[5e] Carrion Crown: The Haunting of Harrowstone

[Xurtan]

Considering something myself. Waffling between a Wizard and a Warlock...

Warlock is listed further up, but as far as local Wizard lore...

Wizards

Ustalav's legacy and identity are inseparable from the fact that Ustalav was the cradle that spawned one of the most powerful wizards of all time, the dreaded Whispering Tyrant, Tar-Baphon. Although he was long ago imprisoned, the arcane lore amassed by his servants and the crusaders who rallied against him remains alive in modern Ustalav, albeit often buried in dusty libraries and tombs scattered across the land. Many wizards travel to the region in search of ancient lore or artifacts or to teach or study at the various universities and isolated monasteries that dot the countryside. Himself a devout scolar, Professor Lorrimor found it easy to relate to wizards, and he held many as close friends, colleagues, and competitive rivals.

I feel a dwarf might be a good addition here. Just have to figure out if I want to Make him a Forge Cleric, or a Fighter(Edlritch knight, maybe rune scribe if you allow it later)

As you mentioned Dwarf specifically...

Dwarves

Dwarves are less than common in Ustalav, yet the proximity of the Five Kings Mountains to the Immortal Principality means that there is steady trade between the miners, weaponsmiths, and brewers of the dwarven stronghold and the large urban ports on Lake Encarthan. Stout folk native to the land can generally be found in the mining-rich counties of Barstoi and Versex, where they often hold influential positions in local salt and tin mines. While many dwarven traders and tradespeople find themselves most accepted in the metropolitan centers of southern Ustalav, some venture into the more provincial and sometimes prejudiced counties in the east to answer the silent call to stand vigil against the orc hordes of neighboring Belkzen. Though natives of these regions are generally suspicious of (and sometimes even outright hateful toward) non-human visitors, those who take the time to get to know their dwarven neighbors often come around to their foreign ways, appreciating them for their hardiness and staunch pragmatism.


In regards to Rune Scribe, I'd say 'maybe' dependent on where things stood at the time. I'd be willing to look at it, at least.


Also, to anyone curious, here's a map of the region (broken into three parts because it is unfortunately massive):

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

We'll be starting in (and mostly playing around, at least for book one) Ravengro, to the central west.

[RedPhoenix]

I like it! Sounds like a fun character to run Gothic horror with, and I appreciate the rural, country bumpkin slant to things. The only thing I'd request is to write in a few encounters with Professor Lorrimor somewhere; they don't have to be big defining events, but in large part the setup behind this is based on him dying, and the adventurers being contacted for his will reading and funeral. He was a bit of an eccentric man, so it needn't be that you were particularly close to him, it could just as easily be that he saw something in your character, some quality that he respected, even if it was only that one encounter. Anything from him actually knowing your family and being your godfather or family friend to a meeting or two during your character's 'apprenticeship'--Lorrimor did request work from the oddest of people--to simply contacts within the church and having you there for one of his expeditions or digs for holy relics would work, though obviously there are quite a few possibilities. Other than that, it looks good, and should fit right in.

I made some edits. Rather than the man himself I had her sort of unknowingly save some of his relics during her folk hero event. Let me know if that works!

[Xurtan]

I made some edits. Rather than the man himself I had her sort of unknowingly save some of his relics during her folk hero event. Let me know if that works!

That works just fine actually, nice addition. :)

[RedPhoenix]

Yay! Awesome! =)

[VonDoom]

Perhaps a bit late, but I'm interested in joining - I have a female human warlock character I'd like to revive/revise for this game, an occult librarian of sorts.

I'm admittedly not very well versed with 5e and mostly managed to make do with a mix of character generators and guides for character creation in the few games I've tried, so please forgive me if I ask some silly questions or confuse a thing or two. I'm quite familiar with Pathfinder and at least somewhat acquainted with Golarion though.

I hope to have an actual application up by or over the weekend.

[Xurtan]

Perhaps a bit late, but I'm interested in joining - I have a female human warlock character I'd like to revive/revise for this game, an occult librarian of sorts.

I'm admittedly not very well versed with 5e and mostly managed to make do with a mix of character generators and guides for character creation in the few games I've tried, so please forgive me if I ask some silly questions or confuse a thing or two. I'm quite familiar with Pathfinder and at least somewhat acquainted with Golarion though.

I hope to have an actual application up by or over the weekend.

Definitely not late at all. We're still very much in the early stages and basically everyone is working on sheets, as far as I know. :) You're more than welcome to toss one into the ring. No worries as far as questions, I actually quite enjoy answering them so if you have any system thoughts or such feel free to drop them my way.

[VonDoom]

Thank you! From what I remember, since Warlock is CHA based, I mostly tagged on the librarian part via a... scholar type background? I'll have to check my old documents for her when I'm back home. Is that the best approach for level 1? From what I remember, subclasses don't come into play until later.

[Xurtan]

Thank you! From what I remember, since Warlock is CHA based, I mostly tagged on the librarian part via a... scholar type background? I'll have to check my old documents for her when I'm back home. Is that the best approach for level 1? From what I remember, subclasses don't come into play until later.

