About Dalmano "Dal" ImperiosusDal Reference Image
Statblock:
Dalmano Imperiosus NG M Human Witch (Alley Witch) 3 Init +4; Senses Perception +8; -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC with Mage Armor 16, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 dex) AC without Mage Armor 13, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 11 (+1 armor, +2 dex) HP 21 (3d6+6) Fort +4; Ref +3, Will +4, -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee cold iron dagger +3 (1d4-1/19-20x2) Ranged masterwork light crossbow +4 (1d8/19-20x2) Special Attacks hexes (swine [-2 will saves, 4 rounds], protective luck) DC 15 Witch Spells Prepared (CL 3; concentration +9) 2nd-hold person, summon monster II 1st–burning hands, enlarge person, mage armor 0 (at will)--dancing lights, daze, read magic, guidance Patron Crowd -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 12, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats scribe scroll, great fortitude, extra hex (protective luck) EitR weapon finesse, combat expertise, deadly aim Skills bluff [2] +9, heal [1] +5, intimidate [1] +4, arcana [3] +10, local [3] +12, planes [1] +5, perception [3] +8, spellcraft [3] +10, stealth [1] +6, use magic device [3] +6 Background Skills appraise [3] +7, history [3] +10 Languages Common, Dwarven, Halfling, Infernal Traits Campaign: Unhappy Childhood (Religious), Region: Cunning Liar SQ Speak to the City (+2 initiative, Local, Perception, Stealth, and Sense Motive while within Korvosa) Favored Class +2 HP Combat Gear scroll of burning hands (cl 2), scroll of charm person, scroll of comprehend languages, scroll of ears of the city, scroll of shadow trap, wand of night blindness (11 charges), wand of ray of enfeeblement (20 charges), 2 acid flasks, 2 potion of clw, crossbow bolts (10) Other Gear masterwork light crossbow, cold iron dagger, haramaki, explorer’s outfit, spring loaded scroll case (containing scroll of shadow trap), spring loaded wrist sheath (containing cold iron dagger) , masterwork backpack, blanket, spell component pouch, belt pouch containing 417 gp 5 sp Familiar:
Pockets Cat Tiny Animal Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 16, Touch 14, Flat-Footed 14 ( +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural armor) HP 10 (3HD) Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; Defensive Abilities -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 claws +5 (1d2-4), bite +5 (1d3-4) Ranged Special Attacks -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 3, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 7 Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 7 Feats weapon finesse Skills perception [3] +7, stealth [1] +18 Languages SQ alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells Witch Spells Known 2nd-hold person, summon monster II 1st-bungle, burning hands, charm person, command, ear-piercing scream, enlarge person, mage armor, murderous crow, nauseating dart, shadow trap 0-all witch cantrips Ending up in Lamm’s Hands:
The strange man led Dalmano down the main street, winding through stalls and alleyways. ”Almost there,” he kept reassuring the boy. Until they finally stopped at the door to an old, dilapidated building, ”Th’ man who owns this place loves kids,” he said. ”Lamm! Open up! I got a youngun here. Found ‘im crying in an alleyway. Six, maybe seven, years old.” ”Five,” Dalmano squeaked. ”Says he’s five-” the stranger cut himself off to grin at Dalmano, ”Well fed, ain’tcha?” The door creaked open and Dalmano caught a glimpse of the ugly face inside. ”I don’t have space for a five-year old right now. They don’t pull enough,” Lamm snarled. “Maybe. But after I gave ‘im a piece of taffy he started blabbin’ ‘bout how his da’ was a city guard. Claims Abadar’s church was gonna give him ‘n’ his ma’ some coin for his da’s passin’. Thought you might could ransom ‘im or sumthin’.” ”Oh?” Gaedren Lamm said. He opened the door the rest of the way and took a quick step toward Dalmano, passing a small stack of coins to the stranger in one fluid motion. ”What’s your name, little man?” Lamm asked the boy. ”Dal-Dalmano Imperiosus,” the boy replied. ”A proper Chelaxian name. But a bit of a mouthful,” Lamm smiled and showed his stained teeth. ”How’s about we call you ‘Dal’ instead, hmm? Now Dal, why don’t you come on inside. I’m sure we can find a place for you to rest. You must be so tired. And tomorrow, we’ll see about finding your mom, eh?” Leaving the Lambs:
When Dal was twelve, while working the market for Lamm, he lifted a purse from a woman. Excited to finally have something to show for an entire day of work, Dal was disappointed to discover only a few silver coins in the pouch along with a single oversized copper coin. He almost tossed the useless coin in the gutter but hesitated. Instead, he slipped the odd coin in a hidden pocket and stuffed the rest in his pack. With that done, Dal grumbled and started the climb to the city rooftops. When he reached the top a familiar face popped over the ledge. Yoen was a little younger than Dal. He was ten or eleven. No one had ever figured out his exact date of birth. Yoen smiled and held out a hand to help pull Dal onto the rooftop. ”I hope you got somethin’, Dal. I’m headed back with empty pockets,” Yoen said. He made a dramatic show of pulling his pockets inside out. ”Seriously?” Dal asked. ”That’s gotta be your third day in a row?” ”Fourth,” Yoen corrected. ”Lamm’s not going to be happy.” ”Yeah. No s~~$!” The boys let the silence hang for a minute before Dal finally spoke again. ”You take this purse I scored today. It’s not much, but it might be enough to keep Lamm off you for a day or two,” he handed the sack of silver coins to Yoen. ”No way! Thanks!” The pair relished in the afternoon sun a bit longer, pretending that they were grand adventurers who defeated terrible monsters. And, for a while, they almost forgot that they were petty criminals forced to do the bidding of a cruel old