interest into Gamil's strengths upon seeing him work tirelessly to get his job done. Bajro was one of the few that were upstanding along the council.

3) Cleaning up the Streets -- As Constable Inspector, Gamil had a powerful role in being able to investigate criminal matters within Cankerstack. With Bajro's support, Gamil went after bigger and bigger targets, becoming somewhat of an infamous force among the city and even beyond. With how corrupt and rough life was in Cankerstack, Gamil had no problem breaking into homes, seizing evidence, and forcing confessions. After all, the criminals needed to be put away and nobody else was doing it.

3) Betrayal -- At some point into his 30s, Gamil had found a new threat among the Goblin Cities. A goblin by the name of Resko Rumwreath had gained control of a large network of counterfeit coins, upsetting the balance of the already-fragile economy in the Cities. Bajro, secretly tied to Resko, lightly suggested Gamil should back off for his own safety -- but the inspector would not. He gathered enough evidence on Resko: beating down the man's lackeys for confessions, stealing evidence from their workshop, even breaking into Resko's own home. Seeing this, Bajro was forced to make moves on Gamil to protect his own hide.

Bajro paid off a group of constables to track down Gamil and force him to back off. They were told to intimidate him, but they had other plans after seeing Gamil ruin a lot of their own connections with the underworld. The meetup went poorly, however, and the inspector hacked down the four goblins who had surrounded him. Injured and suspecting Bajro after finding lines of communication between the thugs and the councilman, Gamil needed to escape. At this point, King Roko had heard of his own constables being killed by the 'rogue agent,' so he placed a bounty on Gamil.

4) Above the Underdark -- Escaping Cankerstack with hardly anything, Gamil fled to new lands above-ground to figure out his life from there. Never leaving the Underdark much, the goblin had trouble. Jaded and feeling like he should lash back out at the wrongdoers of the world that had done him over, he took to a new motive. It took him time, but eventually Gamil was able to meet with a series of individuals in the cities above, doing contract work. Taking jobs that would benefit people who deserved it, the goblin would track down known criminals -- or those hiding amongst society. Using his skills from his rough past in Cankerstack, Gamil easily put down many targets.

5) Some Problems Too Large -- While taking a job in a human city, Gamil was investigating a smuggling ring through The Haunted Mire, a well-known tavern in the area. His cover was blown, however, and he was quickly surrounded by the totality of the armed guard. With six full-sized humans facing him, they taunted him for some time before he managed to lethally injure two of them. Enraged, the remaining humans bore down on Gamil and he sustained several injuries trying to escape. When it seemed like they had him cornered, a tiefling came to the rescue of Gamil. Cutting down two of the enemy thugs, Damocles routed the remaining men and sent them fleeing. Using his powers to stabilize Gamil, Damocles got him somewhere safe -- away from the Haunted Mire. In the tiefling's debt, Gamil agreed to begin working with him tenuously.

Goals
[SHOW]
1) Gamil seeks to make the world a place more fair by removing those too evil or corrupt to exist within it. In this case, that means defeating the Demon King Balfour with the help of his crew.

2) I want Gamil to be haunted by sins of his past but overcome them.

Secrets
[SHOW]
1) Gamil is wanted by the entire forces of King Roko. His departure from the Goblin Cities led to the King putting a large bounty on his head.

2) The bounty has spread past the Goblin Cities and many other figures from the Cydonian underworld and beyond have picked up on it.

People Tied to Character
[SHOW]
1) Bajro Moormask -- a friend and role model turned traitor. Bajro is a councilman to King Roko. Stern and smart, Bajro has steered Cankerstack toward a better future, despite Roko's incompetence. However, the councilman has some shadowy deals within the Goblin Cities' economic system, something that Gamil almost spoiled.

2) Madolin Greer -- a human noblewoman that Gamil worked with for a time. She trusted him with jobs to take out targets that posed a threat to her peoples' general livelihood, and the goblin made them happen.

3) Resko Rumwreath -- a criminal underlord in the Goblin Cities, especially Cankerstack. Resko's business was almost undermined by Gamil until Bajro's efforts drove the constable inspector into hiding. Still using his deceitful methods, Resko has some interest in the bounty on Gamil.

Personality
[SHOW]
Living most of his life isolated from any friend or family, Gamil has become somewhat cold in his demeanor. He has a good heart, but emotionally he is very dulled -- except for anger or fear. Showing very little emotion or expression upon his face, his cutting eyes stare long and hard at his subject.

Quiet, to-the-point, and ever perceptive, Gamil is one to avoid attention on himself until the right moment. He is thankful to have allies, even if he is not as close to them as they might wish. When possible, the goblin prefers to tackle some tasks alone, since he struggles with teamwork.

Very serious, Gamil is not usually one to joke around -- unless the mood permits. He often finds some of the darkest things to be the most humorous --
possibly a defense mechanism for the trauma he has seen, caused, and been subject to in his life.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
[SHOW]
1) Gamil usually wears his hood up, a relic of his time as a constable inspector. It helped him to blend into environments in Cankerstack where he could pose as a thug. Now aboveground and in the vast minority as a goblin, he prefers a bit the anonymity.

2) Gamil has little memory of his parents, nor does he care. They were just like the rest of the vermin in the Goblin Cities, he feels.

3) Slow to trust others, Gamil has trouble showing his true feelings or opening up to others. He is mostly a lone wolf, and even after time traveling with Damocles and the others, he still feels an outcast.

4) Gamil goes by Softstep for the most part, especially when on a serious and professional setting. The only appropriate time to refer to him as Gamil would be in a personal setting in private.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
[SHOW]
Family: Dead or gone.

Class: Street rat at youth, but an adventurer now. Gamil has seen the spectrum of wealth.

Profession: Initially a Constable Inspector, then an assassin, and now a blade under Damocles' oath.

Institutions: The Cankerstack Constabulatory -- but those days are long gone.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
[SHOW]
Primary: Vengeance for the Deserving -- Gamil feels the need to punish those who are in the way of justice.

Secondary: Self-survival -- Haunted by the enemies of his past, Gamil is always wary of his surroundings.

Tertiary: Peace -- Perhaps at the end of it all, there might be time alone.
By the forest, or the sea.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term
[SHOW]
Short-Term: Track down Balfour's whereabouts.

Medium-Term: Destroy the Demon King.

Long-Term: Rid the world of any pockets of demonic resistance that may still persevere.

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: Gamil Softstep

Male Goblin Rogue 6
Languages: Common, Goblin
Age: 36
Height: 3'7"
Weight: 50 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +8
Passive Perception: 18
Passive Insight: 18
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 20
Fort: 15
Reflex: 21
Will: 17
HP: 51/51
Bloodied: 25
Surge Value: 12
Surges left: 8/8
Action Points: 1

MBA: +8 vs AC, 1d4+1
RBA: +13 vs AC, 1d4+6

Resistances:
None.

Vulnerabilities:
None.

Saves:
None.

Active Effects:
None.

Powers:

Goblin Tactics
Sly Flourish
Piercing Strike

Second Wind []
Takedown Strike []
Opening Move []
Sneak in the Attack []
Low Slash []
Living Shield []

Bloodbath []
Handspring Assault []

Consumables:

None.

Important Features:
[SHOW]
First Strike: Gain CA against any creates that have not acted yet.

Artful Dodger: +4 to AC versus OAs.

Light Blade Expertise: Gain +1 to damage with weapon attacks with a light blade on creatures granting CA.

Backstabber: Use d8s instead of d6s for Sneak Attack.

Ankle Biter: Gain +1 feat bonus to damage rolls against creatures Medium or larger.

Nimble Blade: Gain a +1 bonus to attacks with a light blade on targets granting CA.

Two-Weapon Fighting: Gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls when wielding two weapons.

Feature:

[SHOW]

Equipped Items

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Dagger
Offhand:   Dagger
Body:      Leather Armor

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

Boon:      ---

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Gamil, level 6
Goblin, Rogue
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger
Rogue: Rogue Weapon Talent
Theme: Mercenary

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 20, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 17, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 15.

AC: 20 Fort: 15 Reflex: 21 Will: 17
HP: 51 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +15, Thievery +13, Perception +8, Insight +8, Acrobatics +13, Bluff +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +2, Diplomacy +7, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +5, Heal +3, History +2, Intimidate +9, Nature +3, Religion +2, Streetwise +9, Athletics +3

FEATS
Feat User Choice: Light Blade Expertise
Level 1: Backstabber
Level 2: Ankle Biter
Level 4: Nimble Blade
Level 6: Two-Weapon Fighting

POWERS
Rogue at-will 1: Sly Flourish
Rogue at-will 1: Piercing Strike
Rogue encounter 1: Opening Move
Rogue daily 1: Handspring Assault
Rogue utility 2: Sneak in the Attack
Rogue encounter 3: Low Slash
Rogue daily 5: Bloodbath
Rogue utility 6: Living Shield

ITEMS
Leather Armor, Dagger (2), Backpack (empty), Bedroll, Crowbar, Flask (empty), Grappling Hook, Hempen Rope (50 ft.), Silk Rope (50 ft.), Standard Identification Papers, Tent, Trail Rations (10), Ball bearings, 29.87 gp
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

[SHOW]: Lorion
Gamil has ran into people like Lorion before -- smart, good-looking, confident. He never trusted those types. But in Lorion, Gamil sees something different -- insecurity and a penchant for studying others. The goblin knows the eladrin little, but he suspects there's much more beneath the boy's surface. Perhaps one day he'll feel close enough to ask.

