[Characters] The Forsaken

[Silent Rain]

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[sammichweasel]

Application - Lad Name: Lad, Young One, Boy, the Child; rarely anything specific. Race: Wechselkind (plus, ghost!) Class: Haunted Sorcerer Alignment: An array Background: Faceless (from Baldur's Gate setting info, if you are drawing a hard line there I can swap out) Personality: There is far more to this broken, burnt doll than simply looking at its cracked and charred wood might suggest. Typically sullen and withdrawn, they keep to themselves and try to stay in the fringes, listening for tidbits of information and assisting with menial chores where they can. Occasionally, though, they will suddenly shift, and become a dominant, forceful presence, demanding subservience. At still other times, they might adopt a demure, yet forgiving, posture, helping in any way possible. It's hard to pick out exactly what is going on, but over time, those that would pay any real attention would begin to notice patterns, and pick out personas that seem to take over. Not that anyone would care enough to do so, mind you. Description: Standing just shy of a meter, the diminutive wooden frame of this Fae replacement child is barely recognizable as an attempt at a human figure. The fine witchwood it was crafted from is riddled with charcoal and calcified sap, its joists creaking with any significant movement. Most of this is rarely visible, however, as they try to keep themselves covered as much as possible. Not only is the body shunned, but their ability to channel and use the arcane energies of the world is as well, painting a target for anyone that looks too closely. Loose clothes to conceal the blocky shape of its limbs, a broad hood to cover the shattered remnants of the back of its head, and a leper's mask to hide its unmoving features all work to make the child forgettable, if not unnerving. Backstory: This is a bit of a doozy, so I'm going to spoiler it.   The loss of a child, followed by the discovery of a Wechselkind, is a hard blow for any family. It would be difficult to blame a child's parents for not accepting the strange manikin as their own. The Child's purported parents very quickly decided to be rid of it, but couldn't bring themselves to destroy this creature with the image of their son glimmering across its wooden surface. Telling it to keep its glamour in place, they brought it to the Vaerheld Sanitorium for Wayward Souls, claiming it was a cousin's son left with them. Matron DeVris, being the pragmatic sort she was, accepted the "child" on the grounds of assigning its boarding price to the town's Good Will fund. No name was given. Sister Baylisle had spent her youth on the grounds of her family's palatial estate, helping the servants with their chores and disobeying her father at every turn. She knew early on that the life of a merchant "princess" was not for her, and instead of following her lessons, she did everything she could to show Master Baylisle that she was not cut out for it. Soon, she was sent to a convent, where he interest in helping the downtrodden was put to much better use. After her training and blessing, she was assigned to the Vaerheld Sanitorium. Doctor Steinbralic was a stoic Head Doctor, proscribing the newest treatments for his patients, often developing treatments of his own. The fact that his facility, a Sanitorium that saw some of the worst cases of mental damage and physical trauma, had close to a zero rate of recuperation, didn't matter in light of the extreme nature of the work. None questioned why a "possessed" wizard who's license had lapsed didn't recover and return to society. It certainly helped that no one save the Doctor was allowed in the basement, where the floor was covered in various ritual circles and dried pools of several different bodily fluids. Serving him even better, anyone that did manage to find their way to his "work room" wouldn't have recognized the soul trap inscribed on the wall, meant to keep that most vital essence from fleeing the mortal realm back to whatever the afterlife might have become. Grey Helenis meant well enough, fitting in the best she could in her small village. Sadly, the whispers of the dead were loud in her ears, and she listened too closely, some ancient bond coursing in her veins allowing their secrets purchase in her mind. When she delicately returned the frail and yipping form of the Glennisetts' lost puppy, its shrill barks coming despite its heart not beating, the village Elders could no longer look the other way. Grey and her tainted