The Beginning of the End: A Pawn's Dilemma (Inactive)

Game Master caster4life

A. HP: A wizard 4/barbarian 4 with +3 con would have 4d12 hit dice and 12+7+7+7+4*3=45 hp
B. You could choose class skill proficiencies from the lists available to both classes but you could only choose as many class skill proficiencies as the number granted by the class that grants the most. A wizard 1/sorcerer 1 gets 2 skill proficiencies from its class. A wizard 1/rogue 1 gets 4 skill proficiencies from its class.
C. Weapons and armor proficiencies: Pretty obvious here. You have any proficiency listed under either class.
D. Saving throws: You get the saving throw proficiencies of both classes! So a bard 1/wizard 1 is proficient in dex, int, wis, and cha saves.
E. Fighting styles: You get one from each class but you can't benefit from picking the same one twice, e.g. fighter 2/paladin 2 picks defense and defense. He gets a total of +1 ac.
F. ASIs: You get ASIs from each class at specific levels. If both classes grant an ASI at a level, you only get one ASI from that level. So a wizard 20/bard 20 only has 5 ASIs but a rogue 20/fighter 20 has 8 ASIs.
G. Equipment: You get the starting equipment of both classes.

Be a good team player both mechanically and in storytelling. React to the posts of others. Push the action forward. Act in the best interests of the team.

STR 10
DEX 10
CON 16
INT 11
WIS 10
CHA 16

HP 12
AC 16
Prof +2
Init 0

Saves: Str: 0; Dex: 0; Con: +5; Int: 0; Wis: +2; Cha: +5

Speed 30'

Spell Attack: +5 to hit
Spell DC: 13
Dagger: +2 to hit; 1d4 damage

Skills: Arcana +2, History +2, Intimidation +5, Perception +2, Religion +2

Feats: Warcaster

Class Features:
*Sorcerer: Sorcerous Origin (Stone; Metal Magic, Stone's Durability)

*Warlock: Otherworldly Patron (Celestial; Extended Spell List, Healing Light: 2d6, bonus action)

Spell Slots:
*Sorcerer: 2

*Warlock: 1

Spells Known:
*Sorcerer:
0: Acid Splash, Firebolt, Frostbite, Thunderclap

1: Burning Hands, Magic Missile

*Warlock:
0: Eldritch Blast, Magic Stone, Light, Sacred Flame

1: Guiding Bolt, Hellish Rebuke

Equipment: 5 Daggers (sold, +5 gp total), 2 Maces (Sold, +5 gp total), Component Pouch x2, Explorer's Pack, Leather Armor (sold, +5 GP), Common Clothes, Belt Pouch with 10 gp

Background: Sage
Specialty: Wizard's Apprentice
Feature: Researcher

Ideal: The path to power is through knowledge
Personality Trait: I'm willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make a judgement.
Bond: I have ancient magical knowledge that would destroy the world in the wrong hands.
Flaw: WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE A SHORT FUSE? YOU TRYING TO START SOMETHING?

As the being that she has a pact with is good, it cares little for collateral damage, and will destroy nations to complete it's aims.

In the wrong hands, such power misused would be devastating.

Race: Variant Tiefling
* Stats: +2 Dex +1 Int
* Winged: You have bat-like wings sprouting from your shoulder blades. You have a flying speed of 30 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor. This trait replaces the Infernal Legacy trait.
* Darkvision: Thanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
* Hellish Resistance: You have resistance to fire damage.

Haunted One
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Investigation
Languages: Infernal
Equipment: A monster hunter’s pack (The monster hunter's pack includes a chest, a crowbar, a hammer, three wooden stakes, a holy symbol, a flask of holy water, a set of manacles, a silver mirror, a flask of oil, a tinderbox, and three torches.) and one Gothic Trinket
* Feature: Heart of Darkness (Those who look into your eyes can see that you have faced unimaginable horror and that you are no stranger to darkness. Though they might fear you, commoners will extend you every courtesy and do their utmost to help you. Unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them, they will even take up arms to fight alongside you, should you find yourself facing an enemy alone.)