Cinder
Gamil finds he shares many traits with Cinder, something that helps him identify with her. Her reserved nature leaves him with little worry of being cornered into chatter. However, the goblin has noticed that she seems troubled at times. Many times. Haunted by ghosts from his past, Gamil understands what looking over your shoulder all the time can do to a person.

Damocles
Gamil holds high esteem for Damocles, even if he considers them very unconventional friends. Saved by the tiefling's courage on more than one occasion, the goblin trusts the man even more than Damocles might know. He has pledged his blade to the paladin's service and has not regretted that choice once.

Kharn
Gamil keeps a stern eye on Kharn out of safety for himself and safety for those in his ramshackle little group. He's met people like the bugbear before -- and he knows a selfish, dangerous brute when he sees one. Despite a resignation toward Kharn's mystique, Gamil knows when shit hits the fan, the bugbear's good for a fight.

Grozzuk
Gamil looks upon Grozzuk and he sees a man he does not have to worry about.
A powerful fighter, much like Kharn, Grozzuk seems to be someone that is predicatble -- manageable. Gamil doesn't take to his jokes or his candid nature as well as the more introspective members, but he doesn't mind being around him.

[SHOW]

The Underdark -- Surface
[SHOW]
Below the green earth, below the civilizations of humans and orcs alike, below the rivers and forests lies a place of always-night. Caves and caverns and grottos traversing the world's inner layers for unimaginable distances. This is the Underdark.

Many species call the Underdark home, both sentient and bestial. From the dire-rats to displacer beasts, from cave troll to Deep Ones, the diversity of the world's subterranea challenges everything above. One creature of particular importance is the goblinkin, settling the upper, almost-surface levels of the Underdark. Far from horrors and denizens most removed from the surface entirely, the goblins occupy a space betwixt most others.

The Goblin Cities
[SHOW]
In a series of massive caverns and grottos not too distant from the land of Cydonia lie the Goblin Cities -- vast population centers built primarily of scaffolded buildings atop buildings atop buildings using mostly wood, clay, and scavenged supplies. Home to many goblinkin, these cities are well-known but oft rarely-traveled by the surface dwellers, mostly because of the crime.

Rife with criminal activity and constant threat of danger, the Goblin Cities are led by King Roko Kapstaff, said to be the most stout goblin that had ever existed. Exercising a laissez-faire form of government, King Roko lets corruption and bribery run the land, happy to simply get his share.

There is good money to be made in the cities. Many of the bureaucrats hold mountain passes that are guarded by goblin sherpas. For surface dwellers and other denizens of the Underdark, these passways are some of the only few to travel. In order to get past or through the mountain range the Cities recide in,
one must pay a hefty fee to do so. In addition, there are highwaymen that plague the passes, some of which are rumored to even be paid by the bureaucrats themselves.

The mountain range the Goblin Cities are within is rich in minerals, and is typically pretty damp. There exists a dense ecosystem of cave flora, something that allows a variety of fauna such as insects. The goblins from the Cities are mostly able to sustain themselves on rockgrubs and cave flowers -- meaty but bland food.

King Roko Kapstaff
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Appearance][/sblock3]

One of the stoutest goblins a mortal may witness in the Goblin Cities, King Roko Kapstaff rules with a carefree and corrupted mindset.

Originally a poor orphan from the depths of the city Cankerstack, Roko learned at a young age how to con and steal his way to wealth. Becoming the boss of a criminal organization, he eventually paid his way to assassinating the current King and claiming himself King of the Goblins.

King Roko has deep connections all over the upper Underdark, as well as on the surface.

Blackchasms Bastards
[SHOW]
Led by the merciless Leme Blackchasm,
the Blackchasm Bastards are a savage gang of Goblin thugs who prey on the humanoids topground. Raiding nearby villages when they've mustered the numbers, Leme and her warriors fight with nihilistic courage and petty hearts.

Venomsing
[SHOW]
Venomsing is a rogue group of Goblins that have plagued the underground passages of the Goblin Cities as well as the caves around it.
Striking in the dark at anyone passing, they have stolen more gold and valuables from those traveling than any other collective entity. Led by Codi Burnsnout, a man who has a colorful history alongside his close friend King Roko.

[/sblock]

Posted: **Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:56 pm**

Lorion, the Impure Illusionist

[SHOW]

[SHOW]

Background and Concept Elements
[SHOW]
Appearance: On the surface, Lorion looks much like the many other high elves inhabiting the Aurille Isles. He stands at 6 feet tall, with a lithe yet toned build. He has medium-length champagne-blond hair, resting upon his head in a neat fashion. He has a fair complexion, though it suffers from reddening from blushing. With a strong jaw and small nose, he looks like many of the other high elves of his homeland. He sees the world through his pale gold eyes, hiding his pain away behind them.

Beneath his guise, Lorion is a peculiar hybrid between high elf and merman. Though he retains most of the physical features of a high elf, he possesses a few defining features of the sea-dwellers. Both his hands and feet are webbed, aiding in his swimming skills along with his arm and leg fins. Luminous blue patches of scales dapple his body, as his arms have markings more akin to a tropical fish. His true eyes are a pale blue, and his straw-hued hair contains streaks of merfolk-esque blue pigment. Additionally, he has gills, allowing him to breathe below the sea. Using his own skills in illusion magic, however, Lorion has hidden his true self away from all but few.

Personality: Outwardly, Lorion displays an air of confidence and superiority, a common trait among his people. Though it may occasionally come across as condescending, Lorion tries to remain polite and empathetic towards others. He generally attempts to stay cheerful, sometimes to the point of putting on an act for others. Beneath the surface, Lorion is troubled with insecurity due to his appearance. He has a difficult time trusting others, especially given the abuse he has received from his father throughout his life. He has a fear of failure, namely with the possibility of disappointing others. Despite this, he knows he has great skills with magic. But his lack of confidence leads him to believe he'll make a disastrous mistake sooner or later.

Given the illusion he has had to keep up for years, Lorion is occasionally extremely secretive, though he has become very good at lying by necessity. He has also become skilled at reading other people and their feelings, which has fed into his empathetic tendencies. Occasionally, Lorion feels the weight of the world on his shoulders and grows isolated during these times, unable to handle the stress. However, he eventually overcomes this, in part because his fear of failure creates a determination for success. Though his past has left him broken, Lorion is hopeful for a future where he no longer has to keep the pieces together on his own.

Unorthodox Birth: Lorion was born as what some may call an abomination, others a fascinating specimen. However, few even saw this birth and even fewer would hear about it, as the infant was hidden away from the world. Though now married, Lorion's mother Ceryra became pregnant shortly before she and his father began courting. Ceryra had previously been seeing a dashing man named Erymil, and the two had fallen in love. As fate would have it, Erymil turned out to be a merfolk disguised by illusion. Though none had known it was possible, Ceryra had become pregnant with this hybrid child.

Lorion's abnormalities were subtle at first, a few scales and gills. His parents were horrified at their child's appearance, but a mother always loves her child. His father, however, was less gracious. He began his abuse here, though it started as simple verbal abuse for giving birth to such a child. As time passed, the infant soon developed more telling features of the merfolk, and the abuse began to escalate.

Abused and Broken: The abuse, as it began, was only towards Ceryra, as Falion didn't dare hurt an infant child. Though it began as simply verbal, it grew to physical abuse and extreme anger towards her. Though Lorion was too young to fully understand, he could sense his mother's distress, no matter how hard she tried to conceal it. Both she and her child were forbidden from leaving the home, lest someone discover the ongoing abuses. Though his early days were severely isolated, his mother taught him the best she could. A once-aspiring mage, she tried to teach her son some arcane tricks, but his grasp was weak at such a young age. She, however, concealed this from her husband, as he did not want such an "inferior creature" to be treated as any other high elf.

As Lorion got older, his father got bolder and angrier. Now, the abuse turned towards the boy. As with Ceryra, it began verbal but quickly turned physical. Both he and his mother learned to live in fear, not wanting to set Falion off. However, Falion had a bad temper and was fairly easy to set off. The abuse took its toll, both physically and mentally. Lorion was left a broken shell, covered in bruises and with little self-worth. These bruises soon became a reminder for his value. Seeing her son's hurting, his mother used her knowledge of illusion magic to conceal these bruises, a skill Lorion soon learned himself. Though his inside could not be fixed so easily, as least his outside could.

