Welcome to Perth OOC thread. Here is where we raise out of game concerns. Also, here is where the city dynamic information will stored and additional info about the setting will accumulate. If you really like something in the game, here is where to let me know. If you really dislike something about the game, or have concerns about the current direction, here is also where you should let me know. I really want this game to be fun for everyone, and feedback definitely helps.
Likelihood of PCs contracting illness increased, temple healing costs increased
Poverty
21
+1
Much lower monetary return for aiding townspeople
Poor Economy
16
-1
Lower monetary return for aiding city
Quality of Life
18
-1
Cash return for performances are reduced by 25%
Postings standards/Etiquitte
Spoiler
Naturally follow all GitP forum rules, in addition I ask that:
General Posting Format
Spoiler
I want ALL in character posts to be in the in character thread. All out of character posts to be in theis thread. Most rolls should be made in the IC thread with your post concerning the action. If you screw up a roll (as we all tend to do), just post the make up roll in the OOC thread.
I want all character speech to be in a unique color and placed within quotations. 1st person character thoughts should be in that same color and placed in italics.
Godmodding
Spoiler
General practice decrees “god mod bad.” Here I hope to explain times when I feel god modding is okay. If anyone disagrees with these standards let me know.
PC god mod another PC
Spoiler
The only time this is okay is when the action is completely innocuous. For example:
Spoiler
After reaching in to his pack, Evin removes the heavy iridescent gem and says, “here Vanalya, hold on to this for me.”
The oracle accepts the stone. Evin then proceeds to climb the tree.
Here, Evin godmodded Vanalya to do something innocuous, namely hold a mundane object. This is fine because it doesn't matter and it is better than the alternative, i.e. in the post Evin holds out the stone for Vanalya to take it. Everyone waits until the post of, “Vanalya takes the stone without comment.” appears and then Evin's next action is posted. Still, it is better to avoid doing even such innocuous things if you can.
God modding should NEVER be used to have another PC say something or to ascribe any emotion whatsoever to another PC. Basically only pointless, robotic actions in service to the speed of posting. Also, the modded PC should never be made to do anything that is remotely dangerous. In the example above, if Evin asks Vanalya to hold to the Magical Stone of Erratic Catastrophic Explosions, or even unknown purpose magical stone, that would not be okay.
PC god mod NPC
Spoiler
Here, there is a bit more freedom. Basically, you should never have an NPC say anything that I would potentially have to undo. The NPC would never commit to any terms or say anything that would influence you or another PC. However, for instance, after you've agreed to the merchant last proposed price (that I made), then you are free to god mod the remainder of the transaction.
DM mod PC
Spoiler
I will do this occassionally under the following circumstances:
To provide emotions or action you do not control or entirely control (for instance fear effects or actions under confusion)
To provide information that you don't know your character would know (I'll also often do this over PM)
To progress the narrative (for instance having your character enter a room they were invited into rather than wait for everyone to post “I enter the room” – naturally, anytime this happens, your character will be safe)
More importantly, for actions in combat (and possibly elsewhere), I will force your character to take an action (or possibly to take no action) if everyone else has acted and we are waiting on you for a bit. I hope this will never come up, but to be realistic, it probably will.
Some instance I'm probably forgetting...
World Info
Spoiler
The Empire - Liastascia (this section is mostly for flavor)
Spoiler
The empire is ruled by a silver elf named Silis Liastascia III. The empire has existed for 1103 years under the Liastascian rule (the first year was deemed year 0). The Liastascian Emperors are widely agreed to be an exceptional ruling family. There has not been a poor regent since inception. The entire region has a very mild climate. It rains often, in spite of the mountains, due to the great seas to the East. The temperatures stay fairly warm, with Tsusish getting pretty hot in the summer. Strakel and parts of Sarethorn will often see a small amount of snow during the winter months, in general the west is substantially cooler than the east. The entire nation is nearly surrounded by nearly impassable mountains. Only a large entrance to the South and smaller entrances to East and West allow traffic to the outside world.
The empire has ten states:
Liastascia - The land of the silver elves in the far north at the base of a great mountain range holds the empire seat, the great city of Liastascia. The bulk of the region is light forests and hills.
Troscone - A region predominantly of halfling decent to the east and southeast of Liastascia. The bulk of the region is rolling hills, scattered light woods and plains.
Sarethorn - Your state. A region predominantly of human decent to the south of Liastascia. Second to Dolwood, Sarethorn is the largest province in the empire. Sarethorn joined the empire in a peaceful manner. The Sarethorn lands are mostly light forests north of Diegt, one of the three major cities along with Shoal and Perth, the capital. The land south of Diegt is split between harsh rocky hills west of the Shai River (the westernmost river in the region and fertile hills and plains toward the east. Very few live on the rocky terrain west of the Shai, but the rest of the region has many large towns and farmlands. Most of the region eats a lot of produce as well as the Sarethorn sheep, a very large sheep-like creature about the size of a horse - their luxuriously soft coat of dense wool also provides much of the empires's clothing. (See 'The City - Perth' for more).
Dolwood Forest - A densely wooded region predominantly of wood elves to the south of Liastascia and the east of Sarethorn. This is the largest region in the empire. It is currently the only internal border in the empire with an active patrol, mainly to prevent logging. Much of southern Dolwood in not inhabited by the elves – or by any civilized race.
Strakel - A region predominantly of Dwarven decent to the west of Sarethorn. Strakel is a barren, cold, inhospitable wasteland of rocky hills. The capital, Strakelheim, is a glorious dwarven hall – a place any dwarf would be proud to call home. It is easily the most racially homogeneous place in Liastascia.
Tsusish - A region predominantly of High Orc decent to the east of Troscone. Most of Tsusish is hot and dry. Though a desert in the summer, it will rain for nearly three months during the winter.
Kirthrac - A motley region to the south of Sarethorn. Kirthrac is mainly kobolds and Grimnideln used to be largely fire elves, or Kahhadin. The military maintains a strong presence in Grimnideln to keep the populous in check. Kirthrac has a legendary reputation as a eternal bastion that can not be invaded, leading to many colloquial expressions based on this.
Gollend - A region predominantly of human decent to the south of Troscone. The land here is fertile hills among scattered dense forest regions.
Biddleton - A small region predominantly of gnomish decent to the east of Gollend. Even so, gnomes are not the most populous race even here. The gnomes were practically wiped out by the lizardfolk once the marshes formed (lizardfolk enjoy the taste of gnomes).
Bedimyr Wold - A very large region predominantly of human decent to the south of Gollend, Biddleton, Dolwood and Sarethorn and east of Kirthrac. The Wold is the most populous area in the empire. There are relatively peaceful tribes of hobgoblins and orcs living in the wold.
Uncivilized in the Empire
Spoiler
Southern Dolwood - This terrible region is not patrolled by the elves. They fear it. There are some powerful forces there. Rumors tells of fey princes in mighty tree fortresses, benevolent or vile and great castles ruled by demon lords. Approaching the region one will often find fey, most of whom are kind enough to warn mortals not to proceed. The wood elves generally need no such warning.
The Misty Marshes - The marshland stretches for miles in the south east of the empire. Some lizardfolk dwell there on the border, but none go deeper inside. The small minority who have returned from the marshes say they either found nothing or don't recall ever being in the marsh. The marshes are not really in the empire, but they are not claimed under any other flag.
Mountains - The mountains around the empire are home to many mountain dwelling creatures including giants, trolls, goblins and drow, among other more sinister denizens. They are very steep providing what serves as excellent cover to the region. A very powerful red dragon is rumored to live deep in the northern mountains.
Kirthrac Forest - The forests around Kirthrac are arguably the most dangerous place in the entire empire. Although no one is aware of any dangerous monsters living there, the entire woods are riddled with deadly traps that long dead Kithracians have created to protect their fortress. The few foolish enough to venture into there will rarely return, and those who do are generally scarred for life. It is said that even the gods won't look into Kirthrac for fear it would snatch out their eyes.
The World (this section is mostly for flavor)
Spoiler
The empire is surrounded on all sides by mountains with only three non-mountainous exits: through Strakel in the West, through Tsusish to the East, and, the largest, through the Bedimyr Wold in the South.
The Backwards East - The continent to the east is commonly thought to be a very strange place, where men are as beasts, elves live in the ground and orcs, gnolls and bears rule. Separating the two lands is a long, narrow strip of barren wasteland that is a cracked, barren, salty desert of silt - legend says the oceans used to be higher, but dried up long ago. The most reliable tales, barring the ones from the handful of silver elves who have actually been there, come from high orcs. The high orcs came from the east centuries ago. Their tales have been passed down through generations and depict predominantly the glory of high orcs, but occasionally fantastic creatures. The least reliable tales come from the dwarves in Strakel who paint the land in an absurd picture where goblins fly about on unicorns waging wars on scholarly trolls who are served mead by dragon stewards. It is suspected by many that no dwarf, living or dead, has ever actually been to the East. Colloquially, many things thought of as strange are referred to as “Eastern.” Although, high orcs tend to resent this a little.
The Deadly West - The lands to the west are very dangerous. The dwarven fortress of Strakelheim occasionally will just barely repel an onslaught from a single foe who approaches from the west. Ogres are the closest thing to a civilized people leaving near Strakel. Some say there are more palatable races much further out though. Millennia ago, it is said there was a vast number of humans living all across the lands west, but they were drove to extinction. Truthfully, human structures such as ruins of large castles or catacombs are observable in various areas supporting this theory. The danger of the area makes for fantastic treasure plundering. Many famous heroes of the empire got rich in the west, but many more left to never return. Colloquially, many things or behaviors thought of as dangerous are referred to “Western.”
The Wild South - The lands south of Bedimyr Wold are a battlefield. Tribes of mud orcs, gnolls, hobgoblins, humans and many others wage sporadic wars on one another. Goblinoid is the language of the South. It is suspected that the expansionary Liastascian empire will attempt to tame this land in its next military campaign, but this is widely believed to be centuries away. A great wall has been constructed across the mountains here. This has separated the Wold from the South. It is beginning to “heal” the tribal nature of the Southern humans. Colloquially, many things thought to be savage are called “Southern.”
The Night Sky - The sky has two moons, Iaros and Shaithe. Iaros is small and slightly reddish, while Shaithe is much larger and white. Iaros is full every seven weeks; Shaithe every five. The Darkest Night, when both moons are new, is viewed as unlucky. Every thirty five weeks there is the double full moon - this is called the Night of Day, due to the immense brightness. It is generally viewed as lucky - many large towns and city throw festivals on these nights. A Night of Day with only Shaithe visible (due to eclipse of Iaros) happens every few decades - with no warning. This is viewed as being extremely unlucky.
The Allowed Races
Spoiler
Humans
Halflings
Dwarves
Gnomes
Half-Orcs, aka Half Mud Orcs
Half-Elves - may consider slight modifications for half-wood elves or half-fire elves
Shown below:
Wood Elves
Silver Elves
Fire Elves, Kahhadin
High Orcs
Kobolds
Wood Elves:
The forest dwelling elves of Dolwood are fairly hardy for elves, but do not compare to the fire elves. They do not share the same passion for intellectual pursuits as their silver haired cousins though. They are shorter than silver elves standing between 4½' to 5' feet in height and weighing between 85 and 130 lbs. Their eyes are generally between green and brown, but blue does appear in a small percentage of the wood elves. Their hair color ranges from blond to brown to black. Their skin tones can also vary radically, though never as fair as their silver cousins. They generally reach maturity around 80 years and can live to be 500. They tend toward CG. They adore the forest and will go to great lengths to protect it.
Spoiler
Racial Traits:
- +2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Int. Wood elves are agile, hardy and wise. As a people, they care little for academic pursuits.
- Medium Creatures with 30 base speed.
- Immunity to magic sleep. +2 against enchantment spells and effects.
- Low-light vision
- Weapon Proficiency. Shortbow, Longbow (including composite bows). Wood elves adore bows. The fletcher is widely regarded as the most valuable citizen in a wood elf community.
- +1 racial bonus to all ranged attacks made with a bow, but not a crossbow.
- +2 racial bonus to survival and handle animal. Can use handle animal untrained. Wood elves value animals and many have some form of animal companion.
Languages: Wood Elves begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Human.
Silver Elves:
The silver elves are the ruling race of the empire. They are generally respected among the other races with the notable exception of the fire elves. They are tall elves, generally between 5'-5'6”. They have silver hair, fair skin and eyes ranging from gray to clear blue to green to gold. They are generally between 110 and 135 lbs. They can live to be over 700 years old. Their language, elven (also called high elven to distinguish it from fire elven), is the common tongue. They have a natural adept for sorcery with nearly a quarter of the population displaying some penchant for it. They tend toward NG.
Spoiler
Racial Traits:
- +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con. Silver elves are agile and intelligent, but startlingly frail given their longevity.
- Medium Creatures with 30 base speed.
- Immunity to magical sleep. +2 against enchantment spells and effects.
- Low-light vision
- Weapon Proficiency. Elves are proficient with longswords, rapiers and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon
- +2 racial bonus to sense motive.
- +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
Languages: Silver Elves begin play speaking Common. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Kahhadin, and Sylvan.
Fire Elves (Kahhadin, Blood Elves, (derogatory) Low Elves)
Fire elves tell tales of how their blood line was the chosen race to rule the world. Other races tell tale of a violent, ill tempered people who cannot be trusted. Fire elves are outstanding warriors – second to none. Since their defeat three centuries ago at the hands of their ancient enemies, the silver elves, they have been adjusting to their way of life. Many feel themselves to be prisoners in this society, but others feel that they should put their old grudges behind them.
Fire elves have eyes that range from crimson to auburn with the occasional pink eyed elf. Their hair is generally black to gray, but shades of brown are also common. Their skin is gray - they say it is of tempered steel. They are usually about 5' in height, but some have been over 5'6”. They are stockier than their cousins, built more more densely than even humans. They generally weigh between 140 and 180 lbs. They reach maturity at around 30 years and can live to be over 300. As a people they tend toward CN. Unlike other elves, they sleep.
Spoiler
Racial Traits:
- +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis. Fire elves are agile and tough, but often brash and foolhardy.
- Medium Creatures with 30 base speed.
- Weapon Proficiency. Fire elves can use full blades and bastard swords as martial weapons. A full blade is a longer than great sword (23 lbs, 100 gp, 2d8 damage, 19-20/x2 critical, Slashing) . Full blades and bastard swords are the military weapons of the fire elves. Most of them will inherit their ancestor's full blade when they are born and begin to swing it before they learn to read. Bastard swords are used as their light side weapon, for use if they become disarmed, as others would do with a dagger, short sword or hand ax (although most fire elf warriors use chained gauntlets).
- +1 racial bonus to attack bonus with two-handed melee weapons. Blood elves are warmongers and train their youth how to battle from about the time they can walk. They become experts at melee combat.
- 3/– Damage reduction against fire.
- Fire elves receive one fewer skill point per level than awarded by their class.
- Fire elves receive a +2 bonus to intimidate and a -2 penalty to all other charisma based skills.
Languages: Fire Elves begin play speaking Kahhadin and Common. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Giant and Sylvan.
High Orcs (Eastern Orcs)
The orcs of the east are a proud and noble race. They stand from 6' to 6.5' in height, weigh from 150 to 190 lbs, reach maturity around twenty and can live to be over one hundred years old. Their skin is an olive green color. Their hair is extremely thick and flat, almost like blades of grass, assuming nearly any dark color – black, crimson, navy, and murky orange hues are the most common. Their front teeth are naturally sharp, but they do not have the long cuspids like the mud orcs do. Their faces are broad with only two holes as a nose. Unlike southern orcs, they are a refined people. Their pride themselves on their rich history and beautiful music. They are also a fierce warrior race – though extremely honorable. They are much frailer than the mud orcs. They also tend toward LN in alignment. These are just some of the many ways in which they differ from the mud orcs (to whom it is believed they hold no actual relation).
Spoiler
Racial Traits:
- +2 Str, +2 Chr, -2 Con. The eastern orcs are incredibly strong, but they are generally quite lean as well.
- Medium Creatures with 30 base speed.
- Low-light vision
- High orcs receive +4 racial saving throw bonus against fear
- High orcs receive +2 racial bonus on diplomacy checks
- Weapon Proficiency. Longsword. Orcish double axe is a martial weapon to them.
