I will strongly consider that. Any suggestions on what position in the city such a person would occupy?
Well, I was a simple soldier, and I had a sergeant like that. I couldn't stand the man on a personal level. I mean, he was ok and all, just things didn't sit well between us, that's all. (He was kind of a jack*ss). But on a professional level, there was no man I respected more. He knew his job, and he did it well. He was a damned fine leader, that's for sure.
On that note, it could be anyone. One of his underlings, who doesn't have much political sway, but has the respect of his fellow men (they do what he says). Or it could be one of his equals in another department, if your city has multiple departments of the law.
Those members known to be members, sure. That's why it's a secret society, after all. That said, some areas with White Fox Cells actually work with the Society, either openly or under the table. The Great City of Coral Town, for instance, doesn't try too hard to go after the White Foxes there, because town sheriff Jack Brass is himself a member of the society.
Now, if you want yourself some good political city intrigue, you could have the local guard (or politician) accuse and try people for being a part of the white foxes, regardless if they actually are. From my experiences with the legal system, the law is looking more for a person to blame than they are for a person who's actually at fault.
Well, I was a simple soldier, and I had a sergeant like that. I couldn't stand the man on a personal level. I mean, he was ok and all, just things didn't sit well between us, that's all. (He was kind of a jack*ss). But on a professional level, there was no man I respected more. He knew his job, and he did it well. He was a damned fine leader, that's for sure.
On that note, it could be anyone. One of his underlings, who doesn't have much political sway, but has the respect of his fellow men (they do what he says). Or it could be one of his equals in another department, if your city has multiple departments of the law.
Ok, then. I've added Sergent Hammer, third-in-command of the city watch, to Bulrick's list of contacts.
Now, if you want yourself some good political city intrigue, you could have the local guard (or politician) accuse and try people for being a part of the white foxes, regardless if they actually are. From my experiences with the legal system, the law is looking more for a person to blame than they are for a person who's actually at fault.
I'll keep that plotline in mind as the politics of the city grow ever more twisty. Perhaps if Spoiler:Show
the plot against Bulrick's life
goes through, the White Foxes will become hunted as a way for Spoiler:Show
Duvoe to throw suspicion off of himself and his crooked connections
Interesting character! I like it! Especially the "failed" cleric angle. Although, I'm interested to know:
The demoness gave him his powers... Did he even want them? Does he dispise his powers? Does he think his powers comes from his God that he's been trying to be a follower of for so many years? Does he still worship that god?
That would definately be an interesting angle.
I find it odd that he willingly uses powers granted by someone he so passionately hates and wants to kill.
Good write-up, though!
Thanks! She gave him his powers in thanks for him setting her free from her prison, then she killed those who had sealed her away. (That being the other dwarfs, he did not know this cause he never made full cleric and it is a church only secret that not even his family could tell him.) He hates her for killing his clan, he hates himself for setting her free to kill his clan, so he will use the power she gave him to kill her and avenge his clan.
I am pondering for an epic battle if she revokes her pact with him in the middle of the fight (when she reaches bloodied), stripping him down to an ordinary dwarf with only his equipment and level experience (the AC& to hit, HP stuff like that same as before but no at-will enounter daily or utility that comes from his pact) to defeat her.
The Ten-Minute Background of Audric Cwellen, Knight of the Radiant Heart
Step 1: Background and Concepts Background and conceptsShow
1) Audric Cwellen is a handsome, blonde, blue-eyed half-elf who hails from the great port city of Coral Town. 2) Before his conversion to the faith of Amyra, Audric was a charismatic lady's man. He was shiftless and a cad, but the love of an Amyran priestess redeemed him, especially after her tragic death during a pirate raid on the city. Audric joined the Order of the Radiant Heart, an order of holy warriors dedicated to the love goddess, in order to absolve his grief and gain the skills necessary to avenge her. 3) He traveled the high seas with Martin Tenbones, Shasha LeBelle, and a group of other companions, fighting pirates under the flag of the Dread Pirate Hellbeard. Together, these companions defeated the vicious Captain Craven, Hellbeard's second-in-command. However, the companions had a falling out, and after they split up the pirate's treasure, they went their separate ways. Audric and Martin came to St. Clarice. 4) Audric is still active with the Radiant Hearts, and tirelessly opposes evil when he comes across it. 5) Recently, he has come under attack. Several times now he has been assaulted by an assassin calling himself Tayce. Audric isn't sure why he is being targeted, but he knows that he needs to keep his guard up for now.
