Brave souls and adventurous spirits for a daring expedition into the world below in search of the lost city of Deepreach. Treasure, adventure and glorious battle await in the deeps, and a place in legends when the dwarven homeland is uncovered. Interested parties should gather at The Foundation Stone in the Hammerfast Gate Ward on the third day of the month of Pelor‘s Wrath. The patron of the expedition will provide food, transportation, and bedrolls, all other supplies must be brought. Only those of stout heart, firm will, and proven skill need apply. All members of the expedition will be granted and equal share in the riches of Deepreach (excluding dwarven relics). Posted by the Fallcrest Traveler’s Guild By Request of Grondin Glowhammer
This is the notice that recently appeared in every tap house, tavern and inn in Fallcrest. Someone is putting together an expedition to find the lost dwarven homeland of Deepreach and has put out a call for adventurers. A gathering in Hammerfast is set to occur soon, and it is sure to attract some of the greatest heroes the Nentir Vale has to offer. The opportunity for fame, riches and glory await for those bold enough to venture down into the dark tunnels of the infamous Underdark.
Adventure Outline This is a paragon tier adventure that takes place over four chapters as the player characters search for the fabled dwarven homeland of Deepreach. Along the way they will encounter both friend and foe as they pass through Forgehome, the City of Mines. They will fight for survival against the terrible creatures of the Underdark as they traverse the twisting corridors of the Shallows and come face to face with a lurking horror on the path to the dwarven homeland. And finally they will face their greatest test when they arrive in Deepreach, and discover why the ancient dwarven homeland was abandoned. The following breakdown is for Player Knowledge Only! Characters should not be aware of any of these details. Do not read if you don’t want spoilers!
Part I: Friends in Dark Places In the first chapter of the adventure, the characters assemble in Hammerfast to meet their employer and the other members of the expedition. A secret route soon leads the expedition to the city of Forgehome deep beneath the Dawnforge Mountains in the Shallows of the Underdark. In the City of Mines the group must make contact with a guide while evading agents of the Black Watch, an organization of Duergar intent on making the surface dwellers into slaves.
Part II: Perils of the Shallows Upon leaving Forgehome, the expedition begins the long journey through the Shallows of the Underdark dodging troglodyte hunting parties, Kruthik hives, and goblinoid tribes. They may need to deal with quaggoth nomads or sneak unnoticed through a city of Drow depending on the paths they take. They will contend with the potentially deadly terrain of the Shallows, and deal with the perils of an underground river and its crazed Kuo-Toa inhabitants.
Part III: The Road to Deepreach In the third chapter of the adventure the expedition moves into the Deeps of the Underdark, and onto the old Mithril Highway, the lost passage that leads to Deepreach. Along the way they will encounter the perils of the Deeps terrain, and encounter an Underdark hermit who may be able to offer valuable assistance, or become a dangerous, lurking threat. As they draw closer to the ancient dwarven homeland, they will begin to discover the terrible truth of why Deepreach was abandoned, and come face to face with an ancient dwarven leviathan that still guards the gates of Deepreach.
Part IV: Beyond the Shadows In the finale chapter of the game the expedition finally arrives at the lost dwarven homeland of Deepreach only to discover it inhabited by a coven of illithids in the service of a nameless, unspeakable threat from the Far Realm that seeks to spread through the Underdark, and eventually to the surface world above. They will be forced to make a choice. Fight through the illithid enclave and confront the growing threat from the Far Realm. Seal off the way to Deepreach, imprisoning the threat but losing the dwarven homeland forever. Or flee back to the surface with word of the threat…and their lives.
There is a world just around the corner of your mind, where reality is an intruder and dreams come true. You may escape into it at will. You need no secret password, no magic wand or Aladdin's lamp; only your own imagination and curiosity about things that never were.
Background: Amaril was born and raised in the Feywild. Magic was second nature to him and the fact that in that realm it is in everything made it easy for him to learn to tap into it and manipulate it. He would talk to foreigners who passed through his home town, especially those from the mortal realm. When he was finally old enough he found a wizard, , who was heading back to the mortal realm and convinced him to take him on as an apprentice. Amaril had heard how magic was harder to control and master in the mortal realm and that if one wanted to truly master it that was the place to go and learn. So started his great adventure.
For a while he traveled with his master, learning quickly from him. When his master decided to settle down, Amaril decided to keep wandering on his own. He found a group of like minded people, adventurers, in a small town named Fallscrest and started making his own name. With the wild nature of the vale around Fallscrest it was not hard for them to find adventure. They dealt with unruly kobolds, marauding goblinoids and many others monsters. While Amaril found these adventures fun and interesting, they did not lead him to further his knowledge of the arcane. He convinced his companions to move outside the vale and start exploring the rest of the world. They would travel to new towns or cities and find out about jobs in the area. Having already gathered some skill they were picky about what jobs they would take. Any time Amaril found rumors of lost civilizations that were strong in magic, he would strive to locate the ruins and convince his allies to go with him and search them for lost treasures. They traveled into the depths of burning deserts, icy wastes and even a trip or two into the underdark. Each time they found the ruins and of course monsters living there or guarding them. Sometimes he found lost arcane knowledge and sometimes he did not, but the drive to find lost knowledge still drives him on.
Tired and wanting to have a little rest Amaril left his allies, or what was left of them. Their last endeavor had decreased their numbers from six to three, and they had decided to split ways. Well, as the last adventure had been on Amaril had set up and had gone horribly wrong for most of the group, the other two had refused to continue to work with him and blame him for the deaths of the others. The fact that he had made a huge effort to get and escape with some arcane documents, an effort that cost the life of at least one of the fallen as he tried to protect Amaril, did not help with their feelings. That and the fact that Amaril seemed happier with his find then he was upset with his loss.
So he traveled back to Nentir Vale and ended up locating his master of long ago. His master was now part of a group called the Mages of Sarunn. While the group was not made up of the nicest people he had come across, he found it a good resource and eventually joined up. He now works odd jobs for the group, whether investigating rumors they have uncovered or attempting to set up new contacts for the group. While the group has some aspects that Amaril does not like and will not get involved with, they have good contacts and a large part of their task is to open up lines of trade to remote areas and to uncover knowledge and items that have been lost.
