tyrtaeus Posted September 14, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) Decimus - Initiate of High Sorcery | Bladesinger Wizard | Human AC: 13 [+4 Bladesong] [+5 Shield/Absorb Elements] | HP: 18/21 | Speed: 40 ft | Spell-casting: +6 / DC 14 Senses: Passive Perception 12, Insight 12, Investigation 16 STR: Score: -1 Athletics: -1 8 | DEXScore: +3 Acrobatics: +3 Stealth: +3 Sleight of Hand: +3: 16 | CONScore: 2: 14 | INTScore: +4 Arcana: +6 History: +6 Investigation: +6 Nature: +4 Religion: +6: 18 | WISScore: 0 Animal Handling: 0 Insight: +2 Medicine: 0 Perception: +2 Survival: 0: 10 | CHAScore: -1 Deception: -1 Intimidation: -1 Performance: -1 Persuasion: -1: 8 Languages: Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Primordial FeatsWar CasterPrerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell You have practiced casting Spells in the midst of Combat, learning Techniques that grant you the following benefits: You have advantage on Constitution Saving Throws that you make to maintain your Concentration on a spell when you take damage. You can perform the somatic Components of Spells even when you have Weapons or a Shield in one or both hands. When a Hostile creature’s Movement provokes an opportunity Attack from you, you can use your Reaction to Cast a Spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity Attack. The spell must have a Casting Time of 1 Action and must target only that creature. Initiate of High SorceryPrerequisite: Dragonlance Campaign, plus Sorcerer, Wizard, or Mage of High Sorcery You’ve received training from magic-users affiliated with the Mages of High Sorcery. Choose one of the three moons of Krynn to influence your magic: the black moon, Nuitari; the red moon, Lunitari; or the white moon, Solinari. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list and two 1st-level spells based on the moon you choose, as specified in the Lunar Spells table. Lunar Spells Moon 1st-Level Spell Solinari Comprehend Languages | Shield You can cast each of the chosen 1st-level spells without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast them in this way again. You can also cast the spells using any spell slots you have. Your spellcasting ability for this feat’s spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this feat). Source: DSotDQ, page 32 Adept of White RobesPrerequisite: 4th level, initiate of high sorcery (solinari) feat You chose the moon Solinari to influence your magic, and your oath to use magic to make the world a better place has been recognized by the Order of the White Robes, granting you these benefits: Protective Magic. You learn one 2nd-level spell of your choice. The 2nd-level spell must be from the abjuration or divination school of magic. You can cast this feat’s 2nd-level spell without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again. You can also cast this spell using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. The spell’s spellcasting ability is the one chosen when you gained the Initiate of High Sorcery feat. [Aid] Protective Ward. When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to expend a spell slot and weave protective magic around the target. Roll a number of d6s equal to the level of the spell slot expended and reduce the damage the target takes by the total rolled on those dice + your spellcasting ability modifier. | FeaturesRitual CastingYou can cast a wizard spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared. Arcane RecoverYou have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. For example, if you’re a 4th-level wizard, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots. BladesongYou can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus. You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required). While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits: You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. Protective WardWhen you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to expend a spell slot and weave protective magic around the target. Roll a number of d6s equal to the level of the spell slot expended and reduce the damage the target takes by the total rolled on those dice + your spellcasting ability modifier. | ActionsRapierATTACK: DEX [3]+ Proficiency [2] RANGE: 5ft MAGIC BONUS: 0 CRIT RANGE: 20 DAMAGE: 1d8 + DEX [3] TYPE: Piercing DESCRIPTION: melee weapon (martial, sword) Bladesinging Rapier StrikeATTACK: DEX [3]+ Proficiency [2] RANGE: 5ft MAGIC BONUS: 0 CRIT RANGE: 20 DAMAGE: 1d8 + DEX [3] TYPE: Piercing DESCRIPTION: melee weapon (martial, sword) | SpellsCantrips Blade WardBlade Ward Abjuration cantrip Casting Time:1 action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V S Duration: 1 round Description:You extend your hand and trace a sigil of warding in the air. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks. Booming BladeBooming Blade Evocation cantrip Casting Time:1 action Range: Self (5ft radius) Target: One creature within the spell’s range Components: V, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp) Duration: 1 round Description:You brandish the weapon used in the spell's casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, it immediately takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends. This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target on a hit, and the damage the target takes for moving increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (2d8 and 3d8) and again at 17th level (3d8 and 4d8). Green Flame Blade1st Level Evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (5-foot radius) Target: One creature within the spell’s range Components: V, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp) Duration: Instantaneous Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard Description: You brandish the weapon used in the spell's casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects, and you can cause green fire to leap from the target to a different creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it. The second creature takes fire damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 fire damage to the target on a hit, and the fire damage to the second creature increases to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (2d8 and 2d8) and 17th level (3d8 and 3d8). PrestidigitationPrestidigitation Transmutation cantrip Casting Time:1 action Range: 10 feet Components: V S Duration: 1 Hour Description: This spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: • You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. • You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. • You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. • You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. • You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. • You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action. 1st-Level <2/4> Expeditious Retreat1st Level Transmutation Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V S Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard Description: This spell allows you to move at an incredible pace. When you cast this spell, and then as a bonus action on each of your turns until the spell ends, you can take the Dash action. Magic Missile1st Level Evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 120ft Target: A creature of your choice that you can see within range Components: V S Duration: Instantaneous Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard Description: You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the spell creates one more dart for each slot level above 1st. Tensors Floating Disk1st Level Conjuration Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30 Feet Target: An unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within range Components: V S M (A drop of mercury) Duration: 1 Hour Classes: Wizard Description: This spell creates a circular, horizontal plane of force, 3 feet in diameter and 1 inch thick, that floats 3 feet above the ground in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within range. The disk remains for the duration, and can hold up to 500 pounds. If more weight is placed on it, the spell ends, and everything on the disk falls to the ground. The disk is immobile while you are within 20 feet of it. If you move more than 20 feet away from it, the disk follows you so that it remains within 20 feet of you. It can move across uneven terrain, up or down stairs, slopes and the like, but it can’t cross an elevation change of 10 feet or more. For example, the disk can’t move across a 10-foot-deep pit, nor could it leave such a pit if it was created at the bottom. If you move more than 100 feet from the disk (typically because it can’t move around an obstacle to follow you), the spell ends. Tash's Hideous Laughter1st Level Enchantment Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30 Feet Target: A creature of your choice that you can see within range Components: V S M (Tiny tarts and a feather that is waved in the air) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Classes: Bard, Wizard Description: A creature of your choice that you can see within range perceives everything as hilariously funny and falls into fits of laughter if this spell affects it. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or less isn’t affected. At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target has advantage on the saving throw if it’s triggered by damage. On a success, the spell ends. Identify1st Level Divination [Ritual] Casting Time: 1 Minute Range: Touch Target: One object that you must touch throughout the casting of the spell Components: V S M (A pearl worth at least 100 gp and an owl feather) Duration: Instantaneous Classes: Artificer, Bard, Wizard Description: You choose one object that you must touch throughout the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a spell, you learn which spell created it. If you instead touch a creature throughout the casting, you learn what spells, if any, are currently affecting it. Detect Magic1st Level Divination Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V S Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes Classes: Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard Description: For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. Absorb Elements1st Level Abjuration Casting Time: 1 Reaction, which you take when you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage Range: Self Target: Self Components: S Duration: Instantaneous Classes: Artificer, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard Description: The spell captures some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you and storing it for your next melee attack. You have resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn. Also, the first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the triggering type, and the spell ends. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st. Charm Person1st Level Enchantment Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30 Feet Target: A humanoid you can see within range Components: V S Duration: 1 Hour Classes: Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard Description: You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. Comprehend Languages1st Level Divination [Ritual] Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V S M (A pinch of soot and salt) Duration: 1 Hour Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard Description: For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text. This spell doesn’t decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn’t part of a written language. [Initiate of High Sorcery Feat] Shield1st Level Abjuration Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell Range: Self Target: Self Components: V S Duration: 1 Round Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard Description: An invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile. [Initiate of High Sorcery Feat] 2nd-Level <2/2> Misty Step2nd Level Conjuration Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V Duration: Instantaneous Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard Description: Briefly surrounded by silvery mist, you teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. Shadow Blade2nd Level Illusion Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range: Self Target: Self Components: V, S Duration: ConcentrationUp to 1 minute/em> Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard Description: You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends. It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage. If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, while the spell persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the sword to reappear in your hand. At Higher Levels When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8. When you cast it using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d8. When you cast it using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases to 5d8. Aid Aid 2nd Level Abjuration Casting Time:1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V S, M Duration: 8 hours Description:Your spell bolsters your allies with toughness and resolve. Choose up to three creatures within range. Each target’s hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 5 for the duration. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, a target’s hit points increase by an additional 5 for each slot level above 2nd.[Adept of the White Robes] Mirror ImageMirror Image 2nd Level Illusion Casting Time:1 action Range: Self Components: V S Duration: 1 Minute Description: Three illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. Until the spell ends, the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which image is real. You can use your action to dismiss the illusory duplicates. Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the spell’s duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates. If you have three duplicates, you must roll a 6 or higher to change the attack’s target to a duplicate. With two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher. With one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher. A duplicate’s AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier. If an attack hits a duplicate, the duplicate is destroyed. A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. The spell ends when all three duplicates are destroyed. A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight. Decimus makes a face and yells out another apology as he almost runs over his friends again while he was distracted informing the guard how to snuff the fire out of the machine. With the worst of the danger over, he is left with two choices, and there is not a chance he is dumping this thing in the lake. If he decides not to do anything with it, at least the people of Vogler will have some power on their side in the future. With some well-received help from Mery, the two of them guide the leviathan aboard the ship, the fire snuffed out, and with some quick maintenance and last checks, the Wizard breathes a sigh of relief and leans his back against the still warm metal of the vehicle, staring up into where the sky should be, instead, smoke and fire fills his eye. Before the ship is able take off, they take one last passenger who informs them of the loss of Cudgel and Ser Becklin. While he had not been close with them, their loss stings in a way he did not expect. Perhaps it was because they had become brothers in arms in such a rapid and violent manner, or maybe even it was their shared loss of Ispin that had bound them together. Either way, his shoulders slump and he looks to his companions. Hunni, as always is practical and to the point, and Merituuli joins in her anger. "I don't think either of them would accept our mournings... They were soldiers of