Warlock is CHA based, correct. The librarian bit coming from a scholarly background makes sense, definitely. Possibly Acolyte, Sage, Cloistered Scholar, or others dependent on the feel you want--though you're certainly able to customize the background as well, if something doesn't fit. In the case of Warlock, you pick your Patron at first level but then specialize further come level 3 and the Pact Boons.

[VonDoom]

Ah, there we go, actually found her old post! I'll redo pretty much every entry, so not much sense in pasting the link, but she had a Fiend pact and was set for the Pact of the Tome. Cloistered Scholar was what I picked back then, seems suitable enough - I expect libraries in Ustalav are a bit discerning in what they allow to whom.

[Xurtan]

I expect libraries in Ustalav are a bit discerning in what they allow to whom.

You would be correct, and that's all I'll say on that Pact of the Tome definitely sounds fitting, considering the librarian/scholarly bend, yeah.

[Athem]

I'm interested; I've got an idea for a character that's rather... odd.

Kala

Pen picture: one of the guests invited to the funeral stands out, a half-elf wearing the rough clothes of a Kellid barbarian. At first glance, it might be assumed she is a bard in costume, here to provide entertainment. Get closer, though, and it's clear her deeply tanned skin is not stage make-up, and her body is sleekly muscular, with several scars. She really is both a half-elf and a barbarian.

Background: Kala's story begins with her mother, Belka, and the day her tribe found a young half-frozen elf in their domain. She helped nurse him back to health, and helped... keep him warm during the cold nights. His name was Talathel, and he'd become detached from his expedition in a storm; the rest of the expedition found the tribe a few days later, and were overjoyed to find their missing friend alive. The expedition's leader was Petros Lorrimor.

It was only after the expedition had left that Belka found she was carrying Talathel's child.

Kala's upbringing was harsh. Kellid barbarian children are crueller than most to those who look different, and with her hair and eyes Kala couldn't help standing out. Kala learned to fight out of necessity, and soon showed that her slighter build still held strong muscles. As she grew older, she mastered the greataxe with grim determination, mainly because the other children assumed she couldn't. By this time, Petros Lorrimor was a friend of the tribe, occasionally visiting with gifts of useful materials as thanks for what they'd done. He was surprised and delighted to hear that his old friend had a daughter he was unaware of. Unfortunately, Talathel had returned to Caliphas, but he promised to pass on a message.

Recently the atmosphere in the tribe became more poisonous as several families were adamant their sons wouldn't be associating with a 'half breed'. Kala was looking for an honorable excuse to leave, and perhaps seek out her father in Caliphas, when her mother got the news of Petros Lorrimor's death. The invitation was the excuse Kala needed. She'd pay her respects to an old friend of the family and the tribe, and satisfy her wanderlust at the same time.

Appearance: Kala looks sleekly muscular, leaner and comelier than most Kellids, yet brawnier than a typical elf (or even many half-elves). Her skin is deeply tanned from life outdoors, with a few minor scars. Her eyes are a glittering emerald green, and her hair a dark golden yellow, both marking her out from her fellow dark-haired, dark-eyed Kellids. She wears simple clothes of tanned hide, and carries a single-bladed greataxe with a couple of throwing axes as backup.

Personality: Kala is upbeat and optimistic. Things tend to turn out right: she was born because her mother took pity on a visitor, bullying turned out to be valuable combat training, and the tribe's friendship with Petros Lorrimor has given her the excuse to leave for the funeral. Besides, she's heard all the abusive names now; they've lost their sting. She enjoys discovering new things, whether that's a new drink or a town she's never visited before.

Race: half-elf (skills: Acrobatics, Stealth)
Class: barbarian (skills: Intimidation, Perception)
Background: outlander (skills: Athletics, Survival)
Alignment: chaotic good (in case it needs to be said, I don't treat that as a license to do random things  )

Standard array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
STR 15+1 = 16
DEX 13+1 = 14
CON 14   = 14
INT  8   =  8
WIS 12   = 12
CHA 10+2 = 12

[Xurtan]

I'm interested; I've got an idea for a character that's rather... odd.

Kala

Nothing wrong with odd! I quite like the idea, actually, and a barbarian would certainly not be a bad addition. :)

[Crensler]

Is there a hard limit to how many can apply?  Because I'm interested, if there's still room for one more.

[Xurtan]

Is there a hard limit to how many can apply?  Because I'm interested, if there's still room for one more.

Feel free! It's not first come first serve, and we're still waiting on quite a few people to get sheets submitted. :) I'll likely give it a couple more days and see where people stand.

[Intimate Ink]

T erwyn  Casadh

Class: Bard
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Aasimar, Fallen
Background:  Courtesan (Custom, see below)
Height: 179cm (5'8.5")
Weight: 68kg (160 lbs)
Age: 18

Background

Terwyn was born in the city of Karcau, which is considered a venerable diamond of art and beauty amongst the hostile swamplands and bogs that surround it.  Like many who live their lives as neither tourists nor noble, though, Karcau was not so glamorous to Terwyn.  His mother was in the service of Zeffiro Lesiege, one of the most powerful men of Karcau, and the second-in-command to the secret, unholy church of Alichino.