Thus it is that Amaril finds himself in Fallscrest, having had enough rest, reading a bulletin calling for adventurers to go to Hammerfast and join and expedition into the underdark to try to recover a lost dwarven realm. His contacts in the Mages of Sarunn have asked him to represent them and to setup lines of trade with any civilizations he encounters on the expedition.
Personality: Amaril is a nice enough guy. He is friendly and outgoing towards just about everyone until the prove they are not trustworthy. He understands the need for team work and can be counted on in just about any situation. However he has one drawback. As a follower of Ioun he prizes knowledge above just about everything. He has in the past allowed the desire for the knowledge to allow him to leave an ally in a deadly/life threatening situation and even get one or two killed. Finding and preserving all types of knowledge is his main goal in life. He firmly believes knowledge is power. He will under no circumstances allow someone to destroy knowledge in any form. Even knowledge of extremely evil nature is to be protected for it can be used by those with proper training to avoid the evil.
Appearance: Amaril is a bit odd for an Eladrin. His skin is almost ebony black, his hair is bright golden and hangs just past his shoulder blades and his eyes are a bright red. He wears a set of black mystical robes with all sorts of magical runes all over them. There is a longsword strapped to his hip and a satchel over his shoulder about the right size to hold a tome. A dark blue cloak covered in stars hangs from his shoulders, mostly covering his backpack.
Wash: "Yeah well, if she doesn't give us some extra flow from the engine room to offset the burn through, this landing is gonna get pretty interesting."
Mal: "Define interesting."
Wash: "Oh god oh god we're all gonna die?"
Mal: "This is the captain. We have a...little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode."
Racial Abilities: Ability Scores: +2 cha, +2 int Size: Small Speed: 5 squares Vision: Low Light Languages: Common, Elven, Deepspeech, Draconic, Giant, Goblin (Gem of Colloquy) Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcane and Stealth Other info: Fey Origin, Master Trickster, Reactive Stealth, Trickster's Cunning, Fade away
Bard Abilities: Role: Leader Power Source: Arcane Key Abilities: Cha, Wis, Int Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Hide, Chainmail, light shield Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee, simple ranged, Military ranged, longsword, shortsword, scimitar Impliment: Wands Bonus to Defense: +1 (Ref/Will) Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score Hit Points per Level Gained: 5 Healing Surges per Day: 7 + Constitution modifier Trained Skills: Arcane, acrobatics, athletics, bluff, diplomacy dungeoneering, heal, history, insight, intimidate, nature, perception, religion, streetwise Entrancing Mystic Abilities: -Maddening Action-When you spend an action point, one creature within 5 squares of you takes ongoing 5 psyching damage (save ends). -Mystic Rature: Each enemy that enters a space with 3 squares of your or that starts its turn there takes a -5 penalty to saves against charm effects and a -2 penalty to all other saves. powersShow
At Will Powers
Virtue of Cunning At-Will, Once per round Effect: When an attack misses an ally within a number of squares equal to 5+int (9) you can slide that ally 1 square as a free action.
Guiding Strike (Your weapon stroke guide your allies, showing them where to focus their attacks) At-Will * Arcane, Weapon Standard Action Melee Target: One Creature Attack: +16 vs AC (6lev+6cha+3prof+1enhan) Hit: 1d6+7/11 cold and the target takes a -2 to a defense of your choosing until EonT, and grants CA to me until EonT. (6cha+1enh+5cold) Vicious Mockery (You unleash a string of insults at your foe weaving them with bardic magic ans sending the creature into a blind rage) At-Will * Arcane, Charm, Implment, Psychic, Cold Standard Action Range 10 Target: One Creature Attack: +16 VS Will (6lev+6cha+3ench+1feat) Hit: 1d6+12/17 cold/psychic damage and target takes a -4 to attacks and CA uEonT. (1d6+6cha+5frost+3enhan+2item+1feat)
-Floating Lantern: (minor) While holding the lantern or adjacent to it you can ste the light 10/5/or off brightness. -Floating Lantern: (Move) Last creature to hold can mentally command it to move up to 10 squares in any direction, but not more than 10 squares from it.
Encounter Powers
Gnome, Fade Away (You turn invisible in response to harm) Encounter * Illusion Immediate Reaction Target: Personal Effect: You are invisible until you attack or until the end of your next turn.
Gnome, Ghost Sound (With a wink, you make an illusory sound that emanates from nearby) Encounter * Arcane, Illusion Minor Action Range: 10 Target: One object or unoccupied square Effect: You cause a sound as quiet as a whisper or as loud as a yelling or fighting creature to emanate from the target. (You can produce nonvocal sounds like ringing of sword blows, jingling armor, scraping stone. If you whisper you can do so that only creatures adjacent to the target can hear the words.) Bard: Majestic Word (2d6+6hps+6tempory+2 item) (You utter words laden with preternatural inspiration, restoring your ally's stamina and making wounds seem insignificant) Encounter * Arcane, Healing Minor Action Close: Burst 5 Target: You or ally Effect: Target can spend healing surge and gain additional hps = to cha mod. -You may also slide the target 1 square Special(you can use this power twice per encounter but only once per round)
Bard: Words of Friendship (You infuse your words with arcane power, transforming even the simplest speech into compelling oratory) Encounter, Arcane Minor Action Personal Effect: You gain +5 power bonus to diplomacy check you make before the end of your next turn.
Eyebite (You glare at your enemy, and your eyes briefly gleam with brilliant colors. Your foe reels under your mental assult, and your vanish from his sight.) Encounter* Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psysic Standard Action Range: 10 Attack: Cha vs Will (6lev+6cha+3ench+1feat) Hit: 1d6+12 psychic damage and your turn invisible to the target until the start of your next turn and takes -2 to next attack. (1d6+6cha+3enhan+2item+1feat)
Wand of Psychic Rav-Eyebite Item (You glare at your enemy, and your eyes briefly gleam with brilliant colors. Your foe reels under your mental assult, and your vanish from his sight.) Encounter* Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psysic S tandard Action Range: 10 Attack: Cha vs Will (6lev+6cha+3ench+1feat) Hit: 1d6+12 psychic damage and your turn invisible to the target until the start of your next turn and takes -2 to next attack. (1d6+6cha+3enhan+2item+1feat)
Screaming Armor: Encounter, Fear, Minor Action Range: 5 Effect: An enemy within 5 squares takes -2 to attack rolls until EonT.