1) Audric is actually a member of the White Fox Society, just like Martin Tenbones. His work for the Radiant Heart is mostly a cover for his White Fox activities, and he is one of the most active White Fox members in St. Clarice. 2) Audric is also still an inveterate womanizer, and he has begun to make advances on Angelique DuParis, the wife of his boss, Marcel. This dangerous love triangle threatens the reputation of the church, and would cause harm to the legitimacy of the Amyran temple in St. Calrice were it to become known. 3) Naturally, those who have something to gain from the brewing scandal are eager to use it. Interested parties include Gerard LeVaine (who wants to destroy people's faith in their gods) and Gaston Duchamps (Marcel publicly criticizes the Merchant's Guild and supports the Dockworker's Union, and Gaston would like nothing more than to draw attention away from his own affairs). Though Bishop Antoine Montaire is a long-time rival of the Amyran temple, he would likely find only sadness in the scandal, not vindication. Spoiler:Show
4) The assassins are not targeting Audric for anything he's done, but because he is close to Angelique DuParis. She is the real target of the plot laid by Mai'ali, who wants to worm her way into Marcel's life by removing her competition. Audric is seen as just a bodyguard, but she, too, would be eager to use his infidelity against him in place of direct assault.
Step 4: Contacts and Enemies Contacts and EnemiesShow
1) Celebrant Marcel DuParis, high priest of the Amyran temple, is one of Audric's friends. He is also Audric's superior. 2) Martin Tenbones is Audric's best friend. He owns a tavern and picks up much of the local gossip, and so he can keep Audric appraised of important developments in town. 3) Bharazhd Berama is a Dragonborn noble and "gentleman adventurer" who has made a name for himself in town. Audric and the Dragonborn have made fast friends. 4) Audric has seen a woman in town that strongly resembles his lost friend Sasha LeBelle. he is interested in speaking with this woman, to see if there is any family ties. He was going to talk to her at the tavern where she worked, but a brawl broke out there that wound up burning the place to the ground and he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during the chaos, so he lost his chance then. He met her again at a ball thrown by the Lord Mayor, but before he could do more than exchange pleasantries she hastily excused herself...right before he was attacked by Tayce again. He is beginning to suspect she has some ties to the assassin... 5) Tayce, an assassin, has tried to kill him on two separate occasions, and Audric is not certain why. He has been doing some investigation into the matter, but is not yet near an answer.
1) Audric is passionate and charismatic. He also flirts with any attractive female he meets. 2) Audric recalls the pain he endured after losing his lover to the pirate raid. Though many years have passed and the pain has dulled some, it is still a driving force in the back of his mind. 3) The break-up of the fellowship that he belonged to was a sore spot, because it happened over the love of a woman driving the team apart. Audric believes that better communication could have resolved the issue without such ugly feelings, and that love should not be the source of strife between friends. He is blind to his own hypocrisy in this.
Audric was an NPC, the local leader of the White Fox Society in the place of Marcel, who had been killed in that game. He was a great ally for the party, and was so beloved that when he died trying to save one of the party members after being captured by Mai'ali's cult, they actually sprung to get him resurrected. He moved from Patron to Ally very quickly, accompanying the party on several adventures. Eventually, he moved from NPC status to PC status when one of the players took him on as a full-time PC after several failed characters.
So bringing him back during the campaign reboot was a given. However, like everything else, I wanted to change a few things. As it turned out, the biggest change turned out to not be a change at all.
Let me elaborate: in the previous game, Audric was single and portrayed as something of a womanizer. However, he eventually got paired with Angelique DuParis, who was, at this time, a widow. The two characters began a relationship that seemed to be heading for matrimony, taming Audric's wild ways.
The major change that I did was to keep Audric's relationship with Angelique...but with the complication that Angelique's husband is still very much alive and an important NPC in his own right. Instantly, the tenor of the relationship changed, and it adds a delicious sense of scandal to the Amyran church that church's enemies can exploit. It also gives me an interesting love triangle dynamic to work with.