action... Anything less would be insulting their memories..." The Wizard feels the aches of days of action finally catching up to him, fighting the urge to simply let his eyes close and let the boat rock him to sleep. His book is still in poor condition, with some spells left to recover. There should be enough time on the boat ride to Kalaman for him to get at least a couple of more spells transcribed into his new book. Then... Well, they had a Black Robe waiting for them. His eye wanders back over to his diminutive friend. What would she do when presented with the choice? Their place in the Order would be the inverse of one another, and he did not want to have to think about what could happen in the future between them if their beliefs ever had to be challenged. He looks back to Vogler as the town is swallowed by fire and smoke, guilt welling in his chest. They had done what they could, but Takhisis had won here, he had let Solinari down. Staring long enough into the columns of black smoke, he begins to see the faces of the ones left behind, but on top of everything else, he has no interest in seeing more augeries, and squeezes his eye shut, focusing on the task at hand. Action: Bonus Action: Movement: Reaction: Cast Shield / Absorb Elements if attacked Edited September 14, 2023 by tyrtaeus (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamishiro_Rin Posted September 14, 2023 Author Clone Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) Date On This Magetag, the 23rd Day of Brookgreen, in the 351st Year After the Cataclysm (Tuesday, March 23, 351 AC) ★The 3rd Day of the Campaign - Late Evening/Night★ You find in Fewmaster Gholcag’s bag: 1,600 cp, 1,300 sp, 100 gp; a Cloth-of-gold vestments, a Copper stein with silver filigree, a Gold ring with turquoise, a Small gold bracelet, and a Velvet doublet with gold buttons; 2 Potions of healing, a Spell scroll (cantrip: thaumaturgy), a Potion of climbing, a Spell scroll (1st level: silvery barbs), and a Potion of greater healing. Her scalemail is oversized—too big for any of you, but perhaps could be re-fashioned to fit Tiergan or Handsome! And she’s got a great club and a couple of extra normal javelins. Military/Nobility Structure Unit = # Sub-Unit + # Commanding Officer = Total Soldiers Elegible Nobility PCs/NPCs Team = 1 Private + 1 Senior Private (non-com) = 2 — — Squad = 2 Teams + 1 Corporal (non-com) = 5 — — Section = 3 Squads + 1 Sergeant (non-com) = 16 Esquire (knight candidate) Darrett Highwater Platoon = 3 Sections + 1 Liutenant (com) = 49 Knight/Dame, Boronet/Baronetess, or above Artanis, Raven uth Vogler, Ser Becklin uth Viharin, Dame Michelle Folketh Company = 6 Platoons + 1 Captain (com) = 295 Earl (Baron)/Baroness or above Lord Bakaris Battalion = 6 Companys + 1 Major (com) = 1,771 Count/Countess or above Maj. Fewmaster Gholcag Regiment = 6 Battalions + 1 Colonel (com) = 10,627 Marquess/Marcheoness or above Belephaion Red Dragon Army = 6 Regiments + 1 Brigadier General (com) = 63,763 Duke/Duchess Kansaldi Fire-Eyes Takhisis’s Dragon Armies = 5 Dragon Armies + 1 Field Marshal (com) = 318,816 Appointed by Takhisis Dragon Highlord Verminaard On 9/13/2023 at 1:51 AM, Peacemonger said: He instead makes his way to Michelle. "Tough day." He looks over to the burning town. "Tough day for a lot of folk. I won't make any choices for you, but here's the way I see it as a man who's neither a soldier, nor knight, nor even close to what you'd call civilized. That Red Dragon Army thinks you've turned traitor. That Red Dragon Army also is the kind that rewards Jeyev and that Ogress, not people like you. And anyone who saw a good look at you in your uniform are on this ship. If you're content to be a prisoner of war, then that's your business. Personally, think you're better off on the other side of this fight, and I'll talk to the others to get a story together. Think on it. Make a choice before we reach the city." “As a knight . . .” she said slowly, “I was raised and trained to honor the code above all else—no matter what side of the battle you were on. I’d been captured, and I knew that 1700 soldiers were about to come to your village. I’m a . . . I was a commissioned officer. We don’t try to escape like some common soldier, we wait, a guest of the enemy, for our negotiated release or our rescue. Were it the other way around, I’d have—well, I must admit, I’d have afforded Ser Artanis—equal to me in nobility—the same . . . the rest of you would have been thrown into a cell . . . thus is the way of war.” “But you’re right. From this point on, the Armies of Takhisis have declared war upon me. I shan’t be your prisoner any longer—if your team would allow it—but your ally. What happened tonight . . . has probably occurred before—or something like it—there were always rumors. I just chose to ignore rumors. For me, fighting on the front lines has been . . . everything. On the rare occasion we got leave, the angry faces of occupied peoples were dismissable. Who wants to be occupied, anyway? But conquered people get on with their lives. That’s what my father and I did, and that’s what they can do. The tax collector’s boss changes, but the tax collector is the same asshole regardless. But conqured peoples were not incinerated peoples, Modri. It was so easy to justify . . . until now.” “I’m no