Class 1: Fighter (will go Eldrich Knight)
* Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
* Skills: Using Rogue
* Archery: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Class 2: Rogue (will go Arcane Trickster)
* Tools: Thieves' tools
* Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
* Skills: Stealth, Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception
* Expertise: Perception and Stealth
* Sneak Attack: Once per turn, you can deal extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. As you gain levels, the amount of damage increases, as shown on the level table. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Rogue Features:
Skills: Perception, Stealth, Insight
Lang: None
Tools: Thieve's Tools
Other Features:
Expertise - Choose two skills, or the use of Thieve’s Tools (Perception and Insight). Add double Proficiency Bonus.
Sneak Attack - Add an additional 1d6 to damage to one attack when you have Advantage on an attack or another enemy is within 5ft of the target.
Thieve’s Cant - Communicate with anyone else who can also speak it, and read signs left with important information.

Race Features:
Ability Score: Intelligence +2, Dexterity +1
Speed: 25
Size: Small
Languages: Common, Gnome
Other Racial Features:
Darkvision - See in total darkness for 60ft.
Gnome Cunning - Gain Advantage on all Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws against magic.
Natural Illusionist - Gain Minor Illusion as a Cantrip, using Intelligence.
Speak With Small Beasts - Through gestures and noises, communicate with small or smaller animals.

Armour: Studded Leather Armour

Weapon: Thunder Cannon, Rapier

Trinkets: Sledgehammer

Tools - Thieve’s Tools, Tinker’s Tools, Smith’s Tools

Gear 1 x Common Clothes, Case Containing Map, Bullseye Lantern, A Miner’s Pick, Shovel, Two-Person Tent.
Backpack, 1000 Ball Bearings, 50ft Rope, Hooded Lantern, 2x Pints Oil, Tinder Box, 5x Rations, Waterskin.

Items acquired in game:

Feature: Dust Digger
A trinket from an old dig (Sledehammer)

Feature: Historical Knowledge
Identify the builders of ancient ruins, and the worth of art more than century old.

Personality Trait: I love a good puzzle or mystery..

Ideal: That artifact belongs in a museum.

Bond: I won't sell an art object or other treasure that has historical significance or is one of a kind.

Flaw: When given the choice of going left or right, I always go left.

Dark skinned, with wild hair and a neatly trimmed, braided beard, Enizver looks much like most of his kin do. He wears a long, heavy and fur lined coat of the darkest green leather with black wooden buttons over his armour and travelling gear, and an almost comically large packpack with various odds and ends all over it. Much of his equipment is hooked onto this bulging bag.

Atop his wild hair usually sits a wide brimmed hat the same green as his coat with a thick band around it. He speaks in a strong alto voice and typically smells of metals and grease.

Personality: Curious and mercurial, Enizver is on a hunt for power and knowledge. For him they are more or less the same thing. The deeper his understanding of the world, magic and existence work the greater things he can create, and the more power he gains.

It would be fair to say that, at this point, that hunt is both the journey and the destination. Enizver currently has no greater goal, no burning ambition or dream he seeks to achieve. Many have been led astray by such a thing, and it’s certainly possible that Enizver could be too, that the lure of power could take him to dark places.

But he also has the loose idea that knowledge such as this could and should be used to make lives better. Take his handcannon, a weapon of immense destructive potential. But just like a bow it can also be used to defend, or to hunt food. With a handcannon and clean kill be performed at a greater distance. Less training and skill is required to use it. And thus, lesser hunters can go from being unable to provide to putting food on the table. A guard could fight off a monster with minimal training and at great range.

Of course, balance is an issue too. Such a change could shift things dramatically. And knowledge could be used to understand those changes and smooth over the worst of it. So for now...he seeks knowledge

Backstory: A simple Gnome from a simple village, Enizver would likely have remained a simple forest Gnome if not for a simple piece of luck. An old tomb complex, buried deep in the woods, far from everyone. It had long since been picked clean by countless adventurers and monsters, and its traps long disarmed and destroyed, but it was a fascinating place for a young man to explore.