Behind Shattered Mirrors: Though it began with just bruises, Lorion soon realized he could mask more. Though it took time, practice, and intense focus at first, Lorion started to hide away his fish-like features, becoming a real high elf for the first time in his life. His father, though still disgusted with his son, was relieved, as people had grown suspicious with his son and wife not having left their home in years. Now, he could allow them to leave the home and experience the world, provided the facade was kept up. It proved to be difficult, especially with so many new experience to focus upon, but eventually he got the knack of it.

No longer trapped inside, Lorion began making friends and attending school for the first time, eager to make up for all he had missed during the years prior. Though the abuse still continued at home, Lorion finally had a place to escape to, and others who could protect him. However, he didn't dare tell others about his father's behavior, fearing that he would bring harm upon his mother. Because of this and his other secrets, Lorion had to hide not only his outward appearance, but his inner thoughts as well, acting as if everything was perfect when that was not the case. He soon learned, however, that this was common behavior for high elves, though no one would admit it. Though he was glad to be free and experience more in life, the delicate balance of social behavior often overwhelmed him, causing him to isolate himself.

He took to embracing his true self by diving into the seas, exploring the desolate yet wondrous depths. Here, he began to interact with merfolk for the first time and realized they weren't so different from high elves, despite their alien appearances. Though still a shattered mess with regards to confidence, this time underwater helped him learn to accept himself more. However, he knew he would still have to maintain the illusion on dry land, lest he be harmed, killed, or experimented on.

The Stranger: Each and every day, Lorion learned to put on a mask, as did everyone else in their own ways. Determined to prove his abusive father wrong, he began working hard to make something of himself. Fairly proficient in the arcane, especially illusion magic, but eager to know more, Lorion enrolled himself in the archipelago's main center for learning, the Elan Sanctum. Spending years honing his skills, Lorion believes himself to be an expert, though his confidence is shaky at time. After graduating, however, he took the position as a Fellow at the Elan Sanctum, wishing to give back to new students.

Though his family life had remained strained, Lorion kept a happy face on. His father grew less abusive over time, as he was more easily able to rise through society with his son in the picture. Falion still resents his son, though, believing that his family could have been in the aristocracy sooner if it hadn't been for such an abomination of a son.

Beyond the Isles: Over time, Lorion grew weary of life in the Aurille Isles, with every day being the same and social expectations becoming too much of a burden to deal with. Eager to see more of the world and learn more about what's beyond their shores, Lorion boarded a ship and set sail for the mainland, a place so exotic and unfamiliar for a high elf. Few high elves had left their homeland as well, leading Lorion to dive into this new world alone. Ever since leaving, he has traveled to various cities, determined to learn and see as much as he can. Taking comfort in his illusions, he continues to conceal his true identity, not yet ready to reveal himself to others.

Goals
[SHOW]
1) Lorion would like to bring his father to justice for the abuse he had endured growing up. Though Lorion has since left the Isles, he dislikes the fact that his father is still a free man and elevating his way in society, despite breaking a major Tenet of the High Elves.

2) I'd like for Lorion to struggle with his own identity and maybe eventually be forced to reveal his true self to his companions to see how they react.

Secrets
[SHOW]
1) Lorion is half-mer, as his birth father was a merfolk. As a result, he naturally shows physical characteristics of both high elves and merfolk. He uses his illusion magic to conceal this, though.

2) His father's entry to the political sphere of high elves has caused increased tensions and hostilities within the Isles, as he has been promoting a xenophobic and borderline genocidal agenda against the merfolk.

People Tied to Lorion
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Valik][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Valik is Lorion's best friend (and occasional lover) since childhood, the two having grown up together and bonded through thick and thin. He is impulsive, yet passionate, and has the makings of a future councilor once he gains more prominence. Outside of Lorion's immediate family, Valik is the only person who knows about Lorion's "condition." He, however, has sworn to keep it a secret, knowing fully well that the Isles were full of imperfections, and some fins and gills didn't change who he was. As a result, Valik is one of the few people Lorion feels truly comfortable around, not afraid to show his true self. For a few years, with neither interested in a significant relationship of any kind, the two have maintained a sort of "best friends with benefits" agreement. Though they may argue sometimes as all friends do, but at the end of the day, they know they have each other's back and will keep it forever.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Devona and Vilya][sblock4=Appearances][/sblock4]
Devona and Vilya are twin sisters are close friends of Lorion, their families having been tied closely throughout the years. They are a brilliant pair academically and magically, and are two of the most sought after bachelorettes in Ilium. They are, however, nearly inseparable, and many men have tried to tear them apart. These men, however, always fail. Devona and Vilya have grown close to Lorion, considering him their brother and looking out for him as much as he looks out for them. Though they don't know his secret, they suspect something is amiss, and would have confronted him had he not left. They are the embodiment of calm and calculating, with great ambition and a twinkle in their eye for excitement. Two minds are better than one, and the success of these sisters has proven it.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Amyril][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Amyril is Lorion's merfolk half-brother, the son of his father Erymil. Despite strained relations with Erymil, Lorion has developed a good relationship with Amyril. They had first met when Lorion took his first dive into the Gilded Sea, wanting to be alone. But as fate would have it, he was discovered by Amyril instead. The two began talking and realized they shared a father. Despite practically another world away, the two bonded, with Lorion sharing exploits of the land and Amyril teaching things about life underwater. Being an only child on the surface, Lorion was glad to have a real sibling, albeit one he can't see very often. Emyril is a relaxed and fun-loving merfolk, harboring little resentment towards the High Elves like many of his relatives do. Emyril has helped open Lorion's eyes up about how life is below the ways, and altered his view on society above as well.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Erymil][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Erymil is Lorion's birth father, a Merfolk from the Sarandil Tribe east of Ilia. A master of illusions in his of right, he was able to disguise himself as a high elf for short amounts of time, though this was a great drain on him. He had become infatuated with Lorion's mother Ceryra and took these great lengths to attempt to woo her. A charming yet unconventional man, Ceryra took fondly to this mysterious young man and they soon fell in love. One moonlit night later, Ceryra revealed she was pregnant. Overwhelmed with emotion and drained of much of his energy, Erymil's illusion failed, revealing his true Merfolk self. Utterly shocked, embarrassed, and disgusted, Ceryra fled, vowing she "never wanted to see the vile fish again." These years later, Erymil has not gotten over the crushing heartbreak. Though Lorion has met his father before, Erymil shunned him away, not wanting to be reminded of the greatest heartbreak he's ever felt.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Alanya][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Alanya is Lorion's primary rival at the Elan Sanctum, at least when it comes to arcane endeavors. The two were first in class together at their academy, and they quickly turned to feuding with one another. Though her magic is decent, it is little compared to Lorion's. However, she has mastered the art of complaining to get her way like it was her job. She claims she is born of the trees like the mainland elves, and this shows itself in her long rants about the importance of nature and never eating meat. Most know she is borderline unhinged, but they choose to comply to avoid her yelling. Lorion hates he and wishes she would leave and move to the forests where she thinks she belongs, but she claims she can't leave until she's taught the high elves "the truth." They, however, aren't too interested in her loony ideas, so she hasn't left yet.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Kilisia, the Sea Hag][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Kilisia is a witch who resides in the Gilded Sea, and a malicious one at that. Known as the Sea Hag, she takes pleasure in spreading misfortune upon the other denizens of the sea, and those High Elves above it as well. Her foul magics have contaminated a portion of the sea, creating a blemish known as the Putrid Quay. Known for crafting shady deals with many merfolk with normally unattainable desires, she is viewed as someone to visit out of desperation and foolishness, as she will undoubtedly betray those she forges a deal with. While exploring the seas alone, Lorion encountered the sea hag. Noticing his abnormal appearance, she took a strange fondness to him, following him about and observing. Though she has not proposed any deal with him, she knows that such a unique creature would have its uses for her work.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Falion][sblock4=Appearance][/sblock4]
Falion is Lorion's "father," the husband of his mother and the man who technically raised him. Falion is a cruel, cocky man and has a great lust for power, which has aided in his political ambition. Throughout Lorion's life, Falion has harbored a deep resentment for his child, believing that his son is responsible for his slow rise to power. This resentment has presented itself often, with both verbal and physical abuse directed at both Lorion and his mother. Falion believes that if his son was perfect like everyone else, it would be much easier to rise through the ranks of elven society. Despite this level of abuse not being tolerated, Falion manages to keep them quiet using fear tactics, namely threatening to kill Ceryra. Lorion hopes to see him brought to justice and tossed in prison for live. Falion, however, would like to see his son dead so maybe he wouldn't have to deal with what he deems to be a disappointment. Falion, owing to his son's appearance, has a deep hatred of merfolk, believing them to be lesser than any other sentient species he's come in contact with.[/sblock3]

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
[SHOW]
1) Given his partially-aquatic characteristics, Lorion has a penchant for spending time in and around water. If he's alone, he'll reveal his true merself while going for a swim. Though he doesn't need this time in the water to survive, he still gets uncomfortable with enough time spent from it.