magicks were shipped off to a distant facility they had heard word of, a place where a good Doctor tried to help those with more power than they could handle. The eldest Helenis daughter eventually found herself standing outside the doors of Vaerheld. Some things that feast on the living don't try to change that status right away. Some things enjoy slowly supping on those mortal essences, draining a touch here and a taste there. Some things, like Zsal Smoke Tongue, find a strange collection of the broken and desperate, somehow perpetually locked within their frail little casings, and see a means to thrive for years to come. Some things, darker and more cunning than you might wish to imagine, might make Vaerheld Sanitorium their home. Nathaniel Merriweather was not a good boy. This child did not mind his parents, nor listen to the Readings during High Holies. No, this impertinent youth did not enjoy satisfying his elders, nor playing with the other children. This little beast of a child preferred causing pain. He had a particular affinity for fire, and the charred remains of small animals could often be found in the Merriweather barn. It was a cause for concern for the whole town, meetings being held to determine what course of action to take with their dangerous small citizen. Finally, when the stables of the next family over burned down with all of their livestock inside, Goodman and Goodwife Merriweather allowed themselves to be convinced, and their only son was sent to a place where, perhaps, a Doctor might get through to his twisted mind. It was after he left for Vaerheld that the Watch found the clearing off the main road out of town, the charred remnants of the Goldner family wagon still smoldering. Apparently they had not made it to the next town over for market day. The Goldners had three young children. This find was not answered with calls for institutionalization. When the people of Nathaniel's home town finally caught up with him, he was firmly entrenched in Doctor Stenbralic's experiments. They burst into the facility to find the hallways lined with vacant eyes, angry and terrified screams emanating from the basement, and a desperate Matron and Sister attempting to attend to the needs of their oddly half-dead populace. They wordlessly agreed to burn the place to the ground upon bursting into the work room. Not a single entity survived the fire. Except, the soul trap, in all its bloodied and blackened horror, did its work. No souls fled the grounds that day. A swirling miasma of the dead-yet-awake tried to find a way, any means at all, to escape their new hell. That was when one of the more magically inclined of the dead, either Grey or Zsal or some other arcanist of grander stature and more diminished capacity, found the scorched remnants of the Wechselkind. It was, by its nature, a doorway of sorts to the Fae, an escape vent for magic that was intrinsically a deception. None of them remember what exactly took place, save much power was expended, and all of the lost spirits were severed from the place and bound to the doll. The faerie trickery became a vehicle for a most morbid procession. The Wechselkind itself is still ostensibly in control of its body, but it was not crafted to be a full person. The spirits that accompany it now are constantly attempting to break through, to use its corporeal form to take some mortal pleasure in the feel of a breeze, even if just on a slab of wood. It has decided that it needs to find the town the now utterly mad Nathaniel is from to find some way of freeing its passengers, and then perhaps it can return to its creators and rest. Meanwhile, the souls of Vaerhelm seek to complete their own agendas, tugging at the Fae construct and attempting to force it to do their bidding. They do not exist in harmony, but at least most of the time the doll can exert itself and maintain its place of pride. Most of the time. Mechanics: Each of the characters mentioned in the backstory has their own personality and presents itself in a particular way when it manifests. I'm basically assigning a spell to each of them, so when the Child would, say, cast Chill Touch, Grey Helenis is drawn forward, and her personality and mannerisms will bleed into my characterization of the Wechselkind. As new spells are learned, new souls will wake up and begin presenting, and as spells are swapped out those associated spirits will either somehow escape, or simply go back to sleep. It's more than a little wonky, I know, and I'm willing to switch things up as necessary for setting/mechanics/whathaveyou.

