Cyre Blue (OOC)

[Amnestic]

Welcome to the Blue team. Repost any character details if they weren't on your sheet, grab a dialogue colour if you want one, and subscribe to the thread.

If you would care to join it, there's a discord server set up for both teams: https://discord.gg/uNEStZPV

IC thread is now up here

Player	Character	Race	Class	Role
Gorgon_Heap	Hallina Dell	Human (Cyran)	Fighter (Battle Master)	Melee DPS / Tank
3SecondCultist	Xael nas-iel Jennaris	Tairnadal Elf	Warlock (Hero)	Melee & Ranged DPS / Tank
Starbin	Druager Voss	Human (Cyran)	Ranger (Metamorph)	Mutant grappler and scout
(Un)Inspired	Howell ir'Foucault	Fire Genasi	Bard (Swords)	Buffer / Debuffer
Waistcoatwill	R.I.T.A.C.	Warforged	Druid (Forged)	Tank / Utility
Postmodernist	Vrardurz	Hobgoblin	Wizard (War WIzard)	Melee DPS / Control

Spoiler: Original recruitment post

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The glassy sand beneath your feet shifts awkwardly, as if the ground itself seeks to nip at your boots, threatening to swallow you whole should you step too hard, too light, or simply in the wrong place. The stench of fresh death, frozen in time permeates the air. Those who fall in the Mournland never rot, they never decay, and the smell of their last moments – the evacuating bowels, the oozing of blood, the emptied belly – hangs forever.

Silence presses in around you, with no wind to speak of and only the occasional shuffle of your own bodies pierce the quiet, amplifying them all the more as the sounds travel across the twisted landscale. A crack of lightning splits the sky overhead, its flash blinding you in contrast to the eternal dusky grey that the Mournland otherwise sits in, closely followed by thunder. Rain begins to fall upwards, emerging from the dry sands at your feet and flying up into the sky. The weeping of a woman, reversed, its intonations unnatural. Alone, at first, but then another adds to the harmony, and another, and another. A chorus of screams for the long dead, deafening you. The upwards flying rain darkens and turns crimson, its coppery scent and taste wetting your lips as it stains you from below.

Now thoroughly dyed with sanguine, you seek 'cover' clambering atop the fallen body of a warforged titan, its great body dented but as intact as the day it fell. The bloodrain continues to rise up to the sky, until just as suddenly as it had come, it stops, vanishing into the sky as silence falls once more. It lasted less than a minute, but as with everything here, it left its mark.

Just another morning in the Mournland.

---

After a particularly profitable haul in the Mournland that saw you each kitted out with a fancy new magic item, a letter arrives for you bearing the heraldic symbol of Cyre. Its contents: a request that you travel west to the small village-turned-refugee camp-turned-town of New Cyre, from the Prince himself, to consult over employment opportunities.

Whatever your motivations for traveling into the Mournland, the heart of a Cyran beats in your chest (if you have a heart that is), and you all feel compelled to answer the call of your Prince. He promises adventure, riches, and glory – and being able to associate with one of the movers and shakers of Khorvaire (even if he is a smaller fish in the ocean for now) can't hurt.

The game will be somewhat quest/mission-based with Oargev as your Group Patron, using New Cyre as your primary base location as you branch out to serve the Cyran cause. There'll be minor interactions with the Houses, but don't expect any great amount of intrigue with them. Frankly, New Cyre's not worth their attention...yet.

----

Sheets must be finalised by Saturday the 27th. Should you have any questions, let me know.

Ideally I'd like people to be able to commit to a post ever 2-3 days, ideally 1/day (when necessary, of course). If you need a break due to RL stuff, that's fine, it happens, but it's better to let people know ahead of time so people aren't twiddling their thumbs.

Spoiler: Big 16

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1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
5e

2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
Eberron, nothing special about the details otherwise.


3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
4-6.


4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
Forums. I usually use mythweavers for sheets as a preference, but if you’ve got an alternative that’s fine too.


