vengeance Bellana, the good slip

[eriktd]

Bellana               Map Token  Character Generation Ability Scores: 20 point buy Strength: 7 (–2 Racial) = 5 Dexterity: 12 (+2 Racial) = 14 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 18 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 8 (+2 Racial) = 10 Race: Halfling Alternate Racial Traits: Creepy Doll, Fey Thoughts (Perception, Stealth), Halfling Jinx, Shadowplay Gender: Female Age: 20 + 8 = 28 Height: 2' 6"+ 2 in = 2' 8" Weight: 25lb+ (2 × 1lb) = 27lb Class: Wizard [Spell Sage] 1 / Variant Multiclass Witch 1 Favored Class: Wizard Favored Class Bonus: HP × 1 Traits: Occult Bargain (Drawback); Focused Mind, Reactionary; Campaign Trait: Good Slip. Skill Ranks: 2 + Int mod+4 = 6 Skills Trained: Bluff [1 rank], Knowledge (arcana) [1 rank], Knowledge (local) [1 rank], Perception [1 rank], Spellcraft [1 rank], Stealth [1 rank]. Background Skill Ranks: 2 Skills Trained: Appraise [1 rank], Knowledge (nobility) [1 rank]. Feats: Combat Expertise <GM Bonus — Free>, Iron Will, Spell Focus (Necromancy) <Wizard 1>, Versatile Jinx <GM Bonus — Advancement>. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome Spells Known: Cantrips— all; 1st— charm person, infernal healing, keep watch, mage armor, obscuring mist, ray of sickness, reduce person. Patron: Jynx Hit Points: Max (d6) + Con mod+2 + Favoured Class Bonus+1 = 9 Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10gp = 70gp  Equipment Starting Gear Cost Source Spellbook 15 gp Core Traveler's outfit 5 gp Core   Adventuring Gear Cost Source Backpack 2 gp Core Belt Pouch 1 gp Core Ink and pen 8 gp, 1 sp Core Spell components pouch 5 gp Core Wooden doll 1 gp     Magical Gear Cost Source scroll of reduce person, x2 50 gp Core   Funds Remaining: 29 sp       3 Rova 4715   I must write down what has happened while my mind is still clear— though I don't know how long it will last! It is difficult to compose my thoughts, but I must try if only to remind myself the sequence of events. Perhaps it is strange to turn to a diary, since I have never kept any sort of journal before— but lately I have felt unusually verbose, with a much greater command of the written word, and so this seems a fitting medium for this account, what might turn out to be either a confession or a warning. I do not know the name my mother gave me, but since I was born nearly forty years ago I have always answered to “Bellana,” sometimes shortened to plain “Bella.” Before I was old enough to remember I was sent to work here at the manor of Lord Jero Leroung, as is my rightful place as a halfling in Cheliax. I was well suited to my position, working as a scullery and then a ladies’ maid for Lord Jero and his guests. I did not know then what I know now, that Lord Jero’s grandfather backed House Thrune during the civil war and so his descendants have been allowed to retain their hold on the property separately from their overlord (currently Archbaron Fex). The only remaining heir, Lord Jero is known to be a reclusive, bookish dilettante with a special interest in magic and alchemy, though too unfocused to achieve anything great. Like many idle aristocrats he keeps a library of mystic tomes that is more for show than serious study. Only his servants know the truth about Lord Jero: that every few years since he was a young man and came into his inheritance, he has adopted a young girl to become his heir, usually an orphan girl of Chelaxian descent who has distinguished herself by demonstrating her high intelligence in school. Lord Jero brings his charge to his manor in secret, and spends several weeks making her believe that all this will be hers. When he grows tired of her, he tells her that she has been bad and that he must punish her, and then tortures her to death. Like the other slaves at Leroung Manor, I have been sworn to secrecy on these matters, with the promise that worse would happen to me if I should ever disrupt the master’s game. I always knew without a doubt that there was nothing I could do to stop these horrors from occurring again and again. It has often fallen to me to clean the chambers after the master was finished, a daunting task— though I try not to think about it as I work. The furnishings and former possessions of each of his daughters always remain for the new girls to discover, and I have had to work especially hard to make sure they are ready. One of the items that stays behind after the girls have gone is a doll— a toy for a young girl. The master's children are usually a little older and uninterested in such play, but the master typically dresses it to look like his daughter, and it watches while he punishes her. I shudder to think what terrifying things that doll has seen! I think about that doll a lot, I must admit. Many nights I have found myself sneaking into the empty room and sitting with the doll. It surprises me sometimes how much it looks like me. I began to have dreams about the doll— dreams where I sat and watched as the doll did things: it read books, as I turned the pages for it; I brought it tea and cakes and poured for it while we pretended to have a delightful party, just the two of us; or it stared out the window like it was praying. Soon, I even began to have dreams where the doll left the room and was gone for hours before finally coming back, whereupon it told me all about its adventures in the house or garden. This is when I realized that something was happening to me. I was changing— I began to think things, know things, that I never knew before. I came to recognize that I possess the power to force my will upon the world, and through incantations bend and shape forces from beyond the confines of this world. I felt a great hunger within my belly, a lust for power that grew as my understanding of what I could achieve increased. I began to hear voices— or perhaps it was just one voice— instructing me in the arcane arts. My nights sitting alone in the haunted room while the doll explored the manor were occupied with formulae and runes. And the voices would tell me other things, too, things that I remembered so vividly when I awoke that it was almost as if I had said them myself. They told me that the murdered girls wanted the baron to join them in the room again, because they weren't done playing yet. They told me it was their turn to play with him! That night I watched as I lured Lord Jero into the room, knocked him out with his own dose of drow poison, and chained him. I could not look away while I— I— But it was not me! It was the doll! And it was well-deserved, I must never forget that. The next day, I found the master dead just as I had dreamed. He looked just like the girls always looked when I went to clean the room. Because it was my job, I got to work, but as I scrubbed it occurred to me that the manor now belonged to those little girls, and that I was their representative, one of the only ones who knew what had happened. It fell to me to convince the other slaves that it was best to continue as if nothing had changed. No one ever visited Lord Jero, so no one would know that he was dead. And so, I began to spend my days reading and practicing magic, a servant no longer. The rest of the house staff is terrified! The voices have not stopped, though these days they sound more and more like my own voice, crying out that it is tired and lonely and that it wants to leave this place. But I have devised a plan that should quiet it down: there is a human woman in Longacre named Cimri Staelish. Her aunt Petra came to work at the manor thirty years ago, and died here when the master could not control himself in her presence. She still watches over her family— even her sister Rhona whom she detests— and she knows that Cimri is planning something big at Ash House with a new friend from out of town. They are looking for mercenaries to do a job, and I believe helping her is destined to lead to greater things. What was I doing? Enough of this foolishness. I have better things to do than writing in this book. I must seek out Cimri and encourage her rebellion against her aunt. Whatever she is planning, it has to be better than sitting around here for eternity.   Previous images