FF6, it's comments like that make me want to post more characters. So I am. Hopefully everyone will forgive you. :D
¡Now with still MORE editing!
Here's a PC no one will ever let me play. Fingers crossed, though.
Zimri, male tiefling Warlord, Evil. Background: "Despite appearances, I'm a soldier first. Now help this man before he bleeds to death."Spoiler:Show
1.Zimri is a recent graduate of the Puissant Academy of Hermingforde. 2. His unusual parentage was overlooked, due to a dire need of officers to quell a peasant rebellion, and a solid cloistered education. However, due to politics, he ended up as a frontline commander of an entirely green unit. 3. His own account of what follows goes like this: Insufficiently supported, his unit took heavy losses and was isolated from the main force. After a series of skirmishes, dwindling supplies and wounded men forced him to negotiate with a tribe of hobgoblins, who created enough of a diversion for his unit to cover the trek to base safely. While technically true, this skirts some of the unpleasant circumstances of the situation. 4. The alternate account is this: Zimri ambushed a large enemy force without official orders, took heavy losses, and ordered a retreat. Unwilling to take further losses fighting hobgoblins, Zimri offered to lead the creatures to a now lightly defended enemy hamlet, where the goblins caused enough havok to draw the men of the village back from patrol to avenge the abuse of their families. He used this situation to escape. This account is also technically true, but better orders were not forthcoming, since his CO had opted to use Zimri's unit as a decoy. 5.His court martial proved inconclusive, with Zimri knowing the relevant caselaw better than his accusers, and getting some unexpected help from higher up. However, the tribunal decided that he be placed on indefinite leave, following the incident.
Goals: "It may sound naive, but just as a man must earn what he has, he likewise must have what he's earned." Spoiler:Show
Short: Zimri feels that he has been cheated of his rightful citation, and must overtake progressively more insane situations until someone notices his brilliance. Medium: As a player, I'd like Zimri to witness something that shakes his cynical view of the world, but I'm not holding my breath. Long: I'd like him to have to make a choice between his loyalty and his self-preservation at some point. Which he chooses will be based on the resolution of the former goal.
Secrets: "My tutors went too far, you see: Once I learned to reason, thinking wasn't far behind." Spoiler:Show
1. Known: While educated by St Cuthbert's clergy, Zimri is actually a lay worshipper in an Asmodian Cult. His allegiance to Asmodeus began as social networking at the academy, but he now sees the archdevil as personifying utilitarian judgement, and tactical thinking. His dry wit and lack of zealousness result in him and the senior clergy keeping each other at a distance. 2. Unknown: This cult is currently planning to overthrow the royal family, replacing the king with a nobleborn cultist. Eventually. These things take time. Zimri, if he knew of this, would not join the coup, although it's too early to say whether he'd actively oppose it.
Relationships, 2 positive, 1 Negative. "I maintain an active social life, my dear. I suggest you find someone less burdened." Spoiler:Show
*Lieutenant-colonel Leffingham. Human Male, LG. A grizzled veteran of many campaigns for the crown, Leffingham will not allow himself the moral shortcuts Zimri seems to revel in. Despite personal agitation, he forced himself to defend Zimri at his court martial, since his actions did serve the survival of his troops. *Contessa Eunice Cosby. Human Female, E. Wealthy, beautiful, and utterly bored, Eunice belongs to the infernal cult referenced above. She, like most of the noble members, is strictly in it for the lulz, and would balk at any serious mayhem. Lately, she's had her eye on Zimri, figuring that his race and reputation would attract the exact wrong sort of attention. *Captain Devlin Delphineo. Human male, G. Unable to rid himself of the abomination of a hellspawned officer during the war, despite his best efforts, Devlin proved similarly incompetant at destroying Zimri during his formal inquiry. Nothing good will come of his increasing obsession over the matter, and being madly in love with the contessa is certainly not going to help.