Healer's Sash: Encouter, Healing Immediate Reaction Range: 5 Trigger: Ally within 5 squares of your takes damage. Effect: Use one charge and the ally regains Hps as though they spent a healing surge and +1d6+2hps.
Lvl1: BlunderPHB (You fog your foe's mind, causing it to stumble past your allies) Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Charm Standard Action Range: 5 Target: One Creature Attack: +16 vs Will (6lev+6cha+3ench+1feat) Hit: 1d6+10 Cha (1d6+6cha+3enhan+1feat) Effect: You slide the target 2 squares. During the slide, you or one of your sllies can make a melee basic attack against the target as a free action with a power bonus to the attack roll of (1+int mod).
Lvl2: Moment of Escape-AP (You distrackyour enemies with a quick refrain, giving your battled ally a chance to get away) Encounter Utility, Arcane Move action, Range: 10 Target: One ally Effect: Slide the target 4 squares.
Lvl3: Cunning Ferocity-PHB2 (The mark of your weapon on your target's hide give strength to your allies' attacks against the same foe) Encounter, Arcane, Weapon Standard, Melee Target: One creature Attack: +16 vs Reflex (6lev+6cha+3prof+1enhan) Hit: 1d6+7/12 Cold and each ally within 5 squares of you gains +5 bonus on damage aganist target until EonT. 6cha+1enh+5cold Virtue of cunning: +5damage
Lvl6: Chord of Resilience-AP (With notes of steel and stone, your preserve your ally from harm.) Encounter Utility, Arcane Immediate Interrupt, Range: 10 Trigger: An attack hits an ally Target: The ally who is hit Effect: The damage the target takes is reduced by amount equal to 5+cha mod (11).
Lvl7: Theft of Life-AP (As your shout a word of power, health and vitality drain from your foe and refresh a nearby ally) Encounter, Arcane, Implement, Healing Standard, Range 10 Target: One creature Attack: Cha vs Reflex Hit: 2d8+cha. Effect: An ally adjacent to the target can spend a healing suge (+2item) and also gains tempory hps equal to your intel modifier. (+4) Lvl11: Hekiah's Trance-AP (An enemy becomes lost in your eyes, shuffling in the direction of your gaze) Encounter, Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic Standard Action, Range: 5 Target: One creature Attack: +16 VS Will (6lev+6cha+3ench+1feat) Hit: 1d8+11 psychic (6cha+3enhan+2item+1feat) and -2 to attack roll and you slide the target a number of squares equal to your Cha mod. The target is slowed until EonT.
Daily Powers Lvl1: Stirring Shout (Your shout of wrath stabs into your foe's mind. Each time your allies hit that foe, they draw strength from its weakness.) Daily * Arcane, Healing, Implement, Psychic Standard Action Range: 10 Target: One Creature Attack: Cha vs Reflex Hit: 2d6+cha psychic damage. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever an ally hits the target, that ally regains hps equal to cha modifier. (+2 from brooch)
Lvl5: Compulsion-AP (You croon a beguiling melody, inducing your foe to wander wherever you direct it) Daily, Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic Standard Action, Range: 10 Target: One creature Attack: Cha vs Will Hit: 2d8+cha mod if psychic damage and your slide the target 5 squares at start or end of its turn (save ends). Until it saves it can't take move actions on its turn. Miss: Half Damage. You slide the target 5 squares at beginning of its turn or end of its next turn and it can't take move actions on its next turn.
Lvl9: Wail of Anguish-AP (A threnody of loss and sorrw saps your foes' ability to escape harm.) Daily, Arcane, Implement Minor Action, Personal Effect: Until EonT, you can make the following attack. Opportunity Action, Close Burst 3 Trigger: An enemy starts its turn within 3 squares of you Target: The triggering enemy in burst Attack: Cha vs Will Hit: 1d10+Cha and the target cannot shift until EonT Sustain Minor: Effect persists
Lv10: Word of Life(PHB2) (A single word is sufficient to save an ally from death's grasp while punishing the foe who delt the blow) Daily, Arcane, Healing Immeidate Reaction, Close burst:20 Trigger: An enemy attack reduces an ally within 20 to 0 or few hps. Target: The triggering ally in burst Effect: The target can spend a healing surge (+2item). In addition the enemy takes -5 to all defenses until EonT.
Lvl12: Shroud of Apeptus-AP (An enemy moves to strike your, but you stare into its eyes and rob the creature of its will) Daily, Arcane, Charm Immediate Reaction, Range 5 Trigger: An enemy within 5 squares of your misses you with an attack Target: Triggering enemy Effect: The target is dazed until EonT
Fochlucan Bandore: (Daily) Use during a short rest. One ally gains +2 power bonus to weapon damage rolls until next short rest or extended rest.
Frost Weapon: (Daily, cold) Free Action, Use this power when you hit. The target takes an extra 1d8 cold and is slowed until EonT.
