Living in the Lands of the Linnorm (Inactive)

Game Master Aiunder

In the two years after Kodiakborne moved on, Isham chased purpose and opportunity. Military service to Rahadoum was beset with incompetence, private interests, nepotism, and corruption. Isham continued to serve - working with a small group of marines, and acting as a boarding and landing party for various squadrons of Rahadoumi ships. But Isham had no respect for any of the leadership, and was discouraged as rewards and promotions were handed to his squad-mates based on bribery or family connections.

Isham knew he had earned leadership positions. He was well regarded in the squad. But he was denied the training, the advancement, and the recognition he was due - even to the point of denying him and his squad opportunities to pursue conquest and plunder.

When Isham heard that the Kodiakborn was marchng, he did not hesitate. Isham wrote a letter to his parents, explaining his intentions. He bought out his contract when his ship was as far north as he anticipated it getting. He bought a coat in town, and turned his feet north, to the Land of the Linnorm Kings.

Officially, that is.

The truth is it existed for many centuries and was a proud and honorable house. It invested gold and men to battle the worldwound, and that may have been its undoing. When the new order arose in Cheliax, House Talonn had few resources to resist House Thrune.

It tried anyway and failed. For its refusal to bend knee or convert to deviltry, the nobles of the house were hunted, killed when found, and made mockery of under pretense of the worst of lies.

The few of House Talonn who survived fled where they could, and of course, had children, born nobles in exile. Rutilux was one of these. Little evidence remained of his house ever having existed. Their very surname had been wiped from the ledgers.

That didn't mean they were safe though. The family was caught just past the border of the empire when they were besieged by the soldiers in service to the queen. Had it not been for Soval's timely intervention, the last of the Talonns might have finally passed.

The Ulfen was moved by the family's story and plight. He even helped them retrieve evidence of their heritage by traveling into a dangerous crypt. Rutilux realized that there was only one way for his family to begin to repay the great man. He gave his service to the Kodiakborne, and grew to become a promising young cavalier.

Now, it seems Kordiakborne has dreams of reclaiming his own birthright, and that means House Talonn has, for the first time since Cheliax was damned, found a new liege lord worthy of serving.

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Str 7 (-2)
Dex 12 (+1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 12 (+1)
Wis 10 (+0)
Cha 20 (+5)

HP 11
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative 5 = 1(Dex)+4(Feat)
AC 11 = 10+1(Dex)

Fortitude 3 = 0(class)+1(Con)+2(Familiar)
Reflex 1 = 0(class)+1(Dex)
Will 2 = 2(class)+0(Wis)

BAB +0
CMB -2 = 0(BAB)-2(Str)
CMD 16 = 0(BAB)-2(Str)+1(Dex)+10

Skills
Bluff 9 = 5(Cha)+1(ranks)+3(class)
Diplomacy 6 = 5(Cha)+1(trait)
Intimidate 10 = 5(Cha)+1(ranks)+3(class)+1(trait)
Knowledge (Arcana) 4 = 1(Int)+1(ranks)+3(class)
Use Magic Device 9 = 5(Cha)+1(ranks)+3(class)

Feats
Eschew Materials
Toughness
Improved Initiative

Traits
Old Friends (+1 Diplomacy & Intimidate)
Ice Walker (+1 against cold attacks; no penalties on ice)
Focused Mind (+2 on concentration)

Arcane Bond: Familiar (Rat)

1st level (2 known, 5 per day):
Magic Missile
Ray of Enfeeblement

112 gp, 2 sp, 9 cp

How does the rest of her family feel about Savol returning without your brother? What do you do in camp?

Dagmar's father died a couple years prior to Savol's return. He had gone out on an extended hunting trip that had wandered too near an Orc tribes territory and was killed in a fight with them.

Dagmar's mother (an herbalist and midwife for their village) was heart-broken over the death of her first-born son and is resentful that Savol returned as a hero and is near-worshipped by his people while her son is on the bottom of a foreign ocean. She is also against Dagmar going, but realizes her daughter is hard-headed enough to sneak off after them even if she tells her not to go. Also, Dagmar isn't a child anymore and is able to make her own decisions.

Dagmar's sister (and oldest child in the family) was also very upset at the loss of her brother. Her main thoughts right now are about the future of her two young sons (ages 4 and 2 years) as she wonders if they too will have their lives cut short in battle. She hopes that Savol is successful in founding a new kingdom and hopes that it will be a safer place to raise her children.

I took the professions Herbalist and Cook to reflect Dagmar's current duties about camp. She has long assisted her mother in collecting herbs for both healing and seasoning their food. She's also assisted is a few births and helps tend to those that have been injured during hunting accidents. She also helps out with cooking duties when the regular cooks are shorthanded or when there is a feast planned.