Languages: High Orcs begin play speaking Orc and Common (note: mud orcs speak goblin). Orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Giant and Sylvan.
Kobolds
The Kobolds of Kirthrac are a very interesting people. They have for centuries been the only race to maintain good terms with the fire elves for long periods of time. Mostly because they claimed Kirthrac and built a mighty, neigh impregnable fortress there. The fire elves relied on the kobolds for many valuable supplies. Every time some new fire elf warlord got the idea to invade Kirthrac, there was a stand off that ended with minimal loss of kobold lives and fire elves begging for the kobolds to trade with them again. The kobolds, ever the opportunists, would jack up prices for a few years and strengthen their gold reserves. The defeat of the fire elves left the kobolds to decide whether to try to maintain their own or to join with the powerful Empire of the Silver Star. Their first ruler opted for independence, but the next was more flexible. The kobolds tend toward LN, but there are certainly more evil than good kobolds. Since joining the kobolds have spread into the empire. They are accepted among the other peoples, except for the gnomes, who they will avoid as much as possible. Other kobold tribes now have joined the empire since Kirthrac did, but the other tribes have too weak of a base to maintain their tribal identity, so they blend into other cities around the empire – all claiming to be born and raised in Kirthrac. Kirthrac is the one true haven for koboldian identity.
Kobolds stand between 2' and 2½' in height and weigh about 25 to 30 lbs. They reach maturity at about 10 and can live as long at 90 years. They have scales and thick rat-like, although scaly, tails.
Spoiler
Racial Traits:
- +2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Str: Koboldss are clever and agile, but their small stature makes them weaker than other races.
- Small: Kobolds are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD), and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
- Normal Speed: In spite of their small size, Kobolds can move quickly. They have a base speed of 30 feet.
- 60 ft Dark Vision.
- +1 natural armor bonus
- Racial Skills: +2 Craft (trap making), Climb, Stealth and Perception. Additionally, Craft (trap making) is always a class skill for kobolds.
Languages: Kobolds begin play speaking Draconic and Common. Kobolds with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Kahaddin, Sylvan, Gnome, and Goblin.
The Adventurer
Spoiler
Role
The adventurer has an important role in Liastascian society. The military is primarily concerned with border security and (in Grimnedeln) quelling rebellions. Each city and large town has a permanent guard and a militia – their roles are basic security and safety of the city. Tasks outside the specialty of these two groups (or occasionally too grandiose for either group) are the realm of the adventurer.
Guilds
Nearly all major cities have an adventurer's guild. These guilds serve a simple function - to match tasks to adventurers. The guild master is generally a former adventurer of some proficiency who has grown too old to continue. Their role is to determine what tasks are suitable for what adventurers (basically to minimize death). Often they just love swapping tales and volunteer for the position, but many others have simply squandered too much of their fortune to have perpetual financial security and are offered the position. The guilds are partially funded by the government and partially by the guild dues. One gp to join, ten gp per year, due at the end of your first year.
Additional Rules:
Spoiler
Role-playing Experience
Spoiler
I will periodically give RP experience based on the relevance and quality of posting in character. Generally, if your character is very active in the game, he/she will receive an ample amount of this experience. This is probably going to be a substantial contribution to your overall XP.
Magic Attack Rolls
Spoiler
Players and enemies will make magic attack rolls rather than using a fixed Spell Save DC. The attack is 1d20 + spell level + ability modifier + other modifiers.
Your (and the enemy's) Fortitude, Reflex and Will save are replaced by a corresponding defense score. This is 12+standard Fort save modifier. If the magic attack roll is great than or equal to the defense score, then the magic affects you (or the enemy).
Conviction
Spoiler
Each encounter earns you some conviction points. These are similar to action points or hero points or whatever points you are used to using. You start with six conviction points. After most encounters you will gain some conviction, generally 3. A more minor encounter might earn you 2, 1 or 0 points. There is no limit to the number of conviction points your character can have. Conviction can be spent as follows:
Cost
Effect
1
Roll twice, keep the better result
2
Re-roll (if re-rolling an effect with multiple targets, re-roll for ALL target)
2
Take an extra move equivalent action on your turn +
3
Take an extra standard action on your turn +
3
Evade death
5
Take an extra turn +
Only one conviction effect marked with a + may be used in a turn (i.e. you cannot blow 18 conviction points to take six extra standard actions in your turn). Spending conviction to evade death can be used when your character is killed in combat to place you stabilized at HP = 2 - Con.
Raising the Stakes
Spoiler
http://esix.pbworks.com/f/RaisingtheStakes.pdf
The general idea of Raising the Stakes is trying to implement more exciting combat by making up temporary rules on the fly for myriad mechanics that the rules don't cover. All raises should be made in the OOC thread. I may counter raise sometimes, meaning, I like the idea, but it is balanced too heavily in your favor. As I mentioned before, if your raises get tedious, I'll revoke your ability to make them.
City Dynamic
Spoiler
Various factors (which can be correlated) all have a score associated with them ranging from 0-25. Additionally, low (high) scores will provide your characters with added benefits (disadvantages).
The Index
0 - Ideal. Represents the perfect city. Ex. Disease=0, major illnesses is rare, people live long healthy lives, temples offer healing with only moderate donations (healing costs are reduced to one fifth their normal value).
1-5 - Great. Represents an outstanding city. Ex. Crime=5, robberies, muggings, purse snatchings, etc are all rare. It is very unlikely the PC's will be robbed.
6-10 - Good. Represents a really nice city. Ex. Corruption=10, officials can be bribed, but this is a fairly uncommon. No mechanical in game effect.
11-15 - Okay. Represents your average city. Ex. Disonesty=15, merchants generally treat others fairly. PCs pay standard prices for goods.
16-20 - Bad. Represents a city with a lot of problems. Ex. Fear=20, people are nervous, they won't talk about it, but they believe that their actions could put them in danger. PCs will have trouble getting information out of people (-2 on Gather Information checks).
21-25 - Awful. Represents a crappy city. Ex. Poverty=25, the poor just keep getting poorer, the streets are filled with the desolate. PCs need to lose some coin for anyone to talk to them. While things remain this bad, crime, economy, quality of life and health will all start to increase rapidly.
26+ - Abyssmal. Represents a city about to die. Major events will happen if anything ever goes above 25. Ex. Violence=26, many people are being killed everyday. The situation is so bad that the council has decreed martial law in an 9-1 vote. They have begged for assistance from Liastascia who has partitioned some of the military to assist. The citizens are stripped of their freedom until things are restored to a more stable state. I envision martial law doing MANY things, but I won't go into detail now. The big message - don't let it happen. If something ever moves into the awful category, it is in your PC's best interest to do something about it... quickly!
The Categories
Crime - Measure of non-violent crime in the city
Violence - Measure of violent crime in the city
Drugs - Measure of the prevalence of debilitating drug use in the city
Fear - Measure of the fear of average citizens
Corruption - Measure of dishonesty in people of power, i.e. judges, militia, priests, etc.
Dishonesty - Measure of dishonesty in business
Disease - Measure of disease, famine (loss of food stuffs) and quality of sanitation
Poverty - Measure of the people's wealth
Economy - Measure of the city's wealth (low is good economy)
Quality of Life - Measure of the cities happiness, a reflection of supported arts, education and music (low is good quality of life)
Certain trends could mean things, for instance - high corruption, high crime, high fear, mid violence - this could mean organized crime. High violence, but low crime could mean the city has a crazed murderer on the loose. A sudden rise in some particular aspect could mean something big has happened, a spike in disease could mean that a plague has erupted, or the sewers are clogged for some reason. People may come to the PCs with the issue or the PCs might have to uncover it for themselves. At the end of each "chapter" (i.e. you complete a quest), I'll update the scores to reflect the consequences of your actions AND the actions of other forces in the city.
Magic, Greatness and Magic Items
Spoiler
First, a rant... In general, one of my biggest complaints about D&D is the treatment of magic items. In nearly all games of D&D, throwing money at the party wizard will earn you anything off of your laundry list of desired magic items. This has always irked me. I love my characters having magic items as much as the next guy, but the catalogue system is appalling to my prudish sensibilities. Magic items, and magic in general, should not be so mundane - it should be more... well, magical.
So to remedy this, production of magic items in this game will not work as usual. Scrolls, Wands and Potions can be produced as normal. Other magic items are NOT created simply by throwing money at the party wizard. Magic items are created through great acts. To explain how this works, I will first explain a bit about the mythos of magic in this campaign.
Mana - an intangible aether of magical energy, called mana, permeates (nearly) all of the space of the world. Mana is the source of power for all of the magic wielding classes - divine and arcane. For the wizard, rigorous study shapes mana into a particular aspect, which then congeals in his frame to be released in the desired effect at a later. For the cleric (druid), the omnipotent deities (primal forces) reward the faithful's prayers (reverence) by putting the configured mana within them. The sorcerer's body simply draws mana to him while he rests and he can shape it with his force at a moment's notice - similar things for other classes.
Items - while the wizard can, through a practiced mind, configure mana into himself, only his active consciousness keeps in there. One cannot simply put mana into an item and have it stay that way forever. Scrolls take mana from the air at the moment. Potions lose their potency over time and wands can leak charges. A sword will simply lose the magic that is put into it.
Greatness - while one cannot put mana into an object, it can choose to concentrate itself there. There are times when some force will cause the mana to conceal within objects - this force is called Greatness. The etymology is simple - Greatness is correlated with great deeds. The sword to slay the lich king who reigned terror on a civilization becomes infused with Greatness. The great deeds associated with it are somehow what causes it to be imbued with Greatness, and thus, mana. Greatness also shapes mana, so the sword may become a +4 holy sword, or some other magic sword concurrent with the Greatness. For example: the boots of the most talented thief to ever live may give a +20 to stealth checks.
Additionally, Greatness can fade. If in the hands of an unworthy wielder, the item will often leak Greatness (thus mana) reducing the item's potency. For this reason, legendary weapons are often not in circulation. The +10 Royal Crown of Diplomacy is probably either sitting on the head of the dead king in his tomb or it has devolved into a +1 Royal Crown of Diplomacy (or even a non-magical arrangement of gold and jewels) on the head of of his brash, incompetent son.
Mana Dearth - Sometimes a nearby focus of extreme Greatness can drain an area of mana entirely - this can be a magic dead zone or a low magic zone. Sometime it is so bad that the mana will leave items. In time, the aether will equilibrate and magic will be restored. Since their Greatness never left (only the mana), the magic items return to their full strength. This is a rare occurrence.
Mana Surge - Sometimes an item of extreme Greatness will be destroyed (like an artifact). This can create what is known as a mana surge. Magic in the area is more potent, spells can last longer or deal more damage. Magic items sometimes store even more power for the same greatness. Again, in time, the aether will equilibrate and the behavior of magic will be restored to normal. This is an extremely rare occurrence.
Artifacts - An artifact is any magical item whose greatness persists independent of the user. Artifacts are uncommon, "useful" artifacts are very rare. An artifact could be something like a stone that will randomly either bounce to the exact same height it was dropped from or stop dead on a surface without a bounce. Or an ink pen that will always roll off of any non-living surface it is placed upon. Or a small splinter of wood that burrows into the skin of any who touch it and painfully travels to their heart killing them upon arrival a few rounds later. The point is, they are both rare and varied. I'll probably throw some your way now and then (likely not the splinter, I've never been a fan of instantly killing PCs).
Intelligent Items - Intelligent items could manifest in one of two (possibly more) ways: some sufficiently powerful and magically attuned consciousness (perhaps extraplanar) can follow Greatness into the item or Greatness itself can cause mana to exhibit a homunculi-esque mimicry of personality (for instance, a weapon used by three successive hobgoblin warlords to kill orcs, might develop, in addition to abilities to augment killing orcs, an intellect that hates orcs as well)! Intelligent items are certainly rare though. A sufficiently intelligent item can maintain its own greatness, thus exist as an artifacts. However, most intelligent items will fade in time: this will manifest as the item becoming less intelligent until it has no consciousness left (as in the homunculus case) or the other powers fading until the intelligence simply disappears (as in the possession case)
Mechanics - Your items can gain/lose Greatness overtime. I will keep track of this (you will not know the exact underlying mechanics) and eventually your sword may become a +1 longsword, then +2, +2 flaming, +3 flaming burst, etc. All of your gear can gain Greatness - just because the ring on your finger isn't exactly doing anything, doesn't mean it isn't gaining Greatness - it is YOUR ring, Greatness will know that and choose to dwell there. Sometimes, items may change. That ring of spell storing you've loved may suddenly become a ring of featherfall (possibly when you were plummeting to your death). That is Greatness in a nutshell. If you have questions, feel free to ask, but I may keep many aspects mysterious - largely for the purpose of keeping magic... magical.
Charms
Spoiler
Charming is an influence. It makes the charmed view the charmer as a close friend, or someone they implicitly trust.
What a charm does:
Immediately set attitude toward charmer to friendly.
Justifies all actions of the charmer to maintain friendly view of charmer.
Persuade the charmed to trust the charmer's friends (just as you would be inclined to think that your best friend's friends are alright). However, evidence to the contrary may make the charmed dislike friends of his friend.
Ignore evidence that they had been charmed, i.e. evidence of being charmed does not break charm ("So what if my best friend charmed me? I'd have done this for him anyway!")
Concerning knowledge of having been charmed:
All characters with Int>11, ranks in spellcraft, or a companion who uses charm spells know of charms. A DC 11 intelligence or spellcraft check is required to have familiarity with charms otherwise. If unfamiliar with charms, where it says things like, "knows they had been charmed" read "knows they were acting differently."
Someone who succeeds on a will save (in our game, the will attack fails) will note that their emotions felt weird briefly.
Someone who succeeds both on a will save and on a spellcraft or know(arcana) check will know that someone had attempted to charm them.
Someone who succeeds both on a will save and on a spellcraft check who sees the caster casting will know that the caster had attempted to charm them. However, on a failed will save, they will NOT recognize the action as a charm.
If the charmed is familiar with the charmer and the charm moves their attitude by more than one step (i.e. hostile or unfriendly initially), then the charmed will know that they had been charmed once they reflect on the situation.
If the charmed is familiar with the charmer and the charm moves their attitude by one step or less (i.e. indifferent or friendly initially), then the charmed will not know that they had been charmed. After the spell expires, the charmer may be viewed as indifferent again, however, if their interactions were particularly nice, the memory of the charming may be enough to push things to friendly.
If the charmed is unfamiliar with the charmer, they might find it odd that they were so forthcoming with a complete stranger, but must would chalk it up to the charmer being, well, charming. As above, the charmer may be viewed as indifferent again, however, if their interactions were particularly nice, the memory of the charming may be enough to push things to friendly.
Someone with helpful attitude is unaffected by a charm (i.e. does not lower attitude).
If the charmed does not interact with the charmer, then they will never know they had been charmed.
If the charmed has strong reason to believe they were charmed (for instance, having very uncharacteristic interactions with an acquaintance they know capable of casting charms), then the charmed may attempt a spellcraft or intelligence check to know that they had been charmed. This is entirely up to the DM.
If the charmed received solid evidence that their "friend" has charmed them, then after the spell expires, they will know they were charmed and their attitude may adjust to where appropriate.
If the charm ends to a hostile action, the charmed is immediately aware they had been charmed.
The charmer knows if the spell succeeded or failed, but if it fails, the charmer will not know if the charmed knows if they had been charmed.
Gather Information
Spoiler
Using Gather Information on Established Contacts:
When dealing with someone friendly who is explicitly mentioned in your backstory, gather information will work simply. You ask them (make a roll) and they tell you what they know. This has its limits. Characters in your backstory may know next to nothing about something you ask them, no matter what you roll. For instance, while a character who lives in the underbelly of Perth may know about the Second Sons and may have useful information, a noble who lives in Drix may never have even heard of them - even if you roll a natural 20. Asking characters it makes sense to ask can lead to information, but trawling your entire backstory for every character until you roll that 20 won't reveal anything more. Naturally, there are limits on what you can learn from these people, even those in the know, you are asking a specific person for general information about something: they will tell you what they know, but you may get erroneous rumors, you may get useful info, you may get nothing. In some sense, your gather info check will be less useful on these people. You don't need to fight them for the info they have, but they won't have as much info.
