Sara stood rooted to the spot. Her jibe at the whiny blonde seemingly having no effect. The loss of the hag's toad was a stinging soar if Sara's darkened features were any indication of it. Absentmindedly she raised her arm to tickle her shoulder fixture. "It's okay, precious. The vapid trollop will get her own. When you lay with hags, you wake up with more than you bargained for and less than you wished! No matter who you are or who your patron is..." The which stared after Helena for a bit more. Time enough for the entire tavern group to filter into the relative safety of the wooden abode.
Turning, Sara found an empty swampy field of battle. The absence of the giant corpse of the toad still smarting somewhere in her mind. But the swamp was never stingy in its benevolence. And now that the immediate urgency had passed, the witch felt it appropriate to root around. She cast her gaze about. To get a general view of the surroundings. For something, anything, missed in the aftermath of the skirmish. The prospect of rooting around some more in the swamp however pulled at Sara's attention and here scan of the surroundings was 8 on Perception to look for things missed in the battle.cursory at best. Quickly the witch focused her gaze on things of interest. Sara's eyes landed on one of the blonde bimbo's fallen cronies. The swamp swiftly working to incorporate the creature into its fragrant gunk.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Sara rushed to the corpse. "She took my toad. I'll take whatever's left of her underling." The witch 25 to collect potion ingredients. 14 to identify them.dug gingerly into the muck. All sense of the passing of time disappeared from that point on and Sara completely forgot to follow the troop back into the tavern. Up until the point the door swung open and one of the new lads stepped out, all high-strung and agitated, looking about. And then he called a name, acquiring if the person was hither.
"No one here but the swamp and her denizens, lad." Sara answered in lieu of this Ler person. "And take care not to trample all over that blood over there. I need it unspoiled if it's to be of any use to me!" The witch added just as a second lad rushed out of the tavern after the first. This one brown-eyed and dark-haired as opposed to the other one who was blonde and blue-eyes. Sara was now rooting around the feet of Day and Night, completely nonplussed. She easily identified some of Beob's ichor mixed in with the blonde bimbo's underling's blood. If he's been hurt I might have to cover him up. He doesn't like to be exposed. Sara thought as she collected what she needed. "If you see a pink darling out here, please come get me. We have unfinished business." The witch spoke to Day and Night as she stood up and squeezed between the two to enter the tavern.
The witch's gaze was immediately drawn to the double feature. No wonder she gave me hag vibes. Twins are a priceless quarry for hags. I should keep my eyes on both of them. Sara's mind whirred with the possibilities. But her purpose was drawn towards her friend. Beob was his usual precious self in the midst of all these strangers. Fearless and open with himself just like any youngling.
"You may or may not be hags..." Sara murmured in passing to Geniffer's mirror. "... but take care not to fall into the clutches of one. Twins are a prized quarry." And off she continued to Beob, where she promptly began fussing with his wound. Not an easy task, as the ragman's body was a tableau of wounds and wound-like breaks in his bandage coverings. Sara did her best to 7 on Medicine to identify the fresh wound.identify the fresh one, but just in case she gave all the ones that appeared revealing the same treatment.
"It's okay, I just want to cover any spots that might have gotten... exposed in the fight." Sara spoke directly in Beob's mind through the token she'd gifted him. "Help mama take care of our friend, precious!" The witch cooed at Glorp and withdrew some rags from a pouch. "Slather these thoroughly with your sticky ooze, won't you." Sara tickled her burbly friend and once the rags were sufficiently saturated with sticky ooze she went about to cover any bits of Beob that might have gotten exposed. "There you go, darling, good as new!" Sara patted Beob on the shoulder. "You did so well out there!"
Sara's calculating eyes scanned the patrons of the tavern and its proprietress. Her gaze lingering on the hag head she'd retrieved from the swamp during her standoff with Pinky.
"So am I going hag-hunting on my own or are you joining? Or is that no longer the plan?"
Movement: Rooting about the swamp Action: Search for potion ingredients. Bonus Action: Be creepy. As usual! Reaction: Shield Interaction: Conditions: Notes:
Name:Sara Race: Hexblood - You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness as shades of gray.Darkvision, You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.Fey Resilience, You can cast the Disguise Self and Hex spells with this trait. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spells slots you have. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.Hex Magic, As a bonus action, you can harmlessly remove a lock of hair, one of your nails, or one of your teeth. This token is imbued with magic until you finish a long rest. While the token is imbued in this way, you can take one of these actions:
Telepathic Message. As an action, you can send a telepathic message to the creature holding or carrying the token, as long as you are within 10 miles of it. The message can contain up to twenty-five words.