2) Lorion remembers his first time really exploring the Gilded Sea surrounding Ilium. He was fascinated by how the world seemed so familiar yet so alien, and how things were often not as they seemed. This experience gave him a lot of perspective looking back at life on land.

3) Now that he's away from the rigid social structure of the High Elves, Lorion really enjoys using the more whimsical types of magic and loves to have fun with magic, as opposed to confining it to practical purposes.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
[SHOW]
Family: Lorion's family situation is complicated due to his predicament. He lives with his mother Ceryra and father Falion. However, Falion is not his true birth father, as his real father is a merfolk named Erymil. His family situation is poor, as his birth father refuses to see him out of heartbreak, and his other father hates him for being an unnatural and impure creature.

Class: Lorion's family is a member of the Aurille Isles aristocracy, though a less prominent member. His father has been working to raise their standing for bragging rights among his peers. Falion believes he could easily be more successful if his son were pure, and resents Lorion for this. This resentment manifests itself often in physical and emotional abuse toward the boy and his mother.

Profession: Being part of a fairly well-off family, Lorion hasn't had to have a job like a normal person. However, he was briefly a Fellow for the Elan Sanctum and helped teach illusion magic to neophytes.

Institutions: Lorion has spent years learning and honing his illusory magic skills at the Elan Sanctum within his people's capital city of Ilium. It is the highest institution of arcane learning, and all learning, on the islands. It is one of the few surviving sources of Eladrin knowledge, which the rest having been sunken and/or plundered. After leaving the Aurille Isles, Lorion eventually became associated with The Party.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
[SHOW]
Primary: Self-Fulfillment: Throughout Lorion's life, his father has constantly berated him and told him how he isn't good enough and would never be able to accomplish anything. More than anything, Lorion wants to prove his father wrong and show that he can do whatever he wants and stride forward towards a better person.

Secondary: New Experiences: Spending most of his life on a secluded archipelago, Lorion has yearned to experience more than what the Aurille Islands could offer him. He wants to see the world, try new things, and learn more about everything he can.

Tertiary: Friendships: Though he had friends back home, the strict social guidelines put certain restrictions on friendships and behavior, to the point where people may put on a face for their friends. Now that he's left, he wants true friends who he knows for them, not ones who put on a mask to please everyone.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term
[SHOW]
Short-Term: Lorion wants to help in the defeat of the Demon Lord. Though those in the Aurille Islands have been pretty ignorant of any corruption, Lorion realizes there is more to the world than his homeland and that he needs to save everyone, not just his own kind.

Medium-Term: Lorion wants to come to terms with who he really is so he can stop hiding it from everybody and just be himself. In tying with this, he wants to bring his dad to justice for his mistreatment due to this appearance.

Long-Term: He wants to return to Ilium and rise up until he's able to secure a seat on the Novum Council. He realizes that there are many societal problems at work in his culture and he wants to try to make the efforts to change things before they get worse.

Wishlist
[SHOW]

Crew Relations
[SHOW]
Cinder: Though Lorion on occasion grows weary of Cinder's constant worrying, he nevertheless feels for her. He too knows what it's like to live in near-constant fear. He feels a slight connection to her because of their shared ancestry and language, though he thinks she kind of talks funny. He hopes she will open up to him more, however.

Gamil: Lorion is somewhat suspicious of the goblin, especially as his limited emotions make him difficult to read. He hopes Gamil will shed his cold exterior so that the two may get to know each other better. Though skilled and perceptive, the overly-serious demeanor of the goblin is slightly off-putting and reminds Lorion of some people back home.

Kharn: For the most part, Lorion enjoys Kharn's good-natured behavior. The bugbear's unstable moods, however, cause the elf to worry, especially with the unstoppable rage. His laziness, though, tends to bother Lorion, as it threatens the party's chance for success.

Grozzuk: Lorion has a bit of a rocky relationship with Grozzuk, as the two have had limited personal interaction outside of the group as a whole. He is slow to fully trust the dragonborn,
despite being impressed with his martial abilities.

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: Lorion, level 6
Eladrin, Mage
Level 1 Apprentice Mage: Illusion Apprentice
Level 5 Expert Mage: Illusion Expert
Eladrin Subrace: Standard Eladrin Racial Traits
Background: Birth - Cursed (+2 to Bluff)
Theme: Renegade Red Wizard

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 14.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 12.

AC: 21 Fort: 15 Reflex: 19 Will: 20
HP: 43 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 10

TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +11, Arcana +15, Bluff +14, History +15, Insight +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +6, Endurance +4, Heal +6, Intimidate +5, Nature +6, Religion +8, Stealth +5, Streetwise +5, Thievery +3, Athletics +2

FEATS
Level 1: Unarmored Agility
Level 2: Superior Implement Training (Accurate orb)
Level 4: Phantom Echoes
Feat User Choice: Orb Expertise
Level 6: Enlarge Spell

POWERS
Level 1 Mage At-Will Powers: Winged Horde
Level 1 Mage At-Will Powers: Beguiling Strands
Level 1 Mage Daily Powers: Phantom Chasm
Level 1 Mage Daily Powers: Horrid Whispers
Level 1 Mage Encounter Powers: Illusory Obstacles
Level 1 Mage Encounter Powers: Grasping Shadows
Mage Cantrips: Chameleon's Mask
Mage Cantrips: Prestidigitation
Mage Cantrips: Suggestion
Level 2 Mage Utility Powers: Shield
Level 2 Mage Utility Powers: Jump
Level 3 Mage Encounter Powers: Maze of Mirrors
Level 3 Mage Encounter Powers: Color Spray
Level 5 Mage Daily Powers: Visions of Avarice
Level 5 Mage Daily Powers: Sleep
Level 6 Mage Utility Powers: Emerald Eye
Level 6 Mage Utility Powers: Conceal Psyche

ITEMS

[SHOW]

Equipped Items

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Accurate Orb
Offhand:   ---
Body:      ---

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

Boon:      ---

Backpack
[SHOW]
* Mirror

Bedroll

Writing case

Hempen Rope (50ft.)

Footpads

Gray Rain Cloak

Tent

Belt Pouch
[SHOW]
* Trail Rations (10)

* Waterskin

* Coin purse of 4 gold and 9 silver

All Items
[SHOW]
Accurate orb, Backpack (empty), Belt Pouch (empty), Trail Rations (10), Waterskin, Mirror, Bedroll, Writing case, Hempen Rope (50 ft.), Footpads, Gray Rain Cloak, Tent, Coin purse of 4 gold and 9 silver

[/sblock]

[SHOW]: Lorion

Male Eladrin Mage 6
Languages: Common, Elven
Age: 22
Height: 6'
Weight: 145 lbs.

Speed: 6
Initiative: +3
Passive Perception: 21
Passive Insight: 21
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 21
Fort: 15
Reflex: 19
Will: 20
HP: 43/43
Bloodied: 21
Surge Value: 10
Surges left: 7/7
Action Points: 1

MBA: +3 vs AC, 1d4 damage
RBA: +4 vs AC, 1d4+1 damage, or Magic Missile: 8 damage

Resistances: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Saves: None

Active Effects: None

Powers:

Winged Horde
Beguiling Strands
Mage's Spellbook
Magic Missile
Prestidigitation

Second Wind []
Fey Step []
Suggestion []
Chameleon's Mask []
Grasping Shadows [] *
Illusory Obstacles [] *
Jump [] *
Shield [] *
Color Spray [] *
Maze of Mirrors [] *
Conceal Psyche [] *
Emerald Eye [] *

Horrid Whispers [] *
Phantom Chasm [] *
Sleep [] *
Visions of Avarice [] *
Visions of Avarice Secondary Attack [_] **

*Mage's Spellbook powers. At the end of an extended rest, you can prepare Encounter attack (2), Daily attack (2), and Utility (2) powers.
**Visions of Avarice power must be activated

Consumables:

None.

Important Features:
[SHOW]
Class Features
Mage's Spellbook: At the end of each of your extended rests, you can prepare encounter attack powers, daily attack powers, and utility powers from your spellbook. At 6th level, you can prepare two encounter attack powers, two daily attack powers, and two utility powers.

Illusion Apprentice: When you hit a target with an arcane illusion power, the target takes a -2 penalty to the next attack roll it makes against you before the end of your next turn.

Illusion Expert: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks and Stealth checks.

Theme
Starting Feature: If you are hidden when you use an arcane attack power and miss every target, you do not automatically become visible (though the targets are entitled to new Perception checks to see if they notice you).

