reviewed Frerin, Shadow Sorcerer

[matt_s]

OGMW sheet: https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2572274

 

Character in short

Biography

• Frerin is a Dwarven Shadow Sorcerer who was living a more or less conventional life as an acolyte in one of Moradin's temples, performing his religious duties as required and taking on the requisite shits in the smithy and mine like any Dwarf of his age did. Nothing too unusual in all that, and nothing particularly heroic either, unless you count taking a few potshots at curious wolves prowling where they ought not to heroic. Then, he found something in the depths of the mines after exploring an old cave in. Exactly what, he does not know, but it changed him. A burgeoning magic took hold, and Frerin learned he could see farther in the dark and work simple magic that seemed to be powered by the very strangeness he had been steeped in
• After this experience and the short period of disturbing revelation, he left to seek his fortune elsewhere, for there was much suspicion and anxious memory in the hamlet of his youth. Working odd jobs as a blacksmith's apprentice, caravan guard, or simple porter, Frerin saw the world and kept himself fed albeit lonely. Hard times for someone used to a strong community built by centuries of Dwarven friendship.
• One day close to the start of our adventure, Frerin mentioned seeing something off in the darkness - a pack of goblins he thought. Now, raising the alarm was not suspicious, but doing so in the dead of night from a distance that normal eyesight could not penetrate was. Once again, people started asking questions that Frerin would rather not answer, and once again he moved onward. He heard there was good work in Greenest, and could lend his weapon and magic to keep them safe on the journey there for a few more coins. Even ignoring the coins, seeing travellers being put to the sword would not have sat well with him in any case. Now, he shuffles on and on with the odd motley of travelers from one bivouac to the next, with an eye peeled out for bandits and more ... exotic ... menaces.

Personality

• Frerin is unsurprisedly bit jaded from what he has experienced both in the darkness and at the hands of his frightened fellow Dwarves. He still has a strong sense of right and wrong and vows to uphold the former and put down the latter, but Frerin no longer holds to the somewhat inflexible Dwarven vision of how a society ought to be structured. Now, he walks his own path, and values the rights of others to do the same provided that they do not trespass against others.

Ideals

• Each of us has their own path to tread and has the right to their fruits of their labors - anyone who stomps on others is worthy of nothing but contempt.
• Stories have power to inspire and drive away fear, and Frerin is trying to write one of his own as he travels the world.

Bonds

• My travelling companions have placed their faith in me and my magic, and I cannot fail them. Contracts, written in ink, paid for in gold, and upheld in blood if need be.
• Frerin will return to his home one day, this he swore with one hand on granite and the other over his heart. Even as he travels in his exile, he will uphold the honor of the Dwarves and show the world the righteousness at the heart of his people.

Flaws

• To consume one draught from the eldritch well has granted Frerin a considerable boon, and he sees no harm in doing so again if need be. Frerin does fear the darkness, yes, but he also has use for it. Even the occult and the cursed can be powerful weapons in the struggle against true evil, or so he believes...

 

Me in short

• Been on the Weave for a bit over a year, played a variety of games from 5e (offline and online) and several rules light systems. I can maintain the requisite posting schedule.
• I have not played this campaign/module
• My view of "rule of cool" is that the rules are not meant to be exhaustive even in a relatively crunchy system like 5e, so any ruling that respects the principle that "preparation  + execution = payoff" that works well with me. There is a certain "fiction" that the rules try to enforce/replicate of high(ish) fantasy so things that do not break that fiction or break the mechanics of the game are generally fine by me.
• Sources used: PHB, Xanathar's for the subclass, Tasha's to swap racial ASIs

Edited July 29, 2022 by matt_s (see edit history)