Remote Viewing. If you are within 10 miles of the token, you can enter a trance as an action. The trance lasts 1 minute, but ends early if you dismiss it (no action required) or are incapacitated. During this trance, you can see and hear from the token as if you were located where it is. While you are using your senses at the token's location, you are blinded and deafened in regard to your own surroundings. When the trance ends, the token is harmlessly destroyed.
Once you create a token using this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, at which point your missing part regrows.Eerie Token Class:Witch 1 - You gain the Find Familiar spell. This spell does not count against your total number of spells known.Find Familiar,
Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence
Ritual Casting: You can cast a witch spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.
Spellcasting Focus: You can use a druidic focus.
Cantrips: At 1st level, you know two Cantrips of your choice from the witch spell list, and may learn additional cantrips at higher level.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher: You know two 1st level spells of your choice from the witch spell list at 1st level.
Coven Spells: Each Coven has a list of spells that you gain at certain levels. Once you gain a Coven spell, you always know it, and it doesn't count against your total number of spells known. If you have a Coven spell that doesn't appear on the Witch spell list, the spell is nonetheless a Witch spell for you (Detect Poison and Disease; Entangle).
Witch's Coven Coven (Natural Magic):You gain the ability to more easily poison your enemies or heal your allies using various potions and salves. You gain proficiency in the Nature and Medicine skills if you do not already have them, you may craft poisons and potions in one-quarter the normal time and for one-quarter the normal gold cost, and when a poison or potion you made deals damage or restores hit points, you may add your Intelligence modifier to the damage or healing dealt. Additionally, your poisons ignore resistance to poison damage, and your poisons and potions deal an extra die of damage or healing.Natural Magic Adept Witch Spells:Mind Sliver /action/; Shillelagh /bonus action/Cantrips, Shield /reaction/; Witch Bolt /action/1st lvl Coven Spells:Detect Poison and Disease /action/ritual/; Entangle /action/1st lvl Hex Magic: Disguise Self /A/; Hex /BA/ Feats:You have practiced techniques useful in melee combat against spell casters, gaining the following benefits:
When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration.
You have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by creatures within 5 feet of you.
You drive a disorientating 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).
Components: V, S, M (mistletoe, a shamrock leaf, and a club or quarterstaff)
Duration: 1 minute
The wood of a club or a quarterstaff you are holding is imbued with nature’s power. For the duration, you can use your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon, and the weapon’s damage die becomes a d8. The weapon also becomes magical, if it isn’t already. The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon.
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Round
An invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile.
Components: V, S, M (a twig from a tree that has been struck by lightning)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target. Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage, and on each of your turns for the duration, you can use your action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically. The spell ends if you use your action to do anything else. The spell also ends if the target is ever outside the spell’s range or if it has total cover from you.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.
For the duration, you can sense the presence and location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 30 feet of you. You also identify the kind of poison, poisonous creature, or disease in each case.
The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground in a 20-foot square starting form a point within range. For the duration, these plants turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain.
A creature in the area when you cast the spell must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.
You make yourself – including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person – look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can’t change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you.
The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair.
To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.
You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. Also choose one ability when you cast the spell. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.
If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to curse a new creature.
A remove curse cast on the target ends this spell early.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 8 hours. When you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours.
Calling out into the misty air, holding a flask of holy water just in case, Nikol wanted to be certain that nothing had followed them back from the swamp...even if it was Ler. They had seen his body and buried him in holy ground. Yet, one can never be too careful. Stef was quick to follow his friend onto the front porch, conceding that Ler's miraculous return was more than feasible. Nikol's voice carried a fair distance, even reaching across the stagnant pond...but there was no response. Life continued on around them. Little insects buzzed and whizzled loudly on their way. The wind tickled the flimsy arms of towering willows, swaying them gently as they appeared all the more droopy and depressed. A peculiar albeit harmonious Blebb accompanied the croaks of lazy toads and whirping hoppers clinging desperately to their hiding spots. If one is small enough, the whole world seems a Deathtrap. Luckily, a calm had descended over the Isle of Vesper and this lonely nook at the heart of the swamp.