Enizver spent countless hours wandering the complex, studying the images carved in to its walls, the traps in the walls, the bones of its defeated guardians. As he grew older, he noticed something odd. A section of the building in the middle, without a doorway or entrance. He became convinced that somewhere in that section was untapped treasures that no one had been able to find, but also knew that such areas were likely to contain traps, or monsters.

So he learnt the skills he needed to deal with such things, the art of disarming traps or picking locks, and the skills to fight. Perhaps not too surprisingly it turned out the best place to learn such a skillset was the local thieves, who used a combination of blade work, stealth and lock picks to lighten the load of various ‘acceptable’ targets, which comprised mostly of merchants knowing for being especially unfair in their dealings and tax collectors.

Despite this extensive education, Enizver still could not locate the hidden door that he was certain was there. Feeling he was going a little mad, he eventually came up with a plan that someone less obsessed may have thought twice about - taking a sledge hammer to a section of wall already cracked by time and wear.

Surprisingly, it worked. Perhaps more surprisingly, Enizver was right. Beyond the wall was ancient rooms and corridors that hadn’t seen the light of...well, anything for uncounted centuries. In such a time even the finest materials crumble, the most powerful of spells fade, and as such there wasn’t much beyond those walls. Strange odds and ends with just a hint of power remaining, holding the delicate materials together. Stone carvings in tongues no one could speak, now. And in one room a strange tube. Its handle had long since gone, and its body of metal was nothing but rust, and the bronze shells next to it were a mystery...but nevertheless the ruined weapon intrigued Enizver.

Even without being able to read the runes on the wall, the images showed the thing being used. Using those odds and ends to fund it, Enizver bought books of alchemy, learning the principles behind the strange weapon, a firearm of some kind. This one seemed a little different, however, incorporating elements of magic. It took a lot of trial and error, a lot of effort, and more than one pair of eyebrows.

But eventually Enizver had a functioning handcannon. Not only that but he was able to put a bullet through a solid brick wall at 50 paces. Impressed by the untamed lethality, and pleased that his work had also resulted in a solid understanding of magical items if not magic itself, Enizver looked around for something to do with this knowledge and power and realized that it was not suited to a sleep village, nor casual theft the next town over. He yearned for greater things. So he packed up what he could and went to find something more.

[spoiler=Notes]At 3rd level I intend to take the Inquisitive Archetype.

Cantrips Known (2): Light, Vicious Mockery

Rogue Features:
Skills: Persuasion, Deception, Perception, Slight of Hand
Lang:None
Other features: Expertise (Insight,Investigation), Sneak Attack, Thieves Cant

Race Features:
Ability Score: +1 str, +1 wis, +1 int, +1 cha, +1 dex, +1 con
Speed: 30
Size: Medium
Languages: Common, Elvish
Other racial features:none

Armor:
Leather Armor

Weapon: Longsword, Rapier, Shortbow, Quiver of 20 Arrows, 2 Daggers

Trinkets:

Other Items:
Thieves Tools, Horn, Pipe Flute, Chest (12 ft^3/300lb capacity), 2 map/scroll cases, set of fine clothes, bottle of ink, ink pen, lmp, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, vial of perfume, sealing wax, soap, backpack, crowbar, hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, tinderbox, 10 days of rations, 50ft of rope, waterskin, Waterdeep City Watch Investigators Uniform, 1 set of manacles with key.

Items acquired in game:

Feature: Watcher's Eye
Can find local outpost of the watch or similar organization, and dens of criminal activity in a community.

Trait: I use fiction to make sense of reality. I understand peoples stories in order to understand people.

Ideal: Not everyone can have a happy ending, but I should try to help those I can.

Bond: My mother and younger brother depend on me.

Flaw: A simple resolution is dissatisfying. I'd rather dig in than leave well enough alone.

He eventually, enrolled at the College of New Olamn to study the Bardic traditions of Music, History and Lore. He naturally excelled in music, having been surrounded by it his whole life, but what he really poured himself into was his studies of Lore and Lore-telling/construction. Story building fascinated him and he found himself relating to everyday life in terms of storytelling.