Using Gather Information in General:
When not looking for info from a particular helpful person, but looking for information in general, you are asking people you don't know. This is the 'best' way to get information (although this is affected by the city's fear rating). How I intend to play this out is that after the 1d3 hours of searching, you will find someone who knows something. They may or may not be willing to tell you what they know. Through congeniality, threats, lies, bribes, violence or something else, you can get them to tell you what they know, but often only if you are asking the right questions. It is possible that you will find someone with a gold mine of information, but perhaps they don't even know that they know something useful. For instance, you could find a helpful person who saw a person of relevance last night, and if you proceed to grill this person about someone else, they might not know that their meeting with the first person would have even been significant to you.
Since a large part of this game may involve investigation, I don't want it to be a single die roll followed by a bit of information. If anyone has any complaints or foreseen difficulties with this method, let me know.
Drugs
Spoiler
Kresh Type: Inhaled; Addiction: major, Fort DC 20 Price: 10 gp Effects: 3d8 minutes; +2d4 Con, immunity to fear, euphoria Damage: 1d6 Wis and 1d2 Dex damage.
Kresh is extremely addictive drug which comes from the roots of the kresh bush. Ingesting the root makes the user vomit immediately - as the root is valued for this potentially medicinal use, it is fairly readily available. However, drying the root, grinding it into a fine powder and inhaling it gives the user a short lived sensation of euphoria and invincibility.
Tar Type: Inhaled or ingested; Addiction: major, Fort DC 21 Price: 15 gp Effects: 1d6x10 minutes; +1d6 temp HP, +2 alchemical bonus on fort saves Damage: 1d4 Wis damage.
Extremely addictive pain killer. Tar is a rather common subterranean lichen. Its use is believed to have originated in the underdark before propagating to the surface world.
Praze Type: Injury; Addiction: minor, Fort DC 13 Price: 300 gp Effects: 1 hour; +2d4 Str, +2d6 temp HP, -1d6 Wis, if in combat, 25% chance each round of attacking a random adjacent target Effect: after 1 hour; 1d4 hours of exhaustion Damage: 2d6 Con and 1d4 Str damage.
While not terribly addictive, Praze is extremely dangerous. Only the hardiest individuals will never die from its use. While it gives serious combat boons, after use, many will collapse from heart failure. Also, the furious visions it creates often cause users to attack nearby individuals randomly, even allies. Praze is made from a slime secreted by phosphorescent cave slugs. The poison is their natural defense against predators.
Diseases
Spoiler
Gray Pox Type: ingested; Save: Fort DC 8 negates; DC 18 effects Incubation: 2d4 days; Frequency: 1/day Effects: 1d2 Str and 1d4 Con damage; 1d3-2 (min 0) permanent Cha loss Cure: 2 consecutive saves
Gray Pox is characterized by high fever, malaise and gray pustules forming all over the body. A frequent threat in the city, it is thankfully, not terrible contagious, but when someone does get it, they generally die without treatment.
Last edited by SanguinePenguin : 02-18-2013 at 08:29 PM.
Grosh, the Adventurer's Guild Master, invited the party to the guild hall to have them deal with a recent disturbance. Corpses were unearthed and missing in a graveyard south of Perth. Grosh, and others, suspected this to be due to ghouls.
The party heads to the graveyard to meet with Max, the daytime gravedigger. He informed them that the nighttime gravedigger, Basel, had been missing as well. Investigating the exhumed graves revealed enormous claw marks and footprints - all but discarding the ghoul theory.
The party waited in the graveyard at night. The night digger arrived with two skeletal dogs and a zombified giant badger. The party simultaneously attacked and negotiated, terrifying the night digger. They destroyed the undead and captured the night digger. It was revealed he was charmed (among other enchantments).
The party persuaded him to go to a priest with them. Father Bateris, of the the temple of Iomedae, dispelled the enchantment for a fee. The night digger, free of enchantments, wept and informed them of where a necromancer and enchantress were holed up south of the city.
The party went to the watch tower. Sulet climbed it, laid a rope and two of the others ascended. The three of them attacked the necromancer, Tarragin Vital, in the upper level of the tower, quickly subduing him. Meanwhile, the other four encountered the enchantress in the lower level. Elun put her to sleep for two rounds while some undead attacked them. The enchantress, Corrin Vital, awoke, charmed Beriadan, caused Evin to break into an insatiable fit of laughter (at a really bad pun) and fled up the stairs to check on her brother.
The three from the top of the tower charged down the stairs. Corrin instilled fear into Alexander, who fled, before Sulet tried to tackle her. He missed and fell to the floor below, and then through the floor into the cellar. Vanalya magically commanded Corrin to follow her, the enchantress leapt off the staircase and plummeted to the floor below. Charging through the dark cellar to be covered head to toe in spiders.
Still in terror, Alexander descended the rope from the roof, swarms of spiders attacked the party, Beriadan defended the "poor enchantress," Evin finally stopped laughing and Corrin tried to flee the tower. She was subdued and unconscious. Alexander stomped on the spiders, disbanding the horde. Beriadan healed the enchantress, she proceeded to attack him, breaking the charm. The two were hauled off to the prison to be received with contempt by a Captain Trilaili of the city guard. After hearing the tale, Grosh offers to help clean up the mess and leaves the group to get their rest.
Chapter II: Scum in the Slums
Summary:
Spoiler
Lord Dorin Eyadin summoned the party to meet them in his manor. There, Thaddeus Goodbarrel gave them their reward before leaving. Eyadin asked for them to do a second, more dangerous, job for the city - stopping a violent gang, the Second Sons, that had murdered possibly more than two dozen people. After voicing their disdain that no one cared about deaths in the slums until nobles were killed, the party consented to the task.
They went to speak with Lord Alladrish Tennemor, former Commisioner of the Guard, about the deaths, he told them what he knew and provided them with a list (see below) summarizing all of the deaths. He placed a lot of blame on the current corrupt commissioner.
Afterwards, the party sought out their various contacts for information. They met up and patrolled the slums. They were robbed by a few street urchins, but were able to track the three boys. The boys eventually provided the group with some useful information.
Fortunately, no one was killed that night. The party went to meet with a butcher, Gair Jide, suspected of being in the gang. Due to a well-placed charm, the event proved fruitful. The butcher grew interested in attending Evin's performance that night.
After the party left, they split up. Nicholas and Evin went to the Blind Sailor to arrange the show. Then they headed to join Elun, Vanalya and Beriadan at the prison. There, the party met with the warden and spoke to Corrin, who was difficult, and Tarragin, who was much more forthcoming. Tarragin agreed to speak to a dead body if they brought it to him. Due to some political hurdles, the warden tossed the task to Trilaili.
Meanwhile, Alexander and Sulet tailed the butcher to a house. Sulet followed the butcher back to his shop, while Alexander knocked on the door of the house and has since disappeared. Sulet then went to the market to buy some things.
They all met at the Blind Sailor for Evin's show, which went extremely well. Dieter, a lieutenant in the Second Sons, offered Evin a chance to join the Second Sons and promised to meet him later that night.
Meanwhile, Augusta Hendargren, a cleric of Asmodeus, and Renold Corbin, the brother of one of the deceased, conducted an investigation of their own. Corbin went missing, but told Augusta about a location to meet him that night.
Evin met up with several members of the Second Sons and followed them to a location to encounter and, presumably, kill Jokin, a priest of Calistria whom Evin has always despised. The rest of the party snuck after them. Augusta encountered Evin and the five sons, a fray ensued with the rest of the party quickly joining. Evin faked being dominated by Vanalya to join the fight. The battle was a close call with several near death experiences.
Reluctantly, the party agreed to work with Augusta in stopping the sons. Jokin and his two bodyguards arrived on the scene and attempted to goad the party into letting him take the Sons for "interrogation." He relented to their lawful imprisonment with disdain.
Evin and the Sons were placed together in a cell, with the exception of Jide, who was interrogated by the rest of the party. In exchange for exile, Jide agreed to reveal everything he knew - including the Second Sons' leader, Schrasz Dennamere and his location. It was also revealed that several of the Sons were torturing prisoners for information at that location.
The party heads there immediately in hope of rescuing the prisoners. They charge in and in very little time take down the four sons inside. Among them, the vile torturer, Drax Pauldron, and Schrasz Dennamere - the Second Lord. They find Renold Corbin and Alexander Ableman chained in the room, both bearing the markings of the severe torture in process. The party resists the urge to kill Drax then and there. The unconscious individuals are taken to the Temple of Iomedae, and the Sons to jail.
Eyadin's personal employees replaced the city guards camped outside of the boarded-up Mishka's Tavern where Vince Carmine and a few of the other sons were located. Cardea dropped in through the roof, while the others busted through the front door. Vince set the storeroom that Cardea dropped into on fire. The party took out Vince, Tarsa, Max and Geseris. Geseris surrendered immediately and later showed genuine remorse. Eyadin's men took the captured to the prison, while the party went to Eyadin's manor for their reward.
The recently tortured Alexander joined them at the manor where Eyadin praised their work and offered to buy them a meal at Perth's premiere dining establishment. For the first time since meeting, the party got to know each other better. That night, they decided to investigate the corrupt Commissioner Gault.
The List:
Spoiler
Note: Addresses and locations where body found are provided for each death.
Days ago killed - Name - gender race, occupation, cause/location of death Tennemor note
28 - Lasserton Carmine – male human, sold art sculptures and trinkets, stabbed in his bed six times
25 - Mishka Degaul – male human, owned a bar, stabbed thrice in the street
* 21 - Torin Brittvelde – male dwarf noble, worked as a scribe, stabbed four times in street
20 - Unknown – male human?, found in street as a skeleton flesh cleaved off of bone
* 18 - Calmishillani – male gnome, student of wizardry, stabbed in the street multiple times
16 - Dagar Cook – male human, dock worker, found in home with multiple large slash wounds
16 - Brask Cook – male human, apprentice blacksmith, found in brother's home with multiple large slash wounds
*15 - Pytor Callie – male half-elf, employment unknown, stabbed twice in street
14 - Pastorri Dethane – male h-s elf, employment unknown, stabbed eight times in street
12 - Evan Proudfoot – male halfing, cook, stabbed five times in home
10 - Fenton Drell – male h-orc, bouncer, found in home with two enormous slash wounds
* 8 - Petror Goodbarrel – male halfling noble, stabbed three times in the street
6 - Barriton Issadin – male fire elf, employment unknown, decapitated in home
* 6 - Dean Baldstrin – male human, guard investigating Second Sons, found on the river bank north of Perth with multiple large slash wounds, armor undamaged, suggesting post-mortem dress and relocation
6 - Unknown – male human, bludgeoned to death
* 5 - Alastor Pauldron – male human, clerk, stabbed roughly fifty times
3 - Unknown – male human, multiple large slash wounds
3 - Cander Callis – male human, baker, stabbed once in back in the street
* 3 - Agosh Tantlemer – male high orc noble, bludgeoned to death in street
* 2 - Estir Mickallin – female halfling, employment unknown, stabbed in street about sixty times father was a vigilante, was she?
1 - Panna Tellenbiel – male dwarf, cartwright, stabbed once in home
0 - Bissier Rainin – male silver elf, artist, stabbed three times in home
0 - Gaderis Rainin – male silver elf, carpenter, multiple slash wounds in brother's home
* 0 - Bella Corbin – female human, guard investigating Second Sons, stabbed in the street about fifty times
0 - Unknown – male halfling, stabbed twice in street
* - known to be committed by the Second Sons
Chapter III: Fight The Powers That Be (Current)
Summary (so far):
Spoiler
The party went to docks to investigate Evin's lead on Gault's corruption. Evin met with Baxter Tallwine and contracted with him for a shipment of contraband to find its way into the city. Meanwhile, Augusta bought some information off a dockworker about the movement of contraband in the city - including the name: Brast Hurntal.
Alexander offered to do some surveillance while the party checks if Goodbarrel needs anything. The halfling noble just learned of a cave with an ore vein that has some deadly beast in it. He sent the heroes to investigate, but asked them to see Eyadin before heading out. The councilman asks them to escort a long ship back that seemed likely to be attacked.
They head with a scout named Draskil to the cave, a three day journey. They enter the cave and encounter a spire wyvern.
General Information:
In game notes:
[1] The Goodbarrels
Spoiler
The Goodbarrels are a wealthy family of halfling nobles in Perth. Their family controls nearly a third of the mining operations to the west. Thaddeus Goodbarrel, the eldest son of the late Wooster Goodbarrel, is both head of the clan and of the family business. He is on par with the council members as being one of the most important people in Perth. He has a wife, Cara, and his children are grown up and most are working in the family business. During better economic times, Thaddeus was a bit of an art patron. He commissioned a sculptor, with whom Evin was loosely acquainted, to construct a statue for a town centre in the Pit.
Thaddeus has two younger siblings, a sister and a brother. The sister, Elianna, married one of the mine managers, Erdoc, who forsook his own family name and took Goodbarrel. They have several children, mostly girls. Their only son, Patror, was brutally stabbed by the Second Sons, a gang in the slums. Additionally, Thaddeus has several cousins, a few of which are named Goodbarrel. The brother, Reginald, had a wife. She was an adventurer, headed into Southern Dolwood with her party and never returned. Ever since her disappearance, Reginald has had some trouble. He spends most of his time in the slums and has a bit of a gambling and drinking problem, possibly drug use as well.
One of their larger mines dried up in recent years causing much of the distress in the Pit, Thaddeus feels largely responsible for this and has been making some efforts to help his homeless former employees. Notably, he hired them to build a lot of inexpensive housing which he sold to them at less than it was worth. Largely due to his efforts, even though the Pit has seen a much greater economic downturn, it is still a shade nicer than the Slums. This is in line with the family's philanthropic streak, which is largely centered in the Pit where most of them live. Wooster donated a substantial amount of money for the construction and maintenance of a school providing basic education for the youth in the Pit at a much more affordable rate than every other school.
About four years ago, one of the cousins, Tamara Goodbarrel, was arrested by Alexander. She was smuggling Praze (see drugs) into the city. Her operation was suspected to be involved in organized crime, but nothing of that could be proven. One of the main reasons she was successfully incarcerated was that, after the event, most of the Goodbarrel clan publicly disowned her. A long time ago, Wooster's younger brother, Vatros allegedly went mad and tried to destroy the city by summoning a demon.
Last edited by SanguinePenguin : 01-26-2013 at 07:33 PM.
Abandoned Watch Tower - southeast of Astor's Rest, formerly Vital twins hideout
Adventurer's Guild - eastern part of the Pit
Alexander's Shack - on the edge of the Pit, near the Barracks
Astor's Rest - Cemetery south of Perth
Barracks/Prison/Asylum - middle of the Barracks district
Elun's shop - in the Market
Nicholas's Mother's Home - in the Slums
Perthian Academy of Magical Arts - in the Hill
Three Cups - Inn in the Slums, Evin's Home
Vanalya's Home - the Woods, near the Slums
Deity (Alignment) - Portfolio (titles) Abadar (LN) - Cities, Wealth, Merchants, Law (Master of the First Vault, Judge of the Gods, The Gold-Fisted) Asmodeus (LE) - Tyranny, Slavery, Pride, Contracts (Prince of Darkness) Calistria (CN) - Trickery, lust, revenge (The Savored Sting, The Lady in the Room, The Unquenchable Fire) Cayden Cailean (CG) - Freedom, Ale, Wine, Bravery (The Accidental God, The Drunken Hero, The Lucky Drunk) Desna (CG) - Dreams, Stars, Travelers, Luck (The Song of the Spheres, The Great Dreamer, Starsong, The Tender of Dreams) Erastil (LG) - Farming, Hunting, Trade, Family (Old Deadeye) Gorum (CN) - Strength, Battle, Weapons (Lord in Iron) Gozreh (TN) - Nature, Weather, the Sea (The Wind and the Waves) Iomedae (LG) - Valor, Rulership, Justice, Honor (The Inheritor, Light of the Sword) Irori (LN) - History, Knowledge, Self-perfection Lamashtu (CE) - Madness, Monsters, Nightmares (The Demon Queen, Mother of Monsters, Demon Mother) Nethys (TN) - Magic (The All-Seeing Eye) Norgorber (NE) - Greed, Secrets, Poison, Murder (Reaper of Reputation, Father Skinsaw, The Gray Master, Blackfingers) Pharasma (TN) - Fate, Death, Prophecy, Rebirth (Lady of Graves) Rovagug (CE) - Wrath, Destruction, Disaster (The Rough Beast) Sarenrae (NG) - Sun, Redemption, Honesty, Healing (The Dawnflower, The Everlight, The Healing Light) Shelyn (NG) - Beauty, Art, Love, Music (The Eternal Rose) Torag (LG) - Forge, Protection, Strategy (Father of Creation) Urgathoa (NE) - Gluttony, Disease, Undeath (The Pallid Princess) Zon-Kuthon (LE) - Envy, Pain, Darkness, Loss (The Midnight Lord, The Dark Prince)
Temples/Shrines:
Spoiler
(in rough order of size/following) Abadar - By far the largest temple and following in Perth. The huge temple is located in the Hill Sarenrae - Large Temple in the Woods Irori - Large library/temple in the Hill Torag - Large temple in the Pit Cayden Cailean - Large temple/bar in the Barracks Iomedae - Medium temple in the Hill Nethys - Medium in the Hill (head priest is on council) Gorum - Medium temple/martial training hall in the Barracks Pharasma - Medium temple in the Pit Shelyn - Small temple in the Pit Erastil - Small temple in the Market Calistria - Small temple/brothel in the Slums Gozreh - Small shrine in the woods, larger temple to the east Desna - Small shrine in the Market, no settled priesthood
Asmodeus - Worship of Asmodeus is known in Perth and there are priests of Asmodeus. They are tolerated. There is no known fixed temple. Urgathoa - Perth has a sad history surrounding cults of Urgathoa. Her followers have undergone 'the Reaping' in Perth before. Her cults are nearly as loathed as those of Rovagug. Worship of Urgathoa is not tolerated. Zon-Kuthon - Worshippers of Zon-Kuthon are less tolerated that those of Asmodeus, but they do exist. Norgorber - There are rumors of a church of assassins, but no hard evidence. Worship of Norgorber is barely tolerated. Lamashtu - There is little to no worship of Lamashtu in Perth. The deity and her followers are not tolerated. Rovagug - If anyone in Perth worships the Rough Beast, it is not public. Cults to Rovagug are met with extreme (violent) prejudice.