 

Stat Block Lad sheet Wechselkind Haunted Sorcerer 1 HP: 9/9 | AC:12 | PP 10 | Hit Die: 1d6 | Init: +5 | Move: 25' | Sorcerous Pool: 0 Defenses: Adv vs being poisoned, resistance to poison damage, immune to disease, no need to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe Ability STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Score 8 14 16 10 10 16 Bonus -1 +2 +3 +0 +0 +3 Save -1 +2 +5 +0 +0 +5 Weapons: Unarmed Strike: +1, 1 bashing Spell Slots: 1st 2/2 Cantrips: Chill Touch - Grey Helenis Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 120' Components: V,S Duration: 1 round School: Necromancy Attack/save: +5 ranged Damage: 1d8 Necrotic You create a ghostly, skeletal hand in the space of a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the creature to assail it with the chill of the grave. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 necrotic damage, and it can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn. Until then, the hand clings to the target. If you hit an undead target, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn. This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).Chill Touch | Create Bonfire - Nathaniel Merriweather Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 60', 5' square Components: V,S Duration: 1 minute School: Conjuration Attack/save: DC 13 DEX Damage: 1d8 fire You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the magic bonfire fills a 5-foot cube. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The bonfire ignites flammable objects in its area that aren’t being worn or carried. The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).Create Bonfire | Friends - Sister Baylisle Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: Self Components: S, M (small amount of makeup applied at time of casting) Duration: 1 minute School: Enchantment Attack/save: None Damage: None For the duration, you have advantage on all Charisma checks directed at one creature of your choice that isn’t hostile toward you. When the spell ends, the creature realizes that you used magic to influence its mood and becomes hostile toward you. A creature prone to violence might attack you. Another creature might seek retribution in other ways (at the DM’s discretion), depending on the nature of your interaction with it.Friends | Mind Sliver - Doctor Steinbralic Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 60' Components: V Duration: Instantaneous School: Enchantment Attack/save: DC 13 INT Damage: 1d6 psychic You drive a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d6 psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn. This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach certain levels: 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).Mind Sliver Spells: Chaos Bolt - Zsal Smoke Tongue Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 120' Components: V,S Duration: Instantaneous School: Evocation Attack/save: +5 ranged Damage: 2d8+1d6 variable You hurl an undulating, warbling mass of chaotic energy at one creature in range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 + 1d6 damage. Choose one of the d8s. The number rolled on that die determines the attack’s damage type, as shown below. d8 Damage Type 1 Acid 2 Cold 3 Fire 4 Force 5 Lightning 6 Poison 7 Psychic 8 Thunder If you roll the same number on both d8s, the chaotic energy leaps from the target to a different creature of your choice within 30 feet of it. Make a new attack roll against the new target, and make a new damage roll, which could cause the chaotic energy to leap again. A creature can be targeted only once by each casting of this spell. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, each target takes 1d6 extra damage of the type rolled for each slot level above 1st.Chaos Bolt | Charm Person - Sister Baylisle Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 30' Components: V,S Duration: 1 hour School: Enchantment Attack/save: DC 13 WIS Damage: None You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.Charm Person | Unseen Servant - Matron DeVris Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Action Range/Area: 60' Components: V,S,M (a bit of string and wood) Duration: 1 hour School: Conjuration Attack/save: None Damage: None This spell creates an invisible, mindless, shapeless, Medium force that performs simple tasks at your command until the spell ends. The servant springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within range. It has AC 10, 1 hit point, and a Strength of 2, and it can't attack. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends. Once on each of your turns as a bonus action, you can mentally command the servant to move up to 15 feet and interact with an object. The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine. Once you give the command, the servant performs the task to the best of its ability until it completes the task, then waits for your next command. If you command the servant to perform a task that would move it more than 60 feet away from you, the spell ends.Unseen Servant | Find Familiar - The Doll Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 hour Range/Area: 10' Components: V,S,M (10gp of stuff burned during ritual) Duration: Instantaneous School: Conjuration Attack/save: None Damage: None Your familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal. When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. It reappears after you cast this spell again. As an action, you can temporarily dismiss the familiar to a pocket dimension. Alternatively, you can dismiss it forever. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. Whenever the familiar drops to 0 hit points or disappears into the pocket dimension, it leaves behind in its space anything it was wearing or carrying. While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. You can't have more than one familiar at a time. If you cast this spell while you already have a familiar, you instead cause it to adopt a new form. Choose one of the forms from the above list. Your familiar transforms into the chosen creature. Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier for the roll. Due to class feature, this can only be used to summon a Specter familiar.Find Familiar Skills: Acrobatics: +4 | Deception: +5 | Intimidation: +5 | Persuasion: +5 | Religion: +2 Class Features: An event in your past, or in the life of a parent or ancestor, left an indelible mark on you, infusing you with arcane magic. This font of magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the sorcerer spell list. Cantrips At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Sorcerer table. Spell Slots The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your sorcerer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.Spontaneous Spellcasting | Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power: Draconic Bloodline, detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.Sorcerous Origin | You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Haunted Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know. When you cast a spell you know from the Haunted Spells table, you can cast it by expending a spell slot as normal or by spending a number of sorcery points equal to the spell’s level. Sorcerer Level Spell 1st unseen servant 3rd see invisibility 5th speak with dead 7th death ward 9th little deathHaunted Spells | At 1st level, you learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known. When you cast the spell, you can only choose the form of a specter, which becomes your phantom companion. Instead of a celestial, fey, or fiend this familiar’s creature type is undead. As an action, you can command your phantom companion to turn invisible until it attacks or you cast a spell through it. While invisible, it leaves no physical evidence of its passage, so it can be tracked only by magic. Any equipment or objects it is holding remains visible. Additionally, at 3rd level, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make its Life Drain attack with its reaction.Phantom Companion | Starting at 1st level, when you make a Dexterity ability check to determine initiative, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to your Charisma modifier.Sixth Sense Racial Traits: Built to resemble a child, wechselkind are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 35 and 55 pounds. Your size is Small.Size Small | As a constructed creature, your body functions differently than a normal person. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. You are immune to disease. You don’t need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. You are still considered humanoid.Artificial Form | When the faerie leaves a wechselkind in place of a mortal child, they cover it with a glamour to make it appear identical to the child that was stolen. Over time this glamour fades, but a wechselkind can still call upon it in times of need. You may cast the disguise self spell once with this trait, but only to take on the appearance of the child you were intended to replace, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.Faerie Glamour | You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill.Childish Agility Proficiencies & Languages: Sylvan, Common, Demonic (?)Languages | NoneArmor Proficiencies | Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbowsWeapon Proficiencies | Disguise KitTool Proficiencies | NoneVehicle Proficiencies Magic Items:

 

Stat Block Spirits of the Dead of Vaerheld Undead Spirits HP: 22/22 | AC:12 | PP 10 | Hit Die: 5d8 | Init: +2 | Move: 50' hover | Sorcerous Pool: 0 Defenses: Resistance to Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder, and physical from non-magical attacks. Immune to Necrotic, Poison. Immune to Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious. Ability STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Score 1 14 11 10 10 11 Bonus -5 +2 +0 +0 +0 +0 Save -5 +2 +0 +0 +0 +0 Weapons: The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.Life Drain +4, 10 (3d6) necrotic Racial Traits: Darkvision rulesDarkvision 60' | The specter can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.Incorporeal Movement | While in sunlight, the specter has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.Sunlight Sensitivity Proficiencies & Languages: Sylvan, Common, Demonic (?), cannot speakLanguages | NoneArmor Proficiencies | NoneWeapon Proficiencies | NoneTool Proficiencies | NoneVehicle Proficiencies

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[Hillsy7]

Application - Talemachus Brood Name: Talemachus Brood Race: Downcast (Aurelian) Class: Druid (planning Circle of Mutation) Alignment: Neutral Good Background: Outlander (Pilgrim) Personality: Talemachus is thoughtful, careful, and deliberate, but those who think him shy and reserved haven’t seen the iron rod of determination that runs through his core. While others may baulk at what needs to be done, Talemachus has no such fear as doing necessary deeds is what drives him forwards - and indeed sometimes away from comfort and peace. Slow to anger and respectful of others, his methodical path through life is as inexorable and endless as the seasons themselves. Description: Talemachus is slightly shorter than most, but lean and long-limbed. He has striking delicate features hidden behind whorls and streaks of tribal markings across every scrap of visible skin. At first glance his eyes appear milky and dull, but upon closer inspection they are the lightest blue-grey and as piercing as a hawk. He keeps his scalp scraped clean of hair, though is rarely seen without a hood of some kind so that his pale face seems to constantly float in a pool of shadows. Backstory: For a long time after his fall, Talemachus lived a remote, unremarkable life. Divinity faded from the world, and along with it went the shard details of his past life and the burning desire to restore that lost order. Indeed the teeming masses of the lesser races became irritating reminders and he found himself more often alone, or moving with tribes and travellers far from civilisation. So it was probably natural that he finally settled for a time with a druidic enclave within the forests around Tol Leyel, finding the pleasant balance of isolation, community, and purpose. In fact, there were three other downcast amid their numbers, all with that same look in their eyes of finally finding something that was missing within them. None of them shared words of their previous lives, but they did share the comfort of knowing that collective hurt wound would not be reopened. For many centuries, that was his life: ensuring the health and balance of the forest, and that knowledge and tradition passed through the generations that mortals suffered. He took the natural magic of the earth inside of him, and in return he kept darkness and decay from breaking the cycles of death and renewal that had turned since the world had been birthed. As such, much of the early upheaval that now shadowed these malign days was kept at bay. But that could not last. More and more, the Enclave’s work seemed treacherous and unending and the terrible news of the world outside their haven was harder to keep out. It wasn’t the fear that finally pushed Talemachus out of his inertia, but the implications. Perhaps it was his longevity, the knowledge of seeing life on a different scale to those others. As one too many story of terrible darkness ravaging some ever closer part of the continent forced and gathering of the whole Enclave, a minority of Talemachus and several others pressed for action. But the majority opted to sit and simply fortify. Frustrated and angered, the dissenters argued that change was coming and they needed to adapt - to use their intimate knowledge of the land and its beasts to intervene. To counter the abominable horror already being done across the world by the Great Beast, and the darkness seeping from the City Below. Such a suggestion was met with horror, and in a single night the Enclave was split. Talemachus and his faction left, vowing to spread themselves across the world, searching for the knowledge and means to fortify life itself, so that it may survive the coming storm. They left, likely never to all meet again given the state of the world. And Talemachus took his posting and headed East, towards Southern Ostoyan in search of anything mysterious and unknown.