5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
5th level. I don't know how high it'll go honestly. I've got vague plans that will probably go to ~9th level but guess we'll see how it goes? I try not to plan too far in advance.


6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
Starter gear, background stuff, 700gp (that you can spend or not spend on armour, spell components, etc.), 1 uncommon+1 rare item of your choice. No trading up/down.

New Cyre's not exactly flush with shops like Sharn is but there'll be opportunities to sell and buy things.


7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
No restrictions on published classes. UA subject to approval but probably approved. Homebrew subject to approval - my homebrew in the houserules section below more likely to get approval, because I wrote it, but I'm still saying “subject to approval” because tone is a thing to concern about too. Don't expect the Mahou Shoujo barbarian, is all I'm saying...


8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
Eberron races only. Tasha's rules are in effect for reassigning stats. Check the houserules (link below) for certain races being changed.


9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
27 Point Buy. HP take your average rather than rolling (with max at 1st as normal).

10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
I'd ideally prefer good/neutral, but I will 'okay' an evil as long as you're still a Cyran loyalist who won't backstab the party or Oargev. He's your group patron, being loyal to him is kind of important (but he'll earn that loyalty, so it's fine).

11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
It's fine. Dips are expensive at a power-point like 5th level!

12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
People will roll their own dice. If you’re forcing a save against someone else, roll in your post to speed things up – can apply modifiers later. I’ll be doing the same.

13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
See this link: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/4ccm-8pBW. We'll be ignoring the 'Safe Havens' rule (Mournland travel will be dangerous enough without it) but everything else applies.


14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
I'm not gonna be after a novel, just enough to show you're interested. If you build NPC connections into New Cyre (or beyond, potentially) I'll try to loop that sorta stuff in too, but if not that's fine too. The Mourning left a lot of Cyrans without a family, after all.

'Special' backgrounds (eg. Ravnica, Strixhaven, etc.) are a no-go.


15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
There'll be a decent spread of combat, roleplay, and exploration. Your time will be split primarily between Mournland expeditions and helping Prince Oargev with political wrangling. While not all the combat will be in the Mournland, you should expect that the majority will be. Don't expect much in the way of puzzle solving.


16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
No restriction on sources, except as detailed above. I do have access to Exploring Eberron, so those options (such as gnolls or Maverick Artificers) are on the table.

In addition to the above, some Mournland environmental features that may affect your character building:

Spoiler: While in the Mournland...

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Healing spells other than Goodberry have no effect in the Mournland, they restore 0 hit points, ditto for healing potions.

Healing effects other than spells (such as Second Wind) will generally be judged on a case-by-case basis. Lay on Hands (Paladin) does work, but the general guideline will be magical=no, non-magical=yes. I'm not going to try to remember and list every source of non-spell healing, I'll deal with them as people bring them up. Magical temporary HP still functions as normal.

In order to recover hit points and/or hit dice on a short and/or long rest, a character must consume a bottle of Goodberry Wine, the effects of which last for 24 hours (the wine also restores some hit points on its own). Even without the wine, they will still regain expended features like spell slots, action surge, etc. on a successful rest. Warforged are the exception to this, they do not require goodberry wine to regen HP/HD on SR/LR. Healing spells/potions still do not work on them though.

Attempting to circumvent the above with dimensional pockets (eg. Rope trick, genielock sanctuary, portable hole) or shelters (eg. Tiny hut) fail. The Mournland is pervasive, and seeps into such places.

Long range teleports (eg. Teleport, Plane Shift) in the Mournland fail at best and misfire at worst. Short range teleports (eg. Misty Step, Dimension Door) work fine...mostly. Localised environmental effects might still change that, but as a general rule short range teleports aren't a risk.

Other environmental effects will likely occur in brief spurts, but the above are the 'standard' effects.

[3SecondCultist]

Subscribed! I am claiming Dark Red for Xael nas-iel Jennaris. I have included all of the pertinent stuff below, including her statblock, personality and description, and backstory.