The City - Perth
Spoiler
Perth was founded nearly 2000 years ago, although most of it burned down in a great fire 420 years ago. The fire was started by an army of Kahhadin (fire elves) who sieged the city. Perth was rebuilt though and has been gaining in power ever since – largely due to a series of great Archons. Shortly after being rebuilt, Perth was declared the council seat of Sarethorn. It is now the second largest city in Sarethorn with nearly 18,000 citizens. Perth has the most diverse sampling in population of any city in Liastascia. Along with Deigt (the 3rd largest city in Sarethorn), Perth is the only city with a substantial dwarven population outside of Strakel.
Perth is located at the node where the Gandara River and the Perth River join to form the Shai River. Booming lumber businesses on the outskirts of southern Dolwood ship lumber down the Gandara to Perth for processing. Large gold, silver, gems, marble and iron mines, as well as clay pits, in the mountains to the west ship valuables down the Perth River to the city for processing. The bulk of the immediate area is fertile farm land. The large Sarethorn sheep are raised here, dried mutton and wool are two of the largest exports for the city. Additionally, the water of the Perth is very clean, the distant mines lie rather far from its tributaries.
The walled city is broken into six sectors, two sectors are on each third of the city (the thirds are set by the three rivers (making sort of a Mercedes symbol) - several large bridges cross the rivers):
Crappy Picture of Perth (not exactly to scale)
Spoiler
NE (Between the Gandara and the Shai)
Old Perth (aka The Slums) - Perth has recovered, but the ruins of the great city before the fire have never been fully reclaimed. Not every day in Old Perth is a preview of the Abyss, but few pockets are left unpicked.
Kattatrall - (aka The Woods) - Kattatrall is the logging district. It doesn't really have any trees of it's own, but it is here that lumber from Dolwood is processed. This large enterprise gives the district its name. Many businesses are located here. Crime in the area is fairly bad because of the proximity to the Slums.
NW (Between the Perth and the Shai)
Darttrall (aka The Barracks) - The barracks is where the city's jail, courthouse, council hall and barracks are all located - giving it the nickname. The bulk of the sector is residential though. Proximity to the barracks are rumored to make life a bit nicer here.
Fesstrall (aka The Pit) - The Pit is where most of the materials mined to the west are processed. The district is very run down. Three mined have dried up in the past few years putting many into the streets. Lots of abandoned property. Crime is nearly as bad as in the Slums.
S (Between the Gandara and the Perth)
Stethtrall (aka The Hill) - The Hill is the wealthiest district. The majority of citizens living there are nobles. The manors have yards and guards and bards. There are also a several temples there.
Drix (aka The Market) - The enormous market is the main feature of this area, but as one of the largest and nicest areas in Perth, it is home to many businesses and houses.
Perth is ruled by a council (called the Governance) with nine elected individuals who sit on the council for life. New elections are held whenever a council member dies and only land owning citizens may vote. The Governance is headed by the Archon, who is appointed to a life term (or until voted out unanimously) by popular vote of the citizens. The Governance generally meets once a month to administer laws, but the Archon can call emergency meetings. Seven votes are needed with the Archon's vote counting as two. Sarethorn's Representative in Liastascia is chosen from the council by the emperor. To minimize political unrest, the Representative has always been human. The Representative is no longer on the council, but can veto new laws pending the approval of the emperor.
The Council
Spoiler
Lady Xanalia Xiloscient (Silver Elf) – At 742 Xanalia is extremely old by elven standards, let alone human standards. She became a councilwoman after the destruction of Perth. She was then a wealthy ex-adventurer and funded much of the reconstruction of the town. A great hero for reasons that very few alive can recall and due to her humility, she rarely tells stories of her great deeds. She sold her home long ago and resides at the Temple of Iomedae.
Lord Barrak Rotgehr (Dwarf) – The Rotgehr clan was instrumental in getting Strakel to join the empire centuries ago. Some of the Rotgehr's settled in Perth after the union was complete. Barrak was born and raised in Perth, he is astonishingly amicable dwarf and is well respected in nearly all circles. Rotgehr is 227 years old. Many suspect that he will be made Archon after Dorn.
Lady Jiia Kohl (Half-S.Elf) – Jiia was voted to the council on her 80th birthday. She grew up in Perth and has made a name for herself across the empire. She is now 133 years old.
Lord Devon Torrence (Human) - Devon is a rather secretive man. What is known about him is that he is a wealthy and powerful wizard.
Lord Alladrish Tennemor (High Orc) – Al is great warrior who was voted the council after he served as the head of the Perthian guard for nearly half a century. He is currently 103.
Archon Ahmet Dorn (Human) – Once a great warrior, Ahmet grew up in Perth and went West, returned with a vast fortune. He donated much of it to the town and was voted to the council at the age of 52, appointed to Archon at 55 and he is now 68.
Lady Alaina Gehriwin (Human) – Alaina was the first of three council members to sneak by only a few votes ahead of her competition (the other members won by landslides). She is a native to Sarth and is famous from the Mud Orc War of 1073 where her prowess as a sorceress earned her reknown. She was voted to the council 13 years ago and is now 81.
Lord Dorin Eyadin (Half-F.Elf) – Dorin is allegedly the most renowned half-fire elf to ever live. The gamut of competition was so spread out that he won by only three votes in the election ten years ago. He is a wealthy noble. Many complain that he has not done much for the city. He is only 49.
Lord Dhan Shae (Human) – The last election was even more skewed than its antecedent. Dhan Shae, priest of Nethys, won the prize, but he seemingly was unaware he was in the running. He has been the least attentive council member in history. It is general practice for the guards to find him on the council day and bring him to the meetings. He is 61 years of age.
Last edited by SanguinePenguin : 08-01-2011 at 02:43 PM.
Alexander is short for a man, standing at five feet six inches(165cm), and his face and body has the kind of hard thinness of a life spent on the edge of hunger. His hollow cheeks are contrasted by a set of very sharp, grey eyes that have perfected the art of glaring. His voice, on the other hand, is rich and deep and would not be out of place coming from a trained orator.
He usually wears a suit of studded leather, complete with sturdy boots and light gloves, and a cloak draped over his shoulders, often with the hood up. His clothes are all old and worn, and bear the signs of being repaired and patched numerous times in order to prolong their life.
Brief History
Spoiler
Father, Esmond, was an idealistic guardsman like him, and taught him everything he knows about staying true in the face of adversity. He disappeared when Alexander was seven, leaving him and his mother, Margaret, in poverty. His sister, Helen, was able to use her influence within the church of Irori to obtain a place for her mother, and Alexander was sent to live with his maternal aunt's family, the Madisons, who own the Green Dragon Inn.
Alexander fit in well and made inseparable friends with the twins Albert and Wade, but after they joined the watch together at age 18, their relationship deteriorated, as Alexander's idealism clashed with Albert and Wade's more relaxed ethics. Alexander accused them of corruption in front of the entire family, and was thrown out. Wade would later join the military and leave the country, but Albert stayed put and started a family. Albert has helped Alexander a lot in his quest since then, even though he remains corrupt, but Alexander has kept his investigations pointed elsewhere out of respect.
As the years went by and Alexander's fight against crime became more and more desperate, as he obtained a reputation for being a paranoid zealot(only some of it deserved) and even the clean guardsmen turned their back on him, he decided that he could do more good outside the confines of the city watch and joined the Adventurer's Guild.
Known Persons
Spoiler
Surname, Given Name(Age. If deceased, (age at time of death)+(how many years since they died).). Ableman, Beatrice(45). Paternal aunt. Ableman, Bradley(??+?), DECEASED. Paternal grandfather. Ropemaker. Father of Esmond and Beatrice. Ableman, Darleen. Maiden name of Darleen Smith. Ableman, Esmond(37+13), PRESUMED DEAD. Father. Guardsman of the same sort as him. Disappeared when he was 7 years old. Father of Helen, Darleen and Alexander. Ableman, Helen. Maiden name of Helen Albright. Ableman, Hugh(??+??), DECEASED. Eldest son of Bradley Ableman. Died of leprosy many years ago. Ableman, Margaret(47). Mother. Resides at the temple of Irori, where she dusts books and performs other menial duties. Alexander visits once a week. Mother of Helen, Darleen and Alexander. Albright, Helen(30). Sister. Married to Lucius Albright. Albright, Lucius(34). Brother-in-law. Husband of Helen Albright. Ranking priest of Irori, favoured grandson of the high priest. Cordell, Elwin(57). Old friend. Military scout. Visits infrequently. Howard, Alastor(100+17), DECEASED. Great-great-grandfather. Last member of the noble house of Howard. Madison, Albert(24). Cousin. Son of Elmo the Elder. Twin brother of Wade Madison. Corrupt guardsman, but often aids Alexander. Father of Kirk and Dustin. Madison, Elmo "The Elder"(51). Husband to Margaery Madison, Alexander's aunt. Owns the Green Dragon Inn, where he works and lives. Father of Elmo "The Younger", Albert, Wade, May(D) and Matilda. Madison, Elmo "The Younger"(28). Cousin. Eldest son of Elmo the Elder. Resides and works at the Green Dragon Inn. Madison, Ethel(25). Wife to Albert Madison. Mother of Kirk and Dustin. Madison, Margaery(45). Maternal aunt. Resides and works at the Green Dragon Inn. Mother of Elmo "The Younger", Albert, Wade, May(D) and Matilda. Madison, May(12+8), DECEASED. Cousin. Died of pox. Madison, Wade(24). Cousin. Son of Elmo the Elder. Twin brother of Albert Madison. Former corrupt guardsman. Joined the military several years ago and left for distant provinces. Smith, Darleen(26). Sister. Married to Kenneth Smith. Smith, Kenneth(27). Brother-in-law. Husband of Darleen Smith. Successful blacksmith. Wright, Glendora(70). Maternal grandmother. Granddaughter and spokesperson of the late Alastor Howard. Wright, Margaery. Maiden name of Margaery Madison Wright, Margaret. Maiden name of Margaret Ableman. Wright, Wade(??+??), DECEASED. Maternal grandfather. Father of Margaret and Margaery.
Original Character Outline:
Spoiler
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
His father, Esmond(would be 50 years old now), was a watchman and the second son of Bradley Ableman, a ropemaker. Like Al, Esmond also unfortunately possessed more drive for goodness and honesty than self-preservation. He would frequently get in trouble for sticking his nose where it did not belong, spending a large part of his mediocre wages on futile pursuits of justice and bribing himself out of the trouble he got into. Al still idolized him, however, and he taught him the value of adhering to a strong moral code, even in the face of death, for dying was easy, doing one's duty was not. He finally disappeared without a trace when Al was eleven years old, leaving him devastated and his mother and him both to abject poverty.
Al's mother, Margaret(47, maiden surname Wright), was the daughter of a wainwright by the name of Wade. After Esmond's death, she was given an opportunity to join the local temple to Irori where her eldest daughter had connections as an escape from the poverty Esmond's death left them in. But in return, she had to forswear all worldly possessions and responsibilities. Possessions she had none, but she had to leave her children to the care of her younger sister Margery(45) and her husband Elmo "the Elder" Madison(51), who had children of their own close to their age.
Al's relationship with his mother is strained, as she worries over his similarity to his father and that he may meet the same fate as he, but he still visits her dutifully at least once a week.
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
Al has two elder sisters, and the Madison family had a brood of five children which he partly grew up with. Helen(30), Al's eldest sister, married Lucius Albright(34), the favourite grandson of the high priest of Irori and now a high-ranking priest himself. She was the one who was able to procure a place for her mother after her father vanished, at the time already engaged to Lucius. Darleen(26), Al's second sister, married one Kenneth Smith(27), a decently successful blacksmith with a liking for keeping out of trouble and leading a quiet life.
Al was fairly close to his sisters, especially Darleen, who was closer to him in age and also had to live with the Madisons for a while. As Al became older, however, it became painfully clear that he fully intended to follow the same path as his father, even if it lead to his death. His relationship with his sisters cooled as a result. Helen is especially cold towards him and accuses him of selfishly putting his poor mother through unneeded misery with his "death-wish". He is at least on speaking terms with Darleen, but her husband knows what he does and doesn't want him near her, fearing she may get caught up in something dangerous, so they meet very rarely, usually when they happen to visit their mother at the same time. He has a poor opinion of his brothers-in-laws. He thinks Kenneth is a coward(although he does appreciate that he is trying to keep his sister out of trouble) and Lucius a hypocrite(a priest of a "good" god and yet he lives in wealth and comfort while a large part of the city lives in squalor is not Al's idea of goodness)
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
After Esmond's death, Al lived with his aunt Margery(45) and her husband Elmo "the Elder" Madison(51), who together run the Green Dragon Inn, located in a fairly good part of the Barracks. Al was well-liked there until he fell out with the Madison family after a dispute with their twin sons, after which Elmo "the Elder" made it clear he was not welcome there any more.
The Madison siblings are Elmo "the Younger"(28), identical twins Albert(24) and Wade(24), May(would be 20) and Matilda(15).
Al was fairly well-liked by the Madisons, with the possible exception of Elmo "the Younger", on whom he played several pranks along with Albert and Wade. Al and the twins were inseparable from the moment they met, and he fooled around and got into a lot of trouble with them, as boys that age are wont to do. The three of them signed up for the watch together at 18, but things quickly went downhill from there. He began getting into real, dangerous trouble because of his dogged pursuit of justice against powerful people and his friendship with the twins suffered as a result. Finally he accused them(truthfully) of corruption in front of the whole Madison family and was forced to leave their home.
Wade's and Albert's relationship cooled as well over the corruption, and Wade eventually moved into the military, seeking a station far away from Perth, while Albert stayed in the watch and started a family. Albert and Al would develop a curious relationship over the years where Albert would risk his neck several times to get Al out of trouble, and Al never accused him publicly again, although he still tries to convince him in private to see the error of his ways. Albert, however, fears that his family will be endangered if he publicly opposes those he has been bribed by.
Elmo "the Younger" works along with his parents in the family inn, groomed to inherit the business after his father. Matilda works there as well, mostly as a waitress, but May fell to the pox at the age of twelve.
