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The Age of Shadows Zero Suit Ridley's Big D&D4e Game I ran a game of D&D a few years ago. It was cool. It ran five years. There was a lot of fun had by all. But as happens with live games where you have a week between sessions, people missed a lot of things. Details and plot threads got forgotten, or glossed over. The game didn't go poorly, but I ended up realizing that a lot of the work I was putting into developing the background of the world was, with that group of players, not really going to pay off the way I wanted it to. Which sounds whiny, but really it ended up simplifying things for me. I still have all the rough notes and still know what the whole Thing was. Here is the campaign thingy, for quick reference. This is not repeat not a recruit. This is where the pre-selected players will be posting sheets, discussing character options, asking questions, or generally shooting the poo poo. (Spectators are also welcome to comment here if such a thing exists, once the game begins, anyway) Players: CuppaGodot - A swordmage. Arivia - A warlord, I think Eladrin was chucked 'round. Hashtags - A hexblade ProfessorCirno - a shifter fighter HiKaizer - A dwarf druid WinsonPaine Shardix - a human rogue MollyMetroid fucked around with this message at 15:02 on Jun 30, 2014 |
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Jun 30, 2014 04:16
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Making a warlord!
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Jun 30, 2014 04:19
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Oh right. Character creation: Level 1, standard array or 22 point buy. You can have a theme but run it by me just to make sure it's appropriate. Backgrounds per the phb...2 or 3, whichever one "introduced" them - so add a skill to your class skill list, add +2 to a skill, or that level of stuff. Inherent bonuses are yes. (The original document was written before literally anything but the core rules were out.)
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Jun 30, 2014 04:22
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Do we get any free feats for math fixes (melee training, expertise, improved defenses?) Any restrictions on setting-specific items, for example probably no dragonmarks or spellscars, but would it be okay to reflavour say the Oghma domain from the Neverwinter Campaign Setting?
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Jun 30, 2014 04:26
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Right - no dragonmarks, no spellscars. I ran this just fine without the math fixes being A Thing, but I guess in hindsight everyone took them so, have melee training and one expertise feat free. Oghma domain is fine - the setting here has one Bringer of Light but there are many orders within His church, so reflavor it to that, details can be worked out in specific.
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Jun 30, 2014 04:31
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 Ursula, the Rogue A product of the scummiest, nastiest back alley in the world. Filled with a low cunning and bereft of anything approaching higher learning or courtly manners, she makes her way in life dealing with the worst sorts of people and doing the ugliest kind of work. Any job considered too dirty for the Brotherhood of Lions to properly acknowledge is best pawned off on Ursula, who will happily fulfill it with a skip and a smile. Curiously naive and unjaded, considering her profession. 1. What kind of family situation did you experience growing up? Hardly what I'd call family. We lived in the slums, and I didn't own proper shoes til I beat a snotty little noble boy an took his boots. Mum spent most of her days inna brothel earnin coin so me da could drink and gamble it away. When I were five, I got put to work as a scullery maid, and me old man made it clear he expected me to join the back rooms meself when I was older an support him. Model citizens, aye. 2. What is your most vivid childhood memory? First time I took a baf. Were maybe seven, got got by a constable when I were skulking around the fancy districts, figgered me for a pickpocket right away. Affer he told me off, the ol' bastard dragged me to his home and tol the wife to heat up a tub. Mean ol' lady tosses me right in and scrubbed me down. Yowled like a tomcat the whole time. Were kinda nice to not have me hair stickin to me head, though. Even went so far as to gimme some old clothes what their boy was too grown up to wear. Sent me along with a warnin, and me old man whopped me good for thievin the one time I didn't. Anyway a few years later that ol' constable got shivved in a alley. Found the guy wot did it and I still wear parts of him on me belt. 3. During your childhood, one vivid memory that has stuck with you is the time you saw a tall cloaked stranger watching you from a distance. You felt as though he were weighing you, judging your