Spoiler: Statblock

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Xael nas-iel Jennaris
LG Tairnadal Elf Warlock (Hero) 5
AC 17 HP 53 Speed 35ft
Str 10 (0) Dex 16 (3) Con 19 (4) Wis 14 (2) Int 10 (0) Cha 20 (5)
Attacks
+1 Double Scimitar (PA) +9 (+6) 2d4+6 (+12)
Longbow +6 1d8+3
Eldritch Blast +8 1d10

Spoiler: Personality & Description

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Personality: Xael is utterly serene, even in the face of disaster. This probably has something to do with the fact that he barely speaks and wears a zaelta around others to hide his face. When he does talk, it is always in an eerily calm manner and with minimal movement. Some believe that the elf is not all there, but others note that the eyes behind his shroud are too watchful, too careful to belong to a simpleton.

Following the example set by Jennaris, Xael is a consummate hero. She always does her best to keep her promises, protect the helpless, and slay evils when they arise, no matter their form. She is also quiet to a fault, unnaturally still when not fighting, and speaks primarily in antique elven idioms and phrases. She has not made too many friends on Khorvaire.

However, for all her reticent virtue, Xael possesses a kind of brutal dogmatism. Unlike most other Valaes Tairn, she has a direct two-way connection to her ancestral spirit. She emulates the spirit of Jennaris to the letter, leaving no room for compromise. Currently, she is embodying her ancestor's heroism by aiding the people of Cyre. But whatever acts Jennaris has undertaken, Xael will copy without question...



Description: A lithe figure, Xael wears loose robes of crimson over a matching breastplate, bracers, and greaves. A hooded rust-colored cloak flows behind him, attached to a veil-like mask over his features. In fact, Xael keeps his mouth and nose obscured at all times. Only his almond-shaped blue eyes are visible to outsiders. Gloved hands lie ready at his sides, and when he moves he barely makes any sound at all.

Spoiler: Backstory

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The elf known as Xael was not born in Khorvaire but on the continent of Aerenal - specifically, in the city of Shae Thoridor - the better part of one hundred and fifty years ago. He was raised Tairnadal; while his peers respected the elders of the Undying Court, they worship the spirits of the warriors of Xen'drik - elves who fell long before the Undying Court was raised. His lineage, in particular, was decided rapidly and definitively; not long after his birth, the Keepers of the Past performed the Rite of Choosing, and he was called by the spirit of his ancestor Jennaris, a zaeltairn hero who had aided in the fight against the Cul'sir Dominion. Xael took the oaths of the Valaes Tairn, swearing to uphold and add to the glory of his ancestral legend. His hope - the hope of all warrior-souls - was to eventually gain enough glory in battle so as to earn his own place at Jennaris' side, a guiding star for future Tairnadal to follow.

The first several decades after her Choosing were spent largely in meditation, in the plains and forests of her home continent as she communed with the spirit of her ancestor. This process, while hardly unique for one of the Tairnadal, brought about an unusually powerful connection to Jennaris. Even more so than her kin, Xael understood the will of her spirit; she read the memories of the past, learned the ways of the singing blade, and relived hundreds of battles from eons past. When Xael emerged from her solitude she had wandered through the entire roster of Jennaris' most important deeds and was prepared to emulate them. To complete the practice, she had fashioned herself a zaelshin amulet from the heart of a soarwood tree and a zaelta spirit mask in Jennaris' image, so that all heroic deeds would be attributed to her. All Xael needed now was a chance to prove herself... and fate delivered a perfect opportunity.

The eruption of the Last War on Khorvaire was a calling to all of the elves that would be known as the Valaes Tairn, and soon after they descended on the shores under the banner of var-shan Shaeras Vadallia, invited by Queen Cyre herself. By this point in his life, Xael had mastered the ways of steel and spell, spirit-walking his ancestor's battles and learning to see in the dark at great distances while remaining unseen himself. All of this made him a natural fit for scouting missions, thus he joined the skirmisher warbands of Kel Valior under the leadership of Shan Kaelan. Jennaris, having fought side by side with the elven liberators on Xen’drik at the end of the Age of Giants, approved of the choice; before ever touching down on Khorvaire, Xael had been formally kel-bonded as Valior. Under the guidance of his lu-shan - a deadly fighter named Elsaral nas-iel Daealyth - Xael undertook dozens of missions throughout the continent's heartlands, fighting all manner of enemies of the country of Cyre. During this time, he came to admire the fighting spirit and camaraderie of the Cyrans themselves, learning as Jennaris did that battle was only worthy when undertaken in defense of the innocent and the helpless.