[Amarga]

Name: Sarduk
Race: Human
Class: Barbarian (Fractured)
Alignment (Prefer no evil): Lawful Neutral
Background: Outlander Entertainer (Gladiator)
Personality: A brutal realist, Sarduk realizes that order is everything. The world he walks has rules, concrete rules. If Sarduk is going to get what he wants, he will need to understand how to use those rules to his advantage. Sarduk is ambitious and ruthless, as his upbringing demands. However he has seen the flaws in letting things go too far, and how such errors can topple the ambitions of even the greatest leaders. So he knows when to keep things tucked away, and when to let them loose, acting with a brutal cunning that can stun those expecting him to be another brainless killing machine.

Description: A hulking brute from the north, Sarduk carries himself with calculated brutality that is meant to simultaneously inspire fear while letting watchers mistake him for a mindless brute. Cords of iron musculature move beneath his scarred flesh, and Sarduk makes sure people see it all, wearing an outfit more suited to the gladiatorial arena than polite society. This outlandish garb is completed with a faceless helm of crude iron, which hides his steely gaze and adds to the impression of being a mindless brute.

 

Backstory: Born the first son of a chieftain in Grarjord, Sarduk was born to lead. He was trained to kill and to command in equal measures, becoming proficient in both. When he was a youth he was brought along to aid his tribe during their raids on the southern lands. These small towns and villages were easy pickings for his people, but his father taught him an important lesson. If they destroyed too much, these soft folk would not be able to rebuild their homes, and their lords might send a mighty army to deal with a problem grown too dangerous to be ignored.
But this lesson was not shared by others in the clan, whose lust for spoils and bloodshed ruled their every thought. Sarduk’s father played a dangerous game, maintaining his clan’s position between the other clans while also maintaining his own authority over those who would take his place.
This was not a game that could go on forever, however, and Sarduk’s uncle schemed to take the chieftain’s place.
The actions of Sarduk’s uncle were swift and brutal, the advice of him and his allies led to Sarduk’s father making a raid on what should have been an easy target. When the local lord’s soldiers struck the marauders fell back in disarray and many were killed or taken captive. In this confusion Sarduk’s uncle slew Sarduk’s father,and left Sarduk wounded on the battlefield.

The Bürach imperials took Sarduk as a slave and the mighty young man quickly found himself fighting for the enjoyment of lazy southlanders. Yet as he saw the city around him, Sarduk awoke to greater ambition. He was once to be the head of his clan, but now he was a slave. So what? Sarduk would show them, he would save every coin he could get his hands on and buy his freedom. No breaking chains only to be hunted by angry slavers with money and access to professionals, no slave rebellion to be brutally crushed by a desperate empire. No, he would buy his freedom and walk as a man without anything over his shoulder.
And so he did, years later and hardened like steel by the pits. He was a killer, a slayer of men, and people knew it. He easily found work as a mercenary, learning what he could of his clan and his uncle from travelers, but resisting a premature trip north. No, Sarduk needed allies, people he could rely on, and the only way to do that was to be reliable. Sarduk traveled east and guarded caravans for work eventually catching wind of a particular job offer. This soft-hand wanted a trinket found and that piqued Sarduk’s interest. The pay was good, and jobs like these won friends. But his offer held mystery, and Sarduk wondered if this Sage was being honest, if all this money wasn't actually a bargain for the man. But Sarduk took the job anyway, a job was a job, and a man with that sort of money was someone you wanted to be on good terms with.