After Gram completed his coursework, we was to complete a years worth of work as a traveling journeyman and return to perform self written piece for the Magnus Alumna in order to graduate from the college. Unfortunately, shortly before his journey was to begin, his father was killed in the line of duty. With this sudden loss, he decided to forgo his year abroad and stay with his mother to help take care of his little brother.

He couldnt get a job as a bard, haven't forgone his graduation, but was offered a job with the by the Captain of the nights watch out of respect for his fathers service. He accepted and eventually worked his way up from clerk to Swordcaptain in the investigations unit, where he uses his unique way of looking at he world to figure out the "story" behind crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice.

Appearance Gram is a 26 year old male human with dark brown skin, brown eyes and black hair fashioned in to short, neat dreadlocks, with the sides of his head shaven. He keeps a neatly trimmed goatee which shows signs of early graying. He is 6'0 and gangly, though with the loose fit of his City Watch uniform, he strikes a deceptively imposing figure.

He typically wheres his City Watch Uniform adorned with crossed diagonal Slashes on the left shoulder (denoting the Rank of Swordcaptain) with a circle at the end of one of the slashes (indicating that he is and investigator)

Then there was the orphanage. The loneliness. The hunger. The sneering faces.

Lots of people would have lashed out. But those people weren’t Halgrin. So instead he held his anger in check. He might simmer, but he never exploded. Because at the end of the day sometimes the only thing you had any control over was yourself.

Instead he made it his life’s mission to prove other people wrong about him--usually by working twice as hard for half the gain. But no matter how angry and frustrated he got, he grit his teeth, and kept moving forward.

Eventually he joined the City Watch. But to his bitter disappointment he found it ineffective at best, and corrupt at its worst. Oh sure, a few shining beacons here and there who did what they could to help the city, but not enough to really make a dent. It was infuriating, but he never let it get to him--until today.

From his spot in an alleyway, Halgrim watched a half-elf laugh uproariously at something a dwarf was telling him. Those two were slavers. He couldn’t prove it. But he knew it. Just as he knew that there were at least half a dozen children stashed somewhere in the city, ready to be sold on the black market.

“Can’t let you do it, Hal.”

Halgrim turned to see a human woman in a hooded cloak, holding a hand crossbow leveled at his chest.

“I’m not going to let you throw away your career on those pathetic scum. You’re too good of an officer.”

“Wouldn’t be doing it for them, Zinna. And you know that.”

“Don’t give me that crap. We still have a couple days. Plenty of time to get more information, and do this by the book.”

“No. Time’s up.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. Fits the pattern. Five days after the last abduction. You said so yourself.”

“I was wrong.” Halgrin gave Zinna a dour, disbelieving look. “Okay, fine. We’ll both go in and arrest him now. We can take him to the station and question him.”

“You know who his father is. He’ll get released, we’ll both lose our jobs, and those kids will be halfway to Thay by the time someone finally bothers to slit our throats.”

Zinna lowered her crossbow.

“Go home. Let me do this. You don’t want any part of what’s about to happen.”

“If you do this, they won’t be able to prove anything. But you’ll probably lose your job anyway.”

Halgrin shrugged. “Won’t matter. Already quit anyway. Now get out of her. And go somewhere public where you’ll be seen.”

Zinna nodded, then walked away without another word. Halgrin decided to ignore the tear going down her face.

He returned his attention to the two slavers. Tonight, everything would change.

Because tonight he was finally going to show the world just how angry he could be.

Fighter Features:
Skills: Acrobatics
Fighting Style (Dueling) +2 bonus to damage rolls when wielding a weapon in one hand with no other weapons

Race Features:
Ability Score: +2 STR, +1 CON
Speed: 30
Size: Medium
Skills: Intimidation
Languages: Common, Orc
Darkvision 60 feet
Relentless endurance 1/long rest. When reduced to 0 Hp, but not killed, drop to 1 Hp instead.
Savage Attacks On a critical hit with melee attack, add 1 damage die to total.

Armor: None

Weapon: longsword +5 (1d8+5 slashing), warhammer +5 (1d8+5 bludgeoning), shortbow +4 (1d6+2 piercing), 20 arrows, hand axe (x2) +5 (1d6+5)

Trinkets:

Other Items:
Dungeoneer’s pack
Waterdeep City Watch uniform
Horn
Manacles
Pouch

Items acquired in game:

Trait: I’m always polite and respectful.
Trait: I can stare down a hellhound without flinching.