Everything changed for the Valaes Tairn when Shaeras Vadallia announced in 956 YK after a conclave with numerous shan that the Cyrans were no longer worthy of an alliance. Rather than serve as mere mercenaries for a foreign queen, the elves would use the lands nearest Aerenal as a staging ground for further campaigns against all comers. The peninsula south of the Blade Desert was renamed Valenar, in honour of their people, and soon warbands from each kel were dispatched to fortify the deserts and jungles and launch raids to draw in challengers for glorious battles. By this time, Xael had risen to become thaliaen in her kel warband, a strike force leader and a name to be known on the field. But the decision struck by the var-shan and the other Valaes Tairn did not sit well with the spirit of Jennaris. To abandon the oath made to Queen Cyre and seek out bloodshed was not what she and the heroes of Xen'drik had fought and died for. It was, in her mind, a dishonor to the memory of those who had fought to free their people from oppression.

Emulating his heroic patron, Xael began to drift from his people. Through Jennaris' eyes, he saw in the Valenar a voracious hunger, a bloodlust that concerned him. He began to take on long scouting assignments far away from Taer Valior, the fortress occupied by the rest of his kel. During this time, he would routinely take on seemingly self-appointed missions to protect civilians and launch pre-emptive strikes at those endangering them. He cared not then for which human flag flew above which army; to Xael, what mattered was fighting on behalf who could not fight for themselves, no matter the nation. Between each foray, the Tairnadal returned to his ways of solitude, always communing with Jennaris and meditating on the best course forward. In those years, the other zaeltairn of his warband understood his devotion from afar, even if they did not speak to him. No challenge had yet been issued.

The Day of Mourning was a calamity that drew Jennaris' attention - for she had seen its like before, on the day of her own death millennia ago. Xael felt the overwhelming compassion of her patron ancestor for those that passed without descendants to bear their name or remember their deeds. In the nights that followed, she stalked the highlands near Taer Valinor, guiding survivors stumbling out of what would later be the Mournland away from the borders of Valenar and toward caravans on the Talenta Plains. During this time, she came across a number of dead Cyrans; their knights were killed in forced honor-duels by her own people, the human border villages whipped up armed mobs against the 'cursed' survivors, and others simply turned the refugees away and let them die of thirst and starvation in the Blade Desert. This was the last offense to Xael, who concluded that day that the footsteps of her ancestor diverged from the other Spirits of the Past. With a heavy heart, she challenged her lu-shan Elsaral, and slew her in open combat.

The killing of his lu-shan and his stance against killing the Cyrans was seen as insubordinate to Kel Valior. Rather than face Shan Vaelan and the rest of his sworn blades - an pointless fight, and a hopeless one - Xael fled the lands of Valenar. From Taer Valior, the word spread: the zaeltairn had been stripped of all rank and title, and was to be considered vadis nia, a disgracer of the blood. He had broken rank, betraying the Tairnadal for the sake of humanity. Dozens of challenges were issued, and hunters throughout the ranks of the Valaes Tairn began to search for the traitor.

Xael emerged in Breland some months later, appearing in New Cyre. She swore her blades to Prince Oargev and his people as restitution for the lives of lost Cyrans slain by her kin after the Day of Mourning. It was a life debt in the old ways, one not easily sworn or retracted, to expire only with the passing of the prince himself. She has been working for the prince ever since, each mission undertaken to better the lives of the Cyrans. Though it was not the path she or Jennaris had envisioned, she had resolved that this was the way back to glory without guilt. And if any other Tairnadal came searching for her... she would kill them one by one.