 

Stat Block Sarduk sheet Barbarian 1 HP: 15 | AC:15 | Hit Die: 1d12 | Init: +4 | Move: 30 | Rage Uses: 2 STR 14(+2) DEX 14(+2) CON 16(+3) INT 8(-1) WIS 12(+1) CHA 10(+0) Weapons: Longsword: +4, 1d8+2+1d4 | Shortsword +4 1d6+2+1d4 Skills: Acrobatics: +4 | Athletics: +4 | Intimidation +2(4) | Performance: +2 | Insight: +3 Class Features: While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.Unarmored Defense | In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor:: You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll. This bonus increases as you level. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If you are able to cast spells, you can't cast them or concentrate on them while raging. Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven't attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action. Once you have raged the maximum number of times for your barbarian level, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again. You may rage 2 times at 1st level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 6th, 5 at 12th, and 6 at 17th.Rage Racial Traits: You are a broad and formidable size for your race, either due to extensive training or natural build. You gain the following benefits: You count as one size larger (to a maximum size of large) when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, and lift. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, if you used your strength modifier to hit the creature, you deal an additional 1d4 damage. This damage is of the same type as the weapon attack. Whenever you attempt a Charisma (intimidation) check against a creature of your size or smaller, you can add your Strength modifier to the result. Hulking Figure Proficiencies & Languages: Common, OrcLanguages | Light, Medium, ShieldsArmor Proficiencies | Simple Weapons, Martial WeaponsWeapon Proficiencies | Disguise Kit, luteTool Proficiencies | NoneVehicle Proficiencies Magic Items:

[morgantha]

Ianthe Name: Ianthe Stillheart Race: Dreamer Class: Monk - Way of Mercy Alignment: Lawful Good Background: Sage Personality: Ianthe is an idealist. Like many of her kind, she is often half in a land of dreams, disconnected from the world--perhaps this is the reason she is able to remain naïve. She can sometimes come off as motherly, to the point of being overbearing. Her idealism can sometimes cause her to feel that she knows better than others; she feels she can dream a better world so vividly, and if only people would follow her example they would be better off. Despite how she sometimes comes across, she is a deeply caring and sensitive individual who is willing to make personal sacrifices for others. Description: Ianthe has bluish skin and dark hair. Her brows are heavily ridged, a common characteristic among Dreamers. She is trim and fit from her regular training and stands 5"4'. She typically dresses in light clothes, practical for moving around and quite simply made. Backstory: Ianthe woke from a beautiful dream into a dark, dirty world. She was among the first to wake, and soon found herself organized with other like-minded Dreamers who felt that their waking was a call not just to be present, but to be active in the world. They talked for some years about the dreams they had during their slumber, until they realized there was nothing they could fix until they learned more about what had happened in the world around them. Ianthe set off with a number of other Dreamers with the intention of learning all they could about magic, the gods, the cataclysm, and the struggles of the people of Etharis. Ianthe traveled with a partner, Maarit, for many years, until they had a falling out. On her own for the first time she could remember, Ianthe renewed her dedication to her cause. She discovered that she had a particular talent and interest in healing, and turned her attention to trading her skills for room and board in towns or for protection from soldiers as she traveled. She also began walking in the dreams of the folks she helped, turning the dreams from fearful and anxious to calming where she could. Unfortunately this skill turned out to be quite coveted, and she was taken captive by a noble of Ostoya and used for her dream walking in court as a sort of oddity. She resented her ability being used so frivolously and bided her time until she was eventually able to escape. She took the Nightseer Sage’s job in part hoping to get out of Ostoya for good.   Stat Block Ianthe Stillheart sheet Dreamer Way of Mercy Monk 2 HP: 16 | AC: 14 | PP 12 | Hit Die: 1d8 | Init: +2 | Move: 30 (40 when not wearing armor) STR 8(-1)(+1 saves) DEX 15(+4) CON 16(+3) INT 10(+0) WIS 15(+2) CHA 8(-1) Weapons: Unarmed Strike: +4, 1d4+2 | Quarterstaff: +4, 1d6+2 Skills: History: +2 | Acrobatics: +4 | Arcana: +2 | Stealth: +4 Ki Points: 2 | Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.Flurry of Blows | You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. Patient Defense | You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.Step of the Wind Class Features: Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifierUnarmored Defense | At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield: You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons. You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn. Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in the Weapons section.Martial Arts Racial Traits: Acclimated to the pitch black tunnels beneath Stehlenwald, you can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.Darkvision | While asleep, a dreamer can reach out and touch the dreams of others within 1 mile. Additionally, after finishing a long rest, and provided you slept during that time, you may choose one skill or tool proficiency. Until your next long rest, you may add a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus to any rolls you make using the selected skill or tool.Dreamwalking | While asleep, you do not suffer penalties to Perception rolls utilizing senses other than sight.Even in Sleep | When taking a short rest, you may choose to sleep for 1 hour. If you do so, you may reduce your exhaustion by one level and regain one hit die in addition to the other benefits of a short rest.Power Nap Proficiencies & Languages: Dreamspeak, Dwarven, Undercommon, Imperial Norm, ElvishLanguages | NoneArmor Proficiencies | Shortsword, Simple WeaponsWeapon Proficiencies | NoneTool Proficiencies | NoneVehicle Proficiencies