Lv 1: Comprehend Language (Arcane) Lv 1: Traveler's Chant (Arcane) Lv 2: Eye of Alarm (Arcane) Lv 1: Make Whole (Arcane) Lv 8: Song of Sustenance (Arcane/Musical Instrument) Lv 4: Call of Friendship (diplomacy/Musical Insturment) Lv 4: Enchant Magic Item (Arcane) Lv 4: Knock (Arcane) Lv 2: Endure Elements (Arcane) Lv 1: Travel Chant (Arcane) Lv 1: Glib Limerick (Arcane) Lv 2: Bloom (Nature)
Gear -lv13 +3 Wand of psychic Ravaging (With this wand in hand, your psychic attacks tear through your enemies' minds) Critical: +3d8 Property: Gain +2 item bonus to damage with psychic/implement powers Power: (Encounter) Eyebite -lv12 +3 Screaming Earthhide Armor Property: -lv11 Healer's Sash (AV) 5/5 charges Power: (At Will), Standard, you or ally use healing surge to recharge belt 1 for 1. Power: (encounter) Immeidate Reaction: When ally within 5 squares of your takes damage use 1 charge and they regain hps as if they spent a healing surge. (+2 from brooch) -Healer's Brooch +2 4200 (+2 to any healing power) -Floating Shield 360 -Fochlucan Bandore 680gp -Floating Lantern 680gp -Gem of Colloquy (goblin) 520gp -Frost Shortsword +1 680gp Everburning torch 50gp Thief Tools 20gp Sunrods x10 20gp Rope 1gp Bedroll 1sp Flint/steel 1gp Waterskin 1gp Eye of Alarm 100gp Make Whole 50gp Song of Sustenance 680gp Anthem of Unity 680gp Call of Friendship 250gp Enchant Magic Item 175gp Bloom 100gp Glib Limerick 50gp Traveler's Chant 75gp Endure Elements 100gp Knock 175gp 125gp in Residuum
Personality: Sapphire Follin is clever and often uses her whits and persuasiveness to best larger and stronger foes. She is reliable and loyal to those she views as friends. She is rebellious towards authority and those who use unjust laws toward their own gain. She is both ambitious and courageous which somethings gets her in over her head. She trusts in lady luck to get her out of it. If crossed she can be quite resentful and always looks to repay the deed no matter how long. She has trouble letting things go. She is curious and inventive always looking to learn new tales, rituals, or things having to do with magic. She is humerous, and enjoys a good prank. She is a trickster and enjoys harmless pranks on her friends and not so harmless on her foes. She respects those who get one over one her, friend or foe.
Looks: Sapphire is a beautiful, no stunning, female gnome that stands 3'6" tall and weighs about 60 lbs. She has long blue-grey hair that many a gnome would kill for. Her cool sapphire eyes are a rarity and her name sake. Her rocky grey skin is smooth as a pearl and as cool and delicate as a newly formed snowflake. Though she's 90 years old, she still looks in the prime of her life, fit as a fiddle and stunning to the eye. She wears a nice set of Earthhide armor created by a gnome seeking her affection long since forgotten. On her belt is a finely crafted shortsword.
Background: Sapphire's home is the Feywild. She would be considered a princess in human terms as her mother is a member of The Gnome Council. She is actually a twin, a rarity in gnomes, to her elder (by a minute) sister Amythest. Where Amythest's had beauty to match that of Sapphire, her heart was as cold as the frozen kingdom of the Prince of Frost. Sapphire on the other hand had a heart to match her beauty. She would always be her mother's favorite and a thorn in her elder sister's side. Amythest devoted her time and energies to becoming a powerful warlock and devoted herself to The Prince of Frost. Sapphire was more interested in traveling the feywild and telling tales, playing music, and sharing a glass of good gnome wine with friends. The Summer Queen took notice of Sapphire and her travels and came to her in her dreams. She urged Sapphire to travel to the human world and in return she would share some of her power with the beautiful little gnome (Fey Pact). Her heart was drawn to Tiandra, the Summer Queen, and she could not refuse her. Why Tiandra came to Sapphire in the first place and why she wants her to travel the human world is only known to the Archfey. She does have a rivalry with The Prince of Frost. He did have his calculating eyes on the beautiful gnome with unique sapphire eyes and a wintery touch. Maybe she did it to spite him, but Tiandra does have a fondness for humans, perhaps she just wishes to experience it through Sapphire's very unique eyes. Eyes now touched by Tiandra. For the last 20 years Sapphire has been traveling the lands telling tales, fighting evil monsters, playing unending pranks, and warming the hearts of the mortals. Most recently she joined a group of adventures looking into the troubles at Guardmore Abbey. The abbey was dedicated to Bahamut and served as the base of a militant order of paladins who won great fame fighting in Nerath's distant crusades. As the story went, the paladins brought a dark artifact back from a far crusade for safekeeping, and evil forces gathered to assault the abbey and take it back. There were extensive dungeons lieing beneath the ruins, which still concealed the hoarded wealth of the old crusading paladins. There were also undead and demons roaming the dungeons somehow released by the said artifact. Sapphire and the rest of the group escaped with their lives still in tacked, their pouches and packs full on coins and magic and grand tales to tell. There are still many dark passages unchecked and treasure hidden in the dungeons depths including the dark artifact. Sapphire was happy to find her magical wand in the dungeons and counts herself luck to have survived. Two days ago she read a notice posted in a small tavern she was playing at in the town of Fallcrest. From what she's heard, Deepreach is a place of legend and awe. What a wonderful opportunity joining such a quest would offer her. The the tale itself would be worth it, but the chance to mingle with dwarves may please Tiandra. They were a race not native to the Feywild and one she hadn't spent alot of time with thus far. Hammerfist wasn't far now, she'd be there by nightfall a day ahead of the noted time to meet.
POWERS Barbarian at-will 1: Recuperating Strike Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike Barbarian encounter 1: Avalanche Strike Barbarian daily 1: Bloodhunt Rage Barbarian utility 2: Shrug It Off Barbarian encounter 3: Reckless Rampage Barbarian daily 5: Ancient Berserkers' Rage Barbarian utility 6: Run Rampant Barbarian encounter 7: Tide of Blood Barbarian daily 9: Black Dragon Rage Barbarian utility 10: Deny Death
ITEMS Reckless Maul +3 Horn Tusk Earthhide Armor +3 Backbone Belt (paragon tier) Adventurer's Kit Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier) Catstep Boots (heroic tier) Gauntlets of Ogre Power (heroic tier) Headband of Perception (heroic tier) Cloak of the Walking Wounded +2 Onyx Dog (heroic tier)
Ulric is large, even for a dragonborn, towering at 7'2". His skin is a coppery-orange, with a larger than normal scale pattern. His thick hide armor hides numerous battle scars, but many can still be seen covering his arms and face. Several of the ropey tendrils sprouting from his head seem to have been cut short, leaving him with a lopsided look. A few of the teath on the left side of his mouth have been broken or nocked out, though not enough to leave too big of a gap in any one place. One thing that stands out among the battered and torn facade is Granth, Ulric's maul. The massive weapon is lovingly cared for, and shines brightly wherever it's metal shows. Delicate inlays of gold adorn the head of the weapon, though the pattern it forms is broken in some places - a testament to it's long use. The leather grip that extends across most of the haft is well worn and seems to have been replaced in several spots. Despite the loving upkeep, there are traces of blood-stains all over, and many chips and scratches can be seen where an enemy's skull decided it would put up a fight. Granth has never lost.