A note on pronouns - Xael uses 'he/him' and 'she/her' pronouns interchangeably. This is because Jennaris kept their face shrouded as well, and in all the visions of the past Xael never got a sense of whether their patron was male, female, neutral, fluid, or anything else. Therefore, they emulate them in that respect regardless of what their birth gender assignation was.

[Waistcoatwill]

I've copied over all of the background info etc. For R.I.T.A.C.. Soft bodies generally called them Ryetak, must be hard to pronounce it properly with a tongue. I'm going to claim Purple.

Spoiler: Background

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Towards the end of the Last War Cyre's Eastern fronts were plagued by hit and run raids from elite forces of Valenar raiders from the South and Karrnath's orderly legions of undead from the North. R.I.T.A.C was one of a unit of experimental warforged created to meet these dual threats. Named 'Predacons', all members had an innate link to primal forces.

For three years the unit prowled the Eastern fronts. They used their mastery of the wilderness to conduct guerrilla raids behind enemy lines. Valenar warbands were given a taste of their own medicine whilst Karrnath's supply lines were distributed and some key officers assassinated.

Persceptive and conscientious, R.I.T.A.C was a steady second in command to the brutal Razorclaw. As such, he was assigned the precious docent Perceptorto aid in the assessmentof arcane threats. However, despite caring support from the unit's specialist artificer pit crew when they returned to base, the war took its toll on the young warforged. He'd seen too many massacres, undead monstrosities, and elven fanatics. The horrifying actions of Cyre's enemies were compounded by his constant struggle to restrain Razorclaw's increasingly brutal tactics. It seemed he could never quitebe rid of the taste of blood on his fangs.

Eventually Cyre's foes also tired if Predacon raids. Warparty's were assigned to make the predators the prey. The Grey Marshal led a mixed force of Onyx Skull and Adamant Fang from the North and Laeren Phasha a band of dogged trackers and hunters from the South. Eventually pinned down by the two forces on the shores of Lake Cyre, the unit was all but annihilated.

Grievously wounded, R.I.T.A.C.'s nerve broke and he fled through the water back to Cyran lines. The unit's pit crew had repaired most if his form except the delicate neural root plexus when The Mourning struck. They watched former friend mutated or killed and fled once more into the developing Mournland.

After a harrowing journey R.I.T.A.C. eventually emerged from the Western mists and ended up in Breland. In the confusing days after warforged were declared people rather than property, they were tricked into essential indentured servitude in a factory owned by an unscrupulous minor member of the ir'Tain family. Only when Prince Oargev's proclamations reached the factory via Arbalest's network did the warforged regain a spark of hope.

Leading a small group to break their unfair contracts and abandon the factory. After successfully reaching New Cyre, R.I.T.A.C. pledged themself to serve Oargev and make a haven where other warforged would be safe from the horrors and cruelties of the world.

Spoiler: Personality

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An empathetic and sensitive soul haunted by the horrors of the last war but driven by rekindled hope to create a a home that will be a safe haven for warforged and others on New Cyre.

Despite this, their experiences have left them with an unreasoning hatred and distrust of Karnathi citizens and Valenar elves.

Spoiler: Appearance

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A slightly battered looking warforged with a damaged cranial vault, cyclopean eye, and living foliage erupting from his root-like muscle fibres. All beast forms retain these appearances. A strange metallic orb sits in the centre of his chest and a glittering purple gem sits over the right side of his chest like a medal.

Spoiler: Contacts

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• Arbalest - seen by R.I.T.A.C. as an inspiration and perhaps something of a mentor.
• Thorn - a warforged that followed R.I.T.A.C. from the factory and learned some basic druid skills. Trying to establish an arable farm near the tent city.

Spoiler: Enemies

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•New Cyre's representative of House Cannith - links to poor treatment of warforged maybe?
• Razorclaw - if the psychopathic Beast Path Barbarian survived he would hate R.I.T.A.C. for fleeing from the Predacon's last stand.
• Mercuria d'Cannith - friend who was leading R.I.T.A.C.'s repairs. Turned into a monster by the Mourning.
• Grey Marshall or Laeren Phasha - furious a predacon escaped their slaughter.
• Survivors of the Talentan clan caught in the crossfire at the Predacon's last stand.

