Episode 0 -- How the World Turns
The campaign will start in a village of about 500 called Raven Brook in the Kingdom of Astren on the continent (or world) of Dariho. Raven Brook is best known for the high quality products of its brewery.
Map of Raven Brook
History and Culture of Astren
Thousands of years ago, Drouna was a human woman with a regular life. She was a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a good paladin warrior.
The Kingdom in which she lived was plagued with demons and monsters who brought chaos. The Old Gods and Goddesses battled the demons and monsters in Astren to bring order from the chaos. Caught between the gods and their evil foes, the Astren's mortal residents were being trampled in the war for Astren. Then Drouna (also referred to as Drouna the Good) rose up, took her sword and led her warriors into the battle. Drouna's forces ended the war. Finally peace came to the Kingdom, and the old gods were exiled and the demons sealed away. After this Drouna became a goddess herself and her worshippers started to call themselves "The Holy Church of Eternal Light".
After the establishment of The Holy Church of Eternal Light, humans in Astren repressed all non-humans and banned magic except among its own priests, paladins, and administrators. The repression is severest in the cities -- Elves are commonly clipping the points off their ears to appear more human. But in the countryside and small villages numerous non-humans and human hybrids are still easily found.
Characters of the Party (in the beginning, so far)
Arpina
Arpina - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)
Female Winged Aasimer Paladin
Arpina is from an old familiy of mysterious wealth in Raven Brook. Her family practices magic in secrecy because magic is banned except for what is practiced by the Holy Church of Eternal Light. Generations have gone by but the recessive genes of Aasimar blood expressed themselves from her seemingly human parents. Her age is questionable. She appears mature but has a youthful affect.
Arpina is small, 5 ft 4 inches. She has mid-length straight black hair and eyes with a slight glint like the sun reflecting off water. Her skin is like aged pearl and almost seems to glimmer in sunlight. Her clothes are well made but practical with a preference for long hooded capes and robes.
Arpina's ability to attract attention without reason has caused her to be reserved and her actions measured. Her features are fine (Asian affect) and her weight is average but strong.
Arpina has an innate ability with an heirloom long sword and shield. Another family heirloom is scale mail. People commonly think these items were made by the long banished Elves though there are no markings. She is also pretty mean with a sling shot.
Arpina has a small amulet (another heirloom) and in the stone is Willa, a secret will o' wisp. Willa is able to appear when she likes but usually waits to be summoned. Willa's color is whitish but has the effect of light reflecting off snow.
As modest and small as Arpina is, she has a strong sense of justice and is keenly ware of the suffering and racism around her. She knows that she must right these wrongs either with words or by her sword.
Arpina has frequent dreams of sprouting dazzling dark wings that reflect like her eyes.
Arpina is well read on history and "myths".
Arpina has a strange knack for painting and drawing. She can "feel" the intention of a piece of art/writing.
Arpina has a black scar on her back. She does not know how she got it. When she enraged, her scar glows. She calls this Righteous Fury.
Arpina has an extraordinary golden horse named Tempest.
Daumpney Terodyle
Male Half-Dragon Monk
Daumpney is a monk from the nearby monastery run by the Holy Church of Eternal Light. He is an orphan. In spite of being a half-dragon, he passes for human.
Mortimer "The Raven" Ravenswood:
Mortimer "The Raven" Ravenswood - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)
A variant human rogue starting the adventure at level 1.
Mortimer's CHARACTERISTICS
ALIGNMENT
GENDER
EYES
SIZE
HEIGHT
FAITH
HAIR
SKIN
AGE
WEIGHT
Personality TraitsThe first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden.IdealsPeople. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral)
Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic)BondsI will become the greatest thief that ever lived.FlawsWhen I see something valuable, I can’t think about anything but how to steal it.
Mortimer's BACKSTORYMortimer is an orphan who was born in the woods near the village of Raven Brook in the Kingdom of Astren of a woman who is rumored to have been a refugee of a religious crusade.Soon after birth he became a ward of the official church. Upon reaching 5 years old the church sold Mortimer into indentured servitude to Raven Brook's leather tannery, where he often worked alongside prisoners of the town authorities and prisoners of war. Mortimer learned thieve's skills, thieve's cant, and Dwarvish as well as leather working during this time. (He secretly constructed his own studded leather armor and "raven" head mask during his final two years at the tannery.) However, as an indentured servant, Mortimer had freedom to wander within the town limits and eventually the surrounding woods without supervision a few hours during most weeks.When Mortimer reached age 15 he started showing a strange telekinetic power. He kept his miraculous ability secret as much as possible to avoid persecution by the church and the sheriff. Soon thereafter he started using his power for increasingly larger thefts in the guise of a highwayman called "The Raven", mainly to compensate people who were being taxed into poverty. But a failed attempt to use telekinesis for a petty theft that would have gained him full acceptance by the local thieves guild and shifted suspicion from his friend Kenny Kenku made the local church and sheriff suspect Mortimer of being a magic user. So now he must leave Raven Brook to avoid punishment.