Also, she spends some time doing regular "girl" things, such as talking to her friends and daydreaming about a future husband and family.

Jediah looks forwards to traveling to the North. His old lands have nothing for him and he sees the journey as a chance for a fresh start.

As for orcs, Jediah sees them as obstacles in the way of Savol, himself and his quest. He won't go hunting them down out of revenge but considers them little more than bestial raiders.

What would he be willing to do for Savol? Is there anything that he won't do? What does he think about uprooting everything and traveling to the far north?"

There are no doubt certain evil acts (torture, for example) that he would balk at. He is neutral good after all. However, he would certainly put his own life on the line at Savol's wish. He sees things in a chivalric fashion but part of the fun might be seeing if he can grow to appreciate the Ulfen way things are done.

Uprooting itself is no problem for him. Savol wishes to reclaim his lands and that's something Rutilux can relate to. His own family lands will never be reclaimed, but perhaps he can set up a new home of his own after he's helped Savol and bring his family's name honor in doing so even as he serves his new sovereign.

is anyone else left of your family? If so what are they doing?

I left that open ended. I imagine his parents are still alive, and hoping that their son can establish a safe home for them. I can easily see a sister or cousin around as well (Any cousin would have lost her own parents and now be relying on her aunt/uncle (Rutilux's folks) now). Perhaps one of those two might insist on heading north in more of a support role. There maybe other cousins alive out there that he doesn't know about.

Jediah will continue as a fighter for the momment, I don't see him going as a barbarian since he isn't a raging type. I see him and focusing on being a seond ranker who strikes with pinpoint blows with his glaive as someone else takes front line. He is more than capable of stepping up though.

As for character development, if he manages to find a place to call hoome, I see him becoming much happier and being a defender. He will be more than willing to set out confrontign threats though. If any orcs are met he will need a lot of convincing that they won't try turning on him in order to stay his hand.

Isham has a well developed sense of equity and fairness. Although he's got a basic respect for the supernatural and divine, his basic upbringing in Rahadoum was humanistic, and based on respect and dignity for all people. His time in the Fleet has greatly expanded and extended his idea of 'people' to include sentients. As a squad commander, Isham also developed significant 'parenting' skills - loyalty, mutual respect, tough love, empathy, and leadership. Isham's intrinsic decency is also moderated by the harshness of shipboard and military life.

Isham's actions are limited and circumscribed by his sense of right and wrong, his basic human decency. This core of decency has been tested in his military service - and Isham has been subject to discipline more than once for implementing his ideas of respect and loyalty - most recently going under the lash to spare one of his squad an unjust punishment from a stuffed shirt visiting officer. Isham has refrained from slaughter and rapine - and disciplined his squad against such actions. On the other hand, Isham has not barred others from these actions - he understands the definition of 'futility', and that the definition of 'martyr' includes 'dead'.

The gaps between the values he learned and the institutions and leaders of his home country, Isham knows he can do better. He may have to go half way around the world, carve a kingdom from blood and ice, but he will make a place with greater equity and righteousness.

In Kodiakborn, Isham saw a primal force. The generals and ministers of Rahadoum lacked the purity of purpose, the elemental vitality and surety of a natural leader. Isham also saw Soval Kodiakborn reward loyalty, service, and merit. Soval hunted pirates - an obvious plague on civilized society. Kodiakborn's call to arms, and the opportunity it represents compelled Isham to abandon his sinecure and pursue his ambition.

how do you view the ulfen people as a whole?

Do you mean me as a player? Or my character?

Anastasiya likes the ulfen people. She feels the ulfen hate of Irrisen is justified - and in a somewhat masochistic way she feels attracted to it.

Beyond their hatred of her people, she admires their strength and courage. But she also finds them somewhat savage. Some part of her misses urban Absalom already.

Me, I think they are vikings.

What would your character do if confront by someone from her past?

She would try to avoid it, if possible. She has nothing to say to her family.

If her people captured her, they'd get nothing out of her, except for magic missiles aimed at them. She'd also try to escape again at any cost.

She has no qualms having her family members killed either: if Savol told her he had captured one of them (or if he announced they were in his camp for secret negotiations, or for a family-reunion), she'd suggest he execute them immediately. (She might try to do it herself, if Savol isn't willing to do it. But otherwise she prefers not having to meet them, even for their execution)

If she were to go on an undercover mission to Irrisen: she would pretend to be a legitimate Jadwiga, to trick locals into following her orders (human peasants and monsters alike). She'd try to stay as far as possible from people who might recognize her, both because she doesn't want her cover blown and because she has nothing to say to people from her past.