On pronouns, R.I.T.A.C. uses He/They but anything other than It is totally fine!

[Gorgon_Heap]

Sgt. Hallina Dell

I always use green as well because it's easiest for me to see on the screen. Forgive my lousy eyesight.

Hallina is friendly, but reserved and bitter.


Here's an OotS image I made years ago - I should update it:

Spoiler: Sgt. Hallina Dell

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[Waistcoatwill]

Cool, I've switched to purple so that I'm not treading on your toes. Would it be helpful if all of us used that green colour? We'd just have to put the character name at the start of the post or something.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Cool, I've switched to purple so that I'm not treading on your toes. Would it be helpful if all of us used that green colour? We'd just have to put the character name at the start of the post or something.

I do that anyway - a lesson learned in avoiding confusion. But I'll not ask anyone to alter their preferred posting style.

[Postmodernist]

Vrardurz will speak in Navy.

Spoiler: Background

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Vrardurz is stoic and somewhat distant. He's an excellent tactician, but has difficulty inspiring others as a true leader. He is learned and observant.

He loves and honors Darguun and the noblest ideals of the Dhakhanni Empire, but he is tired. He's seen too much bloodshed, and wants it to end. He fought for his nation's freedom in the rebellion against Cyre, but does not want to see it squandered with internecine conflicts. He also seeks and values knowledge, which has drawn him into The Mournland to seek ancient artifacts, and uncover the full history of his people - good and bad alike.

The warmage has ties with his family and former comrades, but he has since distanced himself from many hobgoblins, especially those he deems zealots. He is Ghaal'dar by nature, and while he dislikes the warlike tendencies of the Dhakanni, he has some allies among the Kech Volaar.

Vrardurz is haunted by his actions in the rebellion that freed Darguun. While proud of serving to earn his nation's freedom, he feels nagging guilt for the acts committed. He also suffers from a recurring nightmare that vividly reveals the hobgoblin rebels as the architects of The Mourning, and he seeks to determine if this is true, or simply a manifestation of his guilt. Or perhaps it is something worse, a lingering afterimage of the battles with the Xoriat daelkyr his people fought millennia ago...

Spoiler: Statblock

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Vrardurz
Hobgoblin Wizard (War WIzard) 5 LN

AC 18 HP 37 Speed 30ft

Str 10 (0) Dex 16 (3) Con 16 (3) Wis 10 (0) Int 18 (4) Cha 8 (-1)

Attacks
Dagger/Whip +6 1d4+2
Rapier of Warning +6 1d8+2
Fire Bolt +7 2d10



Arcane Recovery: Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover - up to a combined level of 3, and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

Arcane Deflection: When you are hit by an attack or you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to gain a +2 bonus to your AC against that attack or a +4 bonus to that saving throw. When you use this feature, you can’t cast spells other than cantrips until the end of your next turn.

Tactical Wit: You gain a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your INT modifier (+4).

Darkvision 60'

Martial Training: Rapier, whip

Saving Face: Once per short rest, if you miss with an attack or fail an ability check or saving throw, you can gain a bonus equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 ft. (max +5).

Moderately Armored (Dex)

Resilient (Con)

[Gorgon_Heap]

Postmodernist - I've seen you around for a while and I love the Magritte OotS. Did you make that yourself?

[(Un)Inspired]

Well this is extremely exciting!

Howell ir’Foucault will use Turquois to speak.

Spoiler: Description

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With his aquiline nose and high cheekbones, it’s clear that Howell’s features favor his Thranish heritage. While his platinum blonde-almost silver hair, and crimson skin are the most immediate of his inhuman features, it’s the feverish heat that radiate off his body that clearly separates him from Khorvaire’s mostly human population.