Personality: "You are going to lead us to our mutual friend, or I am going to deflate your lung." Spoiler:Show
If war is hell, Zimri makes the perfect warlord. He is the picture of rigid discipline, shrewd character, and sociopathic amorality. He'd think nothing of napalming a village to prevent fighting its warriors, but would never cheat at cards or break a promise, unless he needed to. His foremost commitment seems to be to his own survival, an attitude he makes few excuses about. While willing to do whatever the situation at hand requires, he has no room for cruelty or kindness, both being unwanted distractions. Mannerisms: "I'll have the veal." Spartan in appearance and habits, Zimri has more emotional control than most tieflings. He expects obedience and deference, but is very sympathetic in most situations, seemingly cataloging and collating the abilities and limits of the people he interacts with. He favors well-grilled meats and expensive wine, and will sometimes smoke an ivory stemmed pipe while he is thinking. His sole creative pursuit seems to be the Journal he keeps, although the complex cypher therein stymies all but the most determined spies.
For those familiar with Leonard Cohen, he's very close to my idea of Zimri's vocal pitch and enunciation. Theatrical, but reserved.
From Wikipedia: Zimri was the Prince of the Tribe of Simeon during the time of the Israelites in the desert. At Shittim (Num. 25:6-15) he took part in the Heresy of Peor, taking as a paramour a Midianite woman, Cozbi. Zimri openly defied Moses before the people who were standing at the entrance of the Tabernacle by going in to the Midianite, but Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, killed them both by impaling them on a spear. While I obviously arranged things to turn out a quite a bit differently, the historical context was a goldmine for NPC details. I make sure to europeanize the names of non-tieflings, of course.
Here is some background information on the campaign area, inspired by the FRCG.
The Ten-Minute Background of The Republic of Coralton
Step 1: Concepts and Background
"Onward, men! Let us show these pirate scum what true men of valor look like! And fear no blade, no poison, no spell! For the bold men die but once, then rest, but the cowards die a thousand times until they reach their judgment!" --Hannibal Lightfoot, just before the Battle of Coral Town
1) Coralton was once the southernmost province of the great Kelsenon Empire, but when the empire collapsed during the Hundred Years' Chaos, the outlying areas of the empire were left to fend for themselves. Coralton weathered domination by raging diabolic hordes and pirate lords until a group of expatriate Eladrin from the Eladrin empire of Avaleron in the Feywild crossed the veil. The Eladrin rallied the beleaguered humans and helped them rise up against the forces of darkness, driving the devils from Notre Dame and the pirates from Coral Town. Once the dark forces had been driven from the south, the province declared its independence from Kelsenon, forming its own governing body. 2) Coralton is composed of two former city states. The White City of Notre Dame, to the north, sits on the edge of the world's largest canyon and guards one end of a massive dwarven-built bridge, over fifty miles long, that spans the chasm. Coral Town is one of the largest ports in the world and boasts a navy that is the envy of the Argius sea. Coral Town is the nominal capital of the Republic. 3) Thanks to a large immigration of Eladrin and a great deal of interbreeding, Coralton has the largest half-elven population in the known world. In fact, Coralton is sometimes known as "The Half-Elven Nation." The region also has many ties to the Feywild, and creatures from that plane have a relatively easy time entering the Middle World. Coralton is an active trading partner with the remnant of Avaleron, which lies on the other side of The Veil. 4) Coralton is a Republic, governed by a council made up of nobles from all four major provinces (Southern, Northern, Eastern, and the Peninsula). Nobles are elected by the people of their provinces and serve 5 year terms. Though there are no strict term limits, nobles rarely serve more than twice in succession. Often a noble will suddenly decide to retire once his second term is up. Those that don't often have curious accidents or tragedies that, while not usually fatal, tend to make a person examine his life very carefully. 5) The City of Coral Town is noted for its strong navy, as well as being the headquarters of the Artificer's and Enchanter's Guild, a dwarven-run operation that is changing the face of the world with magical marvels such as the sentient Warforged, the first elemental-powered sailing ships, and (it's rumored) even the first prototypes of ships that can sail in the sky. Notre Dame is a strong military city, known for its ties to the Great Church of Cyra Morwyn, Goddess of the Sun, and for the dragon that attacks once every Seven Years
Step 2: Goals
"Humanity is truly a remarkable race. Less than two centuries after Kelsenon's fall, Coralton stands as a blazing beacon in a sea of darkness. While other races watch their empires crumble and wallow in despair everafter, the humans pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and build anew. Imagine, then, what they could accomplish with true masters to direct them." --Emperor Nyroni of Avaleron
1) Coralton is the player's home base in my current campaign, so it needs to seem worth adventuring in and yet at the same time it needs to be a place worth protecting. 2) Coralton is humanity's best hope of rebuilding, the "next great empire" in the making. It is threatened by the villain's plots, however, and bringing Coralton down would likely bring down humanity, at least for a time.