Though perhaps not so formally enslaved, Terwyn’s mother, Estre, was certainly informally indentured due to Zeffiro first providing her a place for her fallen parents to rest as a young girl, and then providing her with shelter and work when none else would.  Thus, Terwyn would live a life among other children of visiting nobles and their servants in the Eylusia building, at first blind to the fact that his mother was more than some ill-paid chambermaid.  Then again, he was likewise blind to the fact that the Eylusia building was something more than a simple shop of obscure goods with a mortuary attached.

Growing up in Karcau, home of the great opera, the school of miming and jest, and a venerable theater community, the path of the bard was an easy one for Karcau to adapt to.  His play took the form of hearing and retelling the stories of visitors, all the while learning the more artistic craft from those performers that practically overflowed from the city.

In truth, of course, his mother took part in the dark and hedonistic services that took place in the tunnels beneath Eylusia.  This information would be tragically unknown to Terwyn until he became the focus of Zeffiro’s attention.  Like many Aasimar, Terwyn did not know his lineage or nature (in fact, even who his Father was had never been resolved due to his mother’s activities under Zeffiro’s thumb.)

Terwyn began to have the dreams of service, the voices of celestials urging him towards some great destiny as a protector.  He would naively be open about these dreams and their meaning to both his mother and Zeffiro, which would ultimately be his downfall.

As a teen, on the eve after his first transformation into a winged being, Terwyn found a heavy hand on his mouth and was dragged from his bed and into the dark catacombs beneath Eylusia.  There he would have no contact from his mother, and instead be sold and presented as an instrument of corruption by Zeffiro.

It was a simple game, really:  break the angel inside of the boy.  Many masked beings, humanoid and not, participated over time.  Terwyn’s life became a side-show in between questioning what happened to his mother, performing daytime duties in his underground prison, and having his Aasimar nature mocked and twisted each night.  He learned that he was but one of the many offerings Zeffiro made behind his mask to other masked nobles, believing somehow their savage, dark bacchanalia elevated them to higher places.

Inevitably, Terwyn did ‘break’, the winged creature of light falling to his hopelessness and hating his own ‘blessed’ nature.  The darkness that filled him caused his transformational wings to go skeletal and eyes to flood with black voids.  No longer was he a sweet, pleasant thing to break but instead something that inspired fear… even served as an unwelcome reminder to those that their rites were far more infernal than celestial in nature.

Realizing that his once great attraction was now blight, Zeffiro banished the boy to hardened labor within the network of catacombs, neglecting him regular food and water, intending him to fade away.  This would have been Terwyn’s fate if not for one day the Professor hearing of him, and opted to trade Zeffiro secrets in exchange for his freedom.

Zeffiro, seeing Terwyn as permanently damaged goods eventually agreed to the trade.  Professor Lorrimor was the first unmasked face that Terwyn had seen since his captivity, and one he was grateful of.  There the professor helped Terwyn adjust once more to the world, to a life outside of Eylusia, though could provide no definitive answers to his mother’s fate nor the noble identities that hid behind the masks during his defilment.

Eventually, the professor departed Karcau, and despite his efforts could not convince Terwyn to follow him.  Terwyn had turned his faith to the revenge Goddess Calistria, and had stubbornly insisted on staying in Karcau to entertain nobility in hopes of gleaning the fate of his mother and recognizing those behind masks.  Though he learned a great many things about the upper-class throughout Ustalav, the knowledge he sought was hazy at best.

It was with sorrow, even regret, Terwyn received news of the professor’s passing.  He questioned his choices to follow the path of Calistria, though ultimately reaffirmed his faith.  Still, he questioned the life he could have had if he had followed the kind professor, instead following in his long-since-faded footsteps to participate in his wake.

Appearance

Like many Aasimar, even when his divinity is left unexpressed, there is something that many may find charismatic, even appealing about Terwyn.  Still, he carries the slight air of unease from his fallen divinity, a palpable weight upon his shoulders.  He stands at around 5’8 inches with a slender but not unfit build.  As a bard, when he is at work he often dresses in fine clothes and carries instruments of his trade.

Terwyn has blonde hair and blue eyes that he sometimes swears only gained flecks of grey after he fell from grace at the hand of Zeffiro and masked nobles.

Personality

Despite his captivity, Terwyn is well-trained in portraying himself as what others wish, having grown up in a city of entertainers, and been asked to perform many tasks for the masked.  He tends to keep his real opinions and thoughts close to his chest, paramount of which is often his faith in the revenge Goddess Calistra, and his intent to find those who wronged him.  He is sensitive to those who are in similar situations that he or his mother were once in, often blind to the possibility that her own innocence in the matter could be questioned.  He is wary and curious of those in masks due to his past, their presence sometimes soliciting a level of nervousness from him that he would otherwise be able to hide.

Terwyn often uses his bard training as a mask, tending to be quite aloof in regards to his real thoughts and feelings, often downright distrustful.  Still, he makes pleasant company enough, genuinely loving the art and craft that comes with the bard.