Alexander also has a living maternal grandmother, Glendora Wright(70), who is blind and hard of hearing and who lives with the Madisons in their inn. She is, however an excellent storyteller and told many stories that her grandfather told her, the most venerable Alastor Howard, who was still alive when Al came into the world, but had lost his ability to speak by the time Al could remember him. He died when Al was 7 years old, then having lived for exactly 100 years. The Howard family was a very old noble house, once respected and claiming to have been in Perth since the founding of the town and even professing that elven blood ran in their veins blessing them with long life. But the house had been in decline for several decades and finally lost everything in a gamble for power when Alastor was a young boy.
He endured an entire century without being able to climb up the social rung again, watched his house fall into obscurity and his family name disappear. He was the only remaining male of his family and fathered only daughters, all of whom he outlived. One of his last acts of speech was to bestow the name of Alexander upon his great-great-grandson after his own grandfather. Al always found Alastor fascinating as a child, even though he could only groan and barely move. As he grew up, he found his heavily diluted noble blood to be ever more irrelevant, the stories just a tragic reminder of times long gone and forgotten, but he still cherishes his archaic name. He does feel a strange kinship towards his great-great-grandfather, as they are both the last of their family name(Al is the last one of the name Ableman after his paternal grandfather passed away when he was 17, after fathering only daughters) and have both felt great loss at a young age.
Al has an aunt from his father's side, Beatrice(45), but as Esmond kept little touch with his siblings or parents, Al is not even sure he could pick her out of a crowd. He faintly remembers a Hugh who was Esmond's older brother, but died of leprosy while Al was young.
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
Women don't understand Al. That's what he feels at least. He has had several romantic encounters, but all of them grow weary of his self-imposed poverty, uncompromising attitude and his obsessive adherence to his "stupid principles". They do not linger long in his mind when they leave, either.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be of their class? Where does your character live?
He was a watchman, and a good one at that. While possessing little brawn for a fight, he had sharp wits, a knack for spotting trouble and an uncommon resistance to corruption.
He still keeps his network of snitches within the criminal underground, made out of the lowest, most insignificant scum unworthy of his attention. He also maintains contact with the few non-corrupt watchmen.
His father groomed him from a young age to be a watchman, and the rest of the training he received from old friends of his father.
He lives in a rundown shack on the edge between the Barracks and the Pit, and keeps a few hiding places, mostly in the Pit, for when he needs to lay low for a while.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
In the watch, Al didn't want to just apprehend the burglars and cutpurses in Perth, he wanted to go after the kingpins those alley rats worked for. This earned him many powerful enemies, including heads of crime, corrupt watchmen who saw their bribe income being threatened and nobles padding their income with cloak-and-dagger operations. Attempts were made on Al's life several times, with him escaping them mostly through dumb luck. After numerous attempts upon his reputation, his credibility with the law and the people has been damaged as well. Even the honest watchmen began seeing him as an obsessive and dangerous zealot, determined to find conspiracies in every corner.
Finally and with extreme reluctance, Al decided he would do more good outside the confines of the watch. He saved up a gold piece and joined the Adventurer's Guild.
Al is far too stubborn to just leave the dirty place. He dearly wants to, but it would feel like running away from his enemy. He has run away from fights plenty of times, but always with the mind to return at his own terms. Leaving Perth would be abandoning his duties, betraying his principles and leaving his family to the mercy of the evil that permeates the town. It would be a death of sorts, the easy way out. Al cannot do that. When he sets his mind on something, he sees it through to the end, and that is what he will do with Perth. Also, although he would never admit it, every day he stays and works in Perth brings with it the tiniest glimmer of hope of discovering what happened to his father.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
The crime and corruption, absolutely. In Al's mind, everything that ails Perth has its roots in those. Eliminate them, and the other problems will follow suit.
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
The closest thing Al has to a friend is his cousin and childhood friend Albert Madison, even though he represents the very thing Al hates the most. Albert is a watchman who was intimidated into corruption. He lives in relative comfort with his wife Ethel(25) and two sons Kirk(3) and Dustin(<1), his wages padded by bribes. He professes to be a good man, but simply unable to offer the kinds of sacrifices that Al has, something that Al feels to be the worst kind of hypocrisy. Nevertheless, he cannot deny that Albert has saved his neck several times, even after they fell out with one another.
There is also Elwin Cordell(57), a half-woodelf military scout and a friend of Al's father since before he signed up for the watch. He is infrequently in town, but makes sure to visit Al when he is and check up on him and his mother. He, too, is unhappy over how much Al is turning out like his father and how tough he is making his life, but has learned to stop mentioning it, so their relationship is unusually good, and Elwin enjoys uncommon respect from Al, who seeks his advice when available. A visit from Elwin is one of very few things that Al truly enjoys, and can take his mind off his obsessions.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
After living in hardship for half a decade, with barely any friends and no reward for his troubles and self-sacrifice, Al has adopted a very unkind opinion of most people. He could count the people he likes on one hand and have fingers to spare, but there is not enough ink and paper to detail the people he despises. He despises both Albert and Wade Madison, Albert for allowing himself to be bullied into corruption and not standing up for himself, and Wade for simply running away from his conscience. He despises Elmo "the Elder" for refusing to see what his sons became.
He hates the criminals who have turned Perth into a cesspool but he also hates the "good" people who are too blind, too lazy or too cowardly to do anything about it. Most of all he hates rich people who donate to charity, claiming to be generous and good, but still keeping most of their riches and estates, having done next to nothing to actually help people permanently and only really assuaging their conscience and increasing their prestige. He feels like he is the only person in the world who is ready to do what must be done, and sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed in order to make this a better town. In a way, he also hates his father for leading him on to such a difficult road and then abandoning him, and himself for not being able to leave it. To the criminals he is a thorn in the side they can't seem to get rid of, and to the others he is either a man uncomfortably pointing out truths aloud they have only pondered silently, or an offensive man with far too high an opinion of his moral strength.
At the same time, he is jealous of the comfort of all those people, even the criminals. Deep down, he wishes he could just let go of his conscience and principles, take a few bribes, not get into trouble, find a cute girl, have a bunch of kids, set his poor mother's heart at ease and repair the many friendships he has ruined in his quest for justice. But he can't. So he lives on in desperate poverty, his meager wage spent just like his father on bribing informants in order to chase leads and getting himself out of trouble, barely leaving enough over for feeding himself. Meanwhile, his enemies and the people he criticizes lounge in comfort, wining and dining as they please.
10) What are your characters hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these things?
Al has no hobbies, but then again, he does not have a very healthy and balanced personality.
11) (entirely optional) Other info?
Al does his utmost to avoid violence, preferring to intimidate or persuade his enemies into submission. Even when that fails and violence becomes the only option, he never resorts to lethal force. He stubbornly brings criminals in alive, no matter what they did and no matter how likely they are to be released again. He does this in order to separate himself from the criminal and the corrupt, and set himself above them. He wants the common folk to recognize him as on the side of good, rather than viewing the conflict between law and crime as two equally bad sides engaged in a turf war. By adhering unflinchingly to a strong and clear moral code and respecting the sanctity of life, he hopes to win the loyalty of the people. Another reason is that he feels his mental fortitude is close to breaking point, and he fears that if he takes a person's life, it will damage his soul and lower his moral threshold, making it easier for him to bend the rules until he has become the monster he has been fighting against for all these years.
EDIT 23.3.2011: Defined which temple Margaret resides in and consequently what god Lucius Albright serves.
EDIT 2 July 2012: Collected a list of known persons(mostly for my own use), a physical description, and a brief history outline. Corrected minor spelling mistakes.
Last edited by Werewhale : 07-02-2012 at 02:51 PM.
Though still young Nicholas is very level headed. He carries a quick mind and sharp eye for detail. Sometimes he might seem a bit distant but most of the time he turns out to be a talkative person. Nicholas likes talking to others, especially if its about a book.
Appearance
Spoiler
Nicholas is a 26 year old Human male who stands just over six feet with plain features. His most captivating feature is his eyes. They seem to carry a spark of wisdom and intelligence that belies his unassuming, average appearance. Nicholas dark brown hair is longer then seems appropriate, but considering where hes been all these years it s a wonder he's so cleanly shaven.
His normal set of clothing is a simple shirt and pants, loose fitting cloth that does not interfere with his movement. On his right arm is a special glove/gauntlet that allows Nicholas to draw his bow back without having the bow string cut into his hands from the pressure. On his head Nicholas wears a bandanna that keeps his hair out of his face, so it does not impede him in a fight. Upon either hip as well as his back Nicholas wears three quivers. The one on his right hip contains the alchemy forged arrows, the one on the left hip contains the special arrows forged from other means, and upon his back is the largest of the quivers with the regular arrows Nicholas carries.
Upon his neck Nicholas wears an amulet given to him by his mother. She says it belonged to her mother before her, and his father before her. It is the only item they have left of their family. Sara has asked that he passes it on to his children as well, preferably before she passes on. Sara had sold it when Martel came demanding money and recently found it again, luckily still within Perth and undamaged. The amulet itself is of a simple design and carries the name Valon on its back. Its adorned with a simple green gem that matches both Nicholas and Sara's eyes almost perfectly.
The young man is quite physically fit, having spent many years training his body to endure. Nicholas does not have a large muscular frame as some might have thought after all that time, his is a more compact strength. He moves the way a cat might, with a predators grace. His movements suggests a readiness for any challenge, though in truth his skills have not been tried in resent years.
Nicholas' Story, the abridged version (seriously lol its so much shorter. Don't think it broke 2 pages.)
Spoiler
Nicholas was born to a poor family in the slums of Perth who was forced to raise him by herself when her husband died in a burning building he had been trying to rob. Despite having little money to support her and her son, Nicholas' mother Sara never complained. Nicholas was a smart lad though, and around the age of 10 began to believe that he was the reason they sometimes went without food for a night. He attempted to take up thieving, starting with a handful of apples, to assist his mother. Nicholas' mother did not take kindly to this punished Nicholas by getting him a job as a scribe and paper maker's apprentice. The paper maker was a kindly old man named Mr. Witer, who was once a famed Alchemist. He taught Nicholas his love reading and the basics of Alchemy throughout the boy's apprenticeship. On the weekends Nicholas spent time with his friend Fredrick, a guards son, playing. But during the weekdays he was either engrossed in his work, had his head stuck in a book, or was learning how to make firecrackers that made loud sounds.
Around the time Nicholas turned 16, he overheard a conversation between his mother and two debt collectors. The two were asking for the enormous some of 500 gold, way beyond what the whole family had spent even after taking into account what Mr. Witer payed. Over threat's were made against Nicholas should Sara not pay. The next day Nicholas went to Mr. Witer to see if he could take alone from the old man instead, who was kind and would never take advantage of him and his mother. When he arrived at the shop though he found it surrounded by people gawking at a burnt ruin. Mr. Witer was arguing with the guard, who believed the old mans alchemical items were at fault for the fire. After some discussion Nicholas discovered that the majority of the mans coin had been stored in the shop. Mr. Witer, after hearing what was going on, promised to help Nicholas, even if he had to call in some favors from old friends. A month passed and Mr. Witer proved good on his word, though he was only able to come up with 400 gold.
Desperate and afraid of what would happen to his mother, Nicholas turned to thieving in hope off gaining the money they needed. On his first try he was almost caught, but saved by a young looking fellow claiming to be his cousin. Away from the crowd in the privacy of an alley Nicholas explained his situation to the thief, who was contemplating making an example of Nicholas for others who would try and steal on his territory. However, when he spoke his father's name the thief almost burst out laughing, telling Nicholas that the son of the famed Roger Valon, Nicholas' father, would find the help he needed with the young man's boss. Along the way Nicholas learned his father was no ordinary thief, but one of the best of his time.
When they reached the boss, Nicholas was surprised to encounter an old steely eyed halfling. The halfling, after hearing his story, offered to pay Nicholas the 100 gold he needed in return for a favor. The favor turned out to be a series of thefts that eventually led up to the theft of an ordinary looking gray book. What Nicholas hadn't been told was that it was within Fredrick's house. Fredrick, dazed from sleep, encountered Nicholas as the boy was pocketing the book. A few lies on Nicholas' part led the sleepy Fredrick back to his bed where he would fall asleep and recall nothing of the meeting when he awoke.
Money in hand, Nicholas, his mother, and Mr. Witer traveled to the meet-up place where they would pay Martel, the old friend Sara had been borrowing money from for food. Along the way they were ambushed by a group of thugs demanding the money. It was only through the brave actions of Mr. Witer that they escaped with their lives, but not the gold. Nicholas returned the next day and found his old friends body.
Angered and feeling betrayed Nicholas went looking for the old halfling. Young Johnny found him instead, asking why he was looking for his boss. Nicholas demanded to know how a group of thugs knew about the money. After all, aside from his mother and Mr. Witer, no one else knew they had enough. Young Johnny claimed innocence, saying it was bad for business to double deal partners. He told Nicholas to ask his mother if Young Johnny or his boss could be trusted and vanished.
Nicholas ran to Fredrick's home, where Sara and he had been staying since the attack. When confronted with the question in private, Sara told Nicholas that both Young Johnny and his boss Samuel could be trusted. Nicholas realized then that his mother must have had a part in his father's thieving career. As he was pondering over who could have done it he began to wonder how Young Johnny knew where to find him. Sara spoke up then, telling him that most gangs had a few spotters watching out for people of import that entered their territory.
It was then that Nicholas realized Martel must have been the one to send the thugs at them, and together with his mother and Fredrick and his father, both guards who held some respect, Nicholas devised a plan to bring Martel down. It was during this time that Nicholas learned of a missing gray book, one that had the names of information of one of the more formidable gangs within Perth. He pushed his guilt aside though and focused on planning.
Nicholas went in ahead first, to make sure that Martel was still there and to not warn him by having guards seize an empty building that he used to stay in. If he didn't report back, then the guards were to assume that the base held some of Martel's men at the very least. Nicholas, with the skills he had picked up when thieving and some fighting skills he had learned growing up in the slums, easily managed to penetrate the base's defenses and found himself face to face with Martel. Martel almost had, having grabbed hold of him by surprise, and began to reach for a dagger of his on the table. As he moved toward the table Martel bragged about all he had done, including admitting to killing Nicholas dad in hopes of gaining Sara's affections. When that didn't work he took advantage of her poverty in the hopes of eventually making her an indentured servant.
It was then that the sounds of a door crashing in sounded form the first floor. The guards had arrived. Nicholas managed to escape Martel's grasp and pick up his bow, which he had brought with him in case his first's proved to be lacking. With Martel in his sights Nicholas debated killing the man who had killed both his birth father and Mr. Witer, who had been a father figure to him. Nicholas decided against in though, instead using a drawn arrow to keep Martel in place as the guards slowly moved door to door to clear and members of Martel's gang. Fredrick was the first into the room and of course immediately moved to place manacles on Martel's wrists to bind him. Nicholas noticed the knife on the table was missing though and a wicked grin had form on Martel's face. In one act of defiance Martel raised the blade to strike down Fredrick, who was busy drawing out the manacles, and Nicholas was forced to let go of his arrow.
That night Nicholas turned himself in for the theft of the book, along with several other shops and homes. He offered no explanation to anyone then until after his trial and sentencing. Then he told his family and friends what had happened. He named no on though, feeling that it wouldn't be proper to betray someone who had not done anything to him.
When he was let out early 5 years later for good behavior, he had assisted in bringing to justice both a murder and a corrupt judge during his stay in prison, Nicholas decided he wanted to spend his life helping others in Perth so they wouldn't have to resort to stealing just to feed themselves and their loved ones. He recognized he was lacking in skill though and decided to travel the world until he could find a way to make himself strong. Nicholas sought many avenues. He spoke to a friend he had made in prison, a cleric of lawful and good nature who had assisted in bringing down the judge. He spoke to a druid, who claimed in nature all can find peace. He came across a lone warrior, one who believed that righteous anger was the only way to help others. Eventually Nicholas came across an old monk, who turned out to be a friend of Mr. Witer.
Impressed with Nicholas' idealism Oscar, an old man who had long given up on a world he thought beyond hope, offered to train the lad the ways of the monk. Nicholas finally found what he had been seeking, a way to become strong enough to help Perth. Under Oscar's tutelage Nicholas learned to control his emotions, focus his mind, and train his body to a physical peak. Contrary to what he had been expecting though Nicholas did not learn how to fight. Oscar told him one day that while many monasteries had ancient forms and traditions to pass down, Oscar had come across this path on his own and thus knew no such fighting arts. Nicholas decided to instead focus on his skill with a bow, using a longbow that his mother had given to him. She claimed it belonged to his father, who before his days as a thief had been an adventurer. She said that she had found it in Martel's stash. Apparently he had been using it. Sara asked her son to bring some honor back to the weapon.