Spoiler: Backstory

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While the marriage between Countess Illyana ir’Foucault of Seaside and Bishop Graffryd Cassian of the Silver Flame was political (the union of a Cyrian noble and a Thranish cleric was a keystone of a treaty between the two nations), true romance bloomed between them. Whether in was their their love of travel, their shared interests in magic, their moral stances, or the way the challenged each other; it was undeniable that they had chemistry the moment they were introduced.

When it was time for them to conceive progeny to solidify their political arrangement, they decided together that their child would be more that just a tool of the games that their nations were playing. They wanted their offspring to represent love, and something more noble than an alliance, and chose to conceive on ir’Foucault land up the coast from Seaside in a constant Fernian Manifest zone, when Eberron was coterminous with Irian. Their wish was this conceptual connection to both metaphysical fire and positive energy would bless the child with the benevolence of the Silver Flame. When the child was born with crimson skin and platinum hair, they were sure their wishes had been granted.

The child, they named Howell Foucault, flourished on the ir’Foucault estate in Seaside. It’s never easy to be an outsider in a world of humanoids, but a large coastal city, diverse and far from the warfronts, was the best a couple with their new child could have hoped for. With an almost insatiable curiosity, Howell burned through every book he was offered, every lesson he was enrolled in. He was given all the instruction that a young Cyrian noble was expected to cover: etiquette, history, sword play, music, and rhetoric. His father being a cleric and his mother a respectable wizard in her own right, they also ensured he had a modern magical education; no son of theirs was going to grow up without being a magician!

It wasn’t until the Day of Mourning roared through the country that young Howell’s life was uprooted in a wild conflagration. The thick grey smoke the swallowed up Seaside came just slow enough for Illyana to rush Howell onto one of the boat and out into the waves. Bishop Graffryd, however utterly refused to leave; he stood his ground, determined to using the magic of the Flame to hold back the Mourning if possible, to allow as many people to get into that water as possibly could. While it’s unclear how successful his efforts ended up being, but what was clear was that he was lost, and Seaside was uninhabitable.

Illyana took Howell, just 15 at the time, to the only place on the continent that seemed hospitable for Cyrians: New Galifar in Qbarra. With her family connections and the arcane utility she could offer, Illyana and Howell were able to make a life in the town of Newthrone. His life of luxury was over, everyone in Newthrone was expected to contribute, but new avenues of adventure opened up for the fire genasi. Helping the navigators sail up and down the rivers of New Galifar, using he growing talent for magic to help mark out new land for settlement, and consuming countless romantic tales of chivalry from the time of old Galifar and Cyre.

Despite missing his father, Howell’s life in Throneport was a good one; but something in the core of his being burned! If someone has the power to make a positive change they have a responsibly to use their power! He could fight, he can explore, he can use magic; the kingdom of Cyre needs rescuing and he could be one of the people to do it. It would be the sort of adventure the fire in his belly had always yearned for, and beyond that, he owed his father, his nation, and all of Khorvaire his attempt at understanding or even unraveling the Mourning.

Bidding his mother, his friends, and his mentors goodbye; at the age of 19, Howell took the long sea route back to Cyre and did his first delve into the Mournland. It wasn’t just a land of monsters that he encountered, rather, a land wherein physics and magic didn’t behave in all the ways he’d spent his life understanding them to. Trekking through a world turned upside down, Howell made it out alive, and with a suit of magically enchanted half-plate rescued from his family’s vaults for his trouble. It wasn’t until he returned to a safe port that he received his letter from the Prince of New Cyre and the invitation to hear his offer of employment. By the time Howell finished reading the overture, he was ready to book passage and present himself to the prince…

[Postmodernist]

Postmodernist - I've seen you around for a while and I love the Magritte OotS. Did you make that yourself?

Thank you! It is not of my own design, as I completely lack the skills to do such a thing. I had an old one a long time ago, but the place where the image was hosted disappeared, so the very kind user linklele made me this avatarhere. I was very pleased with it.

Also, I'm excited to get started!

[Gorgon_Heap]

That's brilliant.

Just did some tinkering and updated Hallina with some new detail.

Spoiler: Update

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[Starbin]

Druage Voss, ‘human’ ranger… guess I’ll go with this for my color.