Ability Scores

Strength: 11 (0)
Dexterity:  14 (+2)
Constitution: 14 (+2)
Intelligence: 8 (-1)
Wisdom: 12 (+1)
Charisma:  16 (+3)

Defenses

Hit Points:  10
Armor Class: 13
Saving Throws: Strength: 0, Dexterity: +5, Constitution: +2, Intelligence: -1, Wisdom: +1, Charisma: +5
Initiative: +2
Speed:  30’

Skills

Acrobatics: +4
Animal Handling: +1
Arcana: -1
Athletics: 0
Deception: +5
History: -1
Insight:  +1
Intimidation: +5
Investigation: -1
Medicine: +1
Nature: -1
Perception: +3
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5
Religion: -1
Sleight of Hand: +4
Stealth: +4
Survival: +1

Languages

Common, Celestial, Infernal

Proficiencies

Armor:  Light Armor
Weapons:  Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools:  Disguise kit, Lute, Lyre, Viol
Saving Throws:  Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Deception, Performance, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception

Features

Ability Score Increase - Charisma +2, Strength +1

Bardic Inspiration - 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.

Cantrips - You know two Cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard Cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard table.

Celestial Resistance - You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage

Court Functionary - Your knowledge of how bureaucracies function lets you gain access to the records and inner workings of any noble court or government you encounter. You know who the movers and shakers are, whom to go to for the favors you seek, and what the current intrigues of interest in the group are.

Darkvision - Thanks to your infernal heritage, 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.

Healing Hands - As an action, you can touch a creature and cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Light Bearer - You know the light cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.

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 (see chapter 5, “Equip¬ment”) as a Spellcasting focus for your Bard Spells.

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.

Equipment

Please list what you are wearing, what you own, and where it happens to be on your person. Weight will be kept track of.

Worn:
Fine Clothes (6lbs)
5gp

Backpack:
Crossbow, Light (5lbs)
Crossbow Bolts (20) (1.5lbs)
Entertainer’s Pack (38lbs)
Leather Armor (10lbs)
Lyre (2lbs)
Dagger (1lb)


Total Weight: 53.5 lbs.

Notes

Courtesan Background (Custom)

Feature: Court Functionary
Language: Elvish
Tools Proficiency: Disguise Kit
Skills: Deception, Performance
Equipment: Fine Clothes, 5gp

Spells (Bard)

Cantrips: Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery
1st: Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Faerie Fire, Dissonant Whispers, Herosim

[Crensler]

Feel free! It's not first come first serve, and we're still waiting on quite a few people to get sheets submitted. :) I'll likely give it a couple more days and see where people stand.

Then I will submit a Paladin of Iomedae, since I love being the justice and goodness type ^^

[Andi]

Description

A three-word description of Adaris, in ascending lexical order (as she would insist on), might be "bodacious, brunette, busty"; depending on academic performance and willingness to actual;ly do the work she requires, she is, to her students, either a wet dream or a demon queen personified. At just a little over five feet tall, most of her students at the Lepidstadt University, where she teaches classes on history, metaphysics and the interaction of magic and sciences, tower over her, but she manages to keep even the most rowdy groups under control with a mixture of personal magnetism, natural authority and the threat of liberal application of her staff.

History

Adaris grew up as part of a Varisian caravan, and is no stranger to the rigors of the road and overland travel as a result. There, too, she was introduced to various divination and future-telling traditions, mostly revolving around the Harrow deck and astrology. Adaris was fascinated, but quickly realized that at least her group's Harrower was using far more observation and common sense in her readings than actual magic. The resulting badgering eventually resulted in her being enrolled at the Acadamae for an education in /actual/ wizardry.

Adaris never lost the taste for wandering and seeing the world instilled into her in her formative years. She left the Acadamae as soon as she graduated, first to pursue further studies at a university with a less cruel bent, later moving on to teaching. For the past few years, she has been working with the Knights of Ozem, being granted access to their libraries and laboratories in return for providing arcane training to their acolytes.

That arrangement also landed her with a tenure at the University of Lepidstadt, where her classes are popular among the Knights and regular students alike. Here also, she met Professor Lorrimor, who often consulted her for translations, insights on history, and the opportunity to discuss esoterica few of the more scientifically-minded faculty found interesting. Their relationship was part friendship, part academic rivalry, and Adaris heard of her colleague's passing with sadness.

Character Sheet

Adaris
Aasimar Wizard 1
Medium , neutral good
--------------------
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 7 (1d6+1)
Speed 30 ft.
--------------------
STR 10 (+0), DEX 13 (+1), CON 12 (+1), INT 15 (+2), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 14 (+2)
--------------------
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +3
Skills Arcana +4, History +4, Insight +3, Investigation +4
Damage Resistances necrotic, radiant
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Aklo, Celestial, Common, Elvish

Actions
--------------------

Light Crossbow Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d8+1 piercing damage.

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d6 bludgeoning damage or 1d8 bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Spell Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 0 ft., one target.
Hit: As Spell damage.

Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage.

Equipment Light Crossbow, Quarterstaff, arcane focus (staff), backpack, book, calligrapher's supplies, component pouch, crossbow bolts (20), ink (1 ounce bottle), ink pen, little bag of sand, parchment (10), small knife, spellbook, 10 gp, 8 sp

Adaris

[Xurtan]

Because I have the mechanics, sheet incoming. Still struggling with the /person/, though. I have a few ideas, but nothing that quite wants to settle yet.