worth, but before you could say anything to anyone else, or approach the stranger, he was gone. Though you did not get a clear look at his features, you did see that he was missing three fingers on his left hand. What were you doing when you saw this man? Did you tell anyone about the experience, and if so, who? What emotions did you feel when you saw him? Were stealin a chicken from the market. Was mostly home when I turn a blind corner and see this bloke at the far end, dressed all fancy inna hood and such. Made some kinna gesture wiv a maimed hand so's I ducked back the way I came. When I poke my head out again 'e's gone. Never mentioned it. Struck me as a willworker; best pretend you don' see whatever trouble they're brewin. Liable to turn you inna a toad or some'n. 4. What is your greatest regret from your youth, the one thing you would go back and change if you were given the opportunity? Nah stabbing me old man sooner. Next to that? Missin his 'eart. 5. What is your current relationship with your family like? Do you still have any living family members? What happened to them, if not? Me da's busy gettin lost in drink and cursin me name, and ma's busy makin more bastards and too mad from the syphilis to notice or care where I got off too. Most of me acquaintances are fillin graves or prisons these days. The rest have scattered to the winds and hardly what I would call "friends" besides. 6. How did you come to join the Brotherhood of Lions? So's this job wen bad and I'm trekking cross country wiv about five crossbow bolts stuck in me when I finally fall over and give up the ghost. Next thing I know this fancy lookin lady is kneelin over me cuttin the bolts out wiv a knife and I'm feverish an seein things and generally a right mess. So's I'm cryin and carryin on and calling her an angel and swearin I'll follow her to the end ov the earth if she just saves me life and just makin a big drat fool of meself. Least that's what Salariel says happened an she ain't no liar so I guess I'm not much to see when death comes knockin. Wish she didn have to spread that story around though, I got me pride. So anyway I work wiv this Bruvverhood now until Salariel says to piss off. 7. What is your favorite thing in the world? This could be a possession, a person, a kind of food, a place, rainy days — anything, just whatever you like more than anything else. Sittin up somewhere away from everyone and jus havin some peace and quiet for a change. Everywhere I been it's nuffin but noise all day, all night. Can't nobody jus shut up for five minutes. 8. What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years? On the arm a some rich person what buys me expensive chocolates n jewelry n clothes n makeup n such. I mean I like me work, whether robbin folk or doin whatever Gwydion needs done but there's somethin to be said for knowin where your next meal is gonna be. Gotta be some fancy noble out there whats keen to share a bed with a dumb knife rat. Maybe learn how to read. See all these folk talkin up how books make ya smart an I guess it wouldn be bad to see what all the fuss is about. 9. What frightens you most? Turnin' into me old man. I like drinkin and gamblin more'n I oughtta. Tol Lilia about it once, she dun gimme my pay all up front anymore no matter how much I pout. 10. How did you spend your pay after the last engagement? Bought this fancy knife what flips open and you can do all kinds of tricks wiv it, just flashy as can be. Set me back a pretty copper but even Salariel looked impressed and don't nuffin about me impress her much that I can tell. Shardix fucked around with this message at 21:44 on Jun 30, 2014 |
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Jun 30, 2014 06:07
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 Isaiah A simple man from the country, thrust into unfortunate circumstances and tragedy as a child. Quiet and distant, but friendly. Likes to read in his off time. 1. What kind of family situation did you experience growing up? It was alright, I guess. We didn't have much, but who did? My brother and I had a whole countryside to run around in and ruin. It was a simple, but good life. 2. What is your most vivid childhood memory? One day, me and my brother were out playing in the woods when all of a sudden it got real dark, like night had falled. Problem is, it was mid morning. The shadows came to life and swarmed around us, and I could hear something horrible giggling the whole time. They closed in; I jumped out of the way, but my brother wasn't so lucky. They pulled him into the forest. I could see glowing eyes shining behind him, mocking me as they took him away. I was too scared to move. I haven't seen him in over 25 years. 