Of course, not all was peaceful and serene. Nikol and Stef heard the clamoring and cooing of a certain witch, scavenging knee-deep through the muck where she seemed at home. Glorp burbled infectiously as she ticked his belly, still obscenely distended from his last meal. Glurmpleblubblubmbloo!. Having found a little this and that while scouring for ingredients, Kosara focused on the peculiar twins. The loud and boisterous one, Laurie, had arrived with the group, while she had previously met Gennifer playing something of a gatekeeper initially. Laurie nodded at her comment, non enthused but seemingly all too aware of Hags and their affinity for Twins. "Aye, that is true. Although, fairly soon, I wager Hags will be the least of our worries."
Glorp cheerfully helped out when prompted, scrubbing the fresh bandages over his slimy fuzz like a well used rag before handing them back to Sara for a quick slapdash application over Beob's fresh wounds. Every little bit helps. Gennifer's eyes grew wide with fascination as she attempted to capture the likeness of Glorp in her doodle-book. Solene regarded Glorp to be more of a harmless pest, folding her arms as she looked on. The notion of going anywhere alone gave the Inkeep pause as she gauged whether Sara was actually serious or tossing in a pinch of sarcasm.
"Going after Meliskella alone would be folly." She said, turning to the group. "Mon pauvre Amie, Theo, would agree, no?" Seated on the ledge of the stage beside Noemie's corpse, grieving his sister's senseless demise, Theo's mind was adrift until he heard his name.
"The northern woods run afoul with her minions. Many of whom are fearsome in their own right. Nevertheless, ze blood of our good folk should be avenged...and there may be some innocent of ours that yet live. My dear Noemie would be heartbroken over ze siege of our home. Many we have known and loved are no more...but to fell a Hag is no easy thing, even if they are young and callow."
Nik didn't respond to Stef at first, other than an adjustment to his posture, making room in his personal space. He continued to stare out into the swamp long after it was clear there would be no response. Well, no response from Ler. He turned slightly, raising an eyebrow at the strange woman doing.. whatever it was she was doing. "It's a little late for that." he responded, too tired to spend more than a second contemplating what she would want it for.
"Some good, I hope. Or hoped. I don't know." After a moment, he sighed, and turned to Stef. He glanced down at the vial in his hand- he hadn't tested himself yet this morning, but he wasn't about to while he had an audience. The vial disappeared into a pocket. "Stef, there's something I need to tell you." he began, knowing he had to say something before anything else happened. Maybe not the whole truth, he wasn't ready for that. But Stef needed to start preparing himself for ... after. And yet, just the thought of speaking knotted his throat in a lump. He swallowed hard, and forced the words out as if each one were painful. "I should have told you sooner, and I'm sorry. I should have told you before we left home, but I didn't know how. I'm still... I'm still coming to terms with it myself. I'm... I'm dying, Stef. The amulet we took helps, but I don't know how much time it's bought me."
He searched Nik’s face, seeing only pain etched in the tightness around his mouth. He saw the ways Nik’s eyes fled from his only to alight again. The muscles in Nik’s neck were tense and his knuckles taut, his hair shaggy and hanging in his eyes, shadowing his gaze. Everything told Stef this wasn’t a lie or a trick, not that Nikol would do that to him. But if it wasn’t a lie, then what could it be?
He shook his head vehemently. “What? No. What are you saying? No, you’re not. You’re fine.”
Nik’s breathing wasn’t labored and his stance wasn’t feeble. He wasn’t coughing or drooling or anything else that a person who was dying might do. He looked pale, sure, but after what they all had been through, anyone would. Stef’s eyes were burning now, his gaze blurring. He ran a rough hand over his face. “No.”
Stef reached out urgently, patting down Nik’s chest and arms, pushing aside his coat, looking under his shirt, searching for some hidden wound.
“No, what are you talking about? You can’t be dying. You’re fine. You’re fine. You’re right here with me.”
Stefan Belasco
HP: 9/9 | AC 14 | PP: 20 | PI: 21 | Prof: +2 | Status: Normal
HD: 1/d8 | Feats/Traits: +1 to INT
Can read lips of creatures speaking a known language
+5 to Passive Perception
+5 to Passive InvestigationObservant Feat | Deal +1d6 damage if attacking with AdvantageSneak Attack |
Languages: Common, Mordentish, Thieves’ Cant
Nik pulled back from Stef's sudden, probing hands. "Please, stop." he asked, quietly. "It's not like that. It's... inside. Crawling through my veins, burrowing into my marrow. The night before I was supposed to leave, I... something happened. I nearly died then. Or maybe a part of me did die, and the rest is just slow to catch up. But it is happening."
