Iolanthe Xanthe - Half-Elf Entertainer Lore Bard

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Iolanthe Xanthe

Half-Elf Entertainer Lore Bard

Appearance & Personality

   Iolanthe has wandered from town to village, river and del, collecting stories and turning them into songs to share for the next place she goes. She loves her plaids, particularly yellow and purple which compliment her long, blonde hair and lavender purple eyes. She wears her long, plaid skirt, ghillie shirt, vest, and tam o’shanter over her leather armor. She wears amethyst jewelry, and has a nice, thick leather belt upon which she hangs most of her things.

   She has a very happy and bubbly personality and she’s always looking for a band to play in or a party to adventure with! She’s always happy to see people’s days brightened or nights enlivened with her songs and instrumental pieces. When she performs instrumentals, they’re usually dances, so a hopping audience getting up to dance with each other is always the highlight of her night.

Character History

   Iolanthe was born to a human woman, Kerri Greycastle, and an elven man, Dreali Xanthe. They raised her in the Illuskan highlands. The cold weather there gave her a penchant for plaid wools and warm clothing. As a teen, the family moved to Neverwinter. Once she was old enough to leave home, she fell in with an elf bard named Rolen Lathalas. He taught her all he could about singing, song-writing and music. She fell in love with him, but the love turned out to be unrequited.

   Eventually, they parted ways and he gave her her precious guitar (technically a yarting). From there, she’s traveled all around the north, and as far south as Baldur’s Gate, over to Elturel, and made her way back home to Neverwinter with many stories to tell in song. She collected stories about recent major events such as the adventurers that defeated Tiamat, the adventurers that escaped from the drow slave pits who defeated a demigorgan, and the adventurers that saved King Hekaton, the storm giant from the Doom of the Desert, Iymrith!

   Now, she’s back home, in Neverwinter, where she met Gundren Rockseeker and Sildar Halwinter. She’s very interested in this town called Phandalin, and Gundren’s job proposal.

Edited October 4, 2023 by The Eyeball Kid (see edit history)

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Half-Elf

• Ability Scores: Cha +2; Choose any other two unique +1
• Size: Medium
• Speed: 30 ft.

   Age. Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.

   Size. Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

   Darkvision. Thanks to your elf blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

   Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

   Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

   Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.

   You may roll for your character’s height and weight on the Random Height and Weight table. The roll in the Height Modifier column adds a number (in inches) to the character’s base height. To get a weight, multiply the number you rolled for height by the roll in the Weight Modifier column and add the result (in pounds) to the base weight.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Base Weight	Height Modifier	Weight Modifier
4′–9″	110 lb.	+2d8	× (2d4) lb.
57″ + 10″ = 67″ = 5′–7″ ← Too tall! (170.2 cm)	110 lb. + (10 × 6 lb.) = 110 lb. + 60 lb. = 170 lb. ← Absolutely Not! (77.27 kg)
= 67″ ÷ 1.07 (average M:F ratio) = 62.62″ = 5′–3″ ← Much better! (159 cm)	110 lb. + (10 × 6 lb.) = 110 lb. + 6 lb. = 106 lb. ← Much better! (48.18 kg)

Source: PHB, page 38. Available in the SRD.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Entertainer

• Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
• Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, Guitar
• Equipment: A musical instrument (one of your choice—guitar), the favor of an admirer (love letter, lock of hair, or trinket), costume clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Feature: By Popular Demand

   You can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern but possibly with a circus, at a theater, or even in a noble’s court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.

Specialty

   A good entertainer is versatile, spicing up every performance with a variety of different routines. Choose one to three routines or roll on the table below to define your expertise as an entertainer.

d10	Routines
6	Instrumentalist
7	Poet
8	Singer

Suggested Characteristics

   Successful entertainers have to be able to capture and hold an audience’s attention, so they tend to have flamboyant or forceful personalities. They’re inclined toward the romantic and often cling to high-minded ideals about the practice of art and the appreciation of beauty.

Personality Trait

d8	Personality Trait
1	I know a story relevant to almost every situation.
2	Whenever I come to a new place, I collect local rumors and spread gossip.

Ideal

d6	Ideal
1	Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good)
5	People. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters. (Neutral)

Bond

d6	Bond
1	My instrument is my most treasured possession, and it reminds me of someone I love.
Entertainer	You’ve spent time in Neverwinter and love performing for audiences, but you need new experiences from which to draw inspiration for your art. Traveling to Phandalin will provide new material for your work, and its watering holes promise eager crowds.

Flaw

d6	Bond
1	I’ll do anything to win fame and renown.

Source: PHB, page 130

Edited October 3, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Lore Bard

					Spell Slots per Spell Level
Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	Bardic Inspiration, Spellcasting	2	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Bard level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: light armor
• Weapons: simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
• Tools: three musical instruments of your choice (violin, lute, her own voice)
• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose any 3.

Starting Equipment

You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background.

• (a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon
• (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack
• (a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument (violin)
• Leather armor, and a dagger

   Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

L1. Bardic Inspiration PHB p51

   You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.

   Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.

   You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

   Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

L1. Spellcasting PHB p51

   You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with your wishes and music. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you can tune to different situations. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the bard spell list.

Cantrips

   You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, learning a 3rd cantrip at 4th level and a 4th at 10th level.

Spell Slots

   The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your bard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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.

   For example, if you know the 1st-level spell cure wounds and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast cure wounds using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

   You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.

   You learn an additional bard spell of your choice at each level except 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

   Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

   Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the performance of your music or oration. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Ritual Casting

   You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus

   You can use a musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Inventory

   With the exception of starting equipment, all items are in the order that they were acquired. Starting equipment is ordered either by layers from inside-out, or in alphabetical order.