[girlplay]

Wood Elf smuggler archer female ditzy Name: Caelynn "Dove" Holimion Race: Wood Elf Class: Fighter (archery-style) Background: Criminal (smuggler) Alignment: neutral good   Personality: Caelynn is a friendly sort, though somewhat private. She enjoys hanging out with her peers and is known to take the occasional lover, though she never lets it become serious. If asked about her past, she says that she was a hunter. She longs to return to her homeland and seek out her parents, which were in the process of being captured by the authorities the last she saw them. She misses having a group of close people that she can count on and trust implicitly - like the smugglers that she worked with before her life was turned upside-down. Being alone can be hard sometimes and she's come to terms with doing what she must to survive and earn gold, although she does not enjoy killing. Yet, it's difficult to put an arrow in somebody without death being a distinct possibility. It's easier when the target proves themselves to be awful. Personal Characteristics Trait 1: I like to drink and have fun with friends. I like feeling drunk (within reason). I think I'm funny when I'm tipsy and think everyone else is funny too. Trait 2: I want to live free. Don't try to tie me down. Don't get too serious. I can be your friend, maybe even a lover, but don't talk to me about marriage or making any kind of long-term arrangements or agreements. I'm not going to swear an oath to you. Ideal: I genuinely like people and believe that there are still people of good heart in the world. You just have to look hard enough to find them. Bond: I will rescue my family members from whatever fate has befallen them, once I am able. Flaw: Uninquisitive. I don't tend to ask clarifying questions or look deeper than what is presented on the surface. Backstory: Caelynn fled the Charneault Kingdom when her family's smuggling operation was discovered and assaulted by the Knights from the Order of the Blood Spear. A bounty was placed on the heads of anyone involved, so Caelyn and a few others crossed the border into the Bürach Empire and have been trying to lay-low ever since. She was the only one to actually complete the journey. The others were killed by a beast made of shadow. Caelynn has sought work as an archer-for-hire, ever since - protecting city walls or private property for the wealthy. One such person was Lord Blenach who hired Caelynn to help guard his estate. There, she met and started a torrid affair with the Lord's daughter, Jeskra. Late one night, another guard tipped Caelynn off to the fact that Jeskra was to be sacrificed to a devil by her father in exchange for great power. Caelynn hurried to try to rescue Jeskra but arrived too late. Jeskra was dead and the Lord was being dragged to the realm below because the sacrifice had not been a virgin as promised. Shortly thereafter, once the shock had worn off, Caelynn decided to stop working for corrupt nobles and strike out as an independent adventurer. Perhaps then, she could be more selective about who she worked for and maybe fight against evil once in a while. Why "Dove"? Because I'm very, very white for a Wood Elf. (It was actually a code name she used whilst working with the smugglers.)

Character sheet Here's the link to the character sheet. Stat block Caelynn "Dove" Holimion Wood Elf, criminal (smuggler) Fighter (archery style) Level 1 HP: 11 | AC: 14 | Hit Die: 1d10 | Init: +3 | Move: 35 ft | Passive perception: 14 STR 12 (+1) DEX 17 (+3) CON 12 (+1) INT 8 (-1) WIS 14(+2) CHA 13 (+1) Weapons: Longbow: +7, 1d8+3 | Melee (finesse): +5, whip 1d4+3, rapier 1d8+3 | Hand ax: +3, 1d6+1 Trained skills: Acrobatics +5 | Athletics +3 | Deception +3 | Perception +4 | Stealth: +5 Class Features: Second wind Racial Traits: Darkvision to 60 ft | trance | fey ancestry | Mask of the Wilds Proficiencies: All armor, shields, all simple weapons, all martial weapons, thieves' tools, dice set. Languages: Common, Elvish

[Grouchy]