Stef stepped back, abruptly. He balled up his fists, then shoved them into his jacket pockets.
“Inside? What are you talking about?”
His eyes were hard now, and his gaze flicked back and forth, searching Nik’s face. When he spoke again, his voice was low, bitter.
“You don’t look like you’re dying. You don’t act like you’re dying. You just carved a zombie in two back there. You jumped over the moat like it was nothing. You really don’t seem like you’re dying.”
He turned his head away, staring daggers back in the direction of the inn.
“Look, if you…if you’re trying to get rid of me, just…tell me. You don’t have to make up something like this.”
Stefan Belasco
HP: 9/9 | AC 14 | PP: 20 | PI: 21 | Prof: +2 | Status: Normal
HD: 1/d8 | Feats/Traits: +1 to INT
Can read lips of creatures speaking a known language
+5 to Passive Perception
+5 to Passive InvestigationObservant Feat | Deal +1d6 damage if attacking with AdvantageSneak Attack |
Languages: Common, Mordentish, Thieves’ Cant
On the accusation, Nik's jaw dropped in shock and hurt, but those quickly morphed into anger. "As long as we've known each other, and all we've been through together, that's who you think I am? Someone who could lie about this? Who could make this up?" He gave a sharp shake of his head. "I would have said that there is no-one that I'd rather have at my side than you, but if that's what you really think of me, maybe I should reconsider."
Stef’s head dipped, and he clenched a fist and pressed it to the bridge of his nose.
“No…no. You’re right.” His voice was rough. “You’re right, Nik. I didn’t mean that. I just said something stupid because…because I don’t know what to do with this.”
He scrunched up his face and tore away his hand.
“I’m sorry.” He turned to face Nikol again. “I get it. I understand. I didn’t want to tell you when something happened to me, so yeah, I get it. But…I mean, are you sure? There has to be something, a cure, a spell, a potion, something, don’t you think? It’s not like you’ve had time to check into everything.”
Stefan Belasco
HP: 9/9 | AC 14 | PP: 20 | PI: 21 | Prof: +2 | Status: Normal
HD: 1/d8 | Feats/Traits: +1 to INT
Can read lips of creatures speaking a known language
+5 to Passive Perception
+5 to Passive InvestigationObservant Feat | Deal +1d6 damage if attacking with AdvantageSneak Attack |
Languages: Common, Mordentish, Thieves’ Cant
"No, no! One cannot simply do that!" Looking around, perhaps these young bloods were not as seasoned as she first thought. "My goodness, ze Mists are far more dangerous than ze Sablet. Have you not heard of ze countless horrors, of ze monsters and undead scourge that dwell behind ze deep veils? Whether you travel by Land or Sea, it matters not...without a Ferrier, ze Mists will surely swallow you, body and soul, as it has a myriad of others."
"What ill-begotten soul of this world wouldn't know that?" Zain scoffed, eyeing Haas with suspicion.
Haas instinctually grew defensive, the hackles on the back of his neck raising in defiance. "I'm well acquainted with horror, monsters, and undead. I've been defending myself against them for... well for as long as I can remember. Also I was able to navigate the Mist just fine on my own when it brought me to this swamp." Suddenly feeling a bit foolish for the suggestion, he added, "Okay, maybe not 'just fine', but I made it here, didn't I? Anyway, it was only a suggestion..." He gave a slight nod to Laurie and Elias, grateful for their speaking in his defense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaniLore
"Had I known this wall was rigged, I would have put up safeguards against pesky patrons like you...No touching!" Lightly swatting the wildling's hand away, Solene appeared exasperated to say the least. "These are irreplicable, especially that one!"
Lifting a smirk as she nodded to the clay mask of the taciturn man, Solene folded her arms. "That, mon amie, is ze prized visage of ze illustrious Rudolph Van Richton."
Haas yanked his hand back, more surprised than anything at the swat. Eyeing the mask closer, he said, "Hnn... Did you know your illustrious Rudolph Van Richton, whoever that is, is also rigged?" Partly due to idle curiosity about a mask, any mask, and partly out of sheer spite in opposition to Solene's haughty indignation, the blood hunter reached out towards the mask once more. Grasping it firmly in one of his dirty hands he moved it slightly along the wall, activating the hidden mechanic. "There's a hidden lever behind him..."
