Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon
Level 4 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard
AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 30/30 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str: 8 (-1) | Dex: 14 (+4) | Con: 14 (+2) | Int: 14 (+2) | Wis: 11 (+0) | Cha: 18 (+6)
Languages: Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +6 or DC 14 | 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 | Bardic Inspiration: 4/4
“My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’ | My actions
Mery allows her eyes to scan the room as her group enters the castle, waving at the representative from the bards' college, and then nodding to Raven. She straightens her armor, grateful that she thought to give a quick cast of Prestidigitation to remove any road dust from her person on their way through the city - she doesn't want to be caught doing magic in front of those assembled.
When Marshal Vendri asks for information about the enemy, she cocks her head, a little confused by the request. 'Wasn't this covered in the initial meeting?'
She decides to start with a quick address to the Governor. "I am told that Your Grace and Ser Marbleheart have asked to see the proof of Lady Michelle Folketh's lineage, and I have brought that with me today, but I will wait until the discussion about the Red Dragon Army has concluded to show that to you, if that would be acceptable."
She now addresses those gathered at large. "My name is Mery Keryndon and I am a bard of Palanthas and a historian/scholar. Collecting and disseminating facts related to historically significant events is what I do, but since I was not here when my companions initially brought word of the army, I'm a little unclear on what everyone may know or not know. I will make as thorough a report as I can and simply apologize for any repetition of information you may already be familiar with."
She clears her throat, then begins speaking. "The Army that attacked Vogler has around 1000 soldiers, and if we had not used all the boats in the village to get the villagers here, they'd have traveled here in them and would likely already be here. You can be sure they are still on their way here, as the only tactical significance Vogler has that we could tell was as a place to use the Vingaard River to either send supplies deeper into the Hinterlund or else to move soldiers quickly to Kalaman, and we saw no evidence of supplies. They used the dragon machine to burn Vogler to the ground."
"They wear armor that bears the star of Takhisis, and we believe there may be armies elsewhere that correspond to each color of chromatic dragon - red, blue, green, black and white. The army on the way here - part of the Red Dragon Army and not one of the other colors - bears weapons that are blessed by Takhisis with the power of red dragons - they can do extra fire damage - and wear red and black armor that protects against fire damage. As Lord Michael and Lady Michelle's stories illustrate, they draft humanoids who can fight and force them to serve, although I am sure there are probably those who join voluntarily. And crazy as it may sound, the lizard creatures Lord Bakaris speaks of are real - they are most likely the ones who made the clawlike gashes you found on the armor of your soldiers." Her fists clench briefly at having to confirm anything the credit-stealing Lord Bakaris says, but truth is truth and she's not one to deny it simply because she dislikes the source.
"Lady Michelle tells me the lizard creatures are called Draconians, and there are 5 or 6 different...subtypes, if you will. They have thus far all spoken Draconic, a language I understand, and generally do not get along with other subtypes very well. We have only personally seen two of the subtypes, and apparently those are the most numerous but also the least dangerous. Some are warriors while others are mages, although we have not seen enough of them as yet to be sure if those abilities are per subtype. Upon death, each subtype does something different. Of the two subtypes we have seen, one releases a poison gas that paralyzes for a brief time and the other explodes, releasing a spray of bone fragments. I can show you one of the bone fragments if you'd like. Presumably the other subtypes all do something unpleasant upon death as well. Oh, and at least some of them can glide through the air if they can get up to high ground. If you would find it useful, I can make you a sketch of each of the two subtypes we've encountered provided you wouldn't mind setting me up with some charcoal and parchment."
"To sum up, the best advice I can give you for dealing with the Draconians is as follows: keep your distance if you can when you kill them, keep them away from high ground so they can't attack from the air, avoid using weapons and spells that do fire damage, and look for ways to pit the different subtypes against each other. One option for that latter might be to enlist some adventurers or educated types who speak Draconic and use them to spread misinformation of the sort that breeds distrust among the different subtypes."
She pauses for a few moments, then turns to face Marshal Vendri, a somber expression in her eyes. "The Red Dragon Army seems to have quite a lot of gold and resources, and are always on the lookout for people whose loyalty they can buy. If you deal with any mercenaries related to the defense of the city, it's likely some of them will sell out. Keeping that sort outside the city if you can for the time being might also be a good idea."
Actions & Resources
Actions:
Shortbow (simple, ranged, ammunition, two-handed). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 80/320 ft., one target.
Hit: (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Dagger (light, ranged or melee). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 20/80 ft., one target.
Hit: (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: (1d4+2) piercing damage.
Bonus Actions:
Healing Word
A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st.
Bardic Inspiration (3 per long rest, for 1d6)
As a bonus action, a creature (other than yourself) within 60 ft. that can hear you gains an inspiration die (1d6). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.
Heat Metal
Until the spell ends (up to 1 minute), you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to cause this damage (1d8 fire damage for each level the spell is cast at, minimum 2nd level) again.
Ammunition:
14 arrows in quiver, 0 arrow bundles in backpack.
Spellcasting:
Mery is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following bard spells available for spontaneous casting:
- Cantrips (3/3 slots): prestidigitation, vicious mockery, message
- 1st level (4/4 slots): healing word, hideous laughter, cure wounds, unseen servant
- 2nd (3/3 slots): invisibility, heat metal, enhance ability
Class Features:
- 3/3 Bardic Inspiration, recovered after a long rest
- Song of Rest (Use on any short rest - anyone who hears her performance and chooses to regain a hit die gains an extra 1d6 of HP.)
- Jack of All Trades (add 1/2 proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.)
- Bardic College = College of Lore. Gain expertise in 2 skills you already have proficiency in, and proficiency in 3 new skills. (Choosing Persuasion and Deception for Expertise, adding Nature, Stealth, and Religion for Proficiency.)