Looking forward to seeing the full sheet! If you need help coming up with ideas or how they fit together, feel free to reach out. Happy to talk lore or what have you.

Then I will submit a Paladin of Iomedae, since I love being the justice and goodness type ^^

Awesome, I love Paladins and they fit quite nicely. :) I'll look forward to it!

T erwyn  Casadh

Beautifully dark, and Bards are always a delight. I don't have any comments really, so just hang tight while the other sheets get compiled. 

[Crensler]

Name: Rowena Volentius

Class: Paladin
Alignment: Lawful Good
Race: Human
Background: Knight (Noble Variant)
Height: 6'3
Weight: 172lb
Age: 22

Background

A scion of House Volentius, Rowena hails from Lastwall and was raised, as is family tradition for those not in line to inherit the family fortune, to be a Knight of Ozem.  The last of five children, Rowena was made well aware of her position in the family, and the duty expected of her as a result.  So, at the tender age of ten, she was sent to become the squire of Argus Brightblade, an old friend of the family.  Literally, the man was just shy of being too old to lift his sword, but Rowena did her utmost to learn from him and do her family proud.  Everything she knows of battle, of chivalry, of justice, and of the goddess Iomedae, she learned from Argus.  He was like the grandfather she never had, if a stern, humorless one.  Still, she respected, and perhaps even loved, the old man, and when it came time to be inducted into the Knights of Ozem herself, she saw, for the first time, a proud smile on his weathered face.  It was the greatest moment of her life. 

The Call, as she refers to it, came later, when she was assigned to patrol the northern border of the Fangwood where it lay within the borders of Lastwall.  One night, a dream of danger woke Rowena in time to sound the alarm and rouse the camp to the threat of a group of canopy trolls that had gotten close under the cover of darkness.  She fought alongside her fellow knights and drove the trolls back into the Fangwood, and, when she told the captain of her dream, she was instructed to seek out the Cathedral of Sancta Iomedea in Vigil, where her future path would be made clear to her.  A sign from Iomedae, the priests called it.  Her path, they said, was that of the holy warrior, a paladin, and she would vanquish the enemies of all good and just folk wherever they hide.  Rowena, meanwhile, wasn't sure how to take such news.  Her?  A paladin?  The powers Iomedae had gifted her with could not be denied, however, so neither could her future, or so she figured.

Such things would apparently have to wait, however, as a missive from home bade her attend the funeral of a family acquaintance, namely one Professor Petros Lorrimor.  So, her duty to her family clear, she headed north into the land of Ustalav, where lies the village of Ravenegro, where the professor was to be burried.

Appearance

A truly statuesque woman, Rowena stands several inches over six feet in height and weighs as much as any man of the same stature, with a head of long, expertly kept red hair, and green eyes that shine with both faith and determination.  A refined beauty as well as a powerful warrior, Rowena's weight is almost entirely muscle, and she is proud of the body she earned through long, grueling hours of training as she grew from a sheltered young girl of a noble house into a proud knight in the service of Landwall and the goddess Iomedae.

Personality

Despite her station, Rowena doesn't place herself above the common people, instead seeing herself as a civil servant with a duty to protect and provide for those that serve under her.  She does, however, expect the respect due said station, though she will show the same respect to those that do so, as long as they do not prove unworthy of it.  Of course, if you draw her ire, her scorn is blistering indeed, and should you prove to be an enemy then no place on Golarion can hide you from her wrath.  She also has had issue with her temper in the past, especially whenever someone cares to comment on how "mannish" she supposedly is.  More than one person has lost teeth for such a comment.

Ability Scores

Strength: 16
Dexterity: 9
Constitution: 13
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 15

Defenses

Hit Points: 11
Armor Class: 16
Saving Throws: Strength: +3, Dexterity: -1, Constitution: +1, Intelligence: +0, Wisdom: +4, Charisma: +4
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30ft
Size: Medium

Skills

Acrobatics: -1
Animal Handling: +2
Arcana: +0
Athletics: +3
Deception: +2
History: +2
Insight: +4
Intimidation: +2
Investigation: +0
Medicine: +2
Nature: +0
Perception: +2
Performance: +2
Persuasion: +4
Religion: +2
Sleight of Hand: -1
Stealth: -1 (disadvantage)
Survival: +2

Languages

Common, elven, celestial

Proficiencies

Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Dice
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: History, Insight, Persuasion, Religion

Features

Divine Sense, Lay on Hands, Retinue (Knight Background).

Equipment

Worn: A suit of chainmail, a halberd, a longbow, a dagger, an explorer's pack, a quiver of arrows, and an amulet of Iomedae, as well of a set of fine clothes, a signet ring, and a purse of 25 gp.

Backpack: A bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin.  It also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

Total Weight: 139lb.

Notes

Rowena is hermaphroditic, meaning she possesses, fully functional, sexual characteristics of both men and women.  One might draw the conclusion that this is how she has managed to attain such a statuesque figure, and they wouldn't exactly be wrong.  Testosterone does wonders for muscle development, after all.  In fact there have been an unusual number of such individuals in her family, a fact she finds shameful and goes to great lengths to hide.  After all, once other women realize you have a penis, they tend to avoid you like the plague, or else get very, very creepy about it.