Level 4 Feature: You do not gain the Apprentice Mage feature normally gained by a mage at 4th level. Instead, when one of your arcane attack powers causes an effect that a save can end, the target takes a -2 penalty to its first saving throw against that effect.

Level 5 Feature: Once per day at the end of a short rest, you can exchange one prepared power for another from your spellbook. The new power you prepare must be from the school you chose for your Apprentice Mage feature at 1st level.

Racial Features
Eladrin Education: You can training in one skill of your choice.

Eladrin Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the longsword.

Eladrin Will: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will
defense. In addition, you gain a +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects.

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

Trance: You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

Feats
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.

Superior Implement Training (Accurate orb): You can use the Accurate orb superior implement.

Phantom Echoes: When you use an arcane illusion power and hit a target, you gain a combat advantage against that target until the end of your next turn. If the illusion power has an effect that a save can end, you instead gain combat advantage against the target until it saves against that effect.

Orb Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls that you make with an orb. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. You also gain a +1 feat bonus to the number of squares you can pull, push, or slide targets of attacks that you make with an orb.

Enlarge Spell: Before using a wizard at-will or encounter attack power, you can choose to take a -2 penalty to each die of damage rolled with the power to increase the size of its blast o burst by 1. You can't s this feat on a power that doesn't roll dice for damage.

[/sblock]

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

[SHOW]

The Rise of the Eladrin
[SHOW]
Eladrin (Elven for Lost One) is the modern term to refer to the ancient inhabitants of Aurillium, the ancestors of High Elves. Once known as Auric Elves, this term has been lost through the generations. The Eladrin were a cultured, haughty people with a high affinity for magic, and a greatly expanded lifespan due to this magic. They believed they had a god-granted manifest to reign over the world and delivered upon it with aggressive and graceful force. Though once the dominant power in the region, their arrogance and ambition cost them their empire and their heritage. Much of the ordeal was lost, tomes or scrolls recounting the events destroyed, though oral versions exist to this day.

The original capital of Sarandil rested along the coastline, straddled in the hills between the plains, built long before the Auric Elves turned their sights towards dominion. With their ambitions unable to be contained on their limited stretch of land, they looked seaward. The Eladrin, using potent methods of magic, gradually pushed the sea line further inward, reclaiming land for their taking and creating the Gilded Plains and their empire. Twisting the waves to their whim, they created large walls of water to protect their holdings, suspended by a constant flow of magic. What were once island clusters became highlands, with the seafloor becoming fertile plains. In the center, they constructed their new capital, Ilium, on a former atoll, as the pinnacle of all Aurillium had accomplished.

Aurillium
[SHOW]
Long ago in an age mostly lost to time, the Auric Elves, ruled over a vast and powerful empire called Aurillium. Center around the Aurille Highlands, the elves built their massive golden capital of Ilium, a symbol of their power, wealth, and arrogance. Seeing the world as belonging under their dominion, the Auric Elves built their settlements across their Gilded Plains, conquering other minor races native to the locale.

Aurillium was a realm of great magic and magitech which further proved their superiority, dominating the skies and nearby seas with airship and submersibles. Beyond the scenes of war and domination, the Auric Elves maintained a flourishing of arts and culture and developed a strong social order and code of conduct. Despite the rigidity of their society, the Auric Elves prized research, risk, and innovation, no matter the costs. Though it helped develop greater power in the short run, it proved to be Aurillium's downfall in the grander scheme of events.

Aurillium, as a whole, however, was extraordinarily isolationist beyond its conquered territory, believing itself more than self-sufficient and considering themselves above the other kingdoms and empires occupying the world. As their own lands held a surplus of resources, their felt no need to interact with the inferior, content with exploiting their conquered peoples to survive. Despite the expectation that greatness and prosperity would continue for eternity, unforeseen catastrophe ultimately brought the empire to its fate.

Aurillium Lost
[SHOW]
The Eladrin, however, were unaware of how much natural mana was being siphoned off daily due to their meddling with the natural environment. Though decades of stability and prosperity were enjoyed in Aurillium, the concentration of magic, especially once-plentiful blue magic, began to drain until catastrophe struck. The towering water walls crashed down and the coastline could not be held any longer, causing a torrent of floodwaters to ravage its way across the empire. Taking advantage of the chaos that had erupted, a band of the conquered hijacked airships, hoping to wrest control of the situation. However, the absence of enough magic as well as the inexperience in flying airships led to these airships crashing into the sea, irradiating the waters with raw mana.

As the sea began its own reclamation, the empire felt its destructive force. Minor races felt the floodwaters first, with most immediately drowning, driving the races to extinction. The Auric Elves, however, retreated to their cities, hoping their superior construction would save them. However, the waters still greatly damaged these towering cities of gold, submerging all but the highest districts and causing irreparable structural damage. Those lucky enough or fast enough saw their realm reverted back to its primal state, islands (both natural and artificial) dotting the unforgiving sea. Those unlucky enough, however, felt the mana-infused water alter them, mutating them into fish-like humanoids with little resemblance to the elves they had been.

The High Elves of the Aurille Isles
[SHOW]
[sblock3=History]The High Elves, named for those high enough in the city to survive the flooding, are the descendants of the Auric Elves who once inhabited the now-flooded realm. Living among the islands and ruined cities of their homeland, the elves have greatly adapted to their change in lifestyle. Though much of their original culture remains intact, the high elves have immersed themselves in a seafaring society, giving them the names of Sea Elves or Island Elves abroad. Within the society, there is a deep resentment for the prosperity lost, something they cannot reclaim. In keeping with their ancestors’ guidelines, they maintain a rigid social structure, both with behavior and physical appearance. Their arrogance remains, though with more focus on their ancestors who met a mysterious fate.

The High Elves make their home on the Aurille Isles, an archipelago making up the former highlands. The largest of the islands is Ilia, housing their capital of Ilium. Though much of it has been destroyed or collapsed due to the seawater and years without care, the elves still make it their home. The once-gilded city no longer gleams, but serves as a reminder of their former glory and what they aspire to again. The islands of Avenna and Ovelle house smaller settlements, as well as sufficient farmland to sustain the elves. Smaller islands dot the seas, giving the elves a haven from the treacherous water. The roofs of long-forgotten ruins, jutting from the water, give room for settlement beyond the natural islands, though the distinction is difficult to tell in some cases. Though now cut off from the mainland, the High Elves use their fleet of boats to glide across the waves, connecting with each other and trading with nearby coastal civilizations.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Culture & Society]Within High Elven culture, a rigid hierarchy exists, and all are expected to conform to their expected roles and duties. Those who deviate from accepted behavior may face ridicule, or exile if a severe enough violation. The society idealizes physical perfection and high intelligence, with those who fail to meet marks becoming outcast. Given that true perfection is impossible, deceit and false outward faces are incredibly common. It is unspoken knowledge that nobody is perfect, but they must appear that way and strive for perfection, or they are considered a failure.

Despite their hardships, the High Elves have always maintained an emphasis on cultural output, both material and written. They have been regarded for their high-quality artisan goods, from pottery to clothing to jewelry. Owing to the prosperity of their ancestors, they have continued their endeavors in the fine arts, especially drama and painting. The society places a high value in learning and the arcane, with citizens encouraged to study at the Elan Sanctum. The society, however, is unwelcoming and distrustful to outsiders who set foot in their cities. As a result, they’ve remained relatively insular.

Though their empire had been destroyed, their government stayed in place, uniting the islands together to this day. The government is largely controlled by the aristocracy, with mutual agreement that the lower classes do not have the time nor purpose to dabble in politics. The isles are ruled by a council of fifteen, called the Novum Council. Additionally, a larger body of 200, called the Ilium Assembly is consulted for more important decisions. Only adult members of the aristocracy, whether men or women, are permitted to serve in the Council and Assembly. Elections are held for the fifteen positions in the council, however the Assembly is open to one member from the 400 wealthiest families among the islands.[/sblock3]

The Merfolk of the Gilded Sea
[SHOW]
[sblock3=History]The Merfolk as they’ve been called are the fish-like inhabitants of the sunken ruins of Aurillium. Despite their appearances, they too are descendants of the Auric Elves. Merfolk were those unlucky enough to be caught below sea level as the catastrophic waves decimated Aurillium. Instead of drowning, however, the high concentrations of magic within the water led to their mutations. Though once similar-looking to High Elves, decades underwater in this environment have further altered them, creating the more fish-like creatures of modern times. Unlike the High Elves who largely all look similar, Merfolk exhibit as much physical diversity as the fish they mimic.