Spoiler: Pic

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[Amnestic]

IC thread is now up here

[Gorgon_Heap]

I see a bunch of variation in hit points but I'm too lazy to do all the math. Did I calculate mine correctly? DM says full at first and MUST take average at every level, yeah?

Oh, and I'm just vaguely feeling stuff out IC - we've been working together but nobody had the time to discuss any details or relationships, or personalities much really.

[Amnestic]

I see a bunch of variation in hit points but I'm too lazy to do all the math. Did I calculate mine correctly? DM says full at first and MUST take average at every level, yeah?

Yes, so Halina is 10+(4*6)+(5*2 (ConMod))=44
Xael is 8+(4*5)+(5*4 (ConMod))+(5 from patron)=53
Drauger is 10+(4*6)+(5*3 (ConMod))=49
Howell is 8+(4*5)+(5*2 (ConMod))=38
R.I.T.A.C. is 8+(4*5)+(5*3 (ConMod))=43
Vrardurz 6+(4*4)+(5*3 (ConMod))=37

OOC – Curious: Just how did this letter reach us, and where were we at the time?

Courier, and the small salvaging station/outpost of Salvation, on the Mournland's western border.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Hallina ... 44

So I was mistaken. In the unfavorable direction. That sucks. Okay.

Anyway, I just saw the music link over in IC, and that sort of dejected, gloomy guitar chord immediately made me think "I've been through the Mournland on a horse with no name."

[(Un)Inspired]

Well that hp comparison chart really shows how much raw beef this party really is made of.

[Waistcoatwill]

Busy on call weekend, will try to post tonight.

Edit: words proving difficult.

[Amnestic]

Edit: words proving difficult.

I know the feeling \o/

[Amnestic]

(1d4)[2] Does the general store have diamonds to buy? (2-4=yes)

[(Un)Inspired]

Navigators tool: (1d4)[4]

[Postmodernist]

Amnestic, can I get a new invite to the Discord? For some reason it set me up with a new account and I'm trying to reconnect my old one.

[Amnestic]

Amnestic, can I get a new invite to the Discord? For some reason it set me up with a new account and I'm trying to reconnect my old one.

https://discord.gg/ZZ7JXB4R

This link should (hopefully) work. Let me know if not.

[Postmodernist]

https://discord.gg/ZZ7JXB4R

This link should (hopefully) work. Let me know if not.

Success! Thank you!

[Postmodernist]

100% stealing Starbin's post style for this update.

[Starbin]

100% stealing Starbin's post style for this update.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t mine to begin with so share and share alike 😜

[Amnestic]

Spoiler: Initiative

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Hallina: (1d20)[2]
Xael: (1d20)[14]
Howell: (1d20)[3]
RITAC: (1d20)[18]
Vradurz: (1d20+4)[13] (1d20+4)[20]
Druager: (1d20+3)[19]

EC: (1d20)[11]
EG1: (1d20)[13]
EG2: (1d20)[17]
EG3: (1d20)[14]

[Gorgon_Heap]

First, that map is cool as hell. What did you use to make it?

Second -

Hallina was the only character without art so I picked a piece that seemed to vaguely fit her description but if you have a preference (not that you can see it terribly well on this big map) to the contrary let me know.

I created an OOTS version of her and posted it above in this thread. Would you prefer something else? I have a hand-drawn version as well, though I did it years ago when I first made the PC.

[Amnestic]

First, that map is cool as hell. What did you use to make it?

Second -

I created an OOTS version of her and posted it above in this thread. Would you prefer something else? I have a hand-drawn version as well, though I did it years ago when I first made the PC.

Stole the map from someone else online

The image links you posted appear to be broken, they're not loading anything on the page and quoting the post gives a massive link, so you might need to re-up it somewhere else.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Stole the map from someone else online

The image links you posted appear to be broken, they're not loading anything on the page and quoting the post gives a massive link, so you might need to re-up it somewhere else.

Crumbs. I was unaware, thanks. This works now - I'll have to enter the other one yet.

Spoiler: Hallina OOTS

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