Ulric is a grim and dour fellow, always brooding. Until there's a chance for a fight. Ulric will pounce on any slight, any insult, to start a fight and let loose the anger and pain inside him. Once fighting, Ulric gives in to spirits he channels and lets their rage magnify his own. He is a berserker in the truest sense. When and if Ulric sees humor in anything, it is usually grim or morbid humor.
Ulric had lead a fairly traditional Dragonborn life. He grew up roaming the mountains around his tribe in the Cairngorm Peaks (west of Winterhaven). Upon reaching adolescence he started tending his family's herd of mountain goats. When he came of age at sixteen he took, and passed, the trials of the Earth Mother, and was given approval from the tribe's shaman to train as a warrior. By the time he was seventeen he was able to channel the spirits of nature and his ancestors into a focused rage. When he turned eighteen he was formally recognized as a warrior of the tribe and given the rank of Rageblood. The years passed normally and Ulric courted one of the tribe's priestesses, a woman named Litania.
Then things changed.
First, Litania and several other Druids went missing. The shock of losing his betrothed was hard to take, and Ulric and the other warriors spent months looking for them. No trace was ever found. Ulric was devastated and spent much time picking fights and raging at the world and the spirits. Soon though, things got worse. Ulric's young sister, who had only just taken her trials, was kidnapped, along with a handful of other children. Unlike Litania's disappearance, Kirranna was easy to track. The Bloodreavers of Thunderspire had taken her, and Ulric wouldn't stop until every one of them was dead.
He tracked them down to a base in the labyrinth beneath Thunderspire Mountain and, with the help of a few adventurers fresh from Winterhaven, slaughtered them all. They were too late, as the children and other prisoners had already been sold as slaves. With the others, Ulric tracked them from one place to another. Finally, he found her in the clutches of the Blackfang Gnolls, ready to be sacrificed in a ritual to give their demon prince, Yeenoghu, complete control of Thunderspire. Ulric and his companions managed to stop the ritual and save the prisoners, but Ulric had been through too much. Too much pain, too much sorrow. This little revenge that he had gained wasn't enough to sate his anger. Following the rest of the adventurers, he traced the Blackfang's support back to a rogue Mage of Saruun and foiled his plans. His work in Thunderspire complete, he left the companions and took his sister, and the other tribe children, back home.
There he received a great shock. The Shaman had divined the location of the lost Druids! A breach in the fabric between the planes had opened and they had been taken into the Feywild. Ulric and several of the other warriors and priests of his tribe readied an expedition to get them back. Once in the Feywild, the priests led them to an ancient stronghold where they had been taken. Some reconnaissance uncovered that some Fomorians had taken them for reasons unknown. The Dragonborn assaulted the Fomorain base and fought all manner of beast and monster, losing several of their own, and rescuing only a few of the Druids, who had been tortured and abused. Most had already died, but Litania was alive. What few priests hadn't been killed reopened the portal back to the Cairngorm Peaks and the survivors escaped back to their home.
Unfortunately, Litania was not the same person as she was before. Though Ulric still loved her, and she him, Litania was shattered from her ordeal. She and Ulric tried to make things work, but in the end Litania relinquished the betrothal. Ulric left then, and spent months wandering on his own, letting his grief and anger determine his course.
That was when he saw it. Posted in every tavern he went to in Fallcrest: "...expedition into the world below... ...adventure and glorious battle await in the deeps..." The underdark - what better place to lose himself and let his anger burn like an inferno! The challenges down there would either kill him or sate his bloodlust. With a grim smile, Ulric adjusted his enormous maul, shouldered his pack, and set off for Hammerfast.
Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade): Gain bonus to attack rolls with heavy blades
Toughness: Gain 5 additional HP per tier
Iron Will: +2 to Will defense, +3 on 11th level
Quick Recovery: Regain 5 additional HP when you spend a healing surge during rest.
Combat Commander: The bonus to initiative granted by your Combat Leader class feature is now equal to your Cha (+2) or Int (+4) modifier, whichever is higher.
Encounter Powers
Inspiring Word
2/encounter, HS+3d6
Enemies Abound
+19 vs. AC, 2d8+11
Steel Monsoon
+19 vs. AC, 2d8+11
Surround Foe
+19 vs. AC, 2d8+11
Blindside Assault
+19 vs. AC, 2d8+11
Magic Missile
7 force
Daily Powers
Bastion of Defense
+19 vs. AC, 3d8+11
Stand the Fallen
+19 vs. AC, 3d8+11
Knock Them Down
+19 vs. AC, 3d8+11
Utility Powers
Aid the Injured (Encounter)
Encouraging Stance (Daily)
Marked Revelation (Encounter)
Commando Maneuver (Encounter)
Item Powers
Bestial Earthide Armor +3 (Daily)
Bashing Light Shield (Daily)
Gauntlets of Ogre Power (Daily)
Acrobat Boots (At-will)
Equipment
Bestial Earthhide Armor +3 (lvl 13) Jagged Longsword +3 (lvl 12) Amulet of Protection +3 (lvl 11) Iron Armbands of Power (lvl 6) Gauntlets of Ogre Power (lvl 5) Bashing Light Shield (lvl 5) Belt of Vigor (lvl 2) Acrobat Boots (lvl 2) Adventurer's Kit Climber's Kit Horn Dagger
"Me? People call me Drake. Not the name my dear mama gave me, but only a few still call me by that name, so just call me Drake. I come from Waterdeep, I used to be an enlistee, like my boy Xeros here. Yeah, I know him. Been in a scruffle or two, eh, my man? Still lugging that tiger around, I see. How is he?"
He grins, the worn man sitting at the table across from you. He is covered in dust, but his eyes betray he still carries all the vitality of youth. His intense gaze is focused on you, eyes the color of slate seeming to take in the whole room at once. The wrinkles around his eyes betray he spends a lot of his time smiling, yet a keen observer can see by the look of his callused hands he is not a stranger to battle either. One of the big hands grasps the hilt of a mug of ale, lifting it to dusty lips. After a few gulps he sets it down.