[Thorne]

Eztli'eyal
Male High Elf Fighter 1
Medium humanoid, lawful neutral

Description:
Eztli'eyal is, for an elf, short and stocky of build. He's been mistaken for human more than once; at least while wearing a helm. No one who got a look at his long, mobile ears and hard, slanted eyes could ever once doubt him an elf. Eztli'eyal favors heavier armor than most elves, wearing scale armor. He keeps a longsword; of elven design on his hip, and a shield that looks more like something a dwarf would carry slung over his shoulder.
Elves have a reputation for being aloof... Eztli'eyal tends to live up to that reputation; particularly to strangers, people he doesn't know. He speaks in a rough baritone, and tends to give the person he's talking to his full attention; with few exceptions.

History/Background:

   Eztli'eyal remembered the details of very few of his assignments; there was so rarely anything to differentiate one from any other. But he remembered the first job he had taken after he had parted ways with his father. That one was memorable, if only for the sense of freedom that he had gone into it with. A simple enough task, escorting a caravan from village to city. It should have been simple. The food and other supplies were valuable. Eztli'eyal was not fool enough to think it would be simple, and he wasn't wrong.
   "Ambush! Amb-" The voice rose in a death-cry, followed by raucous battlecries. Eztli'eyal, on watch on the other end of the camp, blew his horn. Satisfied that the camp was appropriately disturbed, he dropped it and drew his sword and shield. Three bandits went straight for him, waving axes and clubs. Eztli lifted his shield, and growled, deepening his stance. The first one reached him, a body-length ahead of the other two. The club rang dull off Eztli's shield, easily deflected to the side. Eztli'eyal put his weight back, let the club slide off, sidestepping. A slash parted the bandit from his life, in time for the other two to catch up. An arrow brought one down, leaving Eztli'eyal to deal with the other. That one had an axe, a re-purposed wood-chopper that he flailed about, easy to dodge. Eztli'eyal slapped the axe aside with his shield, and ran the bandit through. He spun back, keeping his shield at guard. Around him, the rest of the camp was caught up in their own struggles; but the caravan guards seem to be holding out. Better armored and better fed, they were proving the stronger. This time, at least. Eztli'eyal killed more bandits before they cried enough and fled.
   "The battle is ours!" That voice was the captain of the guard. A ragged cheer went up, and then the bloody business of cleaning up could begin. Eztli'eyal stripped his kills of anything useful, before the cleanup crew arrived to remove them. Lacking anything resembling a place to bury them, the bodies were dumped in a ditch and covered with loose rocks.

   The second attack came only a day from the city walls. Eztli's first warning was the horn blast, cut off almost as soon as it began. He shook out of his blankets and grabbed sword and shield a moment before being attacked by two axe-wielding bandits. One of them wedged his axe blade in Eztli'eyal's shield, almost immediately getting Eztli's sword in his suddenly vulnerable guts. He went down with a scream, and Eztli'eyal spun back, catching the second one off his guard. Neither man carried a shield, and the second one didn't last long. Eztli'eyal pried the axe out of his shield, and moved out of cover. The light was poor, but Eztli'eyal could see well enough to see one of his fellow guards under assault by three bandits. He hefted the axe, then hurled it. One of the bandits took it in the back of the head, and collapsed. The opening he left gave the other guard space to take one out with a well-placed chop. He screamed when the last one stabbed him twice. Eztli'eyal charged, hitting the last bandit with his shield and his weight, knocking the.. woman, apparently, back on her ass. The other guard had fallen, and Eztli wasted neither time, nor mercy on the bandit woman, putting his sword through her throat.
   The fighting ended before true dawn, so that the sun rose on a battered, bloody camp scattered with corpses. Eztli'eyal helped with the cleaning up this time, carrying the bodies of the bandits out side of camp. This time, they soaked them in oil, and put them to the torch. There was little else to so, even with their own dead. Eztli'eyal returned to the camp, and pulled the scarf from over his nose and mouth. He was hungry, and he could smell something that smelled like breakfast.
   He was met at the cookfire by a courier and a bowl of cooked porridge. The courier held a message with his name on it, and did not linger for a return, which made Eztli'eyal immediately curious. The cook - a dwarven woman even Eztli could not find fault with - only shrugged at him and told him to get his filthy carcass out of her way. Eztli took his breakfast and his message and went back to his tent to eat and read in peace.
   Lorrimor. Lorrimor; that name was familiar. Eztli sat back, thinking. Lorrimor... Petros Lorrimor. A human; a young man when Eztli'eyal had met him. Still with his father then, they had hired on as bodyguards for a researcher with a habit of getting himself into dangerous situations. Eztli remembered being assigned to stay close to him in situations where his sharp senses and better eyes would give an advantage, but could think of little he had done to earn this summons. After all... he had done his job. He had been injured, but that came with the territory, and the wound had healed up fine. Maybe it had been something else. Eztli lightly ran his fingers over the hilt of his dagger; he had taken the blade from one of their attackers that day, pulled from his own side to cut down its previous owner. Maybe that was why...