Mortimer's ALLIES1. Gilly -- an elderly Dwarven prisoner of the sheriff at the Raven Brook tannery. Gilly was arrested by the sheriff's predecessor for attempted stealing of a fortune from the mayor's father. Now as far as everyone but the sheriff and mayor are concerned Gilly is part owner of the tannery.Mortimer learned Dwarvish and quite a lot about adventuring as a thief from Gilly's stories of his own thieving adventures in his younger days.2. Old Tom Tanner, his wife Martha, his young adult sons and Annabelli (Tom's teen adopted daughter) -- the owner of the Raven Brook tannery. Old Tom thinks of Mortimer as an adopted son. But Tom's rough, stern and at times seemingly unforgiving personality has made Mortimer unable to appreciate Old Tom's contributions to Mortimer's well being. Mortimer has little conception of the number of times Old Tom has interceded with all levels of the local authorities to prevent Mortimer from being moved to harder labor in other towns. On the other hand, Tom only knows of a few of the times Mortimer has returned funds to Tom's coffers from the sheriff, mayor, and church after they confiscated "voluntary contributions" from Tom.3. Kenny Kenku -- a Kenku prisoner of the sheriff who is being rented out to the tannery since shortly before Mortimer started being telekinetic. Kenny has taught Mortimer through demonstration much about lock picking and the manufacture and care of studded leather armor.Kenny provided much inspiration for Mortimer's conception of "The Raven". This backfired badly when the sheriff blamed Kenny for some of Mortimer's crimes. Mortimer intended to clear Kenny by staging brazen daylight robberies in front of the sheriff while Kenny was in the sheriff's custody. These failed crimes gave the sheriff the clues he needed to suspect Mortimer of being "The Raven".Kenny is a gentle and caring fellow. Kenny made Mortimer's boomerang and whip. Then he taught Mortimer how to use and repair them. He did this with Gilly's encouragement to give Mortimer ways to indulge his passion for stealing without lethally injuring others.
4. The leader of the local thieves' guild -- Mortimer has brought much profit to the guild by stealing from the mayor, the church, and the sheriff. So far, this person has not revealed his identity to Mortimer.5. Various local people -- These people do not know Mortimer's true identity since he wore a mask while helping them. But for the two years Mortimer has had his telekinetic power he has helped a growing collection of Raven Brook's people receive some money back after the church, sheriff, or the local thieves' guild imposed crippling taxes or large arbitrary confiscations on them.
Mortimer's ENEMIES and Sometimes Adversaries
- The sheriff of Raven Brook and his deputies
- The Holy Church of the Holy Light (i.e. The Church of Astren)
- Local thieve's guild -- The guild wants Mortimer to request the guild's permission before stealing, something Mortimer only does when not stealing in the guise of 'The Raven'. Sometimes 'The Raven' foils the guild when it is collecting excessive 'protection fees' from folk in Raven Brook. The guild has not yet figured out Mortimer is 'The Raven'. The guild does not want 'The Raven' interfering with its collections.
OTHER Things about Mortimer
- Mortimer is against all religious organizations that accumulate surpluses of wealth. He believes they "need" to be robbed frequently.
- Mortimer does not rob people who cannot afford food, health care, and basic material necessities.
- Mortimer enjoys occasionally visiting pubs to drink, play dice (usually for drinks rather than money), throw darts, and socialize. He sometimes becomes mildly drunk and boisterous when drinking with friendly people. But he holds back on his consumption for fear he will accidently display his power or reveal details of his criminal activities.
- He has made him some friends who are not affiliated with the tannery at Raven Brook's two pubs. Some of these friends have noticed his luck with dice is much less consistent if he cannot see the dice until others have announced the results.
- Mortimer has on most occasions managed to avoid bar fights through diplomacy. Drunkenness tends to make him sleepy rather than violent.
TELEKINESIS
Mortimer can move things with his mind, granting him the following benefits
- Increased his Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- He has the mage hand cantrip. He can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and he can make the spectral hand invisible.
- As a bonus action, he can try to telekinetically shove one creature he can see within 30 feet of him. When he does so, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + his proficiency bonus + the ability modifier of the score increased by this feat) or be moved 5 feet toward Mortimer or away from him. A creature can willingly fail this save
- Increased his Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- He has the mage hand cantrip. He can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and he can make the spectral hand invisible.
- As a bonus action, he can try to telekinetically shove one creature he can see within 30 feet of him. When he does so, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + his proficiency bonus + the ability modifier of the score increased by this feat) or be moved 5 feet toward Mortimer or away from him. A creature can willingly fail this save.
Mortimer's PERSONAL MOTTOS AND CODES
- Steal from the confiscators and give back to their victims if the victims are being impoverished -- for a commission. Otherwise, steal from the confiscators and keep a bigger commission.
- Most churches, guilds, and governments are rackets.
- Stealing from a racket is a victimless crime.
- The best jobs are never punished because they are never detected.
- Never kill your victims. Try to not hurt or frighten them. You might want to steal from them again, again, and again.
- It is not a lie if you believe it when you say it.
- Hit them first if they are going to hit you -- but only if you can't run away or deflect the attack onto someone else.
- Asking for forgiveness after borrowing a valuable is better than begging for permission beforehand.
- When trouble comes looking for you, be hard to find.
- Stealing an expensive item from a wealthy person is always better than paying. But paying for an expensive item from a poor person is better than stealing.
- Stealing is often just long term borrowing without permission.
- Short term borrowing without permission is not stealing at all.
Lumi
Female Eladrin (variant) Druid
Lumi runs a tea and herbal supply shop in Raven Brook. She is secretly a druid and her Eladrin ancestry is also largely a personal secret.
The Raven Brewery owes her money.
Comments
Post a Comment