The Merfolk live in the sunken depths of the Gilded Sea, making homes on the seafloor and in the lost cities of the Eladrin. Through the years, the Merfolk have lost all knowledge of their former glory and ancestry, with the exception of folklore passed down through oral tradition. The Merfolk have stayed isolated through the years, with their limited outside interactions being with High Elves or foreign sailors in their waters. The bordering seas prove inhabitable due to a lower concentration of mana in the waters, which the creatures have found they need to survive.[/sblock3]
[sblock3=Culture & Society]Unlike their land-dwelling counterparts, the societal structure for Merfolk is vastly different, with social order destroyed along with their cities. As a result, the High Elves have taken to viewing them as primitive beings. In comparison, though, the High Elves are right. Merfolk, rather than having a unified culture and government, have instead devolved into separate tribes, each with its own traditions and lifestyle. Most, however, maintain a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, as the seas don’t provide much of a hospitable environment for agriculture.

Some tribes, however, are more aggressive and prey upon passing ships, whether to steal cargo or terrorize the land-dwellers. Though High Elves have become accustomed to this and are skilled enough to avoid these attacks, foreign traders often find themselves victims to these hostile tribes. Stories tell that these tribes may eat the flesh of sailors, but no written records can prove this. Despite this, it is not uncommon for a ship to go missing, sunk to the bottom of the sea by malicious Merfolk.

Given the high concentration of mana in the Gilded Sea, it is common for Merfolk to show innate prowess in the arcane arts. Tribes often have a shaman to help teach their young about magic in the absence of more formal institutions. These shamans are also responsible for leading the individual tribes and their customs, as well as maintaining relations with only tribes. While some of these tribes are hostile towards one another, others recognize cooperation will keep them safe in the long run.[/sblock3]

[/sblock]

Posted: **Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:45 pm**

Kharn Dorog Giant-Slayer: Massive Mercenary

[SHOW]

Character Sheet

Kharn, Level 6 Bugbear Berserker
Arid Desert Berserker

Theme
Mercenary

Ability Scores
Str: 20 / Con: 14 / Dex: 16 / Int: 8 / Wis: 12 / Cha: 10

AC: 22 - Fort: 22 - Ref: 20 -- Will: 16
HP: 60 -- Surges: 10 -- Surge Value: 15

Trained Skills
Athletics: 13 / Intimidate: 12 / Perception: 11 / Stealth: 13

Untrained Skills
Arcana: 2 / Bluff: 3 / Diplo: 3 / Dungeoneering: 2 / Endurance: 5 / Heal:
4 / History: 2 / Insight: 4 / Nature: 4 / Religion: 3 / Streetwise: 4 / Thievery: 6

Feats
Feat User Choice: Spear Expertise
Level 1: Improved Defenses
Level 2: Weapon Proficiency: Gouge
Level 4: Unarmored Agility
Level 6: Hafted Defense

Powers
L1 AW: Jarring Smash
L1 AW: Stalk and Strike
L1 ENC: Savage Cut
L1 DAI: Thunder Hooves Rage
L2 UTI: Shrug It Off
L3 ENC: Blood Strike
L5 DAI: Feral Rampage
L6 UTI: Snarling Defiance

Gear
Gouge (Large)
Adventurer's Kit
Hammer
Hacksaw
10 Iron Spikes
Iron Manacles
2 Sacks
Shovel
Grappling Hook
Gambler's Gear
Crowbar

[SHOW]

Ten Minute Background

Background and Concept
[SHOW]
Appearance
Holy heck is this a big bugbear. Even bigger than his normal kin. Lumbering at well over seven feet tall and three hundred pounds, it's no wonder why he is both feared and reviled by those that value the status quo, as well as valued by those he deems worthy of protecting. He is a mess of untamed hair and scars atop rippling muscle and tough, thick skin. What little grooming he does is simply coming his hair out of his face, giving it the appearance of a fearsome lion's mane. It's clear he's getting on in years, as streaks of grey intermix with the muddy chestnut hair of his mane. He wears no armor, and carries a weapon that appears to be the sharpened tusk of a massive monster.

Personality
Despite his torrid history, Kharn still comes off as somewhat... Affable. The kind of guy you'd want to get a drink with. He is a tad mercurial, swapping from emotion to emotion with little provocation. When that emotion swaps to anger, however, it is incredibly hard to calm him- His anger overflows like a pot left to boil on the highest heat. He spits vile insults at the source of his foe and foams at the mouth, becoming a torrent of violence.
Other than his insurmountable rage, he is generally slow and plodding, and a bit of a lazy individual. Given the chance, he'd probably sleep the day away, waking only to eat the massive amount of food required to keep such a big frame going... Right before going back to bed. He needs to set his eyes on goals, otherwise he might not do anything at all!

Enslaved
As all Bugbears, Kharn was born into slavery under the cruel lash of Fire Giants. In his volcanic and mountainous home, labor was in no short supply. His entire youth and adolescence was spent performing backbreaking labor mining volcanic stone or carving out edifices on the mountainside, or working as brutish, expendable muscle in the stead of his wicked masters. Life was nothing short of hellish for Kharn and his people, working until they could no more, shattering under the crushing weight of their turmoil. The lucky ones were given a pauper's burial at the base of the mountains.

The Shatter-Tusk Uprising
Keeping an entire race under your thumb without whispers of rebellion between the slaves is near impossible. The Bugbears were no different- Rumors about a potential revolution were alive and well within the community. Kharn had been following these rumors for as long as he could remember, clinging to the hope that they brought. When he was still a teenager (Or the bugbear equivalent thereof), the rumors became a reality. Using smuggled and makeshift weapons, a group of Bugbears began an attack on the Fire Giants. Kharn participated in this uprising, slaying his master’s favored war-mammoth called “Mournfang”, ripping the massive tusk from the corpse and using it as a weapon to slay the Fire Giant that claimed ownership of Kharn.
Despite this, the uprising was anything but a victory. The Fire Giants gathered their powers and fought back, crushing the uprising. Kharn was one of the few to live through it, and was the only Bugbear to escape down the mountain and into the wilderness surrounding. In his desperation, still clinging the tusk as a weapon, he uprooted trees and lashed them together hastily, seeking to get off the island that held his people. He knew nothing about survival or where he was going, but it was the only shot he had. He’d hit the waters on his poorly-made raft, paddling with his hands to carry him from the home of the black-hearted Fire Giants.

Alone
Kharn would be adrift at sea for days. He would paddle when he had the strength to, suffering from sunstroke and exhaustion due to lack of food or water. His efforts would seem to be fruitless… Until he finally caught glimpse of land. He would summon all the strength he could to paddle his raft towards it, finally hitting the sandy beach of the mainland. Weakened, he crawled off of the raft and onto solid ground.
It would take a long time to fully recover. He would live in the wilderness, drinking from streams and eating what he could catch. Dead-set on exploring his new land, he never settled down. During the day, he would move and hunt, and during the night he would sleep in caves or under whatever other shelter he could find or create. Luckily, Bugbears were inherently hardy and strong, so even without the skill to survive well, he could at least handle it. In his travels, he would come across many sites- Ruins, abandoned structures, etc. All of which fascinated him. He would travel further until he finally started coming across cities and encampments. All of which, however, turned him away due to his fearsome, brutish appearance and imposing side. So for years, Kharn wandered alone, surviving as best he could.

The Black Banner
Years alone can make a man desperate. When Kharn came across the Black Banner- A massive war encampment that flew the banners of the God of Tyranny, he was fearful at first as to how they may react to him... But he was welcomed with open arms. He was given a deal- Shelter and community, as long as he fought under the Black Banner. Naturally, Kharn agreed. What followed would be the largest chapter of Kharn's backstory- Years and years of fighting, being turned into a beast upon the battlefield that would sew destruction wherever was necessary, but also he learned how to work with others on the battlefield. Many first things happened in these years- Kharn's first payment, Kharn's first love (A young Orc woman called Heralsa), and many other things the Bugbear had never had a chance at when he was a slave, or wandering alone. Despite the evil things he did, and the terror he wrought, Kharn looks back on this time of his life fondly.

Freedom
Despite having this purpose and complete feeling, Kharn knew that it wasn't the life for him. Night after night, he would dream of his race- The other Bugbears- still on that terrible island chain under the rule of the Fire Giants. One day, he could take the nightmares no more. He'd report to his leader that he was going AWOL, and struck out on his own once more. His goal? To free the Bugbears from their terrible fate, to break the shackles on his race, and to build a community for them as he had found among the Black Banner. He now works as a Mercenary, scrounging enough free-gold to pursue his dreams and quell his nightmares.

Goals
[SHOW]
Kharn seeks to free his people from the Fire Giants that rule over them.
He seeks to build a community of those that would not fear him without knowing him, and he seeks to fight and take what he desires. It's slow-going,
but he is ready to scratch the backs of others in order to get his own scratched.

Secrets
[SHOW]
A man as blunt as Kharn has few secrets. Perhaps the largest one is that he is a chef. A damn good one at that. He tries not to boast about it or mention it, but his skill would rival that of experienced chefs and prep experts. It might not look like pretty good, but heck is it tasty.