man. When they finally returned home, the two lined up with the other Lambs to present their earnings for the day. ”I hope today was the day you finally turn things around,” Lamm said as he stepped up to Yoen. ”It is, sir,” Yoen held out the purse with the silver coins. Lamm snatched up the purse and looked inside. ”Six silver? Six!” He raised a hand as if to strike Yoen then slowly lowered his fist. ”Hmm, I suppose after a few days of nothing this’ll have to do.” He lingered a moment before stepping over to Dal. ”And where is your earnings?” Dal swallowed hard. ”I, uh, didn’t earn anything today, sir. I’m sorry.” Lamm cocked his head to one side, ”You? You didn’t earn anything today?” Dal’s eyes flickered to the coin purse in Lamm’s hand. ”Oh…oh I see. Think you can trick me, eh?” Lamm backhanded Yoen hard enough to knock the boy to the ground. ”Think a couple of dimwitted children can outsmart Gaedren Lamm!” He drove a boot into Yoen’s stomach. ”Think you can-” ”Stop!” Dal shoved Lamm off of Yoen. ”Don’t you ever lay a hand on me, boy!” Lamm’s fist struck Dal in the side of the head, sending Dal stumbling sideways into a table. As he fell, the copper coin rolled out of the hidden pocket. ”Trying to trick me twice! You always have been a problem child. Maybe that’s why your mother abandoned you to go hang herself!” Lamm stamped a foot down on the coin before scooping it up. ”No worries, unlike that b!&~$, I have the strength to beat that out of you.” Undermining Lamm:
A woman in her mid-sixties strolled into a circular courtyard. She wore brown robes which just touched the ground along with a golden cincture around her waist. Her name was Aspexia Sorphus and she was a priestess of the Empyreal Lord Lorris. She took a seat on one of the modest benches and patted the empty spot beside her. ”Do you remember when you first came to us, Dalmano?” she asked. Dal stepped from a shadowed doorway and joined her on the bench. ”I was thirteen. I’d spent the last few months scouring the city for the symbol that had been on the coin Lamm took from me. None of the big temples had it. Hell, I wasn’t even sure it was a religious thing.” ”But somehow you knew,” she smiled. ”I had just about given up hope when I slipped and fell from the rooftops into this courtyard,” Dal continued as if the priestess had not spoken. ”You were the first face I saw when I woke up. I recognized you right away and I was terrified that you had done the same.” ”I had my suspicions.” ”As soon as I could, I ran. I ran straight back to that awful place,” Dal shook his head at his own cowardice. ”But, you came back. Again and again,” Aspexia twisted a loose thread on her robes. ”And when Lamm found out…” Dal’s voice faltered and the priestess finished his thoughts for him. ”You came back for good.” Now it was Dal’s turn to smile. ”Until you lot kicked me out! I seem to recall someone saying ‘You’re eighteen now! Either join us officially or find somewhere else to muck up!’” Aspexia chuckled, ”Nula. Hah! She was a feisty one. I like to think that even Pharasma had a hard time wrangling Nula.” She placed a hand on Dal’s shoulder, ”But tell me, what have you been up to that you need to come speak with an old woman? Is your mother still with the Sarenites?” ”Yes. She’s recovered quite a bit but…they don’t believe that her mind will ever fully recover. The lies Lamm fed her… Dal let his words die before switching subjects. ”I’m here because I’ve spent the last ten years working toward a goal. ’ve seen so much evil in this city but…I’ve seen so much good too. I know that the people of this city are good people. I want to help them save our home.” “I suppose you were thinking of something more direct than opening a shelter for the homeless?” Aspexia said. “Tried that. Couldn’t get it funded,” he replied. ”It’s just…I feel like I can hear the city itself whispering to me, asking me for help. But I’m so insignificant. So, I’ll do what I can when I can.” Dal rose from the bench and turned to face Aspexia. “Lamm is still running his little criminal empire. I bumped into some of his victims a few days ago. Two girls. I saw them lifting coins from people in the market. And all I could think was how they were just children. Kids forced to do the dirty work of some vile old man! One of them spotted me watching them and I could see that same sadness in her eyes that I see in the mirror. I hated seeing that look. I wanted it to go away so I told her that her hair - the color and the braid- were both very pretty. And she just lit up!” Aspexia let out a long sigh. ”And because of that, you want to do what? Take on Gaedren Lamm?” ”No,” Dal shook his head, ”As much as it befuddles me, the scumbag has too many friends and not enough enemies. But I can mess with his business whenever possible. Disrupt things. Maybe help a kid escape his clutches once in a while.” NPCs:
Aspexia Sorphus - Elderly priestess/cultist of the Empyreal Lord Lorris. Kind and gentle from the moment she first met Dal when he swiped her coin purse. When they met again, she offered to care for the boy and became a surrogate mother. Marianne Sorphus - Dal’s mother. When her son was lost/kidnapped, she spent every coin the Church of Abadar gave from her husband’s salary searching for him. Gaedren Lamm contacted the woman and demanded a ransom in return for the boy and she quickly delivered only to be told that her son had, in fact, been killed due to her delay in delivery. Driven mad by the two losses, she quickly became one of the many living on the street. Years later, Dal was able to track down his mother and set her up as a resident of the Temple of Sarenrae in hopes of healing her mind. Yoen - Fellow victim and former Little Lamb, Yoen managed to scrape by on the odd job here and there until he was able to purchase a cart from which he sells dried meats. Always happy to see his old friend, Yoen constantly talks of “the old days” as if their childhoods were filled with happy memories. |