+2 modifier on Survival checks vs tracking outsiders and aberrations.Dread Die
Features & Traits:Haunted One Background
Those who look into your eyes can see that you have faced unimaginable horror and that you are no stranger to darkness. Though they might fear you, commoners will extend you every courtesy and do their utmost to help you. Unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them, they will even take up arms to fight alongside you, should you find yourself facing an enemy alone.Heart of Darkness | You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.Keen Smell | You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track fey, fiends, or undead, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about such creatures.Hunter's Bane | You know one blood curse of your choice, detailed in the “Blood Curses” section at the end of the class description. You learn one additional blood curse of your choice at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. Each time you learn a new blood curse, you can also choose one of the blood curses you know and replace it with another blood curse.
Each time you use your Blood Maledict feature, you choose which curse to invoke from the curses you know. While invoking a blood curse, but before it affects the target, you can choose to amplify the curse by taking necrotic damage equal to one roll of your hemocraft die. This damage can’t be reduced in any way. An amplified curse gains an additional effect, noted in the curse’s description. Creatures that do not have blood are immune to blood curses unless you have amplified the curse.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You can use Blood Maledict twice between rests starting at 6th level, three times starting at 13th level, and four times starting at 17th level.Blood Maledict: 1/1 | Blood Curses:As a bonus action, you mark a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your turn, whenever you hit the cursed creature with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, you roll an additional hemocraft die when determining the extra damage from the rite.
Amplify. The next attack roll you make against the target before the end of your turn has advantage.Curse of the Marked | Feats:Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points.Tough | Dark Gifts:You are haunted by spiritual beings, whether the souls of the departed or entities from another plane. Their voices endlessly whisper, taunt, or cajole, sometimes rising to unearthly howls. Only you can perceive the spirits, unless you allow them to speak through you. The spirits are intangible and invisible; anyone who can see invisible creatures sees only fleeting glimpses of these spirits as they haunt you.
Spirit Whispers: You learn the Message cantrip if you don't already know it, and require no components to cast it. When you cast the spell, the messages are delivered by one of your whispering spirits rather than you or the target's voice. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Wisdom (your choice when you gain this Dark Gift).
Sudden Cacophony (1/1): When you are hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to channel your haunting spirits, letting their voices howl through you. If the attacker isn't deafened, add your proficiency bonus to your AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. Once this trait causes an attack to miss, you can't use the trait again until you finish a long rest.
Voices from Beyond (1/1): Immediately after you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw and roll a 1 on the d20, the haunting voices grow too loud to ignore. Roll on the Voices from Beyond table to determine the effect of these voices. Once one of these effects occurs, none of these haunting voices manifest again until you finish a short or long rest.
You have disadvantage on the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw you make.
You are deafened by the voices for 1 minute.
You are frightened of the creature closest to you, other than yourself, until the end of your next turn. If multiple creatures are closest, the DM chooses which creature you are frightened of.
Within the next 10 minutes, you can ask your spirits about the results of a specific course of action that you plan to take within the next 30 minutes. You can receive an omen as if you had cast the Augury spell. The omen manifests as whisperings from your spirits perceptible only to you.
Gathering Whispers Gear:+5 to-hit | 2d6+3 slashing damage
Martial, Heavy, Two-handedGreatsword | +3 to-hit | 1d8+1 piercing damage | Range: 80/320
Simple, Ammunition, Loading, Two-handedLight Crossbow | Medium Armor | AC +4 | Disadvantage on Stealh checksScale Mail | "It's the only thing left that ties me to wherever I came from... from... before." After a moment, he clarified. "My coat. Underclothes ripped to shreds. Boots were boiled down to fill my belly. Weapons and provisions I scavenged when and where I could in the Gravelands. But this coat..."
Looking down, he took a moment to appraise it himself. It was obvious the coat was quite fine, at one time. Tailored from the midnight black leather of an unknown animal, much of it surprisingly remained blemish-free. The seams at the epaulets had begun separate; the thread appeared to have been clumsily replaced with sinew. The edges of the collar and lapel had worn smooth and frayed in spots. There was a makeshift belt wrapped around his left arm at the elbow where it appeared the sleeve was barely attached anymore. But the leather itself, while weathered, appeared to be oiled and fairly clean, especially considering the man was mucking about the swamp in bare feet. All in, it was still a striking accent to the fierce warrior that wore it.