Another secret is that he is still sworn to the God of Tyranny. Though not a practicing worshiper, he bears the mark of King Cyril. King Cyril is perhaps the only authority that he respects.

People tied to Kharn
[SHOW]
[sblock3=Heralsa]
Heralsa is Kharn's ex-lover. He is, as you can see, an Orc with a passion for battle and war. Mangled from years of combat and not stopping the slaking of her bloodthirst any time soon, she is a woman to be feared. She is a lot like Kharn- Affable, but perhaps quicker to instigate violence than Kharn is. She remains with the Black Banner, as far as Kharn knows.

Kharn and her are not on great terms. They had a mild lover's spat- That is to say, they were at each other's throats- because when Kharn told her that he wanted to leave, she was having none of it. Kharn basically had to knock her out in order to leave. Kharn still regrets this, but knows that he has goals far beyond a simple relationship.[/sblock3]

[sblock3=Valtr the Black]
Valtr is the leader of the Black Banner. An Antipaladin in King Cyril's service, he along with the Banner are the Vanguard of the god of conquest. They tip of the spear, implemented whenever a realm stands against King Cyril or his nation. He is a tactical genius and a mastermind, mixing unholy magic with unparalleled martial prowess to succeed in the name of his god.

He was the one Kharn informed about leaving. He tried to convince the massive Bugbear to stay with a mixture of coercion and veiled threats, but Kharn's mind was made up. To Valtr, Kharn is a criminal and a disgrace to the Banner. He wants Kharn imprisoned for the insult of going AWOL... Or dead.[/sblock3]

[sblock3=Salamander-King Ufljot] The Salamander-King Ufljot is the cruel master of the islands of the Fire Giants. He is a massive, imposing a figure said to be descended from the Old Ones themselves. He seems to be ageless and impervious to all, and has a wicked nature that makes lesser beings quake in fear. It is by his will that the Bugbears are enslaved, using them to work the islands into massive edifices that Ufljot wishes to use to commune with the Old Ones and gain even more power.

As far as Kharn knows, he is unstoppable. However, that has not stopped Kharn from chasing his goals. Ufljot probably doesn't even know or care about Kharn,
however.[/sblock3]

[sblock3=Sera] Sera was the first person Kharn met when he struck out on his own after escaping slavery. A Druid, she helped the unlearned Kharn survive and taught him how to prepare meals and how to speak properly. She is a matronly figure to Kharn, worthy of nothing but the utmost respect. She cared not for how Kharn looked or spoke at first, instead seeing only a being in need.

She and Kharn are close friends to this day, and she always seems to pop up in Kharn's life when he needs her most.[/sblock3]

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
[SHOW]
#1: Kharn remembers what it's like to be a slave. To feel the lash upon your back and the chains upon your ankles. It's a feeling he can't escape- one that haunts him constantly. He suffers from PTSD-like symptoms of his past life,
but tries to 'tough through them'. It's not working well.
#2: Kharn is an excellent chef. It is a confounding thing to consider, but he can really, truly cook well! However, the food he likes is far too spicy for normal people to enjoy... Still, even if it's too spicy, people just love it and will eat through the pain!
#3: When in rage, Kharn turns into the most foul-mouthed terror you ever did see. He spits pure, vile words at his foes to shake their morale before impaling them upon his Gouge.
#4: His Gouge is actually Mounfang's Tusk! The huge tooth is old and worn, but it still works how Kharn needs it to.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
[SHOW]
Family: Kharn's family is back on the Islands from which he originates. He does not know any of them, as Bugbear children are removed from their parents at birth. He considers every Bugbear his brother or sister, however, and finds familial solace in close friends, often coming off as clingy due to this.

Class: Low. People see him as a Monster. If he doesn't have an escort, he's likely to have weapons drawn on him.

Profession: Mercenary, bodyguard, gladiator, profession FIGHT MAN! That's about it. He doesn't make a lot of money, either.

Institutions: Ex-associated with the Black Banner Warband, now is a Freelance Mercenary. Briefly was a part of an exotic Harem as on-site security, but he doesn't like bringing that up.

Drives (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary)
[SHOW]
Primary: Kharn seeks to free his people from the cruel fate inflicted upon them by the Fire Giants. He wants to go back home, slay every single Fire Giant,
and bring peace and community to his broken people.

Secondary: Kharn wishes to show others that he is not a monster, nor is his kind. Despite being a Evil-aligned Bugbear, he only wishes for the dreams of peace for his people to be welcomed with open arms by others and not shunned or attacked.

Tertiary: A tad greedy, but Kharn seeks to surround himself with friends and allies, a support network that will help him shake the black stain in his soul that is the fear of his past.

Goals (Short, Med, Long-Term)
[SHOW]
Short: Kharn wants to make money and outfit himself with powerful gear and allies. Working as a Mercenary, he wants to make a name for himself as a heroic and imposing figure- One worthy of respect.

Med: Kharn wishes to find out how to destroy the Salamander-King and the Fire Giants. It will take more than a one-man raid on the island to do so. This is the reasoning for his short-term goals. Gear, allies, and power is all he can hope for in terms of overcoming his past.

Long: To free the Bugbears from their shackled lives and bring them to the mainland. To form a community for them, and to bring them lives of peace and happiness. To settle down with his people, and finally put the violence and pain behind him.

Group Relations
[SHOW]
Kharn knows Grozzuk and considers him a friend. They met in gladiatorial pits,
put up against a slew of foes that they were able to beat down. As of now,
Kharn and Grozzuk are drinking buddies and BIG FRIENDS.

Kharn and Cinder aren't exactly close. To Kharn, Cinder seems standoffish and closed off, but troubled. He considers her to be an ally, but not quite a friend.
He's partially aware of her unfondness of him, and tries to keep things professional as long as it's convenient to do so.

Gamil confuses Kharn. A serious nature is not an alien concept to Kharn, but he sees Gamil as more emotionally dead than serious. He feels for the Goblin, knowing that only a rough life could have wrought such a person. He wishes to know what could have happened to the Goblin in the past, and firmly believes that he and Gamil can get along as kindred spirits... Unless his read is totally wrong, of course!

Lorion is interesting to Kharn. Though Kharn is not at all fond of the snootiness of the caster, he thinks of it as a disability rather than a personality quirk. He accepts the Elf for this, and doesn't bring it up. He does try to act a bit more proper when dealing with the elf, however, for both of their sakes.

[SHOW]

Created Lore

læskírn, or the "Forge-Mountains
[SHOW]
The Forge Mountains are the name of the infernal realm of the Fire Giants. Volcanic and dangerous, it is there that the Bugbears are eternally enslaved. The mountains are carved out with Giant edifices and buildings, and temples of Basalt dot the lower section of the mountain range. Around the mountains is a tropical rainforest, which is no stranger to fires and lava burning away huge swathes of it.

Bugbears
[SHOW]
Bugbears are not a naturally occurring creature. They are essences of Trolls, Orcs, Ogres, and Goblins all combined into one creature by foul magic. They are temperamental, sneaky, violent, and STRONG! They are used as slave labor by the Fire Giants.

The Black Banner
[SHOW]
The Black Banner Warband is King Cyril's primary military force. Hailing from the City of Aeston, they are a perpetually-mobilized unit capable of bringing fortresses, castles, cities, and armies to their knees.
Led by Valtr the Black, they consider themselves the Chosen of King Cyril. They might be right, as they have one hell of a success record, having not once been formally defeated in the fields of battle.

Aeston
[SHOW]
Aeston is a capital city of a smaller region of the world.
Fueled with red and black mana, they are sworn to King Cyril and seek to expand their reach and take over the surrounding nations. They utilize the Black Banner to strike fear into the hearts of their foes. Aeston is ruled by Cyril in a theocratic Monarchy, believing Cyril to be a demigod. Basically Hercules as a despotic ruler.

Posted: **Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:28 pm**

Grozzuk, The Glorious Gladiator

[SHOW]: Born to lower-class parents, at an early age he was taken in and forced into the Gladiator arena. He was given a new name and told that the only way to see his parents again was to survive and earn his freedom. So he did, but when he did finally earn his freedom his parents had died of disease. Since he was raised as a Gladiator, he had known nothing else, so he decided to continue this line of work for several years, traveling the more well-known circuit of arenas as an 'Entertainer' of sorts. At some point, he found himself bored of the Gladiator life and joined up with [This party] for a chance at something new, something exciting. At first he joined only for excitement and riches, but eventually, he grew close, even fond of his adventuring partners. And now that this 'Demon Lord' threatens that lifestyle and his friends, he's chosen to take up arms to protect the people he cares for. He's been fighting all of his life, he can't stop now.

