His background is largely tied to those important connections, but I'll have a overview done tonight, depending on when I get off work I may embellish further. (Ups gets crazy this time of year.)
Instead of a Druid I'm looking at a Shifter using the Weretouched archetype. Concept stays the same though, still someone who used to fight alongside the fey in the Border Forest against the Zhentarim and who now functions as a mediator between the local people and the fey.
She herself is a devotee of the Seldarine with a focus on Corellon, Rilifane, Solonor and Aerdrie.
She is the child of a human man and a Wood Elf woman who belonged to one of the last Elven villages of the Border Forest.
The secrets:
The one she keeps Her father was one of the Zhentarim, even if he turned his back on them.
The one kept from her Her father wasn't Zhentarim, he was an undercover Harper. This is kept from (almost) everyone, so should the one above come out it would be the truth for most everyone.
The goals:
Broker peace between the fey and the humans of the Border Forest and beyond.
Make up for the damage her father's people (based on her truth, see secrets) have done to the region.
The People:
Heraud Mulcin, father, deceased. Human man who helped several Wood Elf villages evacuate and escape the encroachment by the Zhentarim. Mystery to Melea (see secrets).
Yalandra, mother. Left the Border Forest behind long ago together with Melea, then a toddler. Raised her together with her family in the King's Forest in Cormyr. Recently came back to the Border Forest after the fighting had died down.
Ingaboda Brightleaf, mentor. Nymph Druid and teacher of Melea. Originally of the King's Forest but came north with Melea to fight the Zhentarim. Blind in one eye as a result of the battles. Part of the fey faction to wants peaceful coexistence with mortals.
Bloodrot & Belearo, enemies/antagonists. A treant and a pixie respectively who want nothing less than the complete removal of all mortals, other than druids and their ilk, from the Border Forest, preferably with force. Belearo is the real hardliner and actually wants to claim an area stretching far beyond the Border Forest, including the entire Dagger Dale.
History in short:
Melea was born in the Border Forest but left at the age of 2 due to the threat posed by the Zhentarim. They reloacted to the King's Forest in Cormy.
Her father stayed behind to secretly help other people and fey escape the Zhentarim. He was executed by the Zhentarim for this and for supplying their enemies with inside intel.
Melea was raised as an Elf but the speed of teaching was too low for her so she wandered alone in the forest at the age of 6. Was attacked by boars but got saved by Ingaboda.
In the years after Melea was trained both by her Elven family and by Ingaboda. She showed very little magical talent but a very strong connection to the raptors that dominated the skies.
Melea was told the story of her home and her father at the age of 16 and decided to head back north to fight the Zhentarim and find her father. Ingaboda decided to come along with her to watch over her.
Melea discovers the Zhentarim had killed her father only months after she and her mother had left and they also killed all that had remained of her mother's village. She laos learn her father was a Zhentarim who betrayed his people. Melea flies into blind rage, triggering her first transformation, which she can't end.
Careful coaching by Ingaboda leads to more control over her abilities.
The two of them join the fey armies.
After many years, more battles and the loss of one of Ingaboda's eyes the war ends. The Zhen tarim have been driven out, now is the time of rebuilding.
Many fey do not want peaceful coexistence with the remaining, non-Zhentarim, humans
Melea gets wind of possible plans to spread a new fey war beyond the Border Forest and heads out to warn people.
This week is over already, where did all the time go? I am down to the last 4500 or so of gold (likely to convert to a +2 Cloak of Resistance if I do not think of something more fun by start time) and some additional connections. Will continue to work those tomorrow, but the crunch is all ready:
Narciso:
Narciso "The Hunter" pronounced Nar_Seeee_Zo, with an almost drawl on the middle syllable
Male Half Elf Inquisitor (Sanctified Slayer) 10
Neutral Good Medium Humanoid
Init +9; Senses Darkvision 60' [Drow Blooded]; Perception +17
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Defense
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AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+8 armor, +3 Dex, +1 Dodge)
hp 86 (10d8+33)
Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +11(+13 v Enchantment)
Resist None
Weaknesses Light Blindness
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.(40 ft.)