Step 3: Secrets
"It is as we feared. The Sheriff of Abbeville has become an Ant King, and he has many dark secrets."
"Then it is time we act to remove him. Assemble the other Foxes...it is time for a Hunt." --Two "concerned citizens," shortly before The Doom That Came to Abbeville.
1) There is a secret society of watchers and rebels known as "The White Fox Society" that works to keep Coralton honest. They act as a secret police and check against the government's power, working to keep the interests of the common man on the agendas of the elite. It is they who "convince" nobles who've gotten too comfortable in the Council to step down. They also strike at wealthy guild who use unfair practices to enrich themselves at the people's expense, sheriffs who are too heavy-handed in laying down the law, and other menaces who threaten the common well-being. See The White Fox background for more information. 2) Coralton faces a lurking threat from necromancers from the secret academy of Mournhollow. The Gash, the great canyon north of Notre Dame, was actually formed by the scythe of the devil lord known as the Dark Reaper when he cast it away from himself after being defeated by the Nine Hero Gods. Reaperite Lore has it that he also cast away his heart and the book that held the ritual that created him, and if these three artifacts are ever brought together again they can be used to summon him from his prison. The necromancers of Mournhollow are convinced that these artifacts are scattered throughout the lands surrounding the Gash, lands which include Coralton. One of these artifacts may, in fact, have been responsible for the Doom that came to Abbeville. Spoiler:Show
3) The Eladrin have been manipulating the Republic of Coralton since before it became its own nation. They interbreed with the humans only because they hope to use human breeding and half-elf bloodlines to break the curse of The Madness, which touches every Eladrin eventually. Some of the Eladrin Nobles are more aggressive, seeing the humans and half-breeds as weak and easily conquered slaves who will help their betters rebuild their noble empire. These Eladrin have been manipulating the White Fox Society to keep the human nation weak enough to conquer, and are even now massing their troops and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. How useful these manipulations have been is yet to be seen, because the humans and half elves they've spawned are stronger and more adaptable than the Eladrin realize...
Step 4: Contacts
"Run up the Blacks. We want ta take'em without too much o' a fight, and the living will part with their goods to stay breathing, you'll see." "Sir! They fly the flag of Coralton!" "Coralton!? Shaliwyn's black teat. Change of plans, then. Run up the Reds! No Quarter!" --Capt'n "Black Jacques" Maloy, final command to his crew before his death.
1) The Feywild remnants of Avaleron, once a mighty eladrin empire, are the most important allies Coralton has. The former nation lies just across the Veil in the same geological area that Coralton occupies, which means that merchants wishing to trade in the exotic goods of another plane just have to get through that barrier to get their wares to a whole new world, and vice versa. This makes trading with the eladrin very profitable for the residents of Coralton, who take the goods that are considered mundane to the fey and turn fantastic profits to the rest of the world, which sees such "mundane" items as otherworldly marvels. 2) Another strong trading partner is Baradan, with which Coralton has a mutual defense pact. Baradan, which shares Coralton's eastern border, is a Theocracy dedicated to Terak Corean, the god of justice, and the Paladin Knights of Baradan are one of the most feared martial orders in the region, despite numbering only a few thousand members. Baradan, however, is fighting a war on two fronts: one with the magical nation of Corsasia, which has been an enemy of Baradan's since before the two were provinces of Kelsenon, and with The Army of Ten Thousand Fangs, composed of hobgoblins who have enslaved dragons and have designs of carving out an empire for their race. 3) A third strong ally of Coralton's is Deepwater, across the Argius Sea. Deepwater was once the most important port of the Kelsenon Empire, but it was mostly destroyed during the Hundred Years' Chaos. It was resettled and opened again to trade, but by then the Empire had collapsed, and Deepwater had to survive on its own. Coralton has long since supplanted Deepwater as the most important port in the region, but it remains a vital tradeway and a gateway to the former lands of Kelsenon. 4) The "pirate nation" of the Scorpion Isles are havens for criminals and scum of all sorts. Rulled from a city called Skullport, these vicious buccaneers use the dangerous shoal-filled waters as a base of operations. The most notorious Pirate Lord, a tiefling known only as "The Hellbeard," sails out of Skullport raiding Coralton and Calyeron merchant ships. Legends say that The Hellbeard is a descendant of the pirate lord who ruled Coral Town during the Hundred Years' Chaos, and that his hatred for the city stems from this familial link. 5) Calyeron is a rival port that lies on Coralton's northern border, just across the Gash from Notre Dame. It is a rival trading power, ruled by a corrupt monarch who only cares about satiating his immense greed and the even more corrupt nobles and merchants who support his reign. Coralton once occupied Calyeron by force to end a series of trade wars, and the citizens have never forgiven their southern neighbors for the occupation. Calyeron has not openly warred with Coralton since losing the Trade Wars, but they do everything else in their power to sting their rival, including issuing Letters of Marque to bandits and pirates willing to strike at Coralton interests. Owning a Calyeron Letter of Marque is a hanging offense in Coralton.