[SHOW]

Character Sheet

Grozzuk, Level 6
Dragonborn, Fighter
Level 6 Fighter: Great Weapon Fighter
Dragonborn Subrace: Standard
Background: (Dragonborn) Brush with the Past (+2 to History)
Theme: Gladiator

Final Ability Scores:
STR: 21 CON: 15 DEX: 10 INT: 10 WIS: 10 CHA: 13

Starting Ability Scores:
STR: 18 CON: 14 DEX: 10 INT: 10 WIS: 10 CHA: 11

AC: 21 FORT: 21 REF: 14 WILL: 15
HP: 65 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 18

Trained Skills
Athletics: +13, Endurance: +10, Intimidate: +11, Perception: +8

Untrained Skills
Acrobatic +3, Arcana +3, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +3, Heal +3, History +7, Insight +3, Nature +3, Religion +3, Stealth +3, Streetwise +3 Thievery +3

FEATS
Level 1: Toughness
Level 2: Improved Initiative
Level 4: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
User Choice: Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade)
Level 6: Dragonborn Frenzy

POWERS
Level 1 Fighter At-Will Powers: Wicked Strike
Level 1 Fighter At-Will Powers: Cleave
Level 1 Fighter Daily Powers: Villain's Menace
Level 1 Fighter Encounter Powers: Hack and Hew
Level 2 Fighter Utility Powers: Mighty Leap
Level 3 Fighter Encounter Powers: Dance of Steel
Level 6 Fighter Utility Powers: Battle Awareness

ITEMS

[SHOW]

EQUIPPED ITEMS:

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Greatsword (used two-handed.)
Offhand: Greatsword (used two-handed.)
Body: Scale Armor

Head: ---
Neck: ---
Arms: ---
Hands: ---
Waist: ---
Feet: ---
Symbol: ---
Ki Focus: ---
Ring 1: ---
Ring 2: ---
Tatoo: ---

Boon: ---

[sblock3=BACKPACK:]*Bedroll
*Hempen Rope (50 ft.)
*Flint and Steel[/sblock3]

[sblock4=BELT POUCH:]*Trail Rations (10)
*Waterskin
*Coin purse of 14gp and 10 silver[/sblock4]

[SHOW]

COMBAT BLOCK

Grozzuk
Male Dragonborn Fighter 6
Languages: Common, Draconic
Age: 27
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 300 lbs.

Speed: 5
Initiative: +7
Passive Perception: 18
Passive Insight: 13

AC: 21
Fort: 21
Ref: 14
Will: 15
HP: 65/65
Bloodied: 32
Surge Value: 18
Surges left: 11/11
Action Points: 1

MBA: +14 vs AC, 1d10+7 Damage (Greatsword)
MBA: +12 vs AC, 1d10+9 Damage (Wicked Strike, Greatsword)
MBA: +9 vs AC, 1d4+6 Damage (Unarmed)

Resistances: None
Vulnerabilities: None
Saves: None
Active Effects: None

Powers:
Bull Rush Attack
Grab Attack
Opportunity Attack
Combat Challenge
Cleave
Wicked Strike

Combat Agility

Disrupting Advance
Hack and Hew
Dance of Steel

Dragon Breath

Second Wind
Mighty Leap
Battle Awareness

Consumables:
None.

Important Features
[SHOW]
Class Features
Combat Challenge: Mark foes I attack. They get -2 to attacks not including myself. Make a basic melee attack against an adjacent marked foe who shifts or makes attacks not including me. Mark lasts until the end of my next turn or marked by another.

Combat Agility
Fighter Talents - Two-Handed Weapon Talent - +1 on Attacks with two-handed weapons.

Racial Features
Dragonborn Fury: +1 to attacks while bloodied.
Draconic Heritage: Add Con modifier to healing surge value.
Dragonborn Racial Power: Dragon Breath - Dragon Breath Strength, Dragon Breath Acid.

Feats
Toughness: Gain 5/10/15 (by tier) additional hit points.
Improved Initiative: +4 to Initiative.
Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade): Gain +1 damage per tier with weapon attacks with Heavy Blades.
Dragonborn Frenzy: +2 to damage when Bloodied.
Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade): Gain +1 to weapon attacks with Heavy Blades (+2 at 11th, +3 at 21st level.)

Special:Will of the Soul; You may invoke a Will point to A) Forego rolling dice for a skill check and treat it as a natural 20 instead or B) Regain the use of an expended daily or encounter power or heal yourself for an amount equal to 1.5 times your surge value. You may do this up to once per in-game day for use A and once per in-game day for use B. This requires no action.

[SHOW]

Goals and Driving Themes.

Core Elements
[SHOW]
1) Strength - To be strong for himself and to protect his friends.
2) Honor - To be respectful on the battlefield and in conversation.
3) Freedom - Freedom for himself and others.
4) Family/Friends - He wants to protect those who are close to him, and craves attention from them.
5) Legacy - He wants to leave a legacy behind, to be known for what he has done both good and bad.

[sblock3=Mechanical Goals]1) I want Grozzuk to become as physically strong as possible, naturally, both to protect his friends and take vengeance against evildoers and slavers.
2) I want Grozzuk to become a sturdy wall for my allies to hide behind in combat as I dice my enemies into cubes of meat.[/sblock3]

[sblock4=Driving Desires]1) Anguish at losing his childhood pushes Grozzuk to help others have their own childhood.
2) Gain power to protect others.
3) I crave attention and will do flashy actions to get that attention.[/sblock4]
Mannerisms, Memories, Quirks

1) When I do something I think is particularly impressive, I will pose and flex for a non-existent crowd.
2) Because he never learned how to pronounce "J", he pronounces all "J's" as "G's".
3) The only memory he has of his parents is his dad teaching him how to hold a sword and his mom watching, teary-eyed. (It is unknown if he fabricated this memory or if it's real.)

Personality -
In day-to-day life, Grozzuk is very outward and kind, almost so far as being altruistic in very general terms. He will do what he thinks of as good but isn't afraid to break the law for people he cares about. In combat, he attempts to be honorable and attempts to properly deal with leftover corpses when he can Having a history in the Arena, he has learned how to make a fight a spectacle without being dishonorable.

[SHOW]

Secrets, Allies/Enemies, Story Goals

Secrets
[SHOW]
1) I broke the law to defend someone's honor, and I would do it again if I had to.
2) The fight that slingshotted him into fame was rigged by Aelen, who drugged the old Champion, Urzog, to make it an "easy win" for Grozzuk. Grozzuk was convinced by Urzog (before he was drugged) to have it be a death match, which allowed it to all be swept under the rug.

[sblock3=Allies and Enemies]1) Damion Winterglory - Human, Middle-Aged. Taught Grozzuk the ways of life, and how to care for people while still knowing how to fight for defense and profit. (Ally)
2) Renubash - Young Half-Orc - Grozzuk took him under his wing near the end of his career, playing a similar role to what Damion did for him. (Ally)
3) Aelen Heartsun - Middle-aged Elf - Allowed Grozzuk to be taken as a young child, and actively approved of taking young children for pit fighting. Many Gladiators call him "Sunshine the Terrible" secretly as an insult. (Hostile)

4) Urzog the Ruthless - Middle-aged Orc - Ex-Gladiator Champion, was drugged in his final fight by Aelen to make sure Grozzuk would win. Was known for Death Matches. (Neutral)

1) Kharn: Ignoring his rapidly shifting emotions and perpetual laziness, Grozzuk definitely can enjoy a good drink with Kharn, and definitely sees him as a worthy combat ally.
2) Lorion: Grozzuk isn't a fan of magic, as he feels it's incredibly dishonorable.
This hindered Grozzuk's ability to work with him at first, but eventually found it a necessary evil, as Lorion's spellwork was almost key to staying alive. They haven't spent much one-on-one time together, and therefore Grozzuk isn't as close to Lorion as he is with the others.
3) Gamil: Grozzuk has tried to understand why Gamil is so cold and closed-off. Even with how serious he can be, Grozzuk finds it easy to appreciate Gamil's perception, seeing many things that Grozzuk would normally miss.
4) Cinder: Grozzuk has taken kindly to Cinder's perpetually worried state of being, seeing her as more of someone to protect and keep an eye on than someone he fights with. (Fights for rather than with.)[/sblock3]
[sblock4=Story Goals]1) Expose the corruption in the Gladiator scene, with the side-goal of getting back at Aelen Heartsun. (Short-term)
2) Grozzuk wants to be the STRONGEST. (Medium-Term)
3) Grozzuk wants to settle down and raise a family of his own someday when his adventuring days are over. He wants to do this due to losing his own childhood and feels like he can live his own through another's. (Legacy) (Longterm)[/sblock4]

Posted: **Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:56 pm**

News:

Crabby is going inactive for awhile, as he cannot post regularly. Kharn was in the dream with you as written, but he does not wake up at the inn in Rhapsody with you. The party has vague memories of Kharn, but he did not come on this adventure as he had some personal quest to attend to. When/if Crabby can rejoin us, we'll have Kharn rejoin the party.

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