Sheet

--------------------
Armor Class 18 (scale mail, shield)
Hit Points 11 (1d10+1)
Speed 30 ft.
--------------------
STR 15 (+2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 14 (+2), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 10 (+0)
--------------------
Saving Throws Str +4, Con +3
Skills Athletics +4, Insight +2, Intimidation +2, Perception +2, Survival +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish, Orc

Actions
--------------------

Dagger.[/i] Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20 ft./60 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d4+2 piercing damage.

Longsword.[/i] Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d8+2 slashing damage or 1d10+2 slashing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Unarmed Strike.[/i] Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 3 bludgeoning damage.

--------------------

Equipment
Carried/Equipped: Dagger, Longsword, scale mail, shield, backpack, bedroll (strapped to backpack), flask (usually full of some strong brandy), pouch, waterskin, clothes, common, signal whistle (cord around neck),
Backpack: mess kit, mirror, steel, rations (10), rope, hempen (50 feet),  soap, tinderbox, torch (4), trinket (silver badge faintly inlaid with a seven-pointed star)
Belt pouch: 26 gp, 8 sp, 6 cp, whetstone, dice set (bone),
 

--------------------
Primary Motivator:
Public: Service
Private: Liberation

Emotional Dispostion:
Public: Cold, calm.
Private: Curious
Moodiness: Even-tempered.

Core Traits:
Outlook: Optimist
Integrity: Conscientious
Impulsiveness: Spontaneous
Boldness: Cautious
Agreeableness: Disagreeable
Interactivity: Reserved
Conformity: Heterodox

Sense of humour: Mean-spirited, cynical (with random attacks of jokey-ness)

Quirks, habits, oddities: Exhibitionism, collects odd things (memoirs of previous jobs), talks in his sleep (fevered, or otherwise under stress), has an un-elfish fondness for strong liquor.

Hobbies/Enjoyments: Astrology (stargazing), riddles, dicing, carving.

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at https://www.wolflair.com
System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

[Crensler]

Just a heads up that I've done some minor editing of my character, a few mistakes, a weapon change, an extra line in her personality, and the addition of a few notes.  Carry on ^^

[Xurtan]

Name: Rowena Volentius

Always did enjoy a good Paladin, and Iomedae is certainly well fitted to the setting. :) At a glance doesn't look like anything needs edited so feel free to just chill, I'll make final selection in a couple of days. 

Eztli'eyal

I appreciate the art you used, good choice! Elves are always fun, and I liked your battle descriptions. As above, just hang out for a bit and I'll likely have selection done by Wednesday night.


To everyone else, that does mean there's a relatively firm date. Get your sheets in either to the post or via PM within the next few days. If you need help or have questions, don't be afraid to seek me out. 

[Isengrad]

Ill get mine up either tomorrow or Sunday, Do know he is going to be a Cleric of the Forge

[Andi]

Updated initial character sheet post with description, history and image.

[Aethyrium]

Zenesi Gailles

Class: Sorcerer (Wild Origin)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Human (Variant)
Size: Medium
Background: Hermit
Height: 5’1
Weight: 108
Age: 23

Skills

Acrobatics: +2
Animal Handling: +1
Arcana: +0
Athletics: -1
Deception: +3
History: +0
Insight: +3
Intimidation: +3
Investigation: +0
Medicine: +3
Nature: +0
Perception: +3
Performance: +3
Persuasion: +5
Religion: +2
Sleight of Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
Survival: +1

Proficiencies

Weapons: Dagger, Dart, Sling, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbow
Tools: Herbalism Kit
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Medicine, Religion, Insight, Persuasion, Perception
Languages: Common, Primordial, Deep Speech

Spells

Attribute: Charisma
Spell DC: 13
Spell Attack: +5

Cantrip: Ray of Frost, Control Flame, Shape Water, Mold Earth, Spare the Dying, Guidance
1st (2): Chaos Bolt, Fog Cloud, Bless

Features

Human (Variant) Feat - Magic Initiate (Cleric): Guidance, Spare the Dying, Bless
Human (Variant) Attribute Increase: +1 Charisma, +1 Constitution
Human (Variant) Skill: Perception
Hermit - Discovery: Dun dun dun…!
Sorcerer - Wild Magic Surge: After casting a non-cantrip spell, roll 1d20. If you roll a natural 1, roll on the Wild Magic Surge table. Each time you fail a Wild Surge, the target number increases by one.
Sorcerer - Tides of Chaos: Gain advantage on one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw; your next non-cantrip spell automatically triggers a Wild Magic Surge. You regain this ability after you Wild Magic Surge, or after you finish a long rest.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8	14	14	10	12	16
(-1)	(+2)	(+4)	(+1)	(+1)	(+5)

Armor Class	Initiative	Speed
12	+2	30ft

	Hit Points	Hit Dice
	8	1d6

Equipment

Worn
Quarter Staff, Arcane Focus (+1, 1d6-1) (+1, 1d8-1)
x2 Dagger (20/60) (+4, 1d4+2)
Common Clothes
Signet Ring - Jewel of the House Gallies

Backpack
Herbalism Kit
Winter Blanket
Scroll Case (Full)
Bedroll
Mess Kit
Tinderbox
x10 Torches
x10 Rations
Waterskin
Rope, Hemp (50ft)