bastion of morals, and I won’t pretend to be. I’ve been known to be a stickler for the rules, to ride on a high-horse with my nose in the air by inferiors who wanted to run wild. But the rules I’ve followed all this time were really only followed by me and my—MY men—I see it now. It was glorious to be on the winning side—victorious in battle over and over. But now I see—I see it’s nothing more than theft, murder, and destruction. My life’s been a lie. I might as well do what I can to make up for it from now on . . . assuming someone doesn’t have me strung up. I can’t blame them if they did.” On 9/12/2023 at 10:11 PM, tbgg said: She then goes to find Dame Michelle before anyone else can pressure her into sharing the contents and invites her down into the same room where she decoded the message. She tells her, "First off, I wanted to let you know I've not forgotten about your handkerchief. My plan had been to take it to a seamstress to repair, but you had said you wanted to repair it yourself. Would you still prefer to do the repair yourself? If so, I will try to pick up the needed thread and needle once we arrive in Kalaman, otherwise, I'll try to get it to a seamstress." "Second, I think I may have misjudged you a little bit. I initially figured that since you were serving the army of an evil goddess, you were the sort of person who could callously trample all over other people to get what you want, but between the story about your past that you told Modri and the way you've conducted yourself since becoming our prisoner, it's clear that's not the case. I did see how the attacks of the lizard creatures from your army against the villagers horrified you, but there's a question I'm struggling with that I'd like to ask you. I assume you must have known Takhisis is an evil goddess fairly early on, but if you've been in this army for several years, how can you only now be figuring out that they have no problem doing evil things? I hope this question doesn't sound judgmental - I don't mean it to. I'm just having trouble understanding." After Dame Michelle answers, Mery hands her the decoded message, telling her, "It's from your father." After Dame Michelle finishes reading it, she tells her, "I haven't even shared this with the others yet. It's clearly a personal message, and I can think of a few ways that people of unscrupulous nature might cause trouble if they knew about it. I don't believe anyone in my group to be like that, but someone overhearing us talking amongst ourselves about it might. I feel very strongly that you should have control over who learns the contents and at what time." "However, there is one thing I wish to say about the message. Given your status as a military prisoner, I think it's unlikely the powers that be will be willing to set you free to track down the items mentioned in the first sentence. I would like to offer the service of my friends and I in doing so, but that of course means sharing the contents of the message with them, or at least the part that pertains to the items. I know there's a lot to take in, so don't feel like you need to give me an answer right away. I give you my word I won't tell anyone what this message says without getting your okay first." The Encyphered Message Dearest Michelle, The family’s signet ring and pedigree is hidden under the red cobble stone, under the welcome mat in front of Telwyn’s Tailorie in Kalaman. Reclaim your heritage not as Ser Michelle, but as Lady Michelle, Baroness of Folketh—a barony just outside Kalaman. The governor of Kalaman and the other nobles there will know your blonde hair and green eyes. The Ferroh family is no more and we no longer have anything to fear from them. I was a fool to have joined the Red Dragon Army when it took our home in exile. I had to keep us safe, but I never imagined you’d follow in my footsteps and fight for them, too. You don’t have to fight for the Red Dragon Army anymore! Flee from their evil cause and escape back to Kalaman! Kiri-Jolith protect you from Takhisis and the death she will bring, my beloved daughter. Your loving father, Sir Michael Folketh. “Is this real?” she asks Mery as she grows weak in the knees and slides down the wall of the ship, resting on the floor. She stares at the parchement Mery had written the deciphered message upon. “He must have written this after Silvanesti . . . just before he was killed,” she explained. “I was in a different unit—I was non-com back then, too—and our distinction gained us a well-earned liberty in a nice little city on the coast. Father was still campaigning and sent down there. Then that spiteful evlen . . . Sorry . . . I don’t know if you heard, but the king or high priest, or some big wig elf turned the entirety of Silvanesti into a nightmareish hell on Krynn out of spite. ‘If we can’t have it, neither can you!’ sort of thing. Scorched earth to a level never before heard of. Dad was killed there, and the next thing I knew, my unit returned from leave with promotions and me, a commission—and a box of his effects. That was when I was assigned a squad of draconians, too. Just a bunch of Baazes under me, but I can tell you a bit about a couple of the other kinds, too . . . That spell-casting lightning-flinger is called a Bozak, and then there’s the Kapaks, Sivaks, and Auraks . . . in order of dagerousness. Sorry . . . I’m rambling . . .” “If this is true, then it’s best if this is known . . . perhaps not by everyone all at once, but perhaps the right people? Where I grew up, it was said that, ‘How do you know a thing is true? A bard has said it.’