Edited October 17, 2023 by eriktd
Modified images to make them less childlike (see edit history)

[eriktd]

I think Bellana is ready for checking, @iantruesilver!

Edited September 29, 2023 by eriktd (see edit history)

[iantruesilver]

Thank you for putting up the effort to complete an application @eriktd. At this point I will be open and honest with you, this application will not be accepted, for the following reasons.

 

Primarily and most importantly, while I understand the character write up is for a halfling, the image provided for this application very much says otherwise. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, so I showed my wife and asked "does this image look like a halfling?" And without being prompted, she replied "No, it looks like a child."

 

In any other campaign that might be okay, but the application is for a Hells Vengeance AP, which is in and of itself an evil campaign already. Add ambiguously child-like imagery into the mix, and my first concern would be the possibility of skirting the MW rules a little too closely for comfort.

 

The second reason is in relation to the information you provided in private. That in itself is enough for me to say, I don't care to know what it's about, and I don't need to find out. I know what that's like, as I have similarly had some tough discussions myself with other community members, with varying results. But your business is your own, and I need not be a part of it.

 

Finally, while I personally enjoy good horror fiction and writings relating to crime, this piece may hit a little close to home for some. Don't get me wrong, I want to stress that I had enjoyed the read thoroughly. It's just that, while you were careful in leaving out some of the details, the whole story has a very… disturbing overtone, which some may find unsettling.

 

I completely realize that this makes me sound very much like a hypocrite, because "hey, you're the one who's running an evil campaign, and so why are you accusing me of giving you quality evil content?" Trust me, I do so want to agree with that assertion. I don't personally like watered down shit myself either.

 

Had it been that one reason alone, I would've probably accepted this application. But at this point, considering all the information so far, I would have to say no. I wish you the best of luck in finding a suitable game for your efforts and your play style.

[eriktd]

I appreciate your explaining your thinking, @iantruesilver, thanks! All fair points, though let me assure you that my primary goal with Bella's image was for her to look like a creepy doll, because she has the creepy doll racial trait. Everything else I found looked too much like famous horror movie characters and ventriloquism dolls! I think it's good to be extra-careful about Myth-Weavers' rules and I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable in ways that are outside the scope of the game.

I modified the image— though admittedly I'm not completely happy with the way it turned out because it still doesn't look like a creepy doll, but at least it's no longer as questionable! It may be that in light of a different character portrait the other things aren't quite as objectionable to you, but I understand if that's not the case.

Edited September 30, 2023 by eriktd (see edit history)

[iantruesilver]

Deep Dive!

• For completeness sake, current XP is 0
• (completeness) Assume XP speed Medium until told otherwise
• (completeness) Please change campaign name to "Hell's Vengeance"
• FCB not recorded on character sheet
• Effects of racial traits, traits, and feats not denoted on character sheet
• Class features not denoted on sheet
• Background skills: Any class that gains Craft or Perform as a class skill also counts Artistry as a class skill. Lore is always considered a class skill for all characters
• Your spells per day numbers were recorded in the spells known row I believe

[eriktd]

I made the requested changes.