One day, Garulk managed to get far enough away from his tribe to have a moment to himself, among the trees He heard a voice speaking to him, it told him to make a mask, and that it would offer him guidance. With little else to do, he grabbed the axe he'd brought with him, cut down a nearby tree, and set to work carving a mask out of it. As he worked, his own mind seemed to receed, being subsumed by the voice that spoke to him as he worked. Eventually it seemed as though the voice had taken over, and was carving the mask itself, leaving him free to watch and listen.

The voice told him that it knew how he'd suffered, the pain he'd endured, but that it was for a purpose. The pain made him stronger. It told him that there was magical power in inflicting pain on himself and others, and with that power, he would do great things. Finally, the voice told him to seek out the human named Savol, the Ulfen king would make Garulk a hero and king to orcs, humans and Fey.

Garulk awoke to find a finished mask in his hands, it was grotesque, but in its own way, Garulk found it beautiful. It was almost the size of a shield, but it fit his face perfectly. It looked angry, with narrowed eyes and a screaming maw. Feeling that there was something missing with it, he cut himself across the arm, and sprinkled his blood upon the mask. Satisfied, Garulk put the mask on and then set out to find this Savol. He never returned to his tribe.

As for settlements, she doesn't mind town and actually already frequents them to trade. Cities are a new thing to her though and she's never been in one. She'll be hesitant at first and how that'll change depends on her experience there.

What made him decide to stay on when Savol left orc territory?

"Kragdash not sure why pinkskin ask for obvious answers, but Kragdash is in good mood so he will explain. Kragdash felt like it."

Now jokes aside, well there are basically two answers what kept him initially and what kept him in the long run.

First it was simple practicality, these people had food and hunting gets boring after a while and he was willing to fight for his keep, since he likes fighting. He also wanted distance between him and his former tribe. He also believes strongly that only true way of worshiping Gorum is by battle and there seemed to be promise of that.

As time went on he started to respect some people there. Kragdash still thinks groups social structures in the same way it worked in his tribe. This tribe is strong, Savol is a good chief and a strong one. These people were also were much more tolerant of orcs or at least of him. He has most likely made few friends and some comradery with those he has fought with.

So I guess the short answers is he likes it, especially when compared to the alternative of wandering between towns where he isn't welcome.

Name three things you'd like to do with this character

Eventually I want Dagmar to realize how much she wants to go on this quest for her own sake and not just using her brother's memory as an excuse. When a young girl she would sit alongside Jild as her mother would tell fantastic stories of past Ulfen heroes and their adventures. She was both proud and jealous when her brother left with Savol, sometimes she'd regret what talents she did have, wishing instead to be a brave warrior like him.

I want Dagmar to go along so that she can learn just how important her skills are and that she is needed just as much as any warrior and to be proud of what she can do. I want to see her develop more confidence in herself and to be her own person, worthy of her own stories. I'd also like her to outgrow her girlish crush and develop her own love interest.

Also, consider the relatively recent death of her father, Dagmar will have to deal with and overcome her dislike of orcs(half-orcs) if there are any in the party.

What drives your character to be a paragon of virtue?

Shelyn is a goddess of beauty, and her paladins are called to preserve and elevate beauty in all its forms. Evil is dark; it hides beauty, corrupts it like a cancer. In some cases that cancer can be excised, and the ugliness it caused returned to a virtuous state. Those that can be redeemed must be saved. Those who cannot, either by choice or nature, must be cut down to prevent the cancer's spread.

if you make a statue of Jild was it nude? If so do you have an exit strategy for when Savol or her mother find out?

Andreas would carve a nude statue of Jild if that were her wish, but doing so would would fail to capture the true beauty of Ulfen women. They are strong, the product of a harsh environment where marauders from the east, Linnorms and lesser monsters native to their homeland, and even the weather itself seeks to destroy them. They are true warriors, and raise their sons to be champions and heroes of their people. The true beauty of an Ulfen woman is not her flesh, it is her ability to withstand all threats and dangers that threaten her, her family, and her homeland.

White Estrid would be a paragon of this beauty: She not only tamed the land, she tamed the Linnorm that made her King. She is a true matron of her people, powerful, strong, and capable in the face of danger. Andreas would delight in the opportunity to carve her likeness, in full battle regalia, seated on her throne with her Linnorm servant at her side.

How would your character view raiding other kingdoms/villages?

The Lands of the Linnorm Kings are a harsh land, with raiding and conquest being an important part of the people's culture and way of life. Andreas would be accepting of these traditions, provided the reasons and methods were honorable. He would have issue with truly evil acts, such as the slaughter on noncombatants or the execution of repentant prisoners. He would act to preserve the cultural identity of those communities that were sacked, to safeguard their arts and help the survivors to incorporate themselves among their conquerors.

Warfare and conquest are harsh truths in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, but these concepts can be beautiful as well. Provided an honorable King leads his men by example. If Savol Kodiakborne is not this type of leader let me know, and I will see if I can come up with a different character concept before the deadline.