3. During your childhood, one vivid memory that has stuck with you is the time you saw a tall cloaked stranger watching you from a distance. You felt as though he were weighing you, judging your worth, but before you could say anything to anyone else, or approach the stranger, he was gone. Though you did not get a clear look at his features, you did see that he was missing three fingers on his left hand. What were you doing when you saw this man? Did you tell anyone about the experience, and if so, who? What emotions did you feel when you saw him? I was drifting through the city looking for work at the young age of sixteen - the youngest I could legally be kicked out by my parents. They thought I'd murdered my brother. I didn't have any proof to the contrary, and they didn't have any proof that I did, so they begrudgingly kept me around until they could get rid of me. Bah. I'd just picked up a flyer from a job board and was heading to meet the petitioner when I saw him. I just stood there and stared back, bewildered; what was I going to do? I didn't have anyone I could trust to tell, and I sure as hell wasn't going to approach him. Someone ran into me on the street while I was staring, and after I'd apologized, the man had gone. It was creepy. It reminded me of those eyes from the forest that day. I don't think I'll ever forget it. 4. What is your greatest regret from your youth, the one thing you would go back and change if you had the opportunity? That I stood by, terrified and helpless, as my brother was spirited away by the fey. 5. What is your current relationship with your family like? Do you still have any living family members? What happened to them, if not? My parents are divorced, but both still live in Versain. I haven't spoken to them in years. I wouldn't believe they were even alive if ma didn't send those scathing cards every holiday - it's Versain tradition to keep in touch with family, you see. I don't recognize Versain tradition, and the cards always manage to find their way into the fireplace. Funny how that happens. 6. How did you come to join the Brotherhood? When I was twenty-four, I lucked into some good work: one of the Brotherhood had put up a notice looking for someone to cut firewood for the company. The pay was insane; I couldn't ignore it. When the job was done, they offered me another. They said they were impressed by how hard I worked and how quickly I'd finished; they, one of the most prestigious groups in the kingdom, wanted me to join their mercenary band. How could I say no? 7. What is your favorite thing in the world? This could be a possession, a person, a kind of food, a place, rainy days—anything, just whatever you like more than anything else. A knife my brother made me when we were little. It's a crude little thing, just a little sharp stone tied to a branch he'd whittled down, but it's a sentimental thing, you know? 8. What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years? In five years, I hope to be among the very top members of the Brotherhood. Better pay, maybe an office job. Not that I don't enjoy what I do now, I just want to be able to settle down at some point. In ten years, maybe I can do that - if I'm not run through with a sword, first. Aside from that, I haven't done any woodcarving since I left Versain. It'd be nice to pick it up again; maybe next time I'm on break. 9. What frightens you most? The fey. Everything about them is just eerie. 10. How did you spend your pay after the last engagement? I bought a new sharpening stone and saved the rest. It's always nice to have some backup cash. Hashtag Yoloswag fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Jul 1, 2014 |
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Jun 30, 2014 06:14
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Dwarf Druid
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Jun 30, 2014 06:46
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Carlie Whiteclaw 1. What kind of family situation did you experience growing up? I am of the Whiteclaw Pack; a group of shifters who live somewhat isolated in the northern mountains. It is believed that it takes the whole pack to raise a child, and thus, dissimilar to those of you not beast-touched, I grew of no single parenthood, but rather a whole host of uncles, aunts, and cousins. I was taught the important things of life from this extended family - hunting, meditation, worship, fighting, swimming, and all other such things. Of all I was at my best in combat, and so when I reached the proper age, I fell under more specialized training in swordplay to best guard the sacred places until my premonition. 