Character Concept Name: Sormus Mutcher, but he prefers "Mutch" Race: Rogue (progressing to Arcane Trickster) Class: Forest Gnome Alignment: Chaotic Good/Neutral (tries to do the right thing sometimes but is inherently selfish) Background: Sage (Wizard's Apprentice) Personality: Brilliant, stubborn, methodical, and quick-witted, Mutch is about as clever a gnome as you would ever hope to meet. Although others his age enjoyed the outdoors in their youth, Mutch was always an indoor fellow and he prefers walls and ceilings over wide open spaces. He especially enjoys exploring caves, ruins, and old buildings - the dank smells, the dim lights, and the cozy feeling of closeness was always exciting to him. Whereas other gnomes talk at a rapid fire pace, Mutch is more slow to speak and tends to enjoy making elaborate foolproof plans to ensure the highest amount of success on his excursions. He is brave and adventurous, and enjoys a bit of risk if there is gold at the end of it. He can be a bit sharp-tongued and self-serving at times, but Mutch overall sees him as just a regular man trying to survive in this world. Mutch finds it difficult to forgive anyone and will bear a grudge until the day he dies unless he finds a way to get even. Description: Short, lithe, and pale of skin, Mutch reminds you of a goblin more than a gnome. He has coarse features and a shaved head, with pointed ears and a pronounced brow. He has a pointed nose and thin lips, with a set of beady dark eyes and yellowed teeth that seem a bit too large for his head. He wears a loose olive colored tattered jacket over a dull looking suit of leather armor, with black cloth gloves on each hand with the fingers cut off. Around his waist is a thick leather belt from which hangs a brace of daggers and a dingy looking short-bladed sword. On his feet are a sturdy looking set of traveling boots, and on his back he wears a ratty but functional backpack. Backstory: Mutch's parents were already domesticated forest gnomes, so unlike many of his peers Mutch was born in the capital of Ostoya. Mutch does not know his parents as when he was born, they showed little pity for the ugly, sickly-looking gnome and instead abandoned him at the orphanage. There the small pale youth was constantly bullied and abused by the adults and other children at the orphanage. Mutch endured it for years until he finally had enough, and when he was approximately seven years old he left the orphanage and began living as an urchin on the streets. He lived that way for several months until he met his master, Ormarion. Ormarion is a highly talented half elf wizard, and when he first met Mutch and saw his clever usage of his innate illusionary abilities, Ormarion realized Mutch had serious natural talent. Taking the boy in as his own apprentice, soon Mutch was learning more than he had ever known about anything before. Ormarion was a phenomenal teacher and wizard, but due to his advanced age he is prone to napping or forgetting what he was doing in the first place. Although Mutch excelled in his studies, when Ormarion lost his attention and went to do other things, Mutch would sneak out and run around with his mischief-making friends. Their antics were mostly harmless, although as they grew older there was a vigilante task or two in which they stole from some local lout and donated the proceeds to those who were really in need. When the Nightseer Sage was seeking responsible adventurers for a delicate task at hand, Ormarion thought this would be a good field test of Mutch's magical talents and encouraged Mutch to take the job and prove his worth to all. On his end, Mutch is thrilled at the possibility for adventure and can't wait to get started.

 

Rolls and Actions Action Summary: Move: Action: Reaction: Bonus Action: Object Interaction: Current Effects: None.

 

Stats Mutch (Character Sheet) Forest Gnome | Rogue 1 | Sage | Feats: None. HP: 9/9 | Armor Class: 14 | Saves: Str 0 / Dex +5 / Con +1 / Int +5 / Wis +1 / Cha -1 Senses: Initiative +3, Passive Perception 15, Passive Investigation 17. Move: 25' | Conditions: None. Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Thieve's Cant. Tool Proficiencies: Thieve's Tools. Attack Bonuses: Melee +2 | Ranged +5 Weapons: Shortsword | +5 strike | 1D6+3 piercing damage | None. Shortbow | +5 strike | 1D6+3 piercing damage | 20/20. Range 80/320. Dagger x2 | +5 strike | 1D4+3 piercing damage | Range 20/60. Darkvision - 60 feet, shades of grey. Gnome Cunning - Advantage on INT/WIS/CHA saves vs magic. Natural Illusionist - Minor Illusion cantrip, INT as spellcasting ability. Speak with Small Beasts - Communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts. Trained Skills: Arcana +5. Athletics +2. Insight +3. Investigation +7. Perception +5. Stealth +5. Expertise: Investigation and Perception. Sneak Attack: +1D6.