. That’s not to say that bards like you can alter reality to fit their lies—it’s to say that people rely on bards to transmit the news. Rumors abound, but there is a certain legitimacy assigned to what a bard shares when they come to town. Bards like you have a heavy responsibility—perhaps too heavy for the kinds of people that typically become bards—but it is there nonetheless. And part of that is the authority of the nobles. The people know the laws because the bards transmit the king’s decrees. A noble’s ascendance to their lordship is heralded by bards—and thus legitimized. Have nothing to give you right now, Ms. Meryelle—it’s all been confiscated from me, down to my armor—but if you believe this message, if you’re willing to give this terrible person before you a chance, would you be my bard?” Date On This Kirinor, the 24rd Day of Brookgreen, in the 351st Year After the Cataclysm (Wednesday, March 24, 351 AC) ★The 4th Day of the Campaign - Early Early Morning★ ～A Vision～ The thing about firestorms is that they burn so hot, and the winds they suck into them from all directions are blow so strongly that they end up burning themselves out, expending whatever fuel they can find in a matter of hours where lesser fires might smolder for days. The swirling scorch marks and lines of ash lead inwards towards a gigantic pile of smoking cinders and chunks of finely ground debris. The cobblestones and foundation stones in the center of town are flattened and fused into a black glass. The outline of former homes and businesses formed glass ‘ripples’. The further out from the center, the stones had denatured and crumbled into dust at the slightest touch—particularly the limestone foundations outlining what used to be buildings. Roughly 1,200 men, elves, dwarves, halflings, halforcs, gnomes, dragonborn, goblins, bugbears, ogres, orcs, ogrillions, draconians, and a wide variety of other lineages are setting up tents or cleaning up. Some are marching about in formation—already drilling. Some were sorting piles of captured weapons and armor stripped off of fallen foes and friends alike. Many of the draconians are hungrily and messily devouring the bodies of ironclad regiment soldiers and Vogler militia who’d given their lives delaying the inevitable long enough for the majority of Vogler to escape down the river towards Kalaman. Lt. Col. Bleker Avnó—commander of the 1st battalion and the senior most Major under colonel Belephaion—sat tall upon his enormous Clydesdale warhorse. He was a huge, blue half-dragon. Both were wearing heavy, blue full plate armor with lightning ornaments and two lightning bolts as horns. There, high upon the bluff, looking over the charred flat space that was once a village. “You sent the signal?” he asked the man on the warhorse next to him. “Where’s their response?” “I’m not sure,” the man answered. “I’ll send it again.” The man held up an orb above him and it glowed red, bathing everyone in 20 feet in crimson. Over near the wharf, a large white canvas tent glowed red. It was set up amongst a number of others within the foundation footprint of what had been the Brass Crab. Avnó growled. “Where’s that stupid ogress!?! How dare she ignore my summons!” He spurred his horse and they simply jumped off the 30-foot cliff and landed gracefully. The horse marched proudly forward towards the red-glowing tent. Behind him the rest of his battalion simply slid or galloped down the bluffs. “ATTENTION!” Everyone in second battalion stoped what they were doing and looked up. Fresh, clean soldiers marched with precision towards where the Brass Crab used to stand. Second battalion quickly formed up and saluted as the half-dragon came to a stop at the tent. “Fewmaster, get the **** out here, Goddamned YESTERDAY!” he shouted so loud it reverberated in the chests of everyone nearby. Everyone was looking at one another and eventually, an elf man exited another tent along with Jeyev. “Lt. Col. Bleker, Sir!” he said, standing at attention. Jeyev crossed his arms looking pissed. “Captain Aftíma Chairioú?” Bleker asked. “Where the **** is Fewmaster?” “The Major is dead, Sir!” Captain Chairioú answered. “Her body is over there, with the other dead.” Avnó snorted. “Good. She never should have been promoted. No matter. Well, Major Chairioú, where’s my boilerdrak? I see it did a superb job. I’d like to think such a large machine would be easy to spot in such a large, flat space . . .” “Y—you honor me, Sir!” the elf simpered. “Uh . . . about that . . . the Major—er, Gholcag went to deal with a Lieutenant of ours that went rogue and got killed by some group on the wharf. They seem to have taken the boilerdrak with them . . .” A soldier suddenly said, “Lt. Folketh did not go rogue! She was taken prisoner! We tried to rescue her but she’d already been taken down to the wharf!” Avnó raised an eyebrow. “Sergeant, you speak out of turn.” He pulled out a javelin crackling with lightning and threw it right through the man’s chest, killing him. He turned to the Captain-cum-Major. “Let us convene in your tent. Is that the mercenary you told me about?” 