10 years passed when Nicholas learned of the riots that had taken place. He took this as a sign that he had no more time to train, and returned home to Perth. He stays in his mothers shop now, in a room Sara had prepared for him for when he finally returned. It is a smaller shop, Sara had been born in the slums and getting anything larger seemed almost offensive to her. The store itself is quite popular amongst nobles. Sara sells a oddities that are hard to find within Perth, using a web of connections she herself formed.
Assured that his mother was not harmed in the riots, Nicholas reconnected with his friend's Fredrick and Mortimer, and was even greeted by Young Johnny, who didn't seem to have aged a day. Back in Perth, Nicholas finally decided upon his next action. He joined the adventure's guild with high hopes of being able to do some good for his home.
The questionnaire for easy access.
Spoiler
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
Nicholas' was raised by his single mother. His father was a thief who was killed in accident on what was supposed to be his last heist. His mother owns a shop that sells various antiquities. She has quite an eye for valuables. Nicholas and his mother always had a close relationship, after all they are the only family they have. During Nicholas' time a way form Perth he wrote to his mother frequently, and the first thing he did when he returned was visit her to say hello
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
Nicholas was an only child.
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
Nicholas doesn't know of any extended family, though anything is possible.
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
Nicholas has not yet found anyone for himself.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be of their class? Where does your character live?
Before adventuring Nicholas was in prison for stealing, though he did turn himself in because he knew what he did was wrong. Now he uses those skills to help solve crimes, the way an ex-con might use their knowledge of things to point out what might have been done to guards. Nicholas searched far and wide for peace of mind. He had stolen from others and taken a life. These things weighed on his soul. Eventually he came across an old friend of his mentor's who was willing to teach him how calm his mind and reach a level of discipline only the few called monks know. His fighting style, both with his hands and feet and with his bow, are by products of his past and extremely focused body and mind. Nicholas is currently residing in Perth, where he plans to stay for a long time.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
Nicholas wishes to keep others from going through what he did, or at least suffer in similar manners. he remembers the days when he was young where food wasn't always available. Nicholas wishes to help create a better Perth by bringing those who have corrupted it to justice. As to why Perth specifically when corruption might be seen everywhere? Its his home.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
Nicholas feels the crime on the streets and the corruption in the government is the source of a great many of Perth's problems, due to his past experience's
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
Fredrick is Nicholas' closest friend. He's an honorable upstanding guard who loves Nicholas like a brother. The two grew up together, and despite some trails in their life, Fredrick still trusts Nicholas. There is also the matter of having been saved by the Nic. The two are like brothers, and though they have been separated for many years and don't right to each other often, that bond is still there with them.
Nicholas had one other close friend. Mr. Witer was the one who introduced Nicholas to the joy's of reading and taught him the basics of Alchemy, though they discovered he had no magical aptitude and could progress no further with the usual methods. Mr. Witer helped gather the money to repay Sara's debt, and when confronted by a group of thugs managed to hold them off long enough to save both Nicholas and Sara. In the end this heroic act cost him his life. Sara payed for a nice funeral and a decent plot using some money she 'procured' from Martel's base. She visit's it every week and leave's a rose for her and Nicholas to thank the old alchemist for what he did.
Nicholas is also friends with a cleric named Mortimer, someone who believes he owes a debt to Nic for helping free his innocent brother in law from prison. They often enjoy discussing theology together. He was the first person Nicholas turned to when he was let out of prison. They spoke of what it means to help others. Mortimer was satisfied with healing others and upholding the laws to the best of his ability with what little authority he had been given. Nicholas felt that such things were well and good, but not enough to help Perth. The two parted friends, but Nicholas still sought answers to his questions.
Nicholas' Monk trainer Oscar is also a dear friend and mentor, someone he writes to several times a week about many different things ranging from asking for advice to recommending a book he had read. Oscar writes back less frequently, but more to conserve paper then for any personnel reason. It was only a chance meeting that brought Nicholas and him together. Seeing in the boy all the things Oscar had once prided in himself, Kindness, intelligence, strength, and compassion, Oscar elected to train the boy. There was one question Nicholas sought answer's for that Oscar could not answer for him. What could be done to save Perth? Oscar told Nicholas that this was something he had to find out for himself. Even though Nicholas has only left this old man a month before, they have written two letters to each other already. Nicholas recommended a book he found and Oscar told him about a tree that fell near his house.
Young Johnny is another friend of Nicholas', or at least the young monk likes to think of it that way. In truth Nicholas has no idea how Young Johnny sees him, or for that matter why he's called Young Johnny. He does know that their is more to this man then a simple thief. Twice he has encountered him in a situation where Nicholas was lucky to come out a live, and both times it was only because Johnny decided not to hurt him. Whatever the reason is, Young Johnny is almost always willing to help, for the right price.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
Vince, Martel's former right hand, managed to escape getting captured that fateful night and holds a grudge against Nicholas for all that he lost. Vince has recently begun building his own gang, one that is sloppy and poorly organized but still holds the advantage of numbers. He hopes to eventually break Nicholas' spirit and then his body.
10) What are your characters hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these things?
Nicholas likes to read, a lot, and also enjoys creating things with Alchemy. He is still a beginner alchemist, and with no magic to his name is unable to create some of the more complex things within the science. He still however manages to make smoke sticks, smoke arrows, thundersticks and tanglefoot bags to assist in bringing down criminals.
11) (entirely optional) Other info? Nicholas Valon is a 26 year old Human male who stands just over six feet with plain features. His most captivating feature is his eyes. They seem to carry a spark of wisdom and intelligence that belies his unassuming, average appearance. Nicholas dark brown hair is longer then seems appropriate, but considering where hes been all these years it s a wonder he's so cleanly shaven.
His normal set of clothing is a simple shirt and pants, loose fitting cloth that does not interfere with his movement. On his right arm is a special glove/gauntlet that allows Nicholas to draw his bow back without having the bow string cut into his hands from the pressure. On his head Nicholas wears a bandanna that keeps his hair out of his face, so it does not impede him in a fight. Upon either hip as well as his back Nicholas wears three quivers. The one on his right hip contains the alchemy forged arrows, the one on the left hip contains the special arrows forged from other means, and upon his back is the largest of the quivers with the regular arrows Nicholas carries.
The young man is quite physically fit, having spent many years training his body to endure. Nicholas does not have a large muscular frame as some might have thought after all that time, his is a more compact strength. He moves the way a cat might, with a predators grace. His movements suggests a readiness for any challenge, though in truth his skills have not been tried in resent years.
Fredrick is a tall fellow, always has been, standing at 6'5. Despite his size and profession, as a guard of Perth, Fredrick is extremely intelligent.
Sara Valon is Nicholas' mother. She has brown hair and green eyes, you don't need to wonder where Nicholas got his, and is beautiful in an athletic sort of way. She has a sharp mind and a quick tongue making her quite the merchant.
Spoiler
It is rumored that she once worked with the famed Roger Valon, a master cat burglar who was killed by a rival of his
Roger Valon is Nicholas' father, a two bit crook who was accidentally killed in a burglary that was supposed to be his last one before retiring. He stood at an average six foot and had similar features to his sons, though a bit more charismatic and jovial.
Spoiler
Roger Valon was a thief, but not just any two bit thief. He was a master of the art of thievery. No building could keep him out and no cell could keep him in. He was killed by Martel, someone he thought was his friend, because Martel was in truth jealous of Roger having won Sara's heart.
Young Johnny is a thief on the streets of Perth who works for a mysterious halfling. He stands at an unassuming 5'9 with black hair and brown eyes. His appearance seems to be molded to allow him to easily blend into any environment. This thief is skilled at, among other things, knives, disguises, pickpocketing, breaking and entering, and possibly assassinations.
Morty, or Mortimer, is a cleric of Abadar, a god of law and cities among other things. Nicholas had helped clear Morty's brother in law of a murder he didn't commit, saving him from execution. He stands at a rather short and pudgy 5'6. This red haired man is reaching middle age about now, but pretends that he is neither old nor out of shape. He has no on convinced.
Oscar is a seemingly frail older half elf who had long since given up on the world. Aside from some letters with old friends of his, this man prefers solitude. Oscar is a very thin man that stands, rarely, at 5,7. His hair has gone from gray to white and his eyes appear to be changing in a similar manner as well.
Mr. Jonathon Witer was an older man and, before he met Oscar, Nicholas' mentor. The man was a knowledgeable retired alchemist who made a living selling paper and scribing letters for Perth's inhabitants. Nicholas was apprenticed to him around the age of 10, both as a punishment for stealing and to help pay for food. This man hunched over stood at 5'9, with graying hair and a beard that reached down to his chest. He moved with a small limp when it grew colder, perhaps an old injury from days past. He gave his life to save Sara and Nicholas and now resides in plot Sara purchased for him with some of the gold she 'found' the day Martel was taken down.
Purple, please. I always post in purple.... I'll just end up using it all the same.
Edit: SanguinePenguin, you (or we) should copy backgrounds/connections etc in the OOC thread. Recruitment threads expire after a while.
EDIT2: Background
Evin Faolan, human bard
Spoiler
Those who hear Evin perform usually form a preconceived opinion of him. When you hear a ballad denouncing the corruption of the people in power, it’s difficult to believe that the person singing it comes from the same class he so cruelly mocks. Nonetheless, this is the case for Evin. He actually was born in a upper class family, and received a formal education both in combat and in the fine arts, especially music.
Sometimes, however, it happens that even the most carefully groomed child go astray – or at least that’s what his tutors will tell you. None in his family is sure of what exactly happened, but it was when Evin was around 18. That’s when he told his parents, in no uncertain terms, that he didn’t want to be a part of their world anymore.
No one in his family could understand his decision, because no one had witnessed the event that made Evin rethink his entire frame of reference. It was a public trial, just one of many, that Evin went to watch out of boredom. The prosecution was flat-out wrong, even a child could see it, but the defendant, a lower-class sod without any form of protection, still ended convicted and executed. Evin was shocked that a life could be held in such a low value, and took a decision, then and there, to abandon the society that would allow such a thing to be. It was surely a reckless decision, but he was young, and young people are prone to be drastic. And to be honest, he would do the same even now.
Without his family to provide for his sustenance, there were only two things that he knew how to profit from in order to survive: his combat skill and his ability to sing and play music. His combat ability was average at best, but he discovered that he could use music to give hope to people, and denounce the injustice that made him leave in the first place… all of this while make a living. That’s how Evin came to be the person he is now.
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
His parents and all the other members of his family are still alive and perfectly healthy, but his information is a bit outdated, as he never sought contact with them after he left home.
His family surname is Faolan, and that is still his own surname too, even if he doesn’t use it anymore. They are from the lower ranks of the nobility in Perth.
His mother’s name is Aneira, and his father’s is Darin. They are not bad people, not as Evin remembers them anyway, but they have always been more concerned than healthy with petty political squabbles, which they saw as a mean to raise her status. Well, his mother, at least, which Evin has always considered the brains in the family. His father usually was more than content to do what his wife suggested.
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
He has a brother, too, Glyn, two years younger than him. Evin loves him, naturally, but they’ve never been very close, as Glyn has always been the introverted, bookish type, as opposed to the more outgoing nature that Evin displays.
Unless something else happened and the information didn't reach Evin, it should be Glyn that will inherit all of the family titles and wealth now, after Evin renounced it. In an abstract way, Evin is glad for him.
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
Uncles. Lots of uncles, especially from his mother's side. He cut all contacts with them, too, without second thoughts, and he has no interest in seeing any of them again. The only one he misses, a bit, is his father's brother, Dalmar, who has always been an eccentric. He is… actually no one is really sure what he does for a living. He seemed to have an hand in the lumber business, and possibly a few shady deals at the side. But he often voiced opinions that went against the main line of thought, and Evin liked him for it.
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
No spouse, no chldren that he knows of. The married life isn't exactly aided by the type of life a street artist leads. He, of course, has had a lot of relationships, some more serious than the others, but he isn't tied to anyone, at least at the moment. Some of those relationships have developed into more serious friendships.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be fill their class? Where does your character live?
See background. Training came from the basic training in combat and liberal arts an upper-class children is supposed to have. Before adventuring...he basically lived at his family's expenses, being groomed to inherit their wealth. When he isn't on the run for one reason or another, he has free lodgings in one of Old Perth's tavern, the Three Cups, where he sometimes performs. The tavern is run by a close friend, Hagos, a dwarf that helped Evin in many a sticky situation. In exchange, Evin keeps an ear on the ground for him.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
Evin embraces his role as a soryteller, and entertainer, but at the same time he feels like the role of a bard should be something deeper than that. As such he uses his art to point out the flaws of the society he lives in, to mock those who detain the power and to give hope to the outcasts and the underdogs. He doesn't want to leave Perth because the city is so big, cosmopolitan and diverse, that he feels at home here. And it is the city where he's born. And he is stubborn enough to think he can make a difference, even if it is the last thing that he does.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
Corruption. Because it hits close to home, since Evin is from the upper class. And because, once he opened his eyes to the injustice of the system, he couldn't look at it in any other way, and found he couldn’t stand and do nothing while such injustices continued to be performed.
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
The aforementioned Hagos is a close friend, but his closest friend is probably Jumoke, a female kobold who owns a business as a pawnbroker. She is a down-to-earth person, often chiding Evin for his idealistic streak, but she is absolutely loyal to him. Evin protected him from a band of thugs who wanted protection money, and they have been friends even since.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
Lots, but in a more abstract than personal way. Some of the most corrupt judges, for instance. Personal enemies would include Vihtori, who was the leader of the aforementioned thugs. He never made a move because Evin has dirt on him. Of course, none of the judges would care for this. But Oren, another gang leader, would probably be very interested to know he’s been double crossed.
10) What are your characters hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these things?
Singing and playing lute are both a profession and a hobby for him. He likes to play cards, both because of the challenge and because a game with a few shady individuals is often a great way to gather information. He enjoys carving wood figures, even if he is terrible at it, because he likes the idea of working with his hands, something that, given his background, he isn't exactly used to do.
11) (entirely optional) Other info?
I suppose I could copy/paste my character description. Here it is:
The man with the lute is not very tall but gives the impression of being supple and agile. He has a lean, hatchet-like face, and his age shows in the little crinkles around his eyes and mouth. He has brown hair is tied back in a ponytail. One of his distinctive characteristics are his hands, long and wiry, which he seems uncapable of keeping still.
FRIENDS:
Hagos, the dwarf innkeeper that is his landlord. Hagos is a cautious man – you don’t get to keep a profitable business in the slums if you don’t learn to not upset the established balances. That’s why when Evin has to lay low for a while he doesn’t use his friends’ place: he doesn’t want to get him into trouble.
The staff at the Three Cups tavern includes Ümit, the half mud-orc waiter who doubles as a bouncer, Yeghia, the cook, a middle-aged, plump halfling woman that Evin suspects has been a quite formidable scoundrel in her youth, and her son, Lorik, who is, formally, the stableboy. He has other shady activities, of course. Nearly everyone in the slums does.
Jumoke, the female kobold, his best friend, is the one he can count on for anything. She is nothing special, really – just a pawnbroker trying to make ends meet in the slum district, and with a family to maintain (she has two small kids, Yafeu and Esi, and no husband to count on), but she is a good person, and has her head on her shoulders. Jumoke is convinced Evin will meet a bad end, most likely at the hands of the law. “I’m going to see you hanging from the city walls, and then what am I going to tell the nestlings?” she often says to him.
Lea is a human rogue, has more or less Evin’s age, and is one of Evin’s former lovers. One of the few he has kept contact with, actually. They both recognized they are too similar to make a good couple, as they are both too stubborn and unwilling to compromise, but they stayed friends. They often watch each other’s back when things get complicated. Lea has been thinking for some time to change life, take all her ill-gained money and start a small business, but Evin is sure she’ll never do it. She is too similar to him to really settle down.
Thanh, an high orc bard, is the one that kept Evin under his protection for a while, when Evin was very young, had just left home, and felt very lost outside the Stethtrall quartier. Now he doesn’t perform anymore, but is still a force to be reckoned with.