2. What is your most vivid childhood memory? I'm unsure if it counts under "childhood" but it is very easily the most vivid. It was the day I beheld my vision. T'were in late spring, when the heat had begun to rise; a packmate I was fond of and I had finished sparing and were resting near a river and waterfall, enjoying the bounty the spirits had left us of fresh, cool water, and some fish. As we sat I stared into the waterfall, but my eyes widened as I began to view all manner of sights upon it's water. The spirits showed me, sword and shield, striding across strange and unfamiliar lands. Afore I all manner of foes, both beasts and men, some clad in armor and waving flags, others , and some few wearing vestments of blasphemy. To my flanks were warriors as myself, but none AS myself. Those not of the woods, the humans or elves or dwarves. I saw myself raise blade and charge, and then all was finished. I spoke excitedly with my packmate of this vision, and the two of us returned to the camp to discuss it with the shaman most knowledgeable about such matters. She confirmed indeed that the spirits had sent a message; that I would leave the pack behind and journey into the lands beyond the mountain to seek what was asked of me. And so I did. And so I am here. 3. During your childhood, one vivid memory that has stuck with you is the time you saw a tall cloaked stranger watching you from a distance. You felt as though he were weighing you, judging your worth, but before you could say anything to anyone else, or approach the stranger, he was gone. Though you did not get a clear look at his features, you did see that he was missing three fingers on his left hand. What were you doing when you saw this man? Did you tell anyone about the experience, and if so, who? What emotions did you feel when you saw him? Yes, it was before my premonition, when I was curiously alone near a very special lake. The spirit of the lake had always been a calming one, and it was a popular place for meditation; it was anathema to shed blood there, so one could appreciate the myriad forms of nature as animals came to drink or feed. What shocked me most was that he had managed to reach even that distance without me knowing. I assumed it to be a spirit for it's silence. When later I returned to the pack I asked if such a spirit was known, but none had heard of it. I shrugged it away; I may follow the old ways, the true ways, but I am still no shaman, and not all the spirits do are known to me. 4. What is your greatest regret from your youth, the one thing you would go back and change if you were given the opportunity? There are several regrets I hold from leaving my home, mostly of acts undone. We are taught to keep our emotions bound outside of battle, least the animal spirit inside us escapes to rage against family and friends. Unfortunately, that lead to me second guessing myself somewhat often. I am a warrior; I am skilled in combat, not...talking. So yes, many things that went unsaid, I would say given the chance. I also never learned to play music. I'd like to do that, some day. I've heard the spirits enjoy dancing around those skilled who play the right instrument in the sacred places. 5. What is your current relationship with your family like? Do you still have any living family members? What happened to them, if not? While I rarely see my extended family, I exchange letters with them quite often and sends money home when I can. They send letters back in turn, and each is a blessing to read. 6. How did you come to join the Brotherhood of Lions? I walked in and requested to. Their symbol was the one seen in my premonition for those who stood beside me. I was chosen to join them, and so I hunted through the nearest city until I found them to do so. 7. What is your favorite thing in the world? This could be a possession, a person, a kind of food, a place, rainy days — anything, just whatever you like more than anything else. My clan. All that I am is from them. All that I do is as they taught me. All that I will be is to their service. Though I grow homesick at times, I can read the letters they send me and, instantly, I am back amongst our woods, swimming in the lakes with cousins, and sparing in the snow with...more favored members. 8. What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years? To one day return home. But not until my task is complete. Perhaps, then, to learn of what my true task is, that I may complete it. 9. What frightens you most? I have an...aversion, to thunder. 10. How did you spend your pay after the last engagement? I sent the lion's share of it back home, as is proper. The remainder went to simple living expenses. I cannot imagine how the others go through so much money, so quickly. WISH LIST 1-5 LEVEL 1: Restful Bedroll, Headband of Perception LEVEL 2: Acrobat Boots, Dwarven Scale Armor, Belt of Vigor LEVEL 3: Rain of Hammers Ki Focus, Mercurial Mind LEVEL 4: Battlecrazed Bastard Sword, Gauntlets of Blood, Counterstrike Guards, Climb the Giant LEVEL 5: Amulet of Life, Know the Path Man, level 4 has SO much good stuff ProfessorCirno fucked around with this message at 09:55 on Jul 16, 2014 |
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Jun 30, 2014 07:37
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Edited my post. Tell me if the accent is too much.
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Jun 30, 2014 12:41
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Shardix looks good you need theme and background though.