Ideal: Greater good. Out lot is to lay down our lives in defense of others.

Bond: I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

Flaw: I remember every insult I’ve received and nurse a silent resentment towards anyone who’s ever wronged me.

Horat was a gifted student of war. And he showed some magical potential that in another culture would have been tapped into. But he was directed to instead focus on the martial arts and thus he did gladly. He was proud to be part of the great uprising, the army that would free his people.

And then he realised that army would include a contingent of demons.

Horat was stunned. Surely the God-King would not countenance such a foul alliance? And yet, the demons remained. And shortly after, they were torn along with the Untherites back to Toril, the homeworld which Horat had never known.

The God-King launched the war regardless. After all, the lizards held Untherite land. Part of the original Unther.

Horat fought, finding a niche as a defender of his companions. Though he made certain to avoid the demons, and “missed” lizards who had made said demons their priority.

Better a demon be purged than an Untherite fall.

He earned the title of “The Bulwark” from the Untherites who fought with him. But his actions were noticed and filed away by unfriendly eyes. The demon contingent was destroyed at Djerad Thymar by a lizard-devil alliance, and Horat was not displeased, even if it meant that the Untherites would have to withdraw. During the final clashes, a mercenary wizard threatened his squad. Horat brought the mage down, and took his effects as booty.

Back in Unthalass, a reckoning came. The armies of the God-King had been insufficient, and someone would pay. Those regarded as insufficiently obedient were made examples of. And that included Horat. Allowing allies to perish demons!, and studying the ways of wizardry there is power there!, he was touted as an example of what had gone wrong. To “spare his family further shame”, he was told to leave Unther immediately, never to return, taking only what he carried.

Why are you in Waterdeep?
Waterdeep, “The City of Splendours”, and perhaps the best chance for an exile to make something of himself, do some good. And given that he has offended servants of the God-King, to die in one day, far from home.

What are you doing here?

Horat has been engaging in mercenary work. But he is choosey about how he uses his talents. He strictly helps enforce a just order, not oppose it. And he has been learning about magic, trying to decipher the mysteries of his spell book.

How did you respond to the angelic vision?

Surprise. Horat did not expect to have such a vision, not after his exile.

Why would you agree to help defeat a demonic cult?

Horat fundamentally wants to do the right thing, the just thing. And defeating monsters and demons is about as close to a pure example of that as he can think of. He *will* fight demons, and face-to-face at that!

Character description:
Describe your character's appearance and mannerisms.

Horat is a slim 6’, with sallow skin and deep brown eyes. As an Untherite noble, he shaves all hair from his body. He is very exact in his movements, if slow. And

Even in exile, one must not let their standards slip.

What does your character like?

Horat believes in a hierarchy in which all have a place. A just reign. His faith in the Unther version of such has been shaken but not shattered.

What does he/she dislike?

The mad. The cruel. The godless lizards.

The poor and the ignorant are no picnic to deal with. But at least they have a place in the world.

What kinds of people/behaviors are he/she more or less likely to get along with?

Those who believe in law and order. Servants of the divine, at least those similar to paladins. Strength of character and righteousness, hand in hand.

Example post: Give me an example post of your character interacting with an NPC in Waterdeep.
H: ”Greetings, Illuskan merchant. I would see the wares of Waterdeep.”

M: ”???”

H: ”I shall speak more clearly. Greetings…”

M: ”Fine, I’ll sell you stuff.”

I like a variety of character types and play styles. I do tend to prefer characters that show competence, which is still a pretty broad category. And all other things being equal, I lean towards melee capable sorts and not so many wizards usually.

I normally check my campaigns page several times a day, and I'm usually able to give notice if that won't be the case for a day or three.

Favourite moments? Hmmm. A number come to mind, but tension between characters for understandable (and not dumb) reasons is a favourite, as well as quiet moments for a character that reveal something of their nature. Characters getting to show their speciality is always fun too.