Money
0cp
0sp
0gp
0pp

Total Weight: 69.10lbs / 120lbs

Background
To understand the story of Zenesi Gallies you must travel back in time to a darker time, a time well over a thousand years ago, a time when the nature of Ustalav was changing. Focus on the house of Gallies, a minor and inconsequential nobility of Caliphas, a family destined for nothing. Their power was unremarkable, among the commoners their wealth earned them respect and influence, but among their peers they were the house merely tolerated because they couldn’t rightfully be shunned - and regardless of any feelings toward the family by other, more established, nobles their coffers ran deep, deep enough to keep them from being cast into the streets. Look to the reign of Cybil Gallies, in a time just before the Whispering Tyrant. A young man not content with the status of his family, a man hungry for power and respect. Cybil was quick to recognize the changing climate in Ustalav, and with ears to the ground he was perhaps first to know of what was coming - even if the scope was far beyond his simple mind. So desperate for what he craved, Cybil pledged his allegiance to the Tyrant before he was such. All the influence he had, and all the resources he could muster went to aiding the foundation of the Tyrant’s rule. So assured that his risk would pay off he ran the house into debt and nearly to the brink of collapse. But then it happened, his master become their master, and his loyalty was not forgotten. The next generations saw the elevation of the Gallies house, and by the reign of Cybil’s grandchild, Vestis, the house bathed in wealth they had never known, and wielded power far greater.

In these days the house remains, though in the centuries since the defeat of the Whispering Tyrant it has fallen somewhat from glory. The house Gallies now exists somewhere between where they were before Cybil’s gambit and where they were while the Tyrant ruled the land. Their name is deeply entrenched in Ustalav, but poor choices and spoiled leadership have lead the house to a shambled state. The modern patriarch of the house is Daylen Gallies, who at a young age married the lady Brey Van Hyden of Ardis, infusing the house Gallies with fresh money and power for another few generations at least. But Daylen was hardly satisfied with that, Cybil’s greed and lust ran deep in his veins. He studied the secret texts of his family, and opened long sealed tomes that told the truth of the rise of the house Gallies. Through these truths he formulated a plan. He worked his bride until she provided him with child. On a stormy night, sure that she was ready to give birth, he transported the pregnant Brey to Gallowspire. In the presence of his family’s former master he forced Brey to deliver the child, and Daylen offered it to the imprisoned Tyrant as a sacrifice - an offering he hoped to revitalize the once patron. When not a sign came, Daylen became enraged and increased his offering. Dagger in hand he spilled Brey’s blood over their newborn daughter, anointing the child in death. Still nothing happened, and when Daylen came to realize what exactly he had done, he ran. He ran and left his screaming child in the rain, in a pool of her mother’s blood, atop the grave of the Lich.

Nature was not kind to the unnamed babe. Between the cold that sapped the newborns heat, and the rain that filled its screaming lungs, she should had perished. And perhaps she did. Yet it was not to be. By fate or fortune, magic seeped into the child and sustained it. Mayhaps the residual necromantic energies of the Tyrant, or possibly the raw magics of the world. No matter the case, the child never stopped crying that night.

The child was found, but not for three nights, and only then by a exiled elf named Ro’myn. He took the child, and retrieved from her fallen mother a glittering jeweled ring. Ro’myn cared for the young girl and raised her as his own, and gave her the name Zenesi. He realized right away that something was not right with her. Whatever had touched her in the days before he found her lived on in her, around her, and through her. She was plagued by nightmares, terrible that no herbal remedy he knew could soothe her. Her behavior was odd, and she knew speech that no child should know. Just by looking into her young eyes, he knew that she had seen things that no mortal should ever bare witness.

As time turned and Zenesi grew older, her powers developed further and grew well beyond the skill of Ro’myn. But he knew of one that could help her. By Ro’myn’s guidance, Zenesi found herself in the presence of Professor Petros Lorrimor. Zenesi was too bizarre for traditional tutelage, but over years he worked with her to help her bring some stability to the magic that touched her at the core. She became something of a fascinating side project, one that amused and excited the good professor. In his curiosity about her, Petros researched her origins quite extensively, by means that he had available. It took time, but eventually he learned the truth of her birth. Only shortly before his death did Lorrimor reveal the truth of the ring she wears, and who that means she is.

Appearance
Zenesi is fair skinned with dark hair and light green eyes. She looks a great deal like her mother, so much that if she were ever to run into someone that had known her they might even mistake her for her. She favors clothes that are simple and free, particularly those things that showcase odd things that she likes. She’s been known to wear intricately woven roots and bracers. Her style is mix matched, she makes choices on personal enjoyment rather than the greater image. Getting a read on her is hard because she is inconsistent. Her upbringing left her only around a single individual, and so she moves impulsively and on a whim. Much like the wild magic that surges within her, she presents equally as sporadic and random.

Personality
Awkward, random, curious, and spontaneous. All words that anyone would use to describe Zenesi. She has little understanding, use, or respect for status and protocol. She gains and loses interest in things at approximately the same rate. She thinks purely in the now, and gives no heed to the grander scheme of things. For reasons she can’t explain, Zenesi is very tactile, and attempts to touch everything. She says it helps her remember, but who knows.