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Jun 30, 2014 15:04
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pre:Lucky Haskins, level 1 Halfling, Bard Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning Background: Circus Performer (Thievery class skill) FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 10, Con 11, Dex 12, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 18. STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 10, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 16. AC: 17 Fort: 10 Reflex: 15 Will: 15 HP: 23 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5 TRAINED SKILLS Arcana +8, Bluff +9, Thievery +7, Diplomacy +9, Streetwise +9 UNTRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +6, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +3, Heal +3, History +7, Insight +3, Intimidate +8, Nature +3, Perception +3, Religion +7, Stealth +6, Athletics +3 FEATS Bard: Ritual Caster Level 1: Bard of All Trades POWERS Bard at-will 1: Staggering Note Bard at-will 1: Vicious Mockery Bard encounter 1: Blunder Bard daily 1: Stirring Shout ITEMS Ritual Book, Adventurer's Kit, Chainmail, Short sword, Light Shield, Wand Implement, Lute RITUALS Glib Limerick, Dancing Lights
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Jun 30, 2014 20:58
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WIP Kalgad Dwarven Druid 1. What kind of family situation did you experience growing up? Kalgad was the eldest son of his family, so there was a lot of pressure and expectation that he would take over the family bakery. His habit of exploring and playing outside was encouraged and accepted when he was young and a child, but as he grew to the age where he was expected to begin learning the trade things became tense. Kalgad kept on spending time with the hunters and foresters much to the increasing displeasure of his parents. Despite spending a lot of time outside, he still managed to pick up a fair amount of knowledge on baking. His parents were kind and patient, but the dwarven values in tradition and family duty placed a great strain on them in raising Kalgad. 2. What is your most vivid childhood memory? The day that I had a particularly heated argument with my parents, where they said that it was my duty to settle down, marry, have a family and bake bread. I yelled at them, before finally finishing with "No!" Before that I had been toying a bit with the old magicks, but when I froze the stove solid everyone went silent, including me. 3. During your childhood, one vivid memory that has stuck with you is the time you saw a tall cloaked stranger watching you from a distance. You felt as though he were weighing you, judging your worth, but before you could say anything to anyone else, or approach the stranger, he was gone. Though you did not get a clear look at his features, you did see that he was missing three fingers on his left hand. What were you doing when you saw this man? Did you tell anyone about the experience, and if so, who? What emotions did you feel when you saw him? I saw him while I was out exploring, back when I first started hearing and feeling things from the land and things living on it. I remember that I felt confused, and maybe a little bit of pity. Losing so many fingers was just as bad as losing an entire hand. I wondered if he had been sent to find me by my parents for a moment, but then he disappeared and I figured he was just a traveller. What was he doing in the Hinterlands? He was strange, but he was not intimidating and did not inspire fear so I remain confused as to who he was to this day. 4. What is your greatest regret from your youth, the one thing you would go back and change if you were given the opportunity? There was a puppy I found abandoned and dead in the cold rain the night I came to the first town outside of the village I grew up in. No one cared about the young animal, but it had a simple leather collar and had belonged to someone. I wished I knew who had abandoned it, so I could confront them about it and betraying its trust. 5. What is your current relationship with your family like? Do you still have any living family members? What happened to them, if not? Mum and dad are still alive, and being dwarves they are probably going to be for some time. As far as I know my younger brother took over the business but dad still helps him out. My sister got married and she has a second child on the way, I write letters from time to time although my sister is the only one who still talks to me. I want to make up with the others, but I don't know what to say and I don't know how to get them to accept and forgive me. 6. How did you come to join the Brotherhood of Lions? My acceptance into the Brotherhood was mostly a matter of resigned reality. I began following them around because they kept going to places with war and conflict, those places where I felt a need to help out and try to heal the land. I had never seen a mercenary company before, so I was curious about it and just kept hanging around. I could feed myself and did not mind sleeping rough, and after false threats failed to get rid of me they gave up and let me on board. They managed to teach me how to fight pretty quickly actually, my magic is apparently good at fighting. That itself makes me think a little... 7. What is your favorite thing in the world? This could be a possession, a person, a kind of food, a place, rainy days—anything, just whatever you like more than anything else. It feels kind of embarrassing to admit it, but I did actually enjoy cooking with my family and smelling the rising bread or baking pies. I don't really know how to cook anything complicated, but I enjoy the smell of good food cooking and being served. 8. What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years? I don't really think much about the future. What happens, happens and there isn't much use in dwelling on it. I guess finding someone to spend the rest of my life with would be nice, but I don't hold much hope in finding someone who will understand and accept me. Beyond that I would like to reconcile with my family one day. 9. What frightens you most? The way people in large towns and cities become oblivious to each other, and thus stop caring about the people around them. I cannot understand how you can live so close to someone and be so distant. 10. How did you spend your pay after the last engagement? I bought some new travelling clothes and a backpack. Now that I need to carry more things around I find that having something to carry them in is useful. Plus having warm clothes is pleasant when travelling in cold or wet weather. HiKaizer fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Jul 2, 2014 |
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Jul 1, 2014 07:06
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Let's get some details down here lads and lasses.