"I know it meant something. To my former self.""And so it means something to me" was how he wanted to finish that thought, but he couldn't seem to say the words out loud.Once-Fine Coat | Alchemist's Supplies, Bedroll, Mess Kit, Tinderbox, Torch (8), WaterskinPack | Crowbar, Hammer, Steel Mirror, Wooden Stake (9), Tinderbox, Torch (2)Chest | 130 gold piecesCoin Pouch Ability Scores & Saving Throws:+3 | +3STR 16 | +2 | +4DEX 14 | +3 | +3CON 17 | +1 | +3INT 13 | +3 | +3WIS 17 | +2 | +2CHA 14 Skill Proficiencies: Arcana (+3) | Athletics (+5) | Insight (+5) | Religion (+3) | Survival (+5) | Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields, Martial Weapons, Simple Weapons, Alchemist's SuppliesOther Proficiencies | Common, Primordial, Sylvan, UndercommonLanguages
Nik's jaw clenched, but then he sighed. "No. You're right. I haven't had a chance to look. That was going to be my next goal, before the mists took us. But it's pernatious. And... I think it might be my penance- for neglecting my duty."
Not wanting to discuss it anymore, he turned and grabbed the door handle behind him. "Let's go back inside. There's nothing out here."
I value stoicism and hide my emotions from everyone, including myself.
I speak of necessary sacrifices and the greater good, but when push comes to shove, my conscience gets the better of me.
Corpses don't bother me, and I think nothing of performing autopsies on my opponents or pocketing body parts for my own purposes.
Ideals
Knowledge: The pursuit of knowledge is virtuous in itself.
Realization of Potential: I must prove that the knowledge gained by Ludendorf University is worth what was sacrificed to attain it.
Bonds
I'm torn between the humble integrity of my family and the amoral intellectualism of the life I chose.
I lost my father years ago, but I still see him in guilty visions and recurring dreams.
Flaws
I have a superiority complex over where I came from and what I've accomplished, which masks an inferiority complex over where I came from and what I've accomplished.
I'm a skeptic and don't believe in the power of rituals, religion, superstition, or spirits.
Must use artisan's tools or thieves' tools as focus for spellcastingSpellcasting | Ship's Passage
Healer Magical Tinkering: 0 / 3Features | None Passed death saves: 0 / 3 Failed death saves: 0 / 3Conditions | Common
Gnomish
SylvanLanguages
For the briefest instant, Ida's fingertips grazed over Lena's skin - but that was all. Perhaps even that was delusion, another attempt to think she ever had a chance of averting the inevitable. Lena was doomed, had always been doomed, and all of Ida's effort, sacrifice, and clever attempts to squirm out of it had been wasted. It was vanity to deny the movement of the world's clockwork or the placement of its pieces. Ludendorf University should have taught her that.
Even now, she felt something in her trying to bargain. How weak her mind was. She recognized no gods, entertained no superstitions, but when her means failed her, she still plead the silent void. Even if it answered, what would it mean to save Lena? How much had already been paid for Lena's life, for naught? One battle after another. Ida's throat had been crushed. The bullywugs were massacred. Chickenbone was dying and Fort D'Tresse would claim his body - the one thing Bérenger had feared more than anything. Ez was gone and probably dead too. All so Lena could survive a few miserable hours before dying in the mud. Even if she was somehow saved from the fall, it would mean nothing. Another six seconds, give or take, before the sheriff or his deputies slaughtered them, and if not, then something else would arise to threaten her, again and again. What a pointless waste it had all been.
They hadn't even dealt with the blight.
It was illogical, emotional, and stupid. It went against all the principles she'd been taught at Ludendorf University. Not just to do it in the first place, but even more so to beg some abstract nonentity for aid - and most of all to accept such a bargain. All to deny the brutal truth of reality and demand an impossible happy ending for someone she'd met hours ago.
"Got you!" Ida cried as her hand grabbed Lena's in an iron grip. She gave a pained grunt as the rope went taut and her arms extended straight, supporting Lena's weight as they slid down towards the mud.
Even as they descended, something in Ida's mind protested - I can't believe I reached her, she was too far, that was impossible - but she pushed it away. She knew that under stress, the mind and body could push beyond their typical limits. She'd done it earlier that night when she'd uncollapsed her own trachea. Anyway, there was no time for doubt now. They'd only escaped death for a second - she'd need to act as soon as she hit the ground.