ENEMIES
Vihtori, the leader of the thugs that were harassing Jumoke, is a human who thinks he is a crime lord, but is really small potatoes, as he has close to zero political influence… which is what counts, if you want to make a career in the sector. However, he is a vicious bastard, and Evin would love to see him get what he deserves. He is formally in a truce with Oren, a silver elf and another nasty piece of work, but Evin knows for certain he is double-crossing his ally behind his back.
Maugan, that son of a … judge from so long ago, is still in activity, and still accepting money to turn a blind eye on things and bending the law to the rich’s will. Evin has sworn to himself that he’ll see him dead, or at least in disgrace. There are other corrupt judges, of course (you’ll be hard pressed not to find one these days), but Maughan was the first Evin became aware of, and for him he symbolizes everything that’s wrong with the justice system in Perth.
The clerics. Where to start from with the clerics? Enora, the human cleric of Irori that won’t heal the poor if they can’t pay? Or Jokin, cleric of Calistria, a piece of crap that once spit on Jumoke’s younglings just because they were kobolds? If those are the pious gods-worshippers, Evin is glad he has little use for religion.
OTHER CONTACTS
Evin’s contacts include a network of beggars, whores, lowlife people, people who just owe him a favor or two, street urchins and the like.
When Evin wants to gather information on someone, especially someone from the upper class, his first stop is usually the Gilded Lily, one of the most expensive and high-range brothels in the slums. He is friends with the keeper (Parwana, a silver elf), and several of the girls and boys who work there too, and knows he can count on them for the latest bit of gossip, as long as he departs with some gold, and sometimes even for free, if the cause is deemed worthy. The definition of “worthy” in the eyes of the people at the Lily may not be the same that most people will give you, but whatever. Evin has learned to live with it.
His next stop would be Pinch's place. Pinch is a 20 years old fire elf with all the determination of a grown man. His real name probably sounds more elven than that, but everyone in the slums knows him as Pinch. He is the one that put together, alone, one of the most well-organized band of street kids in the slums. And he cares about his own, too. Evin respects him a lot for that: it isn’t easy to offer safe shelter and a place to stay to the homeless children in the slums. He sometimes tried to make Pinch tell him how did he end where he is (his bard instinct recognizes the makings of a good tale when he sees one), but he has always refused to talk about it.
Then there is the assorted scum that gathers at the Three Cups. Which is still far more respectable that the one that gathers, say, at the Crooked Billet. The owner of that particular watering hole is Rithisak, is a kobold that seems to have seen quite a lot of battles, at least judging by the various scars that adorn his face. He isn’t on very good terms with Evin, but sometimes helps him out by pointing him in the right direction. Evin is not sure why. It has probably something to do with Jumoke, that is kindred with him in some strange, convoluted Kobold way. Evin tries to ask Rithisak for a favor only when he is out of options.
A rough timeline:
Age 18: Evin leaves home, wanders for a bit, ends up in the slum district. Not sure what to do, he ends up performing in the various seedy places that look for an entertainer.
Age 18-19. In one of these seedy places, Evin meets Thanh. Thanh is a bard too, and being an high orc, he puts high value in the music’s role in society. He takes Evin under his wing, and from him, Evin gets the conviction that music can be used to change society .
Age 19-25. Evin expands his network in Old Perth. It’s in this period that he meets Hagos and they come to their arrangement (free room and lodgings in exchange for information). Thanh stops performing, having become too old, he says, and retires to a modest house at the very edge of the Kattatrall.
Age 25. Evin decides to join the adventurer's guild. Because it seems like a challenge, and because he thinks that maybe he can do some good there. There he meets Lea, they have their brief affair, decide it can’t work out, split up and remain friends. All of this in a bit under a year.
Age 27 Evin protects Jumoke, becoming friends with her. He adds Rithisak to his network of acquaintances and informants.
Age 27-30 (present). Basically, Evin has kept being an adventurer and a performer, both those activities a tool to his goal to oppose the corruption in Perth. And that’s where everything should begin.
__________________
Moving house. Posting schedule and PM replies may be erratic for a while. Pokes are very appreciated if I forget to post somewhere.
Elun is an elf, well into his third century, and a witch. He lives in a small shop in The Market where he sells various herbal mixtures, including a few potions upon request.
Elun was born in the city, his father worked as a manager in The Pit, and his mother worked as shopkeeper to a small furniture shop. Elun spent his days with his grandmother, she's the one who taught him alchemy, and introduced him to witchery. Time passed, Elun matured, his grandmother passed away, and then one day, his father was left crippled by an accident. No longer able to work, Elun's father became reliant on his wife. In order to support them both, she took a job managing the household of a rich family in the Liastascia region, while Elun's father would aid the childrens' tutor.
Elun decided to remain in the city to finish his alchemy apprenticeship, and so he bid farewell to his parents. When he was finished, he found that he had not the money to rejoin his parents, even had he wanted to, and besides, a unique opportunity had presented itself. Elun's teacher had a friend, one who was looking to retire, but didn't want to part with his family's store just yet, so, for a fair amount of rent, he let Elun use the store as his own. More time passed, Elun became a successful businessman, and quite well known in certain circles. He sold salves and curatives, but mostly he sold what he called "Health Potions," concoctions designed to help maintain the health of the individual when consumed regularly, intended to aid in fighting diseases, to offset nutritional deficits, and, optimistically, to extend life. Eventually, the human owner of the shop died, bequeathing that shop to Elun, having no heirs. Shortly after this, Elun was reminded of his grandmother, and an interest in witchcraft re-awoke inside him.
After going through the rituals, Elun found himself contacted by Niu, a female tabby cat, who became his familiar. The move from alchemy to witchcraft was an easy one, not only for Elun, but for his business as well. He added potions and magic to the services he offered, though by request only. More time passed, and with each passing year, Elun was more and more dismayed to find the city declining. Most troubling to him was the rampant crime, and the widespread illnesses. Though neither had affected him, he felt that they were not merely symptoms, but causes themselves. After several years of doubt, and personal debate, he finally resolved to o something, and joined the Guild.
Questions
Spoiler
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
As stated above, both of Elun's parents are still alive. Elun's mother is named Liano, and his father is named Venik. As they are approaching their old age, they serve a less formal role in the Hevim family, more advisors and old friends. The children have all grown, and have no more need for tutors, and while Liano still heads the housekeeping staff, there is very little that she actually needs to monitor, since Bora and Menich Hevim have retired themselves, and have only the occasional party. Elun visits his parents a couple times a year, and they visit him on occasion, they also maintain frequent letters.
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
Elun is an only child.
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
Hevim family is the closest thing to an extended family Elun has, and he has only ever spent a few days or weeks with them at a time a couple of times a year.
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
Elun is unmarried, and is not courting anyone at this time.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be of their class? Where does your character live?
I believe most of this is answered in the background.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
Again mostly answered in the background, but I can expand. Elun has spent a great portion of his life in Perth, far longer than most humans live in fact, and has only ever left the city on trips, vacation, as it were. He grew up in the city's golden age (so to speak), and now, is saddened greatly to see his home have fallen so far.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
Crime and disease, primarily, for a few reasons. He sees them as motivators, creators of greater issues. He also cares about disease because he has a great deal of knowledge about it, and feels he can do something about it. Having lived such a long time, however, he is not foolish enough to expect the best approach to be single minded in it's focus.
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
Elun's closest friend is Niu, though he is also quite friendly with several of his more frequent customers. He does have a tendency to keep people at a bit of a distance, however, a combination of being an only child, and a long life among many shorter lived races. It has been a while since he maintained a relationship with anyone other than Niu or his parents that could be considered true friendship.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
Elun isn't the kind to hate really, but there are a few people who are quite hostile to him. They don't trust his magic, his witchcraft, and believe him to be an agent of some evil being. Mostly they just keep away, but one group has gathered that is actively opposing him. They haven't done much yet, but it's only a matter of time.
10) What are your characters hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these things?
Witchcraft, up till now, has been more of a hobby in some respects, than a career, although alchemy too is a bit of a hobby, something he enjoys doing for fun as well as for money. He also fancies himself a fair amateur artist, though he's rather self-conscious about his art.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jallorn
A Sampling of People in Elun's life (more available on demand)
Friends
Spoiler
Selina Meyin - An elderly human female, Elun has known Selina since she was a young girl. One of his closest friends, Selina often jokes about how she trusts Elun far more than he trusts her. This is actually probably true though. Selina is a frequent customer, and they tend to chat whenever she comes in. She is quite the well informed woman, having friends all over the city. In some ways, seeing Selina makes Elun sad, as he knew her when she looked younger than him, and he knows she hasn't much longer.
Killian Nevin - A young Kahhadin boy, Killian has taken to hanging out around Elun's shop when his father is working. Elun caught the boy trying to steal from him once, and rather than punishing him, Elun gave him food and talked with him. Elun enjoys Killian's presence, the young boy's enthusiasm is often rather infecting. Elun has taught the boy some logic games, such as chess, in an effort to teach him a little patience. He also pays Killian to run messages or fetch ingredients.
Lissim Gedvelt - A halfling shopkeeper who sells general wares, Lissim is a good friend of Elun's, and Elun helped him to form a small Shopkeeper's Guild. Although they trust one another, Elun and Lissim's relationship is more professional than anything else.
Shiana Mendok - A Half-Elven upper class customer of Elun's, Shiana is... well, a bit annoying to be honest. Still a young woman, Shiana is very sheltered, and very... rich, to put it nicely. However, she is friendly enough to Elun, and is a loyal customer, so he feels like he can put up with her... eccentricities. He is a little worried that she might be developing a slight infatuation with him.
Gehadrin Nirik - Gehadrin is a skilled artist and a friend of Elun's. He occasionally gives Elun pointers on his charcoal drawings, but mostly they talk philosophy when they spend time together.
Enemies
Spoiler
Mikela Jinu - A Fire-Elf woman, Mikela is one of the biggest motivators of the opposition group. Elun has never understood her hatred, especially since she was once a customer of his, although he does have a sneaking suspicion that Niu may have done something. Mikela has so far done little more than protest him at times, trying to get people to stop shopping at his shop, but she is frequently outspoken about him, calling him things like "evil, traitorous, selfish," and more.
Koruk Mehendar - A rather unpredictable dwarf, Koruk and Elun took an immediate dislike to one another, and that animosity has never gone away. Koruk takes it quite a bit further than Elun, and is currently in jail for attempting to burn down Elun's shop. He is not a part of the Opposition, as they see him as too low class to be an ally.
Linvik Neshin - Linvik is a silver elf, and the creator of the opposition. A skilled warrior, she initially gather a group of her friends and allies to attempt to drive Elun out of town. The attempt failed, but the Opposition had been created, and though the members changed, the group has yet to be dismantled. She is the main reason Elun isn't richer than he is, as her influence has managed to drive away many potential upper class customers, though many of those simply didn't want to get involved rather than necessarily believing Linvik's allegations.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ertier
A good background is like a skirt. Short enough to keep my interest, but long enough to cover the important bits.
Edit: Reformatted background for easier reading; can change back upon request.
Beriadan, son of Perth, High Orc Paladin of Iomedae
Spoiler
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
Beriadan was born Verag IV, first son of Verag III, the head of a powerful High Orc noble family. Verag III generally neglected his children and instead paid attention to restoring the glory of his noble house the best way he knew how – obtaining as much money and influence as possible. Beriadan’s mother, Mirima, doted on her children when she could, but she was often busy cleaning up her husband’s messes when his political scheming inevitably went awry.
Verag I was the only surviving member of a famous group of adventurers after a pyrrhic victory against a troublesome black dragon known only as Balen; he used the fallen dragon’s immense spoils of gold to create a new noble house in his name, though he hadn’t the heart to destroy Balen’s newborn hatchlings. That day his falchion became the Scalebreaker, but none of his direct descendants ever took up adventuring; the sword of great power was eventually reduced to a mundane ornament neatly placed out of sight of the Verag seat of power.
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
Beriadan has two siblings, Idian (middle child, girl) and Meldar (second son). Idian used to be a bratty child who Beriadan begrudgingly protected and advised, but her behavior abruptly changed (for reasons Beriadan does not know) about two years ago. Since then she has been kind and apologetic towards Beriadan, though still harsh towards her father. Meldar is still a young child. He seems rather dull to Beriadan, but Idian seems convinced he’s hiding some talent, and the parents deny there is anything wrong or different about their third child at all.
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
The Verag line has familial ties with various noble houses, as is common. Beriadan doesn’t see many of them, but he does admire his distant Silver Elf ‘uncle’ Sadron, brother of Maeron, leader of a moderately influential noble house. In the limited time the two interacted, Sadron acted as a father figure to Beriadan, and he still supports Beriadan now in spite of certain political pressures (see #5).
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
Beriadan is a bit young (late teenage equivalent) to have a spouse or children.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be fill their class? Where does your character live?
Beriadan used to do messenger work for his father, which he found tedious and beneath him, although all the hard work scribing notes and translating languages might help him some day. In the years shortly before his adventuring career, Beriadan was allowed to create his own messages to send, following certain content guidelines proscribed by his father. His messages were often far more carefully worded than his fathers’ and thus resulted in better outcomes for his house. His work was only acknowledged when there was an error in spelling or the like.
Beriadan never got along with his father, but one incident pushed their relationship to the brink. Verag III had gotten himself into a serious dispute with another noble house; he told Beriadan he would be a ‘diplomatic envoy,’ knowing his son (1) would never accept a mission where he would spy on another house, and (2) would look like an obvious spy and attract attention. He also sent some goons to other locations to find out his rivals’ dark secrets while they were distracted, but one of Verag III’s less scrupulous goons killed a child who had spotted him. Beriadan soon learned of this incident and fumed at being indirectly involved. He had a terrible, heated fight with his father, exchanging words not soon forgotten.
Eventually Beriadan demanded to know the name of the fallen child; he learned the name and took it as his own as a constant reminder of what would happen if he played the same political game his father did. By renouncing his own name, Beriadan also renounced any claim to the leadership of the noble house and was expelled from his father’s home. Beriadan’s mother and sister pleaded with him to take back his mistake and apologize to his father, but nothing would stop him now. He took the ornamental falchion hanging from his father’s mantle and marched to the adventurer’s guild to start a new life. He currently slums at the guild, since he didn't really think about where he would sleep when he abandoned his house.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
Beriadan decided in a fit of youthful rage that he would devote his life to fighting everything his father stood for – corruption, self-interested politics, and the casual abuse of innocents (and unfortunately, long-term planning and pragmatism). He wants to help the city primarily because his father doesn’t, but he’s always had a good streak instilled in him by his mother, his sister, and Sadron. Sadron also convinced Beriadan to meet with one of the adventuring guild’s veteran paladins, William the Bright, to give him more positive direction.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
This is somewhat answered in 6, but he especially would want to reduce corruption regarding how the law often fails to be upheld regarding scheming nobles.
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
Sadron is more of a mentor, as is William. Beriadan’s friends during childhood grew farther apart as Beriadan held onto his “naïve” moral code and they did not. At the moment, he is quite alone.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
In spite of what it may look like, Verag III does not want his first born son to die in some gods-forsaken land, even if that southern temper gets the best of him. He wants his son to apologize and return to the fold, but will stubbornly wait for him to do so instead of extending any help. The closest thing to a rival would be one of Beriadan’s old childhood friends, Geld, who is also an adventurer (difference being he’s attempting to become a famous swordsman and hero in order to impress his father). Geld is very competitive and would very much like to upstage Beriadan as much as possible, seeing his incursion into adventure as a threat to Geld’s status; Beriadan isn’t aware of a rivalry.
10) What are your characters hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these things?
Beriadan used to scribe... a lot. He was quite often kept busy caring for his siblings, and doesn’t have many ‘fun’ hobbies. He does whittle different statues and figurines, but only sparingly, and he isn’t very good at it.
__________________
Hello milky way...
Last edited by GoodbyeSoberDay : 02-10-2011 at 04:15 PM.
Hm...I wanted the Medium Turquoise, but I'll settle for Teal.
Vanalya Jethansen
Personality
Spoiler
She is stubborn, protective, and generally hopeful about what could be. She knows that humans are capable of being ignorant, wasteful, greedy, hateful, and violent, but also believes that they don't have to be. She thinks before acting, but is generally more concerned with the people in front of her than the concepts of absolute morality.