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Jul 14, 2014 02:39
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oh gently caress poo poo. Ok two requests: one: when you edit a post in here guys let me know by just y'know, posting that you did. Two: ITEM WISH LISTS. God. I need item wishlists. Give me like, three to five items per level that you want. Bear in mind that INHERENT BONUSES mean you don't need to mathfix items so much, so go for cool poo poo.
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Jul 14, 2014 02:58
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Khalgad Further WIP The old magicks are not common but they run deep in all races. Sometimes people will assume only Elves and Humans tend towards them, that they have some kind of greater innate connection to the land than other races. Those people are mistaken of course, and a dwarf being a druid is no less or more common than any other person being a druid. Khalgad was born in the hinterlands, away from the bowels of the earth and the mountain kingdoms of his people. His father and mother both spoke the tongue of the mountain at home and there were other dwarves in their village. Not many but a few, so he learned the tongue fluently even if his accent was a little odd. Instilled in him were also the virtues, the lessons and the duties of the mountainfolk and of his role in the family as the eldest son. Khalgad learned this lessons well and did want to follow through in his fathers footsteps to be a baker, the only problem was that he felt the tug of other responsibilities. In his 12th year he began to learn the craft of his parents, simple bakers, in the goal that he would one day take up the business from his parents and run it. He would be married, raise children and lead a quiet but content life. However while he had been allowed relatively free reign to run around and play in the woods and fields close to home until then, his parents did not take kindly to his apparent lack of dedication and insistence on continuing to do so. Khalgad hung around foresters, hunters and other people in the village who worked with nature and picked up a surprising amount from then. By the time he was 14 he had begun to manifest his druid magic, although he was careful to hide his experiments and practised alone in the woods. But things continued to grow strained with his parents until one day in the heat of an argument he unintentionally froze their hearth cold with his magic. Things became much clearer to his parents after that, but there was now an irreconcilable rift between himself and his family. They still loved him, and Khalgard loved them, but his father and mother felt betrayed and his brother resented being forced into his older siblings footsteps. It would be many years until his older sister would begin to open up to him, and so after a few months of growing awkward tension Khalgard left one night and never came back. He was 15 but he was used to being out in the wilds and he had magic and intuition to help him. There were druids near where he lived and so he learned as he went, sometimes painfully both from the wilds and from people. Khalgard soon learned not to mention who and what he was to people in towns and pretended to be a wanderer or hunter instead. Such pretences never lasted too long and so he never lingered in one place. By the time he was 30 Khalgard had became more world-wise and understood unpleasant facts, such as the realities of crime, war and other such black shadows of civilisation. He had already had to kill several times in self defence, and while he did not enjoy the experience he had come to accept it would sometimes be necessary. One day Khalgad came across the ruins of a battlefield, where the earth had been trodden and drenched in blood. He stood there for some time trying to heal the earth and coax life back from it. This made him consider things in a different way for the first time in his life. When he came across the Brotherhood of the Lions it made him think about two things.
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Jul 14, 2014 08:05
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Ursula's Wishlist level 1: Burglar's Gloves, Belt of Resilience level 2: Vistani Eye level 3: Sylvan leather armor, Executioner's Bracers level 4: Shielding Blade, level 5: Bag of Holding, Thieving weapon
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Jul 16, 2014 04:23
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DONE.