Ranged Melee +1 Training Elven Curve Blade +19/+14 (1d10+8/19-20x2) PA[+16/+11 (1D10+17/19-20x2)]
Melee +1 Training Elven Curve Blade vs. studied Drow +22/+17 (1d10+14/19-20x2) PA[+19/+14 (1D10+23/19-20x2)]
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +3D6 (+4D6 if flanking)[D8s vs Drow], Bane +2 to hit and 2D6+2 damage
Spell-Like Abilities Detect Alignment at will, Discern Lies 10/10, Dimensional Hop 100ft/day
Inquisitor Spells Prepared (CL 10):
Level 0 (At Will) (DC 14)Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Resistance, Create Water, Stabilize
Level 1 (6/day) (DC 15) Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Ear Piercing Scream, Hedging Weapons, Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, True Strike, Wrath
Level 2 (5/day) (DC 16) Aid, Cure Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, See Invisibility, Silence, Spiritual Weapon, Weapon of Awe
Level 3 (4/day) (DC 17) Dispel Magic, Heroism, Keen Edge, Protection from Energy, Searing Light
Level 4 (2/day) (DC 18) Divine Power, Freedom of Movement
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Statistics
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Str 18(20), Dex 14(16), Con 14 (16), Int 10(12), Wis 16(18), Cha 10
Base Atk +7/2; CMB +12; CMD 25
Feats Weapon Focus (Elven Curve Blade), Seething Hatred (Drow), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Extreme Prejudice, Precise Strike, Outflank, Paired Opportunists [Extended Bane]
Traits Kindred Raised [Racial Trait], Heirloom Weapon (Elven Curve Blade), Elven Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics (13)[18], Bluff (10), Climb (10), Craft (Poison) (9), Fly (8), K. Arcana (10), K. Dungeoneering (10), K. Religion (10), Lingusitics (10), Lore (Drow Noble houses) (9), Lore (Sehanine Moonbow) (9), Perception (17), Ride (9), Sense Motive (17), Spellcraft (5), Stealth (16), Survival (9), Swim (10)
Languages Common, Elven, Drow, Thorass, Draconic, Undercommon, Aklo, Abyssal, Infernal
SQ Drow Blooded, Kindred Raised
Other Gear Handy Haversack, Silver Holy Symbol, Spell Component Pouch, Belt Pouch, Soap*, Grooming Kit*, Bedroll*, Messkit*, Waterskin*, Trail Rations (10)*, Waterproof Bag*, 50' Silk Rope*, Smoked Goggles, Belt of Physical Might (+2), Headband of Mental Prowess (Acrobatics, Thorass) (+2), +1 Training Elven Curved Blade (Extended Bane), +2 Mithral Comfort Agile Breastplate, Pink Rhomboid Ioun Stone (+2) in a Wayfinder, Boots of Striding and Springing, Wand of Cure Light Wounds (50), Cracked Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone
(* indicates in the Haversack)
4541 GP 1 SP 9 CP// 105000 XP
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Special Abilities
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Studied Target +3 (EX) Agile Feet 6/6 (SU) Monster Lore +4 (EX) Stern Gaze +5 (EX) Cunning Initiative +4 (EX) Track +5 (EX) Bane 14/14 rounds (SU) Shadow Duplicate (rogue talent) 3/3 (SU)
Background:
Narciso was born to an unwanted union between a human mother he does not remember and an elf father he never knew. The human civilization wanted nothing to do with him once born, and the nearby Tel'Quesir of Cormanthor refused to even hear their case, so an elder took the child to a half elvan village near Essembra at the edge of the forest of Cormanthor to care for him as one of their own. It did not take long for his new parents to notice how uncomfortable he became in the daylight. Fortunately, they were worshipers of Sehanine Moonbow and they merely adjusted their lives for a nocturnal lifestyle.
As time went on, the hue of his skin darkened even more than it was as a child and his hair never colored past the bone white he showed as a baby. It was not long into his childhood he discovered the white hair was a source of unrelenting teasing, so had it shaved, a style he still uses to this day. Unsuited to most daytime tasks, Narciso was drawn to the faith of his parents as its tenets provided solace from the infernal light of day. Once again, his heritage stood in the way of a priestly life, but the church had another path for him. Master inquisitor Faerandruil Ildacer recognized his potential and took a great interest in Narciso's future.
While he was training for this new life, his village was raided by drow, a known threat in this area of the dales. Disheartened and forlorn over the loss of his parents in the raid, Narciso gave himself fully to the program under the clergy and was anointed a full fledged Inquisitor in her name. Shortly after, he received a vision from his goddess answering his question of pursuing his own interests or hers in deference to the hole in his heart where his family used to reside. She spoke to him and convinced him the path ahead required his initial sacrifice and to do the churches bidding for a time, but one day, on a day he would know, he would be granted his chance to reconcile both the hole in his heart and his faith in his goddess.
As a student of the Moon Goddess, Narciso was not very good with her holy weapon, but when tested with a two handed blade, he excelled. This fact coupled with his inherent faith gained him a final reward before his release from training, the Inquisitor's Blade (his preferred weapon). It is a holy relic only granted use to those who show exceptional skill in its use, which Narciso demonstrated time and again. He also took particular interest in the travel aspect of Sehanine Moonbow's portfolio and wandered the dales spending much of the intervening time of last several years dealing with lycanthropic incursions waiting for the day he can bring his hatred and vengeance on the despicable drow, all the while learning everything he could about drow society, language, and mannerisms.
Often alone, he was not above combining efforts with local talent or Harper agents to complete his missions. He took jobs from personalities all over the dales, but this is the first time he will present himself to Randall Morn since his return to Daggerdale.
Secrets: He desires vengeance for his parents, whereas his faith warrants justice; it is a thin line, but one he struggles with and may cross. Secret: He does not know who his true parents are, human or otherwise.
FCB went to HP for three levels and the rest went to extra spells. Background skills are the 2 Lores, Linguistics, and Craft. If chosen, I will create an alias for the character.
Okay, I didn't get this done yesterday because I was surprised by how difficult I found it to narrow things down to 5 characters. I spent yesterday evening putting together probably half a dozen different combinations, and sent PMs to various people about their characters for additional info.
Which is a preface to saying that I appreciate how many people put so much effort in, and if you weren't chosen that does not mean your submission wasn't good! Again, thank you all.
The selected players are:
Saoirse Morningtide
Elestar Solis
Wintyr Toneman
Nicodemus Nightspitch
Jonuli Mudarch
I'll get the Discussion and Gameplay threads up shortly, and start attaching the Roll20 map + loot tracker docs by this evening.