Worn, Carried, or Otherwise Readily at Hand

   Any item on this list is readily at hand, and either requires nothing to access (such as pulling out a weapon), or no more than an interact-with-object to access.

• 1 costume clothes
• 1 rapier
• 1 dagger
• 1 backpack
• 1 bedroll
• 1 guitar
• 1 waterskin

In Containers

   Any item on this list is carried in a container such as a backpack, bag, chest, or something else. At the very least, it requires an action to retrieve.

• 2 costumes
• 5 rations (day’s worth)
• 1 disguise kit
• 1 violin
• 1 the favor of an admirer (A cloak pin made from enamel in the shape of a butterfly; when you take the pin off, it turns into a real butterfly, and returns when you are ready to put your cloak back on again)
• 5 candles

Trinket

d100	Trinket
76	A four-leaf clover pressed inside a book discussing manners and etiquette

Edited October 2, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Iolanthe ‘Io’ Xanthe

Level 1 Half-Elf Entertainer Lore Bard

AC: 15 (Dex 4 + Leather 11); HP: 9/9; Speed: 30 ft.; Proficiency Bonus: +2

STR:save: (+0)

athletics (+0)

Carry: 165 lbs.
Lift/Push/Drag: 330 lbs. 11 (+0); DEX:save (+6)

acrobatics (+6) (from background)
sleight-of-hand (+4)
stealth (+6) (from class) 18 (+4); CON:save (+1) 13 (+1); INT:save (+3)

arcana (+5) (from class)
history (+5) (from class)
investigation (+3)
nature (+3)
religion (+3) 16 (+3); WIS:save (+2)

animal-handling (+2)
insight (+4) (from class)
medicine (+2)
perception (+2)
survival (+2) 14 (+2); CHA:save (+6)

deception (+4)
intimidation (+4)
performance (+6) (from background)
persuasion (+6) (from class) 19 (+4)

Bardic Inspiration (d6): 4/4

Spell Save DC: 14; Spell Attack: +6; Cantrips Known (2)dancing lights, minor illusion; Spells Known (4)comprehend languages, healing word, heroism, sleep

Spell Slots: 1st2/2; 2nd—/—; 3rd—/—; 4th—/—; 5th—/—; 6th—/—; 7th—/—; 8th—/—; 9th—/—

Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12, passive Insight 14, passive Investigation 13 Tools: disguise kit, guitar, violin, lute, her own voice; Armor: light armor Weapons: simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords; Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven; Size: Medium; Age: 23; Height: 5′–3″ (159 cm); Weight: 106 lb. (48.18 kg); Hair: Blonde; Eyes: Lavender

‘My thoughts . . .’ | “My words . . .” | My actions . . .

IC Material Goes Here

OOC

Movement: —

Action: —

Bonus Action: —

Rection: —

Interact-with-Object: —

To Whom It May Concern . . .

Player Notification Tags go Here

Edited October 4, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)

[The Eyeball Kid]

Thanks for the app, everything looks good.

Is Iolanthe still carrying a torch for Rolen Lathalas or has she moved on? What sort of memories and feelings does her yarting evoke?

I think Iolanthe would have heard of two places in Phandalin where she could perform: the Stonehill Inn and the Sleeping Giant tavern. The Sleeping Giant has a rather rough reputation, however.

[Kamishiro_Rin]

25 minutes ago, The Eyeball Kid said:

Thanks for the app, everything looks good.

   Thank you! Apologies again for jumping right into the Pre-Game IC thread!

25 minutes ago, The Eyeball Kid said:

Is Iolanthe still carrying a torch for Rolen Lathalas or has she moved on? What sort of memories and feelings does her yarting evoke?

   Iolanthe definitely still carries a torch for him—a dimming one, to be sure—but it is there, nonetheless. She named her guitar Rolen, after him. Once she realized that his love wouldn’t be returned—maybe because he viewed their relationship as a teacher-student one, or purely professional?—she decided to part ways with him to save her the heartache of being around him.

   She’s first level, so I don’t want to overstate her abilities. I figure that she knows a number of good chord progressions that evoke the feeling she’s going for, but could definitely stand to learn more complex chord voicings, and employ better voice leading for subtler, more nuanced music, and to better convey the feelings she wants to evoke.

25 minutes ago, The Eyeball Kid said:

I think Iolanthe would have heard of two places in Phandalin where she could perform: the Stonehill Inn and the Sleeping Giant tavern. The Sleeping Giant has a rather rough reputation, however.

   Sounds great! I’d imagine she’d have a few stories to (try to) win over the toughest crowds! She’s all about those positive vibes!

   Incidentally, I’ve been going by this timeline: https://alphastream.org/index.php/2020/04/09/the-official-timeline-for-the-forgotten-realms-and-its-adventures/

   Which shows Lost Mine of Phandelver taking place in 1491 DR, but Out of the Abyss (1485 DR or later – perhaps end of 1486), Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat (1489 DR), and Storm King’s Thunder (1490 or 1491 DR). That’s why I had in her backstory, she’s traveled around and collected stories about the adventurers who did those three modules.

[Kamishiro_Rin]

Incidentally, “Iolanthe” is ‘EYE-yoh-LÁN-thee’ (where the final ‘th’ is as in ‘think’, not ‘they’). Her nick name, “Io” should be ‘EYE-yoh’. “Iolanthe” is a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning ‘violet’ and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning ‘flower’. This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882). Source: https://www.behindthename.com/name/iolanthe

“Xanthe”, however, is not Anglicized, but pronounced as in Greek: ‘ksahn-teh’. “Xanthe” is derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning ‘yellow, blond, fair-haired’. This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology. Source: https://www.behindthename.com/name/xanthe

Thus, she is the “blonde violet”: her hair and her purple eyes, and subsequently, her yellow and purple tartan plaids.

Edited October 4, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history)