"Ah, nothing like a good ale to settle the thirst." His eyes flicker back to you, his gaze still intense and full of intelligence despite the ale down his gullet. Clearly a man that can hold his liquor. "Wasn't no regular footman, though. That ain't nothing for me, slugging through the mud along with the mindless throng. I've the wits to steer the fools in the right direction, but blessedly my uncle saw I would not be able to stand their stupidity long enough for that career path to work out. He's the one that introduced me to the army, by the way. My uncle. Good man.
"Took me to enlist when I was barely old enough to call myself a man. Third son of a farmer, so ain't no use for me strolling around the pastures. Better off risking my life for some gold than begging my older brothers for some leftover scraps, and he knew it.
"So there I was, made captain soon enough, but I swear country dunces can be idiots. Few o' them didn't even know the sharp end of a sword if I didn't tell 'em where to hold it. Aye, good thing my uncle had risen in the ranks far enough to relocate me to the few lads in the army who know how to strike properly. Fast and hard, where it hurts the enemy most and where they least expect it. I'm honored to call those lads my colleagues. Trained me well, they did, and a sight better company than the regulars." The man calling himself Drake sits back in his chair, obviously remembering good times. His eyes regain focus, looking over to the man with the large tiger at his feet.
"That's where I met him. He wasn't in my crew, but we worked together often enough. He and his fellows would make the initial sweep, see what dangers were out there and what cracks they had in their defenses. Then we came in, using their information to break those cracks and knock the enemy down quick. Joined us often enough, he and his fellows did. Not the bad sort to have at your side. No, really. Made quite a name for themselves among the locals. As did we, I suppose."
He smiles, then slaps a hand down on the table, startling a cat that was sniffing around nearby. "Didn't pay enough, though. Sure, I was happy enough, and on my own I had enough to afford a living, but I met a fine lass and now there's a young'un on the way. Need the gold if I am to build them a worthy home. She deserves a palace, but with what the army pays I could scarcely afford a stinking old farm. So here I am, ready to drag up the riches. Lets get to it, eh?"
He stands, not exactly towering over you, but you can read from his stance that there is strength in his limbs. Would have been intimidating if it wasn't for his big smile and the knowledge that he was smart enough not to start swinging at every minor grievance.
Father: Hansul Wells, old farmer, slowly retiring his farm to the caring hands of his eldest son. Mother: Enree Wells, a kind-hearted farmer's wife, some would say the perfect mother. Siblings: Welson, Johan, Jill, Wrenn, Anne, Meri, Matterick, Denry. Welson is the eldest son.
Uncle: Yule Wells, introduced Tayne to the army. Advisor to the general and influential member of Waterdeep's army. A highly intelligent man.
Crewmembers: Flame, Pit, Killings, Rettin, Whisper and Weave, each an accomplished member of Waterdeep's elite strike force.
Fiancée: Layna Hillagh, a beautiful woman Tayne met two years back. There has been talk of marriage.
---
Tayne Wells has seen plenty of action, and has a wide variety of skills required to strike at the enemy. He generally leaves the scouting and gathering of intelligence to others, his job is to lead the attack and keep an eye out for his brothers-in-arms.
He is dressed in simple clothes, his job does not require flashy arms, a good hide armor will do, as will a simple wooden shield and a simple, strong blade. His figure is imposing enough as it is, not entirely puffed up with muscle, but there is no denying the strength in his physique. He keeps his hair cropped stubbly-short, so it won't hinder him in action.
Encounter Powers [_] Second Wind [_][_] Inspiring Word [_] Warlord's Favor [_] Aid the Injured [_] Steel Monsoon [_] Magic Missile [_] Surround Foe [_] Marked Revelation [_] Blindside Assault [_] Commando Maneuver
Daily Powers [_] Action Point (CC) [_] Bastion of Defense [_] Stand the Fallen [_] Encouraging Stance [_] Knock Them Down (Ft) Item Daily [_][_] [_] Gauntlets of Ogre Power [_] Bestial Armor +3 [_] Bashing Shield
HP: HS: AC: Fort: Ref: Will:
Core 74 11 26 25 26 25
Curr 74 11
Temp: Surge: 18 hp Init: +14 Speed: 6 Regen:
Resist: - Save: +2 vs Charm
(CC) see Commando Captain (Ft) see feats
Jagged Longsword +3: Crit on 19 and 20, Ongoing 10 on crit
Combat Commander: Allies within 10 who can see/hear you gain +4 init Tactical Presence: When ally I can see spends an AP to att, ally gains +2 bonus to Att Camouflaging Command: When I grant movement to an ally, ally gains concealment until EONT Commando Action: When I spend an AP, an enemy of my choice within 10 grants CA to me until EONT
A. Initial Information Sargeant Xeros the hunter is a friendly sort, but doesn't say much. He actually prefers time out in nature, hunting and fishing. In battle however, he's known to be a fierce fighter who doesn't typically show much mercy to his foes. That said, he's incredibly loyal to his fellow soldiers, and is he's known as someone you want by your side in a fight.
Xeros is an experienced scout, hunter and beastmaster. He was originally part of a special unit that focused on scouting, guerilla and/or irregular warfare. Their squad focused on scouting ahead of the main force, locating possible points of ambush, discovering where enemy leadership was located,etc. They're skilled in many environments, but their speciality was the underdark and similar environments, where unique monsters and traps are often found. For example, they might be tasked with a mission to go ahead of a smaller party traveling to explore an abandoned enemy position, building or castle, or to go and eliminate a group of foes who were hiding in the local underdark. In some cases, they'd explore the underdark, find possible points for allies to build strongholds, locate best and possible points of entry and exit, enemy defenses, monster strongholds, etc. During his time, he received many awards and promotions and both gained quite a reputation.
While Xeros is a good soldier, he often chafed under the military structure of authority. He and Truman preferred to have some freedom in choosing missions, and his greatest desire was to test their abilities against even greater foes and threats from the underdark. They tired of the same types of missions, and he wanted a bigger challenge. When his enlistment time ended, he and his loyal companion decided to strike out on their own and find their own challenges and missions. He was staying in Fallcrest, as he knew several veterans from his time in the service. One day over lunch, he saw the posting and knew right away that this is what they had been searching for.