She has a slight martyr complex. While she is vocal in her support for her friends and unwilling to let them hurt their happiness or freedom, she is perfectly willing to sacrifice her happiness to help others, even at times she might not need to. She will stand up and defend her friends, family, and loved ones against even minor disparagments, but she will let much greater insults slide when applied to her. She is not reckless, but she is not timid either and accepts death as a potential consequence of her riskier actions.
Questionnaire
Spoiler
1) Do you have a father and mother? If there are no known natural parents, who raised you? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then and now?
Her father is Roderick Jethansen, a logger, and her mother, Dairane Jethansen, stayed at home and raised her family. Dairane died five years ago giving birth to Caradoc, and Roderick never remarried. Dairane was firm, but caring, and dealt as best she could with her daughter and her younger sons.
Vanalya's relationship to her father is strained. Roderick dislikes the supernatural, and Vanalya is irrevocably linked to magic. Both are extremely protective and strong-willed, but Vanalya is considerably more optimistic and daring than her father, and they clash a lot on many subjects, particularly ones that involve a risk of some sort.
2) Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? How did they treat you growing up? How did you treat them? What is your relationship with them now?
She is technically the second oldest of five children, three of whom survive now. Her living siblings are Idris and Caradoc. Her elder sister, Selanna, and and Kylan, a younger brother, are both dead.
Idris, the elder of her two brothers, is 12, and Caradoc, her youngest brother, is 5. Idris is hotheaded and very physically oriented, but he never fully recovered from the measles that infected their family when he was just a baby. He is quite sickly and weak still, and will never be able to follow in his father's footsteps. As is, Vanalya taught him to be her eyes when Dairane died and Valanya was forced to become the temporary mother figure of the household until Torina stepped in.
Caradoc is a precocious child, and very demanding. He learns quickly, and is insatiably curious. Vanalya has spent much of the last few years cursing her limited vision because of his roaming tendencies.
Kylan was only two weeks old when measles swept their household. He never had a chance. Selanna was four years older than Vanalya, and was kidnapped and murdered, her body found floating in the Shai six years ago. She was the one closest to Vanalya, and the most tolerant of her fits. She told Vanalya of the beauty of the city, and Vanalya described the flashes of stories she saw, the whispers of languages she had no right to know. Her death, in a macabre way, inspired Vanalya to really use and master her powers.
3) Do you have any extended family members? Who in your extended family are you closest to? What is your relationship with them now?
The menmbers of her extended family she's acquainted with are Grandmother Liadan, her mother's mother, Aunt Aithne, her father's sister, and Mygal Hanroch, her godfather.
Grandmother Liadan is a determined old lady, and is the one person in the world who honestly scares Vanalya. This despite being illiterate, bedridden, and having grown up as an orphaned street rat. She has lived with the Jethansens as long as Vanalya can remember, and has taken a liking to Emrys in recent years.
Aunt Aithne is an adventurer, and Vanalya met her only three times, when she was two, six, and seven, respectively. She liked Aunt Aithne anyways, and when she tells stories, as she is wont to do, Aunt Aithne is almost always the hero.
Mygal is a member of the watch. His wife is Torina, a weaver and seamstress. They live in the Barracks. They have two children, Fiona (10), and Emrys (11). Vanalya spent a lot of time at their house when she was younger, and since Dairane died, Torina has been an invaluable aid to her family, stepping in and helping Vanalya raise Caradoc, becoming almost a second mother figure to her family.
4) Do/did you have a spouse? Children? What are their names? Are they alive? What do/did they do? What is your relationship with them then/now? How old are they?
No spouse quite yet, but she is engaged to Cadmael Domregan, a 17 year old apprentice leatherworker. He is on the verge of becoming a journeyman, and when he gets his own house, they will be married.
5) What did your character do before adventuring? In what way are they interacting with their previous profession? How did they receive training to be fill their class? Where does your character live?
Vanalya lives in Kattatrall. Before joining the guild, she took care of her family, and she hasn't had much time to do anything else. She trained herself, and the walls of her room are covered in scribbles of so many languages and fragments of stories and fables she never heard.
Since she was six, she has been healing, repairing objects, and giving meaningless blessings for coin, earning a not-insignificant income for her family.
6) What motivates your character to adventure? Why are they so invested in this city? Why do they not want to leave it? Why risk their life for Perth?
Perth is her home, and she knows no other place. She is afraid of the unknown, particularly as she cannot see it until it is almost right under her nose. She joined the guild as soon as she thought she could fake being of age, because she hates the violence and the bloodshed and the disease. She ahs lost family to the faults of this city, and she wants both to protect her family from further loss, and to make sure no other families have to experience it.
7) What aspects of Perth does your character desire to improve the most? Why?
Vanalya's primary concern is the disease. It does not distinguish between hero and monster, between beggar and king. It takes indiscriminately, with no reason or sense behind the deaths. People can change on their own. Diseases do not willingly stop.
8) Who is your character's closest friend? What sort of person is he/she and how does he/she view your character? Does your character have other close friends?
Kourannem (Kouri) Arelane, a fast-talking, faster running, half silver elf from her father's side. Both of them are fairly idealistic, and they share a passion for stories. Kouri lived in an orphanage since she was born till she was 16, at which point she ran away, but she doesn't worry about her lack of knowledge about her heritage. She lives in the moment, doing whatever seems like it will benefit her or an underdog immediately.
Kouri considers Vanalya to be a supportive, kind, person, if a bit too hesitant to act in crucial moments. She is constantly annoyed by Vanalya's lack of will to stand up for herself.
Merric Ironwhistle is a gnome coppersmith, and Cadmael's best friend. He is a bit of a cynic, and mercilessly questions all the plans people run by him, poking holes in anything that could go wrong. She knows him well, and she likes him because he does not pity her for her lack of sight or the sensory overload she lives in, live in awe of her powers, or feel jealousy towards her because of her powers of foresight. He simply accepts her, and that is a rare thing. Kouri, Torina, Cadmael, and Merric. That's it. Not even her family members can bring themselves to truly accept her.
Cadmael himself is reliable, dependable, and just as stubborn as Vanalya. He is there for his friends when they need him, and while he is not a visionary, he supports his friends who are. He is more even-tempered than Vanalya, frequently acting as a mediator between his other, more hot-headed, friends. He is realistic without being a cynic like Merric or an idealist like Vanalya, and a voice of reason for them both.
9) Is there anyone who your character hates or who hates your character? What did they do to your character? Are you jealous of them, are they jealous of you, or are you rivals? If none of those apply, how would you best describe your relationship or lack thereof?
Vanalya is secretly jealous of Fiona and Emrys, because of the comparitve ease with which they live. They always have food on the table, while she and Idris skip lunch on a regular basis just to stretch the food and the paychecks far enough. They live in the Barracks, and she lives on the edge between Kattatrall and Old Perth. She worked since she was six, earning her keep through fortune telling and keeping house, and their 'work' consists of lessons, lessons she is teaching Idris whenever she has free time, things she wouldn't have ever had a chance to learn if she wasn't blinded by letters whispering to her and equations written on fog. She always gets the feeling they pity her, and she hates that.
10) What are your character's hobbies? Is there any particular reason your character enjoys these things? If not, why does your character do these cthings?
When she has time, Vanalya loves to draw, or paint if she can make it. She cannot see so many things, but with the pictures she draws, she can imagine them, and for a moment, she can forget that her world is wrapped in dark clouds and ancient texts.
11) (entirely optional) Other info? I have been blind since birth, had power coursing through my veins long before I ever was willful enough, confident enough, to control it. I don't know why I have this gift or this curse, but maybe the magic that I wield will give me the strength I need to cure this city. From what I know of it, it is a dirty, dull place. It is like a dragon infested with parasites, a magnificient city brought low by violence, corruption, and disease.
Unlike normal blindness, from my perspective, anything beyond thirty feet or so is veiled by black smoke. The things in that smoke melt and blur in various colors, so whenever something leaves my field of vision, it seems as if they are dissolving into vapor, and anything that enters it seems to have been formed of the same smoke. The ground under my feet is always smoke-covered to me, though if I lifted up a handful of dirt, it would look normal...at least I suppose that is what normal is.
When I hear words, I see writing across the smoke, black on black and perfectly visible. If I hear music, I see the notation as well. Each sound is accompanied by descriptions and words, and even my thoughts seem to have this need to write themselves, black ink on black smoke, indistinguishable and completely legible at the same time. I see scripts I never learned for languages I do not understand, and it used to frighten me. I learned to read before I ever spoke, scrawled misspelled words in dirt I could not see with a stubby finger before I walked.
My first words were, sadly, rather rude. When Aunt Aithne came to our house for the first time, I said, in what was apparently a very matter-of-fact tone "You are lost, clank lady. The other clank people are on the other side of the Shai. They don't come over here." I was two, and clank people was my term for the guards, because of the words I saw when they walked by. Although I apparently sounded like "You air lost, clank lady. The oh-there clank pe-o-pel air on the oh-there side of the Shay. They don't comb over here."
In my defense, writing doesn't come with a pronounciation guide.
I use my magic to tend to my siblings and keep house, and lately at the guild as well. They are a diverse lot, and some of them knew Aunt Aithne, back in what they refer to as their 'glory days'. However, they are not confident I will see her again, as she apparently disappeared in the West.
The Dragoncallers
Spoiler
Their sign is a stylized candelabra with nine candles, eight of which are lit, below a rampant red dragon.
The name comes from a candelabra of djinni calling gone horribly wrong. It was from a dead lich's tomb to the southeast. By the time they got their, its magic was starting to fade, and the writing was chipped. So when they tried to summon the evil djinn Caroniz, they got Korazeen, a red dragon, instead, and her egg as well. The candelabra is no longer really magic (except for glowing in the dark a bit), but it sits in pride of place on a shelf they claimed for their own trophies, between a necklace from an ogre magi and half of Kespekkor's eggshell. Kespekkor is Korazeen's son.
(Note, Korazeen, who's probably an Adult Red Dragon, is likely not the one they're talking about in the northern mountains)
The Originals:
Aithne Jethansen, human Cavalier. She was a big lady, with red hair, blue eyes, and a really big sword. She's been missing for six years, and is believed to be dead.
Jonathan Opharnick, a human cleric of Iomedae. He is a stout man, with callused fingers, tanned, wrinkled, skin, and dark hair. He is not seen in the adventurer's guild hall very often, as he now teaches at the temple. He often deflates Miarei's more crazy stories with assessments that are more realistic. He has a considerable temper, is intolerant of foolishness, and is capable of yelling very loudly, as Vanalya has heard on at least three occasions. He is kind when you don't get on his nerves though, and very patient with his students. He always is ready to answer questions, and in fact seems to enjoy Vanalya's constant pestering about what it is like for him, to have asked for the power he wields, and how it is different from hers.
Miarei Corveyan, silver elf rogue. She likes Kouri a lot, and treats her as a younger sister. She tells the wildest stories about what she's done and where she's been. She has been adventuring for 50 years nearly non-stop, longer than Jowjren has been alive, and doesn't seem like she's going to stop any time soon. Adventures are her passion and as long as there are places to go, she's not stopping any time soon.
She recently returned from a trip to the west with Jowjren, and is currently teaching the New Dragoncallers all she knows of adventuring.
Jowjren Gularm, high orc air sorcerer. His hair is dark blue, with a white bit near the nape of his neck. He blames the stress of adventuring. He is very kind, and solemn, often seeming older than he is. He was the youngest member of the adventuring party, and only recently returned from a six-month expedition to the West with Miarei. He told Vanalya stories of his childhood, and understands what it is to have powers you never asked for and can't control. He thinks that even with the curse she has, she is luckier than he was, as her powers of 'the mending sort' can truly improve the world, whereas his powers are almost all directed to blowing things up or going places.
Jowjren is married to a high orc warrior named Sohirm, and they have a son, Hajenor, who started the New Dragoncallers.
The New People: Hajenor Gularm, high orc air sorcerer. He heard the call of the paladin, but is, for now, choosing to ignore it in order to pursue his study of magic. He is headstrong and free-willed. It was his idea to ask Valanya to adventure with them, to get another relative of the Old Dragoncallers in the New Dragoncallers. He wants to take the candelabra 'for luck', but Jonathan won't let him.
He and Valanya used to be decent friends, if somewhat distant, but aren't any more, mostly because she believes he doesn't care enough about the city to stay and he believing that she's too afraid of her father and the outside world to leave. Much of their interactions lately involve thinly-veiled insults and a lot of yelling.
Tolmør Steelhand, dwarf monk. He refuses to hurt someone who has not shown him aggression, or anyone with a young child. He is honorable and respectful of his elders, and is deeply traditional. This doesn't make him a stick-in-the mud at all. In fact, he is very fun-loving and always has a joke to make. His cousin, Hilda, just had a baby a month ago, and she named the baby after him. He is currently in Strakel with his family, living with his cousin and doing her share of the chores in addition to his own.
Mreesji, kobold ranger. He wants to go adventuring because 'it beats counting coins' and to meet a dragon. He is very proud of the fact he's in a group called 'The Dragoncallers' and constantly mentions it in conversation. He isn't all that memorable otherwise, being a very average specimen of koboldness.
Lana Hilltoppler, halfling cleric of Cayden Cailean. She was the replacement healer they found when Vanalya declined. She takes her job seriously, but it does not show, and Vanalya worries that she'll get the party into trouble. She is very curious and impetuous, motivated simply by the idea of new things to see.
They leave in six months, when Tolmør returns from Strakel. Hajenor offered Vanalya a place on the team, but she declined, wanting to fix Perth before she goes anywhere.
Vanalya told Kouri, and Kouri is considering going with them. Vanalya honestly doesn't want her to leave, but she has said nothing yet. Hajenor and Miarei are both excited by the idea, Hajenor because it takes the New Dragoncallers one step closer to the old ones and because more people means more safety for them all, and Miarei because she thinks that Kouri's abilities and personality make her perfect adventurer material. Miarei has been spending a lot of time relaying all her stories to Kouri lately.
And One More:
Sohirm Gularm is part of the Guard. She, unlike Jowjron, was born in Tsusish, and is much more of a traditionalist than her husband. She is honorable, and knows much of orcish history. She prides herself on being able to trace back her lineage 15 generations, and knows what each of her ancestors did. Some of them were heroes. She has a slight Orcish accent when she speaks Common.
How about this: Alexander tried to coax information out of Vanalya. After civil talk gave no results, the conversation turned nasty(I want to go with the "battle of Charisma" variant for this particular scene rather than Intimidate vs. Wisdom because the latter version offers the potential scenario of two very intimidating but low-wisdom characters bullying each other to tears) until Alexander was shown the door and "asked" not to show his face there again. It might also be something that Mygal could get involved in, but that's your call. Later, you may spot a short, skinny figure in a frayed, hooded cloak standing occasionally in the shadows and observing who's going to the clinic, but otherwise not making a scene.
I don't think there's be so much asking as commanding on Vanalya's end, and it would happen sooner rather than later.
Although the image of a skinny almost-blind girl, probably somewhere around 13-14 years old, honestly scaring a guy who's probably a half-foot taller and nearly a decade older, is kinda funny. I don't think she'd get Mygal involved for a bit, not until she noticed the short skinny figure who kept showing up around her house, at least.
Can I ask a quick question? It seems some people has cold iron and silver weapons, I added such arrows when is them, but why? Isn't it unlikely will face much which would require such weapons at our level?
edit: Less people then i thought had it, gotta read more closely.
I just added them because I wanted to start out with as little currency as possible and was running out of things to buy. Also, Alexander might just be paranoid enough to keep something handy in case of werebeasts and demons(and weredemons).
Also, post updated to include background and link and sheet updated to include proper clothing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajadea
I don't think there's be so much asking as commanding on Vanalya's end, and it would happen sooner rather than later. Although the image of a skinny almost-blind girl, probably somewhere around 13-14 years old, honestly scaring a guy who's probably a half-foot taller and nearly a decade older, is kinda funny. I don't think she'd get Mygal involved for a bit, not until she noticed the short skinny figure who kept showing up around her house, at least.
Getting him out would be easy, even without magic. He's cold and can be nasty, but he's still on the side of good, so when someone who is not guilty of a crime tells him to get out of their home, he can't refuse(he can take his time, arguing all the way out the door, but he must get out).
Hahaha, I read that in utter confusion three times before I realized you meant "in another campaign." I was trying to figure out the humor in some really weird joke.
RSS Feeds: 
Perth (OOC)
Derailed in the best way, thank you good sir.