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Jul 16, 2014 07:16
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Valanna, Eladrin Wizard 1. What kind of family situation did you experience growing up? The most important event of Valanna's childhood happened when she was still too young to remember it: The daughter of a duke, her uncle Antarion kidnapped her and framed one of her aunts for murder in a successful plot to inherit the title that is rightfully hers. When her survival was discovered by the court wizard, it was too late to reveal the plot, so he took her and fled to human lands under a new identity (he ritually discarded his old name and styled himself Septimus), as much to save his own life as hers, and raised her like his own daughter. Despite all this strife, her formative years were quite peaceful, even idyllic. An eager student of magic (for her adoptive father made his living as a teacher), she had all the books she could read and the knowledge of her ducal birth - what more could a girl want? 2. What is your most vivid childhood memory? A rainy summer's afternoon. Teased to the point of tears over something that surely only makes sense to children, she ran home. To cheer her up, Septimus brewed her tea, magically sweetened with the spell Prestidigitation, and revealed her true heritage to her, starting from how he was not truly her father - it must remain a secret, of course. 3. What were you doing when you saw that one guy? Valanna always helped out with her father's school, and that help was most appreciated when new students would begin their lessons in the autumn. One year, Septimus took on too many pupils, and due to the weather they had all arrived at once, and she saw the cloaked man near the back of the crowd, watching her intently. In all the bustle she could not give him much thought save that he must be one of the new arrivals, but he left without being accommodated like the others. She mentioned him to Septimus, who, although he agreed he was probably not sent by Duke Antarion, nevertheless later decided to redouble his vigilance and admit far fewer pupils in the following years. 4. What is your greatest regret from your youth, the one thing you would go back and change if you were given the opportunity? "Youth" is a relative term for the long-lived Eladrin, who may ease their way into adulthood as they wish. About four years ago, Valanna was talking with her best friend (in fact her only close friend) Eliza, about their dreams for the future. Eliza was leaving Septimus' school, having exhausted the master's curriculum (not the extent of his knowledge, just of what he was willing to teach for money), and setting out on a journey in search of the legendary Scholomance. Valanna revealed that she longed to reclaim her secret birthright and become the duchess she was born to be. Several months after Eliza departed, assassins evidently sent by the duke descended upon the school, burning it down and slaying Septimus. Valanna escaped with her life - but she could not help but wonder, had Eliza sold her out? She came to regret trusting anyone with her secret, much less someone with such naked ambition. 5. What is your current relationship with your family like? She had a warm and trusting relationship with her adoptive father, Septimus, who was recently murdered. The only living relative she knows of is his killer, her uncle, Duke Antarion, who would kill her too, to protect the throne he usurped, if he could only find her. She may have allies among the ducal family, depending on their own opinion of him, but she has never met them. 6. How did you come to join the Brotherhood of Lions? After fleeing the burning wreckage of her home with a few meager possessions, Valanna needed both money and a place to lay low. Rather than follow in her father's footsteps as a tutor and risk drawing attention to herself, she joined a mercenary band (making sure they were not the ones who'd been hired to attack her home, of course!). It was a logical decision: Her considerable magical talent would be valuable, her pursuers would find it difficult to reach her even if they could find her, and she could find formidable allies among her compatriots to help seek revenge. 7. What is your favorite thing in the world? Books, sweet things, and being left alone to enjoy them both in peace. 8. What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years? In five years, Valanna wants to be alive. In ten years, she wants to be the Duchess... but she can be patient. 9. What frightens you most? Trusting someone completely. The possibility that she was the one who gave away her family secret. Duke Antarion. 10. How did you spend your pay after the last engagement? Saved the biggest part of it - someday she may need to hire the Brotherhood, after all. The most recent issue of the Journal of the Arcanists' Society of Meiren, in which any wizard who can bear the thought of sharing their research does so, in pursuit of the greatest scientific mysteries of this age. Spell components for an ongoing experiment, a continuation of one of Septimus', which she hopes to publish (albeit anonymously) in the same journal when finished. The fee of a discreet private investigator monitoring for any sign or rumor of Eliza. Three novels and two dozen gnomish honey cakes (exquisite! the baker must be a genius!) to be rationed carefully until the next payday. Various sundries. Magic item wishlist: Level 1: Blessed Book, Amulet of Protection, ritual books for Unseen Servant and Fastidiousness Level 2: Reading Spectacles, Repulsion Armor, Lesser Cloaked Dagger, ritual books for Eye of Alarm and Last Sight Vision Level 3: Lightning Wand, Gloves of Piercing Level 4: Wildrunners
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Jul 17, 2014 22:52
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