B. Details 1. Where was he enlisted? Who was he fighting in this war? Why did he go into the underdark?
Yes, Xeros hails originally from a small forest near Waterdeep. His father was an accomplished woodsman and from him Xeros learned many of his basic skills. Around the time that Xeros became an adult, Waterdeep was suffering from various raids by drow and other forces that originated from the Underdark. These enemies used entrances from below the city (Undermountain) and nearby access points (outside the city) to show up, launch hit and run attacks against merchants, militia and the city itself. So Waterdeep began enlisting and training lpeople from nearby forests/settlements/villages to help fight this ongoing threat. It sounded interesting to Xeros, so he jumped on the opportunity and enlisted.
At the same time, Waterdeep was also fighting off threats from the North, especially orc and goblin armies that wanted their fertile land. Xeros' group also dealt with these threats, and often tracked the foes back to their underground layers and eliminated the threats once and for all.
His trips into the underdark were for a variety of reasons. As shown above, many were to stop the raids from drow, duergar, etc. Others were to deal with threats that came from Undermountain which had many entrances into the underdark. His group was also tasked with scouting out entrances that were discovered into the underdark and finding out how deep they went, what they connected with, etc. These were more of a Long Range Reconnaisaance mission, with no distinct enemy in mind and just scouting and information gathering.
2. Truman is his Beast Companion, a large tiger. As a youth, Xeros liked to explore caves, mines, and other areas where the ground had crumbled and given access to nearby caverns (including the underdark). One day he discovered an area where the ground had collapsed and in it he found a dead tiger who had recently given birth to young pups. it appeared to him that the ground was unstable beneath the mother, and as she had traveled across it, it gave way, whereby she and her young pups fell a great distance into the pit. The mom and all of her pups died, except for one that happened to fall on top of his mother's great mass, which absorbed the force of the fall. Xeros climbed down to learn more about this dead animal that he had very little interaction with, and that's when he discovered a young pup, starving and dehydrated. He pitied the poor animal and decided to keep it rather than let it die a painful death out in the elements.
He discovered early on that it needed more than nuts and berries to eat, and raw meat was the best food for his new friend. So the two began hunting game together, and the young pup, named Truman, grew quickly on the fresh diet of rabbit, deer and squirrel. The two have been companions ever since.
3. Old war enemies/friends/family
He has many old war enemies, especially among the races that live in the Underdark. His unit gained some reputation as a vicious foe that struck quickly, quietly and deadly in battle. They were excellent scouts and trackers, and would often follow raiders back to their hideouts or lairs, and then assassinate the leaders, leaving the rest of the enemy forces leaderless and in chaos. The drow and some local thugs did put bounties out on members of his group, since they were such a threat to those who wanted to practice evil. Also, they were hired out occasionally to allies of Waterdeep for purposes of scouting out new areas in the Underdark and locating specific bands of goblins, orcs, etc. Xeros wasn't specifically a target for enemies, since he was merely a noncom in the group, but as a member, there was a price on his head. So he's not real public about his affiliation with his secretive unit.
His father and mother are still alive, but all they knew about his time in the service was that he did scouting for the army. For their safety, Xeros never told them which unit and what they specificallly did. He has a younger sister who has a young family herself, and still lives in the forest near their parents home. They're not a real outgoing family and don't interact much with the surrounding cities, content living and working within their local tribe of elves.
The third day of the month of Pelor's Wrath. Mid-summer. High above the Dawnforge Mountains the sun blazes like the furnaces of creation, making waves of heat roll off the rocky slopes. Even the shade of the trees along the foothills offer little protection from the oppresive heat. Most intelligent creatures are tucked in their burrows or lairs today, trying to keep cool until the evening breezes can bring some relief. The Trade Road is all but abandoned as only the most dedicated or desperate merchants and bandits move about beneath the burning rays of the sun.
Within the walls of Hammerfast things are not much better. The ancient, dark stone mausoleums do little to reflect the heat of the day, and they seem to radiate more heat, raising the temperature several degrees higher within the town. Most of Hammerfast is quiet this day, but even Pelor's Wrath can not stop the business going on in the Gate Ward. The Gate Market is bustling with trade as merchants beneath cloth tents and covered wagons ply their wares on travelers and citizens alike. Here and there a stalwart dwarf trudges along in glittering plate armor carrying a long halbred, seemingly unaffected by the beating heat of the sun the guards of Hammerfast continue to patrol for trouble.
The only place the offers any relief from the mid-day heat is the interior of The Foundation Stone tavern. Within the thick stone walls the air is considerably cooler and smells of pipe smoke and ale. The fireplace is cold at this time, useless in the summer months, and the great chandelier hanging from the ceiling stills burns brightly, though the everburning torches cast no additional heat into the room. The large tap room is crowded today with visiting merchants and travelers from all corners of the Nentir Vale, and the air is filled with the rise and fall of conversations melding into a cacophony of noise.
Milo Longfathom, the halfling proprietor, can be seen moving about here and there talking with the toughs and rowdies drinking at the various tables, and the Half-orc bartender Graal seems busy filling tankards, and looks quiet unhappy about it, occasionaly spitting into the ale of customers who annoy him. In the corner near the stairs a stunning eladrin woman, who seems quite out of place in the dingy tavern, plays a knife throwing game against a human merchant who seems to be slowly loseing his shirt to his skilled opponent. Regulars know this woman as Ilara, the Foundation Stone's resident knife throwing champion.
A horrid stench rises from the pit in the center of the floor, and a pair of men stagger back and forth on the wooden plank that bridges the space, hands tied behind their backs as they akwardly kick and body check each other, trying to drive one another into the pit. One is a human, the other a goliath of impressive stature named Kubosho, the resident Giant's Feet champion. It's clear to observers that not only is the goliath winning, but he seems almost bored by the weak challenge his opponent is presenting. With a great heave the goliath shoves his opponent off balance and the human tumbles into the foul water at the bottom of the pit, accompanied by roars of laughter from onlookers which temprarily drowns out the music drifting across the room from beside the dark fireplace. There a male tiefling called Trell sits, strumming on a small harp and singing a raunchy tale about a smith and a noble woman.