FF6, it's comments like that make me want to post more characters. So I am. Hopefully everyone will forgive you. :D
Here's a PC no one will ever let me play. Fingers crossed, though.
Zimri, male tiefling Warlord, Evil.
You know, I'm not seeing how he's evil. Rigid militaristic attitude and discipline, yes. Expects his men to follow orders without questions, yes. Has no care for the enemy, yes. Evil? I'm not seeing it. I would think more unaligned, since he only cares about gaining prestige by commanding men. He actually cares for his men. He wants them to survive (or so it seems).
An excellent point. The core of the character is a challenge to the way evil is often depicted. I wanted to show how it's more than an excuse to be lazy, or megalomaniacal. In previous editions, he'd be LE.
First of all, the guy's not stupid. He's not going to murder a sandwich vendor to get a free lunch. The sandwich vendor's life is still meaningless to him. Second, he cares about success. Whether his opponents are good or evil, he wants to inflict the most severe damage possible. It's not that he cares about his men/allies, so much as he wants their full potential used.
At some point, he's left any semblance of morality behind. Sacrificing good civilians to evil humanoids is not something an unaligned character would do. And he really is a faithful devil-worshipper. He'd have very little objection to using blackmail or assassination to get ahead, if he saw this as the most effective method. Note that he will likely act against the cult's coup attempt, since it is an illegitimate seizure of power.
I hadn't seen your comment on your sergeant when I wrote this up. That's irony, it is. And thank you for the feedback.
An excellent point. The core of the character is a challenge to the way evil is often depicted. I wanted to show how it's more than an excuse to be lazy, or megalomaniacal. In previous editions, he'd be LE.
First of all, the guy's not stupid. He's not going to murder a sandwich vendor to get a free lunch. The sandwich vendor's life is still meaningless to him. Second, he cares about success. Whether his opponents are good or evil, he wants to inflict the most severe damage possible. It's not that he cares about his men/allies, so much as he wants their full potential used.
At some point, he's left any semblance of morality behind. Sacrificing good civilians to evil humanoids is not something an unaligned character would do. And he really is a faithful devil-worshipper. He'd have very little objection to using blackmail or assassination to get ahead, if he saw this as the most effective method. Note that he will likely act against the cult's coup attempt, since it is an illegitimate seizure of power.
I hadn't seen your comment on your sergeant when I wrote this up. That's irony, it is. And thank you for the feedback.
Lol. Irony indeed. I missed the part about him letting loose hobgobo's on innocent civilians. Since his version was different than the court's, I wasn't sure which one was true.
All in all, though, I don't think it's evil to completely destroy every aspect of your enemy, or taking tactical advantage of an area they left undefended (their home village), but it would definately be evil if he took in wounded enemy as prisoners, and then had them killed (like in The Patriot.
Now that you've added a bit about him, I can definately see the evil in him, but that part didn't portray well into your ten-minute background. Still, excellent character idea. He'd be interesting to play with one of my warlocks. :D