15 minutes later Avnó exited the new Major’s tent and talked to several of his own men. Within minutes both battalions were lined up. “I’ve had a most interesting conversation.” the Lt. Col. announced. “Drake Company, 3rd Platoon! Step forward. NOW.” The remains of the platoon did so. Avnó nodded and the sergeants and corporals were all shot to death with a hail of crossbow bolts. “The rest of you will be absorbed into other units. The bad apple spoils the bushel, but only if it isn’t taken out, first. But the apples right next to it need to be taken out, too—they’re already tainted.” He looked down the line and shouted, “5th Platoon! Step forward!” Said 5th Platoon hesitated but eventually moved forward with far more cowardice than their 3rd Platoon counterparts. “YOU! YOU INCOMPETANT FOOLS! The 50 of you had one job! Test that machine by burning down this worthless village, gather information on its performance and the extent of its abilities, and then have it ready and waiting for me and my men to take it back to for Col. Belephaion to present it to Gen. Fire-Eyes! Instead, some group of civvie ****s made off with it! They made off with your salaries, too. If any of you encounters these adventurers or Michelle Folketh again, you are to kill them on sight! As for 5th Platoon . . . You’re going to serve as our entertainment tonight. Form up, draw lots and DECIMATE!” The two battalions cheered as they stepped out of formation to encircle the 40 or so soldiers and draconians. They were set up into 4 groups of 10 or 11 and drew lots. Everyone watched as the other 9 in each group then savaged their unfortunate comrade to death. Decimus, Hunni, Coltan, and Ser Michelle all sat bolt upright from their sleep as the vision faded. Coltan hears the resigned sighs and clucked tongue of Reorx, whereas Decimus hears the fading whispers of magic itself. Hunni (and only Hunni) sees a three-legged raven on a rafter above her cackling as it rapidly fades away—she just knows it to be one of many manifestations of Jezebel. The door to their shared quarters slams open, waking up Ser Artanis, Mery, Merituuli, and Modir, and surprising the already-awake Decimus, Hunni, and Coltan. With tears streaming down her enraged face, Ser Michelle growls out, “I. Will. Do. ANYTHING. To. Destroy. That. Army. Whatever it takes. You have the support of House Folketh of Kalaman!” Portraits Lieutenant Dame Michelle Folketh, a. k. a. “Lieutenant”, “Lieutenant Folketh”, “Dame Michelle”, or “Ser Michelle” Warhorses, “Handsome” and “Tiergan” Boilerdrak Edited September 17, 2023 by Kamishiro_Rin (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemonger Posted September 14, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 14, 2023 Modri Hill Dwarf Outlander Wild Magic Barbarian AC: 17 (+1Dex + 3Con + 2Shield ) | HP: 61/61 (4d12+16Con Modifier 4*Level+8Tough Feat: 2*Level+4Dwarven Toughness: 1*Level) | Speed: 25' Senses: passive Perception 11, Insight 11, Investigation 10 Str: 16 (+3) | Dex: 13 (+1) | Con: 18 (+3) | Int: 10 (+0) | Wis: 12 (+1) | Cha: 8 (-1) Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, Elvish Hit Die: 4/4d12 | Rages: 3/3 | Magic Awareness: 2/2 Modri simply gives a nod to Michelle's words about her sense of nobility, and her life being a lie. That much he could already see, but it's good that she sees it not too. "No one's stringing you up, be a damned waste if they do. Get your rest." Modri spends the rest of the day helping around where he can about the ship not knowing much about seafaring vessels himself. Otherwise, he takes the time to contemplate everything. It's being woken up in the middle of the night that Modri slowly rolls up. He's used to being woken up at odd hours in the wilds by the sound of animals, or a storm, and there are times when his sleeping schedule leaves much to be desired and he gets confused about when it's time to be awake and when to sleep. "Now that's some fire in the gut." Modri's about to say more compliments, but sees something is amiss. A bad dream? A revelation? They're certainly not under attack at the moment. "Oh, right. Hey all, my vote's to let her free, no more of this prisoner of war nonsense. Yes, yes, the law and rules and all that, but way I see it is it's all too complicated as is with armies, and refugees, and war... may as well make this one thing simple for everyone. Let her... destroy that army." Unsure quite what to make of the whole scene, he does what he does best... let others do what's right for them. He doesn't feel the need to console her or wipe away her tears, because in the Dwarf's mind there's nothing wrong with shedding some tear, for being sad or enraged. Best to let the feelings out naturally, and would rather give her the freedom to pursue this newfound sense of vengeance. OOC Movement: - Action: - Bonus Action: - Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JubalBreakbottle Posted September 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 15, 2023 (edited) Coltan Bluetemper Level 4 Neidar Folk Hero Forge Cleric AC: 19 (Splint armor +2 Shield) | HP: 42/42 (4d8+12+4) | Speed: 25 ft. Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15, Insight 13, Investigation 12
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