Amoung the usual faces in the tavern, there are a number of new ones. Travelers from distant place drawn here for the same reason, a call for adventurers. Now they have gathered and await the appearance of the one who will lead the expedition...
Alright, the game has begun. Your characters are free to roleplay freely within the tavern while they wait for their benefactor to show up. They may have arrived together or seperatly. Some of you may have been waiting for several days, having arrived earlier, I leave these small details to you.
If they ask Graal or Milo about Grondin Glowhammer, they are offered a free drink (paid for by the enigmatic expedition leader) and told to simply wait. Feel free to challenge Kubosho to a game of giants feet if you like (give me a Str and Dex check) or you can challenge Ilara to a knife throwing game (give me five basic ranged attacks with a dagger.)
All the NPCs named above are regulars in the Foundation Stone and you can interact with any of them if you want.
I would like speech to be posted in blue, thoughts in italics, names in bold, and OOC in grey.
There is a world just around the corner of your mind, where reality is an intruder and dreams come true. You may escape into it at will. You need no secret password, no magic wand or Aladdin's lamp; only your own imagination and curiosity about things that never were.
Ulric was bored. He'd been waiting for a couple of days now for Grondin, and had seen several other adventurers show up. The tiefling beside the fire was irritating, the dart thrower did not hold his interest, and watching the goliath throw everyone into the pit was getting old. He wanted to start a fight, let Granth, his maul, swing free.
The poor sod who had just fallen into the pit was being fished out. Ulric wrinkled his nose as the stench covering the man reached him. He spent a moment debating and came to the conclusion that a bored barbarian was probably a worse thing than getting closer to the smell of the pit.
Ulric downed the last of his ale, stood, and walked from the bar over to the center of the room. Gods it can get worse, he thought as he approached the pit, the foul odor washing over him. Shrugging off his hide coat and laying it beside Granth, he turned to face Kubosho. "Care for a real challenge?" he said, and stepped onto the plank.
When Ulric steps onto the plank Kubosho stares at him in a drunken stuper for a moment before nodding and stepping out to the middle of the makeshift bridge. A man from the crowd offers Ulric some bindings for his hands and helps tie them on before the contest begins. Ulric's first attempt at a body check feels like hitting a stone wall, and Kubosho dosen't even budge. The retalitory stomp from the big goliath shakes the board and causes Ulric to stumble, but the dragonborn barbarian manages to stay upright. The contest moves to round two...
Give me another Str and Dex check
There is a world just around the corner of your mind, where reality is an intruder and dreams come true. You may escape into it at will. You need no secret password, no magic wand or Aladdin's lamp; only your own imagination and curiosity about things that never were.
Sapphire had left Fallcrest a few days ago having seen the posting by Grondin Glowhammer in the inn she was eating a quiet dinner. The Trade Road was empty of life and the sun's hot rays were beating down on anyone willing to place themselves in its burning rays. The last travelers she had passed were deeply sunburned and sweating in buckets. She on the other hand had cast a magic spell on herself before leaving that morning that made her comfortable in temperatures more extreme than these. Not a drop of sweat appeared on her throughout the day. It was within a few hours of nightfall and she was coming up on a small farmstead. Her heart skipped a beat as she smiled up at the bright sun that reminded her of her patron, Tiandra, the summer queen of the Fey. The last night had been spent alone off the trade road and Sapphire was a social creature. She preferred to spend her time in the company of others. As she approached the farm, a young girl no more than 7 watched her approach from behind a fence row and ran off toward the home. Gnomes were a rarity in the lands, and one a stunningly beautiful as Sapphire was even rarer. Sapphire giggled to herself as the young girl ran off and continued on down the road toward the home. After a few moments, two other children came out of the home with the little one leading them. One was a boy of 12 years and the other a boy of 7 and the spitting image of the girl who spotted Sapphire.
The twins brought a warm smile the Sapphires lips. She had a twin too and when they were young like these too the two were inseparable and fast friends. Later things changed, but that wasn't something she spent time dwelling on. She preferred to remember the good times. A few moments later a women emerged from the home too. After a few words, Sapphire was invited in to spend the evening with the family which she happily accepted. The night was spent with Sapphire sharing tales, singing songs, and just enjoying her time with this little family of 5. It was obvious the man and woman were deeply in love and the family was happy even though times were hard. They shared a meal with the little gnome that consisted of a potato, carrot, and corn stew. It was clear times were hard, but this family still shared their meager crops with the little gnome. It warmed her heart more than one could imagine. She drifted off dreaming warm and happy dreams that night.
She rose early that morning before any would wake and snuck out to the family’s meager garden. Setting down, she began to sing a soft and haunting tune. Her bardic magic washed over the garden and the wilted plants began to grow strong and healthy and the vegetable they produced grew and grew into perfect specimens. She ended her song and looked over her work. The once empty garden was now filled with succulent, healthy vegetables. There was enough here to feed this family for a week or more. She smiled to herself and began he walk down the road again toward Hammerfist and the upcoming adventure. The day would be hot and today she would sweat, but it was worth it to her. Humming a tune to herself she continued on down the road.
Later that night she finally arrived. Hammerfist was in sight. Sweat was rolling down her back and face, and her usually blue gray hair was somewhat matted to her head. Her usually pearly gray skin was covered in dirt and grime lacking it’s usually luster. Her eyes though burned brightly with excitement and eagerness to find out more of this quest. Looking down at her dirty appearance she brushed herself off as best as possible and made her way into town. ...Well, not my usual entrance.... Even as dirty and disheveled as she was she still drew an eye as she walked by. She made her way to The Foundation Stone tavern then after asking about a good place for a cool drink.
Inside she found a quite table near the tiefling and just watched the things unfold around her eagerly taking it all in knowing that Tiandra was also watching and learning about these dwarves. No one really payed the dirty little gnome much attention except a few more observant patrons including the eladrin woman off in the corner who looked her way a few times and the tiefling who couldn't miss seeing another of his trade. When waited on she asked for a cool glass of wine and something to eat making sure to let the waitress know she was there for the quest.
